CHED 1057 |
| Toluene is an aromatic, hydrophobic, volatile organic compound (VOC). Chronic exposure to toluene may lead to irreversible brain damage as well as occupational asthma. On the other hand, frequent acute toluene exposure, arising from the use of many household products such as paint thinners, nail polish, disinfectants and synthetic fragrances, has also been related to many health issues. Toluene toxicity in mammals is mostly attributed to its metabolism, since it's extreme hydrophobicity causes unusually difficult cellular excretion. In related studies, mice with acute exposure to toluene were shown to exhibit an increased tolerance to respiratory infection. Herein, we evaluated the relative stability of toluene in an established medium using gas chromatography, with data indicating that toluene is relatively unstable in the presence of aqueous media containing a rat lung epithelial cell line. Since cellular uptake was noted, we preliminarily quantified and assayed the cytotoxicity (LD50) of toluene to our rat lung epithelial cell line, with results disclosed within. |
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Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Environmental Chemistry
2:00 PM-4:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |