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Zhang K, Lan T, Bao W, Cui Q, Thorne PS. Blood Concentrations of Volatile Organic Compounds Among US Workers From Various Trades. J Occup Environ Med 2023; 65:458-466. [PMID: 36804870 DOI: 10.1097/jom.0000000000002809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine blood benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and m-/p-xylene (BTEX) concentrations and their trends contrasting construction workers with workers in other occupations from 1999 to 2014 in the United States. Methods: Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, quantile regressions were performed to investigate associations between occupation and blood BTEX concentrations. Results: We found that high-risk and construction occupations were associated with increased blood concentrations of toluene, o-xylene, and m-/p-xylene at the 50-90th percentiles (P 50-90 ), and ethylbenzene at P 70-90 . Moreover, although blood concentrations of ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and m-/p-xylene trended down among all US workers, no decreasing trend was observed for benzene and toluene among construction workers. Conclusions: Future studies are warranted to address questions about specific tasks to better assess VOC exposure from various trades.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunqi Zhang
- From the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, A. James Clark School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland (K.Z., Q.C.); Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (T.L., P.S.T.); Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (W.B.); Human Toxicology Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa (P.S.T.)
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Burghardt GKL, Cuevas M, Sekine R, Hummel T. Trigeminal Sensitivity in Patients With Allergic Rhinitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis. Laryngoscope 2023; 133:654-660. [PMID: 36504410 DOI: 10.1002/lary.30512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) are of high importance in otorhinolaryngology. Some of their symptoms are related to changes in the nasal trigeminal sensitivity. The aim of this study was to compare nasal trigeminal sensitivity in patients with AR, CRSwNP, and healthy controls (HC). METHODS A total of 75 individuals participated (age 19-78 years; 34 AR, 10 CRSwNP and 31 HC). Olfactory function was determined using the extended Sniffin' Sticks test battery. Trigeminal sensitivity was assessed with CO2 detection thresholds. Trigeminal negative mucosal potentials (NMP) and EEG-derived event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded in response to selective olfactory (phenylethyl alcohol) and trigeminal (CO2 ) stimuli using high-precision air-dilution olfactometry. RESULTS In comparison to HC, AR patients had lower CO2 thresholds, also reflected in shorter peak latencies in NMP and trigeminal ERP measurements. CRSwNP patients had a decreased sensitivity for trigeminal stimuli, also reflected in prolonged trigeminal ERP latencies, and reduced olfactory function compared to HC. CONCLUSION AR patients seemed to be more sensitive to trigeminal stimuli than CRSwNP patients. Importantly, the differences could be shown on psychophysical and electrophysiological levels. The changes in trigeminal sensitivity appear to be present already at the level of the respiratory epithelium. The differences between the two groups may depend on the specific inflammatory changes accompanying each disorder, the degree of inflammatory activity, or duration of the inflammatory disorder. However, because the sample sizes are relatively small, these results need to be confirmed in the future studies with larger groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Laryngoscope, 133:654-660, 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mandy Cuevas
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Rumi Sekine
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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Salthammer T. TVOC - Revisited. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 167:107440. [PMID: 35932535 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND TVOC (total volatile organic compounds) has been used as a sum parameter in indoor air sciences for over 40 years. In the beginning, individual VOC concentrations determined by gas chromatography were simply added together. However, several methods for calculating TVOC have become established over time. METHODS To understand the manifold definitions of TVOC, one must trace the history of indoor air sciences and analytical chemistry. Therefore, in this work, the original approaches of TVOC are searched and explained. A detailed description of the measurement methods is followed by a critical evaluation of the various TVOC values and their possible applications. The aim is to give the reader a deeper understanding of TVOC in order to use this parameter correctly and to be able to better assess published results. In addition, related sum values such as TSVOC and TVVOC are also addressed. RESULTS A milestone was the analytical definition of VOCs and TVOC in 1997. A list of VOCs that should at least be considered when calculating TVOC was also provided. This list represented the status at that time, is no longer up-to-date and is being updated by a European working group as part of a harmonization process. However, there is still confusion about the exact definition and reasonable application of TVOC. The signals of other sum parameters, measured with photoacoustics, flame ionization, photoionization or electrochemical sensors, are also often given under the term TVOC. CONCLUSIONS It was recognized early that TVOC is not a toxicologically based parameter and is therefore only suitable for a limited number of screening purposes. Consequently, TVOC cannot be used in connection with health-related and odor-related issues. Nevertheless, such references are repeatedly made, which has led to controversial scientific discussions and even court decisions in Germany about the correct and improper use of TVOC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tunga Salthammer
- Fraunhofer WKI, Department of Material Analysis and Indoor Chemistry, Bienroder Weg 54 E, 38108 Braunschweig, Germany.
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A Pilot Study to Quantify Volatile Organic Compounds and Their Sources Inside and Outside Homes in Urban India in Summer and Winter during Normal Daily Activities. ENVIRONMENTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/environments9070075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Indian cities have some of the poorest air quality globally but volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—many of which adversely affect health—and their indoor sources remain understudied in India. In this pilot study we quantified hundreds of VOCs inside and outside 26 homes in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, Gujarat, in May 2019 and in January 2020. We sampled in the morning and afternoon/evening to capture temporal variability. Total indoor VOCs were measured at higher concentrations in winter (327.0 ± 224.2 µgm−3) than summer (150.1 ± 121.0 µgm−3) and exceeded those measured outdoors. Using variable reduction techniques, we identified potential sources of compounds (cooking, plastics [with an emphasis on plasticizers], consumer products, siloxanes [as used in the production of consumer products], vehicles). Contributions differed by season and between homes. In May, when temperatures were high, plastics contributed substantially to indoor pollution (mean of 42% contribution to total VOCs) as compared to in January (mean of 4%). Indoor cooking and consumer products contributed on average 29% and 10% to all VOCs indoors in January and 16% and 4% in May. Siloxane sources contributed <4% to any home during either season. Cooking contributed substantially to outdoor VOCs (on average 18% in January and 11% in May) and vehicle-related sources accounted for up to 84% of VOCs in some samples. Overall, results indicate a strong seasonal dependence of indoor VOC concentrations and sources, underscoring the need to better understand factors driving health-harming pollutants inside homes to facilitate exposure reductions.
