Human upper respiratory tract responses to inhaled pollutants with emphasis on nasal lavage

Journal Article · Thu Apr 30 04:00:00 EDT 1992 · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1992.tb16545.x· OSTI ID:5263802

Koren, H S; Devlin, R B ^[1]

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1. Health Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States)

A set of symptoms has been described during the past two decades. These symptoms, which have been called the sick building syndrome, include eye, nose, and throat irritation; headache; mental fatigue; and respiratory distress. It is likely that VOCs present in synthetic materials used in homes and office buildings contribute to these symptoms. There have been few studies, however, in which humans have been exposed to known amounts of VOCs under carefully controlled conditions. In this study, 14 subjects have been exposed to a mixture of VOCs (25 mg/m3 total hydrocarbon) representative of what is found in new homes and office buildings. Because irritation of the nose and throat are symptoms often associated with the upper respiratory tract and may result from an inflammatory response in the upper airways, we have used NAL to monitor PMN influx into the nasal passages following exposure to VOCs. We report statistically significant increases in PMNs both immediately after a 4-hr exposure to VOCs, as well as 18 hr later.

• OSTI ID: 5263802
• Journal Information: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences; (United States), Journal Name: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences; (United States) Vol. 641; ISSN ANYAA; ISSN 0077-8923
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY FLUIDS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
INHALATION
INTAKE
LAVAGE
LEUKOCYTES
MAMMALS
MAN
MATERIALS
NEUTROPHILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SENSITIVITY
SYMPTOMS
VERTEBRATES