W.L. Guess

Toxicity of a rubber accelerator.

Abstract A toxicity profile for 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) and 2-(2-hydroxyethylmercapto)benzothiazole (HMBT) was determined utilizing cells in culture, mice and rabbits. The ethylene oxide reaction product of MBT (HMBT) was found to be more lethal than the parent compound in single-dose studies. The MBT was more toxic in repeated-dose studies. The most significant toxic effects were marked CNS stimulation, peripheral vasodilation, and salivation after acute dosing with both compounds, and a severe liver toxicity after subchronic dosing with MBT. There was little or no dermal toxicity from either compound on acute exposure.

Tissue reactions to 2-chloroethanol in rabbits.

Abstract 2-Chloroethanol is a potential reaction product between ethylene oxide and a free chloride ion. Certain plastic devices, such as those of the polyvinyl chloride types, contain such free chloride ions and are often sterilized by ethylene oxide. Depending on the chloride ion content and residual ethylene oxide, varying amounts of 2-chloroethanol (a chlorohydrin) may be formed as the reaction product. Since this agent is less volatile than the ethylene oxide, standard degassing procedures may leave residual 2-chloroethanol in the plastic device. If these devices come into prolonged contact with tissues, as might occur with tracheotomy tubes, the possibility exists for tissue damage from leaching 2-chloroethanol. This paper reports on the effect of pure 2-chloroethanol, and various dilutions of this material, on several of the tissue types with which a tracheotomy tube might come into contact in a patient. It was found that pure 2-chloroethanol is quite destructive to most of the tissues, including ophthalmic, mucosal, muscular, and subcutaneous tissues; however, on dilution, the toxicity potential decreased sharply. dilutions of 1:10 were still toxic, but in most cases, dilutions of 1:100 were practically innocuous. A cell culture evaluation correlated almost perfectly with in vivo techniques.

Morphological skin reactions to 2-chloroethanol

Abstract The presence of residual 2-chloroethanol has been demonstrated in ethylene oxidesterilized plastic materials. Previous studies from this laboratory have shown 2-chloroethanol to be acutely toxic to various rabbit tissues. The present study was undertaken to assess more accurately the nature of the damage to dermal and epidermal structures. Ic injections of several concentrations of ethanol and 2-chloroethanol were carried out utilizing the shaved back of albino rabbits. Appraisal of the toxic response of each compound with the light microscope revealed a classical inflammatory reaction, the magnitude of which varied directly with the administered concentration. In zones of higher alcoholic concentration, coagulative necrosis of collagen and dermal cellular structures was present. The peripheral areas, like the lower concentration injection sites, showed plentiful polymorphonuclear leukocytes and edema, but no visible changes in fibroblasts or other cellular structures. However, scrutiny with the electron microscope revealed a number of degenerative subcellular changes, including unusually shaped nuclei and nucleoli, vacuolization, intracellular inclusion bodies, plasmalemmal retraction, swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum, aggregation of ribosomes and tonofibrils and degenerated mitochondria. Both ethanol and 2-chloroethanol exerted similar toxic effects, although 2-chloroethanol was always more potent. The chlorine atom potentiates the lipophilicity of the ethanol molecule, thus enhancing its protein denaturing and lipid solvating properties.

Sorption of a Group of Dicarboxylic Acids by an Insoluble Polyamide

To develop a body of knowledge in regard to solute-polymer interactions, a study was initiated to investigate the sorption characteristics of a group of dicarboxylic acids when nylon-6,6 was used as the substrate. Results demonstrated the importance of the hydrophobic moiety in the group of acids.

Pyrolytic characterization of some plastics by a modified gas chromatography

Abstract An unconventional programmed pyrolysis was designed for the characterization of certain plastics, primarily those employed in medicine. The generally employed GC Packed Column was replaced by a stainless steel column containing glass wool, and a programmer was designed to elevate the temperature of the platinum pyrolysis filament in steps. Using a dual channel recorder, the signals from the flame ionization detector were recorded in one channel and the temperature of the filament in the other. The results obtained from the pyrolysis of a number of polyvinyl chlorides and polyacrylonitriles indicated that the method has the potential of providing characteristic “fingerprint-like” peak patterns for each polymer formulation.