Ethylbenzene +
toluene are known individually to have ototoxic potential at high exposure levels and with prolonged exposure times generally of 4-16 weeks. Both
ethylbenzene +
toluene are minor constituents of
JP-8 jet fuel; this fuel has recently been determined to promote susceptibility to
noise-induced hearing loss. Therefore, the current study evaluates the ototoxic potential of combined exposure to
ethylbenzene +
toluene exposure in a ratio calculated from the average found in three laboratories. Rats received
ethylbenzene +
toluene by inhalation and half of them were subjected simultaneously to an octave band of noise (OBN) of 93-95 dB. Another group received only the noise exposure which was designed to produce a small, but permanent auditory impairment while an unexposed control group was also included. In two separate experiments, exposures occurred either repeatedly on 5 successive days for 1 week or for 5 days on 2 successive weeks to 4000 mg/m(3) total
hydrocarbons for 6 h based upon initial pilot studies. The concentration of
toluene was 400 ppm and the concentration of
ethylbenzene was 660 ppm. Impairments in auditory function were assessed using distortion product otoacoustic emissions and compound action potential testing. Following completion of these tests, the organs of Corti were dissected to permit evaluation of hair cell loss. The uptake and elimination of the
solvents was assessed by harvesting key organs at two time points following
ethylbenzene +
toluene exposure from additional rats not used for auditory testing. Similarly,
glutathione (GSH) levels were measured in light of suggestions that oxidative stress might result from
solvent-noise exposures.
Ethylbenzene +
toluene exposure by itself at 4000 mg/m(3) for 6 h did not impair cochlear function or yield a loss of hair cells. However, when combined with a 93-dB OBN exposure combined
solvent + noise did yield a loss in auditory function and a clear potentiation of outer hair cell death that exceeded the loss produced by noise alone. No evidence was found for a loss in total GSH in lung, liver, or brain as a consequence of
ethylbenzene +
toluene exposure.