Repeated Exposure to Near-Ambient PM2.5 Decreases Pulmonary Function: Controlled Human Exposure Study.
4 affiliations
- 1Public Health and Integrated Toxicology Division, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States.
- 2Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, United States.
- 3Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States.
- 4TRC, Raleigh, North Carolina 27604, United States.
Abstract
Epidemiologic studies have provided evidence of health effects over cumulative days of PM2.5 exposure in observational settings; however, there have been no controlled exposure studies in humans over consecutive days. To assess the effects of near-ambient PM2.5 exposure on pulmonary function and exercise tolerance, a randomized, double-blind controlled exposure study was conducted among healthy human volunteers (n = 17). Exposure consisted of 4 h of intermittent exercise for 3 consecutive days to clean air and 35 μg/m3 of PM2.5 separated by a minimum of 2 weeks. Spirometry was measured at baseline, postexposure (+0 h), and 20 h (+20 h) after each day of exposure. PM2.5 exposure reduced lung function, with reductions after Day 2 and Day 3. At Day 1 + 0 h, FEV1 was unchanged (-0.9%, 95% CI: -2.1, 0.3), and at Day 1 + 20 h, FEV1 was unchanged (-1.2%, 95% CI: -2.4, 0.1). At Day 2 + 0 h, FEV1 was reduced by 1.9% (95% CI: -3.1, -0.7). This decrement persisted into Day 2 + 20 h, with FEV1 reduced by 1.7% (95% CI: -3.3, -0.2). At Day 3 + 0 h, FEV1 showed a similar reduction of 1.8% (95% CI: -3.5, -0.1). This decrement persisted into Day 3 + 20 h, with FEV1 down by 1.7% (95% CI: -3.2, -0.1). PM2.5 exposure reduced exercise output on both Day 2 (-2.0 W, 95% CI: -2.86, -1.08) and Day 3 (-2.4 W, 95% CI: -3.18, -1.61). Lung function and exercise output displayed modification by sex; males showed greater decrements in lung function at Day 3 + 20 h, and females had greater losses in exercise output after Day 3. In conclusion, near-ambient PM2.5 exposure elicits pulmonary function deficits, sustained after multiple days of exposure and persisting at least 20 h after cessation of exposure. PM2.5 exposure decreases exercise output.
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BibTeX
@article{pulczinski2026repeated,
title = {{Repeated Exposure to Near-Ambient PM2.5 Decreases Pulmonary Function: Controlled Human Exposure Study.}},
author = {Jairus C Pulczinski and Corinna Keeler and Ana G Rappold and Edward R Pennington and Martin W Case and Arjun Keshava and Jon Berntsen and Robert B Devlin and David Diaz-Sanchez and Haiyan Tong},
journal = {Environmental health perspectives},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1021/ehp.6c00055},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997235},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Repeated Exposure to Near-Ambient PM2.5 Decreases Pulmonary Function: Controlled Human Exposure Study.
AU - Jairus C Pulczinski
AU - Corinna Keeler
AU - Ana G Rappold
AU - Edward R Pennington
AU - Martin W Case
AU - Arjun Keshava
AU - Jon Berntsen
AU - Robert B Devlin
AU - David Diaz-Sanchez
AU - Haiyan Tong
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/19
JO - Environmental health perspectives
DO - 10.1021/ehp.6c00055
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997235
AB - Epidemiologic studies have provided evidence of health effects over cumulative days of PM2.5 exposure in observational settings; however, there have been no controlled exposure studies in humans over consecutive days. To assess the effects of near-ambient PM2.5 exposure on pulmonary function and exercise tolerance, a randomized, double-blind controlled exposure study was conducted among healthy human volunteers (n = 17). Exposure consisted of 4 h of intermittent exercise for 3 consecutive days to clean air and 35 μg/m3 of PM2.5 separated by a minimum of 2 weeks. Spirometry was measured at baseline, postexposure (+0 h), and 20 h (+20 h) after each day of exposure. PM2.5 exposure reduced lung function, with reductions after Day 2 and Day 3. At Day 1 + 0 h, FEV1 was unchanged (-0.9%, 95% CI: -2.1, 0.3), and at Day 1 + 20 h, FEV1 was unchanged (-1.2%, 95% CI: -2.4, 0.1). At Day 2 + 0 h, FEV1 was reduced by 1.9% (95% CI: -3.1, -0.7). This decrement persisted into Day 2 + 20 h, with FEV1 reduced by 1.7% (95% CI: -3.3, -0.2). At Day 3 + 0 h, FEV1 showed a similar reduction of 1.8% (95% CI: -3.5, -0.1). This decrement persisted into Day 3 + 20 h, with FEV1 down by 1.7% (95% CI: -3.2, -0.1). PM2.5 exposure reduced exercise output on both Day 2 (-2.0 W, 95% CI: -2.86, -1.08) and Day 3 (-2.4 W, 95% CI: -3.18, -1.61). Lung function and exercise output displayed modification by sex; males showed greater decrements in lung function at Day 3 + 20 h, and females had greater losses in exercise output after Day 3. In conclusion, near-ambient PM2.5 exposure elicits pulmonary function deficits, sustained after multiple days of exposure and persisting at least 20 h after cessation of exposure. PM2.5 exposure decreases exercise output.
SN - 0091-6765
SN - 1552-9924
ER -