Air Pollution, Exercise, and Heat Stress

Abstract

Twenty young men, smokers and non- smokers, were tested for maximal aerobic power in a 35 C environment under four ambient air conditions: (1) filtered air (FA), (2) 50 ppm carbon monoxide (CO), (3) 0.27 ppm peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN), and (4) CO plus PAN. Carbon monoxide was effective in reducing the work time of the nonsmokers and in eliciting changes In the respiratory patterns of both smokers and nonsmokers. No significant physiological effects were noted during the PAN exposure. Maximal aerobic power was not affected by any pollutant condition. Since the concentrations of CO represented a first-stage alert level for the Los Angeles area, it appears that the air pollution standard for this pollutant is set at a realistic level for healthy young men doing strenuous work for a relatively short period of time.