Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated a relationship between elevated levels of inhaled pollutants and respiratory morbidity. However, insufficient information is available to determine rational environmental standards for gaseous and particulate air pollutants. We have constructed a controlled environmental chamber that can accurately deliver known concentrations of these pollutants.

       Studies are underway to evaluate the effects of ambient pollutants including oxidants and particulate matter, volatile organic compounds such as toluene, and common chemicals such as siloxanes on the airways of normal and susceptible human populations. Alterations in lung function are detected by measuring pulmonary changes that occur before symptoms appear. Deposition of vapors and particles can be determined by comparing inspired and expired concentrations. Pharmacokinetics of inhaled materials in the respiratory tract, blood and urine during rest and exercise are determined; metabolites can be measured in urine. From these data, models to describe the mass transfer of vapors from the lung air to blood are developed.

       In normal and asthmatic subjects, mechanisms of injury will be studied with noninvasive methods following pollutant exposures; assessment techniques under investigation include nitric oxide production in exhaled air and changes in inflammatory cell populations in induced sputum. A quantitative multiplex competitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chair reaction method recently developed in our laboratory will be evaluated to measure gene expression in cells obtained by induced sputum. Pollutant-induced changes in cytokine production by circulating leukocytes will be assessed by flow cytometry techniques. Data obtained from these studies should permit a better assessment of adverse health effects from inhalation of common inhaled pollutants as well as improved understanding of their pharmacokinetics and mechanisms of toxicity.

Jeong CH, Evans GJ, Hopke PK, Chalupa D, Utell MJ. 2006. Influence of atmospheric dispersion and new particle formation events on ambient particle number concentration in Rochester, United States, and Toronto, Canada. J Air Waste Manag Assoc. Apr;56(4):431-443.

Frampton MW, Stewart JC, Oberdorster G, Morrow PE, Chalupa D, Pietropaoli AP, Frasier LM, Speers DM, Cox C, Huang LS, Utell MJ. 2006. Inhalation of ultrafine particles alters blood leukocyte expression of adhesion molecules in humans. Environ Health Perspect. Jan;114(1):51-58.

Maxim LD, Galvin JB, Niebo R, Segrave AM, Kampa OA, Utell MJ. 2006. Occupational exposure to carbon/coke fibers in plants that produce green or calcined petroleum coke and potential health effects: 2. Fiber concentrations. Inhal Toxicol. Jan;18(1):17-32.

Maxim LD, Galvin JB, Niebo R, Segrave AM, Kampa OA, Utell MJ. 2006. Occupational exposure to carbon/coke fibers in plants that produce green or calcined petroleum coke and potential health effects: 1. Fiber characteristics. Inhal Toxicol. Jan;18(1):1-16.

Barron BA, Beckett WS, Utell MJ. 2005. Clinical activities in an academic hospital-based occupational medicine program. J Occup Environ Med. 2005 Jun;47(6):587-593.

Beckett WS, Chalupa DF, Pauly-Brown A, Speers DM, Stewart JC, Frampton MW, Utell MJ, Huang LS, Cox C, Zareba W, Oberdorster G. 2005. Comparing inhaled ultrafine versus fine zinc oxide particles in healthy adults: a human inhalation study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. May 15;171(10):1129-1135

Frampton MW, Utell MJ, Zareba W, Oberdorster G, Cox C, Huang LS, Morrow PE, Lee FE, Chalupa D, Frasier LM, Speers DM, Stewart J. 2004. Effects of exposure to ultrafine carbon particles in healthy subjects and subjects with asthma. Res Rep Health Eff Inst. Dec;(126):1-47; discussion 49-63.

Pietropaoli AP, Frampton MW, Hyde RW, Morrow PE, Oberdorster G, Cox C, Speers DM, Frasier LM, Chalupa DC, Huang LS, and Utell MJ. 2004. Pulmonary function, diffusing capacity, and inflammation in healthy and asthmatic subjects exposed to ultrafine particles. Inhal Toxicol. 16 Suppl 1:59-72.

Chalupa DC, Morrow PE, Oberdorster G, Utell MJ, and Frampton MW. 2004. Ultrafine particle deposition in subjects with asthma. Environ Health Perspect. Jun;112(8):879-882.

Reddy MB, Andersen ME, Morrow PE, Dobrev ID, Varaprath S, Plotzke KP, and Utell MJ. 2003. Physiological modeling of inhalation kinetics of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane in humans during rest and exercise. Toxicol Sci. Mar;72(1):3-18.

Lippmann M, Frampton M, Schwartz J, Dockery D, Schlesinger R, Koutrakis P, Froines J, Nel A, Finkelstein J, Godleski J, Kaufman J, Koenig J, Larson T, Luchtel D, Liu LJ, Oberdorster G, Peters A, Sarnat J, Sioutas C, Suh H, Sullivan J, Utell M, Wichmann E, and Zelikoff J. 2003. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Particulate Matter Health Effects Research Centers Program: a midcourse report of status, progress, and plans. Environ Health Perspect. Jun;111(8):1074-1092. Review.

Daigle CC, Chalupa DC, Gibb FR, Morrow PE, Oberdörster G, Utell MJ, and Frampton MW. 2003. Ultrafine particle deposition in humans during rest and exercise. Inhal Toxicol. Jun;15(6):539-552.

Utell MJ, Frampton MW, Zareba W, Devlin RB, and Cascio WE. 2002. Cardiovascular effects associated with air pollution: potential mechanisms and methods of testing. Inhal Toxicol. Dec;14(12):1231-1247.

Zareba G, Gelein R, Morrow PE, and Utell MJ. 2002. Percutaneous absorption studies of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane using the human skin/nude mouse model. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. May-Jun;15(3):184-194

Oberdörster G, and Utell MJ. 2002. Ultrafine particles in the urban air: to the respiratory tract--and beyond? Environ Health Perspect. Aug;110(8):A440-441. No abstract available.

Collazo H, Crow WA, Gardner L, Phillips BL, Dyer WM Jr, Marple VA, and Utell MJ. 2002. Aerodynamic diameter measurement of cellulose acetate fibers from cigarette filters: what is the potential for human exposure? Inhal Toxicol. Mar;14(3):247-262.

Frampton MW, Boscia J, Roberts NJ Jr, Azadniv M, Torres A, Cox C, Morrow PE, Nichols J, Chalupa D, Frasier LM, Gibb FR, Speers DM, Tsai Y, and Utell MJ. 2002. Nitrogen dioxide exposure: effects on airway and blood cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. Jan;282(1):L155-165.