TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR
TETRYL
Criteria and Standards Division
Office of Drinking Water
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, DC  20460
              August  1989

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                                              August 1989
       TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE

                FOR

               TETRYL
   Criteria  and Standards Division
      Office of Drinking Water
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
       Washington, DC   20460

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                                    TETR.L
A.  GENERAL
    1.  CAS  Number:   479-45-8
    2.   RTECS  Number:   BY6300000
    3.   General  Name/Svnonvms;   N-methyl-N,2,4,6-tetranitroaniline
                                Pyrenite
                                Tetralite

    4.   Molecular Formula;   C7H5N508
    5.  Molecular Weight:   287.15
    6.  Structure:
B.  PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
    1.  State:   Yellow crystals


    2.  Vapor Pressure;  <1 mmHg
                                     Sax and Lewis (1987)


                                     NIOSH/OSHA (1978)
    3.  Melting Point:  130-132°C
                                     Sax and Lewis  (1987)
    4.  Boiling Point:  Explodes at 187°C
                                     Sax and Lewis  (1987)
    5.  Specific Gravity;  1.57 at 19°C
                                     Sax and Lewis  (1987)
    6.  Solubility:
Insoluble in water; soluble
in alcohol, ether, benzene,
and glacial acetic acid.
Sax and Lewis (1987)
                                      -1-

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    7.  Log K01rf:   No information was found.

    8.  UV Absorption:  No information was found.


C.  PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM FACTORS

    1.  Bioconcentration Factors  (BCR:   No  information was found.

    2.  Kwa:   No information  was found.

    3.  K,,,.:   No  information  was found.


D.  ENVIRONMENTAL  FATE

    1.  Photolysis:   No  information was  found.

    2.  Leaching;   No information was found.

    3.  Route of Water Contamination:  No information  was  found.

    4.  Hvdrolvsis:   Kayser  and Burlinson (1982)  conducted detailed
       chromatographic  analyses of water extracted from  irrigated, tetryl-
       spiked soils. Only  trace amounts of the  4.00  g  (8 x  10" dpm)
        [14C]ring-labeled explosive added to the soils  were recovered during
       the  6-month study.   Approximately 5  to 14% of  the  amount  recovered was
       picric acid (a known hydrolysis  product of tetryl);  the remaining
       radioactivity consisted of unidentified nonvolatile polar compounds.

    5.   Plant Uptake;  No  information was found.

    6.  Microbial  Degradation:   No information was found.
                                      -2-

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7.  Persistence in Soil/Mater:  Bongiovanni et al.  (1984) reported that
    approximate amounts of  58, 74, 72, 83, and 86% of the tetryl added at
    5, 25, 50, 100, and 200 ppm, respectively, to a variety of explosive-
    free soils were recovered within 1 week after application.  Recoveries
    2 weeks after application were slightly higher; these accounted for
    51, 70, 88, 100, 102.5, and 99% when the test material was added to
    only one type of soil (5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 ppm tetryl,
    respectively).  Additional information on soil  type was not provided,
    and the authors did not determine the source(s) of loss of the
    explosive.  The data suggest that the rate of loss and persistence of
    tetryl in soil were dose related, and that loss was slow  at relatively
    high concentrations.

    In another study, loss of tetryl from soil was extensive.  Of the
    approximately 48 experimental water and soil samples examined by
    Kayser and Burlinson, only 3 (2.1%) had sufficient 14C  activity  (100
    dpm/mL, equivalent to 0.5 mg/mL) for detailed analysis by gas
    chromatography/electron capture, high performance liquid
    chromatography, and thin layer chromatography.  Researchers mixed
    [14C]-ring-labeled  tetryl with  four different soils at  a  level of  4.00
    g  (8 x 10* dpm); after mixing,  the treated soils were irrigated for 6
    months.  Approximately 1.5, 3.1, and 0.53  ig "C/mL water were detected
    from the  spiked Bennington, Brookston, and Genesee soils,
    respectively;  no radioactivity  (i.e.,  less than 0.5  ig/mL) was
    detected  in any of the soil samples or in  the water  extracted from the
    Princeton  soils.

