Evaluation of respiratory effects of thermal decomposition products following single and repeated exposures of guinea pigs.

Groups of guinea pigs were exposed to the thermal decomposition products (TDP) released from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene-polyethylene copolymer (CP), polypropylene homopolymer (HP), or plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In single 50-min exposures to the TDP, guinea pigs exhibited sensory irritation, coughing, and airways constriction. Significant decreases in respiratory frequency (f) occurred during TDP exposure which were magnified during CO2 challenge conducted immediately post-exposure. For each resin, it was possible to demonstrate a linear relationship between the logarithm of heated mass and the percent decrease in f during CO2 challenge. From these relationships, the mass of each resin producing a 50% decrease in f during CO2 challenge (RD50 mass) was obtained. RD50 masses of 2744, 25.2, 16.0, and 6.7 g were obtained for ABS, CP, HP, and PVC, respectively. Thus, the relative potency of their TDP was PVC > CP approximately HP >> ABS. Using the RD50 mass of each resin, guinea pigs were exposed to TDP for 50 min/day on 5 consecutive days. These repeated exposures also resulted in sensory irritation, coughing, and airways constriction. However, deaths occurred during exposures, and there was evidence of cumulative respiratory effects, and slower recoveries among survivors. Data obtained in guinea pigs were compared to a previous study with mice exposed to the TDP of the same four resins (Schaper et al. 1994). On the basis of heated mass, mice were 20-500 times more sensitive to the acute respiratory effects of TDP than guinea pigs. Thus, the exposure limits of 0.63, 0.11, 0.08, and 0.35 mg/m3 proposed by Schaper et al. (1994) on the basis of particulates released from ABS, CP, HP and PVC should prevent not only irritation, but also possible coughing, and airways constriction in workers.