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© 1993 Oxford University Press

research-article

Toxicokinetics of Inhaled Bromotrifluoromethane (Halon 1301) in Human Subjects1

CHIU-WING LAM*, FRANCIS W. WEIR{dagger},2, KATHRYN WILLIAMS-CAVENDER{dagger}, MIGUEL N. TAN{ddagger},3, THEODORE J. GALEN*,4 and DUANE L. PIERSON§

*KRUG Life Sciences, Johnson Space Center SD4, Houston, Texas 77058 {dagger}University of Texas Health Sciences Center Houston, Texas 77225 {ddagger}School of Public Health Houston, Texas 77225 §NASA Biomedical Operations and Research Branch Johnson Space Center SD4, Houston, Texas 77058

Received March 5, 1992; accepted September 16, 1992

Bromotrifluoromethane (CBrF3), commonly known as Halon 1301, is used as a fire extinguishant in the Space Shuttle. Several scenarios, such as a fire or a faulty alarm, could lead to its discharge resulting in a Halon 1301 concentration of up to 1% in the spacecraft cabin atmosphere. To examine the effects of Halon 1301 on mental performance and physiologic function, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration sponsored a human inhalation study. Four pairs of adult male subjects were each exposed in a double-blind fashion for 24 hr to 1% (10,000 ppm or 60,875 m//m3 Halon 1301 and to air in two separate exposures approximately 1 week apart. Mental performance and physiologic function were assessed and the results are reported in a companion paper (D. S. Calkins, J. J. Degioanni, M. N. Tan, J. R. Davis, and D. L. Pierson. Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 20, in press). Blood and breath samples from the exposed subjects were also collected to provide dosimetric and toxicokinetic information, which is presented here. Blood Halon 1301 levels increased rapidly and approached a steady state within 2 hr of beginning the exposure; the steady-state concentration was approximately 3–4.5 µg/ml. Breath samples collected during exposures closely reflected chamber concentrations. Analysis of postexposure blood samples revealed that Halon 1301 was eliminated biphasically with an average of 4.5 mm (range 2.5–8.1 min) and 200 min (range 131–347 min), respectively. Halon 1301 concentrations in fat and soft tissues were also estimated. Subsequently, the end-tidal breath/blood/tissue/fat partition coefficients were calculated to be 17/1/0.5/33. The combined results of the toxicokinetics presented here, and the performance assessments presented in the companion paper, may allow projection of the effect of Halon 1301 in exposures longer than 24 hr.


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