Abstract
Rats and monkeys were exposed to 1552 and 384 ppm unleaded gasoline vapor or 374 and 103 ppm leaded gasoline vapor 6 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 90 days. No remarkable changes were found during the experimental period. Specific parameters investigated included body weight, hematology, CNS response, pulmonary function tests, urinalysis, deposition of IgG in the renal glomerulus, lead levels in blood, urine, and tissue, organ weights, organ to body weight ratios, and histopathology. Despite sporadic statistically significant changes in some of the above parameters, no patterns suggesting biological significance were established. However, upon subsequent reevaluation of the kidney histopathology, male rats exposed to 1552 ppm unleaded gasoline displayed regenerative epithelium and dilated tubules in the kidneys. The significance of this observation is not yet understood.
