Air Pollution Exposure Assessment: Applications in Personal Air Monitoring Studies

Abstract

Exposure to air pollution is a global public health burden that continues to plague humans. This project evaluated the evidence and levels of exposure to air pollutants in different populations. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis using the Navigation Guide systematic review methodology to evaluate prenatal exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution and birth weight. Results from this study led us to explore various methods of exposure assessment in two personal air monitoring studies. The first was an evaluation of the maternal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in pregnant women in their third trimester in Mc Allen, Texas, using three methods for the exposure assessment; silicone wristbands, XAD resin and filters. The next study focused on personal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in a group of teachers in El Paso, Texas applying similar methods of assessment. From the systematic review, our results confirmed previous evaluations showing an inverse association between prenatal PM exposure and low birth weight. Variation across individual study outcomes largely reflects methodological differences across studies. Our application of the Navigation Guide methodology highlights the utility of quality and strength of evidence ratings when evaluating environmental health studies. It also illustrated the effect the exposure assessment methods had on the quality and strength of evidence. The McAllen study results showed that all the pregnant women enrolled, were exposed to PAHs at different magnitudes and compositions. Wristbands captured a significant number of PAHs when compared with XAD and filters. Similarly, results from the El Paso study revealed that the teachers were exposed to various PAHs both from traffic and wood/coal combustion sources. These results can inform future regulation of traffic emissions around school environments. Finally, these studies provide confirmation that wristbands are an effective technology that can be easily utilized in personal exposure assessment studies in environmental health.