Eye irritation response at low concentrations of irritants

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1966 · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1966.10664620· OSTI ID:5774270

Schuck, E A; Stephens, E R; Middleton, J T

The linear relationship between reported eye irritation and formaldehyde concentration in simulated atmosphere experiments does not hold when the formaldehyde concentration is below 0.3 parts per million (ppm). Subjects may experience equal irritation at irritant concentrations differing by an order of magnitude. Thus most subjects experienced the same irritation intensity at 0.05 ppm of formaldehyde as they did at 0.5 ppm. At irritant concentrations less than 0.3 ppm, the rate of blinking determines to an important extent the intensity of eye irritation which the subject detects. The eyes of human subjects can readily detect and react to as little as 0.01 ppm formaldehyde. From these simulated atmosphere experiments, one can predict that the concentrations of formaldehyde and peroxyacetyl nitrate found in atmospheres polluted with photochemical air pollution can account for most of the detected eye irritation. 9 references, 4 figures.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Riverside
• OSTI ID: 5774270
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 13; ISSN AEHLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ALDEHYDES
BODY
BODY AREAS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ESTERS
EYES
FACE
FORMALDEHYDE
HEAD
INJURIES
NITRATES
NITRIC ACID ESTERS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEROXYACETYL NITRATE
PHOTOCHEMICAL OXIDANTS
POLLUTION
SENSE ORGANS
SYMPTOMS