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Volatile organic compounds in runners near a roadway: increased blood levels after short-duration exercise
Citation
Blair, C and Walls, J and Davies, NW and Jacobson, GA, Volatile organic compounds in runners near a roadway: increased blood levels after short-duration exercise, British Journal of Sports Medicine, 44, (10) pp. 731-735. ISSN 0306-3674 (2010) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
Copyright © Article author (or their employer) 2010. Produced by BMJ Publishing Group Ltd under licence
Official URL: http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/44/10/731
DOI: doi:10.1136/bjsm.2008.051888
Abstract
Objective To determine if non-elite athletes undertaking short duration running exercise adjacent to a busy roadway experience increased blood levels of common pollutant volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX)).
Design and setting The study was observational in design. Participants (nine males/one female non-elite athletes) ran for 20 min, near a busy roadway along a 100 m defined course at their own pace. Blood levels of BTEX were determined both pre- and post-exercise by SPME-GC-MS. Environmental BTEX levels were determined by passive adsorption samplers.
Results Subjects completed a mean (range) distance of 4.4 (3.4 to 5.2) km over 20 min (4.5 (3.8 to 5.9) min/km pace), with a mean (SD) exercise intensity of 93 (2.3)% HRmax, and mean (SD) ventilation significantly elevated compared with resting levels (86.2 (2.3) vs 8.7 (0.9) l/min; p<0.001). The mean (SD) environmental levels (time weighted average) were determined as 53.1 (4.2), 428 (83), and 80.0 (3.7) ìg/m3 for toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes, respectively, while benzene was below the detectable limit due to the short exposure period. Significant increases in blood BTEX levels were observed in runners between pre- and postexercise for toluene (mean increase of 1.4 ng/ml; p=0.002), ethylbenzene (0.7 ng/ml; p=0.0003), m/p-xylene (2.0 ng/ml; p=0.004) and o-xylene (1.1 ng/ml; p=0.002), but no change was observed for benzene.
Conclusions Blood BTEX levels are increased during high-intensity exercise such as running undertaken in areas with BTEX pollution, even with a short duration of exercise. This may have health implications for runners who regularly exercise near roadways.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Research Division: | Medical and Health Sciences |
| Research Group: | Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences |
| Research Field: | Toxicology (incl. Clinical Toxicology) |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Clinical Health (Organs, Diseases and Abnormal Conditions) |
| Objective Field: | Blood Disorders |
| UTAS Author: | Blair, C (Mr Chauncy Blair) |
| UTAS Author: | Walls, J (Professor Justin Walls) |
| UTAS Author: | Davies, NW (Associate Professor Noel Davies) |
| UTAS Author: | Jacobson, GA (Associate Professor Glenn Jacobson) |
| ID Code: | 66495 |
| Year Published: | 2010 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 1 |
| Deposited By: | Pharmacy |
| Deposited On: | 2011-01-31 |
| Last Modified: | 2011-04-17 |
| Downloads: | 581 View Download Statistics |
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