Sensory irritation caused by various industrial airborne chemicals.

A short inhalation experiment was performed on mice using 22 industrial airborne irritants. The parameter chosen as an index of sensory irritation was the reflex decrease in respiratory rate. For each compound, systematic determination of the concentration associated with a 50% decrease in the respiratory rate (RD50) permitted, on the basis of the same end point, a comparison of their relative potencies. The possibility of using the obtained data as initial guidelines to establish acceptable Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) in the workplace was examined.