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Bell IR. White Paper: Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Sensitivity to Low-Level Chemicals: A Neural Sensitization Model. Toxicol Ind Health 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/074823379401000502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The present paper summarizes the proposed time-dependent sensitization (TDS) and partial limbic kindling model for illness from low-level chemicals; reviews and critiques prior studies on CNS aspects of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS); and outlines possible experimental approaches to future studies. TDS is the progressive and persistent amplification of behavioral, neurochemical, endocrine, and/or immunological responses to repeated intermittent stimuli over time. Partial limbic kindling is a progressive and persistent lowering of the threshold for eliciting electrical afterdischarges, but not motor seizures, in certain brain structures such as amygdala and hippocampus; behavioral consequences include increased avoidant behaviors. The focus of the paper is the controversial claim of altered sense of smell and illness from low levels of environmental chemicals (i. e., cacosmia), levels that should not have any biologically harmful effects by the rules of classical neurotoxicology. A major perspective of this paper is that the phenomenology of MCS is similar to that of time-dependent sensitization (reverse tolerance) and tolerance as studied in the substance abuse literature. The TDS model for MCS proposes that neurobiological amplification underlies the symptoms and phenomenology of these patients, including their behavioral features of heightened affective and somatic distress. It is hypothesized that MCS patients, who are mostly women, may be individuals who sensitize to substances rapidly and to the extreme, to the point of aversive symptomatology with less complete capacity for development of tolerance. Possible parallels between MCS and TDS include: (a) initiation by single or multiple intermittent
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris R. Bell
- Department of Psychiatry University of Arizona Health Sciences Center and Tucson
Veterans Affairs Medical Center Tucson, Arizona
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Liang Q, Bao X, Sun Q, Zhang Q, Zou X, Huang C, Shen C, Chu Y. Imaging VOC distribution in cities and tracing VOC emission sources with a novel mobile proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 265:114628. [PMID: 32806440 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important precursors of ozone (O3) and secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). Tracing VOC pollution sources is important for controlling VOC emissions and reducing O3 and SOAs. We built a novel mobile proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (M-PTR-MS) instrument to image the distribution of VOCs and trace their emission sources in cities and industrial parks. The M-PTR-MS is composed of a vibration-resistant proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) with a global positioning system receiver, modified box vehicle, and geographic information system (GIS) software. The PTR-MS, mounted on a vehicle, sends VOC data and vehicle position information to the GIS software. These data are used to image the space distribution of VOCs in real time while the vehicle platform is in motion and the VOC sources are precisely traced using the GIS. The spatial data resolution of the M-PTR-MS is typically 0.8 m. The limits of detection, sensitivity, and repeatability of the M-PTR-MS are 43.5 ppt, 347 counts ppb-1, and 2.4% (RSD, n = 5), respectively. The intensity of reagent ions is stable over 8 h (RSD = 0.45%). Compared with commercial PTR-MS equipment, the M-PTR-MS demonstrated high consistency, with a correlation coefficient of 92.665%. Several field experiments were conducted in China using the M-PTR-MS. In one field experiment, the VOC distribution along three different routes was surveyed; the navigation monitoring lasted 1.8 h over a distance of 26.7 km at an average speed of 15 km h-1. The VOC sources in an industrial park were identified by analyzing the components near different factories. The main species from a VOC source in an underground garage was related to paint. The M-PTR-MS instrument can be used by environmental protection agencies to trace VOC pollution sources in real time, and by researchers to survey VOC emissions in regions of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qu Liang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Center of Medical Physics and Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Xun Bao
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Center of Medical Physics and Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Qin Sun
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Center of Medical Physics and Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Qiangling Zhang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Center of Medical Physics and Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Xue Zou
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Center of Medical Physics and Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Chaoqun Huang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Center of Medical Physics and Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Chengyin Shen
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Center of Medical Physics and Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China; Department of Pharmacy, Hefei Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China.
| | - Yannan Chu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Medical Physics and Technology, Center of Medical Physics and Technology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
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Norris C, Fang L, Barkjohn KK, Carlson D, Zhang Y, Mo J, Li Z, Zhang J, Cui X, Schauer JJ, Davis A, Black M, Bergin MH. Sources of volatile organic compounds in suburban homes in Shanghai, China, and the impact of air filtration on compound concentrations. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 231:256-268. [PMID: 31129407 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.05.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Air pollution in China is an ongoing concern, with subsets of the population (e.g., asthmatic children) especially susceptible to the associated health effects. In addition, people spend the majority of their time indoors, where pollutant composition may differ from the better characterized ambient environment. Although volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present health risks and have high concentrations indoors, their sources have not been thoroughly quantified in typical homes in suburban China. Similarly lacking is an understanding of how well a purifier with high efficiency particulate air and activated carbon filters can remove VOCs in a real-world setting in China. In this study, we a) quantified total VOCs (TVOC) and 900 + individual VOCs in 20 homes in China, b) identified potential sources of VOCs, and c) evaluated impacts of filtration. We used non-negative matrix factorization, a variable reduction technique, to identify sources. TVOC and individual compounds had higher concentrations indoors than outdoors (mean [range] indoors, filtration with pre-filter only: 302 [56-793] μg m-3; outdoors, entire study: 92 [26-629] μg m-3), indicating prevalent sources indoors. Many compounds detected have not, to our knowledge, been measured in homes in China. Some compounds (e.g., octanal, heptanal, ⍺-cedrene) were specific to the indoor environment, a few were ubiquitous (e.g., acetaldehyde, formaldehyde), and others were detected infrequently. These compounds may originate from consumer products, solvents, vehicle emissions, a hexane source, wooden products, and cooking. Filtration may improve air quality indoors by lowering concentrations of some VOCs, and, specifically, contributions related to solvents and consumer products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Norris
- Duke University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
| | - Lin Fang
- Tsinghua University, School of Architecture, Beijing, 100084, China; Beijing Key Lab of Indoor Air Quality Evaluation and Control, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Karoline K Barkjohn
- Duke University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - David Carlson
- Duke University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Yinping Zhang
- Tsinghua University, School of Architecture, Beijing, 100084, China; Beijing Key Lab of Indoor Air Quality Evaluation and Control, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Jinhan Mo
- Tsinghua University, School of Architecture, Beijing, 100084, China; Beijing Key Lab of Indoor Air Quality Evaluation and Control, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Zhen Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Junfeng Zhang
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, 9 Circuit Dr., Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Xiaoxing Cui
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, 9 Circuit Dr., Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - James J Schauer
- University of Wisconsin at Madison, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 1415 Engineering Dr., Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Aika Davis
- Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Chemical Safety, 2211 Newmarket Parkway, Suite 106, Marietta, GA, 30067, USA
| | - Marilyn Black
- Underwriters Laboratories Inc., Chemical Safety, 2211 Newmarket Parkway, Suite 106, Marietta, GA, 30067, USA
| | - Michael H Bergin
- Duke University, Civil and Environmental Engineering, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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Mizukoshi A, Kumagai K, Yamamoto N, Noguchi M, Yoshiuchi K, Kumano H, Yanagisawa Y. A novel methodology to evaluate health impacts caused by VOC exposures using real-time VOC and Holter monitors. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2010; 7:4127-38. [PMID: 21317998 PMCID: PMC3037044 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph7124127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2010] [Accepted: 11/18/2010] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
While various volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are known to show neurotoxic effects, the detailed mechanisms of the action of VOCs on the autonomic nervous system are not fully understood, partially because objective and quantitative measures to indicate neural abnormalities are still under development. Nevertheless, heart rate variability (HRV) has been recently proposed as an indicative measure of the autonomic effects. In this study, we used HRV as an indicative measure of the autonomic effects to relate their values to the personal concentrations of VOCs measured by a real-time VOC monitor. The measurements were conducted for 24 hours on seven healthy subjects under usual daily life conditions. The results showed HF powers were significantly decreased for six subjects when the changes of total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations were large, indicating a suppression of parasympathetic nervous activity induced by the exposure to VOCs. The present study indicated these real-time monitoring was useful to characterize the trends of VOC exposures and their effects on autonomic nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Mizukoshi
- Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute, Nishigaoka, 3-13-10, Kita-ku, Tokyo 115-8586, Japan
- Department of Environment Systems, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa-no-ha 5-1-5, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8563, Japan; E-Mails: (M.N.); (Y.Y.)
