ASTM D7034-04
(Guide)Standard Guide for Deriving Acceptable Levels of Airborne Chemical Contaminants in Aircraft Cabins Based on Health and Comfort Considerations
Standard Guide for Deriving Acceptable Levels of Airborne Chemical Contaminants in Aircraft Cabins Based on Health and Comfort Considerations
SCOPE
1.1 This guide provides methodology to assist in interpreting results of air quality measurements conducted in aircraft cabins. In particular, the guide describes methodology for deriving acceptable concentrations for airborne chemical contaminants, based on health and comfort considerations.
1.2 The procedures for deriving acceptable concentrations are based on considerations of comfort and health effects, including odor and irritant effects, of individual chemical contaminants being evaluated. The guide does not provide specific benchmark or guidance values for individual chemicals to compare with results of air quality measurements.
1.3 Chemical contaminant exposures under both routine and episodic conditions for passengers and crew are considered.
1.4 This guide does not address airborne microbiological contaminants, which are also important in consideration of aircraft cabin air quality. This guide also does not address methodologies for investigations of air quality complaints.
1.5 This guide assumes that a list of chemical contaminants of potential concern has been developed based on existing concentration, emission, or material composition data.
1.6 The primary information resources for developing acceptable concentrations are databases and documents maintained or published by cognizant authorities or organizations concerned with health effects of exposure to contaminants.
1.7 Acceptable concentrations developed through this guide may be used as a basis for selecting test methods with adequate reliability and sensitivity to assess the acceptability of aircraft cabin environments.
1.8 Procedures described in this guide should be carried out in consultation with qualified toxicologists and health effects specialists to ensure that acceptable concentrations developed are consistent with the current scientific understanding and knowledge base.
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory requirements prior to use.
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NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Contact ASTM
International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation:D7034–04
Standard Guide for
Deriving Acceptable Levels of Airborne Chemical
Contaminants in Aircraft Cabins Based on Health and
Comfort Considerations
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 7034; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
bility of regulatory requirements prior to use.
1.1 This guide provides methodology to assist in interpret-
ing results of air quality measurements conducted in aircraft
2. Referenced Documents
cabins. In particular, the guide describes methodology for
2.1 ASTM Standards:
deriving acceptable concentrations for airborne chemical con-
D 1356 Terminology Relating to Sampling and Analysis of
taminants, based on health and comfort considerations.
Atmospheres
1.2 The procedures for deriving acceptable concentrations
E 609 Terminology Relating to Pesticides
are based on considerations of comfort and health effects,
E 943 Terminology Relating to Biological Effects and En-
including odor and irritant effects, of individual chemical
vironmental Fate
contaminants being evaluated. The guide does not provide
2.2 Other Standards:
specific benchmark or guidance values for individual chemi-
14 CFR 25 Airworthiness Standards
cals to compare with results of air quality measurements.
29 CFR 1910 Occupational Safety And Health Standards
1.3 Chemicalcontaminantexposuresunderbothroutineand
40 CFR 50 National Ambient Air Quality Standards
episodic conditions for passengers and crew are considered.
1.4 This guide does not address airborne microbiological
3. Terminology
contaminants, which are also important in consideration of
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this guide,
aircraft cabin air quality. This guide also does not address
refer to Terminologies D 1356, E 609, and E 643.
methodologies for investigations of air quality complaints.
1.5 This guide assumes that a list of chemical contaminants
4. Summary of Guide
of potential concern has been developed based on existing
4.1 The purpose of this guide is to provide methodology for
concentration, emission, or material composition data.
interpretation of air quality data obtained by measurements
1.6 The primary information resources for developing ac-
conducted in aircraft cabins. Acceptable concentrations devel-
ceptable concentrations are databases and documents main-
oped through this guide may also be used as a basis for
tained or published by cognizant authorities or organizations
selecting test methods with adequate reliability and sensitivity
concerned with health effects of exposure to contaminants.
for measuring cabin air quality.
1.7 Acceptable concentrations developed through this guide
4.2 To provide a background for assessment of cabin air
maybeusedasabasisforselectingtestmethodswithadequate
quality, the guide summarizes information on the concepts of
reliability and sensitivity to assess the acceptability of aircraft
exposure, dose, and related health effects, and makes a distinc-
cabin environments.
tion between chronic (long-term) and acute (short-term) ef-
1.8 Procedures described in this guide should be carried out
fects.
in consultation with qualified toxicologists and health effects
4.3 This guide describes data sources and procedures for
specialists to ensure that acceptable concentrations developed
derivingacceptableconcentrationsinaircraftpassengercabins.
are consistent with the current scientific understanding and
The acceptable concentrations are based on characterization of
knowledge base.
risk of chronic and acute inhalation exposure. Risk character-
1.9 This standard does not purport to address all of the
ization also includes an assessment of potential odor problems.
