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)
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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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