Grantee Research Project Results
2002 Progress Report: Controlled Human Exposure Studies with Concentrated PM
EPA Grant Number: R827352C012Subproject: this is subproject number 012 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R827352
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Southern California Children's Environmental Health Center
Center Director: McConnell, Rob Scot
Title: Controlled Human Exposure Studies with Concentrated PM
Investigators: Gong, Henry , Linn, William S. , Sioutas, Constantinos
Current Investigators: Gong, Henry
Institution: University of Southern California , Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center , University of California - Los Angeles , Michigan State University , University of California - Irvine
Current Institution: Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center
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, 2001 through May 31, 2002
RFA: Airborne Particulate Matter (PM) Centers (1999) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Particulate Matter , Air
Objective:
The objective of this research project is to focus on the central hypothesis of the Southern California Particle Center and Supersite, which is that organic constituents associated with particulate matter (PM)—including quinones, other organic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons [PAHs], nitro-PAHs, and aldehydes/ketones), and metals—are capable of generating reactive oxygen species and acting as electrophilic agents. They have a central role in allergic airway disease such as asthma and cardiovascular effects through their ability to generate oxidative stress, inflammation, and immunomodulating effects in the lungs and airways.
The specific objective of this research project is to utilize three different types of ambient particle concentrators to evaluate cardiopulmonary responses of human volunteers exposed to concentrated ambient particles in the South Coast Air Basin of California.
Progress Summary:
The key accomplishments during Year 4 of the project were the completion of exposures to concentrated ambient fine particles in elderly volunteers, some healthy and some with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and exposures to concentrated ambient coarse particles in a group of healthy and asthmatic younger adult volunteers. All of these exposures were at a nominal concentration of 200 mg m-3 for 2-hour periods with intermittent exercise. The fine PM exposures were associated with slight but statistically significant reductions in arterial oxygen saturation during or soon after exposure; healthy subjects appeared to be affected as much as those with COPD. There were no obvious effects on respiratory symptoms or spirometric performance. Healthy elderly subjects appeared to experience slight unfavorable changes in heart rate variability and incidence of ectopic beats with fine PM exposures. The coarse PM exposures had no observable effects on pulmonary mechanics or airway inflammation of either healthy or asthmatic subjects, but did appear to increase stress on the cardiovascular system. Slightly increased heart rates and reduced heart rate variability were observed during or after coarse particle exposures. Assays to assess possible systemic inflammatory responses or increased blood coagulability are pending.
Future Activities:
We will conduct an ultrafine particle exposure study at Downey with 16 adult volunteer subjects (4 normal and 12 asthmatics). The exposure protocol and health endpoints are expected to be the same as in the fine and coarse particle exposures unless new investigative endpoints are identified. Subjects will undergo a 2-hour exposure period with moderate exercise for 15 minutes of each half hour, and measurement of Holter electrocardiogram, blood coagulability and leukocyte-endothelial activation, and cellular and biochemical indicators of airway inflammation in induced sputum also will be made.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 9 publications for this subprojectSupplemental Keywords:
Particulate matter, quinones, PAHs, aldehydes, ketones, metals, cardiopulmonary response, human health risk, asthma, cardiovascular effects, oxidative stress, elderly humans, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, atmospheric aerosol, sensitive subgroups, South Coast Air Basin, California,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Health, Air, Geographic Area, particulate matter, Environmental Chemistry, Health Risk Assessment, State, Risk Assessments, ambient aerosol, asthma, particulates, epidemiology, human health effects, toxicology, airway disease, allergic airway disease, exposure, air pollution, children, PAH, human exposure, particulate exposure, trajectory modeling, California (CA), allergens, indoor air quality, aerosols, atmospheric chemistry, dosimetry, particle transport, particle concentrator, airborne urban contaminants, cardiovascular diseaseRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
R827352 Southern California Children's Environmental Health Center Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R827352C001 The Chemical Toxicology of Particulate Matter
R827352C002 Pro-inflammatory and the Pro-oxidative Effects of Diesel Exhaust Particulate in Vivo and in Vitro
R827352C003 Measurement of the “Effective” Surface Area of Ultrafine and Accumulation Mode PM (Pilot Project)
R827352C004 Effect of Exposure to Freeways with Heavy Diesel Traffic and Gasoline Traffic on Asthma Mouse Model
R827352C005 Effects of Exposure to Fine and Ultrafine Concentrated Ambient Particles near a Heavily Trafficked Freeway in Geriatric Rats (Pilot Project)
R827352C006 Relationship Between Ultrafine Particle Size Distribution and Distance From Highways
R827352C007 Exposure to Vehicular Pollutants and Respiratory Health
R827352C008 Traffic Density and Human Reproductive Health
R827352C009 The Role of Quinones, Aldehydes, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and other Atmospheric Transformation Products on Chronic Health Effects in Children
R827352C010 Novel Method for Measurement of Acrolein in Aerosols
R827352C011 Off-Line Sampling of Exhaled Nitric Oxide in Respiratory Health Surveys
R827352C012 Controlled Human Exposure Studies with Concentrated PM
R827352C013 Particle Size Distributions of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the LAB
R827352C014 Physical and Chemical Characteristics of PM in the LAB (Source Receptor Study)
R827352C015 Exposure Assessment and Airshed Modeling Applications in Support of SCPC and CHS Projects
R827352C016 Particle Dosimetry
R827352C017 Conduct Research and Monitoring That Contributes to a Better Understanding of the Measurement, Sources, Size Distribution, Chemical Composition, Physical State, Spatial and Temporal Variability, and Health Effects of Suspended PM in the Los Angeles Basin (LAB)
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.