Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Air pollution is the environmental stressor that causes the most morbidity and mortality worldwide. With climate change, increasing wildfires and extreme heat events are leading to exposure to greater concentrations of air pollution for more prolonged periods than previously seen. Individuals who perform occupational work, or physical activity when exposed to air pollution are at greater risk due to their increased ventilation and therefore increased dose of harmful air pollution. However, little is known about how physical activity and air pollution interact. Currently, our group has the only air pollution exposure system in Canada capable of studying ground-level ozone during physical activity in humans. However, the system is limited, in that it currently can only provide a single pollutant (ozone) and not the more typical mixtures of pollutants that are experienced. The proposed equipment grant will fund a modular exposure chamber that will not only improve the capability and reliability of the current system, it will allow multi-directional exchange of pollutants, gases and compounds between researchers housed in chemistry, kinesiology and medicine. Furthermore, it will permit the significant assessment of pulmonary changes associated with these exposures including detailed spirometry, flow oscillometry and the assessment of work of breathing in participants. With this setup, researchers and HQP in the Department of Chemistry can create more representative mixtures of pollutants using existing NSERC-funded equipment in the laboratory of Dr. Nadine Borduas. These mixtures can then be brought to the exposure system for and NSERC-funded researchers (Drs. Michael Koehle and Bill Sheel) and HQP in the School of Kinesiology and Faculty of Medicine to conduct detailed exposure studies in humans during work and exercise using novel metrics not previously employed in pollution research. Likewise, gases, liquids and mixtures produced during human work or exercise can be collected in the exposure laboratory and brought to the chemistry laboratory for further characterisation. In summary, we have assembled a diverse group of investigators and HQP from three faculties with a strong track record in atmospheric pollution and human integrative physiology research who will collaborate on innovative and globally relevant basic and applied studies investigating the ozone-human interaction, using a proven pollution delivery paradigm that will enhance scientific and material exchange between the School of Kinesiology, Department of Chemistry and the Faculty of Medicine.