Ambient air pollution is a complex mixture of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter (PM). PM has a recognized important role in human health. There is a strong scientific consensus on the independent association of PM and adverse cardiovascular and respiratory effects, as well as cancer. It is reasonable to expect that the smaller particles (ultrafine particles, UFP) may have an enhanced toxicity relative to other PM size fractions, due to physical properties and potential to translocation beyond the lung. A recent Danish report concluded that train conductors on a working day, and in two specific diesel engine trains, are exposed to higher concentrations of diesel exhaust than by constant stay in a busy street. Indeed, the average exposure for train conductors on such engines was around 100,000-150,000 UFP per cm3 as compared with around 40,000 per cm3 on a busy street in Copenhagen \[1\]. The aim of this study is to investigate if this occupational exposure is associated with vascular and respiratory impairment and DNA damage.
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Reactive hyperemia index measured by peripheral arterial tonometry
Timeframe: Peripheral arterial tonometry is assessed after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day)
Heart rate variability
Timeframe: Assessed after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day)
DNA damage in peripheral blood mononuclear cells
Timeframe: Blood is sampled, prepared and stored after each exposure scenario (on the third day after 6 hours on defined train routes per day). Analysis is performed after sample collection completion.