Poster Audio: Assessing Inflammatory Response to Air Pollution via VOCs in Exhaled Breath

In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer determined that outdoor air pollution and one of its major components, particulate matter, are carcinogens and are important causes of lung cancer. A recent report from the Global Burden of Disease estimated that 387,000 lung cancer deaths were attributable to outdoor air pollution in 2013 (24% of all lung cancer deaths).

Exposure to air pollution also increases the risk of death from ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lower respiratory infections. Controlled exposure studies are one way to better understand the effects of particulate exposure and provide a controlled method of exploring acute inflammation in general. Lung inflammation is a response to pollutants, releasing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in breath, which could serve as non-invasive markers for assessing inflammation. The goal of our study was to find breath markers associated with acute lung inflammation induced via exposure to 2.5 µm particulate matter (PM 2.5) in healthy individuals.

We recently presented this work at the European Respiratory Society Congress (ERS) 2024 conference, and you can view our presentation below. If you are interested in finding out more, or meeting us at a conference, please get in touch.