infocus #9 March 2008 Environmental Particles

A breath of fresh air?

DOI: 10.22443/rms.inf.1.30

Our lungs are exposed to airborne particles in all aspects of everyday life. Research from around the world suggests that ‘small’ aerial particles can cause ‘big’ health problems in persons with pre-existing lung and heart disease. The Lung & Particle Research Group at Cardiff University are investigating the biological effects of environmental particles in the lung. They are trying to seek links between the distribution and biopersistence (i.e. solubility) of particles in the lung with mechanisms of cell damage or compromised lung biochemistry. This is a challenge facing all respiratory toxicologists today, since there is no ‘biological plausibility’ to explain how ultrafine particles, such as diesel exhaust, fly ash and nanoparticles, induce adverse health effects.

The major portal of entry into the human body for environmental particles is via inhalation into the respiratory system. Therefore, the current research suggests that ambient particles have direct effects on the lung, which in turn, may lead to disruption of cardiac events. The greater pulmonary deposition efficiency of a given particle, with a large surface area and transition metals bound to it, is considered important in cardiopulmonary toxicity.

The greatest risk to human health is now thought to come from inhaled nanoparticles, since they appear to be able to evade the body’s natural defence mechanisms,
with a consequence of redistribution into other sites of the body, causing systemic health effects.

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Authors

Kelly BéruBé

Director of Nanoscience Initiatives, Cardiff University

Dr Kelly BéruBé trained as a cell biologist at the University of Massachusetts (USA), and gained specialist training as an electron microscopist at Royal Holloway, London University (UK) and lung toxicologist at the University of Vermont (USA). Kelly is the Director of Nanoscience Initiatives at the School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, UK. With her background in electron microscopy and lung toxicology, she has built an international reputation in the field air pollution and human health and holds numerous appointments in the USA and UK on funding bodies, advisory councils, professional societies and journal editorial boards that focus on environmental health. Her research focuses on the determination of intelligent biomarkers of exposure and harm in the respiratory system, with a particular interest in understanding how pollutants compromise lung biochemistry and alter gene and protein expression to drive disease mechanisms. Dr BéruBé’s research has been recognised with a number of awards, including the Institute for Science & Health (USA) ‘Scientific Merit Award 2006’ for toxicogenomics of inhaled xenobiotics and the honour of being the British Toxicology Society’s ‘Australasia Visitor 2006’ to conduct a lecture tour on nanoparticle toxicology. Recent work on human tissue equivalents of respiratory epithelia, as viable in vitro alternatives for in vivo inhalation toxicology, was awarded the UK NC3Rs ‘Replacement Prize’ and ‘Science & Technology Innovation Prize (Cardiff University) in 2007. Kelly’s field of study is of natural interest to the general public, and as such, she is a prolific science writer and popular invited-speaker, and has worked extensively on communicating her research through public engagements of science for primary schools, laymen groups and professional learned societies

Tim Jones

Senior Lecturer, Cardiff University

Tim trained as a geologist at Royal Holloway, London University, and in his early career worked with analytical SEM and TEM, and reflected light microscopy. Later research interests focussed on smaller particles, including nanoparticles, and this required the use of high resolution analytical electron microscopy. The most recent research has concentrated on airborne geological or technogenic particulate matter. Examples of this include anthropogenic pollution, as well as naturally-occurring airborne particles such as volcanic ash or dust storm grains. Tim is co-leader of the Cardiff University Research Group on Airborne Particles and the Lung. As a geologist his role is primarily the collection and characterisation of airborne particles, before the material is assessed for respiratory toxicity. One of the most important methods used in this particle characterisation is analytical FE SEM.

Chris Jones

Hitachi High Technologies Europe

Chris trained as an earth scientist and started his career in the Geology Department at Oxford Brookes University working with both light microscopy and analytical electron microscopy. He later joined the Mineralogy Department at the Natural History Museum in London, managing the Electron Microscope Unit. This facility utilises SEM, analytical VPSEM, FE SEM, TEM and Confocal microscopy for research of naturally occurring samples, along with research collaboration with institutions worldwide. Chris focused mainly on mineralogical fields, including naturally occurring minerals used as pigments, ultrastructure in bryozoans and some forensic projects. He also co-authored a Museum publication with Alex Ball titled Close Up. In 2004 Chris joined Hitachi as their UK and Nordic SEM applications specialist, with responsibility for SEM, VPSEM and FE SEM applications, development, demonstrations and training. Chris has continued collaborative research into areas as diverse as mineral-based pigments, FE SEM applications in the study of genetics of deafness and air-borne pollutants.