4 Cardiac sensitization
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC.1/Circular.1316 – Guidelines on Determining the no Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) and Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level (LOAEL) Values for Halocarbon Fire-Extinguishing Agents – (10 June 2009) - Annex – Guidelines on Determining the no Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) and Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level (LOAEL) Values for Halocarbon Fire-Extinguishing Agents - 4 Cardiac sensitization

4 Cardiac sensitization

  4.1 The NOAEL and LOAEL values are based on the toxicological effect known as cardiac sensitization. Cardiac sensitization occurs when a chemical causes an increased sensitivity of the heart to adrenaline, a naturally occurring substance, which may result in the sudden onset of irregular heart beats and possibly heart attack.

  4.2 The test protocol should measure the cardiac sensitization in a stepwise manner using sufficiently small changes in concentration, such that the interval between the LOAEL and NOAEL can be accurately determined.

  4.3 The test animals should be exposed to a predetermined concentration of the halocarbon agent for a 5-min period. At the end of the 5-min exposure, an external dose of adrenaline (epinephrine) should be administered. If the animal experiences cardiac sensitization, an effect should be recorded.

  4.4 The following standard protocols for cardiac sensitization may be used for reference:

  • .1 Hardy, C.J., I.J. Sharman and G.C. Clark. 1991. Assessment of Cardiac Sensitisation Potential in Dogs. Rep. No. CTL/C/ 2521. Huntingdon Research Centre, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom.

  • .2 Reinhardt, C.F., L.S. Mullen and M.E. Maxfield. 1973. Epinephrine induced cardiac arrhythmia potential of some common industrial solvents. J. Occup. Med. 15:953-955.

  • .3 WIL Research Laboratory Reports. Project Nos. WIL12248, 12265, 12318. WIL Research Laboratories, Inc. 1992.

Parent topic: Annex – Guidelines on Determining the no Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) and Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level (LOAEL) Values for Halocarbon Fire-Extinguishing Agents
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