Airway effects of low concentrations of sulfur dioxide: dose-response characteristics

Journal Article · · Arch. Environ. Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00039896.1984.10545831· OSTI ID:6151434

Schachter, E N; Witek, Jr, T J; Beck, G J; Hosein, H R; Colice, G; Leaderer, B P; Cain, W

The acute respiratory effects of exposure to low-level, short-term sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) were studied in ten asthmatic and ten healthy subjects. Subjects were exposed in an environmental chamber in a double-blind, random sequence to SO/sub 2/ levels of 0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 ppm for 40 min. During the first 10 min. subjects exercised on a cycloergometer at a level of 450 kpm/min On separate days, subjects were exposed to 0 and 1.0 ppm SO/sub 2/ in the absence of exercise. In exercising asthmatic subjects, breathng 1 ppm SO/sub 2/ resulted in significant changes from baseline in airway resistance (Raw), forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV/sub 10/), maximal expiratory flow at 60% of the vital capacity (VC) below total lung capacity on the partial flow volume curve (MEF40%(P)) as well as reductions in flows at 50% of VC (V/sub max50%). None of these parameters showed significant changes for exposures to 0.5 ppm or less, with the exception of small decreases (i.e., <0.2L/sec) in V/sub max50% at 0.25 and 0.5 ppm. Ten minutes after the end of exercise, there were no statistically significant differences from baseline, even though SO/sub 2/ was still present in the chamber atmosphere. For asthmatic subjects, the average changes in Raw, FEV/sub 1.0/, MEF40%(P), and V/max50%/ increased as SO/sub 2/ levels increased, suggestive of a dose-response relationship with a consistent effect first seen at 0.75 ppm. In individual exercising asthmatics, responses may occur at levels of SO/sub 2/ below 0.75 ppm. No changes were seen in healthy individuals on any day, or in asthmatic subjects at rest.

• Research Organization: Yale Univ. School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
• OSTI ID: 6151434
• Journal Information: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 39:1; ISSN AEHLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACUTE EXPOSURE
ASTHMA
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
BODY
CHALCOGENIDES
DATA
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
EXERCISE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXPOSURE CHAMBERS
FUNCTIONS
INFORMATION
LUNGS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATIENTS
PHYSIOLOGY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES