WTC Dust Size and Alkalinity as Factors in First Responder Chronic Lung

Details

• Personal Author:
  Cohen MD
• Description:
  First Responders (FR) present at Ground Zero during the first 72 hr after the WTC collapse have suffered significant damage to their respiratory health, including chronic disorders like granulomatous pulmonary disease and persistent airway hyper-reactivity (AHR; feature of chronic asthma). Early animal studies performed to understand the etiology of some ailments primarily used only fine WTC dust fractions (. 2.5 um), dusts collected after 9/13/01, or regimens that did not reflect exposure scenarios most FR underwent. Because significant coarse (> 10 um) WTC dust particle deposition was found in the lungs of FR, and the alkalinity of WTC particles increased with size, we hypothesized that: (1) an increased presence of coarse alkaline particles in their lungs contributed to the high incidence\severity of pulmonary diseases; and, (2) a mechanism underlying these disorders was that (A) alkalinity of the large particles damaged lung epithelium so airway remodeling was triggered and particle clearance reduced, and (B) metals associated with retained WTC particles exerted a variety of toxicities including promoting airway remodeling. To verify the hypotheses, we proposed - using an animal model, relevant WTC dusts and exposure scenarios, inter-related Specific Aims to demonstrate the incidence\severity of lung diseases was related to: (1) presence of significant amounts of large WTC particles in the lungs; (2) specific presence of alkaline portions of WTC dusts; (3) altered dust retention; and/or, (4) dust-induced airway epithelium damage\subsequent release of factors to promote remodeling. The earliest period of the grant focused on development\validation of a novel WTC dust exposure system to deliver particles to rats in a manner that mimicked what FR underwent (i.e., extensive mouth breathing/entrainment of large diameter particles). Thereafter, exposures (on 2 consecutive days, 2 hr/d, via intratracheal inhalation) to WTC dusts (collected 9/12-13/01) were performed and biologic endpoints examined over a 1-yr post-exposure period. Other biomaterials from the rats were archived for use by other investigators to assess effects of the dusts on non-pulmonary systems. Results showed the exposures (at highest proposed dose) resulted in significant changes in: lung weights due to dust deposition; methacholine responsivity (AHR index); viability of lavaged (BAL) cells and BAL total protein levels reflecting WTC dust toxicities in situ; ciliated cell levels in upper airways (re: impacted on retention of WTC dust/other co-inhaled particles); goblet/mucin-bearing cell levels; and, expression (within 24 hr) of key genes associated with inflammation, oxidative stress, cell cycle, and immune system activation in the lungs. The studies also indicated damage to ciliated cells likely led to the observed prolonged retention (to 1 yr) of WTC dust deposited by the exposure. The studies also permitted a determination that Ti and Al were good "markers" of WTC dust exposure. Results regarding shifts in responsivity to antigen challenge were inconclusive; further studies are needed. We expect data obtained here will provide valuable information about relationships between physicochemical properties of building collapse-/demolition-associated dusts and toxicologic effects in the lungs, and permit Investigators in Worker Safety\Emergency Planning and in Respiratory Medicine to develop prospective action plans and focused treatments to protect respiratory health of firefighters/rescuers called to any future building collapses. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Alkalies Animals Asthma Asthma, Occupational Dust Emergency Responders Irritants Laboratories Lung Lung Diseases Metals Occupational Health Particulate Matter Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety

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• Keywords:
  Alkali-metals Bronchial-asthma Dust-exposure Dust-particles Emergency-responders Etiology Exposure-levels Laboratory-animals Lung-disorders Lung-irritants Metal-dusts Metallic-compounds Metallic-dusts Particulate-dust Particulates Pulmonary-disorders Pulmonary-function Pulmonary-system Pulmonary-system-disorders Respiration Respiratory-infections Respiratory-irritants Risk-factors

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• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Final Grant Report
• Place as Subject:
  New York ; OSHA Region 2
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-13
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20046771
• NTIS Accession Number:
  PB2016-100068
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, R01-OH-008280, Sep; :1-13
• Contact Point Address:
  Mitchell D. Cohen, PhD, Department of Environmental Medicine, 57 Old Forge Rd., Tuxedo, NY 10987
• Email:
  cohenm@env.med.nyu.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2014
• Performing Organization:
  New York University School of Medicine
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20090701
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20140630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:1492dcb22a4e83cf465825af2ada96f47b9d569569a701ea356c8144d14b746137cd8b79351efd2c77638c8409ea3773cd108c9bb35f37e0e595b975d99d142f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/218607/cdc_218607_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 412.58 KB ]