Inhalants short-terms effects

Solvents are common around the home and workplace. As with most toxic substances, the best policy is to substitute less toxic products whenever possible, and reduce exposure via ventilation or protective equipment if substitutes are not available. Inhalation of solvents is particularly dangerous because of the rapid exchange in the lungs and quick access to the nervous system. Solvent inhalation produces predictable short-term effects but the long-term effects of repeated solvent exposure are not well characterized. 

Animal studies conducted via the inhalation, oral, and dermal routes of exposure for this duration period would be useful since the potential short-term effects of such exposure as well as effects that could emerge years later, such as cancer, are not known. 

The margin of safety of a tested chemical is sometimes estimated by considering the ratio of the lethal dose to the pharmacologically effective dose (the dose at which some detectable biologic effect occurs). On the basis of animal data on the psychochemicals tested, the margin of safety for short-term effects is large for acute intravenous, intragastric, intraperitoneal, and subcutaneous administration and somewhat smaller for inhalation of th% aerosolized form. 

Stratmann, U., R.R.Lehmann, T.Steinbach, and G.Wessling. 1991. Effect of sulfur dioxide inhalation on the respiratory tract of the rat. Zentralbl. Hyg. Umweltmed. 192(4) 324—335. Touloumi, G., S.J.Pocock, K.Katsouyanni, and D.Trichopoulos. 1994. Short-term effects of air pollution on daily mortality in Athens A time-series analysis. Int. J. Epidemiol. 23(5) 957—... 

Inhalation Short-term exposures above 3.5 mg m (total) may produce temporary discomfort to the upper respiratory tract that may result in coughing and wheezing. Removal from carbon black exposure normally is sufficient to cause symptoms to subside with no lasting effects. 

Katsouyanni K, Touloumi G, Samoli E et al (2001) Confounding and effect modification in the short-term effects of ambient particles on total mortality results from 29 European cities within the APHEA2 project. Epidemiology 12 521-531 Kodavanti UP, Jaskot RH, Costa DL et al (1997) Pulmonary proinflammatory gene induction following acute exposure to residual oil fly ash roles of particle-associated metals. Inhal Toxicol 9 679-701... 

Bisgaard H, Munck SL, Nielsen JP, Petersen W, Ohlsson SV. Inhaled budesonide for treatment of recurrent wheezing in early childhood. Lancet 1990 336 649-651. Kraemer R, Frey U, Sommer W, Russi E. Short-term effect of albuterol, delivered via a new auxiliary device in wheezy infants. Am Rev Respir Dis 1991 144 347-351. 

Vapours are substances which are at or very close to their boiling temperatures. They are gaseous in form. Many solvents, such as cleaning fluids, fall into this category. The vapours, if inhaled, enter the bloodstream and some can cause short-term effects (dizziness) and long-term effects (brain damage). 

In eomparative in vitro and in vivo studies, oil ash is typically more toxic than other ashes, and its toxieity is largely related to its high content of transition metals, particularly iron, nickel, and vanadium (63,67). Hauser et al. (68) reviewed the literature on short-term effects of exposure to oil ash among boiler workers and reported a new prospective study of the effects of working on oil boilers on respiratory function. Exposure to oil ash causes reduced function measured by spirometry, but no ehanges were observed in airway reactivity. There is little epidemiological information on the long-term effects of occupational exposures to inhaled oil ash. 

Based on tests with laboratory animals, aniline may cause cancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology (CUT) conducted lifetime rodent feeding studies, and both studies found tumors of the spleen at high dosage (100 —300 mg/kg pet day of aniline chloride). CUT found no tumors at the 10—30 mg/kg per day feeding rates. The latter value is equivalent to a human 8-h inhalation level of 17—50 ppm aniline vapor. In a short term (10-d) inhalation toxicity test by Du Pont, a no-effect level of 17 ppm aniline vapor was found for rats. At high levels (47—87 ppm), there were blood-related effects which were largely reversible within a 13-d recovery period (70). 

Short-term inhalation of PVA dust has no known health significance, but can cause discomfort and should be avoided in accordance with industry standards for exposure to nuisance dust. The dust is mildly irritating to the eyes. There are no known dermal effects arising from short-term exposure to either soHd PVA or its aqueous solutions. 

The threshold limit value—time integrated average, TLV—TWA, of chlorine dioxide is 0.1 ppm, and the threshold limit value—short-term exposure limit, STEL, is 0.3 ppm or 0.9 mg /m of air concentration (87,88). Chlorine dioxide is a severe respiratory and eye irritant. Symptoms of exposure by inhalation include eye and throat irritation, headache, nausea, nasal discharge, coughing, wheezing, bronchitis, and delayed onset of pulmonary edema. Delayed deaths occurred in animals after exposure to 150—200 ppm for less than one hour. Rats repeatedly exposed to 10 ppm died after 10 to 13 days of exposure. Exposure of a worker to 19 ppm for an unspecified time was fatal. The ingested systemic effects of low concentration chlorine dioxide solutions are similar to that of chlorite. 

Chronic Health Effect A chronic health effect is an adverse health effect resulting from long-term exposure to a substance. The effects could be a skin rash, bronchitis, cancer, or any other medical condition. An example would be liver cancer from inhaling low levels of benzene at your workplace over several years. The term is also applied to a persistent (months, years, or permanent) adverse health effect resulting from a short-term (acute) exposure. Chronic effects from long-term exposure to chemicals are fairly common. Recognize the PEL (permissible exposure level) for each substance in your workplace and minimize your exposure whenever possible. 

Health Hazards Information - Recommended Personal Protective Equipment U.S. Bu. Mines approved toxic dust mask chemical goggles rubber gloves neoprene-coated shoes Symptoms Following Erqrosure Inhalation produces slight toxic effects. Contact with eyes irritates eyes and causes skin rash General Treatment for Exposure INHALATION remove to fresh air. EYES wash with water for 20 min. call a physician. SKIN wash with water Toxicity by Inhalation (ThresholdLimit Value) Data not available Short-Term Exposure Limits Data not available Toxicity by Ingestion Grade 2 oral rat LDjq 820 mg/kg Late Toxicity Data not available Vapor (Gas) Irritant Characteristics Data not available Liquid or Solid Irritant Characteristics Data not available Odor Threshold Data not available. 

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