Ethane

Acute Toxicity: inhalation

Administrative data

Endpoint:

acute toxicity: inhalation

Type of information:

experimental study

Adequacy of study:

key study

Reliability:

2 (reliable with restrictions)

Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:

study well documented, meets generally accepted scientific principles, acceptable for assessment

Remarks:

Non GLP, non-guideline, animal experimental study. Limitations in design and reporting but otherwise adequate for assessment

Data source

Reference

Reference Type:

publication

Title:

Hydrocarbon mixture: propane, butane and isobutane

Author:

Aviado DM, Zakheri S and Watanabe T

Year:

1977

Bibliographic source:

Non-Fluorinated Propellants and Solvents for Aerosols, pp 75-81

Materials and methods

Test guideline

Qualifier:

no guideline available

Principles of method if other than guideline:

To determine whether a mixture of 3 hydrocarbons is more toxic than each individual component.
Groups of male mice were exposed to a mixture of isobutane, butane, and propane (80.4%, 2.5%, and 17.1%, respectively) in air for 2 hours. Oxygen was added to prevent death from hypoxia.

GLP compliance:

no

Test type:

other: LC50

Limit test:

no

Test material

Test material information

Constituent 1

Reference substance name:

Isobutane

EC Number:

200-857-2

EC Name:

Isobutane

Cas Number:

75-28-5

Molecular formula:

C4H10

IUPAC Name:

isobutane

Constituent 2

Reference substance name:

Propane

EC Number:

200-827-9

EC Name:

Propane

Cas Number:

74-98-6

Molecular formula:

C3H8

IUPAC Name:

propane

Constituent 3

Reference substance name:

Butane

EC Number:

203-448-7

EC Name:

Butane

Cas Number:

106-97-8

Molecular formula:

C4H10

IUPAC Name:

butane

Test material form:

gas

Details on test material:

- Name of test material (as cited in study report): A-46
- Substance type: A hydrocarbon mixture specifically developed for the purpose of substituting for fluorocarbons
- Physical state: gas
- Composition of test material, named A-46, percentage of components: isobutane (31 psig) 80.4%, butane (17 psig) 2.5% and propane (108 psig) 17.1%
- Mixture A-26 (46 psig at21.1° ) 100%

Specific details on test material used for the study:

- Name of test material (as cited in study report): A-46
- Substance type: A hydrocarbon mixture specifically developed for the purpose of substituting for fluorocarbons
- Physical state: gas
- Composition of test material, named A-46, percentage of components: isobutane (31 psig) 80.4%, butane (17 psig) 2.5% and propane (108 psig) 17.1%
- Mixture A-26 (46 psig at 21.1°C) 100%

Test animals

Species:

mouse

Strain:

CF-1

Sex:

male

Details on test animals or test system and environmental conditions:

TEST ANIMALS
- Source: Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA
- no further details

ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
- no data

IN-LIFE DATES
- no data

Administration / exposure

Route of administration:

inhalation: gas

Type of inhalation exposure:

whole body

Vehicle:

other: no data

Details on inhalation exposure:

No methods in the paper itself, the publication refers to an earlier chapter (see other Aviado 1977 reference):
GENERATION OF TEST ATMOSPHERE / CHAMBER DESCRIPTION
- Exposure apparatus: Glass chamber
- Exposure chamber volume: 10 L
- Source and rate of air:The gaseous mixture was flushed into the chamber at a rate of 3 L/min

All gaseous mixtures were balanced by adding oxygen (25% of the volume of A-46).

Analytical verification of test atmosphere concentrations:

not specified

Duration of exposure:

120 min

Concentrations:

45, 50, 55, 60, 70 and 75 % v/v

No. of animals per sex per dose:

10 males

Control animals:

no

Details on study design:

Duration of observation period following administration: none

Statistics:

An LC50 and 95% confidence limits were calculated by a probit method

Results and discussion

Effect levels

Effect levels 1

Sex:

male

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect level:

57.42 other: %

95% CL:

>= 53.96 - <= 60.88

Exp. duration:

120 min

Remarks on result:

other: mixture material. Regression coefficient 0.9811

Effect levels 2

Key result

Sex:

male

Dose descriptor:

LC50

Effect level:

539 600 ppm

Exp. duration:

120 min

Mortality:

Mortality was 0, 20, 50, 60, 80 and 100% at concentrations of 45, 50, 55, 60, 70 and 75%, respectively.

Clinical signs:

other: None reported

Body weight:

None reported

Gross pathology:

n/a

Other findings:

n/a

Any other information on results incl. tables

n/a

Applicant's summary and conclusion

Interpretation of results:

GHS criteria not met

Remarks:

Criteria used for interpretation of results: other: EU (GHS/CLP)

Conclusions:

The 2-hour LC50 in mice of a mixture of isobutane, butane, and propane (80.4%, 2.5%, and 17.1%, respectively) was 57.42% (approximately 539,600 ppm).

Executive summary:

In this study, groups of male mice were exposed to a mixture of isobutane, butane, and propane (80.4%, 2.5%, and 17.1%, respectively) in air for 2 hours to assess the lethality and whether a mixture of 3 hydrocarbons is more toxic than each individual component.

The LC₅₀ of the gas mixture was 57.42% (approximately 539,600 ppm). Mortality was 100% at a concentration of 75%.