Environ Health Toxicol.  2011 ;26(1):e2011006.

Evaluation of Maternal Toxicity in Rats Exposed to Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes during Pregnancy

• Lim JH
• Kim SH
• Lee IC
• Moon C
• Kim SH
• Shin DH
• Kim HC
• Kim JC

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The present study investigated the potential adverse effects of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on pregnant dams and embryonic development following maternal exposure in rats.
METHODS
MWCNTs were orally administered to pregnant rats from gestational day (GD) 6 through 19 at dose levels of 0, 8, 40, 200, and 1000 mg/kg/day. During the test period, clinical signs, mortality, body weights, food consumption, serum biochemistry, oxidant-antioxidant status, gross findings, organ weights, and Caesarean section findings were examined.
RESULTS
All animals survived to the end of the study. A decrease in thymus weight was observed in the highest dose group. However, maternal body weight, food consumption, serum biochemical parameters, and oxidant-antioxidant balance in the kidneys were not affected by treatment with MWCNTs. No treatment-related differences in gestational index, embryo-fetal mortality, or fetal and placental weights were observed between treated and control groups.
CONCLUSIONS
The results show that 14-day repeated oral dosing of MWCNTs during pregnancy induces minimal maternal toxicity at 1000 mg/kg/day in rats. Under these experimental conditions, the no-observed-adverse-effect level of MWCNTs is considered to be 200 mg/kg/day for dams and 1000 mg/kg/day for embryonic development.

Keyword

Carbon nanotubes; Pregnancy; Maternal toxicity; Oxidative stress; Serum biochemistry

MeSH Terms

Animals
Biochemistry
Body Weight
Carbon
Cesarean Section
Embryonic Development
Female
Kidney
Maternal Exposure
Nanotubes, Carbon
No-Observed-Adverse-Effect Level
Organ Size
Oxidative Stress
Pregnancy
Rats
Thymus Gland
Weights and Measures
Carbon
Nanotubes, Carbon