[The hygienic standardization of 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol in the atmospheric air of populated places].

The threshold level of 3-phenoxybenzyl alcohol (3-PBA) in ambient air was set up at 0.48 mg/m3. Inhalation of 3-PBA in concentrations of 4.86 and 0.518 mg/m3 caused changes in the central nervous system, metabolic processes, liver function, reduced the nonspecific resistance of the organism, and had a gonadotoxic effect. The concentration of 0.518 m3 was the threshold one, causing changes in only few of the general toxic parameters, and the 0.059 mg/m3 concentration was noneffective. The maximum permissible concentration (MPC) for 3-PBA upon a single exposure is recommended to be set up at the level of 0.2 mg/m3, the mean daily MPC at 0.06 mg/m3. By its reflex and resorptive effects the agent was referred to hazard class IV.