Wildfire Study

RAIN (Regional Alliance of INBRE Networks) Project

Chemical Characterization of Western Wildfire Smoke, Lung Toxicity, and Health Risks

About the Project

Objectives

The main goals of this collaborative research are to determine the composition and toxicity of western wildfire smoke on simulated human lung tissue and evaluate the associated health risks. We hypothesize that inhaled particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) leach toxicants to lung fluids, depending on smoke exposure.

Aims

Characterize PM and VOCs in fresh and aged wildfire smoke at several sites in the Western United States by X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and liquid/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify particulate size, composition of minerals, and speciated VOCs.
Determine the toxicity of PM and VOCs of wildfire smoke using simulated lung fluids and in vitro toxicity assays. This approach will quantify dissolved metals, metalloids, and VOCs in simulated lung fluids via batch reactor studies.
Identify the associations between respiratory health outcomes and emissions from wildfires and develop a statistical model for health risk assessment.