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +81-4-7136-4712; Fax: +81-4-7136-4712
| | - Kazukiyo Kumagai
- Environmental Health Laboratory Branch, California Department of Public Health, 850 Marina Bay Pkwy, Richmond, CA 94804, USA; E-Mail:
- Research and Education Center of Carbon Resources, Kyushu University, 6-1, Kasugakoen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan
| | - Naomichi Yamamoto
- Environmental Engineering Program, Yale University, 9 Hillhouse Ave., New Haven, CT 06520, USA; E-Mail:
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Ichiban-cho 8, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8472, Japan
| | - Miyuki Noguchi
- Department of Environment Systems, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa-no-ha 5-1-5, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8563, Japan; E-Mails: (M.N.); (Y.Y.)
| | - Kazuhiro Yoshiuchi
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan; E-Mail:
| | - Hiroaki Kumano
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Mikashima 2-579-15, Tokorozawa-shi, Saitama 359-1192, Japan; E-Mail: (H.K.)
| | - Yukio Yanagisawa
- Department of Environment Systems, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa-no-ha 5-1-5, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8563, Japan; E-Mails: (M.N.); (Y.Y.)
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Doty RL, Cometto-Muñiz JE, Jalowayski AA, Dalton P, Kendal-Reed M, Hodgson M. Assessment of Upper Respiratory Tract and Ocular Irritative Effects of Volatile Chemicals in Humans. Crit Rev Toxicol 2008; 34:85-142. [PMID: 15112751 DOI: 10.1080/10408440490269586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Accurate assessment of upper respiratory tract and ocular irritation is critical for identifying and remedying problems related to overexposure to volatile chemicals, as well as for establishing parameters of irritation useful for regulatory purposes. This article (a) describes the basic anatomy and physiology of the human upper respiratory tract and ocular mucosae, (b) discusses how airborne chemicals induce irritative sensations, and (c) reviews practical means employed for assessing such phenomena, including psychophysical (e.g., threshold and suprathreshold perceptual measures), physiological (e.g., cardiovascular responses), electrophysiological (e.g., event-related potentials), and imaging (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging) techniques. Although traditionally animal models have been used as the first step in assessing such irritation, they are not addressed here since (a) there are numerous reviews available on this topic and (b) many rodents and rabbits are obligate nose breathers whose nasal passages differ considerably from those of humans, potentially limiting generalization of animal-based data to humans. A major goal of this compendium is to inform the reader of procedures for assessing irritation in humans and to provide information of value in the continued interpretation and development of empirical databases upon which future reasoned regulatory health decisions can be made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L Doty
- Smell & Taste Center, University of Pennsylvania, Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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10
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Cain WS, Leaderer BP, Ginsberg GL, Andrews LS, Cometto-muñiz JE, Gent JF, Buck M, Berglund LG, Mohsenin V, Monahan E, Kjaergaard S. Acute Exposure to Low-Level Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE): Human Reactions and Pharmacokinetic Response. Inhal Toxicol 2008. [DOI: 10.3109/08958379609005425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Negative affect and chemical intolerance as risk factors for building-related symptoms: a controlled exposure study. Psychosom Med 2008; 70:254-62. [PMID: 18158364 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0b013e31816074f4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess whether differences in negative affect (NA) and chemical intolerance (CI) affect responses to chemical mixtures and stress in a controlled experimental model. METHODS Participants were 130 nonsmoking, healthy women, recruited from a university community. Participants completed the Positive and Negative Affect Scale and the Chemical Odor Intolerance Index. In separate sessions 1 week apart, they were exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), VOCs with ozone (VOCs+O3), and ambient or filtered air with a 1-minute spike of VOCs (masked clean air). During each session, half of the participants performed a videotaped speech stressor and half performed simple arithmetic. Before, during, and after each session, salivary cortisol samples were collected, and subjects completed neurobehavioral tests and used a ratio scale to rate physical, cognitive, and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS Relative to low NA or low CI, neither the high NA nor the high CI groups reported significantly more symptoms in response to any exposure condition. High NA subjects reported more anxiety symptoms in response to the speech stressor but did not have higher cortisol than low NA subjects. High NA subjects, however, were more distressed by the experimental conditions than were low NA subjects. Low NA subjects reported more severe anxiety in the VOCs+O3 with psychological stress condition. CONCLUSIONS Subjects high in NA were more anxious after a stressor but were not more physically symptomatic in response to increasing chemical exposures. A disposition toward high or low CI did not result in a differential symptomatic response to controlled chemical exposures.
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Wang BL, Takigawa T, Yamasaki Y, Sakano N, Wang DH, Ogino K. Symptom definitions for SBS (sick building syndrome) in residential dwellings. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2007; 211:114-20. [PMID: 17574916 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2007.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2006] [Revised: 02/22/2007] [Accepted: 03/17/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The potential risk factors for sick building syndrome (SBS) in newly built dwellings were investigated. Two different definitions for SBS were used, a narrow definition (symptoms related to home environment and continuously occurring in the last 3 months were regarded as positive) and another relatively broad definition (symptoms related to home environment and either continuously or sporadically occurring in the last 3 months were regarded as positive). With both definitions indoor air chemicals, especially TVOC, and high stress during work were found to be significantly associated with SBS symptoms. Allergic history was more associated with narrow-sense symptoms and odor perception with broad-sense symptoms. The results indicate that the broad definition be preferred to find more potential risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Ling Wang
- Department of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8558, Japan
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Chao CYH, Kwong CW, Hui KS. Potential use of a combined ozone and zeolite system for gaseous toluene elimination. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2007; 143:118-27. [PMID: 17030416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2006.08.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2006] [Revised: 08/31/2006] [Accepted: 08/31/2006] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the performance of a combined ozone and zeolite system in eliminating gaseous toluene which is a major contaminant in many industrial and indoor environments. The hypothesis that the removal of toluene by ozone can be substantially affected by confining the oxidation reaction in a zeolite structure was evaluated. The degradation of toluene seemed to be contributed by the active oxygen atom generated from the decomposition of ozone at the Lewis acid sites in the zeolite 13X. Air containing toluene levels at 1.5, 2 and 3 ppm was injected with ozone in the range of 0-6 ppm before being vented into a fixed amount of 3600 g zeolite 13X with 90 mm bed-length. The experimental results showed that the elimination rate of toluene was significantly enhanced when compared to using zeolite or ozone alone. In particular, over 90% of the 1.5 ppm toluene was removed when 6 ppm ozone was used at 40% relative humidity level. Deactivation of the zeolite 13X after a few hours of reactions under the current experimental conditions was probably due to the adsorbed water, carbon dioxide and the reaction by-products. The residue species left in the zeolite and the intermediate species in the exhaust gas stream were characterized by FT-IR, GC-MS and HP-LC methods, respectively. A distinctive peak of O atom attached to the Lewis acid site at 1380 cm(-1) was found in the FT-IR spectrum and trace amount of aldehydes was found to be the reaction by-products.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Y H Chao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
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Fiedler N, Laumbach R, Kelly-McNeil K, Lioy P, Fan ZH, Zhang J, Ottenweller J, Ohman-Strickland P, Kipen H. Health effects of a mixture of indoor air volatile organics, their ozone oxidation products, and stress. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2005; 113:1542-8. [PMID: 16263509 PMCID: PMC1310916 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.8132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In our present study we tested the health effects among women of controlled exposures to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), with and without ozone (O3), and psychological stress. Each subject was exposed to the following three conditions at 1-week intervals (within-subject factor): VOCs (26 mg/m3), VOCs + O3 (26 mg/m3 + 40 ppb), and ambient air with a 1-min spike of VOCs (2.5 mg/m3). As a between-subjects factor, half the subjects were randomly assigned to perform a stressor. Subjects were 130 healthy women (mean age, 27.2 years; mean education, 15.2 years). Health effects measured before, during, and after each 140-min exposure included symptoms, neurobehavioral performance, salivary cortisol, and lung function. Mixing VOCs with O3 was shown to produce irritating compounds including aldehydes, hydrogen peroxide, organic acids, secondary organic aerosols, and ultrafine particles (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < 0.1 microm). Exposure to VOCs with and without O3 did not result in significant subjective or objective health effects. Psychological stress significantly increased salivary cortisol and symptoms of anxiety regardless of exposure condition. Neither lung function nor neurobehavioral performance was compromised by exposure to VOCs or VOCs + O3. Although numerous epidemiologic studies suggest that symptoms are significantly increased among workers in buildings with poor ventilation and mixtures of VOCs, our acute exposure study was not consistent with these epidemiologic findings. Stress appears to be a more significant factor than chemical exposures in affecting some of the health end points measured in our present study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Fiedler
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA.
