Influence of exposure patterns of nitrogen dioxide and modifications by ozone on susceptibility to bacterial infectious disease in mice.

The nitrogen dioxide (NO2) diurnal cycle found in urban communities usually consists of a low basal concentration upon which are superimposed higher concentration peaks or spikes of short duration. Various components of this environmental exposure mode were examined to assess effects of urban exposure profiles on susceptibility to infectious pulmonary disease. Mice were exposed to NO2 peaks of 4.5 ppm for 1, 3.5, or 7 h, challenged with Streptococcus sp. either immediately or 18 h postexposure, and then observed for mortality. When the streptococcal challenges were immediately after NO2 exposure, the mortality rate was directly related to the length of peak exposure, whether or not a basal exposure was used, and all peak lengths significantly increased mortality. When the challenge was delayed for 18 h after the peak exposure, spiked exposures of 3.5 and 7 h increased mortality to the same degree. If a 1-h peak exposure to 4.5 ppm was superimposed twice daily upon a continuous basal NO2 concentration of 1.5 ppm, there was a suggestive trend toward increased mortality near the end of the second week of exposure when challenge occurred immediately after the morning spike. Studies were also conducted to examine interactions with ozone (O3) and NO2, since urban air typically contains both of these oxidants. Using various combinations of basal and spiked exposure levels of NO2 and O3, synergistic results were obtained for streptococcal-induced mortality.

Influence of exposure mode on the toxicity of NO2.

Pollutant gases are subject to a variety of physical and chemical interactions within the atmosphere due to cyclic production and various meteorological influences. In consequence there is generally a diurnal concentration profile for NO2 which consists of peaks of short duration and irregular occurrence superimposed on a low background. Since this variation could play an important role in the toxic effect of NO2, the influences of various exposure modes was studied. Continuous and intermittent exposure studies were used to determine the relationship between biological response and length of exposure to various concentrations of NO2. As the concentration decreased, the slope of the regression line decreased. After adjusting for total differences in the product concentration x time, the response for the two exposure modes was essentially the same. When a constant concentration x time level was employed, a short-term exposure to a high concentration produced a greater effect than exposure to a lower concentration administered over a longer period. Using these curves, the relationship between level of effect, concentration, and time can be determined. Results of these studies indicated that the frequency and amplitude of short-term peaks are of significance even though the exposure is interrupted with periods of zero concentration of NO2.

Time--dose response for nitrogen dioxide exposure in an infectivity model system.

The concentration of NO2 in polluted atmosphere is subject to wide variation, according to peak traffic load, industrial productivity, intensity of sunlight and meteorological conditions. Normally NO2 has a low basal concentration with superimposed spikes when the above conditions are optimal for its production. Thus, it is important to determine the relative importance of a short-term, relatively high concentration of NO2 versus exposure for longer periods of minimal dose levels. This problem was approached experimentally by measuring the effect of NO2 on an animal's resistance to the induction of bacterial pneumonia. The data collected indicate that: (1) in short-term dose-response studies using the same Ct (concentration x time) product of 7, the actual concentration exerts a greater influence on NO2 effect than does the duration of exposure; (2) when concentration is held constant and the time increased, the average difference in mortality from controls can be seen after only 1 hr exposure to 3.5 ppm and after 3 weeks of exposure to 0.5 ppm; and (3) the relative mean survival time at 3.5 ppm for 1 hr was 18--36 hr less than that of the control animals.