title: Introduction to Department of Defense Research on Burn Pits, Biomarkers, and Health Outcomes Related to Deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan.
abstract: This paper provides an overview of our study that was designed to assess the health impact of environmental exposures to open pit burning in deployed troops.
  
  
  
  The rationale for the study and the structure of the research plan was laid out. An overview of each article in the supplement was provided. The cohort of deployed Service members was assessed for airborne exposure, relevant biomarkers, and health outcomes following deployment to Balad, Iraq, and/or Bagram, Afghanistan.
  
  
  
  Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposures were elevated, and serum biomarkers were statistically different postdeployment. Associations were noted between PAHs and dioxins and microRNAs. Some health outcomes were evident in deployers compared with nondeployers.
  
  
  
  Future research will examine the associations between demographic variables, smoking status, biomarker levels, and related health outcomes.
authors: Professor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814 (Dr Mallon); 779th Aerospace Medical Squadron, 79th Medical WingJoint Base Andrews, Maryland (Dr Rohrbeck); Bioenvironmental Engineering Flight Commander, 30th Medical Group, 338 South Dakota Ave, Vandenberg AFB, CA 93437 (Maj Haines); Clinical Biomarkers Laboratory, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia (Dr Jones, Mr Walker); Departments of Medicine and Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center (Drs Utell, Phipps, Thatcher, Woeller); Center for Air Resources Engineering and Science, Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University, Potsdam, New York (Dr Hopke); U.S Army Center for Public Health (Provisional), Aberdeen Proving Ground (Drs Baird, Gaydos); and Anatomy and Cell Biology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland (Drs Pollard, Dalgard).
authors: Col Timothy M
authors: CT
authors: Mallon
authors: Maj Patricia
authors: MP
authors: Rohrbeck
authors: Maj Kevin M
authors: MK
authors: Haines
authors: Dean P
authors: DP
authors: Jones
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Utell
authors: Philip K
authors: PK
authors: Hopke
authors: Richard P
authors: RP
authors: Phipps
authors: Douglas I
authors: DI
authors: Walker
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Thatcher
authors: Collynn F
authors: CF
authors: Woeller
authors: Coleen P
authors: CP
authors: Baird
authors: Harvey B
authors: HB
authors: Pollard
authors: Clifton L
authors: CL
authors: Dalgard
authors: Joel C
authors: JC
authors: Gaydos
mesh_terms: D000346:Afghanistan; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D017745:Incineration; D007493:Iraq; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008889:Military Personnel; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D015415:Biomarkers; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons