Metal composition of fine particulate air pollution and acute changes in cardiorespiratory physiology
Date
2014Author
Cakmak, Sabit
Dales, Robert
Kauri, Lisa Marie
Mahmud, Mamun
Van Ryswyk, Keith
Vanos, Jennifer (TTU)
Liu, Ling
Kumarathasan, Premkumari
Thomson, Errol
Vincent, Renaud
Weichenthal, Scott
Metadata
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Background Studying the physiologic effects of components of fine particulate mass (PM2.5) could contribute to a better understanding of the nature of toxicity of air pollution. Objectives We examined the relation between acute changes in cardiovascular and respiratory function, and PM 2.5-associated-metals. Methods Using generalized linear mixed models, daily changes in ambient PM2.5-associated metals were compared to daily changes in physiologic measures in 59 healthy subjects who spent 5-days near a steel plant and 5-days on a college campus. Results Interquartile increases in calcium, cadmium, lead, strontium, tin, vanadium and zinc were associated with statistically significant increases in heart rate of 1-3 beats per minute, increases of 1-3 mmHg in blood pressure and/or lung function decreases of up to 4% for total lung capacity. Conclusion Metals contained in PM2.5 were found to be associated with acute changes in cardiovascular and respiratory physiology. © 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND.