The effects of sequential exposure to acidic fog and ozone on pulmonary function in exercising subjects

In Southern California coastal regions, morning fog is often acidified by the presence of nitric acid (HNO3). Peak exposure to ozone (O3) usually occurs in the afternoon and evening, after the fog has dissipated. To determine whether fog containing HNO3 might enhance pulmonary responses to O3, we studied a group of healthy, athletic subjects selected for lung function sensitivity to O3. On 3 separate days, the subjects exercised for 2 h in atmospheres containing HNO3 fog (0.5 mg/ml), H2O fog, or clean, filtered air. After a 1-h break, they exercised for an additional 3 h in an atmosphere containing 0.20 ppm O3. Surprisingly, the mean O3-induced decrements in FEV1 and FVC were smaller after exercise in each fog-containing atmosphere than they were after exercise in clean, filtered air. The mean (+/- SEM) O3-induced decrements in FEV1 were 26.4 +/- 5.3% after air, 17.1 +/- 3.7% after H2O fog, and 18.0 +/- 4.3% after HNO3 fog, and in FVC they were 19.9 +/- 4.7% after air, 13.6 +/- 2.8% after H2O fog, and 13.6 +/- 4.2% after HNO3 fog.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)