Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Changes in pulmonary function and airway reactivity due to prolonged exposure to typical ambient ozone (O sub 3 ) levels

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7267447

Previously observed (JAPCA 38:28-35, 1988) pulmonary responses of delta FEV1 (-13%), moderate to severe pain upon inspiration, and a doubling of PD100 for methacholine following prolonged moderate exercise at 0.12 ppm O3 were of sufficient magnitude to warrant the assessing of responses at a lower range of concentrations, i.e., 0.08, 0.10 and 0.12 ppm O3. Exposures consisted of six 50-min exercises (VE approximately equals 40 L/min), each followed by 10-min rest; a 35-min lunch break was included. When compared with exposures to 0.00 ppm, substantial pulmonary function decrements, respiratory symptoms and increases in nonspecific airway reactivity were observed at all three O3 concentrations. For example, decreases in FEV1 (P < 0.01) of 7%, 7% and 12% were observed at 0.08, 0.10 and 0.12 ppm O3, respectively. The ratios (P < 0.005) of PD100 observed in 0.00 ppm to that in O3 were 1.56 at 0.08 ppm, 1.89 at 0.10 ppm, and 2.21 at 0.12 ppm O3. It is concluded that exercise representative of a day of moderate to heavy work or play performed during exposures to O3 at levels and pattern often found in ambient air induced clinically meaningful pulmonary responses.

Research Organization:
Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA). Health Effects Research Lab.
OSTI ID:
7267447
Report Number(s):
PB-90-129297/XAB; EPA--600/D-89/246
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English