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Lung function and self-rated symptoms in healthy volunteers after exposure to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) exhaust with and without particles

Gren, Louise LU ; Dierschke, Katrin LU ; Mattsson, Fredrik LU ; Assarsson, Eva LU ; Krais, Annette LU orcid ; Kåredal, Monica LU orcid ; Lovén, Karin LU ; Löndahl, Jakob LU orcid ; Pagels, Joakim LU and Strandberg, Bo LU , et al. (2022) In Particle and Fibre Toxicology 19(1).
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Diesel engine exhaust causes adverse health effects. Meanwhile, the impact of renewable diesel exhaust, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), on human health is less known. Nineteen healthy volunteers were exposed to HVO exhaust for 3 h in a chamber with a double-blind, randomized setup. Exposure scenarios comprised of HVO exhaust from two modern non-road vehicles with 1) no aftertreatment system ('HVOPM+NOx' PM1: 93 µg m-3, EC: 54 µg m-3, NO: 3.4 ppm, NO2: 0.6 ppm), 2) an aftertreatment system containing a diesel oxidation catalyst and a diesel particulate filter ('HVONOx' PM1: ~ 1 µg m-3, NO: 2.0 ppm, NO2: 0.7 ppm) and 3) filtered air (FA) as control. The exposure concentrations were in line with current EU... (More)

BACKGROUND: Diesel engine exhaust causes adverse health effects. Meanwhile, the impact of renewable diesel exhaust, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), on human health is less known. Nineteen healthy volunteers were exposed to HVO exhaust for 3 h in a chamber with a double-blind, randomized setup. Exposure scenarios comprised of HVO exhaust from two modern non-road vehicles with 1) no aftertreatment system ('HVOPM+NOx' PM1: 93 µg m-3, EC: 54 µg m-3, NO: 3.4 ppm, NO2: 0.6 ppm), 2) an aftertreatment system containing a diesel oxidation catalyst and a diesel particulate filter ('HVONOx' PM1: ~ 1 µg m-3, NO: 2.0 ppm, NO2: 0.7 ppm) and 3) filtered air (FA) as control. The exposure concentrations were in line with current EU occupational exposure limits (OELs) of NO, NO2, formaldehyde, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the future OEL (2023) of elemental carbon (EC). The effect on nasal patency, pulmonary function, and self-rated symptoms were assessed. Calculated predicted lung deposition of HVO exhaust particles was compared to data from an earlier diesel exhaust study.

RESULTS: The average total respiratory tract deposition of PM1 during HVOPM+NOx was 27 µg h-1. The estimated deposition fraction of HVO PM1 was 40-50% higher compared to diesel exhaust PM1 from an older vehicle (earlier study), due to smaller particle sizes of the HVOPM+NOx exhaust. Compared to FA, exposure to HVOPM+NOx and HVONOx caused higher incidence of self-reported symptoms (78%, 63%, respectively, vs. 28% for FA, p < 0.03). Especially, exposure to HVOPM+NOx showed 40-50% higher eye and throat irritation symptoms. Compared to FA, a decrement in nasal patency was found for the HVONOx exposures (- 18.1, 95% CI: - 27.3 to - 8.8 L min-1, p < 0.001), and for the HVOPM+NOx (- 7.4 (- 15.6 to 0.8) L min-1, p = 0.08). Overall, no clinically significant change was indicated in the pulmonary function tests (spirometry, peak expiratory flow, forced oscillation technique).

CONCLUSION: Short-term exposure to HVO exhaust concentrations corresponding to EU OELs for one workday did not cause adverse pulmonary function changes in healthy subjects. However, an increase in self-rated mild irritation symptoms, and mild decrease in nasal patency after both HVO exposures, may indicate irritative effects from exposure to HVO exhaust from modern non-road vehicles, with and without aftertreatment systems.

