Effects of O3 inhalation during exercise on pulmonary function and blood biochemistry

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The effects of ozone (O3) [a toxic contaminant of photochemical smog] on pulmonary function, respiratory metabolism, ventilatory patterns and blood biochemical function of 6 male subjects were studied after exposure for 1 h to 0.15 ppm or 0.30 ppm while at rest, or performing exercise at 25%, 45% or 65% of maximum O2 uptake (.ovrhdot.VO2 max). Ventilation volume and .ovrhdot.VO2 were unaffected by O3, even following the most severe protocols, i.e., inhalation of O3 while exercizing at 45% or 65% of .ovrhdot.VO2 max. All subjects clearly demonstrated some signs of toxicity while working at 45% and/or 65% .ovrhdot.VO2 max. Vital capacity (VC), forced expired volume at 1 s (FEV1.0), and midmaximum flow rate (MMFR) were relatively unaffected, except for the significant decrements of 9%, 14% and 21%, respectively, subsequent to inhalation of 0.30 ppm O3 at 65% .ovrhdot.VO2 max (P < 0.05 to P < 0.005). During the couse of the 1 h exposure to 0.30 ppm O3 at 65% of .ovrhdot.VO2 max, there was a trend toward progressively shallower breathing, leading to a 25% increase in respiratory frequency (f) (P < 0.01) and 30% decrease in mean tidal volume (VT) (P < 0.01) by the end of the exposure. Distinct differences in individual sensitivity to O3 were manifest in exercise performance; the 2 most sensitive subjects were unable to complete 1 h at 65% .ovrhdot.VO2 max while breathing 0.30 ppm O3. No differences in blood biochemical parameters were observed following any of the O3 exposures, due at least in part to the low total dose of oxidant inhaled and high reactivity of respiratory tissues to O3.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: