title: Assessment of the pulmonary toxicity of inhaled gases and particles with physicochemical methods.
abstract: Physicochemical techniques used for evaluating the pulmonary surfactant (PS) quality are discussed as methods useful in assessing toxicity of inhaled gases and particles. Two standard devices, Langmuir-Wilhelmy film balance and pulsating bubble apparatus, are presented in detail, and the measured results of interaction between sulfuric acid and 2 models of PS materials are analyzed. The evident decrease in surface activity of the pulmonary surfactant after its contact with the acid at concentrations approaching 0.001 M may be considered as an indicator of the adverse effect, which can result in several health problems. The presented approach can be used as a method of assessing pulmonary toxicity of any substances present in the breathing air.
authors.affiliation: Warsaw University of Technology, Poland. podgorsa@ichip.pw.edu.pl.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Sosnowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Podgórski
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D016272:Occupational Health; D010316:Particle Size; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants