Change of Composition, Source Contribution, and Oxidative Effects of Environmental PM in the Respiratory Tract.

Fine particulate matter is a leading air pollutant, and its composition profile relates to sources and health effects. The human respiratory tract hosts a warmer and more humid microenvironment in contrast with peripheral environments. However, how the human respiratory tract impacts the transformation of the composition of environmental PM once they are inhaled and consequently changes of source contribution and health effects are unknown. Here, we show that the respiratory tract can make these properties of PM reaching the lung different from environmental PM. We found via an in vitro model that the warm and humid conditions drive the desorption of nitrate (about 60%) and ammonium (about 31%) out of PM during the inhalation process and consequently make source contribution profiles for respiratory tract-deposited PM different from that for environmental PM as suggested in 11 Chinese cities and 12 US cities. We also observed that oxidative potential, one of the main health risk causes of PM, increases by 41% after PM travels through the respiratory tract model. Our results reveal that PM inhaled in the lung differs from environmental PM. This work provides a starting point for more health-oriented source apportionment, physiology-based health evaluation, and cost-effective control of PM pollution.