Airway Reactivity Response to Advanced Composite Material (ACM) combustion Atmospheres: B2-ACM

Exposure for 30 minutes to diluted smoke from pyrolysis of advanced composite material used in the construction of the B2 bomber (B2-ACM) caused an airway reactivity (AR) response in naive guinea pigs reminiscent of a human asthmatic episode. Animals exposed to diluted smoke from pyrolysis of 5, 10 and 100 grams of B2-ACM showed changes in a number of parameters characterizing ventilation, breathing pattern, and breath structure. These changes are considered indicative of bronchoconstriction. The highest exposure concentration also elicited convulsions in the animals, which may or may not be related to the AR response. Upon treatment with fresh air there was recovery period in which breathing returned to normal. However the recovery was transient with respiratory parameters returning to abnormal levels; indicating a "rebound" constrictive event even in the presence of clean air. Animals exposed to diluted smoke from the pyrolysis of 2 grams of B2-ACM demonstrated minimal changes in only a few of the respiratory parameters, suggesting that there might be a threshold for B2-ACM smoke elicited AR response.Naval Health Research Center Wright-Patterson AFB OH Toxicology Detachment is the author of 'Airway Reactivity Response to Advanced Composite Material (ACM) combustion Atmospheres: B2-ACM' with ISBN 9781423535683 and ISBN 1423535685.