Effects on Humans

Sulfur dioxide is rapidly absorbed in the nasopharynx of humans. Humans exposed to 5 ppm of the gas showed increased respiratory frequency and decreased tidal volume. Similar to observations made with animals, human exposure to S02 alters the mode of respiration, as demonstrated by increased frequency, decreased tidal volume, and lowered respiratory and expiration flow rates. Synergism and elevated airway resistance with S02 and aerosols of water and saline have been demonstrated. 

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Developments in hydiaulic fluids are driven by environmental concerns including disposal of waste, waste rninirnization, biotoxicity, effects on human... 

U.S. Assembly of Life Sciences, The Effects on Human Health of Suhtherapeutic Use of Antimicrobials in Animal Feeds, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., 1980. 

This review briefly summarises the available evidence on the relative potency of the phytoestrogens, and discusses the evidence that beneficial effects on human diseases may potentially arise from consumption of foodstuffs containing these compounds, with particular regard to those effects that have been suggested as possibly being related to the hormone-receptor mediated activities of the phytoestrogens. Certain causes for concern regarding these compounds are also addressed. 

Does your company have a documented product stewardship policy, or a health, safety and environmental policy which incorporates the management of chemicals through their total life cycle, thus minimizing adverse effects on human health and well-being and on the environment If so please attach. ... 

Many sophisticated models and correlations have been developed for consequence analysis. Millions of dollars have been spent researching the effects of exposure to toxic materials on the health of animals the effects are extrapolated to predict effects on human health. A considerable empirical database exists on the effects of fires and explosions on structures and equipment. And large, sophisticated experiments are sometimes performed to validate computer algorithms for predicting the atmospheric dispersion of toxic materials. All of these resources can be used to help predict the consequences of accidents. But, you should only perform those consequence analysis steps needed to provide the information required for decision making. 

The major purpose of ambient particulate sampling is to obtain mass concentration and chemical composition data, preferably as a function of particle diameter. This information is valuable for a variety of problems effects on human health, identification of particulate matter sources, understanding of atmospheric haze, and particle removal processes. 

For any pollutant, air quality criteria may refer to different types of effects. For example. Tables 22-1 through 22-6 list effects on humans, animals, vegetation, materials, and the atmosphere caused by various exposures to sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and lead. These data are from fhe Air Quality Criteria for these pollutants published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Toxic chemicals can enter the body in various ways, in particular by swallowing, inhalation and skin absorption. Skin absorption may lead to dermatitis and this can be a most annoying complaint. Whereas some chemicals may have an almost universal effect on human beings, others may attack only a few persons. A person who has worked with a given chemical for some years may suddenly become sensitised to it and from then on be unable to withstand the slightest trace of that material in the atmosphere. He may as a result also be sensitised not only to the specific chemical that caused the initial trouble but to a host of related products. Unfortunately a number of chemicals used in the plastics industry have a tendency to be dermatitic, including certain halogenated aromatic materials, formaldehyde and aliphatic amines. 

Very careful analysis of trace elements can have a major effect on human life. A notable example can be seen in the career of Clair Patterson (1922-1995) (memoir by Flagel 1996), who made it his life s work to assess the origins and concentrations of lead in the atmosphere and in human bodies minute quantities had to be measured and contaminant lead from unexpected sources had to be identified in his analyses, leading to techniques of clean analysis . A direct consequence of Patterson s scrupulous work was a worldwide policy shift banning lead in gasoline and manufactured products. 

Hoeppe, P, Oohori, T., Berglund, L, and Gwosdow, A. (1985) Vapor resistance, of clothing and its effect on human response during and after exercise. In CLIMA 2000 Indoor Climate, 4, VSS Kongres, Copenhagen, pp. 97-102. 

Environmental Identification of chemical hazards in the environment, and their effects on humans and wildlife species... 

Recently, much emphasis has been put on the harmful effects of small particles, i.e., particulate matter (PM), on human health. A number of standards have been established to characterize the PM fractions in the air and their effects on human health. A widely used PM standard in force in both Europe and the United States is based on the mass concentration of particles with a diameter of 10 gm or less (PMjo). However, recently the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a new standard that is based on the aerodynamic diameter of 2.5 gm particles. This new standard emphasizes the significant impact of small particles on human health, especially on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. 4 ... 

Compounds Affecting Rq>roduction Compounds that can affect reproductive function include several drugs and occupationally important chemicals such as solvents and pesticides as well as a number of environmentally relevant com-fxrunds. A group of chemical compounds that has received much attention recently is endocrine disrupters, many of which are halogenated hydrocarbons, e.g., PCBs. These are known to induce feminization in fish and other animal species.1.5/ There is intense debate about the significance of these compounds to human health. Tobacco smoke and ethyl alcohol also have major effects on human reproduction, the effects of alcohol being especially important. Table 5.17 lists compounds that may disturb the functions of female and male reproductive functions. 

After the use of a chemical becomes widespread, new deleterious effects on human health may be observed. In such situations, the occupational limit values will have to be modified. Usually the OELS tend to decrease when more information on the toxicity of a chemical is obtained. Knowledge of the specific features of various chemicals is thus extremely important for planning ventilation of industrial premises. It is important to be especially aware of those chemicals that may cause long-term effects without causing any acute effects. There are also compounds such as isocyanates that are extremely irritating at concentrations as low as 0.5 ppm. However, some workers may become sensitized to isothiocyanates at a concentration of 10 ppb, and therefore this has to be taken into consideration when planning the industrial ventilation. Thus, one has to plan against compounds that can cause serious health effects at concentrations at which their presence cannot be observed by the human senses, i.e., irritation or odor. 

Biological agent Any of a range of microorganisms which have an adverse effect on human health, including those genetically modified cell cultures and en-doparasites. 

TABLE 9.2. Effect on Humans from Two Radiation Source Models... 

The effects of chronic sleep deprivation or cumulative minor sleep losses have been relatively under investigated. Little is known about the relationships among the size of the sleep deficit, its rate of accumulation, the amount and timing of optimum recovery sleep, and their effect on human performance and productivity. 

TABLE 8.3.3 Predicted Effects on Human Health of Exposure to Various Conccnti-ations of Anhydrous Ainmoiiia" ... 

Molecular structural analysis is a developing method. The objective of a molecuhu structural analysis is to demonstrate a physical, structural, or chemical similarity between tlie chemical in question and a known toxic chemical tliat produces toxic and healtli effects in experimental animals and/or humans. Unfortunately, scientists do not fully understand tlie effects of slight changes in tlie chemical structure and tlieir biological effect on humans. As a result, tills type of analysis is useful in preliminary studies to identify potential health hazards for further e. amination with more established metliods in short-tenii tests or tests in experimental animals, hi its present stage of development, molecular structural analysis caiuiot be used to make absolute decisions about tlie appropriate levels of exposure of humans to chemicals... 

Risk-based decision making and risk-based corrective action arc decision making processes for assessing and responding to a health hazard. The processes take into account effects on human healdi and the enviroiunent, inasmuch as chemical releases vaiy greatly in terms of complexity, physical and chemical characteristics, and in the risk that they may pose. Risk-based corrective action (RBCA) was initially designed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) to assess petroleum releases, but tlie process may be tailored for use with any hazard. 

Table 1 describes some of the common indoor air pollutants found in buildings, their sources, and their adverse health effects on human beings. 

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