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15
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Microbial Contamination in Airplane Cabins:Health Effects and Remediation. THE HANDBOOK OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY 2005. [PMCID: PMC7120199 DOI: 10.1007/b107242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms that affect human health are found in all indoor environments, including cabins
of commercial aircraft. Those that arise from human sources can be transmitted by direct contact,
droplets, or the airborne route. Infections from human sources include Influenza, Rhinovirus, SARS
and tuberculosis. Transmission by the airborne route can be reduced by sterilizing the air with ultraviolet
germicidal irradiation, or by diluting the contaminated air with outdoor air through ventilation.
Microbes arising from environmental sources include bacteria, fungi and other organisms such as protozoa.
These usually have very simple requirements for growth – water and a simple substrate such
as dust. They cause health effects through direct infection rarely (one example is Legionnella),
but more commonly cause immune reactions resulting in hypersensitivity or allergy mediated diseases.
Environmental sources of microbial contamination are best prevented, but can be remediated through
cleaning, germicidal chemicals, or ultraviolet germicidal irradiation. Airborne microbial substances
including toxins, antigens and viable organisms can be removed by outdoor air ventilation or filtration.
In aircraft cabins transmission of pathogens from human sources is difficult to control, but airborne
transmission can be reduced through increased outdoor air ventilation or filtration. Environmental
microbial contamination can, and does occur in aircraft cabins. These microbial sources are best
prevented but, if detected, can be removed through cleaning or disinfection. Ultraviolet germicidal
irradiation is an under-utilized technology that may be useful for sterilizing air as well as potential
environmental sources.
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16
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Doerfler H, Hummel T, Klimek L, Kobal G. Intranasal trigeminal sensitivity in subjects with allergic rhinitis. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2005; 263:86-90. [PMID: 15976993 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-005-0954-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2004] [Accepted: 02/28/2005] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Trigeminal nerve endings of the human nasal mucosa are activated by chemical, physical or thermal stimuli. Activation of these A(delta) and C fibers can be quantified through the recording of chemo-somatosensory event-related potentials (ERP). The aim of this study was to investigate whether allergy-related activation of trigeminal nerve endings leads to changes in their responsiveness to intranasal trigeminal stimulation. Gaseous carbon dioxide (CO(2)) stimuli were applied in three sessions (baseline, after NaCl solution and after allergen application) to the nasal mucosa of 13 subjects with allergic rhinitis. Chemo-somatosensory ERP were recorded, and subjects rated the intensity of rhinitis symptoms. Administration of allergen produced a significant shortening of chemo-somatosensory ERP peak latencies P1 and N1. Observed changes of latencies were in line with rhinitis symptoms subjects indicated during the session. In addition, there was a negative relation between the general symptom score and ERP peak latencies, obtained both at baseline and after allergen exposure. In conclusion, it is hypothesized that in patients suffering from allergic rhinitis, nasal itching and sneezing after allergen exposure are, at least in part, clinical correlates of the activation of trigeminal nerve endings due to local inflammatory mechanisms. The correlations between ERP latencies and the patients' symptoms indicate that ERP latencies may possess a predictive value of the subjects' responsiveness to allergens.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Doerfler
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg Medical School, Krankenhausstrasse 12, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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17
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Kiesswetter E, Thriel CV, Schäper M, Blaszkewicz M, Seeber A. Eye blinks as indicator for sensory irritation during constant and peak exposures to 2-ethylhexanol. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2005; 19:531-541. [PMID: 21783523 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2004.12.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Two experiments were performed to re-evaluate the sensory irritating properties of 2-ethylhexanol in relation to dose and time and to examine the usability of electromyographic eye blink recordings as indicator of sensory irritation. Mean exposure levels of 1.5, 10 and 20ppm were realized in experimental models simulating either constant or variable 4h exposure. Each study was carried out with two subject samples, healthy young men with self-reported multiple chemical sensitivity (sMCS) and age matched controls. Although 2-ethylhexanol exposure was below the occupational threshold limit value of 50ppm, the study revealed strong dose-response relationships between airborne solvent concentrations and blink rates. During 40ppm peak exposures the blink rate increased threefold. In the course of 4h, exposure blink rates increased significantly showing no adaptation. Subjects with sMCS revealed, with one exception at start of exposure, no significantly higher blink rates than controls. The results indicate that the irritative potential of 2-ethylhexanol is higher than commonly expected. In both exposure scenarios with either constant or peak exposures, electromyographic eye blink recordings were an appropriate method for the examination of acute sensory irritations in time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernst Kiesswetter
- Institute for Occupational Physiology, The University of Dortmund, Ardeystr. 67, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
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18
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Weisel CP, Zhang J, Turpin BJ, Morandi MT, Colome S, Stock TH, Spektor DM, Korn L, Winer A, Alimokhtari S, Kwon J, Mohan K, Harrington R, Giovanetti R, Cui W, Afshar M, Maberti S, Shendell D. Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA) study: study design, methods and quality assurance/control results. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE ANALYSIS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2005; 15:123-37. [PMID: 15213705 DOI: 10.1038/sj.jea.7500379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The Relationship of Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA) Study was undertaken to evaluate the contribution of outdoor sources of air toxics, as defined in the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, to indoor concentrations and personal exposures. The concentrations of 18 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 17 carbonyl compounds, and fine particulate matter mass (PM(2.5)) were measured using 48-h outdoor, indoor and personal air samples collected simultaneously. PM2.5 mass, as well as several component species (elemental carbon, organic carbon, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and elemental analysis) were also measured; only PM(2.5) mass is reported here. Questionnaires were administered to characterize homes, neighborhoods and personal activities that might affect exposures. The air exchange rate was also measured in each home. Homes in close proximity (<0.5 km) to sources of air toxics were preferentially (2:1) selected for sampling. Approximately 100 non-smoking households in each of Elizabeth, NJ, Houston, TX, and Los Angeles, CA were sampled (100, 105, and 105 respectively) with second visits performed at 84, 93, and 81 homes in each city, respectively. VOC samples were collected at all homes, carbonyls at 90% and PM(2.5) at 60% of the homes. Personal samples were collected from nonsmoking adults and a portion of children living in the target homes. This manuscript provides the RIOPA study design and quality control and assurance data. The results from the RIOPA study can potentially provide information on the influence of ambient sources on indoor air concentrations and exposure for many air toxics and will furnish an opportunity to evaluate exposure models for these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clifford P Weisel
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, 170 Frelinghuysen Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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19
