This study was undertaken to determine the tissue distribution and elimination of acetone and its metabolic radioactive fragments in mice after exposure to about 1,200 mg/m³ (500 ppm) of 2-[¹⁴C]-acetone vapor. The tissue concentrations of acetone seemed to reach steady state plateaus within 6 h of exposure. In the adipose tissue the maximal concentration was about one-third of that in the highly perfused nonadipose tissues, in which acetone was rather evenly distributed. The contents of radioactivity also reached a plateau within 6 h of exposure in all tissues except the liver and brown adipose tissue. In these tissues the radioactivity increased during exposures up to 24 h. Prolonging the exposure time from 6 h to 6 h/d for three and five consecutive days gave no or only a small additional accumulation of radioactivity in all tissues except adipose tissue. The half-times of acetone after 6 h of exposure were between 2 and 5 h in all tissues. Almost equal amounts of acetone were excreted via the lungs unmetabolized or metabolized to carbon dioxide. In all tissues endogenous levels of acetone were reached within 24 h after exposure. Thus, acetone did not accumulate after prolonged or repeated exposure to concentrations of 1,200 mg/m³.

Key terms 2-[¹⁴C]-acetone; acetone; distribution; elimination; expiry date; inhalation exposure; metabolite; mouse; tissue concentration