Personal air pollution exposure and metals in the nasal epithelial lining fluid of COPD patients

• Published in: Environmental research, health : ERH Vol. 1; no. 2; p. 021002
• Main Authors: Zetlen, Hilary L, Stanley Lee, Anna, Nurhussien, Lina, Sun, Wendy, Kang, Choong-Min, Zanobetti, Antonella, Rice, Mary B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England IOP Publishing 01-06-2023
• Subjects: air pollution exposure; black carbon; COPD; exposure assessment; Letter; metals exposure; nasal epithelial lining fluid; PM2.5; nasal epithelial lining fluid; black carbon; PM2.5; exposure assessment; air pollution exposure; metals exposure; COPD
• ISSN: 2752-5309; 2752-5309
• DOI: 10.1088/2752-5309/acbbe5

Sampling of the nasal epithelial lining fluid is a potential method to assess exposure to air pollution within the respiratory tract among high risk populations. We investigated associations of short- and long-term particulate matter exposure (PM) and pollution-related metals in the nasal fluid of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study included 20 participants with moderate-to-severe COPD from a larger study who measured long-term personal exposure to PM
using portable air monitors and short-term PM
and black carbon (BC) using in-home samplers for the seven days preceding nasal fluid collection. Nasal fluid was sampled from both nares by nasosorption, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentration of metals with major airborne sources. Correlations of selected elements (Fe, Ba, Ni, Pb, V, Zn, Cu) were determined within the nasal fluid. Associations between personal long-term PM
and seven day home PM
and BC exposure and nasal fluid metal concentrations were determined by linear regression. Within nasal fluid samples, concentrations of vanadium and nickel (
= 0.8) and lead and zinc (
= 0.7) were correlated. Seven day and long-term PM
exposure were both associated with higher levels of copper, lead, and vanadium in the nasal fluid. BC exposure was associated with higher levels of nickel in the nasal fluid. Levels of certain metals in the nasal fluid may serve as biomarkers of air pollution exposure in the upper respiratory tract.