Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: Testing the Metals Hypothesis in Spokane

EPA Grant Number: R828678C010
Subproject: this is subproject number 010 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R824834
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Water Environment and Reuse Foundation's National Center for Resource Recovery and Nutrient Management
Center Director: Olabode, Lola
Title: Testing the Metals Hypothesis in Spokane
Investigators: Claiborn, Candis , Sheppard, Lianne (Elizabeth) A. , Larsen, Timothy
Institution: Washington State University , University of Washington
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: May 1, 1999 through June 30, 2005
RFA: Mickey Leland National Urban Air Toxics Research Center (NUATRC) (1997) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Targeted Research

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the associations between ambient levels of particulate matter toxic metals (Sb, As, Cr, Co, Mn, Hg, Se, Cd and Ni) and transition metals (Ti, V and Fe), and several health endpoints that include, emergency department (ED) visits for asthma, hospital admissions for asthma and other respiratory outcomes; and, total respiratory mortality. This was to be accomplished using time-series and source apportionment methods on a Spokane, WA daily data set some 7 years long. The investigators analyzed archived daily fine and course particulate samples collected in Spokane over 4 years (1995-1998) collected via an EPA grant and added to this 3 years worth of samples that were collected during the period of NUATRC support. Thus, a total of 7 years worth of data was available for analysis. PM metals content on both archived samples and samples collected during this period of support was determined via a combination of energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and instrument neutron activation (INAA). These INAA analyses were conducted via support from the US EPA. Susceptible populations that were targeted for study include both elderly and non-elderly age groups and individuals with pre-existing chronic conditions such as asthma. Health outcomes that were examined include:

Hospital admissions for respiratory or cardiovascular causes only, for both causes, and for specific respiratory cause (eg. asthma). Both elderly and non-elderly subgroups were monitored.
Emergency room visits for asthma.
Respiratory and cardiovascular mortality in elderly and non-elderly.

Three hypotheses related to metals were tested: 1) as a general combustion source representative, there will be the strongest association between total carbon (TC) and cardiac hospital admissions; 2) a strong association will be observed between zinc (Zn) (as a tracer/marker for a motor vehicle source) in PM2.5 and either cardiac hospital admissions or respiratory ED visits; and 3) a strong association will be observed between As (as a tracer/marker for a wood smoke source) in PM2.5 and all respiratory ED visits. These hypotheses were tested by regressing the desired health effect against daily chemical data, using Poisson regression with a generalized additive model (GAM) and exact GAM standard error estimate. All analyses were conducted using the statistical software package S-Plus™ 6.1.

Overall, none of these hypotheses were found to hold. In addition to As and Zn, both of which were strongly associated with specific sources, other metal species found in Spokane fine PM, along with TC, were also investigated in a hypothesis-generating way for possible associations with all respiratory ED visits, using Poisson regression with a GAM and exact GAM standard error estimate. The relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) indicated an overall lack of association between the selected toxic metals and all respiratory ED visits, with the exception of Zn, for which an increased RR was found at the 2- and 3-day lags. TC was found to be significantly associated with all respiratory ED visits at 1-, 2-, and 3-day lags.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

The study was funded in response to RFA 98-02, “Contribution of Metals in Ambient Particles to Particulate Associated Health Effects”.
The study is in compliance with Institutional Review Board of Washington State University The study provided and followed appropriate quality control and quality assurance procedures.
The study started in May 1999 and was scheduled to be completed in May 2003.
A no-cost extension was given to this project through September 2006.
A draft final report was submitted to the NUATRC in June 2007.
A revised final report was received by the Center in October 2007.
The Center Research Report Number 13, “Testing the Metals Hypothesis in Spokane: Daily Associations between Respiratory and Cardiovascular Outcomes and Airborne Fine Particulate Metals Species,” was published in March 2008.

