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Metals in Ambient Particles: Sources and Effects on Human Health

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A special issue of Atmosphere (ISSN 2073-4433). This special issue belongs to the section "Air Quality and Human Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2021) | Viewed by 23644

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Polina Maciejczyk

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Guest Editor

Chemistry & Biochemistry Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave S, St. Petersburg, FL 33711, USA
Interests: outdoor air pollution, source apportionment, metal composition of PM, human health effects of exposures to air pollutants

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over the past two decades, research on ambient particulate matter (PM) has linked adverse health effects to exposure to various components and sources of PM. However, there is still considerable uncertainty on the role of metals in causation vs. association with these health outcomes.

This Special Issue aims to address this uncertainty by reporting the current evidence from investigations of health effects associated with specific metal components or different sources of metal PM. We invite authors to submit original and review articles providing insights on health-related effects caused by inhalation of ambient PM containing metals. Toxicological studies that use dosages comparable to human exposure levels will be considered. We are especially interested in articles on environmentally relevant exposure levels and translocation of metals to the organs beyond the respiratory tract.

Dr. Polina Maciejczyk
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Atmosphere is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

particulate matter
human health effects
exposures to air pollutants
metal components of particulate matter
source apportionment
source-specific air pollution

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 4420 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Populus nigra Italica Leaves as a Valuable Tool for Mineralogical and Geochemical Interpretation of Inorganic Atmospheric Aerosols’ Genesis

by Maciej Górka, Wojciech Bartz, Alisa Skuridina and Anna Potysz

Atmosphere 2020, 11(10), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11101126 - 20 Oct 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2520

Abstract

The Olmaliq industrial area in Uzbekistan is believed to represent a risk to the environment and to human health due to the dispersal of contaminants into the air and soil. This study was undertaken to delineate the track of airborne contaminants’ migration and to assess the distribution of such particles deposited on Populus nigra L. cv Italica leaves and soils. Particles were identified using scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), while bulk soil composition was quantified by applying inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results of this study confirmed the research hypothesis, indicating the industrial center as a source of pollution and human exposure to metallic contaminants. The Olmaliq area in particular is strongly influenced by atmospheric pollutants from local industries. The spread of ultra-fine particles is mainly governed by the industrial output and the direction of prevailing winds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metals in Ambient Particles: Sources and Effects on Human Health)

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Review

Jump to: Research

34 pages, 2956 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Role of Fossil Fuel Combustion Metals in PM_2.5 Air Pollution Health Associations

by Polina Maciejczyk, Lung-Chi Chen and George Thurston

Atmosphere 2021, 12(9), 1086; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12091086 - 24 Aug 2021

Cited by 47 | Viewed by 7770

Abstract

In this review, we elucidate the central role played by fossil fuel combustion in the health-related effects that have been associated with inhalation of ambient fine particulate matter (PM_2.5). We especially focus on individual properties and concentrations of metals commonly found in PM air pollution, as well as their sources and their adverse health effects, based on both epidemiologic and toxicological evidence. It is known that transition metals, such as Ni, V, Fe, and Cu, are highly capable of participating in redox reactions that produce oxidative stress. Therefore, particles that are enriched, per unit mass, in these metals, such as those from fossil fuel combustion, can have greater potential to produce health effects than other ambient particulate matter. Moreover, fossil fuel combustion particles also contain varying amounts of sulfur, and the acidic nature of the resulting sulfur compounds in particulate matter (e.g., as ammonium sulfate, ammonium bisulfate, or sulfuric acid) makes transition metals in particles more bioavailable, greatly enhancing the potential of fossil fuel combustion PM_2.5 to cause oxidative stress and systemic health effects in the human body. In general, there is a need to further recognize particulate matter air pollution mass as a complex source-driven mixture, in order to more effectively quantify and regulate particle air pollution exposure health risks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metals in Ambient Particles: Sources and Effects on Human Health)

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18 pages, 359 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review of Metal Levels in Urban Dust, Their Methods of Determination, and Risk Assessment

by Chikumbusko Chiziwa Kaonga, Ishmael Bobby Mphangwe Kosamu and Wells Robert Utembe

