Lung toxicity of ambient particulate matter from southeastern U.S. sites with different contributing sources:...

Exposure to air pollution and, more specifically, particulate matter (PM) is associated with adverse health effects. However, the specific PM characteristics responsible for biological effects have not been defined.

In this project we examined the composition, sources, and relative toxicity of samples of PM with aerodynamic diameter

We collected samples from each site during the winter and summer of 2004 for toxicity testing and for chemical analysis and chemical mass balance-based source apportionment. We also collected PM2.5 downwind of a series of prescribed forest burns. We assessed the toxicity of the samples by instillation into rat lungs and assessed general toxicity, acute cytotoxicity, and inflammation. Statistical dose-response modeling techniques were used to rank the relative toxicity and compare the seasonal differences at each site. Projection-to-latent-surfaces (PLS) techniques examined the relationships among sources, chemical composition, and toxicologic end points.

Urban sites with high contributions from vehicles and industry were most toxic.