    No tetryl was  found  in seawater  2 weeks after samples  were collected
    from the Atlantic  and  Pacific  Oceans;  the  detection  limit of the
    analytical method  used was  estimated to be 20 ppt  (10-12M water)
     (Hoffsommer and Rosen, 1972).

8.  Byproducts:   Chromatographic analyses  of  water  extracted from
     irrigated, tetryl-spiked  soils  showed  picric acid  and  unidentified
                                   -3-

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       nonvolatile polar compounds to be the byproducts of tetryl (Kayser and
       Burlinson, 1982).
   9.  Vaporization:  No information was found.


E.  ACUTE TOXICITY IN MAMMALS

   Data are presented in tabular form on page 5.


F.  SKIN AND EYE  IRRITATION AND SENSITIZATION IN MAMMALS

      No  information was  found.


G.    SUBCHRONIC TOXICITY  IN  MAMMALS

      No  information was  found.


H.   REPRODUCTION AND TERATOGENICITY IN MAMMALS

     No information was found.


I.   MUTAGENICITY/GENOTOXICITY

     Data are  presented  in tabular form on  page 6.
                                      -4-

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I
Ul
I
      E.   ACUTE TOXICITY  IN MAMMALS
      Animal/strain/sex     Route       LD^ (mg/kg)
                                        Effect
                                                                                               Reference
      Dog/--8 /--
Subcutaneous
500       Histopathology revealed acute
          inflammation at injection
          site, and kidney and liver
          changes.
                                                                                             Wells et al. (1920)
      "Data not provided.

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1.   MUTAGENICITY/GENOTOXICITY
Test
Ames reverse
nutation assay



Ames reverse
nutation assay










Nilotic
recombinogenic
test
Strain Activation
Salmonella + S9
tvphimurium
TA1535, TA100,
TA1537. TA1538,
TA98
Salmonella + S9
typhimuriun
TA1535, TA100.
TA1537, TA1538,
TA98







Saccharomyces + S9
cerevisiae
05
Dose/concent rat i on
0. 1.0 MS. 3.3 itg.
10.0 ng. 33.3 
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I.  MUTAGENICITY/GENOTOXICITY (concluded)
    Test
                               Strain
                       Activation
Dose/concentrat i on
                                                                                                    Toxic effects
                                                                                                                                    Reference
Nilotic gene
conversion





Saccharomyces
cerevisiae
D4




5. 7.5. 10,
15. 20, or 30
fig/plate




Dose- response
mitotic gene
conversion at
two loci. No
lethal effect
at the highest
doses tested.
Uhong et al. (1980)






DNA repair test
Escherichia coll
U3110/pol A+
p3478/pol A-
                                                   +  S9
100 fig to 100 mg/
plate
DNA repair test
Escherichia coli
                                                    +  S9
100 ftg-10 mg/plate
AD-3  reversion
system
Neurospora
crassa
5. 10. 20. 40, or
80 jig/plate or ml
Toxicity occurred
both with and
without S9 at all
exposure levels,
and precipitates
fumed at 1 mg and
higher.  No
differential
toxicity occurred
between pol A+
and pol A- E_. coli.

Precipitation
occurred, but no
preferential
toxicity occurred  in
either the presence
or absence of S9.
No DNA damage
occurred.

Base pair sub-
stitution
reversions occurred
in a dose-related
fashion.  In the
suspension test, a
50% kill was
observed at
80 jig/mL.
                                                                                                                                McGregor et al.  (1980)
                                                                                                                                McGregor et al. (1980)
                                                                                                                                Uhong et al. (1980)

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J.  CHRONIC/CARCINOGENICITY STUDIES IN MAMMALS

     No Information was found.


K.  PHARMACOKINETICS IN MAMMALS

     No information was found.


L.  HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS

     Probst et al.  (1944) reported contact dermatitis and dermal sensitization
as the most common  findings in 404 subjects occupationally exposed to tetryl;
however, no air concentrations of tetryl were reported.  No cases of corneal
irritation or ulceration were  seen, and routine ophthalmoscopy was negative.
No evidence of systemic illness from tetryl was observed under the control
procedures used.

