Reductions in ambient levels of PM2.5 mass continue to be the major focus of regulatory discussions in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Considerable resources have been invested in research to identify the components, sources, or specific size fractions whose control would most effectively protect public health. What have we learned? This session will feature presentations on major contributions of HEI’s NPACT Initiative and similar European research programs, followed by perspectives from a panel of experts on what the findings suggest for future research directions and regulations.
Robert O’Keefe
, Health Effects Institute
Bert Brunekreef
, University of Utrecht (Netherlands)Flemming Cassee
(6.7MB), National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) (Netherlands)Discussants
- New Directions in Air Quality Research at the US EPA
Daniel Costa (5.7MB), US Environmental Protection Agency
- Secondary Aerosol and Linking Source Emissions to Health Impacts
Allen Robinson , Colorado State University
Chairs: David Christiani, Harvard School of Public Health, and Stephanie London, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
This session will review current evidence for the biological mechanisms by which cardiovascular effects may result after exposure to PM. Speakers will review the intermediate endpoints and biomarkers of different physiologic pathways that are most frequently measured in animal models and human studies, along with the strength of the evidence that relates these endpoints and biomarkers to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Determinants of individual susceptibility, challenges in interpreting study results, and possible future research directions will also be discussed.
Stephanie London
Joel Kaufman
, University of Washington–SeattleJesus Araujo
(7.3MB), University of California–Los AngelesSanjay Rajagopalan
(6.6MB), Ohio State UniversityWayne Cascio
, US Environmental Protection AgencyChairs: Homer Boushey, University of California–San Francisco and Chair, HEI Review Committee, and David Eaton, University of Washington–Seattle and Chair, HEI Research Committee
HEI will present progress of its research and review programs and publications. Highlights will include ongoing work on ozone exposure and health outcomes, the HEI’s recent review of the literature on exposure to ultrafine particles and possible health effects, as well as plans for new research on improving nearroad exposure assessment. The recipient of the 2012 Walter A. Rosenblith New Investigator Award will be introduced.
Chairs
Rashid Shaikh
, Health Effects Institute
Katherine Walker
, Health Effects Institute Geoffrey Sunshine
, Health Effects Institute Many research projects have evaluated the effectiveness of local and national actions undertaken to improve air quality. Studies have looked at the impact of such actions on air pollutant concentrations, exposures, and public health. This session will take stock of recent efforts in this area, including studies of the Beijing Olympic Games, low emissions zones and other measures to reduce congestion, and programs to reduce emissions in seaports. One presentation will focus on plans to evaluate upcoming regulations to reduce sulfur and mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants in the Eastern United States.
Jennifer Peel
Junfeng (Jim) Zhang
(6MB), University of Southern CaliforniaBen Barratt
, King’s College London (UK)4:30 PM
Bart Croes
, California Air Resources BoardAlan Vette
, US Environmental Protection AgencyProspective cohort studies, such as the Harvard Six Cities and the American Cancer Society studies, have identified important associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and mortality from chronic disease. Such studies provide the basis for quantitative assessment of public health impact in the US and other countries. Approaches for studying the effects of long-term exposure continue to evolve in response to limitations of data and methods and the need to address new scientific questions. Speakers will assess the strengths and weaknesses of innovations in study designs, exposure assessment, and methods to evaluate the incidence of chronic disease, all of which offer promise for future research.
Ben Armstrong
Richard Burnett
, University of Ottawa (Canada)Michael Jerrett
(21MB), University of California–BerkeleyBeate Ritz
, University of California–Los AngelesDiscussant
- Future of Long Term Studies- Comments
Bert Brunekreef (5.3MB), University of Utrecht (Netherlands)
Summary and Discussion
Diesel engine technology has recently undergone major improvements to meet increasingly strict emissions standards, yet older diesel engines still dominate the fleet. The focus of this session is to discuss [1] diesel engine risk assessments and regulations around the world; [2] approaches to reducing emissions of diesel exhaust in California; [3] results of emissions characterization and possible health effects of new heavy-duty diesel engines (the ACES studies); and [4] HEI’s upcoming evaluation of the epidemiologic literature on the effects of exposure to diesel exhaust.
Daniel Greenbaum
Alberto Ayala
, California Air Resources BoardImad Khalek
(6.8MB), Southwest Research InstituteJacob McDonald
(7.3MB), Lovelace Respiratory Research InstituteDaniel Krewski
, University of Ottawa (Canada)Health Effects Institute
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E-mail: rshavers@healtheffects.org
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Last updated May 2, 2013