Acute exposure to nitrogen dioxide and pulmonary function

A pilot study was performed comparing changes in pulmonary function among asthmatic and non-asthmatic adults during preparation of dinner on a gas stove, at which time a number of them were exposed to short-term NO₂ peaks exceeding 0.3 ppm. Asthmatics exposed to 0.3 ppm of NO₂ for periods of time exceeding 25 minutes showed short-term decreases in pulmonary function. Other conclusions were that it is feasible to monitor personal exposure to NO₂ and simultaneously test pulmonary function, to characterize patterns of NO₂ exposures under varying cooking conditions, and to establish criteria by which subjects would be selected for future testing in controlled exposure chamber studies. -Authors