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Fan Z, Lioy P, Weschler C, Fiedler N, Kipen H, Zhang J. Ozone-initiated reactions with mixtures of volatile organic compounds under simulated indoor conditions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2003; 37:1811-1821. [PMID: 12775052 DOI: 10.1021/es026231i] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
This study examines the primary and secondary products resulting from reactions initiated by adding ozone to complex mixtures of volatile organic compounds (VOC). The mixtures were representative of organic species typically found indoors, but the concentrations tended to be higher than normal indoor levels. Each 4-h experiment was conducted in a controlled environmental facility (CEF, 25 m3) ventilated at approximately 1.8 h(-1). The mixture investigated included 23 VOC (no O3), O3/23 VOC, O3/21 VOC (no d-limonene or alpha-pinene), and O3/terpene only (d-limonene and alpha-pinene). The net O3 concentration was approximately 40 ppb in each experiment, and the total organic concentration was 26 mg/m3 for the 23 VOC mixture, 25 mg/m3 for the 21 VOC mixture, and 1.7 mg/m3 for the d-limonene and alpha-pinene mixture. When the 23 VOC were added to the CEF containing no O3, no compounds other than those deliberately introduced were observed. When O3 was added to the CEF containing the 23 VOC mixture, both gas and condensed phase products were found, including aldehydes, organic acids, and submicron particles (140 microg/m3). When O3 was added to the CEF containing the 21 VOC without the two terpenes (O3/21 VOC condition), most of the products that were observed in the O3/23 VOC experiments were no longer present or present at much lower concentrations. Furthermore, the particle mass concentration was 2-7 microg/m3, indistinguishable from the background particle concentration level. When O3 was added to the CEF containing only two terpenes, the results were similar to those in the O3/23 VOC experiments, but the particle mass concentration (190 microg/m3) was higher. The results indicate that (i) O3 reacts with unsaturated alkenes under indoor conditions to generate submicron particles and other potentially irritating species, such as aldehydes and organic acids; (ii) the major chemical transformations that occurred under our experimental conditions were driven by O3/d-limonene and O3/alpha-pinene reactions; and (iii) the hydroxyl radicals (OH) that were generated from the O3/terpene reactions played an important role in the chemical transformations and were responsible for approximately 56-70% of the formaldehyde, almost all of the p-tolualdehyde, and 19-29% of the particle mass generated in these experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihua Fan
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Piscatauway, New Jersey 08854, USA
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20
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Abstract
Indoor air pollution is ubiquitous, and takes many forms, ranging from smoke emitted from solid fuel combustion, especially in households in developing countries, to complex mixtures of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds present in modern buildings. This paper reviews sources of, and health risks associated with, various indoor chemical pollutants, from a historical and global perspective. Health effects are presented for individual compounds or pollutant mixtures based on real-world exposure situations. Health risks from indoor air pollution are likely to be greatest in cities in developing countries, especially where risks associated with solid fuel combustion coincide with risk associated with modern buildings. Everyday exposure to multiple chemicals, most of which are present indoors, may contribute to increasing prevalence of asthma, autism, childhood cancer, medically unexplained symptoms, and perhaps other illnesses. Given that tobacco consumption and synthetic chemical usage will not be declining at least in the near future, concerns about indoor air pollution may be expected to remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Zhang
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute & School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, NJ 08854, USA
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21
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Mølhave L, Kjaergaard SK, Attermann J. Effects in the eyes caused by exposure to office dust. INDOOR AIR 2002; 12:165-174. [PMID: 12244746 DOI: 10.1034/j.1600-0668.2002.01105.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
This Danish Office Dust Experiment compares the responses of 24 normal non-sensitive adult subjects to exposure to normal office dust in the air at 136 and 390 micrograms/m3 (median) and to their responses in clean air. The exposure duration was 5 1/4 h in a climate chamber under controlled conditions. The dust had no major identifiable specific reactive compounds. The overall conclusion is that healthy subjects without any hypersensitive reactions seem to respond to exposure to the house dust. The effects observed were all found in interaction with response modifying factors. The effects were a decrease in inflammatory cells in tear fluids, increased epithelium defects, and a decrease in break-up time. No effect was seen on eye reddening, or eye sensitivity to CO2. As no specific hypotheses could be specified before the study for the observed interactions, no definitive conclusions can be made. Furthermore, it seemed that there was no consistency in the interacting factors after the exposure and the next morning. A tentative analysis of the effects of the importance of personal characteristics showed that only a minority within the subject group may respond to the exposure. However, no common set of sensitivity measures could be defined for these responders.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Mølhave
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University of Aarhus, Aarhus C, Denmark
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22
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Wiesmüller GA, Van Thriel C, Steup A, Bachert C, Clinic ENT, Blaszkewicz M, Golka K, Kiesswetter E, Seeber A. Nasal function in self-reported chemically intolerant individuals. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2002; 57:247-54. [PMID: 12507179 DOI: 10.1080/00039890209602944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Nasal function has not yet been investigated under controlled exposures in individuals with self-reported Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (sMCS). Therefore, anterior rhinomanometry and acoustic rhinometry were applied in 12 individuals with sMCS, and 12 age-matched controls. The sMCS individuals and controls were selected on the basis of a standardized questionnaire. Controlled 4-hr exposures to ethylbenzene and 2-butanone were performed during 4 sessions. Exposures were close to the current German threshold limit values, and they approximated odor thresholds. Subjects with sMCS had a significant decrease in the flow value in anterior rhinomanometry, independent of substance and doses, compared with controls. This result suggests somatic reactions to the exposure. The result must be confirmed in additional studies, and pathophysiological examinations must be performed. For these investigations, anterior rhinomanometry was usable, but acoustic rhinometry can be recommended only after sufficient standardization has occurred. Furthermore, biochemical parameters of nasal mucosa must be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard Andreas Wiesmüller
- Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Rhenish-Westphalian Technological University, Aachen, Germany
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23
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Fischer G, Müller T, Schwalbe R, Ostrowski R, Dott W. Exposure to airborne fungi, MVOC and mycotoxins in biowaste-handling facilities. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2000; 203:97-104. [PMID: 11109561 DOI: 10.1078/s1438-4639(04)70014-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Health impacts due to fungi in indoor air can only be estimated reliably, if both fungal propagules and fungal secondary metabolites are qualified and quantified. In the present study, the fungal species composition in a compost facility is compared to the spectrum of microbial metabolites in the air with regard to the physiological properties of different fungal species. A number of relevant fungi was tested for the production of both volatile and non-volatile metabolites on different substrata. The profiles of mycotoxins and microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOC) turned out to be specific for certain species in pure culture. Consequently, the fungi may have different toxicological health impacts, though information on the relevance of microbial volatiles is still limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Fischer
- Institute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, RWTH Aachen, Germany.
