Impact/Purpose:

The primary study objective is to quantify the association between day-to-day or experimental variations in ambient air particle mass concentration and selected physiological functions in moderate/severe asthmatic children and adults. The NERL will conduct exposure studies and provide integrated PM mass concentration data to assist the NHEERL collaborators conducting physiological monitoring in establishing selected health effect associations resulting from potential human exposures to PM-related air pollutants. Ambient-based data will be collected to provide source apportionment data pertinent to comparing ambient versus concentrated air pollution (CAP) chamber studies.

Description:

This task is designed to evaluate particulate matter exposure and numerous physiological outcomes/responses involving the use of several medical devices, instruments and procedures. The NC ACES and the NC DEPS builds upon the existing knowledge of asthma exacerbation and seeks to aid in the achievement of Agency goals in addressing chronic health effects of air pollution. The NERL, in collaboration with the NHEERL, will conduct prospective exposure-epidemiological studies upon cohorts of potentially susceptible subpopulations. For groups at higher risk for health effects associated with PM exposures, it should be possible to detect physiological changes in these persons with day-to-day changes in ambient PM mass concentrations. Home-outdoor monitoring for PM10 and PM2.5 will be done with portable and battery powered MiniVol air samplers in the NC ACES. Personal PM coarse measurement will be pursued using a prototype PUF sampler for the NC ACES while the NC DEPS will focus upon personal PM2.5 monitoring. Additional ambient-based data collections in the Chapel Hill, NC area will be performed to support source apportionment data needs of chamber-based particulate matter studies.

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT

Start Date:09/02/2003

Completion Date:05/31/2004

Record ID: 84589

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Project Information:

Progress :The NERL has collaborated extensively with the NHEERL in a series of 1997-2000 longitudinal investigations of the associations of PM-related ambient air pollutants and observed human health effects. The NERL has provided to the NHEERL, real-time and integrated PM mass concentration data from four previously conducted integrated field studies (1997 and 1998 studies in Baltimore, MD and two 1999 studies in Fresno, CA). The support has included measures such as airborne concentrations of elemental species, and acid serosols. Statistical analysis is ongoing using an integrated data base. In FY03, NHEERL initiated new panel studies in Triangle area, NC to evaluating genetic susceptibility to PM, as well as the mechanisms of PM effects on airway inflammation in asthma. In these studies, the NERL is collecting exposure data used to assess exposure /health relationships. Field data collection for the NC ACES is 95% completed (all personal and residential measurements have been collected). Final field efforts involve data collections to investigate method collection bias between the personal, residential and ambient-based monitors. Full validation of the residential and ambient-based measurements have been completed. Validation of the coarse personal measurements is ongoing. The NC DEPS received IRB approval (November 2004)and participant recruitment has been initiated. Training of an integrated NERL/NHEERL measurement staff and the necessary transfer of monitoring equipment/protocols has been completed relative to collection of ambient-based measurements. Calibration and maintenance of ambient-based monitors located in Chapel Hill, NC has been completed and data collections are anticipated to begin in December 2004.

Relevance :Significance

The proposed NC ACES research will provide scientific tools and information to conduct future, more mature epidemiology studies to assess exposure and asthma prevalence. It will provide valuable information on methodologies useful in the collection of PM and air toxics associated with the proposed Detroit Children's Study. The limited pilot study will assess the strength of simple residential outdoor and potentially personal PM coarse measurements to associate with observed asthma-related health findings. Performance of this study is optimum for the planning of asthma prevalence in the NCS which is scheduled to start in 2004-2005 timeframe as well as the proposed 2005 Detroit Children's Study. The NC DEPS will provide fundamental information on PM exposure associated with adults having diabetes and the possible linkages between environmental exposures and this health effect. The ambient-based data collections represent a coordinated NERL/NHEERL data sampling project which supports animal and cell-line based toxicological studies as well as human exposures to concentrated air pollutants (CAPS) performed in exposure chambers. This coordinated effort will allow observed health effects from multiple research studies to be evaluated with respect to ambient source apportionment data.

Clients :National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory

Project IDs:

ID Code :19542

Project type :OMIS