Potential bronchoconstrictor stimuli in acid fog

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.8979163· OSTI ID:5900692

Balmes, J R; Fine, J M; Gordon, T; Sheppard, D

Acid fog is complex and contains multiple stimuli that may be capable of inducing bronchoconstriction. These stimuli include sulfuric and nitric acids, the principal inorganic acids present; sulfites, formed in the atmosphere as a reaction product of sulfur dioxide and water droplets; fog water itself, a hypoosmolar aerosol; the organic acid hydroxymethanesulfonate, the bisulfite adduct of formaldehyde; and gaseous pollutants, e.g., sulfur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, ozone. Given this complexity, evaluation of the respiratory health effects of naturally occurring acid fog requires assessment of the bronchoconstrictor potency of each component stimulus and possible interactions among these stimuli. We summarize the results of three studies that involve characterization of the bronchoconstrictor potency of acid fog stimuli and/or their interaction in subjects with asthma. The results of the first study indicate that titratable acidity appears to be a more important stimulus to bronchoconstriction than is pH. The results of the second study demonstrate that sulfite species are capable of inducing bronchoconstriction, especially when inhaled at acid pH. The results of the third study suggest that acidity can potentiate hypoosmolar fog-induced bronchoconstriction.

• Research Organization: Northern California Occupational Health Center, San Francisco (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5900692
• Journal Information: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Health Perspect.; (United States) Vol. 79; ISSN EVHPA
• 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.
ACID RAIN
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
ALDEHYDES
ANIMALS
ASTHMA
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BRONCHI
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
FOG
FORMALDEHYDE
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INHALATION
INORGANIC ACIDS
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MAN
NITRIC ACID
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RAIN
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SMOG
SOLS
SULFITES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SULFURIC ACID
TOXICITY
VASOCONSTRICTION
VERTEBRATES