Experimental exposures of young asthmatic volunteers to 0. 3 ppm nitrogen dioxide and to ambient air pollution

Journal Article · Thu Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1989 · Toxicology and Industrial Health; (USA)

OSTI ID:6967553

Avol, E L; Linn, W S; Peng, R C; Whynot, J D; Shamoo, D A; Little, D E; Smith, M N; Hackney, J D ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Southern California School of Medicine, Downey (USA)

Asthmatic volunteers aged 8 to 16 (N = 34) were exposed on separate occasions to clean air (control), to 0.30 ppm nitrogen dioxide (NO{sub 2}) in otherwise clean air, and to polluted Los Angeles area ambient air on summer mornings when NO2 pollution was expected. Exposures lasted 3 hr, with alternating 10-min periods of exercise and rest. In ambient pollution exposures, 3-hr average NO{sub 2} concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.26 ppm, with a mean of 0.09 ppm. Ambient exposures did not significantly affect lung function, symptoms, or bronchial reactivity to cold air, relative to the control condition. Responses to 0.3 ppm NO{sub 2} exposures were equivocal. Asthma symptoms were more severe during 1-week periods before 0.3 ppm exposures, and lung function was decreased immediately before 0.3 ppm exposures, compared to other conditions. Lung function declined slightly during the first hour at 0.3 ppm, but improved over the remaining 2 hr. Compared to other conditions, symptoms were not increased during 0.3 ppm exposures, but were increased during 1-week periods afterward. These observations may reflect untoward effects of 0.3 ppm NO{sub 2}, or may reflect chance increases in asthma severity prior to 0.3 ppm exposures.

• OSTI ID: 6967553
• Journal Information: Toxicology and Industrial Health; (USA), Journal Name: Toxicology and Industrial Health; (USA) Vol. 5:6; ISSN TIHEE; ISSN 0748-2337
• 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.
ADOLESCENTS
AGE GROUPS
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
ASTHMA
CALIFORNIA
CHALCOGENIDES
CHILDREN
DISEASES
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
DYNAMIC FUNCTION STUDIES
EXERCISE
FEDERAL REGION IX
LOS ANGELES
MAMMALS
MAN
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NORTH AMERICA
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
TOXICITY
USA
VERTEBRATES