Global atmospheric change: Potential health effects of acid aerosol and oxidant gas mixtures

Journal Article · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9196151· OSTI ID:6788948

Last, J A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of California School of Medicine, Davis, CA (United States) California Primate Research Center, Davis, CA (United States)

Inhalation toxicology experiments in whole animals have demonstrated a remarkable lack of toxicity of sulfuric acid in the form of respirable aerosols, especially in rats and nonhuman primates. Thus, much of the current experimental emphasis has shifted to the evaluation of the potential health effects of acid aerosols as components of mixtures. Rats have been concurrently exposed to mixtures of ozone or nitrogen dioxide with respirable-sized aerosols of sulfuric acid, ammonium sulfate, or sodium chloride, or to each pollutant individually. Their response to such exposures have been evaluated by various quantitative biochemical analysis of lung tissue or wash fluids ([open quotes]lavage fluid[close quotes]) or by quantitative morphological methods ([open quotes]morphometry[close quotes]). Such studies have mainly been performed in the acute time frame due to the inherent limitations of the most sensitive assays available and have generally involved exposures for 1 to 9 days, depending on the assays used. Good correlation were found between the most sensitive biochemical indicators of lung damage (protein content of lung lavage fluid or whole lung tissue and lung collagen synthesis rate) and the exposure concentration of oxidant gas present alone or in mixtures with acidic aerosols showing interactive effects. Synergistic interaction between ozone and sulfuric acid aerosol was demonstrated to occur at environmentally relevant concentrations of both pollutants by several of the analytical methods used in this study. Such interactions were demonstrated at concentrations of ozone as low as 0.12 ppm and of sulfuric acid aerosol at concentrations as low as 5 to 20 [mu]g/m[sup 3]. The acidity of the aerosol is a necessary (and apparently a sufficient) condition for such a synergistic interaction between an oxidant gas and respirable aerosol to occur. 51 refs., 5 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6788948
• Journal Information: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Health Perspectives; (United States) Vol. 96; ISSN EVHPAZ; ISSN 0091-6765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
560400 -- Other Environmental Pollutant Effects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BODY
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CLIMATIC CHANGE
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
LUNGS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXIDIZERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
POLLUTANTS
POLLUTION
QUANTITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
SOLS
SULFURIC ACID
TOXICITY