The incidence of hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas was significantly increased in mice of each sex, and the incidence of mononuclear-cell leukaemia was significantly increased in rats of each sex. A nonsignificant increase in the incidence of uncommonly occurring renal-cell adenomas and adenocarcinomas was also observed in male rats. Tetrachloroethylene did not induce skin tumours in mice after administration by topical application in one study. A presumed metabolite of tetrachloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene oxide, did not increase the incidence of local tumours in mice when given by topical application or subcutaneous injection. 5.4 Other relevant data Tetrachloroethylene is rapidly absorbed after inhalation and from the gastrointestinal tract, but dermal absorption from the gaseous phase is negligible.
Tetrachloroethylene shows only low acute toxicity in humans and in experimental animals.
After repeated administration, the major target organ is the liver in mice and the kidney in rats. Disturbances of sperm quality and fertility have been observed among dry cleaners exposed to tetrachloroethylene in a few studies of limited size. Effects on other reproductive outcomes such as stillbirths, congenital malformations and low birth weight could not be evaluated in these studies. Tetrachloroethylene can cross the placenta of rats and is metabolized in the placenta or fetus to trichloroacetic acid. The frequencies of gene conversion and gene mutation were not increased in yeast recovered from mice treated with tetrachloroethylene in vivo.