Effect of time-activity adjustment on exposure assessment for traffic-related ultrafine particles

J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. 2015 Sep-Oct;25(5):506-16. doi: 10.1038/jes.2015.11. Epub 2015 Apr 1.

Abstract

Exposures to ultrafine particles (<100 nm, estimated as particle number concentration, PNC) differ from ambient concentrations because of the spatial and temporal variability of both PNC and people. Our goal was to evaluate the influence of time-activity adjustment on exposure assignment and associations with blood biomarkers for a near-highway population. A regression model based on mobile monitoring and spatial and temporal variables was used to generate hourly ambient residential PNC for a full year for a subset of participants (n=140) in the Community Assessment of Freeway Exposure and Health study. We modified the ambient estimates for each hour using personal estimates of hourly time spent in five micro-environments (inside home, outside home, at work, commuting, other) as well as particle infiltration. Time-activity adjusted (TAA)-PNC values differed from residential ambient annual average (RAA)-PNC, with lower exposures predicted for participants who spent more time away from home. Employment status and distance to highway had a differential effect on TAA-PNC. We found associations of RAA-PNC with high sensitivity C-reactive protein and Interleukin-6, although exposure-response functions were non-monotonic. TAA-PNC associations had larger effect estimates and linear exposure-response functions. Our findings suggest that time-activity adjustment improves exposure assessment for air pollutants that vary greatly in space and time.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Air Pollutants / adverse effects
  • Air Pollutants / blood*
  • Air Pollution / adverse effects
  • Air Pollution / analysis*
  • Biomarkers / blood*
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Environmental Monitoring / methods*
  • Female
  • Geographic Mapping
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Male
  • Massachusetts
  • Middle Aged
  • Particle Size
  • Particulate Matter / adverse effects
  • Particulate Matter / analysis*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Time Factors
  • Vehicle Emissions / analysis*

Substances

  • Air Pollutants
  • Biomarkers
  • Interleukin-6
  • Particulate Matter
  • Vehicle Emissions
  • C-Reactive Protein