Journal Articles on this Report : 7 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other subproject views:	All 13 publications	7 publications in selected types	All 7 journal articles
Other center views:	All 144 publications	62 publications in selected types	All 53 journal articles

Publications
Type	Citation	Sub Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Claiborn CS, Larson T, Sheppard L. Testing the metals hypothesis in Spokane, Washington. Environmental Health Perspectives 2002;110(Suppl 4):547-552.	R828678C010 (2002) R828678C010 (2003) R828678C010 (2004) R828678C010 (2005) R828678C010 (2006) R828678C010 (2007) R828678C010 (Final) R827355 (2001) R827355 (Final) R827355C008 (2002) R827355C008 (Final)	Full-text from PubMed Abstract from PubMed Associated PubMed link Full-text: ResearchGate - Abstract & Full Text PDF Exit
Journal Article	Finn D, Rumburg B, Claiborn C, Bamesberger L, Siems WF, Koenig J, Larson T, Norris G. Sampling artifacts from the use of denuder tubes with glycerol based coatings in the measurement of atmospheric particulate matter. Environmental Science & Technology 2001;35(1):40-44.	R828678C010 (2001) R828678C010 (2003) R828678C010 (2004) R828678C010 (2005) R828678C010 (2006) R828678C010 (2007) R828678C010 (Final)	Abstract from PubMed Abstract: ES&T Exit
Journal Article	Kim E, Larson TV, Hopke PK, Slaughter C, Sheppard LE, Claiborn C. Source identification of PM2.5 in an arid Northwest U.S. city by positive matrix factorization. Atmospheric Research 2003;66(4):291-305.	R828678C010 (2003) R828678C010 (2004) R828678C010 (2005) R828678C010 (2006) R828678C010 (2007) R828678C010 (Final) R827354 (Final) R827354C001 (Final) R827355 (2004) R827355 (Final) R827355C008 (2002) R827355C008 (Final) R827355C009 (2003) R832415 (2010) R832415 (2011) R832415 (Final)	Full-text: ScienceDirect-Full Text PDF Exit Abstract: ScienceDirect-Abstract and Full Text HTML Exit Other: ResearchGate - Abstract & Full Text PDF Exit
Journal Article	Rumburg B, Alldredge R, Claiborn C. Statistical distributions of particulate matter and the error associated with sampling frequency. Atmospheric Environment 2001;35(16):2907-2920.	R828678C010 (2001) R828678C010 (2003) R828678C010 (2004) R828678C010 (2005) R828678C010 (2006) R828678C010 (2007) R828678C010 (Final)	Full-text: Science Direct Full Text Exit Abstract: Science Direct Abstract Exit Other: Science Direct PDF Exit
Journal Article	Schreuder AB, Larson TV, Sheppard L, Claiborn CS. Ambient woodsmoke and associated respiratory emergency department visits in Spokane, Washington. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health 2006;12(2):147-153.	R828678C010 (2007) R828678C010 (Final) R827355 (Final) R827355C008 (Final)	Abstract from PubMed Full-text: ResearchGate - Abstract & Full Text PDF Exit Abstract: Maney-Abstract Exit
Journal Article	Slaughter JC, Kim E, Sheppard L, Sullivan JH, Larson TV, Claiborn C. Association between particulate matter and emergency room visits, hospital admissions and mortality in Spokane, Washington. Journal of Exposure Analysis and Environmental Epidemiology 2005;15(2):153-159.	R828678C010 (2003) R828678C010 (2004) R828678C010 (2005) R828678C010 (2006) R828678C010 (2007) R828678C010 (Final) R827355 (Final) R827355C008 (Final) R827355C009 (2002) R827355C009 (2003) R827355C009 (Final)	Abstract from PubMed Full-text: JESEE-Full Text PDF Exit Abstract: JESEE-Abstract & Full Text HTML Exit Other: ResearchGate - Abstract & Full Text PDF Exit
Journal Article	Vaughan JK, Claiborn C, Finn D. April 1998 Asian dust event over the Columbia Plateau. Journal of Geophysical Research 2001;106(D16):18381-18402.	R828678C010 (2001) R828678C010 (2003) R828678C010 (2004) R828678C010 (2005) R828678C010 (2006) R828678C010 (2007) R828678C010 (Final)	Abstract: AGU Abstract Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, Air, Geographic Area, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Air Pollution, particulate matter, air toxics, Health Risk Assessment, Air Pollution Effects, Chemicals, State, Epidemiology, Risk Assessments, Biochemistry, Environmental Monitoring, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, health effects, urban air quality, urban air, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, air pollutants, human health effects, aerosol particles, atmospheric particles, air sampling pump, air sampling, chemical composition, chemical detection techniques, Washington (WA), human exposure, lung inflamation, particulate exposure, environmental contaminants, personal cascade impactor sampler, urban air pollution, human health, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), airborne urban contaminants, biomarker, human health risk, cardiovascular disease

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

Main Center Abstract and Reports:

R824834 Water Environment and Reuse Foundation's National Center for Resource Recovery and Nutrient Management

Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R824834C001 Air Toxics Exposures Among Teenagers in New York City and Los Angeles - A Columbia-Harvard Study (TEACH)
R824834C002 Cardiopulmonary Response to Particulate Exposure
R824834C003 VOC Exposure in an Industry Impacted Community
R824834C004 A Study of Personal Exposure to Air Toxics Among a Subset of the Residential U.S. Population (VOC Project)
R824834C005 Methods Development Project for a Study of Personal Exposures to Toxic Air Pollutants
R824834C006 Relationship Between Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA)
R824834C007 Development of the "Leland Legacy" Air Sampling Pump
R824834C008 Source Apportionment of Indoor Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Urban Residences
R824834C009 Development of a Personal Cascade Impactor Sampler (PCIS)
R824834C010 Testing the Metals Hypothesis in Spokane
R828678C001 Air Toxics Exposures Among Teenagers in New York City and Los Angeles—A Columbia-Harvard Study (TEACH)
R828678C002 Cardiopulmonary Effects of Metal-Containing Particulate Exposure
R828678C003 VOC Exposure in an Industry Impacted Community
R828678C004 A Study of Personal Exposure to Air Toxics Among a Subset of the Residential U.S. Population (VOC Project)
R828678C005 Oxygenated Urban Air Toxics and Asthma Variability in Middle School Children: A Panel Study (ATAC–Air Toxics and Asthma in Children)
R828678C006 Relationship between Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air (RIOPA). Part II: Analyses of Concentrations of Particulate Matter Species
R828678C007 Development of the “Leland Legacy” Air Sampling Pump
R828678C008 Source Apportionment of Indoor PAHs in Urban Residences 98-03B
R828678C009 Development of a Personal Cascade Impactor Sampler (PCIS)
R828678C010 Testing the Metals Hypothesis in Spokane
R828678C011 A Pilot Geospatial Analysis of Exposure to Air Pollutants (with Special Attention to Air Toxics) and Hospital Admissions in Harris County, Texas
R828678C012 Impact of Exposure to Urban Air Toxics on Asthma Utilization for the Pediatric Medicaid Population in Dearborn, Michigan
R828678C013 Field Validation of the Sioutas Sampler and Leland Legacy Pump – Joint Project with EPA’s Environmental Technology Validation Program (ETV)
R828678C014 Performance Evaluation of the 3M Charcoal Vapor Monitor for Monitor Low Ambient Concentrations of VOCs
R828678C015 RIOPA Database Development
R828678C016 Contributions of Outdoor PM Sources to Indoor and Personal Exposures: Analysis of PM Species Concentrations” Focused on the PM Speciation and Apportioning of Sources
R828678C017 The Short and Long-Term Respiratory Effects of Exposure to PAHs from Traffic in a Cohort of Asthmatic Children

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