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
This guide is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee D22 on Sampling and Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Analysis of Atmospheres and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D22.05 the ASTM website.
on Indoor Air. AvailablefromU.S.GovernmentPrintingOfficeSuperintendentofDocuments,
Current edition approved May 1, 2004. Published June 2004. 732 N. Capitol St., NW, Mail Stop: SDE, Washington, DC 20401.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Contact ASTM
International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
D7034–04
4.4 An eight-step procedure is described for deriving an 5.4.1 Given that the aircraft cabin environment must meet
acceptable level for an airborne contaminant in aircraft cabins the needs of passengers as well as crew, a more stringent
that considers both chronic and acute effects. The steps are: concentration level based upon the general population would
4.4.1 Select population to be considered; protect both.
4.4.2 Choose effects to be considered;
5.4.2 Aircraft cabin air quality must be addressed both
4.4.3 Develop a summary of standards/guidelines and during flight and on the ground because the conditions during
health effects data;
flight are much different than when the aircraft is on the
4.4.4 Develop scenarios for exposure; ground.
4.4.5 Select risk levels of concern;
4.4.6 Calculate level of concern for each selected effect;
6. Exposure and Effects
4.4.7 Determine an acceptable concentration for aircraft
6.1 Concepts of Exposure and Dose:
cabins; and
6.1.1 Exposure is defined as human contact with a chemical
4.4.8 Compareacceptableconcentrationwithexistinginfor-
or physical agent (see Terminology E 943). Exposure via the
mation.
inhalation route, of interest in this guide, can be expressed as
4.5 Guidance also is provided on development of a report
the product of airborne concentration times the duration of
thatsummarizesthemethodologyandunderlyingassumptions,
exposure, provided that the concentration remains constant
and describes implications of results, including limitations.
during the time period of interest. If the airborne concentration
varies over time, then exposure is defined as the area under the
5. Significance and Use
curve (integral of all the finite or momentary concentrations)
5.1 Although cabin air quality has been measured on nu-
obtained when concentration values are plotted against time.
merous occasions and in many studies, there is very little
Exposureisexpressedasconcentrationmultipliedbytimewith
guidance available for interpreting such data. Guidance for
resultant units such as ppm-h or mg/m -h. The relevant
identifying contaminants and associated exposure levels that
exposure measure depends on the type of biological effect.
would cause concern in aircraft cabins is very limited. FAA
Some effects, for example, allergic sensitization, may depend
Airworthiness Standards (14 CFR 25) constitute the only
more on frequency of peak exposure above a certain limit than
source of regulatory guidance that explicitly applies to the
on the exposure measures described here.
aircraft cabin environment. The FAA standards, however,
6.1.2 Dose is the quantity of chemical or physical agent that
define acceptable exposure limits for a limited number of
enters an organism or target organ (see Terminology E 609),
chemical contaminants (ozone, carbon dioxide, and carbon
with units such as mg. Dose also can be expressed as a rate,
monoxide). Another limitation of the FAA standards is that
with mass/time units such as mg/day. The dose rate can be
these are design standards only and are not operational
normalized in relation to body mass, with units such as
standards; thus, once an aircraft is put in service these
mg/kg-day.Aspecific term that often is used in risk character-
standards are not strictly applicable.
ization is potential inhaled dose—the product of average
5.2 Measurements of aircraft cabin air quality often lead to
concentration in an environment (mg/m ) times the duration in
a much larger list of volatile and semivolatile organic chemi-
the environment (h) times the average breathing rate while in
cals of potential concern. Exposures to these chemicals,
the environment (m /h), commonly expressed in mass units
however, are largely unregulated outside of the industrial
such as mg.
workplace.
6.1.3 Chronic exposure generally refers to a long-term
5.3 Animportantfeatureoftheaircraftcabinenvironmentis
perspective such as repeated exposures or the cumulative
that both passengers (public) and flight attendants (worker
exposure for more than 3 months.
population) occupy it simultaneously. Therefore, workplace
6.1.4 Acute exposure refers to a short-term exposure to a
exposure guidelines cannot simply be extended to address
substanceoccurringfromasingleincidentoroveraperiodless
exposures in aircraft cabin environment. Also, the length of
than 24 h. In the case of occupational exposures, exposure
flights and work shifts can vary considerably for flight atten-
limits have been defined for certain chemicals for 8-h workday
dants.
periods and short-term, 15-min periods.
