Formation of strong airway irritants in a model mixture of (+)- α-pinene/ozone

• Published in: Atmospheric environment (1994) 1999-02, Vol.33 (5), p.693-698
• Main Authors: Wolkoff, Peder, Clausen, Per A., Wilkins, Cornelius K., Hougaard, Karin S., Nielsen, Gunnar D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: (+)- α-Pinene; Airway irritation; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Indoor air chemistry; Medical sciences; Mouse bioassay; Ozone; Toxicology; Various organic compounds
• ISSN: 1352-2310; 1873-2844
• DOI: 10.1016/S1352-2310(98)00292-1

The airway irritation of (+)- α-pinene, ozone, mixtures thereof, and formaldehyde was evaluated by a mouse bioassay, in which sensory irritation, bronchoconstriction, and pulmonary irritation were measured. The effects are distinguished by analysis of the respiratory parameters. Significant sensory irritation (assessed from reduction of mean respiratory rate) was observed by dynamic exposure of the mice, over a period of 30 min, to a ca. 22 s old reaction mixture of ozone and (+)- α-pinene from a Teflon flow tube. The starting concentrations were 6 ppm and 80 ppm, respectively, which were diluted and let into the exposure chamber. About 10% ozone remained unreacted (0.4 ppm),