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Airway responses to sulfate and sulfuric acid aerosols in asthmatics. An exposure-response relationship

Journal Article · · Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5584615
; ; ; ;

Epidemiologic studies support an association between elevated levels of sulfates and increased symptoms in asthmatics. To determine if these pollutants produce airway responses, 17 asthmatics inhaled the following sulfates: sodium bisulfate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium bisulfate (NH/sub 4/SO/sub 4/), or sulfuric acid (H/sub 4/SO/sub 4/) aerosols with an aerodynamic diameter of 0.80 micron at concentrations of 100 micrograms/m/sup 3/, 450 micrograms/m/sup 3/, and 1,000 micrograms/m/sup 3/. A sodium chloride (NaCl) aerosol of similar characteristics, administered by double-blind randomization, served as a control. Subjects breathed these aerosols for a 16-minute period via a mouthpiece. Deposition studies showed 54 to 65% retention of the inhaled aerosols. At the 1,000 micrograms/m/sup 3/ concentration, the Threshold Limit Value for occupational exposure, H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ and NH/sub 4/HSO/sub 4/ inhalation produced significant reductions in specific airway conductance (SGaw) (p less than 0.05) and forced expiratory volume in one second (p less than 0.01) compared with NaCl or pre-exposure values. At the 450 micrograms/m/sup 3/ concentration, only H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/ inhalation produced a significant reduction in SGaw (p less than 0.01). At 100 micrograms/m/sup 3/, a level 3 to 5 times greater than peak urban levels, no significant change in airway function occurred after any sulfate exposure. These data indicate that asthmatics demonstrate bronchoconstriction after brief exposure to common acidic sulfate pollutants.

Research Organization:
Department of Medicine, University of Rochester, School of Medicine, New York
OSTI ID:
5584615
Journal Information:
Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States) Vol. 128:3; ISSN ARRDA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
AEROSOLS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM SULFATES
ANIMALS
ASTHMA
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
EPIDEMIOLOGY
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
MAMMALS
MAN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRIMATES
RAIN
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM SULFATES
SOLS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFURIC ACID
VERTEBRATES