Wildlife Toxicity Assessment for Nitroglycerin

Abstract Nitroglycerin (NG) is used commercially as a pharmaceutical agent, and is a militarily component of propellants and explosives. Nitroglycerin may be released to the environment through manufacturing activities or during storage, use, or demilitarized processing at military installations. In rodent acute oral tests, NG was moderately toxic with LD 50 values of 500 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) to over 1,100 mg/kg, depending on the species. In repeated dose studies, the liver, blood, testes, and mammary glands displayed toxic effects. In developmental toxicity tests, high NG doses reduced fertility, and were maternally toxic. Toxicity data for avian species were limited, and literature searches yielded no toxic effects data in reptiles or amphibians. Toxicity Reference Values (TRVs) were derived from a chronic rodent toxicity study. An estimated no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL)-based TRV was 3 mg/kg/day, and the low observed adverse effect level (LOAEL)-based TRV was 32 mg/kg/day.