Teratology studies of a mixture of tallow alkyl ethoxylate and linear alkylbenzene sulfonate in rats and rabbits

Abstract

A mixture of 55% tallow alkyl ethoxylate sulfate (TAE3S) and 45% of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) was fed to two generations of rats at dietary levels of 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0%. The rats were fed the surfactant mixture either continuously or during the organogenesis (days 6-15) period of six pregnancies. In addition, pregnant New Zealand rabbits were given 50, 100 or 300 mg/kg doses of the surfactant mixture by intubation on days 2-16 of gestation during a single pregnancy. No adverse effects were noted on conception, fetal viability or post-natal survival in either generation of rats. There were no statistical differences among the groups of rat fetuses taken by Caesarian section and examined for birth defects. Of 1210 rat fetuses, the overall incidence of abnormal young was 9.0%. Similarly, no adverse effects were seen in rabbits treated with the surfactant mixture. Of 855 rabbit fetuses, 5.7% were abnormal, but the incidences of defective fetuses in the test groups were not significantly different from those in controls. Thus, no test related effects were seen on reproduction or embryonic development in either animal species.