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Propellant-driven aerosols of functional proteins as potential therapeutic agents in the respiratory tract.

Aerosols of respirable-sized particles of functional proteins were delivered by volatile propellant from metered-dose aerosol canisters. The enzyme alkaline-phosphatase and a monoclonal antibody were lyophilized with surfactant and suspended in the aerosol propellant dimethylether. As much as 20 micrograms of functional protein, assessed by enzyme function or antibody binding activity, was delivered per 40 microliters of released propellant. Up to 25% of the protein was of respirable size (< or = 4 microns mass median aerodynamic diameter) when aerosolized proteins were sampled with a Casella cyclone. Respirable particles were derived from visible surfactant/protein complexes suspended in the liquified propellant and from propellant-soluble, nonsedimentable, surfactant/protein molecules that are probably reverse micelles. 10-14 days of propellant exposure in dimethylether increased protein solubility in the propellant, increased the total protein aerosolized and maintained or increased the quantity of respirable-sized protein molecules, as compared to the day aerosol vials were charged with propellant. Scanning electron microscopic studies of the respirable-sized protein/surfactant particles showed that they ranged in size from 0.07 to 3.25 microns in diameter, and they appeared to be chain aggregates of spherical subunits, 0.11 to 0.93 microns in diameter. This structural motif was common to both proteins. The possibility of delivering immunizing antigens, cytokines, passive antibodies and other therapeutic proteins to the respiratory tract using propellant-driven aerosols is discussed.

Aerosol Propellants↗

Size aspects of metered-dose inhaler aerosols.

The aerodynamic size distribution of several bronchodilator and corticosteroid metered-dose inhaler (MDI) aerosols was estimated in both dry and humid (90% RH) air environments with a six-stage cascade impactor. The distribution of aerosol size that penetrated into a simulated lung model were also measured. The size distributions were approximately log-normal and ranged from 2.4 to 5.5 micron in mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) with geometric standard deviation (GSD) of 1.7 to 2.5 in a dry environment. In humid air, MMAD increased from 1 to 26% above the dry air state, but GSD remained unchanged. The size of aerosol delivered by MDI that penetrated into a simulated lung model fell to 2.4 to 2.8 micron in MMAD (GSD, 1.9 to 2.2). In contrast to aerosols produced by MDI, MMAD of an aerosol of cromolyn sodium powder dispersed by a Spinhaler increased rapidly with increasing humidity, 5.6 +/- 0.3 micron in dry air and 10.1 +/- 0.8 micron in 90% RH air. Finally, the factors influencing size of MDI-delivered aerosols, including formulation, canister pressure, physicochemical properties of propellants, and design of the valve and actuator orifices are discussed. Effective delivery of MDI-generated aerosols into the lung is highly dependent on particle dynamics and jet flow, and no single parameter can produce a unique particle size and jet pattern.

Aerosol Propellants↗

New liquid aerosol generation devices: systems that force pressurized liquids through nozzles.

Over the past few decades, aerosol delivery devices have been relatively inefficient, wasteful, and difficult for patients to use. These drawbacks have been tolerated because the drugs available for inhalation have wide therapeutic margins and steep dose-response curves at low doses. Recently several forces have converged to drive innovation in the aerosol device industry: the ban on chlorofluorocarbon propellants in metered-dose inhalers, the need for more user-friendly devices, and the invention of expensive inhalable therapies for topical and systemic lung delivery. Numerous devices are in development to improve the efficiency, ease of use, and reproducibility of aerosol delivery to the lung, including systems that force liquid through a nozzle to form the aerosol cloud. The Respimat is a novel, compact, propellant-free, multi-dose inhaler that employs a spring to push drug solution through a nozzle, which generates a slow-moving aerosol. Deposition studies show that the Respimat can deliver 39-44% of a dose to the lungs. Clinical asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease trials with bronchodilators show that the Respimat is 2-8 times as effective as a metered-dose inhaler. Respimat has been tested with bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids. The AERx device uses sophisticated electronics to deliver aerosol from a single-dose blister, using an integral, disposable nozzle array. The electronics control dose expression and titration, timing of aerosol generation with the breath, and provide feedback for proper inhalation technique. Lung deposition ranges from 50 to 80% of the loaded dose, with remarkable reproducibility. AERx has been tested with a variety of drugs, for both topical and systemic delivery, including rhDNase (dornase alfa), insulin, and opioids. These novel devices face competition from other technologies as well as financial and regulatory hurdles, but they both offer a marked improvement in the efficiency of pulmonary drug delivery.

