Abstract
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to the toluene at 3,000${\pm}$200ppm via inhalation for two hours in the single inhalation group and three weeks by two hours per day, six da ys per week in the repeated inhalation group. The blood toluene concentration in the repeated inhalation group was significantly lower than that in the single inhalation group after 210 and 240 minutes of exposure. The peak concentration of blood toluene was 58.13${\pm}$4.63${\mu}$g/ml in the single inhalation group and 54.24${\pm}$6.87mcg/ml in the repeated at the end of 120 minutes of the exposure. The behavioral change of rats for the initial 30 minutes of the toluene inhalation showed mildly increased movement and excitement but remained calm and inhibitory behaviors after that period; more inhibitory behaviors in the single inhalation group compared with the repeated inhalation group. In open-field test, after the termination of the toluene inhalation, no difference had been statistically observed between the toluene inhalation group and the control group in ambulation, rearing, preening and grooming.