Abstract
Rats were exposed to phosgene at concentrations of 0.5 to 4.0 ppm for time periods ranging from five minutes to eight hours, using various combinations of concentrations and time to give a range of equal CT products. Response was expressed in terms of impaired pulmonary gas exchange capacity as measured by the decreased rates of uptake of carbon monoxide and ether. Beginning changes in pulmonary performance were noted following exposures to CT products as low as 30 ppm-min. Following doses greater than 180 ppm-min., death became increasingly likely, with associated reduction in CO uptake to less than 50% of normal. There was no indication that concentration contributed more than exposure time to the magnitude of change in pulmonary performance over the range of CT values studied.
