The inhalation of ethyl alcohol by man. I. Industrial hygiene and medicolegal aspects. II. Individuals treated with tetraethylthiuram disulfide
Lester, D.; Greenberg, L.A.
Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol 12(2): 168-178
1951
ISSN/ISBN: 0033-5649 PMID: 14844643 Document Number: 10128
I. A search of the literature pertaining to the inhalation of alcohol by man indicated that the presently accepted value for the maximum allowable concentration in the air was based on vague qualitative observations and that it was erroneous from the standpoint of industrial safety and hygiene and of no value for medicolegal purposes. 2. Qualitative observations were made of the effects of varying concentrations of alcohol in the air at various rates of ventilation. It is concluded that concentrations greater than 40 mg. per liter are intolerably irritating while at concentrations between 10 and 20 mg. per liter work might be carried on, albeit not in comfort. 3. Determinations of the percentage of alcohol absorbed from the inspired air showed that 62 per cent of the alcohol is absorbed. 4. Human subjects were exposed to various concentrations of alcohol in air for periods up to 6 hours, at various rates of ventilation. Determinations of the resulting concentrations of alcohol in the blood indicated a simple relationship for calculating the maximum allowable concentration under various conditions of work. A maximum allowable concentration of 7 mg. per liter is proposed, which is about 4 times the accepted value. 5. It was shown that intoxication can result from the inhalation of alcohol under certain conditions, and an expression has been given for calculating the concentration which may be expected to develop in the blood provided four facts are known: the concentration of alcohol in the air, the rate of ventilation of the individual, the individual's weight, and the duration of the exposure. 6. Observations on patients under treatment with tetraethylthiuram disulfide showed that the maximum safe concentration for TETD-treated individuals is 2 mg. of alcohol per liter of air
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