The Effects of Inhalation of Organic Chemical Air Contaminants on Murine Lung Host Defenses

The Effects of Inhalation of Organic Chemical Air Contaminantson Murine Lung Host Defenses. ARANYI, C., O'SHEA, W. J., GRAHAM,J. A., AND MILLER, F. J. (1986). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 6,713–720.The potential health hazards of exposure to threshold limitvalue (TLV) concentrations of acetaldehyde, acrolein, propyleneoxide, chloroform, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachioride,allyl chloride, methylene chloride, ethylene trichloride, perchloroethylene,benzene, phenol, monochlorobenzene, and benzyl chloride, compoundswhich may be present in the ambient or work room atmospherewere investigated. The effects of single and multiple 3-hr inhalationexposures were evaluated in mice by monitoring changes in theirsusceptibility to experimentally induced streptococcus aerosolinfection and pulmonary bactericidal activity to inhaled Klebsiellapneumoniae. When significant changes in these parameters werefound, further exposures were performed at reduced vapor concentrationsuntil the no-measurable-effect level was reached. Multiple exposureson 5 consecutive days were then performed at this concentration.Significant increases in susceptibility to respiratory streptococcusinfection were observed after single 3-hr exposure to TLV concentrationsof methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, and ethylene trichloride.For methylene chloride and perchioroethylene, these exposureconditions also resulted in significantly decreased pulmonarybactericidal activity.