Inhalation teratology studies of n-butyl mercaptan in rats and mice.

n-Butyl mercaptan (n-BM) is used as a solvent and a chemical intermediate. Pregnant Charles River CD-1 mice and COBS CD rats were randomly assigned to a control group and to three n-BM-exposed groups of 25 rats and 25 mice each. The animals were exposed by whole-body inhalation to mean n-BM concentrations of 10, 68, or 152 ppm on a 6-hr daily exposure schedule. Rats were exposed on Gestation Days 6-19 and mice on Gestation Days 6-16. The control group was exposed to filtered air only on a comparable regimen. Cesarean sections were performed on all surviving mice on Gestation Day 17 and on all rats on Gestation Day 20. Seventeen of the n-BM-treated mice died: 8 at the 68-ppm level and 9 at the 152-ppm level; none of the n-BM-treated rats died. An increased postimplantation loss and increased early resorption occurred in mice exposed at 68 and 152 ppm, indicating embryotoxicity. An increased incidence of cleft palate was observed in mice exposed to 10 or 68 ppm which was not statistically significant. Total fetal abnormalities were statistically significantly different from controls at 68 ppm where maternal lethality was observed when based on the fetal unit although not when based on the litter unit. Rats exposed to 152 ppm or less demonstrated no terata.