Effects of methanol vapor on human neurobehavioral measures

Journal Article · Thu Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Research Report Health Effects Institue; (United States)

OSTI ID:5929409

Cook, M R; Bergman, F J; Cohen, H D; Gerkovich, M M; Graham, C; Harris, R K; Siemann, L G ^[1]

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1. Life Sciences Department, Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, MO (United States)

Methanol could become an important motor fuel. The objective of this exploratory study was to provide preliminary information about whether or not acute exposure to methanol at 250 mg/m3 for 75 minutes would have adverse effects on human neurobehavioral functions important in everyday life. This concentration level was selected because it is at the upper limit of the traffic scenario estimates provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)2 (86 to 240 mg/m3), but is below the maximum concentrations for eight-hour average exposures currently recommended by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Conference of Government and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) (260 mg/m3). Although traffic scenario exposure estimates suggest that such high levels of exposure last less than 15 minutes, the authors used a 75-minute exposure to increase the probability of identifying dependent measures that should be studied in more detail in a future confirmatory study. Twelve healthy young men, each serving as his own control, participated in two sham exposures and two methanol exposures under counterbalanced, double-blind control conditions. Because methanol is present in many foods, and because high preexposure levels of methanol or formate might obscure exposure effects, subjects were required to strictly limit their diets for 12 hours before each experimental session.

• OSTI ID: 5929409
• Journal Information: Research Report Health Effects Institue; (United States), Vol. 42; ISSN 1041-5505
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
METHANOL
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
SENSITIVITY
ACUTE EXPOSURE
AIR POLLUTION
BEHAVIOR
BODY FLUIDS
FATIGUE
MAN
METABOLISM
ALCOHOLS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology