The Respiratory Effects of Volatile Substances

¹ Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation.

1) By far the greatest proportion of volatile substances have little or no direct action on the respiratory tract, even those which cause severe systemic effects when inhaled. For instance, ethyl alcohol, aliphatic and chlorinated hydrocarbones, carbon monoxide.

2) Many volatile substances have more or less superficial and transitory irritant effects with or without serious systemic action. Such as many of the ethers, esters and ketones.

3) Certain volatile substances do have marked irritating effects on the respiratory system, the symptoms varying principally with the area of the respiratory tract most affected. This area is largely determined by the solubility of the substance. Among these are ammonia, formaldehyde, sulphur dioxide, chlorine and oxides of nitrogen.

4) The effects produced by inhalation of volatile irritants are usually local and if not severe enough to be lethal, complete recovery generally follows without development of chronic or disabling changes.

5) Any conclusive evidence so far is lacking which would indicate that inhalation of volatile irritants predisposes to the development of chronic infections such as tuberculosis. Repeated inhalation of such irritants may however be a factor in the incidence of acute respiratory infections.

6) There is as yet insufficient evidence as to the part played by inhalation of volatile substances to demonstrate a causative relationship with malignant changes in the respiratory tract.