Administration, Inhalation↗

Acute pulmonary responses among automobile workers exposed to aerosols of machining fluids.

Previous investigations of workers exposed to machining fluids have shown increased rates of cough and phlegm and have shown that these exposures may cause occupational asthma. To examine acute responses to these agents, cross-shift lung function changes related to machining fluid aerosols among 89 machine operators at two factories producing automobile parts were measured and compared with the findings for 42 unexposed assembly workers studied similarly at the same factories. Workers wore a personal air-sampling device on a Monday and Friday of a working week, and spirometry was performed before and after the work shifts on both days. On Mondays, a 5% or greater decrease in the forced expiratory volume in 1-second (FEV1), regarded as an "FEV1-response," occurred in 23.6% of the machinists and in only 9.5% of the assembly workers (relative risk = 2.5, p less than .05). After adjusting statistically for a history of childhood asthma, for smoking prior to lung function testing, and for race, odds ratios for an FEV1-response of 4.4 among workers exposed to aerosols of straight mineral oils, 5.8 for oil emulsions, and 6.9 for synthetic fluids were found. The FEV1-responses on Fridays were similar to those on Mondays. There was no progressive decline in FEV1 over the work week. Personal air samples, collected with a two-stage impactor, allowed aerosol masses to be measured in three size fractions: less than 3.5 microns, 3.5-9.8 microns, and greater than 9.8 microns aerodynamic diameter. Exposure levels to each type of machining fluid were remarkably similar within each size fraction and for total aerosol levels. Total aerosol concentrations for assembly workers ranged from 0.07 to 0.44 mg/M3, and for machinists from 0.16 to 2.03 mg/m3. Inhalable particle (less than or equal to 9.8 microns) levels were derived from the sum of the air concentrations in the two smallest-size fractions, and significant cross-shift decrements in FEV1 on Mondays and Fridays were associated with inhalable aerosol levels greater than 0.20 mg/m3. These findings show that acute airflow obstruction is associated with exposures to aerosols of various machining fluids and that airway responses occur well below current recommended exposure limits.

Aerosols↗

Pulmonary irritant potency of polyisocyanate aerosols in rats: comparative assessment of irritant threshold concentrations by bronchoalveolar lavage.

