Relationship of clastogenic effects of zirconium oxychloride to dose and duration of exposure in bone marrow cells of mice in vivo.

Zirconium oxychloride was administered as a single oral dose to laboratory-bred Swiss albino mice corresponding to 1/2, 1/6 and 1/20 of the LD50 values. Bone marrow cells were screened after 6, 12 and 24h for chromosomal aberrations following an air-drying-Giemsa schedule. The frequencies of chromosomal breaks and alterations induced increased significantly at a rate directly proportional to the concentration used. The increase was also related to the period after exposure, although to a less extent than the concentration used. No direct relationship could be observed to the sex of the animal.