title: Acute effects of exposure to hexanal vapors in humans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  n-Hexanal is a major component in emissions from stored wood pellets. The production and use of wood pellets has increased dramatically. Our aim was to evaluate acute health effects of n-hexanal vapors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve healthy volunteers were exposed to 0, 2, and 10 ppm n-hexanal for 2 hours at rest in a balanced order.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ratings of discomfort in the eyes and nose, solvent smell, and headache increased significantly with the level of exposure. Frequency of blinking was significantly increased at 10 ppm. No effects on pulmonary function and nasal swelling were detected, except a not-significant tendency to increased nasal obstruction at 10 ppm. No clear effects on plasma inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two hours of exposure to n-hexanal results in mild irritation at 10 ppm, with no apparent adversity at 2 ppm.
authors.affiliation: Work Environment Toxicology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Lena.Ernstgard@ki.se
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ernstgård
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iregren
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sjögren
authors.forename: Urban
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Svedberg
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Johanson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000447:Aldehydes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001767:Blinking / Q000187:drug effects; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D015850:Interleukin-6; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; C010463:n-hexanal