Behavioral impairment associated with small doses of carbon monoxide.

Abstract

Improvement is needed in the methods of setting standards of air quality. In establishing such standards, the effects of various pollutants upon human performance should be considered. Toward this end, the exposure to CO upon the ability of 18 young adults to discriminate short intervals of time were studied. Deterioration of performance was observed. This occurred after 90 min. at 50 ppm. and at proportionately shorter times after exposure to higher concentrations up to 250 ppm. Experiments with rats, using operant behavior schedules of reinforcement, showed rapid and marked disruption of the ability to judge time, with a significant decrement apparent after 11 min. exposure to 100 ppm during performance on a DRL schedule. Methods derived from experimental psychology can contribute materially to the evaluation and understanding of both gross and subtle effects of CO as an air pollutant and can thereby aid in the formulation of standards of air quality.