The object of this study was to compare the relative acute pulmonary irritant potency of respirable aerosols of a variety of non-volatile polyisocyanates. The types of polyisocyanates examined included aliphatic homopolymers and mixed aliphatic-aromatic polyisocyanates consisting of the following monomers: HDI (hexamethylene 1,6-diisocyanate), IPDI (isophorone diisocyanate), MDI (methylene-diphenyl-4,4'-diisocyanate) and TDI (toluene diisocyanate). For reference purposes, the pulmonary irritant polyisocyanate aerosols were compared with monomeric IPDI, a semi-volatile respiratory tract (airway) irritant. In the substances tested, the concentration of free isocyanate moieties ranged from 11% to 38%. The relative potency to elicit pulmonary irritation was assessed by measurements of lung weights and total protein and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) following a single 6-h exposure of male rats. The time course of changes was analysed 3 h and 1, 3 and 7 days after exposure. When exposed to irritant concentrations of aerosol, BALF protein was maximal on post-exposure day 1 and returned to the level of the controls on post-exposure day 7. In contrast, rats exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of monomeric IPDI experienced a time-related increase in BALF protein. Based on this most sensitive endpoint, extrapolated no-observed-effect concentrations (NOECs) were in the range of 2-3 mg m(-3) for most polyisocyanates examined. The NOECs from all the substances investigated were in the range 1-50 mg m(-3). Thus, this methodology is adequate to rank the pulmonary irritant potency of polyisocyanate aerosols and to differentiate pulmonary from airway irritants. For pulmonary irritants the estimated acute NOECs were essentially similar to the no-observed-adverse effect concentrations (NOAECs) from long-term, repeated-exposure inhalation studies available for some of the polyisocyanates. A clear dependence of the NOAECs on the content of free isocyanate moieties was not observed. In summary, it is concluded that pulmonary irritation caused by polyisocyanate aerosols can be quantified readily in an acute rat bioassay by analysis of total protein in BALF. Moreover, this experimental evidence suggests that the NOECs of pulmonary irritants based on this endpoint are predictive of the NOAECs observed after subacute/subchronic inhalation exposure, suggesting that acute pulmonary irritation governs the outcome of repeated inhalation studies with such aerosols. However, for isocyanates where airway irritation predominates the pulmonary irritation, long(er)-term inhalation studies appear to be indispensable. The content of free NCO per se appears to be a poor predictor of the pulmonary irritant potency of polyisocyanate aerosols.

Administration, Inhalation↗

In vitro transfer of keratinocytes: comparison of transfer from fibrin membrane and delivery by aerosol spray.

There are a variety of approaches for the delivery of autologous keratinocytes to restore epithelial coverage of burns wounds that include utilizing cultured keratinocyte sheets, transfer of cultured keratinocytes using a membrane and more recently aerosol spraying of a keratinocyte suspension. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of direct aerosol delivery of a keratinocyte suspension with a fibrin transfer system to an in vitro wound model consisting of organotypical deepidermalized dermis (DED). A comparison was made between the number of keratinocytes delivered to DED with time, either by transfer from a fibrin membrane or using an aerosol. Additionally, the effect of application time of fibrin membranes to DED, on the number of keratinocytes delivered was investigated and compared with keratinocytes delivered by aerosol at the same time points. After 2 days culture little transfer of keratinocytes had occurred from the fibrin membrane to the DED, whereas 20% more cells were present on the DED than were initially delivered by aerosol spraying. After 7 days, aerosol-delivered cells were found to express cytokeratin K6, indicating a proliferative phenotype. The results from this study show that preconfluent keratinocytes can be delivered by aerosol, and thus may well find application clinically.

Aerosols↗

Field electroantennogram and trap assessments of aerosol pheromone dispensers for disrupting mating in Epiphyas postvittana.

An electronically controlled aerosol system for mating disruption was evaluated against Epiphyas postvittana Walker in apple orchards in New Zealand. The area in which male moths were affected by the aerosol system was examined using catches in traps radiating from a central single-point source of either one aerosol can dispenser or 100 polyethylene tubing dispensers, compared with catches in orchard plots without pheromone dispensers. Both pheromone dispensing systems decreased moth catch to similar levels at 5-10 m from the central release point, but there was 5.5-fold more pheromone released from aerosol cans than from polyethylene dispensers over a 24 h period. Trap catches were reduced by about 90% in plots treated with either five aerosol cans per hectare or uniform deployment of polyethylene dispensers. Recordings of electroantennograms in open grassed plots and orchards indicated that the treated cotton pad of an aerosol dispenser and a point source of 100 polyethylene tubing dispensers produced similar electroantennogram recordings. Electroantennogram recordings provided evidence that pheromone plume detection from a single-point source was maintained over a range of 5-40 m downwind in the orchard. On present evidence, aerosol pheromone dispensers could not be recommended for further testing towards control of E. postvittana under New Zealand conditions owing to their higher cost of purchase and operation.

Aerosols↗

Sulfuric acid aerosol followed by ozone exposure in healthy and asthmatic subjects.

