2
Inhalation Rates
Beibei Wang, Zongshuang Wang, Yongjie Wei, Feifei Wang and Xiaoli Duan
2.1 Introduction
Inhalation rates refer to the volume of air inhaled per unit time (GM Richardson and Stantec Consulting Ltd., 2013). The recommendations include long and short-term inhalation rates. Based on the activity level, short-term inhalation rates could be further divided into inhalation rates for sleeping, sedentary behavior, and light, moderate, high, and very high intensity activity.
There are three approaches to obtaining inhalation rates.
(1) Doubly labeled water measurements
Two forms of stable isotopically labeled water (2H2O and H218O) are used, and the difference in the disappearance rates of the two isotopes in a subject's body represents the energy expended over a period of 1-3 half-lives of the labeled water.
(2) Relationship between inhalation rates and heart rates
This approach measures the inhalation rates and heart rates of a representative population, and establishes a model of the relationship between them. The inhalation rates of the target population can then be calculated based on the model (USEPA, 2011).
(3) Human energy expenditure method
R=E×H×VQ1440 (2-1)
(2-1)
Where, IR: Inhalation rate, L/min; H: volume of oxygen consumed to produce 1 kcal of energy (typically 0.05 L/kJ); VQ: ventilatory equivalent (typically 27); E: energy expended per unit time, kJ/d.
2.2 Recommended values
The recommended inhalation rates for adults were calculated based on data collected in the Environmental exposure related activity patterns research of Chinese population (Adults) (CEERHAPS-A), using the energy expenditure method. Table 2-1 presents the mean and 5th-95th percentile data of long-term inhalation rates by gender, age, urban/rural location, and region. Tables 2-2 to 2-7 provide the mean and 5th-95th percentile data of short-term inhalation rates for individuals performing various activities by gender, age, urban/rural location, and region. Table 2-8 shows the recommended values of long and short-term inhalation rates by province.
Table 2-1
Recommended values of long-term inhalation rates
| Total | 16.1 | 12.3 | 14.2 | 15.7 | 18.0 | 20.4 |
| Gender | Male | 17.7 | 12.7 | 16.7 | 18.0 | 19.2 | 21.3 |
| Female | 14.5 | 12.0 | 13.8 | 14.5 | 15.3 | 16.5 |
| Age | 18–44 | 16.7 | 13.5 | 14.6 | 16.0 | 18.2 | 20.6 |
| 45–59 | 16.7 | 13.8 | 14.8 | 16.0 | 18.1 | 20.2 |
| 60–79 | 13.8 | 11.2 | 12.6 | 13.7 | 15.0 | 17.5 |
| 80+ | 12.0 | 9.9 | 11.1 | 12.0 | 13.1 | 15.0 |
| Urban/Rural | Urban | 16.3 | 12.6 | 14.3 | 15.8 | 18.3 | 20.7 |
| Rural | 16.0 | 12.1 | 14.1 | 15.6 | 17.8 | 20.1 |
| Region | North | 16.5 | 12.7 | 14.6 | 15.9 | 18.4 | 20.9 |
| East | 16.1 | 12.2 | 14.2 | 15.6 | 18.1 | 20.4 |
| South | 15.8 | 12.0 | 14.0 | 15.4 | 17.6 | 19.7 |
| Northwest | 16.2 | 12.6 | 14.4 | 15.8 | 18.2 | 20.4 |
| Northeast | 16.7 | 12.9 | 14.7 | 16.2 | 18.6 | 21.2 |
| Southwest | 15.7 | 11.8 | 13.9 | 15.3 | 17.5 | 19.7 |
Source: 2013 CEERHAPS-A.
Table 2-2
Recommended values of short-term inhalation rates—sleeping
| Total | 5.6 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 7.1 |
| Gender | Male | 6.2 | 4.5 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 6.7 | 7.4 |
| Female | 5.1 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 5.8 |
| Age | 18–44 | 5.8 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 7.3 |
| 45–59 | 5.8 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 6.4 | 7.1 |
| 60–79 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 6.1 |
| 80+ | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 5.1 |
| Urban/Rural | Urban | 5.7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.4 | 7.2 |
| Rural | 5.6 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 7 |
| Region | North | 5.8 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 6.4 | 7.3 |
| East | 5.6 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 7.1 |
| South | 5.5 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 6.9 |
| Northwest | 5.7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.3 | 7.1 |
| Northeast | 5.8 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 6.5 | 7.4 |
| Southwest | 5.5 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 6.9 |
Source: 2013 CEERHAPS-A.
Table 2-3
Recommended values of short-term inhalation rates—sedentary behavior
| Total | 6.8 | 5.1 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 7.6 | 8.6 |
| Gender | Male | 7.4 | 5.3 | 7.0 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 8.9 |
| Female | 6.1 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 6.9 |
| Age | 18–44 | 7.0 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 6.9 | 7.7 | 8.8 |
| 45–59 | 7.0 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 7.7 | 8.5 |
| 60–79 | 5.8 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 6.3 | 7.3 |
| 80+ | 5.0 | 4.1 | 4.6 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 6.2 |
| Urban/Rural | Urban | 6.8 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 7.7 | 8.7 |
| Rural | 6.7 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 6.5 | 7.5 | 8.4 |
| Region | North | 6.9 | 5.3 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 7.7 | 8.8 |
| East | 6.8 | 5.1 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 7.6 | 8.6 |
| South | 6.6 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 6.4 | 7.4 | 8.3 |
| Northwest | 6.8 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 7.6 | 8.5 |
| Northeast | 7.0 | 5.4 | 6.2 | 6.8 | 7.8 | 8.9 |
| Southwest | 6.6 | 4.9 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 7.3 | 8.3 |
Source: 2013 CEERHAPS-A.
Table 2-4
Recommended values of short-term inhalation rates—light-intensity...
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