A 90-day repeated dose oral (gavage) toxicity study of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) in rats (with functional observational battery and motor activity determinations)

Possible toxic effects of perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) were evaluated when administered orally by gavage to rats at levels up to 200 mg/kg/day for 90 days. Lower body weight gains were noted in the 10, 50 and 200 mg/kg/day group males (not dose-responsive) throughout dosing. Other changes included lower red blood cell parameters, higher reticulocyte counts and lower globulin in the 200 mg/kg/day group males and females, higher liver enzymes in males at 50 and 200 mg/kg/day, lower total protein and higher albumin/globulin ratio, and lower cholesterol, calcium in males at 200 mg/kg/day. Minimal centrilobular hepatocellular hypertrophy was present in 200 mg/kg/day group males and correlated with higher liver weights and slightly higher peroxisome beta oxidation activity at the end of the dosing period. Based on liver histopathology and liver weight changes, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for oral administration was 50 mg/kg/day for males and 200 mg/kg/day for females.