Health – Environmental respiration risks

Little is known about the toxicological effects of inhaling airborne ultrafine particles, but that may soon change because of research by a team led by Mengdawn Cheng of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Of particular interest is the interaction of human tissue and particles 1 to 100 nanometers in size that are byproducts of exhaust from internal combustion engines and other sources „ including new manmade nanophase materials. Cheng’s team is developing instruments and techniques to more accurately measure these nanoparticles and model cells to understand biological responses to exposure. Through better exposure characterization, researchers hope to perform risk analyses from which safety standards can be established. Collaborators include Wright Patterson and Elgin Air Force bases, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Rice University, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute. The research is funded by the departments of Energy and Defense.

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