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Sensory And Physiological Effects On Humans Of Combined Exposures To Air Temperatures And Volatile Organic Compounds
Author(s) -
Mølhave Lars,
Liu Zunyong,
Jørgensen Anne H.,
Pedersen Ole F.,
Kjægaard Søren K.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
indoor air
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.387
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 1600-0668
pISSN - 0905-6947
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0668.1993.t01-1-00002.x
Subject(s) - odor , dryness , indoor air quality , acoustic rhinometry , irritation , chemistry , humidity , environmental chemistry , sick building syndrome , relative humidity , ventilation (architecture) , environmental chamber , volatile organic compound , toxicology , environmental science , nasal cavity , environmental engineering , medicine , surgery , meteorology , organic chemistry , biology , physics , immunology
Ten healthy humans were exposed to combinations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air temperature (0 mg/m 3 and 10 mg/m 3 of a mixture of 22 volatile organic compounds and 18, 22 and 26° C). Previously demonstrated effects of VOCs and thermal exposures were replicated. For the first time nasal cross‐sectional areas and nasal volumes, as measured by acoustic rhinometry, were shown to decrease with decreasing temperature and increasing VOC exposure. Temperature and pollutant exposures affected air quality, the need for more ventilation, skin humidity on the forehead, sweating, acute sensory irritation and possibly watering eyes in an additive way. Interactions were found for odor intensity (p = 0.1), perceived facial skin temperature and dryness, general well‐being, tear film stability, and nasal cavity dimension. The presence of interactions implies that in the future guidelines for acceptable indoor air concentrations of VOCs should depend on room air temperature.