Abstract
Potential toxic effects of prolonged NO2 exposure below the current threshold limit value (TLV) were examined in 14 healthy, non-smoking adults. The subjects were exposed to 2,3 ppm NO2 and to clean air for five hours with a one week interval between exposures. Physiological and biochemical measurements were obtained during exposure and the following 24 hours after. A 14% decrease in serum glutathione peroxidase activity (GSH-Px) was observed 24 hours after the start of the NO2 exposure while indications of a 22% decrease in alveolar permeability were found 11 hours after the start. There were no indications of mucous membrane irritation or of decreased lung function during or after NO2 exposures. The results support the assumption that a delayed response is a feature of the human reaction to NO2 even below the current TLV of three ppm, and they stress the importance of an extended period of observation in future NO2 exposure studies.
| Translated title of the contribution | Effects of low concentrations of NO2 on alveolar permeability and glutathione peroxidase in healthy subjects |
|---|---|
| Original language | Danish |
| Journal | Ugeskrift for Læger |
| Volume | 155 |
| Issue | 47 |
| Pages (from-to) | 3844-8 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISSN | 0041-5782 |
| Publication status | Published - 22 Nov 1993 |