Grantee Research Project Results
2012 Progress Report: Examining In-Vehicle Pollution and Oxidative Stress in a Cohort of Daily Commuters
EPA Grant Number: R834799C002Subproject: this is subproject number 002 , established and managed by the Center Director under grant R834799
(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
Center: The Southeastern Center for Air Pollution and Epidemiology: Multiscale Measurements and Modeling of Mixtures
Center Director: Tolbert, Paige
Title: Examining In-Vehicle Pollution and Oxidative Stress in a Cohort of Daily Commuters
Investigators: Sarnat, Jeremy , Brown, Lou Ann , Winquist, Andrea , Fitzpatrick, Anne , Wongtrakool, Cherry , Flanders, Dana , Bergin, Michael , Guensler, Randy , Greenwald, Roby
Current Investigators: Sarnat, Jeremy , Winquist, Andrea , Flanders, Dana , Diaz-Sanchez, David , Bergin, Michael , Greenwald, Roby
Institution: Emory University , Georgia Institute of Technology
Current Institution: Emory University , Duke University , Georgia Institute of Technology , University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2016
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2011 through July 31,2012
RFA: Clean Air Research Centers (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Human Health , Air
Objective:
The primary aim of Project 2 is to examine the effects of exposure to particulate mixtures occurring during automobile commuting and within indoor, non-commuting microenvironments (μEs) and corresponding measures of oxidative stress-mediated response.
Progress Summary:
Based on feedback from SCAPE SAC members as well as the initial results from our Atlanta Commuters Exposure (ACE) Study, we implemented several study design modifications including:
- The addition of a surface street commute as an alternative control exposure setting to the clinic. All 60 subjects will now conduct a scripted highway, as originally designed, with half of the subjects randomly assigned to either a surface street commute or clinic visit;
- A seven-day interval between the two exposure periods for each participant, rather than 2 consecutive days of participation; and
- Dried blood spot collection at the pre- and five post-exposure measurement period for characterizing levels of specific chemokines and cytokines and other biomarkers of inflammatory response.
The following is a summary of specific Project 2 tasks completed during the previous reporting period:
- Recruitment. We received positive response to our Project 2 recruitment efforts. Recruitment began in November 2011 and was completed in May 2012 with a surplus of healthy and asthmatic candidates for potential enrollment. Of these candidates, all are affiliated with either Emory Healthcare or the Rollins School of Public Health as students, employees or research staff and live within close proximity (within 1 - 5 miles) from our laboratory facility.
- Pilot sampling and μE characterization. During February – March, 2012, we conducted pilot sampling aimed at establishing a proof-of-concept demonstration for the Commuter Study sampling platform and characterizing our clinic μE. The clinic, in addition to the surface street in-vehicle, sampling serves as control μEs for this protocol. Results from the clinic pollutant characterization showed very low concentrations for all of the measured pollutants, including fine PM, black carbon and particle number concentrations (Table 1). (Ambient pollutant concentrations measured concurrently are provided for comparison.) These results validate our selection of the clinic as a low exposureμE to be analyzed in contrast to exposures occurring during highway commutes.
- Data collection. As of August 2012, twenty (of 120 total) sampling sessions have been completed for Project 2, which includes completed protocols for ten subjects. Each subject successfully participated for the entire two-day study protocol. Ten sampling sessions have been highway commutes, four surface street commutes, and six clinics, with each subject completing a highway commute and randomly assigned either a clinic or surface street μE. Our initial QAQC review of the health and pollutant measurements indicate satisfactory data capture and completeness. For all the measured parameters, data have been collected above the designated 90% data capture objective. Project 2 staff will conduct a month-long QAQC characterization that will begin in August 2012 (detailed below). We anticipate that Project 2 data collection will continue through fall 2013.
Table 1. Pilot study measurements of select pollutant parameters in the Emory Clinic microenvironment and at an adjacent ambient location.
Clinic
Pollutant |
# Sessions |
N (min) |
Mean |
SD |
Median |
Max |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
8 |
1,045 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
1.0 |
2.6 |
BC (µg/m3) |
14 |
3,857 |
0.60 |
0.45 |
0.43 |
1.83 |
PNC (#/cc) |
14 |
1,209 |
2062 |
2908 |
1296 |
12005 |
Ambient (8th Floor Terrace)
Pollutant |
# Sessions |
N (min) |
Mean | SD |
Median |
Max |
PM2.5 (µg/m3) |
3 |
425 |
16.1 |
2.6 |
15.2 |
19.1 |
BC (µg/m3) |
4 |
523 |
0.81 |
0.41 |
0.96 |
1.11 |
PNC (#/cc) |
5 |
470 |
16863 |
8440 |
17734 |
26553 |
Future Activities:
For 4 weeks beginning in August 2012, Project 2 staff from Emory and Georgia Tech will conduct extensive sampler collocations with the aim of characterizing sampler accuracy and precision for all the measured pollutants. The sampling platform will be deployed at a near roadway location. During this time, no subjects will be enrolled in the study with data collection continuing upon completion of the collocations.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 32 publications for this subprojectSupplemental Keywords:
health effects, oxidative stress, inflammation, human health, susceptibility, vulnerability, PAHs, PM2.5, organics, elemental carbon, metals, ozone, oxidants, PAH, source characterization, mobile sources, Georgia, GA , Health, Scientific Discipline, Health Risk Assessment, Risk Assessments, Biochemistry, Environmental Monitoring, children's health, particulate matter, ambient air monitoring, climate change, automobile exhaust, air pollution, traffic density, airshed modeling, ambient particle health effects, human health riskRelevant Websites:
Southeastern Center for Air Pollution & Epidemiology - Emory/Georgia Tech EPA Clean Air Research Center Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractMain Center Abstract and Reports:
R834799 The Southeastern Center for Air Pollution and Epidemiology: Multiscale Measurements and Modeling of Mixtures Subprojects under this Center: (EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).
R834799C001 Development and Deployment of an Instrumentation Suite for Comprehensive Air Quality Characterization Including Aerosol ROS
R834799C002 Examining In-Vehicle Pollution and Oxidative Stress in a Cohort of Daily Commuters
R834799C003 Novel Estimates of Pollutant Mixtures and Pediatric Health in Two Birth Cohorts
R834799C004 A Multi-City Time-Series Study of Pollutant Mixtures and Acute Morbidity
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
- 2015 Progress Report
- 2014 Progress Report
- 2013 Progress Report
- 2011 Progress Report
- Original Abstract
7 journal articles for this subproject
Main Center: R834799
338 publications for this center
135 journal articles for this center