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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Aerosol, Forced oscillation technique (FOT), Inhalation, Non-road vehicles, Occupational exposure limits (OELs), Peak expiratory flow (PEF), Peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF), Pulmonary function, Renewable diesel, Symptoms
in
Particle and Fibre Toxicology
volume
19
issue
1
article number
9
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85123615034
  • pmid:35073958
ISSN
1743-8977
DOI
10.1186/s12989-021-00446-7
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
444e0554-8e0a-4f68-9cd3-578853c571c2
date added to LUP
2022-01-27 14:33:43
date last changed
2025-01-24 09:38:34
@article{444e0554-8e0a-4f68-9cd3-578853c571c2,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: Diesel engine exhaust causes adverse health effects. Meanwhile, the impact of renewable diesel exhaust, such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), on human health is less known. Nineteen healthy volunteers were exposed to HVO exhaust for 3 h in a chamber with a double-blind, randomized setup. Exposure scenarios comprised of HVO exhaust from two modern non-road vehicles with 1) no aftertreatment system ('HVOPM+NOx' PM1: 93 µg m-3, EC: 54 µg m-3, NO: 3.4 ppm, NO2: 0.6 ppm), 2) an aftertreatment system containing a diesel oxidation catalyst and a diesel particulate filter ('HVONOx' PM1: ~ 1 µg m-3, NO: 2.0 ppm, NO2: 0.7 ppm) and 3) filtered air (FA) as control. The exposure concentrations were in line with current EU occupational exposure limits (OELs) of NO, NO2, formaldehyde, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the future OEL (2023) of elemental carbon (EC). The effect on nasal patency, pulmonary function, and self-rated symptoms were assessed. Calculated predicted lung deposition of HVO exhaust particles was compared to data from an earlier diesel exhaust study.</p><p>RESULTS: The average total respiratory tract deposition of PM1 during HVOPM+NOx was 27 µg h-1. The estimated deposition fraction of HVO PM1 was 40-50% higher compared to diesel exhaust PM1 from an older vehicle (earlier study), due to smaller particle sizes of the HVOPM+NOx exhaust. Compared to FA, exposure to HVOPM+NOx and HVONOx caused higher incidence of self-reported symptoms (78%, 63%, respectively, vs. 28% for FA, p &lt; 0.03). Especially, exposure to HVOPM+NOx showed 40-50% higher eye and throat irritation symptoms. Compared to FA, a decrement in nasal patency was found for the HVONOx exposures (- 18.1, 95% CI: - 27.3 to - 8.8 L min-1, p &lt; 0.001), and for the HVOPM+NOx (- 7.4 (- 15.6 to 0.8) L min-1, p = 0.08). Overall, no clinically significant change was indicated in the pulmonary function tests (spirometry, peak expiratory flow, forced oscillation technique).</p><p>CONCLUSION: Short-term exposure to HVO exhaust concentrations corresponding to EU OELs for one workday did not cause adverse pulmonary function changes in healthy subjects. However, an increase in self-rated mild irritation symptoms, and mild decrease in nasal patency after both HVO exposures, may indicate irritative effects from exposure to HVO exhaust from modern non-road vehicles, with and without aftertreatment systems.</p>}},
  author       = {{Gren, Louise and Dierschke, Katrin and Mattsson, Fredrik and Assarsson, Eva and Krais, Annette and Kåredal, Monica and Lovén, Karin and Löndahl, Jakob and Pagels, Joakim and Strandberg, Bo and Tunér, Martin and Xu, Yiyi and Wollmer, Per and Albin, Maria and Nielsen, Jörn and Gudmundsson, Anders and Wierzbicka, Aneta}},
  issn         = {{1743-8977}},
  keywords     = {{Aerosol; Forced oscillation technique (FOT); Inhalation; Non-road vehicles; Occupational exposure limits (OELs); Peak expiratory flow (PEF); Peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF); Pulmonary function; Renewable diesel; Symptoms}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Particle and Fibre Toxicology}},
  title        = {{Lung function and self-rated symptoms in healthy volunteers after exposure to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) exhaust with and without particles}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12989-021-00446-7}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12989-021-00446-7}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}