Effects of Ambient PM10 on Respiratory Health Among Children in Urban and Highland Schools of Chiang Mai Province

Abstract

Objectives of the present study were to develop a simple and portable exhaled breath condensate (EBC) collecting device and to investigate the association between PM10 exposure and health outcomes of school children at two different study areas. School children from Rajabhat University Demonstration School (ST), urban school, and Srinaeroo School (SN), a highland area school, were enrolled into the study. The developed EBC collecting device was evaluated with 5 healthy volunteers to investigate the impact collection duration and the breathe patterns on EBC volume. All volunteers completed the collecting procedure without any complication. Therefore, this procedure was suggested safe, rapid and simple to use and operate. The mean volumes of EBC sample by normal tidal breathing over a period of 10 minutes and 20 minutes were similar. Otherwise, the EBC volume was significantly higher in 20 minutes of collection duration compared with 10 minutes when the subjects breathe with increased tidal breathing.

One hundred and twenty four school children were enrolled into the study from July 2011 to March 2012. There were 63 and 61 school children were enrolled from ST and SN school, respectively. The outdoor and classroom level of PM10 were measured at participating school during the study period. Pulmonary function, exhaled H2O2 and MDA concentrations and respiratory symptoms were also assessed in the concurrent week of PM10 measurement. The classroom PM10 level were significantly correlated with increments the concentration of exhaled MDA in both study groups, but no significant effect of PM10 on pulmonary function or exhaled H2O2 in both study groups. The results of this study show that developed EBC device is safe, rapid and simple to use. The measurement of exhaled MDA gives good information of early biological effect of PM10 exposure.