Feasibility of field studies of multipollutant interactions

Technical Report · Wed Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

OSTI ID:5885245

Lippmann, M

The author provides an overview of the problems and progress to date in studies of the respiratory health effects of multiple air pollutants. The problem arises because the preference for single (or even multiple) pollutants in lab studies does not replicate the conditions of actual exposure to complex pollutant mixtures for the general population. The limits of interpretation possible in more realistic studies is stressed. The examples of SO/sub 2/-particulate matter and lead-nutritional factors are presented as two cases where laboratory-generated data lagged behind epidemiologic studies in their ability to corroborate multiple exposure-disease associations identified in field studies of humans. An extensive review of laboratory and field studies of multipollutant interactions is provided. The paper ends with a call for more field studies with enhanced measurements of exposures, and outcomes.

• Research Organization: New York Univ., NY (USA). Inst. of Environmental Medicine
• OSTI ID: 5885245
• Report Number(s): PB-87-212726/XAB; EPA-600/D-87/231
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLOIDS
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
EVALUATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PARTICULATES
POLLUTION
PUBLIC HEALTH
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SOLS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES