The health effects of ultrafine particles

Abstract

Ultrafine particles (PM 0.1), which are present in the air in large numbers, pose a health risk. They generally enter the body through the lungs but translocate to essentially all organs. Compared to fine particles (PM 2.5), they cause more pulmonary inflammation and are retained longer in the lung. Their toxicity is increased with smaller size, larger surface area, adsorbed surface material, and the physical characteristics of the particles. Exposure to PM 0.1 induces cough and worsens asthma. Metal fume fever is a systemic disease of lung inflammation most likely caused by PM 0.1. The disease is manifested by systemic symptoms hours after exposure to metal fumes, usually through welding. PM 0.1 cause systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and coagulation changes that predispose individuals to ischemic cardiovascular disease and hypertension. PM 0.1 are also linked to diabetes and cancer. PM 0.1 can travel up the olfactory nerves to the brain and cause cerebral and autonomic dysfunction. Moreover, in utero exposure increases the risk of low birthweight. Although exposure is commonly attributed to traffic exhaust, monitored students in Ghana showed the highest exposures in a home near a trash burning site, in a bedroom with burning coils employed to abate mosquitos, in a home of an adult smoker, and in home kitchens during domestic cooking. The high point-source production and rapid redistribution make incidental exposure common, confound general population studies and are compounded by the lack of global standards and national reporting. The potential for PM 0.1 to cause harm to health is great, but their precise role in many illnesses is still unknown and calls for more research.

Health effects of wildfire smoke in children and public health tools: a narrative review

“…A growing body of literature also suggests that exposure to particulate matter may have neuropsychological effects in children, including associations with ADHD, autism, school performance, and memory [27,31]. Animal studies indicate that the fraction of particulate matter, called ultrafine particles, which are ≤0.1 µm in diameter, can penetrate into the systemic circulation and cross the blood-brain barrier [32].…”

The presence of fine and ultrafine particulate matter in the work environment

“…The efficiency of deposition in the human respiratory tract depends, besides other things, on the size of the particles, when particles of 1-100 nm deposit the most in the tracheobronchial area (9). Another significant risk is the nanoparticle ability to translocate through the olfactory nerve into the brain structure in a relatively short period of time, where they are also able to deposit (12). Also, the detected elements belong to biologically important elements for human health.…”

The Inducible Role of Ambient Particulate Matter in Cancer Progression via Oxidative Stress-Mediated Reactive Oxygen Species Pathways: A Recent Perception

“…Moreover, this ultrafine fraction possibly causes more severe conditions due to its greater surface area and higher concentrations of absorbed noxious constituents. The associations between exposure to PM0.1 and various illnesses related to the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, central nervous system, or even cancer have been reported [10]. Still, the literature on the adverse health effects caused by PM0.1 remains scarce compared to PM10 and PM2.5.…”