The Commuter Exposure Study: Linking Exposure, Source-Receptor Models, and Health

描述（由申请人提供）：机动车排放的有毒化学品的复杂混合物，大大有助于在这个国家的空气污染暴露的负担。虽然环境空气污染和心肺效应之间的联系已经得到证实，但关于交通相关空气污染的暴露和健康影响（特别是在通勤期间）的知识很少。即使在空气污染本底水平较低的社区，在通勤期间也会有强烈的短期暴露，这可能会对健康产生不利影响。健康、运动的人群（如骑自行车的人）在以前的空气污染研究中被忽视了。这些从事增加肺部剂量活动的人群是通勤者中潜在的脆弱亚群。因此，需要提高我们对交通相关空气污染的来源、暴露和健康影响之间相互作用的理解。本研究的目的是应用创新的建模和暴露评估和建模技术，以提高我们对交通相关的空气污染对人体暴露和健康的影响的理解。为达致这个目的，我们建议以下的具体目的：（1）进行一项为期两年的研究，探讨不同交通工具的乘客，在交通相关的空气污染下的个人暴露情况（汽车，自行车）和路线（高流量和低流量）;（2）开发和评估一个暴露建模系统，该系统集成了机械空气污染结局和传输建模、路径跟踪暴露估计和贝叶斯更新;以及（3）评估早晨通勤期间个人暴露水平与亚临床呼吸和心血管反应的短期相关性，这些反应是将空气污染与心血管事件联系起来的假设生物途径的核心。我们假设，个人暴露于交通相关的空气污染将显着更高的骑自行车的人（与汽车司机）和高流量路线（与低流量），我们的模型系统将成功地预测平均累积暴露的通勤者旅行不同的路线/模式组合。我们还假设，增加个人暴露于交通相关的空气污染的经验，在通勤将与急性增加（从前到后通勤）心血管和呼吸系统的反应。该项目解决了对影响美国大部分人口的空气污染源的暴露和相关健康影响的知识差距。鉴于交通相关空气污染的不利影响的新证据，从这项研究中获得的信息可以使公民减少他们每天暴露在交通相关空气污染中。日常通勤，无论是骑自行车、机动车还是其他方式，都是几乎所有美国人的共同经历。虽然环境空气污染通常被认为是一种普遍存在的非自愿危害，但开发新知识以减少通勤期间与交通有关的空气污染的研究有可能产生重大的公共健康影响。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Motor vehicles emit a complex mixture of toxic chemicals that contributes substantially to the burden of air pollution exposure in this country. While a consistent link between ambient air pollution and cardiopulmonary effects has been demonstrated, very little knowledge exists regarding exposures and health effects of traffic- related air pollution specifically during the commute. Even in communities with low background levels of air pollution, there are intense, short-term exposures during commutes that may contribute to adverse health effects. Healthy, exercising populations (such as cyclists) have been neglected in previous air pollution research. Such populations with activities that increase lung dose are a potentially vulnerable subgroup among commuters. Therefore, a need exists to improve our understanding of the interactions between sources, exposures, and health effects of traffic-related air pollution. The objective of this research is to apply innovative modeling and exposure assessment and modeling techniques to improve our understanding of the impact of traffic-related air pollution on human exposure and health. To achieve this objective we propose the following specific aims: (1) Conduct a two-year study of commuters' personal exposures to traffic-related air pollution among different modes (car, bike) and routes (high- and low-traffic); (2) Develop and evaluate an exposure modeling system that integrates mechanistic air pollution fate and transport modeling, path-following exposure estimation, and Bayesian updating; and (3) Evaluate the short-term association of personal exposure levels during morning commutes with subclinical respiratory and cardiovascular responses that are central to the hypothesized biologic pathway linking air pollution with cardiovascular events. We hypothesize that personal exposures to traffic-related air pollution will be significantly higher for cyclists (vs. car drivers) and on high-traffic routes (vs. low-traffic), and that our model system will successfully predict average cumulative exposures for commuters traveling different route/mode combinations. We also hypothesize that increased personal exposure to traffic-related air pollution experienced during a commute will be associated with acute increases (from pre- to post-commute) in cardiovascular and respiratory responses. This project addresses knowledge gaps on the exposures and related health effects of a source of air pollution that affects the majority of the U.S. population. Given the emerging evidence on the adverse effects of traffic- related air pollution, information gained from this study can empower citizens to reduce their daily exposures to traffic-related air pollution. The daily commute, whether by bicycle, motor vehicle, or other mode, is an experience shared by nearly all Americans. Although ambient air pollution is generally considered a ubiquitous, involuntary hazard, research that develops new knowledge to reduce exposures to traffic-related air pollution during commuting has the potential to produce a substantial public health impact.