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Acrolein is considered a risk factor for indoor air health problems due to its reactivity. An objective of the study was to investigate prevalence of sensory irritation in terms of time-dependent detection and perceived intensity of symptoms in human volunteers. Another objective was to investigate individual variation in sensory irritation. Participants (n=40) were exposed twice in an exposure chamber (15 min), once to heptane and once to acrolein and heptane. Symptoms and sensory irritation thresholds were rated continuously and 70% of the participants detected eye irritation from the acrolein exposure. A significant interaction between time and exposure (ƞp2=0.19) was identified, indicating time-dependent activation. This group also reported a higher level of stress and lower self-reported health (p<0.05). The results suggest that the eye is the primary system affected by exposure to acrolein, and that duration of exposure and perceived stress play important roles in symptom reactions due to acrolein exposure.

Acrolein is a highly reactive, unsaturated aldehyde present in both indoor and outdoor air. It is considered a risk factor for indoor air health problems. The aim of the study was to investigate time-dependence and individual variation in sensory irritation from acrolein during controlled exposure. Participants (n=40) were exposed twice in an exposure chamber for 15 min, once to heptane and once to acrolein and heptane. The concentration of acrolein was set to 0.35 mg/m3. Sensory irritation in the eyes, nose and throat were rated continuously during exposure. Sensory irritation was detected in a time-dependent manner, but only in 70% of the participants. The results suggest that individuals who report relatively high levels of perceived stress are more vulnerable in developing symptoms due to certain indoor air exposures. Sensory irritation is an important endpoint in indoor air quality investigations.

Alarm systems may take advantage of the tactile modality for allocation of attentional resources during the performance of demanding tasks in complex environments. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a tactile warning during increasing levels of mental workload in a primary task. Three simulated flight task conditions varying in mental workload were presented while an "on-thigh" vibrotactile warning was randomly assessed. Generally, there was a decrement in overall warning response performance when task workload increased, but this tendency faded and plateaued as the level of task workload progressed. The observed pattern indicates that vibrotactile warning signals may offer a plausible mode for conveying information during increasing levels of primary task workload.