Update of a study for establishing criteria (dose/effect relationships) for nitrogen oxides

European Commission Directorate-General For The Information Society And Media

Description

Environmental degradation
Environmental research

Sujets

• Chemical compound
• Environmental impact
• Epidemiology
• Oxyde
• Dangerous goods
• Sciences et techniques

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-DIRECTORATE-GENERAL-FOR-THE-INFORMATION-SOCIETY-AND-MEDIA
• Nombre de lectures: 28
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Commission of the European Communities
environment and
quality of life
Update of a study for establishing
criteria (dose/effect relationships)
for nitrogen oxides Commission of the European Communities
environment and
quality of life
Update of a study for establishing
criteria (dose/effect relationships)
for nitrogen oxides
H.M. Wagner
Technische Universität Berlin
Fachbereich 21 'Umwelttechnik'
Postfach 380 108
1000 Berlin 38
Directorate-General
Employment, Social Affairs and Education
Health and Safety Directorate
1985 EUR 9412 EN Published by the
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Directorate-General
Information Market and Innovation
Bâtiment Jean Monnet
LUXEMBOURG
LEGAL NOTICE
Neither the Commission of the European Communities nor any person
acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use which might
be made of the following information
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication
" Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1985
ISBN 92-825-4935-6 Catalogue number: CD-NO-84-010-EN-C
© ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels • Luxembourg, 1985
Printed in Belgium PREFACE
This report restricts itself to the two hygienically signifi­
cant nitrogen oxides :
Nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (N0_)
All other nitrogen oxides (N~0.., N-O. , N-O^r etc.) do not
occur in appreciable quantities in ambient air, or.as in the
case of nitrous oxide (N_0) do not have any known negative ef­
fect upon man and his environment except under extreme con­
ditions. Furthermore only data regarding the effect of ambient
concentrations or slightly higher levels encountered in oc­
cupational exposures are considered.
It is the aim of this paper to point out the complexity of the
problem when trying to assess the health effect of KO and NO- :
i.e. not only to describe the direct effect of NO, on man,' but
also to show the interdependence of the two nitrogen oxides
with other systems, resulting in direct or indirect detrimental
effects on hunam health. CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE III
GLOSSARY IX
1. HEALTH EFFECTS OF NITROGEN OXIDES 1
1.1. Introduction 3
1.2. Epidemiological Studies 4
1.2.1. The Cleveland Clinic Study (1929)
1.2.2. The Chattanooga Study 5
1.2.3. Czechoslovakian Study 8
1.2.4. Indoor-Pollution 10
1.3. Health Effect of Nitric Oxide (NO)8
1.3.1. Human Exposures
1.4. Effects of Nitrogen Dioxides on Man and 20
Experimental Animals
1.4.1. Human Experimental Exposures 21
1.4.1.1. Effect of NO- on the Human Respiratory 2
Tract
1.4.1.2. Met-hemoglobin Formation 30
1.4.1.3. Odour Perception
1.4.2. Occupational Exposure1
1.4.3. Effect of Nitrogen Dioxide on Animals 3
1.4.3.1. Lethal Concentrations 32
1.4.3.2. Met-hemoglobin Formation
1.4.3.3. The Effect of N02 on Pulmonary 3
Function in Animals PAGE
1.4.3.4. Emphysematous Lesions 33
1.4.3.5. Cellular Reaction in the Respir-4
atory Tract
1.4.3.6. Alterations of Proteins7
1.4.3.7. Lipid Peroxidation8
1.4.3.8. Effects on Prostaglandine Metabolism 3
1.4.3.9. Impaired Restitance to Infection9
1.4.3.10. Reduction of Physical Performance 43
1.4.3.11. Serum Cholesterol Levels 4
1.4.3.12. Weight Loss 4
1.4.3.13. Immunogical Effects4
1.4.3.14. Other Effects
1.4.3.15. Combination Effects (NO combined with 45
x
other pollutants)
1.5. Health Effects Summary and Discussion 47
1.5.1. Epidemiological Findings
1.5.2. Human Experimental Studies 50
1.5.3. Comparing the Toxicity of NO and NO« 51
1.5.4. Met-hemoglobin Formation
1.5.5. Resistance to Bacterial Infection 52
1.5.6. Cellular Responses in the Respir-3
atory Tract
1.5.7. Development of Tolerance 55
1.5.8. Histamine Depletion
1.5.9. Immunologic Effect6
1.5.10. Stress 5
1.5.11. Combined Toxicity7
1.5.12. Possible Carcinogenic Action of 5
Nitrogen Oxides
1.5.13. Photochemical Smog Induction 60
1.5.14. Particulate Nitrates
2. CONCLUSIONS 61
VI PAGE
3. TABLES OF NO_ EFFECTS IN ANIMALS 71
3.1. Short Term Exposure
3.2. Long Terme
3.3. Peak Exposures
3.4. Combined Exposures
4. REFERENCES 103
5. ANNEX 161
5.1. Ambient Air N0X Standards 16
VII