Induced Sputum Assessment in New York City Firefighters Exposed to World Trade Center Dust Elizabeth M. Fireman,1,2,3 Yehuda Lerman,3,4 Eliezer Ganor,5 Joel Greif,1,3 Sharon Fireman-Shoresh,6 Paul J. Lioy,7 Gisela I. Banauch,8,9 Michael Weiden,8,10 Kerry J. Kelly,8 and David J. Prezant8,9 1Institute for Pulmonary and Allergic Diseases, and 2National Laboratory Service for Interstitial Lung Diseases, Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel-Aviv, Israel; 3Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; 4National Institute of Occupational and Environmental Health, Raanana, Israel; 5Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel; 6Institute of Chemistry, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel; 7Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; 8NYC Fire Department Bureau of Health Services, New York, New York, USA; 9Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA; 10Pulmonary Division, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA Abstract New York City Firefighters (FDNY-FFs) were exposed to particulate matter and combustion/pyrolysis products during and after the World Trade Center (WTC) collapse. Ten months after the collapse, induced sputum (IS) samples were obtained from 39 highly exposed FDNY-FFs (caught in the dust cloud during the collapse on 11 September 2001) and compared to controls to determine whether a unique pattern of inflammation and particulate matter deposition, compatible with WTC dust, was present. Control subjects were 12 Tel-Aviv, Israel, firefighters (TA-FFs) and 8 Israeli healthcare workers who were not exposed to WTC dust. All controls volunteered for this study, had never smoked, and did not have respiratory illness. IS was processed by conventional methods. Retrieved cells were differentially counted, and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) , particle size distribution (PSD) , and mineral composition were measured. Differential cell counts of FDNY-FF IS differed from those of health care worker controls (p < 0.05) but not from those of TA-FFs. Percentages of neutrophils and eosinophils increased with greater intensity of WTC exposure (< 10 workdays or 10 workdays ; neutrophils p = 0.046 ; eosinophils p = 0.038) . MMP-9 levels positively correlated to neutrophil counts (p = 0.002 ; r = 0.449) . Particles were larger and more irregularly shaped in FDNY-FFs (1-50 µm ; zinc, mercury, gold, tin, silver) than in TA-FFs (1-10 µm ; silica, clays) . PSD was similar to that of WTC dust samples. In conclusion, IS from highly exposed FDNY-FFs demonstrated inflammation, PSD, and particle composition that was different from nonexposed controls and consistent with WTC dust exposure. Key words: firefighters, inflammation, inhalation exposure, particulates, sputum, World Trade Center. Environ Health Perspect 112:1564-1569 (2004) . doi:10.1289/ehp.7233 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 22 September 2004] Address correspondence to D.J. Prezant, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Pulmonary Division, Montefiore Medical Center, Centennial 423, East 210th St., Bronx, NY 10467 USA. Telephone: (718) 999-1934. Fax: (718) 999-0174. E-mail: prezand@fdny.nyc.gov We thank E. Eshkol for editorial assistance. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 6 May 2004 ; accepted 22 September 2004. The full version of this article is available for free in HTML or PDF formats. |