Health Risk Assessment of Women in Submarines: Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity Evaluation of Major Submarine Atmosphere Components (CO, CO2, and O2) in Rats (Rattus norvegicus): Phase 1 (Range Finding Study)

摘要

Recent congressional approval allowing women to serve in the submarine service necessitates additional investigation into the suitability of existing submarine breathing air standards for women. This study evaluates the general, reproductive and developmental health effects upon male and female rats exposed to mixtures of three critical submarine atmospheric components (CO, CO2, and O2) at concentrations that represent current submarine. The study is divided into three consecutive phases including a range finding phase, a 28-day exposure phase with reproductive assessment and a 90-day 2-generation reproductive/developmental evaluation. This technical report presents the findings of the first phase of the study that included controls and three different mixtures of CO, CO2 and low O2. The exposure concentrations at all doses were well tolerated by the rats and will be used in the subsequent phases. Pathological findings were unremarkable, or incidental to exposure, and blood analysis results were within normal clinical parameters. There were no identified effects to reproductive tissues from exposure to the mixtures. Due to the short duration of the exposures in this range-finding phase of the study, no definitive conclusions should be drawn at this time regarding the toxicities, or lack thereof, of these mixtures.