Sensory Irritation Study in Mice: JP-5, JP-TS, JP-7, DFM, JP-10

摘要

AFIOH (formerly the Air Force Institute for Environment, Safety and Occupational Health Risk Analysis AFIERA), in concert with Army and Navy colleagues, designed a study based on ASTM's 'Standard Method E 981-84' to characterize and compare the relative potency of five hydrocarbon fuels to cause respiratory tract sensory irritation. These fuels (JP-5, JP-TS, JP-7, DFM, JP-1O) were administered for 30 minute periods by means of a head-only exposure system to groups of 4 male Swiss-Webster mice. Test atmospheres laden with these fuels were presented as vapor/aerosol mixtures to insure that all of each fuel's constituents were represented in the test atmospheres. Analytical sampling data for concentration revealed differences in the prevalence and distribution of these constituents between the vapor and aerosol phases of the test atmospheres. Each fuel was tested at one or more concentrations in air that resulted in minimal to severe decreases in respiratory rate. All fuels evoked breathing patterns that were characteristic of upper airway sensory irritation at all exposure levels. Within the context of this study, there was no apparent evidence of pulmonary (deep lung) irritation or narcosis at any exposure level. The concentration of JP-5 that reduced the respiratory rate by 50% (RD50) was calculated from the data to be 3338 mg/m3. Exposures with the other fuels were targeted for levels near the RD5O for JP-5 and JP-8 order to compare their relative irritancy. Based on the results of this study, the relative irritancy of the fuels tested in this study may be ranked as follows: DFM > JP-5 >JP-7 > JP-TS > JP-lO.