Human response to controlled levels of toluene in six-hour exposures.

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Abstract
The nasal mucus flow, lung function, subjective response and psychometric performance of 16 young healthy subjects was studied during 6 h exposures to clean air and to 10, 40 or 100 ppm toluene under controlled conditions. The toluene exposures did not affect nasal mucus flow or lung function. At 100 ppm irritation was experienced in the eyes and nose. There was a significant deterioration in the perceived air quality and a significant increased odor level during exposures to toluene. The test battery investigated visual perception, vigilance, psychomotor functions and higher cortical functions and comprised 5-choice, rotary pursuit, screw-plate, Landolt''s rings, Bourdon Wiersma, multiplication, sentence comprehension and word memory tests. In these 8 tests measuring 20 parameters, no statistically significant effects of the toluene exposure occurred. For 3 tests (multiplication errors, Landolt''s rings and the screw plate test) there was a borderline significance (0.05% < 0.10%). The subjects felt that the tests were more difficult and strenuous during the 100 ppm exposure, for which headache, dizziness and feeling of intoxication were significantly more often reported. The exposures to 10 and 40 ppm did not result in any adverse effects.

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