The kinetics of chloracetophenone (CN) in rabbit eyes was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography on a model of experimental third-degree burn. By the end of the first hour after exposure to the lacrimate, CN content was high in all the studied tissues: 28.5 +/- 0.563 x 10(-1) mg/kg in the cornea, 5.08 +/- 0.193 x 10(-1) mg/kg in the anterior chamber humor, and 3.26 +/- 0.123 x 10(-1) mg/kg in the vitreous. After 6 h the content of the irritant dropped almost threefold and was 8.5 +/- 0.403 x 10(-1) mg/kg in the cornea, 1.23 +/- 0.062 x 10(-1) mg/kg in the anterior chamber humor, and 0.017 +/- 0.006 x 10(-1) mg/kg in the vitreous. By the end of 24 h these values were 6.6 +/- 0.221, 1.46 +/- 0.123, and 0.015 +/- 0.005 x 10(-1) mg/kg, respectively, and by day 14 only trace amounts of CN were detected. Hence, CN in the Cheremukha gas balloons can penetrate into the inner structures of the eye and cause severe injuries. Persistence of CN for up to 14 days disordered the metabolic processes and anatomy of the eye. High content of CN during the first 7 days after burn requires adequate pathogenetic therapy.