Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Toluene: A Review

Occupational Chemical Exposures Among Cosmetologists: Risk of Reproductive Disorders

“…Toluene is a widely used industrial solvent. Toluene inhalation (“sniffing” of paint reducer or paint thinner) during pregnancy has led to neonatal effects, including intrauterine growth retardation, premature delivery, congenital malformations, and postnatal developmental retardation (Donald, Hooper, & Hopenhayn-Rich, 1991). Dibutyl phthalate, which keeps polish from becoming brittle and chipping, has been linked to reproductive issues in humans if the mother is exposed while pregnant and has been banned for use by the European Union (Pak, McCauley, & Pinto-Martin, 2011).…”

Developmental Neurotoxicity of Toluene in Rats as Measured by L‐Ornithine Decarboxylase in Cerebellum

“…The reproductive and developmental toxicity of toluene in animals and man is well characterized (Donald et al 1991;Ono et al 1996). Studies have shown that in rats toluene just like ethanol, has toxic effects on the brain development as well as disturbances in the cognitive functions (Hass et al 1999).…”

Reproductive Toxicology and Teratology of Abused Toluene

“…The prior brief review compared various animal models of prenatal toluene exposure, focusing primarily on behavioral outcomes, whereas the current, more extensive review emphasizes clinical studies, addresses a wider range of outcomes, and shows how our understanding of those outcomes is aided by the research in animal models of binge inhalation exposure. Most of the research on toluene exposures during development into the 1990s was focused on occupational exposures, and there are excellent reviews of that literature that are still current (e.g., [Donald et al 1991;Bukowski 2001]). The research on reproductive outcomes after occupational exposures is also useful as an appropriate baseline against which to judge the relative risk of gestational organic solvent abuse, characterized by prenatal exposures to high-dose binge patterns of use.…”

“…Approximately onethird of the millions of metric tons of toluene produced each year is used as a solvent in paints, inks, glues, and thousands of consumer products [IARC 1989;ATSDR 2000]. The ubiquity of toluene in the home and workplace means the population-wide risk for deleterious reproductive outcomes is potentially quite high [Donald et al 1991;Arnold et al 1994]. However, the patterns of incidental exposure under these occupational circumstances (i.e., relatively constant, low-level exposures) in typically wellregulated workplaces reduce that risk.…”