Centers

Project Title:  Exposure to Elevated Levels of Combustion-Related Air Pollutants and Asthma among Non-Atopic Children in Beijing, China

Principal Investigator:  Beizhan Yan, PhD, Lamont Assistant Research Professor

Year: 2011   

Award Amount: $25,000

Abstract:  In our NYC asthma studies, substantial efforts have been made to examine associations between exposures to incomplete combustion-related air pollutants (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), black carbon (BC) and metals) and asthma symptoms. Recent work has extended these efforts to investigate biomarkers of airway inflammation and oxidative stress in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) as biomarkers of effect. Observed associations appear to be stronger among the non-atopic children (i.e., those without sensitization to inhalant allergens). Due to the higher and wider range of concentrations of combustion byproducts in China than those found in NYC, studies carried out in China can aide in understanding the relationship between exposure to combustion byproducts and the biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress, measurement of which are being developed in Dr. Yan’s laboratory in collaboration with Dr. Perzanowski. The proposed pilot study will recruit 30 non-atopic asthmatic children, ages 9-10, in central Beijing and an outer suburb so that the study population will live in areas with a wide range of air pollution levels. Indoor and outdoor PM2.5 filter samples will be collected and personal exposure of black carbon will be monitored in two sampling periods (one week in heating season and the other in non-heating). Lung function and biomarkers of airway inflammation and oxidative stress in EBC will be measured in the end of each sampling period. Columbia will loan sampling devices and provide necessary training in field and laboratory methods to Dr. Xu from the China CDC; Dr. Xu and her team will conduct the fieldwork and biomarker analyses. The overall goal of this pilot study is to demonstrate the feasibility of environmental asthma studies in Beijing through collaboration between Columbia University and the China CDC and generate pilot data.