The chemical composition of ultrafine particles and associated biological effects at an alpine town impacted by wood burning

Corsini, Emanuela; Vecchi, R.; Marabini, Laura; Fermo, P.; Becagli, Silvia; Bernardoni, V.; Caruso, Donatella; Corbella, L.; Dell'Acqua, Manuela; Galli, Corrado L.; Lonati, Giovanni; Ozgen, S.; Papale, Angela; Signorini, Stefano; Tardivo, R.; Valli, G.; Marinovich, Marina

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.125

Cited by 38 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 42 publications

(34 reference statements)

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“…p represents the p-value of the paired t-test of the difference between indoor and outdoor concentrations; R 2 is the determination coefficient; ß is the infiltration factor derived as regression slopes from indoor versus outdoor data. In light of these preliminary observations, these findings could be relevant to interpret the seasonal variation of PM toxicity, also if considering that recent papers showed an impressive increase of proinflammatory effect of UFP during summer (Corsini et al, 2017).…”

Section: Tablementioning

confidence: 65%

Higher health effects of ambient particles during the warm season: The role of infiltration factors

Zauli-Sajani

Rovelli

Trentini

et al. 2018

Science of The Total Environment

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A large number of studies have shown much higher health effects of particulate matter (PM) during the warm compared to the cold season. In this paper we present the results of an experimental study carried out in an unoccupied test apartment with the aim of understanding the reasons behind the seasonal variations of the health effects due to ambient PM exposure. Measurements included indoor and outdoor PM mass and chemical composition as well as particle size distribution of ultrafine particles. Monitoring campaigns were carried out during summer and winter following a ventilation protocol developed to replicate typical occupant behaviour according to a questionnaire-based survey. Our findings showed that seasonal variation of the relationship between ambient and indoor mass concentrations cannot entirely explain the apparent difference in PM toxicity between seasons and size distribution and chemical composition of particles were identified as other possible causes of changes in the apparent PM toxicity. A marked decrease of ultrafine particles (<100 nm) passing from outdoors to indoors was observed during winter; this resulted in higher indoor exposure to nanoparticles (<50 nm) during summer. With regards to the chemical composition, a pooled analysis showed infiltration factors of chemical species similar to that obtained for PM mass with values increasing from 0.73 during winter to 0.90 during summer and few deviations from the pooled estimates. In particular, significantly lower infiltration factors and sink effect were found for nitrates and ammonium during winter. In addition, a marked increase in the contribution of indoor and outdoor sulfates to the total mass was observed during summer.

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Section: Tablementioning

confidence: 65%

Higher health effects of ambient particles during the warm season: The role of infiltration factors

Zauli-Sajani

Rovelli

Trentini

et al. 2018

Science of The Total Environment

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“…Preliminary findings suggest that human exposure to carbonaceous aerosol can be correlated to eBC mass concentrations [73]. The premise for this exercise will be the increasing awareness that carbonaceous aerosols may induce health effects through the generation of oxidative stress [15,[81][82][83][84]. The biomonitoring data will provide information on the oxidative stress (Section 3.3.4), defined as an imbalance between the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS, or free radicals) and the natural antioxidant defence of the biological system.…”

Section: Toxicological Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

First Results of the “Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs (CARE)” Experiment: Beyond Current Standards for PM10