5.4 Contaminant levels of concern for the general public
6.2 Chronic Effects:
must account for the non-homogeneity of the population (for
6.2.1 The risk of cancer, due to lifetime exposure to a
example,addresssensitiveindividuals,thedifferencesbetween
contaminant, typically is calculated using the slope for the
passenger and crew activity levels, location, health status,
low-dose linear portion of the dose-response curve for the
personal microenvironment). Levels of concern associated
contaminant.Forcancer,athresholdfordose-responsemaynot
with industrial workplace exposures typically consider a popu-
be known or, if one does exist, it may be very low and cannot
lation of healthy adults exposed for 40 h per week (1).
be reliably identified. If the slope for the low-dose linear
Consequently, exposure criteria developed to protect public
portion of the dose-response curve for the contaminant is
health typically are more stringent than those for workers.
unknown or uncharacterized, methodologies are available in
the peer-reviewed literature to approximate the dose-response
curve (2).
6.2.2 For chronic toxic effects other than cancer, one gen-
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
this standard. erally accepted procedure used for evaluating health effects
NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn. Contact ASTM
International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
D7034–04
involves identifying the highest exposure among all experi- 6.5.3 Inadditiontotheuncertaintyfactorsmentionedabove,
mental studies at which no toxic effect has been observed, that additional modifying factors may be used to account for
is, the “no observed adverse effect level” or NOAEL.The U.S. uncertainties or for known differences in toxicity among
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has developed structurally similar chemicals. For further extrapolation from
chronic and non-chronic inhalation reference concentrations thereportedexposuredurationandchemicalconcentrationofa
(RfCs)forsomecontaminantsforcomparisonwiththeaverage toxic endpoint to an equivalent concentration for a specified
concentration to which an individual has been exposed over a period such as one hour, a time-scaling method has been used
relatively long period; the sub-chronic RfCs pertain to expo- by the AEGL committee (10) and by California Office of
sures of less than 7 years (3). Minimum risk levels (MRLs) Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (12).
have been derived by the Agency for Toxic Substances and 6.6 Effects of Mixture of Chemicals:
DiseaseRegistry(ATSDR)forchronicexposureperiodsof365 6.6.1 There generally is a paucity of information on effects
days and longer (4). of mixtures, except for selected types of mixtures such as jet
engine oil (13). Whenever health-effects data on mixtures are
6.3 Acute Effects:
available, such data should be considered in conjunction with
6.3.1 Specific guidelines available for considering acute
the toxicity of individual chemicals.
effects of exposure to contaminants in air are quite limited.
6.6.2 In the absence of health-effects information on mix-
Minimum risk levels (MRLs) have been derived for acute
tures,theeffectsofmixturesshouldbeconsideredadditive.For
exposures of one day to 14 days (4). Other guidelines such as
example, the following expression is used for deriving a
Acute Exposure Guidelines Levels (AEGLs) developed by the
combined TLV from TLVs for individual compounds (7).
NationalAdvisory CommitteeAcute Exposure Guideline Lev-
els for Hazardous Substances (NAC/AEGL Committee) are
TLV of mixture 51/ $C /TLV 1 C /TLV 1 … 1 C /TLV % (1)
1 1 2 2 n n
applicable only for one-time, short-term hazardous exposures
where:
during chemical emergency situations (5). For occupational
C and TLV = concentration and TLV of compound 1,
1 1
settings, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration
C and TLV = concentration and TLV of compound 2,
2 2
(OSHA) has defined permissible exposure limits (PELs) for
and
certain chemicals that relate to an 8-h work period (6). The
C and TLV = concentration and TLV of compound n.
n n
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
6.7 No Health Effects Data:
(ACGIH) has defined threshold limit values (TLVs) for 8-h
6.7.1 If some chemical has no health guideline values or
workperiodsaswellasshort-termexposurelimits(STELs)for
toxicity data available, then guideline values for compounds of
15-min work periods (7). Guidelines or data on irritation
similar type and structure should be considered. However,
effects are not available in a single database and need to be
given the uncertainty in extrapolating from other substances,
gleaned from multiple databases (2-5).
steps should be considered to reduce the concentration of that
6.4 Odor Thresholds:
compound to as low a level as possible.
6.4.1 Data relating to odor thresholds are available for the
6.8 Effects of Altitude:
general population (8) or for workers (9).
6.8.1 It should be recognized that most toxicity data for
6.5 Consideration of Uncertainty Factors:
chemicals are for g
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