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2078360 
Technical Report 
2,3-Dinitrotoluene, 2,5-Dinitrotoluene, 3,4-Dinitrotoluene and 3,5-Dinitrotoluene 
Bibra working group 
1995 
RISKLINE/1995030008 
1995 
1995 
eng 
2,5-Dinitrotoluene (2,5-DNT) was moderately irritant to rabbit skin, whilst 2,3-DNT and 3,4-DNT were mildly irritant and 3,5-DNT was non-irritant. None of the isomers evidently caused eye irritation in rabbits or skin sensitization in guinea pigs. All four isomers were of moderate acute oral toxicity in rats and mice, but the effects of repeated exposure have not been adequately investigated. 2,3-DNT and 3,4-DNT induced DNA damage in rat liver cells, and all four isomers were mutagenic in Ames bacterial tests. Other genotoxicity screening assays gave no evidence of activity, including a study for dominant lethal mutations (in which male mice were treated orally or by injection with 3,5-DNT). This latter study also gave evidence of a reversible decrease in fertility.