skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage profiling as a screening method for pulmonary damage induced by nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/), fly ash, and NO/sub 2/-fly ash combinations

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5543986

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid profiling (BALP) was used to detect pulmonary injury induced by acute inhalation of NO/sub 2/ gas and fly ash alone and in combination. Also, BALP was utilized in an investigation into potential NO/sub 2/-fly ash synergism. The components measured in the BALP included lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, acid phosphatase, ..beta..-glucuronidase, alkaline phosphatase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase activity levels, sialic acid and total protein contents, and total and differential cell counts. BALP analysis was effective in detecting the multifocal necrotizing terminal bronchiolitis produced in three groups of hamsters exposed to increasing concentrations of NO/sub 2/ gas (12, 17 and 22 ppM) for 48 continuous hours. BALP and histopathologic changes correlated well and followed a dose-related pattern. Increased numbers of neutrophils and macrophages were the most sensitive BALP indicators of NO/sub 2/ damage. To evaluate the potential acute toxic effects of fly ash, three groups of hamsters were exposed to increasing concentrations of fly ash alone (0, 69, and 123 mg/m/sup 3/). No significant BALP or histopathologic alterations were observed. To evaluate potential NO/sub 2/-fly ash synergism, three groups of hamsters were exposed to 0, 12, and 17 ppM NO/sub 2/ for 48 continuous hours with the addition of 0, 115, and 105 mg/m/sup 3/ fly ash respectively during the initial 6 hours. No consistent significant BALP difference between hamsters exposed to NO/sub 2/ + fly ash exposed hamsters. To further evaluate synergistic effects between these two inhalants, the acute inhalation (48 continuous hours) LC/sub 50/ of NO/sub 2/ gas alone and in combination with fly ash were determined and estimated to be 36 and 31 ppM respectively, which represented a slight but insignificant decrease in the NO/sub 2/ + fly ash group.

OSTI ID:
5543986
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English