Effects in rats and guinea pigs of short-term exposures to sulfuric acid mist, ozone, and their combination

J Toxicol Environ Health. 1977 Oct;3(3):521-33. doi: 10.1080/15287397709529584.

Abstract

Ozone and the oxides of sulfur are common environmental pollutants. The acute pulmonary lesions caused by ozone and sulfuric acid mist in rats and guinea pigs have been characterized. Rats are not affected by sulfuric acid mist in concentrations up to 100 mg/m3 except for reduced body weight at the higher doses. A true alveolitis develops in guinea pigs exposed to more than 20 mg/m3 sulfuric acid mist. The ozone lesion is primarily confined to the terminal bronchioles and proximal alveoli. In combination studies with up to 2 ppm ozone and up to 10 mg/m3 sulfuric acid mist, the pulmonary lesion and lung/body weight data were essentially the same as in exposure to ozone alone, and the number of statistically significant synergistic effects in rats and guinea pigs was about what one would expect to observe by chance alone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aerosols
  • Animals
  • Body Weight / drug effects
  • Drug Synergism
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Male
  • Organ Size / drug effects
  • Ozone / administration & dosage
  • Ozone / toxicity*
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / pathology
  • Rats
  • Species Specificity
  • Sulfuric Acids / administration & dosage
  • Sulfuric Acids / toxicity*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Aerosols
  • Sulfuric Acids
  • Ozone