Irritation, sensory

Formaldehyde causes eye, upper respiratory tract, and skin irritation and is a skin sensitizer. Although sensory irritation, eg, eye irritation, has been reported at concentrations as low as 0.1 ppm in uncontrolled studies, significant eye/nose/throat irritation does not generally occur until concentrations of 1 ppm, based on controlled human chamber studies. Odor detection has commonly been reported to occur in the range of 0.06—0.5 ppm (133—135). 

Eye. Adverse effects may be produced by splashes of Hquids or soflds, and by materials dispersed in the atmosphere. The eye is particularly sensitive to peripheral sensory irritants in the atmosphere. Toxic effects that may be induced include transient acute inflammation, persistent damage, and, occasionally, sensitivity reactions. ToxicologicaHy significant amounts of material may be absorbed by the periocular blood vessels in cases of splash contamination of the eye with materials of high acute toxicity (58). 

Polyhydroxy Acids (PHAs) provide similar effects as AHASjbut do not cause the sensory irritation responses that limit the use of AHAs. PHAs have also been found to have some addi-... 

Nitrogen oxides High-temperature reaction between atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen, e.g. during combustion Byproduct from manufacture of fertilizer Adverse health effects Sensory irritants Reduced visibility Crop damage... 

Zhai H, Hannon W, Hahn GS, Pelosi A, Harper RA, Maibach HI (2000) Strontium nitrate suppresses chemically induced sensory irritation in humans. Contact Dermatitis 42(2) 98-100... 

A comparison of RD, (respiratory depression) and LC, values of HC1 demonstrates that the mouse is also more sensitive than the rat to both the sensory irritant and also to the lethal effects of HC1. However, it has been claimed that the mouse may still be 7 to 10 times less sensitive than man and that a correction factor is required to extrapolate mice lethality data to man (4). The correction factor is based on the observation that HC1 (or smoke from PVC) is about 7 to 10 times more... 

Grant, George A. "Safe Sensory Irritant." US Patent 4,598,096, July 1,1986. 

Babiuk, C., W.H. Steinhagen, and C.S. Barrow. 1985. Sensory irritation response to inhaled aldehydes after formaldehyde pretreatment. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 79 143-149. 

The use of TLV-STELs and ceiling limits may be most appropriate if the objective is to identify effect zones in which the primary concerns include more transient effects, such as sensory irritation or odor perception. In general, persons located outside the zone that is based on these limits can be assumed to be unaffected by the release. 

The AEGL-1 refers to the concentration of an airborne substance at or below which the general population could be exposed without experiencing effects other than mild odor, taste, or slight or mild sensory irritation but above which persons might experience notable discomfort. 

The AEGL-1 value was based on the observation that exercising healthy human subjects could tolerate exposure to concentrations of 500 or 1,000 ppm for 4 h with no adverse effects on lung function, respiratory symptoms, sensory irritation, or cardiac symptoms (Utell et al. 1997). The exercise, which tripled the subjects minute ventilation, simulates an emergency situation and accelerates pulmonary uptake. Results of the exposure of two subjects for an additional 2 h to the 500-ppm concentration and the exposure of one subject to the 1,000-ppm concentration for an additional 2 h failed to elicit any clear alterations in neurobehavioral parameters. The 4- or 6-h 1,000-ppm concentration is a NOAEL in exercising individuals, there were no indications of response differences among tested subjects, and animal studies indicate that adverse effects occur only at considerably higher concentrations, so the 1,000-ppm value was adjusted by an uncertainty factor (UF) of 1. The intraspecies UF of 1 is supported by the lack of adverse effects in patients with severe... 

Animal studies that addressed sensory irritation or mild effects were not clearly distinguishable from those that addressed more severe effects. 

Alarie, Y. (1973). Sensory irritation by airborne chemicals. CRC Crit. Rev. Toxicol. 2 299-363. 

Alarie, Y. (1981b). Bioassay for evaluating the potency of airborne sensory irritants and predicting acceptable levels of exposure in man. Food Cosmet. Toxicol. 19 623-626. 

Alarie, Y. and Luo, J.E. (1986). Sensory irritation by airborne chemicals A basis to establish acceptable levels of exposure. In Toxicology of the Nasal Passages (Barrow, C.S., Ed.). Hemisphere, New York, pp. 91-100. 

Alarie, Y., Kane, L. and Barrow, C. (1980). Sensory irritation The use of an animal model to establish acceptable exposure to airborne chemical irritants. In Toxicology Principles and Practice 1 (Reeves, A.L., Ed.). Wiley, New York. 

Kane, L.E., Barrow, C.S., andAlarie, Y. (1979). A short-term test to predict acceptable levels of exposure to airborne sensory irritants. Am. Ind. Hyg. J. 40 207-229. 

Negligible sensory irritation was caused by di-isopropyl phosphorofluoridate at a concentration of 1 part in 10. This, coupled with the fact that the odour was practically undetectable, means that sufficient warning is not usually given at this concentration to suggest the use of respirators. Exposures at this concentration cause severe myosis which persists for several days and causes considerable incapacitation (Report no. 12 by McCombie and Saunders to Ministry of Supply, 4 August 1943). 

De Ceaurriz JC, Micillino JC, Bonnet P, et al. 1981. Sensory irritation caused by various industrial airborne chemicals. Toxicol Lett (Amst) 9 137-144. 

Steinhagen, W.H., Swenberg, J.A., and Barrow, C.S. Acute inhalation toxicity and sensory irritation of dimethylamine. Am. Ind. 

As mentioned previously, there are no test guideline methods for respiratory irritation. Good data, often clearly related to exposure levels, can be obtained on respiratory and mucous membrane irritation, from well-designed and well-reported inhalation studies in animals. Also the Alarie test (Alarie 1973, 1981), an experimental animal test assessing the concentration that results in a 50% reduction of the breathing frequency, may provide useful information on sensory irritation of the upper respiratory tract and the results may be used for hazard identification. 

Alarie, Y. 1973. Sensory irritation in the upper airways by airborne chemicals. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 24 279-297. 

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