Biomaterial Database

Acute oral and inhalation toxicities in rats with cadmium telluride. 2009

Joseph Zayed, and Suzanne Philippe

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, PO Box 6128, Main Station, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. joseph.zayed@umontreal.ca

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film photovoltaic has become one of the leading technologies in the solar renewable energy market. Little is known about CdTe's toxicological profile and regulatory agencies usually apply cadmium (Cd) criteria as a best approximation. However, CdTe may have different toxicological properties. The goal of this study is to determine the median lethal concentration/dose of CdTe and to compare these values with those of Cd. Using a rat model, the method followed conforms to that described in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines and in the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Health Effects Test Guidelines. The median lethal concentration of CdTe was established at 2.71 mg/L, showing a very low variability between genders. The median lethal dose was determined to be greater than 2000 mg/kg. These results clearly show that CdTe is less toxic than Cd.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D005260	Female		Females
D000284	Administration, Oral	The giving of drugs, chemicals, or other substances by mouth.	Drug Administration, Oral,Administration, Oral Drug,Oral Administration,Oral Drug Administration,Administrations, Oral,Administrations, Oral Drug,Drug Administrations, Oral,Oral Administrations,Oral Drug Administrations
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013691	Tellurium	An element that is a member of the chalcogen family. It has the atomic symbol Te, atomic number 52, and atomic weight 127.60. It has been used as a coloring agent and in the manufacture of electrical equipment. Exposure may cause nausea, vomiting, and CNS depression.
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus
D019187	Cadmium Compounds	Inorganic compounds that contain cadmium as an integral part of the molecule.	Compounds, Cadmium
D019570	Inhalation Exposure	The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents by inhaling them.	Exposure, Inhalation,Exposures, Inhalation,Inhalation Exposures