The effects of JP-8 jet fuel on male Sprague-Dawley rats after a 90-day exposure by oral gavage.

The U.S. Air Force is converting from JP-4 jet fuel to the less volatile JP-8 jet fuel, which is similar to commercial Jet Fuel A. Our previous 90-day inhalation study with JP-8 vapor, using F-344 rats and C57BL/6 mice, resulted in no treatment-related adverse effects other than alpha 2-microglobulin nephropathy in male rats (Mattie et al., 1991). In the present study, male rats were dosed with neat JP-8 (0, 750, 1500, 3000 mg/kg) daily by gavage for 90 days in an effort to characterize the kidney lesion and assess further any additional adverse effects associated with prolonged oral exposure to this fuel. Results of this study revealed a significant dose-dependent decrease in body weights of rats exposed to JP-8. Male rat-specific alpha 2-microglobulin nephropathy was observed by histopathologic examination. A number of significant changes were also seen in blood and urine that were not dose-dependent. Additional treatment-related effects were a gastritis and a perianal dermatitis. Although there were no histopathological or weight changes in the livers of exposed rats, there was an increase in the liver enzymes AST and ALT. The elevated enzymes did not increase with increasing dose of JP-8.