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24
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Abstract
A brief overview of recent publications dealing with the effects of environmental pollutants on upper respiratory tract mucosa is presented. It mainly focuses on airborne irritants, substances inducing epithelial hyperplasia, metaplasia, and epithelial damage, and on inflammatory changes of nasal mucosa associated with environmental pollutants. Data from epidemiologic surveys, human exposure studies, animal experiments, and in vitro studies have improved present concepts of the significance of environmental pollutants for upper respiratory diseases. Although various national and international initiatives have resulted in a considerable reduction of indoor and outdoor pollutants within recent years, environmental pollutants continue to affect upper respiratory tract health of the population in urban areas and industrialized regions. Continuing efforts to reduce emissions of air pollutants are indispensable.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Riechelmann
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ulm Medical School, Germany
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25
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Lynch RM. Modeling of exposure to carpet-cleaning chemicals preceding irritant-induced asthma in one patient. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2000; 108:911-3. [PMID: 11017899 PMCID: PMC2556935 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.00108911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
42-year-old woman experienced an acute asthma attack, seizures, and unconsciousness immediately after a carpet-cleaning and deodorizing job was conducted in her home. Exposure modeling estimates that she was exposed to approximately 3.4-17 mg/m(3) of sodium tripolyphosphate and more than 14 mg/m(3) volatile organic compounds immediately after the cleaning. I derived two separate exposure models for these estimates that evidenced good consistency of exposure estimates. Asthmatics and carpet-cleaning companies should be advised about safety during carpet-cleaning operations, including adequate warnings about excess risk for asthmatics, temporary removal from the home, reduced detergent levels within cleaners, and reduced overall levels of cleaning solutions used within the home. Further studies of carpet-cleaning exposures are indicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- R M Lynch
- Department of Urban Studies and Community Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-1958, USA.
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26
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Hau KM, Connell DW, Richardson BJ. Use of partition models to evaluate guidelines for mixtures of volatile organic compounds. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2000; 32:36-41. [PMID: 11029266 DOI: 10.1006/rtph.2000.1405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Partition models based on the octanol-air parition coefficients and associated quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) have been developed to describe the triggering of odor response and nasal irritation by common volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This study made use of the QSARs developed by Hau and Connell (1998, Indoor Air 8, 23-33) and Hau et al. (1999, Toxicol. Sci. 47, 93-98) to evaluate risk-based guidelines on the airborne concentrations of common VOCs in the nonindustrial environment. A new concept referred to as the "apparent internal threshold concentration" was developed for evaluating the odor and nasal pungency responses to a typical low-concentration VOC mixture described by Otto et al. (1990, Neurotoxicol. Teratol. 12, 649-652). The assessment indicated that odor can be detected at a total VOC concentration of about 3 mg/m(3), consistent with the findings of Molhave et al. (1991, Atmos. Environ. 25, 1283-1293). Nasal pungency, according to our assessment, should not ocur at a total concentration of 25 mg/m(3), which is apparently in conflict with the findings of Molhave (1986, ASHRAE Trans. 92(1A), 306-316). It can be inferred from this investigation that pure nasal pungency without the influence of odor is unlikely to result from exposure to low-concentration VOC mixtures typically found in the nonindustrial environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- K M Hau
- School of Public Health, Logan, Queensland, Australia. hokmhau@polyu. edu.hk
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27
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Stefaniak AB, Breysse PN, Murray MP, Rooney BC, Schaefer J. An evaluation of employee exposure to volatile organic compounds in three photocopy centers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2000; 83:162-173. [PMID: 10856189 DOI: 10.1006/enrs.2000.4061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Personal and area samples from three copy centres were collected in thermal desorption tubes and analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Real-time personal total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) were measured using a data-logging photoionization detector. Fifty-four different VOCs were detected in the area samples. The maximum concentration measured was 1132.0 ppb (toluene, copy center 3, day 1). Thirty-eight VOCs were detected in the personal samples and concentrations ranged from 0.1 ppb (1,1-biphenyl, p-dichlorobenzene, propylbenzene, styrene, and tetrachloroethylene) to 689.6 ppb (toluene). Real-time TVOC measurements indicated daily fluctuations in exposure, ranging from <71 to 21,300 ppb. The time-weighted average exposures for the photocopier operators on days 1 and 2 were 235 and 266 ppb and 6155 and 3683 ppb, in copy centers 2 and 3, respectively. Personal exposure measurements of individual VOCs were below accepted occupational standards and guidelines. For example, the maximum concentration was 0.3% of the permissible exposure limits (toluene, copy center 3). Exposures were highest in copy center 3; this is likely due to the presence of offset printing presses. It is concluded that photocopiers contribute a wide variety of VOCs to the indoor air of photocopy centers; however, exposures are at least 100 times below established standards.
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Affiliation(s)
- A B Stefaniak
- Division of Environmental Health Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, USA
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28
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Jørgensen RB, Bjørseth O, Malvik B. Chamber testing of adsorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on material surfaces. INDOOR AIR 1999; 9:2-9. [PMID: 10195270 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0668.1999.t01-3-00002.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
A simple test chamber method to quantify adsorption and desorption of organic compounds on material surfaces is described. Important environmental parameters such as temperature, relative humidity and air velocity were varied and controlled independently around typical indoor values. Experiments were performed with alpha-pinene and toluene in concentrations of 160-300 micrograms/m3. The measurements show adsorption on and desorption from wool carpet, nylon carpet, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) floor coverings, cotton curtain material and the empty chamber. The ranking of the materials, with respect to their sorption capacity, is as mentioned above. The adsorption of alpha-pinene was higher than the adsorption of toluene for all the materials. Air velocity was not found to influence the sorption of alpha-pinene and toluene on wool carpet, tested with air velocities at 0, 10 and 20 cm/s. The experiments were carried out during both the adsorption and the desorption phase. The uncertainty of the experiments was lowest during the desorption phase. Based on the results obtained, it can be recommended that sorption experiments should be performed as desorption phase experiments. A one-sink model, based on the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, appears adequate to describe the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- R B Jørgensen
- Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway.
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29
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Lynch RM, Kipen H. Building-related illness and employee lost time following application of hot asphalt roof: a call for prevention. Toxicol Ind Health 1998; 14:857-68. [PMID: 9891916 DOI: 10.1177/074823379801400607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Industrial hygiene sampling within an office building during and following a roof renovation revealed low-level exposure to high-boiling organic compounds, associated with complaints of eye and upper respiratory tract irritation among building occupants. Health complaints continued substantially beyond the time frame of the renovation completion, despite a lack of objective industrial hygiene findings for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and microbiological contamination, and a lack of consistent medical findings among employees evaluated by an occupational physician. An analysis of employee attendance records suggests lost attendance and reduced productivity costs. Preventive strategies include proper planning and scheduling of building renovations to prevent employee exposure to asphalt roof emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- R M Lynch
- Department of Urban Studies and Community Health, NJ Graduate Program in Public Health, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA
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30
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Bell IR, Kline JP, Schwartz GE, Peterson JM. Quantitative EEG patterns during nose versus mouth inhalation of filtered room air in young adults with and without self-reported chemical odor intolerances. Int J Psychophysiol 1998; 28:23-35. [PMID: 9506309 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-8760(97)00069-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Individuals who report illness (e.g. nausea, headache) from common chemical odors tend to report CNS symptoms suggestive of olfactory-limbic system involvement. This study compared the resting quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) patterns of young adult college students reporting subjectively elevated chemical odor intolerance ratings (HICI) with those of controls reporting little or no odor intolerance (LOCI). Each group was subdivided into those with higher (HIDEP) vs. lower (LODEP) ratings of concomitant depression. Nineteen channels of EEG were recorded during a single session over four separate rest periods, respectively, following baseline, cognitive, chemical exposure and olfactory identification tests. Each recording involved two 30-s, eyes-closed, filtered room air breathing conditions: (1) nose inhalation followed by mouth exhalation and (2) mouth inhalation followed by mouth exhalation. HICI showed significantly less beta 1 (beta 1) over the temporal-central region during nose than during mouth inhalation. Over some temporal and central leads, task, DEP and CI interacted to influence beta 1 as well. For theta (theta), CI differences emerged during nose inhalation after the cognitive task at Cz, after chemical exposures at C3, Cz and C4 and after the olfactory ID task at C4. CI differences emerged during mouth breathing after the olfactory ID task at Cz, C4 and T4. The T5-T6 coronal array showed significant CI differences after chemical exposures during nose breathing and during mouth breathing after the cognitive and olfactory ID tasks. The theta findings in the HICI may be related to reports of disturbed attention in CI.
