Journal of Elastomers & Plastics

Throughout the current general business slump, TPEs have continued to maintain a healthy rate of growth. Their increasing volume has been due to inroads in existing application areas heretofore served by more expen sive materials, and to new applications made possible by uni que combinations of properties not attainable with previous materials.

The dome chamber toxicity test has been ex tensively used in the evaluation of elastomers and plastics. Much of the published data has been based on time-to- response measurements. Relative toxicity data based on LC₅₀ measurements using the dome chamber toxicity test are presented. These data provide a measure of potency of toxic effects, in contrast to the measure of rapidity of action pro vided by time-to-response measurements.