- Author
-
Levin, B. C.
|
Paabo, M.
|
Birky, M. M.
- Title
- Interlaboratory Evaluation of the 1980 Version of the National Bureau of Standards Test Method for Assessing the Acute Inhalation Toxicity of Combustion Products.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
-
NBSIR 83-2678,
April 1983,
88 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
-
carbon monoxide
|
carboxyhemoglobin
|
combustion
|
combustion products
|
hydrogen cyanide
|
inhalation
|
interlaboratory evaluation
|
LC 50
|
test methods
|
toxicity
|
experimental design
|
inhalation toxicity
- Abstract
- Seven laboratories selected from academic, industry, and government evaluated the 1980 version of the NBS test method for assessing the toxicity of combustion products to determine the operability of the procedure and the reproducibility of results across laboratories. The experimental design specified that each laboratory was responsible for testing Douglas fir and three other materials from a total of twelve natural and synthetic materials. All laboratories were required to use similar exposure and combustion systems, to measure the autoignition temperatures of their materials, to determine the toxicity of the gaseous products released by the materials under both flaming and non-flaming conditions, to monitor chamber environmental conditions (temperatures, and oxygen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide concentrations), and to measure blood carboyxhemoglobin in the test animals (rats). In addition, a few laboratories measured hydrogen cyanide generated from nitrogen-containing materials. Toxicity was evaluated on the basis of incapacitation (hind-leg flexion behavioral avoidance response) during the 30 minute exposure and of lethality during the exposure and 14 day post-exposure observation period. The results of this interlaboratory evaluation were statistically analyzed and, in most cases, demonstrated reproducible results across laboratories. Possible reasons for any inconsistencies are discussed. Sensitive experimental factors are identified and modifications to the test method which resulted from the experimental data collected during the interlaboratory evaluation are described.