GC-MS/MS Analyses of Skin Tissues in Support of Developmental Toxic Effects on Percutaneous Exposure to VX in Rats

摘要

Although the use of chemical warfare nerve agents (CWNA), such as sarin and VX is forbidden by the Chemical Weapons Convention, documented cases of the use of these nerve agents exist (UN Mission Report, 2013). Like organophosphorus pesticides, CWNA exert their toxicological effects by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase in the central and peripheral nervous systems. For infants and small children, the risk for inhalation and dermal exposure to CWNA may be greater than adults due to greater minute ventilation rates (Bloomfield, 2002) and larger surface area to body mass ratios (Guzelian et al., 1992) respectively. In addition, infants have thinner, less acidic, and more hydrated strata cornea than adults with similar or higher transepidermal water loss (TEWL) values depending on the anatomic location (Stamatas et al., 2011), suggesting that CWNA may be able to more easily penetrate through the skin during the first years of life.