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Effects of atmospheric pollutants on human physiologic function. Final report 1 Jun 71-Jun 76

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7316445

Short-term health effects of common ambient air pollutants, particularly photochemical oxidants, were investigated under controlled conditions simulating typical ambient exposures. Volunteer subjects were exposed, in an environmental control chamber providing highly purified background air, to single pollutants or mixtures under conditions of realistic secondary stress (heat and intermittent exercise). Normal men exposed to ozone (O/sub 3/) showed respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function decrement, and alterations in red-cell biochemistry. These effects were dose-related, with apparent 'threshold' for detectable effect levels as low as 0.2-0.3 ppm in a 2-hr exposure for the most sensitive subjects. Addition of 0.3 ppm nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/) and 30 ppm carbon monoxide (CO) did not noticeably enhance adverse effects of O/sub 3/, but addition of 0.37 ppm sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/) to 0.37 ppm O/sub 3/ produced slightly greater effects than did 0.37 ppm O/sub 3/ alone. Subjects with asthma of clinical airway hyperactivity appeared to experience more severe effects of O/sub 3/ than normals, and subjects chronically exposed to ambient O/sub 3/ appeared to be less reactive than those living in non-O/sub 3/-polluted areas.

Research Organization:
Rancho Los Amigos Hospital, Inc., Los Angeles, CA (USA)
OSTI ID:
7316445
Report Number(s):
PB-265846
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CHALCOGENIDES
DISEASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
LUNGS
MALES
MAMMALS
MAN
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OZONE
PHOTOCHEMICAL OXIDANTS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SMOG
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
SYNERGISM
VERTEBRATES