     Hardy and Maloof  (1950)  reviewed the available literature (1916-46) on
tetryl exposure.  The  following symptoms were predominant among tetryl
workers:  fatigue;  headache;  anorexia; abdominal complaints; nausea and
vomiting; weight  loss;  irritation of the mucous membranes of the upper
respiratory tract causing  sore throats, nose  bleeds, and coughing; dermatitis;
and  a  general yellowish pigmentation of the skin and hair.

     Hardy and Maloof  (1950)  reported that of 11 subjects accidentally exposed
to  tetryl, 2 died,  1 had disability, and 8 showed  no detected permanent
disability.  The  workers had  handled tetryl in powder  and pellet form  in  a
plant  manufacturing high explosives from 1941 through  1945.  The authors
suggested that  exposure to tetryl  causes irreversible  liver damage,
dermatitis, and  upper  respiratory  irritation.   In  addition, one worker
developed pulmonary pathologic changes  (emphysema  and  fibrosis), presumably
attributable to  exposure to tetryl.
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     Goh (1984) observed an allergic contact dermatitis in a 37-year-old
female following exposure to tetryl  in an ammunition factory.  Onset of the
symptoms occurred 4 months after the subject began working; symptoms included
swelling and yellow discoloration of the fingers and hands, swelling of the
lips, and a rash on the neck.  Initial patch tests were negative to tetryl;
however, further patch tests were positive for tetryl in petroleum ointment.
The symptoms improved when the subject was removed from work exposure to
tetryl.
M.  EXISTING STANDARDS/CRITERIA
    Type             Standards/criteria       Proponent    Reference
TLV-TWA'                 1.5  mg/m3            ACGIH        ACGIH (1986)
PEL"                     1.5  mg/m3            NIOSH/OSHA   NIOSH/OSHA (1978)
"Threshold Limit Value—Time Weighted Average.
"Permissible Exposure Level.
                                      -9-

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N.  REFERENCES

ACGIH.  1986.  American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
Threshold Limit Values and Biological Indices for 1988-1989.  Cincinnati, OH.

Bongiovanni R, Podolak GE, Clark LD, Scarborough DT.  1984.  Analysis of trace
amounts of six selected poly-nitro compounds in soil.  Am. Ind. Hyg. Assoc. J.
45:222-226.

Goh CL.  1984.  Allergic contact dermatitis from tetryl and trinitrotoluene.
Contact Dermatitis 10:108.

Hardy HL, Maloof CC.  1950.  Evidence of systemic effect of tetryl.  Arch.
Ind. Hyg. Occup. Ned. 1:545.

Hoffsommer JC, Rosen JM.  1972.  Analysis of explosives in sea water.  Bull.
Environm. Contam. Toxicol.  7:177-181.

Kayser EG, Burlinson NE.  1982.  Migration of explosives in soil.  Report No.
NSWC TR 82-566.  Dahlgren, VA:  Naval Surface Weapons Center.

McGregor D, Riach C, Hastwell R, Dacre J.  1980.  Genotoxic activity in
microorganisms of tetryl, 1,3-dinitrobenzene-and 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene.
Environ. Mutagen. 2:531-541.

NIOSH/OSHA.   1978.  National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health/Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  Pocket Guide to
Chemical Hazards.  Washington, DC:  U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control/U.S. Department
of Labor.  September.

Probst EW, Mund MH, Lewis LD.  1944.  Effects of tetryl.  J. Am. Med. Assoc.
126:424.

Sax NI, Lewis RJ.  1987.  Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary,  llth  ed.
New York:  Van Nostrand Reinhold Company.

Wells EW, Lewis JH, Sansum, WD, McClure WB, Lussky HO.  1920.  Observations on
the toxicity  of tetranitromethylaniline (tetryl), tetranitrooxylene (T.N.X),
tetranitroaniline (T.N.A), dinitrodichlorobenzene (parazol), and
methanitraline. J. Ind. Hyg. 2:247-252.

Whong W, Speciner N, Edwards G.  1980.  Mutagenic activity of tetryl, a
nitroaromatic explosive,  in three microbial test systems.  Toxicology Lett.
5:11-17.
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