Respiratory effects are associated with the number of ultrafine particles.

Peters, Annette; Wichmann, H. E.; Tuch, Thomas; Heinrich, Joachim; Heyder, J.

doi:10.1164/ajrccm.155.4.9105082

Cited by 1,105 publications

(609 citation statements)

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“…However, exposure to fine particles in ambient air has been associated with several adverse health outcomes, including respiratory and cardiac responses (Peters et al, 1997;Von Klot et al, 2002;Penttinen et al, 2001). These health effects have shown stronger associations with the number concentrations of ultrafine particles (<0.1 μm) than with mass or number concentrations of larger particles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal fragments in moldy houses: A field study in homes in New Orleans and Southern Ohio

Reponen

Seo

Grimsley

et al. 2007

Atmospheric Environment

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Smaller-sized fungal fragments (<1 μm) may contribute to mold-related health effects. Previous laboratory-based studies have shown that the number concentration of fungal fragments can be up to 500 times higher than that of fungal spores, but this has not yet been confirmed in a field study due to lack of suitable methodology. We have recently developed a field-compatible method for the sampling and analysis of airborne fungal fragments. The new methodology was utilized for characterizing fungal fragment exposures in mold-contaminated homes selected in New Orleans, Louisiana and Southern Ohio. Airborne fungal particles were separated into three distinct size fractions: (i) >2.25 μm (spores); (ii) 1.05-2.25 μm (mixture); and (iii) < 1.0 μm (submicrometersized fragments). Samples were collected in five homes in summer and winter and analyzed for (1→3)-β-D-glucan. The total (1→3)-β-D-glucan varied from 0.2 to 16.0 ng m −3 . The ratio of (1→3)-β-D-glucan mass in fragment size fraction to that in spore size fraction (F/S) varied from 0.011 to 2.163. The mass ratio was higher in winter (average = 1.017) than in summer (0.227) coinciding with a lower relative humidity in the winter. Assuming a mass-based F/S-ratio=1 and the spore size = 3 μm, the corresponding number-based F/S-ratio (fragment number/spore number) would be 10 3 and 10 6 , for the fragment sizes of 0.3 and 0.03 μm, respectively. These results indicate that the actual (field) contribution of fungal fragments to the overall exposure may be very high, even much greater than that estimated in our earlier laboratory-based studies.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fungal fragments in moldy houses: A field study in homes in New Orleans and Southern Ohio

Reponen

Seo

Grimsley

et al. 2007

Atmospheric Environment

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“…People with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may be particularly susceptible to the respiratory effects of UFPs, as deposition is greater in these individuals (Brown et al, 2002;Chalupa et al, 2004). Indeed, ambient UFP concentrations have been associated with a decrease in peak expiratory flow rate (Peters et al, 1997;Penttinen et al, 2001) as well as wheezing, shortness of breath, and cough in asthmatic adult populations (Von Klot et al, 2002). Similar investigations have been conducted in populations of asthmatic children (Pekkanen et al, 1997;Tiitanen et al, 1999), but separating the independent effects of different sized particles was difficult in these studies owing to their high inter-correlations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Indoor ultrafine particle exposures and home heating systems: A cross-sectional survey of Canadian homes during the winter months

