Acute Health Effects Barbecue Fumes

Barbecuing is a social get-together during which people can enjoy tasteful
food. However, a study executed in China suggested that it also may result in
health risks (2). While barbecuing, people will be exposed to a mix of gasses
and particulate matter (PM). Although a great deal of research has been
executed investigating the harmful effects of PM, a lot is still unknown
regarding the health effects of complex mixtures like barbecue smoke. This
research will therefore investigate the concentrations PM people will be
exposed to, and which short term health effects will occur.

The objectives are to study short-term changes in lung function in association
with barbecue fumes in healthy volunteers aged 18 * 50 years. Secondly, changes
in inflammatory markers and the antioxidant defence system using nasal swabs,
and respiratory symptoms will be determined.

The study has a repeated measures design which will assess the acute health
effects of healthy people exposed to barbecue fumes. 25 healthy, non-smoking
volunteers will participate in two barbecue sessions, over the course of 3
months. Each person will participate in two sessions, one while barbecuing and
one control session with identical procedures but no barbecue fumes. Both
before and directly after the barbecue sessions lung function measurements and
a questionnaire regarding respiratory symptoms will be executed. Furthermore,
nasal swabs will be collected 4 times per barbecue sessions: before,
immediately after, 4 hours later and the next morning. During both barbecue
sessions major air pollutants will be continuously measured, including
particulate matter with an aerodynamic size of 2.5 micrometer, ultrafine
particles and black carbon.
Whether the volunteers will participate first with the control- or exposure
session will be determined through randomization. Furthermore, during the
control barbecue session, the barbecue will be place downwinds from the
volunteers, at a minimal distance of 100 meters.

not applicable

The 25 volunteers will be asked to participate in two separate barbecue
sessions over the course of three months. The total participation time will
exist out of approximately 6.5 hours, including signing the informed consent
form and 2 barbecue sessions. Lung function and the reporting of respiratory
symptoms will be measured both before and directly after the barbecue sessions.
Nasal swabs will be executed before, directly after, 4 hours later and the next
morning. It is expected that two barbecue sessions including measurements,
executed over the course of three months, will not alter the volunteers
motivations to participate, because they will receive free dinner and
breakfast. Furthermore, the researchers believe the risks of injury or negative
effects on health, by participating in this study, are extremely low, as the
volunteers will not get into direct contact with the barbecue. They will remain
at a distance of 2 meters throughout the sessions. The participants will not
benefit personally from participating in the study directly. However, they
might learn about the potential health effects of exposure to barbecue fumes,
potentially leading to behavioural changes in barbecue practice. For their
participation time, the participants will receive a gift certificate of ¤25,
once they completed the two barbecue sessions.