Atmosphere 2021, 12(7), 891; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12070891 - 08 Jul 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3525

Abstract

This review gives insights into the levels of metals in urban dust, their determination methods, and risk assessment. Urban dust harbors a number of pollutants, including heavy metals. There are various methods used for the sampling of urban dust for heavy-metal analysis and source-apportionment purposes, with the predominant one being the use of plastic sampling materials to avoid prior contamination. There are also various methods for the determination of metals, which include: atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), among others. Studies have shown that pollutants in urban dust are mainly derived from industrial activities and coal combustion, whereas traffic emissions are also an important, but not a predominant source of pollution. The varying particle-size distribution of urban dust and its large surface area makes it easier for the deposition and transport of heavy metals. Risk-assessment studies have shown that metals in urban dust could cause such problems as human pulmonary toxicity and reduction of invertebrate populations. The risk levels seem to be higher in children than adults, as some studies have shown. It is therefore important that studies on metals in urban dust should always incorporate risk assessment as one of the main issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metals in Ambient Particles: Sources and Effects on Human Health)

10 pages, 272 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Particulate Matter and Associated Metals: A Link with Neurotoxicity and Mental Health

by Nicole A. Potter, Gabriella Y. Meltzer, Oyemwenosa N. Avenbuan, Amna Raja and Judith T. Zelikoff

Atmosphere 2021, 12(4), 425; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos12040425 - 26 Mar 2021

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4016

Abstract

Particulate air pollution (PM) is a mixture of heterogenous components from natural and anthropogenic sources and contributes to a variety of serious illnesses, including neurological and behavioral effects, as well as millions of premature deaths. Ultrafine (PM_0.1) and fine-size ambient particles (PM_2.5) can enter the circulatory system and cross the blood–brain barrier or enter through the optic nerve, and then upregulate inflammatory markers and increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the brain. Toxic and neurotoxic metals such as manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and barium (Ba) can adsorb to the PM surface and potentially contribute to the neurotoxic effects associated with PM exposure. Epidemiological studies have shown a negative relationship between exposure to PM-associated Mn and neurodevelopment amongst children, as well as impaired dexterity in the elderly. Inhaled PM-associated Cu has also been shown to impair motor performance and alter basal ganglia in schoolchildren. This paper provides a brief review of the epidemiological and toxicological studies published over the last five years concerning inhaled PM, PM-relevant metals, neurobiology, and mental health outcomes. Given the growing interest in mental health and the fact that 91% of the world’s population is considered to be exposed to unhealthy air, more research on PM and PM-associated metals and neurological health is needed for future policy decisions and strategic interventions to prevent public harm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metals in Ambient Particles: Sources and Effects on Human Health)

40 pages, 5318 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Air Pollution-Related Brain Metal Dyshomeostasis as a Potential Risk Factor for Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Neurodegenerative Diseases

by Deborah A. Cory-Slechta, Marissa Sobolewski and Günter Oberdörster

Atmosphere 2020, 11(10), 1098; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos11101098 - 14 Oct 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4820

Abstract

Increasing evidence links air pollution (AP) exposure to effects on the central nervous system structure and function. Particulate matter AP, especially the ultrafine (nanoparticle) components, can carry numerous metal and trace element contaminants that can reach the brain in utero and after birth. Excess brain exposure to either essential or non-essential elements can result in brain dyshomeostasis, which has been implicated in both neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs; autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and neurodegenerative diseases (NDGDs; Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). This review summarizes the current understanding of the extent to which the inhalational or intranasal instillation of metals reproduces in vivo the shared features of NDDs and NDGDs, including enlarged lateral ventricles, alterations in myelination, glutamatergic dysfunction, neuronal cell death, inflammation, microglial activation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, altered social behaviors, cognitive dysfunction, and impulsivity. Although evidence is limited to date, neuronal cell death, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction are reproduced by numerous metals. Understanding the specific contribution of metals/trace elements to this neurotoxicity can guide the development of more realistic animal exposure models of human AP exposure and consequently lead to a more meaningful approach to mechanistic studies, potential intervention strategies, and regulatory requirements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metals in Ambient Particles: Sources and Effects on Human Health)

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