Elimination and effects of tetrahydrofuran (THF) in humans and experimental animals

1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 08670399
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Hygiene
• Research Institution: OSAKA CITY UNIVERSITY
• Principal Investigator: TERAMOTO Keiko Osaka City University, Medical School Lecturer Medicine and Environmental Health, 医学部, 講師 (70047356)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): ENDO Ginji Osaka City University, Medical School Professor, 医学部, 教授 (20160393)
• Project Period (FY): 1996 – 1997
• Keywords: tetrahydrofuran (THF) / half life / human / rats / head spase-gas chromatography / end-exhaled air / urine / blood

Research Abstract

Elimination of tetrahydrofuran from humans
Human subjects were exposed to THF, after their informed consent had been obtained, and the end-exhaled air was sampled for gas chromatographic analysis. Also, urine and blood were sampled for head-space gas chromatographic analysis of the THF content. The elimination of THF in end-exhaled air, urine and blood following 3-hour exposure was expressed by the following formula at exposure levels of 200 ppm : Y=A*exp (-at). The biological half lives were about 34.1 minutes for end-exhaled air, 74.7 minutes for urine and 54.2 minutes for blood. In subjects exposed to 200 ppm THF for 3 hours. the THF level in end-exhaled air and blood showed the highest concentration immediately after exposure then decreased exponentially, but the urine THF level was higher at one hour after the end of exposure. Little THF was found in the end-exhaled air. urine and blood of each subject at 4 hours sfter the end of exposure.
Elimination of tetrahydrofuran in experimen tal animals
Rats were intraperitonealy administered 4.5,8.9 or 17.9 mg of THF,and THF concentrations in the exhaled air, urine and blood were measured after administration. The elimination via exhaled air, uring and blood in rats was expressed by an exponential function, and the biological half life was about 63.2 minutes for exhaled air, 82.2 minutes for urine and 57.4 minutes for blood. The initial concentrations of THF depended on the dose of THF administered. The excretion of THF was calculated using integration of the exponential equation that fitting to observation. the excretion of THF via exhaled air was about 39% of the administered dose while that from urine was 5 to 8 %. The total excretion of THF from the rat body was estimated to be about 50 % of the administered dose. There is not enough time to analyze the metabolite of THF.
A paper titled "Effects of Tetrahydrofuran Exposure on Non-conditioned and Conditioned Animal Behavioral Activities" was presented at the Sixth International Symposium on Neurobehavioral Methods and Effects in Occipational and Environmental Health in Shanghai China on 15-18 Oct.1997.