et al. 2017

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In February 2017 the "Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs (CARE)" experiment was carried out in downtown Rome to address the following specific questions: what is the color, size, composition, and toxicity of the carbonaceous aerosol in the Mediterranean urban background area of Rome? The motivation of this experiment is the lack of understanding of what aerosol types are responsible for the severe risks to human health posed by particulate matter (PM) pollution, and how carbonaceous aerosols influence radiative balance. Physicochemical properties of the carbonaceous aerosol were characterised, and relevant toxicological variables assessed. The aerosol characterisation includes: (i) measurements with high time resolution (min to 1-2 h) at a fixed location of black carbon (eBC), elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC), particle number size distribution (0.008-10 µm), major non refractory PM 1 components, elemental composition, wavelength-dependent optical properties, and atmospheric turbulence; (ii) 24-h measurements of PM 10 and PM 2.5 mass concentration, water soluble OC and brown carbon (BrC), and levoglucosan; (iii) mobile measurements of eBC and size distribution around the study area, with computational fluid dynamics modeling; (iv) characterisation of road dust emissions and their EC and OC content. The toxicological assessment includes: (i) preliminary evaluation of the potential impact of ultrafine particles on lung epithelia cells (cultured at the air liquid interface and directly exposed to particles); (ii) assessment of the oxidative stress induced by carbonaceous aerosols; (iii) assessment of particle size dependent number doses deposited in different regions of the human body; (iv) PAHs biomonitoring (from the participants into the mobile measurements). The first experimental results of the CARE experiment are presented in this paper. The objective here is to provide baseline levels of carbonaceous aerosols for Rome, and to address future research directions. First, we found that BC and EC mass concentration in Rome are larger than those measured in similar urban areas across Europe (the urban background mass concentration of eBC in Rome in winter being on average 2.6 ± 2.5 µg · m −3 , mean eBC at the peak level hour being 5.2 (95% CI = 5.0-5.5) µg · m −3 ). Then, we discussed significant variations of carbonaceous aerosol properties occurring with time scales of minutes, and questioned on the data averaging period used in current air quality standard for PM 10 (24-h). Third, we showed that the oxidative potential induced by aerosol depends on particle size and composition, the effects of toxicity being higher with lower mass concentrations and smaller particle size. Albeit this is a preliminary analysis, findings reinforce the need for an urgent update of existing air quality standards for PM 10 and PM 2.5 with regard to particle composition and size distribution, and data averaging period. Our results reinforce existing concerns about the toxicity of carbonaceous aerosols, suppo...

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“…In-vivo and in-vitro toxicological studies have evidenced diverse cardiovascular effects due to the particles’ origins and composition [22,23,24,25,26], which differently modulate inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress events [27]. Traffic-derived particles seemed to retain a higher inflammatory potential comparing to biomass particles in specific cellular models [28,29] but little is known about their systemic effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

In Vivo Comparative Study on Acute and Sub-acute Biological Effects Induced by Ultrafine Particles of Different Anthropogenic Sources in BALB/c Mice

Farina

Lonati

Milani

et al. 2019

IJMS

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Exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) leads to adverse effects on health caused by an unbalanced ratio between UFPs deposition and clearance efficacy. Since air pollution toxicity is first direct to cardiorespiratory system, we compared the acute and sub-acute effects of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and biomass burning-derived particles (BB) on bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (BALf), lung and heart parenchyma. Markers of cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation were analysed in male BALB/c mice submitted to single and repeated intra-tracheal instillations of 50 μg UFPs. This in-vivo study showed the activation of inflammatory response (COX-2 and MPO) after exposure to UFPs, both in respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Exposure to DEP results also in pro- and anti-oxidant (HO-1, iNOS, Cyp1b1, Hsp70) protein levels increase, although, stress persist only in cardiac tissue under repeated instillations. Statistical correlations suggest that stress marker variation was probably due to soluble components and/or mediators translocation of from first deposition site. This mechanism, appears more important after repeated instillations, since inflammation and oxidative stress endure only in heart. In summary, chemical composition of UFPs influenced the activation of different responses mediated by their components or pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidative molecules, indicating DEP as the most damaging pollutant in the comparison.

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The chemical composition of ultrafine particles and associated biological effects at an alpine town impacted by wood burning

Cited by 38 publications

References 42 publications

Higher health effects of ambient particles during the warm season: The role of infiltration factors

Higher health effects of ambient particles during the warm season: The role of infiltration factors

First Results of the “Carbonaceous Aerosol in Rome and Environs (CARE)” Experiment: Beyond Current Standards for PM10

In Vivo Comparative Study on Acute and Sub-acute Biological Effects Induced by Ultrafine Particles of Different Anthropogenic Sources in BALB/c Mice

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