Weichenthal

Dufresne

Infante‐Rivard

et al. 2006

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

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Exposure to airborne particulate matter has a negative effect on respiratory health in both children and adults. Ultrafine particle (UFP) exposures are of particular concern owing to their enhanced ability to cause oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs. In this investigation, our objective was to examine the contribution of home heating systems (electric baseboard heaters, wood stoves, forced-air oil/natural gas furnace) to indoor UFP exposures. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 36 homes in the cities of Montre´al, Que´bec, and Pembroke, Ontario. Real-time measures of indoor UFP concentrations were collected in each home for approximately 14 h, and an outdoor UFP measurement was collected outside each home before indoor sampling. A home-characteristic questionnaire was also administered, and air exchange rates were estimated using carbon dioxide as a tracer gas. Average UFP exposures of 21,594 cm À3 (95% confidence interval (CI): 14,014, 29,174) and 6660 cm À3 (95% CI: 4339, 8982) were observed for the evening (1600-2400) and overnight (2400-0800) hours, respectively. In an unadjusted comparison, overnight baseline UFP exposures were significantly greater in homes with electric baseboard heaters as compared to homes using forced-air oil or natural gas furnaces, and homes using wood stoves had significantly greater overnight baseline UFP exposures than homes using forced-air natural gas furnaces. However, in multivariate models, electric oven use (b ¼ 12,253 cm À3 , 95% CI: 3524, 20,982), indoor relative humidity (b ¼ 1136 cm À3 %, 95% CI: 372, 1899), and indoor smoking (b ¼ 18,192 cm À3 , 95% CI: 2073, 34,311) were the only significant determinants of mean indoor UFP exposure, whereas air exchange rate (b ¼ 4351 cm À3 h À1 , 95% CI: 1507, 7195) and each 10,000 cm À3 increase in outdoor UFPs (b ¼ 811 cm À3 , 95% CI: 244,1377) were the only significant determinants of overnight baseline UFP exposures. In general, our findings suggest that home heating systems are not important determinants of indoor UFP exposures.

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“…It has been suggested that a large number of ultrafine particles (particles smaller than 0.1 mm) in urban air may be the explanation for the observed health effects of PM (Oberdo¨rster et al, 1995;Seaton et al, 1995). The adverse effect of ultrafine particles on respiratory symptoms, lung function and daily cardiopulmonary mortality has been discussed in several studies (Peters et al, 1997;Penttinen et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between indoor and outdoor levels of fine particle mass, particle number concentrations and black smoke under different ventilation conditions

Cyrys

Pitz

Bischof

et al. 2004

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol

136

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Fine particle mass (PM 2.5 ), black smoke (BS) and particle number concentration (NC) were measured simultaneously indoors and outdoors at an urban location in Erfurt, Germany. Measurements were conducted during 2-month periods in summer and winter. Different ventilation modes were applied during each measurement period: windows closed; windows opened widely for 15 min twice per day; windows and door across the room opened widely for 5 min twice per day and windows tilted open all day long. The lowest indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios for all pollutants were found for closed windows, whereas the ratios for ventilated environments were higher. For closed windows, the I/O ratios for PM 2.5 are larger than the corresponding values for BS and NC (0.63 vs. 0.44 or 0.33, respectively) probably due to lower penetration factors for particles sizes o500 nm and higher deposition rates for ultrafine particles (o100 nm). The largest differences for the I/O ratios between closed and tilted windows were found for NC (0.33 vs. 0.78). The indoor and outdoor levels of PM 2.5 and BS were strongly correlated for all ventilation modes. The linear regression models showed that more than 75% of the daily indoor variation could be explained by the daily outdoor variation for those pollutants. However, the correlation between indoor and outdoor NC for ventilation twice a day was weak. It indicates that rapid changes of the air exchange rates during the day may affect the correlation and regression analysis of NC indoor and outdoor concentrations. This effect was not observed for PM 2.5 or BS. This study shows the importance of the indoor air aerosol measurements for health effects studies and the need for more research on I/O transport mechanisms for NC.

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Respiratory effects are associated with the number of ultrafine particles.

Cited by 1,105 publications

References 0 publications

Fungal fragments in moldy houses: A field study in homes in New Orleans and Southern Ohio

Fungal fragments in moldy houses: A field study in homes in New Orleans and Southern Ohio

Indoor ultrafine particle exposures and home heating systems: A cross-sectional survey of Canadian homes during the winter months

Relationship between indoor and outdoor levels of fine particle mass, particle number concentrations and black smoke under different ventilation conditions

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