Grantee Research Project Results

2002 Progress Report: Assessing Human Exposures to Particulate and Gaseous Air Pollutants

EPA Grant Number: R827353C001
Subproject: this is subproject number 001 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R827353
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Health Effects Institute (2015 - 2020)
Center Director: Greenbaum, Daniel S.
Title: Assessing Human Exposures to Particulate and Gaseous Air Pollutants
Investigators: Koutrakis, Petros
Current Investigators: Koutrakis, Petros , Suh, Helen H. , Brown, Kathleen Ward , Sarnat, Jeremy
Institution: Harvard University
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: June 1, 1999 through May 31, 2005 (Extended to May 31, 2006)
Project Period Covered by this Report: June 1, 2002 through May 31, 2003
Project Amount: Refer to main center abstract for funding details.
RFA: Airborne Particulate Matter (PM) Centers (1999) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Particulate Matter , Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air

Objective:

The objectives of this research project are to: (1) estimate the contribution of particles of outdoor and indoor origin to personal particulate matter (PM2.5) exposures; (2) examine the potential for confounding by gaseous pollutants to affect epidemiological study results; and (3) investigate the ability of particles to penetrate from outdoor to indoor environments. To date, we have published several papers addressing these issues (Chang et al., 2000; Long et al., 2000; Sarnat et. al., 2000; Sarnat et al., 2001; Sarnat et al., 2002).

Progress Summary:

The analysis of the Baltimore, MD, Atlanta, GA, and Los Angeles, CA, studies has been completed. We currently are in the process of completing the analysis of the Boston, MA, and Steubenville, OH, exposure assessment studies. As part of our exposure studies, we have collected several thousand simultaneous outdoor, indoor, and personal particle and gas samples for several potentially sensitive subgroups, including senior citizens, children, and individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or recent myocardial infarctions (MI). Data collection for the Steubenville and Atlanta studies were co-funded by the Center, while data collection for the remaining studies were supported by other agencies, such as the Health Effects Institute, Electric Power Research Institute, American Petroleum Institute, and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (under a separate cooperative agreement).

Initial results suggest that the impact of outdoor PM on personal PM exposures varies by season, but does not vary by sensitive cohort (Brown, in preparation). The contribution of particles of outdoor origin was determined using sulfur (Sarnat, et al., 2002). In addition, the impact of outdoor PM sources on the indoor environment may vary significantly by geographical location and season.

References:

Chang L, Koutrakis P, Catalano P, Suh H. Hourly personal exposures to fine particles and gaseous pollutants-results from Baltimore, Maryland. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association 2000;50:1223-1235.

Long CM, Suh H, Koutrakis P. Characterization of sources of indoor particle source using continuous mass and size monitors. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association 2000;50:1236-1251.

Sarnat JA, Koutrakis P, Suh H. Assessing the relationship between personal particulate and gaseous exposures of senior citizens living in Baltimore, MD. Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association 2000;165:1610-1617.

Sarnat JA, Schwartz J, Catalano PJ, Suh H. The role of gaseous pollutants in particulate matter epidemiology: confounder or surrogate. Environmental Health Perspectives 2001;109(10):1053-1062.

Sarnat JA, Long CM, Koutrakis P, Coull B, Schwartz J, Suh H. Using sulfur as a tracer of outdoor fine particulate matter. Environmental Science and Technology 2002;36:5305-5314.

Future Activities:

We will continue analyzing indoor, outdoor, and personal exposure data from the Steubenville exposure assessment study to confirm previous Center supported research on the confounding effect of gaseous pollutants (Sarnat, et al., 2001). In addition, this analysis will focus on factors, such as home ventilation, that may induce heterogeneity among the observed pollutant associations (Ebelt, in preparation).

Journal Articles on this Report : 2 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other subproject views:	All 6 publications	6 publications in selected types	All 6 journal articles
Other center views:	All 207 publications	205 publications in selected types	All 204 journal articles

Publications
Type	Citation	Sub Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Sarnat JA, Koutrakis P, Suh HH. Assessing the relationship between personal particulate and gaseous exposures of senior citizens living in Baltimore, MD. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association 2000;50(7):1184-1198.	R827353 (Final) R827353C001 (2000) R827353C001 (2001) R827353C001 (2002) R827353C001 (2003) R827353C001 (2004) R827353C001 (Final)	Abstract from PubMed Full-text: Taylor&Francis-Full Text PDF Exit Abstract: Taylor&Francis-Abstract Exit
Journal Article	Sarnat JA, Schwartz J, Catalano PJ, Suh HH. Gaseous pollutants in particulate matter epidemiology:confounders or surrogates? Environmental Health Perspectives 2001;109(10):1053-1061.	R827353 (Final) R827353C001 (2001) R827353C001 (2002) R827353C001 (Final)	Full-text from PubMed Abstract from PubMed Associated PubMed link

Supplemental Keywords:

air pollution, air pollutants, gaseous air pollutants, particulate matter, particulates, fine particles, PM2.5, exposure, human exposure, PM exposure, health effects, Baltimore, Maryland, MD, Atlanta, Georgia, GA, Los Angeles, California, CA, Boston, Massachusetts, MA, Steubenville, Ohio, OH, outdoor particles, indoor particles, variability, sensitivity., Health, RFA, Air, Scientific Discipline, Risk Assessments, particulate matter, Biology, Environmental Chemistry, Epidemiology, Environmental Microbiology, Molecular Biology/Genetics, Air Pollution Monitoring, indoor air, Atmospheric Sciences, Toxicology, air toxics, Environmental Monitoring, epidemelogy, respiratory disease, indoor air quality, human health, inhaled, sensitive populations, air quality, pulmonary disease, ambient monitoring, particle size, ambient air monitoring, indoor exposure, respiratory, human exposure, measurement methods, risk assessment, genetic susceptibility, chemical exposure, chronic effects, particulate exposure, cardiopulmonary responses, dosimetry, pulmonary, lung, monitoring, COPD, developmental effects, ambient particle health effects, children, particulates, exposure, PM, inhalation toxicology, air pollutants, ambient air, air pollution, cardiovascular disease, human health risk, ambient air quality, human health effects, cardiopulmonary, particle exposure, inhalation, ambient measurement methods, exposure and effects

Relevant Websites:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/epacenter/ Exit

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R827353 Health Effects Institute (2015 - 2020)

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R827353C001 Assessing Human Exposures to Particulate and Gaseous Air Pollutants
R827353C002 Quantifying Exposure Error and its Effect on Epidemiological Studies
R827353C003 St. Louis Bus, Steubenville and Atlanta Studies
R827353C004 Examining Conditions That Predispose Towards Acute Adverse Effects of Particulate Exposures
R827353C005 Assessing Life-Shortening Associated with Exposure to Particulate Matter
R827353C006 Investigating Chronic Effects of Exposure to Particulate Matter
R827353C007 Determining the Effects of Particle Characteristics on Respiratory Health of Children
R827353C008 Differentiating the Roles of Particle Size, Particle Composition, and Gaseous Co-Pollutants on Cardiac Ischemia
R827353C009 Assessing Deposition of Ambient Particles in the Lung
R827353C010 Relating Changes in Blood Viscosity, Other Clotting Parameters, Heart Rate, and Heart Rate Variability to Particulate and Criteria Gas Exposures
R827353C011 Studies of Oxidant Mechanisms
R827353C012 Modeling Relationships Between Mobile Source Particle Emissions and Population Exposures
R827353C013 Toxicological Evaluation of Realistic Emissions of Source Aerosols (TERESA) Study
R827353C014 Identifying the Physical and Chemical Properties of Particulate Matter Responsible for the Observed Adverse Health Effects
R827353C015 Research Coordination Core
R827353C016 Analytical and Facilities Core
R827353C017 Technology Development and Transfer Core

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