Samet J M, Utell M J
Department of Medicine, University of New Mexico Medical Center, Albuquerque.
Toxicol Ind Health. 1990 Mar;6(2):247-62.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an oxidant gas which contaminates ambient air in many urban and industrial locations, and indoor air in homes with combustion appliances. The Environmental Protection Agency presently regulates NO2 in ambient air as a "criteria" pollutant. In spite of decades of laboratory, clinical, and epidemiological research, the health effects of NO2 exposure on humans are not well understood. The toxicological evidence suggests that increased susceptibility to infection, functional deficits from effects on airways, and deterioration of the status of persons with chronic respiratory conditions, including asthmatics, are of potential concern. This paper provides a perspective on the present evidence related to human health effects of NO2. It addresses methodological barriers that limit the available data; assesses the adequacy of the data for risk assessment; and proposes a research agenda to obtain needed information on the health effects of NO2.
二氧化氮（NO₂）是一种氧化性气体，它污染了许多城市和工业地区的环境空气以及使用燃烧器具的家庭室内空气。美国环境保护局目前将环境空气中的二氧化氮作为一种“标准”污染物进行监管。尽管经过了数十年的实验室、临床和流行病学研究，但二氧化氮暴露对人类健康的影响仍未得到充分了解。毒理学证据表明，对感染的易感性增加、气道效应导致的功能缺陷以及包括哮喘患者在内的慢性呼吸道疾病患者状况的恶化，都是潜在的关注点。本文就目前与二氧化氮对人类健康影响相关的证据提供了一个观点。它阐述了限制现有数据的方法学障碍；评估了用于风险评估的数据的充分性；并提出了一个研究议程，以获取关于二氧化氮健康影响的所需信息。
