The development and application of appropriate physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models of chemical contaminants will provide a rational basis for risk assessment extrapolation. Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a widespread contaminant found in soil, groundwater, and the atmosphere. Exposures to TCE and its metabolites have been found to be carcinogenic in rodents. In this study, a PBPK model for TCE and its major metabolite, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), is developed for humans. The model parameters, estimated from the relevant published literature on human exposures to TCE and its metabolites, are described. Key parameters describing the metabolism of TCE and the kinetics of TCA were estimated by optimization. The optimization was accomplished by simultaneously matching model predictions to observations of TCE concentrations in blood and exhaled breath, TCA plasma concentrations, and urinary TCA excretion from five published studies. The optimized human PBPK model provides an excellent description of TCE and TCA kinetics. The predictions were especially good for TCA plasma concentrations following repeated TCE inhalation, an exposure scenario similar to that occurring in the workplace. The human PBPK model can be used to estimate dose metrics resulting from TCE exposures and is therefore useful when considering the estimation of human health risks associated with such exposures.
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