Effects of N,N-dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide on some cellular parameters of rat thymocytes

N,N-Dimethyldodecylamine-N-oxide (DDAO) is an amphoteric surfactant used in many detergents for kitchens. In this study, the effects of DDAO (10–100 μM) on cell lethality, intracellular Ca2+ level, intracellular Zn2+ level, and cellular content of nonprotein thiol were examined in mammalian cells (rat thymocytes) to further characterize its cytotoxicity. DDAO at the concentration of 100 μM (22.9 mg/L) slightly, but significantly, increased the parameters described above, and it showed no significant effect at the concentrations of 30 μM (6.87 mg/L) or less. Therefore, it is unlikely that DDAO at environmentally-relevant concentrations (< 10–70 ng/L) exerts toxic actions on wild mammals and humans.