These studies evaluated symptom and pulmonary function responses of humans sequentially exposed to sulfuric acid aerosol and ozone. Thirty healthy subjects and 30 allergic asthmatic subjects underwent 3-hr exposures in an environmental chamber to 100 micrograms/m3 sulfuric acid and sodium chloride (control) aerosols (in random order), followed 24 hr later by 3-hr exposures to ozone (0.08, 0.12, or 0.18 ppm). Each subject was studied four times, receiving each aerosol preexposure followed by two of the three ozone concentrations. For the healthy group, no convincing symptomatic or physiologic effects of exposure to either the aerosol or ozone on lung function were found. For the asthmatic group, preexposure to sulfuric acid altered the pattern of response to ozone in comparison with sodium chloride preexposure and appeared to enhance the small mean decrements in FVC that occurred in response to 0.18 ppm ozone (means +/- SE: -3.6 +/- 1.5% with sodium chloride preexposure, -6.8 +/- 1.7% with sulfuric acid preexposure). Individual responses among asthmatic subjects were quite variable, some demonstrating reductions in FEV1 of more than 35% following ozone exposure. Analysis of variance of changes in FVC revealed evidence for interactions between aerosol and ozone exposure both immediately after (P = 0.005) and 4 hr after (P = 0.030) exposure. Similar effects were seen for FEV1. When normal and asthmatic subjects were combined, four-way analysis of variance revealed an interaction between ozone and aerosol for the entire group (P = 0.0022) and a difference between normal and asthmatic subjects (P = 0.0048). There was no significant effect of exposures on symptoms for either normal or asthmatic subjects. Asthmatic subjects differ from healthy volunteers in their functional responses following sequential exposures to aerosols and ozone and appear to represent a susceptible population.

Adult↗

Evaluation of exposure to water aerosol or air by nose-only or whole-body inhalation procedures for CD-1 mice in developmental toxicity studies.

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of nose-only restraint versus whole-body exposure procedures in the absence of test chemical, and to determine the appropriate control environment (water aerosol or air) for subsequent developmental toxicity studies of test materials administered as aerosols. Timed-pregnant CD-1 mice, 30/group, were exposed to high concentrations of water aerosol or to air by whole-body or nose-only inhalation procedures on Gestational Days (GD) 6 through 15 for 6 hr per day. The group exposed to air by whole-body procedures was designated as the control group. Clinical observations and maternal body weights were recorded throughout gestation. At scheduled necropsy on GD 18, maternal animals were evaluated for body weight, gravid uterine weight, liver weight, number of ovarian corpora lutea, and status of uterine implantation sites. Fetuses were counted, weighed, and sexed and were examined for external, visceral (including craniofacial), and skeletal alterations. Indices of maternal toxicity were affected in both nose-only groups. Maternal body weights were reduced during and after the exposure period; maternal weight gain was reduced during the exposure period. Clinical signs observed, from animals struggling during restraint, were resolved by GD 18. At sacrifice on GD 18, maternal body weights and maternal gestational weight gains (both corrected for gravid uterine weights) and absolute liver weights were reduced in both nose-only groups. Four females died (13.3%, all pregnant) in the air nose-only group, and maternal liver weight (relative to body weight) was reduced in the aerosol nose-only group. Gestational parameters were unaffected by any of the treatments. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidences of any individual malformations or malformations by category (external, visceral, or skeletal) or of total malformations. However, exencephaly, low set ears, cleft palate and ventricular septal defect were observed only in both aerosol-exposed groups (whole-body and nose-only exposed). The incidences of individual external or visceral variations or of variations by category or of total variations were unaffected. The incidence of one skeletal variation, poorly ossified supraoccipital skull bone, was significantly increased in the aerosol nose-only group relative to the air whole-body controls. There were also increased incidences (not statistically significant) of extra (14th) ribs in both aerosol groups. Therefore, maternal restraint (in both nose-only groups) during organogenesis produced indications of maternal toxicity, but restraint did not appear to affect normal embryo/fetal morphologic development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Administration, Inhalation↗

A widely available method for the assessment of aerosol delivery in cystic fibrosis.

