Chong Wang

Maleic acid polymer scale inhibitor is a new domestic seawater desalination scale inhibitor. Guided by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development method, this study tested the acute oral toxicity, sub-chronic toxicity and genotoxicity of this new inhibitor. The LD₅₀ obtained from the acute oral toxicity test was 6810 and 9260 mg/kg·BW for male and female rats, as well as 1/5, 1/10 and 1/20 LD₅₀ were as the dose for sub-chronic toxicity test. It showed the weight of male rats with high dose was significantly lower than the control group during the exposure period (pp_{_week1} = 0.0261, p_{_week4 =} 0.00222). The blood biochemical results showed the UREA in the medium- and high-dose groups were significantly higher than the control group (p_{_ female medium} = 0.0047, p_{_high} = 0.0037; p_{_male medium}= 0.0026, p_{_ high}50 and 1/10 LD₅₀, respectively (males: 340.5 and 170.25 mg/kg·BW, females: 436 and 231.5 mg/kg·BW). Comet assay in vitro and Mammalian Erythrocyte Micronucleus Test were jointly to judge genotoxicity. This inhibitor did not cause chromosome aberrations in mouse bone marrow cells. However, the tail moment of CHO cell in all groups (p50 and IC₅₀ groups were higher than the negative control (p50 and the NOAEL and LOAEL obtained in this study provides a theoretical basis for further toxicity research and risk assessment.