EFFECTS OF MIXED NO2-SO2 GAS ON HUMAN PULMONARY FUNCTIONS

-Effects of Air Pollution on the Human Body-

Abstract

Experimental studies on the effects of SO2, NO2 and a mixed SO2-NO2 gas ­the most important air pollutants at present- on the human pulmonary functions were carried out, measuring the values of ventilatory mechanics, of spirometry and of peak flow rate, and following results were obtained. The effects of SO2, are immediate but not durable. Those of NO2, on the contrary, are late-acting and durable. As for those of a mixed SO2-NO, gas, they are intermediate between those for single NO2, and SO2, showing no cumulative actions of the two gases, but only additive ones. Such differences of the effects between two gases are supposed to be attributed to the grade of water solubility of each gas-SO2, is easy soluble and NO2, difficult soluble.