Phosgene pulmonary toxicity

Pauluhn, J., Carsom, A., Costa, D.L., Gordon, T., Kodavanti, U., Last, J.A., Matthay, M.A., Pinkerton, K.E., Sciuto, A.M. (2007). Workshop summary phosgene-induced pulmonary toxicity revisited appraisal of early and late markers of pulmonary injury from animal models with emphasis on human significance. Inhal. Toxicol. 19 789-810. 

Chlorine and phosgene are two chemicals that can cause severe pulmonary toxicity due to pulmonary edema and direct damage to the lungs. Treatment involves decontamination and supportive care. Special care needs to be... 

The inhalation of phosgene in toxic quantities produces pulmonary oedema. The exact mechanisms involved remain remarkably obscure in particular, the latent period, see below, is puzzling. No discussion of the effects of phosgene can be undertaken without a careful examination of current concepts of tissue fluid balance. These have changed substantially since WWI, although the early work of Starling (1896) has largely stood the test of time. 

B. Less soiubie gases (eg, phosgene and nitrogen dioxide) are not rapidly adsorbed by the upper respiratory tract and can be inhaled deeply into the lower respiratory tract to produce delayed-onset pulmonary toxicity. 

There is a significant difference in the toxicological effects of saturated and unsaturated afiphatic aldehydes. As can be seen in Table 6, the presence of the double bond considerably enhances toxicity. The precautions for handling reactive unsaturated aldehydes such as acrolein, methacrolein [78-85-3] and crotonaldehyde should be the same as those for handling other highly active eye and pulmonary irritants, as, for example, phosgene. 

Highly toxic perfluoroisobutylene (PFIB) poses a serious health hazard to the human respiratory tract. PFIB is a thermal decomposition of polytetrafluo-roethylene (PTFE), e.g., Teflon. PFIB is approximately lOx as toxic as phosgene. Inhalation of this gas can cause pulmonary edema, which can lead to death. PFIB is included in Schedule 2 of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the aim of the inclusion of chemicals such as PFIB was to cover those chemicals, which would pose a high risk to the CWC. 

Suggested Alternatives for Differential Diagnosis Acute respiratory distress syndrome, congestive heart failure, pulmonary edema, AIDS, pneumonia, cardiogenic shock, septic shock, phosgene toxicity, phosphine toxicity, salicylate toxicity with pulmonary edema, influenza, plague, tularemia, and anthrax. 

These AEGL-2 values are supported by the nonlethal toxicity studies of Franch and Hatch (1986) and Ehrlich et al. (1989). In both of these studies, rats exposed to phosgene at 1 ppm for 4 h developed severe pulmonary edema and body-weight loss. If this exposure regimen and a total UF of 10 are uti... 

Diller, W.F., Schnellbaecher, F., and Wuestefeld, E. 1979. Late pulmonary sequelae of phosgene poisoning or inhalation-toxic pulmonary edema. Arbeitsmed. Arbeitsschultz Prophyl. 29 5— 16. (Cited in EPA 1986)... 

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