pH in exhaled breath condensate and nasal lavage as a biomarker of air pollution-related inflammation in street traffic-controllers and office-workers.
OBJECTIVE
To utilize low-cost and simple methods to assess airway and lung inflammation biomarkers related to air pollution.


METHODS
A total of 87 male, non-smoking, healthy subjects working as street traffic-controllers or office-workers were examined to determine carbon monoxide in exhaled breath and to measure the pH in nasal lavage fluid and exhaled breath condensate. Air pollution exposure was measured by particulate matter concentration, and data were obtained from fixed monitoring stations (8-h work intervals per day, during the 5 consecutive days prior to the study).


RESULTS
Exhaled carbon monoxide was two-fold greater in traffic-controllers than in office-workers. The mean pH values were 8.12 in exhaled breath condensate and 7.99 in nasal lavage fluid in office-workers; these values were lower in traffic-controllers (7.80 and 7.30, respectively). Both groups presented similar cytokines concentrations in both substrates, however, IL-1β and IL-8 were elevated in nasal lavage fluid compared with exhaled breath condensate. The particulate matter concentration was greater at the workplace of traffic-controllers compared with that of office-workers.


CONCLUSIONS
The pH values of nasal lavage fluid and exhaled breath condensate are important, robust, easy to measure and reproducible biomarkers that can be used to monitor occupational exposure to air pollution. Additionally, traffic-controllers are at an increased risk of airway and lung inflammation during their occupational activities compared with office-workers.
Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Thamires Marques de
TM
Lima
Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Cristiane Mayumi
CM
Kazama
Department of Pulmonology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany.
Andreas Rembert
AR
Koczulla
Department of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Pieter S
PS
Hiemstra
Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Mariangela
M
Macchione
Department of Pneumology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Ana Luisa Godoy
AL
Fernandes
Pneumology Division, Instituto do Coração, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Ubiratan de Paula
Ude P
Santos
Department of Internal Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Maria Lucia
ML
Bueno-Garcia
Department of Epidemiology, Public Health Faculty, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Dirce Maria
DM
Zanetta
Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Carmen Diva Saldiva de
CD
André
Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Paulo Hilario Nascimento
PH
Saldiva
Department of Pathology, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São PauloSP, Brazil.
Naomi Kondo
NK
Nakagawa
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers; D001944:Breath Tests; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D045853:Exhalation; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055556:Nasal Lavage / Q000379:methods*; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D052638:Particulate Matter; D002248:Carbon Monoxide