Acute effects of exposure to vapours of standard and dearomatized white spirits in humans. 2. Irritation and inflammation

Abstract

Low aromatic and dearomatized white spirits (deWS) are often considered less hazardous to health than 'standard' or aromatic white sprit (stdWS, 15-20% aromatics). However, data on health effects of deWS in humans are sparse and controlled exposure studies are lacking. The aim of this study was to compare deWS and stdWS with respect to irritation and inflammation. Six female and six male healthy volunteers were exposed on five occasions in balanced order to 100 or 300 mg m(-3) deWS (0.002% aromatics) or stdWS (19% aromatics), or to clean air, for 4 h at rest. Discomfort in the eyes, nose and throat and breathing difficulty were assessed by ratings on visual analogue scales. The only significant increases in ratings (compared to clean air) were seen for eye irritation at the high stdWS exposure and for solvent smell at all but the low deWS exposure. Excluding smell, all average ratings were at the lower end of the 0-100 mm scale, and did not exceed the verbal expression 'somewhat'. Ratings during stdWS exposure tended to be higher than during deWS exposure. No exposure-related effects on pulmonary function, nasal swelling, nasal airway resistance, breathing frequency, blinking frequency, plasma inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6) or biochemical variables (sodium, potassium, amylase, creatine kinase, urate) were seen. In conclusion, stdWS appears to be slightly more irritating than deWS. This could, however, not be confirmed by objective measurements.

Characterization of the toxicological hazards of hydrocarbon solvents

“…For hydrocarbons with carbon numbers  C10, the limited likelihood for exposure by inhalation, associated with the reductions in vapor pressure and apparently by blood/brain barrier effects make acute CNS effects unlikely, as shown empirically by Bowen and Balster (1998) and Nilsen et al (1988). Volunteer studies confirm that exposures at currently recommended levels 11 are not associated with acute CNS effects (Ernstgard et al 2009a, 2009b, Jones et al 2006, Juran et al 2014). …”

“…Carpenter et al (1975aCarpenter et al ( -h, 1976aCarpenter et al ( -e, 1977aCarpenter et al ( -c, 1978) systematically investigated the irritant potential for vapors of hydrocarbon solvents and volatile petroleum products in volunteers and used this information in making recommendations for occupational exposure limits. Volunteer studies continue to be used to assure that occupational exposure limits are not associated with discomfort (Ernstgard et al 2009a, 2009b, Jones et al 2006, Juran et al 2014). …”

“…Other constituents including naphthalene, indene, and diethylbenzenes may also be present in these solvents at levels typically below 1%. These solvents may cause upper respiratory irritation, but the potential for acute CNS effects is limited because of their relatively high molecular weights and low vapor pressures (Carpenter et al 1975c, 1976c, Ernstgard et al 2009a, 2009b, Gamberale et al 1975, Hastings et al 1982, Juran et al 2014, Nelson et al 1943). Otherwise, these solvents are not considered to be acutely toxic (Amoruso et al 2008), but they can cause chemical pneumonitis if aspirated into the lungs as liquids.…”

“…More recently, studies were reported in which the effects of short-term exposure to either "regular white spirits" or "dearomatized white spirits" 40 were compared (Ernstgard et al 2009a(Ernstgard et al , 2009b. In these studies, volunteers were exposed in 10-minute steps to doses that were increased from 0.5-600 mg/ m 3 (0.1 to 109 ppm).…”

“…In these studies, volunteers were exposed in 10-minute steps to doses that were increased from 0.5-600 mg/ m 3 (0.1 to 109 ppm). Effect levels were based on the reports of the volunteers in a range-finding study (Ernstgard et al 2009a), with more objective measures used in a follow-up study in which the volunteers were exposed for 4 h (Ernstgard et al 2009b). The authors reported that in the studies involving short exposure periods, the median levels of irritation were given as "somewhat" for "regular white spirits" and "hardly at all" for the dearomatized white spirit, and ratings of acute CNS effects were "hardly at all".…”