Carbonaceous particulate matter on the lung surface from adults living in São Paulo, Brazil.

Michele Galhardoni Padovan,Jonathan Grigg,Mateus Habermann,Nelson Gouveia,Abigail Whitehouse,Koustubh Panda

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0188237

Michele Galhardoni Padovan, Jonathan Grigg + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0188237

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Abstract

Accumulation of carbonaceous particulate matter (PM) in the lung is associated with chronic disease. The amount of carbonaceous PM in airway macrophages is reported to be associated with exposure to both fossil fuel PM and cigarette smoke. However, the contribution of these exposures to carbonaceous PM at the lung surface is unclear.ObjectivesWe therefore sought to identify the exposures associated with lung surface in long-term residents of São Paulo, Brazil.MethodsLung surface carbon were analyzed in 72 autopsy specimens by image analysis. Smoking history, measured PM10 nearest to the home, distance to main road, and distance-weighted traffic density were used as exposure variables. Data are summarized as median (IQR), and compared by Mann Whitney Test, with correlations done by Spearman’s correlation.ResultsThere was no association between lung surface and age or gender. There was no statistically significant association in lung surface between smokers and non-smokers 6.74 cm2 (3.47 to 10.02) versus 5.20cm2 (2.29 to 7.54), and there was no significant association between lung surface carbon and exposure to environmental PM and markers of traffic exposure.ConclusionWe did not find a statistically significant association between lung surface and smokers and non-smokers, and no statistically significant association between lung surface carbon and environmental exposure variables. These results suggest that lung surface carbon in long-term residents of São Paulo may predominately be from environmental PM, but the most appropriate environmental exposure marker remains unclear.

Highlights

There was no statistically significant association in lung surface between smokers and non-smokers 6.74 cm2 (3.47 to 10.02) versus 5.20cm2 (2.29 to 7.54), and there was no significant association between lung surface carbon and exposure to environmental particulate matter (PM) and markers of traffic exposure
We did not find a statistically significant association between lung surface and smokers and non-smokers, and no statistically significant association between lung surface carbon and environmental exposure variables. These results suggest that lung surface carbon in longterm residents of São Paulo may predominately be from environmental PM, but the most appropriate environmental exposure marker remains unclear
Retention of inhaled carbonaceous particulate matter (PM) in the lung is associated with a wide range of adverse health effects

Summary

Introduction

Retention of inhaled carbonaceous particulate matter (PM) in the lung is associated with a wide range of adverse health effects. Another study carried by Brauer et al [3], reflected that the long-term exposure to PM in adult’s autopsied lungs who lived in a region with high levels of ambient particles results in pulmonary retention of large quantities of fine and ultrafine particle aggregates, mostly appearing to be combustion products. Evidence for the long-term adverse effects of environmental carbonaceous PM, mainly from fossil-fuel combustion in urban areas, has emerged recently. A 2016 report by the Royal College of Physicians (UK), concluded that long-term exposure to carbonaceous fossil fuel derived PM less than 10 micrometers in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) is associated with a wide range of long-term effects including reduced lung function growth in children, accelerated lung function decline in adults, lung cancer, and new onset asthma [4]. An additional source of carbonaceous PM exposure is cigarette smoke [5]

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