Investigating the association of cardiovascular effects with personal exposure to particle components and sources

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 431; pp. 176 - 182
• Main Authors: Wu, Chang-fu, Li, Ya-Ru, Kuo, I-Chun, Hsu, Shih-Chieh, Lin, Lian-Yu, Su, Ta-Chen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.08.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Air; analysis; Arterial stiffness; Biological and medical sciences; cadmium; Cadmium - toxicity; calcium; Cardiovascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Cardiovascular effects; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; chromium; confidence interval; drug effects; Environmental Exposure; Environmental pollutants toxicology; etiology; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Heart Rate; Humans; information sources; Male; manganese; Manganese - toxicity; Medical sciences; Metals; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Middle Aged; Models, Theoretical; nickel; Occupational Exposure; ozone; Particles; Particulate Matter; Particulate Matter - analysis; Particulate Matter - toxicity; particulates; risk; Sources; strontium; Strontium - toxicity; Taiwan; toxicity; Toxicology; Vascular Stiffness; Vascular Stiffness - drug effects; Vehicle Emissions; Taiwan; Arterial stiffness; Sources; Metals; Cardiovascular effects; Particles; Human; Toxicity; Cardiovascular disease; Metal; Ultrafine particle; Suspended particle; Health and environment; Fine particle; Pollution source; Air pollution; Public health
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.05.015

Few studies included information on components and sources when exploring the cardiovascular health effects from personal exposure to particulate matters (PM). We previously reported that exposure to PM between 1.0 and 2.5μm (PM2.5–1) was associated with increased cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI, an arterial stiffness index), while exposure to PM smaller than 0.25μm (PM0.25) decreased the heart rate variability (HRV) indices. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between PM elements and cardiovascular health effects and identify responsible sources. In a panel study of seventeen mail carriers, the subjects were followed for 5–6days while delivering mail outdoors. Personal filter samples of PM2.5–1 and PM0.25 were analyzed for their elemental concentrations. The source-specific exposures were further estimated by using absolute principal factor analysis. We analyzed the component- and source-specific health effects on HRV indices and CAVI using mixed models. Several elements in PM2.5–1 (e.g., cadmium and strontium) were associated with the CAVI. Subsequent analyses showed that an interquartile range increase in exposure to PM from regional sources was significantly associated with a 3.28% increase in CAVI (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.47%–5.13%). This significant effect remained (3.35%, CI: 1.62%–5.11%) after controlling for the ozone exposures. For exposures to PM0.25, manganese, calcium, nickel, and chromium were associated with the CAVI and/or the HRV indices. Our study suggests that PM2.5–1 and PM0.25 components may be associated with different cardiovascular effects. Health risks from exposure to PM from sources other than vehicle exhaust should not be underappreciated. ► Increased arterial stiffness was related to the components in particles between 1.0 and 2.5μm. ► Cardiac autonomic dysfunction was related to the components in particles smaller than 0.25μm. ► Exposure to particles from regional sources was associated with increased arterial stiffness.