Sensory irritation and incapacitation evoked by thermal decomposition products of polymers and comparisons with known sensory irritants
A decrease in respiratory rate in mice during exposure to irritating airborne chemicals has been utilized as a response parameter to characterize the degree of upper respiratory tract irritation (sensory irritation) to the thermal decomposition products of various polymers. These included polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, flexible polyurethane foam, polytetrafluorethylene, a fiber glass reinforced polyester resin, and Douglas Fir. Each of the materials was thermally decomposed in a low-mass vertical furnace in an air atmosphere at a programmed heating rate of 20/sup 0/C/min. Mice, in groups of four, were exposed to graded concentrations of the thermal decomposition products of each of the above materials. Dose-response curves were obtained by utilizing the maximum percent decrease in respiratory rate as the response parameter during each exposure. Comparison of these dose-response curves with other sensory irritants such as chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen chloride, sulfur dioxide, and toluene diisocyanate gave an indication of the sensory irritation potential of the thermal decomposition products of these various polymers versus that of well-known single airborne chemical irritants. Total stress and incapacitation of the organism during exposure to ensory irritants such as from the thermal decomposition products of synthetic polymers is discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Pittsburgh
- OSTI ID:
- 6799985
- Journal Information:
- Arch. Environ. Health; (United States), Journal Name: Arch. Environ. Health; (United States) Vol. 33:2; ISSN AEHLA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR
AMMONIA
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FURNACES
GASES
GLASS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENS
HYDRIDES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
ISOCYANATES
MAMMALS
MICE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
POLYAMIDES
POLYMERS
POLYOLEFINS
POLYSTYRENE
POLYURETHANES
POLYVINYLS
PVC
PYROLYSIS
RESINS
RESPIRATION
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RODENTS
SENSITIVITY
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
THERMAL DEGRADATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TOLUENE
VERTEBRATES