Tin tetrachloride

Endpoint summary

Additional information

Only a single repeated-dose study of SnCl4 was found. A dose of 798 mg/kg/day SnCl4 was not toxic to neonatal male and female Long-Evans rats (Mushak et al. 1982). SnCl4 (reported as reagent grade) was dissolved in milk and Tween-80 and 798 mg/kg/day was administered in 24 gavage treatments from days 2 thru 29 of life. The maximum concentration in any of the samples used in the study was 0.03 mg/ml and was concentration-adjusted to allow a daily dose volume of 0.03 ml/g body weight. No mortality occurred, and treated animals were reported to have normal body weight. The milk provided sufficient buffering capacity to prevent excessive acidity and curdling. The total tin content of the dosing solutions was analyzed. It is likely that under the conditions of this study, the tin species present in the milk included the insoluble hydrolysis products tin oxide and/or tin hydroxide. This study has limited information and was assigned a reliability rating of 4 (not assignable). Additional supporting information regarding the low oral toxicity of tetravalent inorganic tin (a primary hydrolysis product of SnCl4 at neutral pH) is provided by de Groot et al. (1973). Rats fed inorganic tin(IV)oxide at 0, 0.03, 0.10, 0.30, and 1.00% (~ 23.7, 79, 237 and 790 mg Sn/kg-bw) of the diet for 28 days, did not show any adverse effects at dietary levels up to 7900 ppm tin (1.0%); no change relative to the control group in overall weight gain, absolute and relative organ weights, and the gross and microscopic appearance of the liver, heart, kidneys and spleen. The study was assigned a reliability rating of 2 (valid with restriction). No adverse effects on the production of fetuses in dams dosed during pregnancy for toxicokinetic studies were reported (Hiles 1974). Inorganic Sn(IV) did not accumulate in the reproductive tract or the testes, and did not cross the placenta.  The SnCl4 studies were not conducted recently or under national/international guidelines and in compliance with GLP; however, the data presented here are considered reliable and adequate to assess the repeated dose toxicity of SnCl4. These results indicate that SnCl4 does not pose a significant hazard with regard to reproductive toxicity.

[cited from OECD SIDS on Tin tetrachloride, SIAM 24, 2007]