The toxicological effect of inhalation exposure to nitrocellulose paint thinners were evaluated. Wistar albino rats were placed in exposure chambers and allowed to inhale fumes from three different commercial brands of nitrocellulose paint thinners (FIAB®, ABRO® and SPRINT®) commonly used by professional painters in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria while the control group was kept in a fume-free chamber. The exposure lasted for 4 h every day for a period of 28 days. Serum L-alanine aminotransferase (L-ALT), L-aspartate aminotransferase (L-AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bilirubin, direct bilirubin and urea levels of rats exposed to nitrocellulose paint thinner fumes increased significantly (p≤0.05) when compared with control. However, there was no significant difference in the level of cholesterol of exposed rats as compared with control. Packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb) and white blood cells (WBC) level of exposed rats increased significantly (p≤0.05) when compared with control. Histological examination of the liver tissues of control group showed normal architecture whereas hepatocytes of groups exposed to nitrocellulose paint thinner fumes were characterized by severe fatty change, inflammation of the cells around the portal tract and dilated sinusoids. The results suggest that continuous exposure to paint thinner fumes may be toxic and capable of causing multiple organ toxicity.
