v/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Health Effects Research
Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA-600/S1-81-039 June 1981
Project Summary
Report of Workshops on
Epidemiologic Studies of
Airborne Particles
Edward P. Radford
i US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1961- 757-012/7153
The report upon which this summary
is based represents the cumulative
effort of both the members of the
Workshop on Epidemiologic Studies
of Airborne Particulates and EPA
staff. The workshop was conducted
after EPA developed a program called
a Problem Definition Study for Epide-
miologic Studies on Airborne Particles.
The full report presents the recom-
mendations that the workshop mem-
bers prepared to assist the EPA in
developing a research program to
ascertain the biomedical effects of
inhalable particulate matter. This
definition of research was accom-
plished by identification of gaps in
current knowledge, identification of
research that needs to be performed to
fill these gaps, and determination of
research that has a high probability of
providing a clear examination of the
health effects of particles.
A summary of the recommendations
follows:
-to study acute and chronic res-
piratory and acute cardiovascular
diseases, in relation to exposure
to airborne particles, a single
cross-sectional prospective inves-
tigation involving several institu-
tions should be given priority
-investigation of stomach cancer
in relation to airborne particles is
recommended
-adequate exposure estimates
must be made
-quality assurance/control of all
measurements is very important.
This Project Summary was devel-
oped by EPA's Health Effects Research
Laboratory, Research Triangle Park,
NC, to announce key findings of the
research project that is fully docu-
mented in a separate report of the
same title (see Project Report ordering
information at back).
Introduction
The members of the Workshop on
Epidemiologic Studies of Airborne
Particulates have met to assist the EPA
in determining the research needed to
meet the present and future research
requirements of the Environmental
Protection Agency in this field. This goal
was accomplished by identification of
gaps in current knowledge, identifica-
tion of research that needs to be per-
formed to fill these gaps and determina-
tion of research that the workshop
members believe has a high probability
of success.
Despite more than a decade of re-
search, knowledge relating human
disease to air pollutants is still incom-
plete. The question of primary interest
to epidemiologists is: "What is the
disease risk for a given level of exposure
to a population?" This is the implicit
question that needs to be answered for
inhaled particles, but the panel agreed
that before this question could be
successfully addressed and meaningful
studies performed, our knowledge of
what to measure in the air and in human
subjects, and which groups to measure,
had to be evaluated. It was evident that
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there were serious flaws in previous
research in the area of particulate
pollution. Some of these flaws included
inadequate methods and the use of
incomplete data sets; either exposure
measurements and/or the measure-
ments of disease endpoints were inade-
quate, resulting in improper conclusions.
The research areas that were explored
and considered to be of prime concern in
future research in studying possible
health effects of airborne particles are
outlined in the following section.
Summary of Recommendations
Note: In the body of the Project Report
text, asterisks have been placed in the
margin where recommendations con-
cerning various aspects of the program
were made to EPA. The following sum-
mary incorporates the major components
of these individual recommendations:
1. To study acute cardiovascular and
acute and chronic respiratory dis-
eases, in relation to exposure to
airborne particles, a single cross-
sectional prospective investigation
involving several centers should be
given priority. The design would
stratify communities by levels of
airborne particles and by disease
frequency and would include careful
clinical evaluation and functional
testing of preselected populations.
Such a single multicenter study
design is considered by the panel as
having the best chance of a clear
demonstration of effects of airborne
particles on human health.
2. Special studies of potentially sensi-
tive subgroups could be incorporated
within the multicenter design, and
combined effects of other pollutants
should be investigated in such
studies.
Investigation of stomach cancer in
relation to airborne particles is rec-
ommended. The appropriate study
design here should be developed as
additional information is available.
Adequate biostatistical methodology
should be an integral part of planning
any studies.
Behavioral or psychological effects
of particulate pollution are considered
to be potentially important to EPA,
and the panel recommends that a
separate workshop be convened by
EPA to consider pilot studies in this
area.
In the epidemiologic studies pro-
posed, careful attention to definition
of exposure characteristics will be
required. Included are the particle
size range investigated, appropriat
field measuring equipment needei
physical and chemical characteristic
of the particles, degree of similarii
of particle sources and characteristic
among the centers evaluated fc
health effects, sampling methoc
including appropriate monitorin
strategies, and personal exposur
assessment of both indoor and ou
door sources.
7. Quality assurance of both air me;
surements and clinical methods wi
be crucial to the success of an
studies done. The workshop partic
pants recommend that up to 30% <
the funds available for air monitorir
be allocated for quality assurance <
these measurements.
Edward P. Radford is with the Center for Environmental Epidemiology, Graduate
School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261.
D. J. Kotchmar is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Report of Workshop on Epidemiologic Studies of
Airborne Particles," (Order No. PB 81-190 480; Cost: $6.50, subject to
change} will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield. VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Health Effects Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Cincinnati OH 45268
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