Acute and subacute inhalation toxicity studies of a new broad spectrum insect repellent, N, N-diethylphenylacetamide

N, N-Diethylphenylacetamide (DEPA) is an inexpensive, long-acting and broad spectrum insect repellent. The acute LC 50 for a 4-h exposure of DEPA aerosol was found to be 1.451 mg l −1 (1.290–1.633) in male and 1.375 mg l −1 (1.307–1.447) in female rats. DEPA did not cause delayed deaths. Acute exposure to 0.9 LC 50 revealed that liver might be a target organ for DEPA toxicity. On subacute exposures to 0.2, 0.6 and 0.8 LC 50 for 6 h per day, 5 days a week for 2 weeks, there was no significant change in the 0.2 LC 50 group, as evaluated by the body weight gain and organ body weight ratio. The minimal changes observed in the 0.6 LC 50 group were of reversible type as the animals recovered on cessation of exposure. A massive concentration of 0.8 LC 50 produced lethal effects. The study shows that DEPA has a low mammalian toxicity by inhalation as was found earlier with cutaneous application of the insect repellent.