Comparative chronic toxicity, including tumorigenicity, of gallium arsenide and arsenic trioxide intratracheally instilled into hamsters

Abstract

Abstract Chronic toxicity, including tumorigenicity, of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and arsenic trioxide (As 2 O 3 ) were studied using Syrian golden hamsters given intermittent intratracheal instillations. GaAs particles (0.25 mg × 15 times/animal) were likely to produce relatively severe lung damage and the survival of the animals was shortened significantly compared with a control group. The tumor incidence of each group examined was GaAs (3.3%), As 2 O 3 (3.3%) respectively, at a dose of 3.75 mg total metal given during 15 weeks. In this experiment, both arsenic trioxide and gallium arsenide had no apparent carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity.