Grantee Research Project Results
2008 Progress Report: Cardiovascular Toxicity of Concentrated Ambient Fine, Ultrafine and Coarse Particles in Controlled Human Exposures
EPA Grant Number: R832416C002Subproject: this is subproject number 002 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R832416
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: Harvard Particle Center
Center Director: Koutrakis, Petros
Title: Cardiovascular Toxicity of Concentrated Ambient Fine, Ultrafine and Coarse Particles in Controlled Human Exposures
Investigators: Silverman, Frances , Gold, Diane R.
Current Investigators: Silverman, Frances , Gold, Diane R. , Urch, Bruce
Institution: University of Toronto
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: October 1, 2005 through September 30, 2010 (Extended to September 30, 2011)
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 2007 through September 30,2008
RFA: Particulate Matter Research Centers (2004) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health , Air
Objective:
- Acute human exposures to CAPs of coarse and fine size fractions result in cardiovascular responses consistent with vascular narrowing, vascular/autonomic dysfunction, inflammation, and/or endothelial activation compared to FA (control) exposures
- Respiratory inflammatory responses (induced sputum and nasal scraping tests), pulmonary function (flow-volume curves) and nasal/respiratory symptom responses will be greater with coarse CAPs than fine CAPs, compared to FA
- Associations between CAPs and cardiovascular responses will differ by particle size fraction and PM composition
Approach:
We propose to expose 50 healthy adults to fine, ultrafine and coarse CAPs and particle-free (filtered) air. Each participant will receive 4 exposures in random order, separated by at least two weeks. Cardiovascular outcomes will be measured both pre-, post- and 24 hrs post-exposure and will include measures of: brachial artery diameter, flow- and nitroglycerin-mediated dilatation by ultrasonography; stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO) by echocardiography; blood pressure (BP); and venous blood CBCs, IL-6, CRP and endothelins. Also, during exposures, continuous measurements of: beat-to-beat arterial BP by Finometer monitor, including calculated determinations of SV, CO and systemic vascular resistance; and HRV using 24 hr Holter monitoring will be performed. PM exposures will be characterized for particle mass, number, diameter, size and composition (inorganic ions, trace metals, organic and elemental carbon and black carbon). Gaseous co-pollutants (carbon monoxide, CO2, NO, NO2, SO2, O3), temperature and humidity will be monitored continuously during the exposure experiments. In addition, on the days before and after exposures, 24-hr measurements will be conducted for each participant using a multi-pollutant personal sampler. For each of the observed biological effects, repeated measures ANOVA models will be employed to assess differences among treatments. These models will contain a random effect for subject and a categorical variable for the four exposure treatments (fine, ultrafine, coarse, CAPs and particle-free air). To assess exposure-response relationships between biological outcomes and CAPs mass or individual components concentrations, single pollutant analyses will be conducted in which a separate linear mixed regression model will be used for each exposure parameter. These models will use biologic response as the dependent variable, subject as a random effect, and either particle mass, number, diameter or component as the exposure metric in the model. Hierarchical linear models will be developed to account for the multiple levels of data, including measurements taken at different time points within an exposure, for a subject.
Progress Summary:
Expected Results:
We expect to find physiologic responses consistent with vascular narrowing (increased BP, decreased brachial artery diameter) in response to all three CAPs size fractions, as compared to particle-free air. Also, we expect that the cardiovascular responses may vary by CAP treatment (fine, ultrafine, and coarse).
Future Activities:
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 8 publications for this subprojectSupplemental Keywords:
Air pollution, concentrated air particles, acute cardiovascular effects, coarse particles, fine particles, vascular dysfunction, RFA, Health, Scientific Discipline, Air, particulate matter, Environmental Chemistry, Health Risk Assessment, Risk Assessments, ambient air quality, atmospheric particulate matter, human health effects, chemical characteristics, automobile exhaust, airborne particulate matter, cardiovascular vulnerability, traffic related particulate matter, chemical composition, biological mechanism , biological mechanisms, human exposure, ambient particle health effects, mobile sources, autonomic dysfunction, oxidative stressRelevant Websites:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/epacenter/Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
R832416 Harvard Particle Center Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R832416C001 Cardiovascular Responses in the Normative Aging Study: Exploring the Pathways of Particle Toxicity
R832416C002 Cardiovascular Toxicity of Concentrated Ambient Fine, Ultrafine and Coarse Particles in Controlled Human Exposures
R832416C003 Assessing Toxicity of Local and Transported Particles Using Animal Models Exposed to CAPs
R832416C004 Cardiovascular Effects of Mobile Source Exposures: Effects of Particles and Gaseous Co-pollutants
R832416C005 Toxicological Evaluation of Realistic Emission Source Aerosol (TERESA): Investigation of Vehicular Emissions
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.
Project Research Results
- Final Report
- 2010 Progress Report
- 2009 Progress Report
- 2007 Progress Report
- 2006 Progress Report
- Original Abstract
5 journal articles for this subproject
Main Center: R832416
206 publications for this center
199 journal articles for this center