THE ACUTE TOXICITY AND MUTAGENIC POTENTIAL OF 3-METHYL-2-BENZOTHIAZOLINONE HYDRAZONE

3-Methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone (MBTH), widely used in analytical laboratories, was investigated for potential handling hazards. Tested as the hydrochloride, it was found to be of moder-ately high acute peroral toxicity with LD50 values in rabbits of 177 mg/kg (males) and 268 mg/kg (females), and in the rat 308 mg/kg (males) and 149 mg/kg (females). The major signs of toxicity, seen at peroral doses of 125 mg/kg and above, were convulsions. Al-though of low acute lethal percutaneous toxicity in rats (LD50> 16 g/kg), rabbits were more sensitive with one of five males dying at an applied dose of 16 g/kg, and females having an LD50 of 12.3 g/kg; convulsions were seen in rabbits having applied cutaneous doses of 4 g/kg and above. There was no evidence for cutaneous inflammation after a 4 hour occluded contact with MBTH in rab-bits, although following 24 hour occlusive contact in the acute per-cutaneous toxicity study there was erythema, edema, desquamatio