Whilst nebulisers are commonly used in the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF), nebulised aerosol lung deposition in individual patients is not routinely assessed in clinical practice. The present study was designed to evaluate whether a comparative measurement of aerosol lung deposition from nebulisers using a widely available scintigraphic method could be employed to assist the selection of the best system for individual patients. Lung deposition of the radiolabelled aerosol from the Pari LC Plus (Pari Medical Ltd) nebuliser and the HaloLite Adaptive Aerosol Delivery (AAD) system (Profile Therapeutics Ltd) was measured using planar scintigraphy in 10 healthy volunteers and 6 CF patients. The HaloLite AAD delivered on average 2.1 times (P=0.003) as much aerosol to the lungs compared with Pari LC Plus. Only two subjects had higher lung deposition from Pari LC Plus than HaloLite AAD system. There was marked inter-individual variation in the deposition pattern in CF patients. The aerosol deposition from HaloLite AAD had higher central distribution than that obtained with the Pari LC Plus. The overall intersubject variability of the delivered dose was 56% with Pari LC Plus and 24% with HaloLite AAD (P<0.05). The measurement of aerosol deposition from nebulisers can be performed using a simple and widely available methodology, and may improve nebuliser selection in CF patients.

Adult↗

A combined procedure for 99mTc aerosol ventilation and perfusion imaging.

For several years, radioaerosols have been successfully used to provide detailed images of regional ventilation to aid in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. It has been widely advocated that the ventilation images should follow the perfusion scan and that the amount of aerosol deposited in the patient's lungs should be three times greater than the perfusion dose. We employed an alternative approach which avoided the deposition of an unpredictable amount of aerosol in individual patients. The aerosol study was performed first, and the activity of the microspheres used for the perfusion images was then tailored to the actual amount of aerosol which the patient had retained. This allowed a microsphere/aerosol activity ratio of 10:1 to be readily achieved, thus successfully masking the ventilation pattern by the perfusion activity. The faster biological clearance of 99mTc-DTPA aerosol from the lung fields, as compared to 99mTc-sulphur-colloid aerosol, allowed higher initial activities to be deposited in the lungs, thus enabling a high-resolution collimator to be used. When the perfusion study was delayed by 1 h (one effective half-life for the 99mTc-DTPA aerosol), it was not necessary to increase the perfusion activity required to mask the ventilation image.

Aerosols↗

Comparison of sodium nitroprusside and isoprenaline aerosols in histamine-induced bronchial asthma of the guinea pig.

1. Sodium nitroprusside (NP) is a potent relaxant of the guinea pig's tracheal smooth muscle contracted by carbachol or histamine. 2. At high doses, aerosols of NP delay the occurrence of symptoms of bronchial asthma in guinea pigs subjected to a histamine aerosol. However, the beta-adrenergic bronchodilator isoprenaline is at least 2,600 times more potent as an anti-asthmatic than NP on a molar basis. 3 NP and isoprenaline both reduce the blood pressure in rats when given either as infusion or as aerosol. The aerosol/infusion dosage ratio for comparable reductions of blood pressure were 1 for isoprenaline, and 10 for NP. After cessation of the application of the NP aerosol, the blood pressure rose more than twice as fast (t1/2 of blood pressure recovery) than after cessation of the application of the isoprenaline aerosol. 4. The poor antiasthmatic effect of NP aerosols may result from low permeability of the bronchial epithelium to the NP anion, from partial destruction in the airways or during tissue permeation, and from short half life of NP in the circulating blood. 5. Because of its inferiority to known bronchodilators, aerosols of NP cannot be recommended for the treatment of acute bronchial asthma.

Aerosols↗

Acute inhalation studies with irritant aerosols: technical issues and relevance for risk characterization.