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Affiliation(s)
- I R Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724, USA.
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31
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Affiliation(s)
- D Menzies
- Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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Bell IR, Schwartz GE, Bootzin RR, Wyatt JK. Time-dependent sensitization of heart rate and blood pressure over multiple laboratory sessions in elderly individuals with chemical odor intolerance. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1997; 52:6-17. [PMID: 9039852 DOI: 10.1080/00039899709603794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we tested the hypothesis that low-level chemical odor intolerance (i.e., "cacosmia") is a manifestation of heightened sensitizability to environmental stimuli. We examined supine heart rate and blood pressure of elderly individuals, who were classified as either having a higher degree of chemical odor intolerance (n = 12) or a lower degree of chemical odor intolerance (n = 13), upon awakening in a sleep research laboratory on 6 different days during an 8-wk protocol. During the 2 initial wk, they consumed a customary baseline diet (including ad lib milk and other dairy products), followed by 3 wk each of nondairy-containing and dairy-containing diets in randomly assigned, counterbalanced order. Measurements were made on 3 pairs of successive days, distributed over a 6-wk period, and on which different diets were consumed. The high-intolerance group had significantly higher mean supine systolic and diastolic blood pressures than did the low-intolerance group. Although subjects consumed milk products during both the initial baseline and subsequent dairy diet periods, the high-intolerance group had significantly higher heart rates and diastolic blood pressures later in the study than at baseline, especially when they were on the dairy diet. In contrast, the cardiovascular measures of the low-intolerance group lowered on average with time. The high-intolerance subjects had an increased mean diastolic blood pressure on the second days versus the first days in the laboratory (averaged across all diets). Collectively, the data suggest that elderly individuals with a high degree of chemical odor intolerance evidence (a) increased sympathetic tone in the cardiovascular system at rest over multiple measurements; and (b) greater sensitizability and/or lesser habituation of heart rate and diastolic blood pressure over time as a function, in part, of repeated environmental stressor exposures (i.e., a novel laboratory contextual setting and/or specific dietary constituents). Consistent with a sensitization model, the findings emphasize the need for two or more identical sessions at least 24 h apart in physiological studies of individuals with a high degree of intolerance for chemical odors versus normal individuals. The results of the blood pressure observations suggest that the possibility of abnormally labile autonomic function and cognitive sequelae in individuals with a high degree of intolerance for chemical odor increases with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- I R Bell
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson 85723, USA
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Dietert RR, Hedge A. Toxicological considerations in evaluating indoor air quality and human health: impact of new carpet emissions. Crit Rev Toxicol 1996; 26:633-707. [PMID: 8958468 DOI: 10.3109/10408449609037480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
This review article considers evidence regarding the toxicological impact of new carpet emissions on indoor air quality and human health. It compares emissions data from several studies and describes the dominant compounds found in those emissions. The toxicity of each these compounds is assessed for animal and human data, with a focus on inhalation exposure. Data for acute and chronic exposures are presented, and synergistic effects are considered. Differences and similarities between health responses caused by toxicity and/or by immunological reactions are discussed. Possible neurogenic pathways and associations between these and immune changes are considered as they might relate to inflammatory-based human reactions. Additionally, factors affecting human odor responses are described. The roles that a variety of psychological factors may also play in the etiology of potentially related phenomena, such as the sick building syndrome, pathogenic illness, and multiple chemical sensitivity, are considered. Gaps in the literature are identified within the article and suggestions for future research are offered. In particular, it is noted that few, if any, prior studies have evaluated both neurogenic and immune-mediated inflammation status within the same study. Based on the present information available, it is concluded that under normal environmental circumstances, VOC emissions from new carpets are sufficiently low such that they should not adversely affect indoor air quality or pose significant health risk to people.
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Affiliation(s)
- R R Dietert
- Institute for Comparative and Environmental Toxicology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Bell IR, Wyatt JK, Bootzin RR, Schwartz GE. Slowed reaction time performance on a divided attention task in elderly with environmental chemical odor intolerance. Int J Neurosci 1996; 84:127-34. [PMID: 8707474 DOI: 10.3109/00207459608987258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has suggested an association between the subjective report of illness from environmental chemical odors and poorer cognitive task performance in persons with industrial levels of xenobiotic exposures. The present study investigated baseline morning performance on a computerized divided attention task in active retired adults without occupational exposures or clinical disorders who nonetheless rated themselves currently high versus low in episodic illness from the odor of certain environmental chemicals. The chemically intolerant group showed slower reaction times in registering both centrally and peripherally placed stimuli, but no difference in making target tracking errors. Measures of negative affect did not account for these findings. Taken together with evidence for heightened neurobehavioral sensitization in this population, the data suggest disturbances in allocation of attention and related cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- I R Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
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Bell IR, Miller CS, Schwartz GE, Peterson JM, Amend D. Neuropsychiatric and somatic characteristics of young adults with and without self-reported chemical odor intolerance and chemical sensitivity. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1996; 51:9-21. [PMID: 8629870 DOI: 10.1080/00039896.1996.9935987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The psychological, neuropsychiatric, and somatic characteristics of young adults who have different degrees of cacosmia (i.e., feeling "ill" from the odor of xenobiotic chemicals) and who have self-described "chemical sensitivity" were examined. A total of 800 college students completed the following: a self-rating scale for frequency of odor intolerance for 10 common substances, Simon Environmental Illness Symptom Survey, the SCL-90-R, Barsky Amplification Scale, Pearlin-Schooler Mastery Scale, Cheek-Buss and Kagan Shyness scales, Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, and a health-symptom and physician-diagnosed checklist. Two pairs of groups were compared: (1) subjects in the top 16% (i.e., cacosmics) and bottom 15% (noncacosmics) of the sample with respect to odor intolerance scale scores; and (2) subjects from the entire sample who did (28%) or did not (72%) consider themselves to be "especially sensitive to certain chemicals.¿ Cacosmics and the chemically sensitive subjects scored significantly higher on measures of psychological distress and amplification of somatic symptoms, but there was little evidence of lifestyle change, as assessed by the Simon Survey. Compared with their respective comparison groups, cacosmic and chemically sensitive groups had significantly higher incidences of illnesses associated with chemicals, alcohol intake, opiate drug use, and caffeine use, even after controlling for the psychological measures and histories of atopic allergy. Subjects with and without neuropsychiatric symptoms were differentiated with respect to chemical odor intolerance, but subjects with and without atopic allergies and possible autoimmune diseases were differentiated with respect to chemical sensitivity. Females were more cacosmic than males. Cacosmia is defined by a population subset, with or without occupational xenobiotic exposures or disability, that has distress and symptom amplification and neuropsychiatric and somatic symptoms, none of which are explained fully by psychological measures. Prospective clinical studies are possible with such individuals. The data are also consistent with a time-dependent sensitization model for illness from low-level chemical exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- I R Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA
