Personal Exposure to PM2.5-bound Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Lung Function Alteration

Abstract

TPS 681: Short-term health effects of air pollutants 1, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 26, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure has been associated with lung function decline, but impact of PM2.5 constituents especially for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on lung function is unclear among general population. We enrolled 224 Chinese volunteers who participated in two study periods (2014-2015 and 2017-2018) of the Wuhan-Zhuhai cohort as a panel. Linear mixed models were performed to quantify associations of personal PM2.5 and sixteen PM2.5-bound PAHs with lung function. Three-year changes of lung function related to different levels of PM2.5-bound PAHs were further estimated. We also calculated diagnostic ratios to identify potential sources of PM2.5-bound PAHs in Wuhan and Zhuhai City. We found significant declines in FVC and FEV1 for acute exposures to both low and high molecular weight PAHs (LMW-PAHs and HMW-PAHs respectively). Persistently long-term high levels of HMW-PAHs (BaA, DhA and BgP) rather than LMW-PAHs were associated FVC decline in three years, when compared with persistently low exposure level groups. The associations were different between Wuhan and Zhuhai. The results of diagnostic ratios that differences in PAH emissions between the two cities provided interpretation for the inconsistent associations. Our findings provide evidence that both short- and long-term PM2.5-bound PAH exposures might affect lung function.