Current testing conventions for inhalation toxicity studies require that solid and non-volatile liquid compounds are converted to respirable aerosol, which is often achieved by laboratory-specific technical methodologies. So far, internationally harmonized approaches are lacking that would allow comparison of results from inhalation studies with 'contrived' test aerosols taking into account the actual particle size of the product as it might be encountered in normal handling and use. The focus of this paper is to consider aerosols of irritant substances eliciting their mode of action on sites of initial deposition within the respiratory tract of rats. Assessment is based on conventional endpoints, such as mortality (LC(50)), and sublethal endpoints that include an analysis for the concentration-effect relationship of protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL-protein) as a sensitive, early marker of lung edema. This retrospective analysis also addresses whether common denominators can be found for different aerosol sizes of direct and indirect irritants, such as monomeric and polymeric diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate (mMDI and pMDI), naphthylene diisocyanate (NDI), dicyclohexylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate (HMDI), 2,4-triisopropyl-benzene-diisocyanate (TRIDI) and substances (e.g., chlorofluoroalkyl side-chain fungicides) known to decompose to irritant intermediates in the lining fluids of the airways. Collectively, this analysis shows that for irritant aerosols both the concentration and the particle size are equally important for the outcome of the test, independent of whether the endpoint chosen is lethality or BAL protein. The scientific value of 1-h exposures to high aerosol concentrations, as required by some regulations, could be challenged because high concentrations and high respirability of aerosol appear to be mutually exclusive, as shown for mMDI and NDI (LC(50 )>2000 mg/m(3)). Thus, for a meaningful risk characterization, test results from inhalation studies with 'contrived properties' due to the specific techniques employed need to be compared with the real properties of substances as marketed, handled and used.

Administration, Inhalation↗

On-line and in-situ detection of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on aerosols via thermodesorption and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy.

A fiber optical sensor system for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on aerosols by laser-induced, time-resolved fluorescence is combined with a thermodesorption device. The sensor system is based on an aerosol flow cell, which is fibre-optically coupled to a pulsed nitrogen laser for excitation and the detection system. Time-resolved fluorescence emission spectra are detected by a monochromator equipped with a photomultiplier and a fast digital storage oscilloscope. The analytical figures of merit of the thermodenuder are reported for benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, and benzo[ghi]-perylene on ultrafine soot and NaCl aerosols. By thermodesorption of the PAH, problems due to quenching of the PAH fluorescence by the bulk aerosol material or excimer formation on the aerosol surface were avoided. For the PAH under study, the sensitivity was improved considerably and detection limits between 110 and 850 ng m(-3) were attained, while a response time of 2-3 min was achieved with the thermodenuder. A calibration for PAH on ultrafine soot and NaCl aerosols was established independent of the aerosol substrate.

Aerosols↗

Randomized trial of dapsone and aerosolized pentamidine for the prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and toxoplasmic encephalitis.

PURPOSE: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and toxoplasmic encephalitis are the most frequent pulmonary and central nervous system opportunistic infections associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. We designed a prospective study to compare the effects of aerosolized pentamidine and dapsone in the prophylaxis of these infections in HIV-infected persons with CD4+ lymphocyte counts less than 250/mm3. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Two hundred seventy-eight patients seropositive for HIV who had acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or advanced AIDS-related complex were randomly assigned to receive intermittent dapsone (100 mg twice weekly) or aerosolized pentamidine (100 mg every 2 weeks). The proportion of patients remaining free of PCP or toxoplasmosis was analyzed with the log-rank test as a function of time, as were the effects of zidovudine or prophylaxis on survival. RESULTS: Dapsone and aerosolized pentamidine demonstrated similar efficacy in the primary and secondary prophylaxis of PCP, with 15 (18%) failures among patients receiving dapsone compared to 15 (14%) among those receiving aerosolized pentamidine (p = 0.4), after a mean length of follow-up of 42 and 44 weeks, respectively. Dapsone was more effective in the primary prophylaxis of toxoplasmic encephalitis, with six toxoplasmic encephalitis events occurring among those receiving aerosolized pentamidine, compared to none among those taking dapsone (p = 0.01). Primary prophylaxis for PCP was more effective than secondary prophylaxis with either therapy. Zidovudine therapy did not prevent PCP yet prolonged the PCP-free interval for those in whom either prophylactic therapy failed. Kaplan-Meier estimates did not show a difference in survival between the patients receiving either therapy, yet zidovudine use was associated with improved survival, independent of race and risk factor (Cox proportional hazards model, p = 0.001). The 1-month survival for patients developing PCP despite prophylaxis was better with those in whom dapsone failed than it was for those in whom aerosolized pentamidine failed (p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: Dapsone is as effective as aerosolized pentamidine in preventing PCP and has the advantage of a lower cost, easier administration, and possibly an additional preventive effect against toxoplasmosis. Zidovudine prolongs the PCP-free interval for patients receiving prophylaxis, regardless of which prophylactic agent is used.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Absorption, distribution, and retention of inhaled selenious acid and selenium metal aerosols in beagle dogs.