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Willingham FF, Cohen KL, Coggins JM, Tripoli NK, Ogle JW, Goldstein GM. Automatic quantitative measurement of ocular hyperemia. Curr Eye Res 1995; 14:1101-8. [PMID: 8974839 DOI: 10.3109/02713689508995816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Evaluation of ocular hyperemia has been an important assessment in research studies of effects of contact lenses, medications, and pollutants on the eye. Hyperemia has been difficult to quantitate objectively. The purpose of this study was to validate a computer based image analysis system to quantitate hyperemia automatically and objectively in pixelated images of the external eye using two measures, the percent of the red color, RR, and the fraction of pixels which are blood vessels, VA. Validation was against an established photographic reference scale of ocular hyperemia and against the clinical pharmacologic effects of 0.5% dapiprazole hydrochloride, known to increase hyperemia, and 2.5% phenylephrine hydrochloride, known to decrease hyperemia. Color transparencies from the reference scale were converted to digital images. Temporal and nasal regions of the external eye were imaged directly to magnetic disk before and after pharmacologic intervention. Custom software automatically excluded unwanted regions, and quantitative image analysis produced RR and VA. RR and VA were each correlated with the reference scale. For each region and for each pharmacologic intervention, the mean RR and the mean VA, respectively, were compared at time zero and at a mean elapsed time of 713 +/- 47 s. RR and VA consistently increased as the hyperemia in the reference scale increased. Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.98 and 0.99, respectively, (p < 0.01). At 713 +/- 47 s after each pharmacologic intervention, RR and VA increased and decreased as expected (p < 0.001). Thus, this study successfully validated the methodology against expert clinical judgment and was able to measure automatically and objectively clinical changes in ocular hyperemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- F F Willingham
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
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Butcher RD, Goodman BA, Deighton N, Smith WH. Evaluation of the allergic/irritant potential of air pollutants: detection of proteins modified by volatile organic compounds from oilseed rape (Brassica napus ssp. oleifera) using electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. Clin Exp Allergy 1995; 25:985-92. [PMID: 8556570 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.1995.tb00401.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Upward trends in allergy and asthma rates have been reported in most western societies, including the UK, where around 15-20% of the population now suffer from allergy or asthma. Scientific proof of the causes of these increases relies on accurate assessment of exposure and standardized diagnostic tests, such as for specific IgE in blood serum and skin testing. For many air pollutants it has proven difficult to assess an individual's exposure outside an occupational environment and reliable test development is hampered by not knowing whether an allergic or irritant mechanism is involved. These problems are particularly evident in the controversial issue of whether airborne releases from oilseed rape can cause health effects. OBJECTIVE To develop a method for evaluating the allergic/irritant potential of air pollutants and to assess whether the volatile organic compounds emitted by oilseed rape have this potential. METHODS Proteins were exposed in vitro to volatile organic compounds emitted by oilseed rape. Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry was used to detect any resultant protein modifications. RESULTS Dimethyl disulphide, thiocyanic acid methyl ester and 2-methyl-propanenitrile were able to modify human proteins. In addition, two isothiocyanates which can be emitted by damaged oilseed rape also have this ability. The major products emitted by undamaged oilseed rape, terpenes, a sesquiterpene and a terpene alcohol did not have this property, but the possible role of their oxidized products is discussed. CONCLUSION Some of the volatile organic compounds emitted by oilseed rape have the potential to be allergens/irritants. Standardized modified proteins produced by this method should prove useful for biomonitoring human exposure in molecular epidemiological studies as well as in diagnostic tests. This method should find further application in investigations into the possible health effects of other environmental pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- R D Butcher
- Scottish Crop Research Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee, UK
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Cometto-Muñiz JE, Cain WS. Efficacy of volatile organic compounds in evoking nasal pungency and odor. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1993; 48:309-14. [PMID: 8215595 DOI: 10.1080/00039896.1993.9936719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Sensory irritation (pungency) figures prominently among the symptoms associated with polluted indoor environments. In order to separate the pungent from the olfactory response, we measured nasal pungency thresholds in subjects lacking olfaction (anosmics) and odor thresholds in normal controls (normosmics) for a homologous series of ketones and for selected secondary and tertiary alcohols and acetates. As seen previously for homologous alcohols and acetates, both types of nasal thresholds decreased with increasing carbon chain length. Pungency thresholds decreased exponentially with chain length. With respect to all nonreactive chemicals studied so far, threshold nasal pungency is achieved at a fairly constant percentage of vapor saturation, irrespective of molecular size or chemical functional group. Such a relationship does not hold for odor thresholds. The outcome for pungency implies an important role for a physical, rather than chemical, interaction with nasal mucosa.
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Bell IR, Miller CS, Schwartz GE. An olfactory-limbic model of multiple chemical sensitivity syndrome: possible relationships to kindling and affective spectrum disorders. Biol Psychiatry 1992; 32:218-42. [PMID: 1420641 DOI: 10.1016/0006-3223(92)90105-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 206] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
This paper reviews the clinical and experimental literature on patients with multiple adverse responses to chemicals (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome-MCS) and develops a model for MCS based on olfactory-limbic system dysfunction that overlaps in part with Post's kindling model for affective disorders. MCS encompasses a broad range of chronic polysymptomatic conditions and complaints whose triggers are reported to include low levels of common indoor and outdoor environmental chemicals, such as pesticides and solvents. Other investigators have found evidence of increased prevalence of depression, anxiety, and somatization disorders in MCS patients and have concluded that their psychiatric conditions account for the clinical picture. However, none of these studies has presented any data on the effects of chemicals on symptoms or on objective measures of nervous system function. Synthesis of the MCS literature with large bodies of research in neurotoxicology, occupational medicine, and biological psychiatry, suggests that the phenomenology of MCS patients overlaps that of affective spectrum disorders and that both involve dysfunction of the limbic pathways. Animal studies demonstrate that intermittent repeated low level environmental chemical exposures, including pesticides, cause limbic kindling. Kindling (full or partial) is one central nervous system mechanism that could amplify reactivity to low levels of inhaled and ingested chemicals and initiate persistent affective, cognitive, and somatic symptomatology in both occupational and nonoccupational settings. As in animal studies, inescapable and novel stressors could cross-sensitize with chemical exposures in some individuals to generate adverse responses on a neurochemical basis. The olfactory-limbic model raises testable neurobiological hypotheses that could increase understanding of the multifactorial etiology of MCS and of certain overlapping affective spectrum disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- I R Bell
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724
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Otto D, Hudnell HK, Prah J. Methodological Issues in Human Exposure Studies of Low Level Solvent Mixtures. APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL REVIEW-PSYCHOLOGIE APPLIQUEE-REVUE INTERNATIONALE 1992. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-0597.1992.tb00702.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Mølhave L. Design Considerations for Experiments at Exposure Levels Below TLVs. APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL REVIEW-PSYCHOLOGIE APPLIQUEE-REVUE INTERNATIONALE 1992. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-0597.1992.tb00701.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- S Kjaergaard
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark
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Affiliation(s)
- L Molhave
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University of Aarhus, Denmark
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