Consideration of the Target Organ Toxicity of Trichloroethylene in Terms ofMetabolite Toxicity and Pharmacokinetics

摘要

Trichloroethylene (TRI) is readily absorbed into the body through the lungs andgastrointestinal mucosa. Exposure to TRI can occur from contamination of air, water, and food; and the contamination may be sufficient to produce adverse effects in the exposed populations. Elimination of TRI involves two major processes: pulmonary excretion of unchanged TRI and relatively rapid hepatic biotransformation to urinary metabolites. The principal site of metabolism of TRI is the liver, but the lung and possibly other tissues also metabolize TRI, and dichlorvinyl-cysteine (DCVC) is formed in the kidney. The toxicities associated with TRI exposure are considered to reside in its reactive metabolites. The mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of TRI is also generally thought to be due to reactive intermediate biotransformation products rather than the parent molecule itself.