1998 equivalence of sensory responses to single and mixed volatile organic compounds at equimolar concentrations

Exposure to low levels of chemicals indoors is often to a mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It is of interest to determine if the symptomatic and sensory responses can be attributed to a single chemical or to a mixture of chemicals. To determine if sensory or symptomatic responses differ with exposure to single or mixed VOCs, 100 female subjects participated in a 6-hr exposure study. Subjects were exposed to one of six equimolar concentrations equivalent to 24 mg/m3 toluene, control, m-xylene, n-butyl acetate, m-xylene plus n-butyl acetate, a mixture of 21 chemicals including n-butyl acetate and m-xylene, and to the same mixture of chemicals without n-butyl acetate and m-xylene (19 chemicals). The results indicated that there was no difference in reporting of symptoms or sensory responses between the exposures. When the control group was added, some variables, primarily odor intensity and nasal irritation, attained significance.