title: Combustion particles emitted during church services: implications for human respiratory health.
abstract: Burning candles and incense generate particulate matter (PM) that produces poor indoor air quality and may cause human pulmonary problems. This study physically characterised combustion particles collected in a church during services. In addition, the emissions from five types of candles and two types of incense were investigated using a combustion chamber. The plasmid scission assay was used to determine the oxidative capacities of these church particles. The corresponding risk factor (CRf) was derived from the emission factor (Ef) and the oxidative DNA damage, and used to evaluate the relative respiratory exposure risks. Real-time PM measurements in the church during candle-incense burning services showed that the levels (91.6 μg/m(3) for PM(10); 38.9 μg/m(3) for PM(2.5)) exceeded the European Union (EU) air quality guidelines. The combustion chamber testing, using the same environmental conditions, showed that the incense Ef for both PM(10) (490.6-587.9 mg/g) and PM(2.5) (290.1-417.2 mg/g) exceeded that of candles; particularly the PM(2.5) emissions. These CRf results suggested that the exposure to significant amounts of incense PM could result in a higher risk of oxidative DNA adducts (27.4-32.8 times) than tobacco PM. The generation and subsequent inhalation of PM during church activities may therefore pose significant risks in terms of respiratory health effects.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Hsiao-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.affiliation: School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University, Main Building, Park Place, Cardiff CF10 3YE, Wales, UK.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3AX, Wales, UK. Electronic address: Berube@cardiff.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: BéruBé
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005062:European Union; D005390:Fires; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D012067:Religion; D014852:Wales
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter