title: Nasal effects of a mixture of volatile organic compounds and their ozone oxidation products.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to determine if low levels of a mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their ozone (O3) oxidation products, similar to what might be found in "sick buildings," cause nasal irritation and inflammation under controlled exposure conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy, nonsmoking women (n=130) completed 2-hour controlled exposures to VOCs, VOCs and O3, and a masked air "MA" control in random order at least 1 week apart. VOCs and O3 concentrations were approximately 25 mg/m and approximately 40 ppb, respectively. Nasal symptoms were rated before, during, and after exposure. Nasal lavage fluid was analyzed for polymorphonuclear cells, total protein, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found no significant differences in symptoms or markers of nasal inflammation between exposure conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that VOCs and their oxidation products may not cause acute nasal effects at low concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA. laumbach@eohsi.rutgers.edu
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Laumbach
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fiedler
authors.forename: Carol R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Debra L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Laskin
authors.forename: Zhi-Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Junfeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Charles J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Weschler
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lioy
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ohman-Strickland
authors.forename: Kathie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kelly-McNeil
authors.forename: Howard M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kipen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000737:chemistry; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010126:Ozone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010083:Oxidants, Photochemical; D010126:Ozone