We studied the distribution and retention of inhaled selenious acid and selenium metal aerosols which were similar in size and chemical form to selenium aerosols that may be produced during fossil fuel combustion. Beagle dogs were given 10 to 61 micrograms Se/kg of body weight by inhalation. Aerosols generated for the inhalation exposures were also collected and instilled into the upper respiratory tracts or stomachs of additional dogs to measure systemic absorption at these sites. Selenium-75, incorporated into the aerosols, was used to determine the Se content in the whole animal, excreta, and individual tissues as a function of time. Virtually all of the inhaled selenious acid aerosol was rapidly absorbed into the blood from the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and the nasal membranes. Selenium metal aerosols were less rapidly absorbed. Selenium that was absorbed into the blood was translocated to the liver, kidney, spleen, and heart. Selenium-75 in these organs had a biological half-life of 30 to 40 days. Approximately 50% of the deposited Se was eliminated with a biological T1/2 of 1.2 days. Urine was the major route of excretion, accounting for 70 to 80% of the excreted Se. The long-term component of the whole-body retention function for both inhaled aerosols had a half-life of about 34 days and accounted for about 20% of the initial Se dose. The data suggested that although absorption of selenious acid into blood following inhalation was more rapid than absorption of selenium metal, once absorbed the disposition of both compounds was similar.

Aerosols↗

Red tide (Ptychodiscus brevis) toxin aerosols: a review.

Advances in knowledge concerning red tide toxin aerosols (airborne) of the Florida red tide organism, Ptychodiscus brevis, have not kept pace with information about waterborne toxins. This review provides a summary of current knowledge regarding the characterization, effect and production of red tide toxin aerosols. Insight into the chemical characterization and toxic effects of aerosolized toxins is provided from investigations of toxins extracted from natural blooms, as well as from laboratory cultures, of P. brevis. This information is used in conjunction with the few studies that have been performed on toxin aerosols to consider toxic effects. The production of aerosolized toxins is considered through studies of jet drop aerosol formation from bursting bubbles. Existing information suggests that aerosolized red tide toxins may be the same chemicals as those extracted from laboratory cultures, with one of the toxins having a greater respiratory effect than others.

Aerosols↗

Relationship between trace element concentrations in human blood and atmospheric aerosol.

Trace element concentrations in human blood from the U.K., measured by Hamilton et al., are found to be correlated to those of atmospheric aerosol from the U.K., or to an aerosol composition averaged over the globe. The correlation to aerosol is much stronger than to crustal rock or sea water. Elemental enrichment factors for blood are all equal to or greater than those for aerosol. Two possible reasons for the correlation are advanced: aerosol is probably a major source of the trace elements which enter the food chain, and aerosol samples the earth's surface where the food chain originates. The present finding suggests that aerosol plays a major role in the global cycling of the trace elements which enter the blood, with important implications for human health.

Aerosols↗