| Benzyl alcohol (C6H5CH2OH) is a preservative used in IV preparations, cosmetics, hair dyes, perfumes, and soaps. It is also used as a solvent for many organic processes and in industrial applications. It is an organic compound whose polarity and low vapor pressure make it a useful industrial solvent. We designed a series of experiments to study the developmental effects of benzyl alcohol exposure on zebrafish (Danio rerio), a well-established model for development. Zebrafish were exposed starting at high blastula stage of development (4 hours post-fertilization, hpf) and finishing at free swimming larvae stage (144 hpf). Observations of critical developmental endpoints were conducted at 8 hpf, 24 hpf, 32 hpf, 55 hpf, 80 hpf, and 144 hpf. The exposure of zebrafish embryos to varying concentrations of benzyl alcohol at 4 hpf in development resulted in developmental defects including delayed and/or abnormal eye development, cardiac/yolk sac edema, and cardiovascular abnormalities. The chemical's effects on neuronal outgrowth as a measured by acetylated alpha-tubulin staining were inconclusive for the concentrations studied.Cell death was observed using an acridine orange assay, showing a dramatic increase in cell death in a dose-dependent manner. While more work is needed to elucidate the effects of benzyl alcohol, these preliminary data suggest that there is a strong link between exposure to benzyl alcohol and the developmental defects observed. |
