Exposure of humans to a volatile organic mixture. 2. Sensory

Technical Report · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:5642014

Hudnell, H K; Otto, D A; House, D E; Molhave, L

Time-course functions for symptoms of the sick building syndrome were derived from 66 healthy males exposed to clean air and a volatile organic compound (VOC) mixture in separate sessions. The mixture contained 22 VOCs (25 mg/cu m total concentration) commonly found air-borne in new or recently renovated buildings. Subjects rated the intensity of perceived irritation, odor, and other variables before and twice during 2.75 hr exposure periods. Eye and throat irritation, headache, and drowsiness increased or showed no evidence of adaptation during exposure, whereas odor intensity decreased by 30%. These results indicate that irritation intensity and other symptoms are not related in any simple fashion to odor intensity, suggesting that the symptoms may not be a psychosomatic response to detection of an aversive odor. Instead, subthreshold levels of VOCs may interact additively or hyperadditively and stimulate trigeminal nerve receptors.

• Research Organization: Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (United States). Health Effects Research Lab.
• OSTI ID: 5642014
• Report Number(s): PB-92-164888/XAB; EPA--600/J-92/118
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
BUILDINGS
DISPERSIONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MAMMALS
MAN
MATTER
MIXTURES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POTENTIOMETRY
PRIMATES
SENSITIVITY
TITRATION
VERTEBRATES
VOLATILE MATTER