Do functional changes in humans correlate with the airway removal efficiency of ozone

Technical Report · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:7098277

Gerrity, T R; McDonnell, W F

One of the more commonly observed responses to acute exposure to ambient levels of ozone during exercise is a decline in tidal volume and an increase in breathing frequency. It has been hypothesized that the response helps to limit the dose of ozone to the lower respiratory tract. To test the hypothesis, 20 healthy non-smoking male volunteers were exposed to 0.4 ppm ozone while undergoing continuous exercise. Tidal volume significantly fell by 25% (p<0.003) during exposure. At the same time the ozone uptake efficiency of the lower respiratory tract significantly fell by 9% (p<0.04). These declines were significantly correlated (p<0.004), suggesting that the tidal volume reduction experienced during ozone exposure with exercise helps to limit the amount of ozone delivered to lower respiratory tract tissue.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA). Health Effects Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 7098277
• Report Number(s): PB-88-238142/XAB; EPA-600/D-88/165
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
OZONE
RESPIRATION
ACUTE EXPOSURE
EXERCISE
UPTAKE
POLLUTION
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