Exposure of Taxi Drivers to Ultrafine Particles and Black Carbon Within Their Vehicles

NCT03839537 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: K180303J2018-A00811-54
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 56
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Brief Summary Short description of the protocol intended for the lay public. Include a brief statement of the study hypothesis. (Limit: 5000 characters) Example: The purpose of this study is to determine whether prednisone, methotrexate, and cyclophosphamide are effective in the treatment of rapidly progressive hearing loss in both ears due to autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED). This project is part of a research field on the role, not yet fully understood, of atmospheric pollution, especially from road traffic, on respiratory health and allergies, particularly on the development / onset of symptoms and functional disturbances. The ultrafine fraction of particles (UFPs - particles smaller than 100 nm in diameter) is of recent interest because of their ability to induce inflammatory effects, oxidative stress and may contribute to the exacerbation of asthma symptoms in susceptible individuals. UFPs, with their high number concentration and surface area and their small diameter are able not only to convey other contaminants, but also to contribute to a high deposition efficiency, into the alveoli in the lungs. Recently it appeared relevant to be interested in black carbon (BC), components of PM2.5 (particulate matter with a diameter less than 2.5 micrometers), suspected of being responsible for their toxicity. Current epidemiological knowledge of the effects of UFPs and BC are few as compared to those on fine particles. Some professionals, such as police, drivers (taxis, truckers ...), delivery men, postal workers, workers on roads and highways, etc. are heavily exposed, during their working hours, to air pollution due to road traffic. These occupational groups appear to be at greater risk for developing respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological diseases than the general population. Occupational exposure to diesel exhaust has been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer mortality and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Occupational exposure to UFPs and BC has rarely been measured due to a lack of suitable devices. Therefore, this project's originality consists in measuring UFPs and BC by using portable devices developed in the recent years. The use of these devices, linking their recordings with ventilatory measures and repeating them, offers the rare opportunity to study the short-term respiratory health impact of this occupational exposure, which has never been described in the literature. Our research aims to: 1/ quantify the occupational exposure of taxi drivers to UFP, BC, oxides of carbon (CO, CO2) and to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), 2/ identify spatio-temporal variability and patterns of exposure related to occupational tasks, 3/ study the impact of this occupational exposure to UFP and BC on ventilation performances and respiratory symptoms.

Conditions

Pulmonary Ventilation

Keywords

Ultrafine particles; black carbon; taxi drivers; respiratory function test; occupational exposure

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Mean number of ultrafine fraction of particles (UFP)

  per cm3 of air \[from 1000 to 1000000 particles (pt)/cm3\] - 8-11 h recording on 1 working day for each subject - repeated measurement in cold and warm seasons (6 months apart)

  6 months

• Mean concentration of black carbon (BC)

  measurement of BC exposure concentrations per cubic meter (ng/m3) by the microAeth AE51 - 8-11 h recording on 1 working day for each subject - repeated measurement in cold and warm seasons (6 months apart)

  6 months

• Difference between the values of the forced vital capacity (FVC) measured before and after work shift

  measurement of FVC in liters by a portable spirometer before and after the work shift according to procedures described by The European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society (2005) - 2 measurements per subject - before and after the work shift - 1 working day Repeated measurement in cold and warm seasons (6 months apart) Overall period: 2 working days (one in each season) - 36 months

  36 months

• Difference between the values of the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) measured before and after work shift

  measurement of FEV1 in liters by a portable spirometer before and after the work shift according to procedures described by The European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society (2005) -2 measurements per subject - before and after the work shift - 1 working day Repeated measurement in cold and warm seasons (6 months apart) Overall period: 2 working days (one in each season) - 36 months

  36 months

• Difference between the values of the forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75 % of FVC (FEF25-75) measured before and after work shift

  measurement of FEF25-75 in liters by a portable spirometer before and after the work shift according to procedures described by The European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society (2005). -2 measurements per subject - before and after the work shift - 1 working day Repeated measurement in cold and warm seasons (6 months apart) Overall period: 2 working days (one in each season) - 36 months

  36 months

• Difference between the rates of the peak expiratory flow (PEF) measured before and after work shift

  measurement of PEF in liter per second (L.s-1) by a portable spirometer before and after the work shift according to procedures described by The European Respiratory Society and the American Thoracic Society (2005)-2 measurements per subject - before and after the work shift - 1 working day Repeated measurement in cold and warm seasons (6 months apart) Overall period: 2 working days (one in each season) - 36 months

  36 months

• Acute respiratory symptoms through self-administered questionnaire

  by means of a self-completion questionnaire, participants report their acute respiratory symptoms felt during the measurement day - Reported before and after the work shift per subject - In cold and warm seasons (6 months apart)- Overall period: reported during 2 working days (one in each season) - 36 months

  36 months

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Characteristics of vehicles recorded by a self-administered questionnaire

  36 months

• Characteristics of the trips recorded by a self-administered questionnaire

  36 months

Interventions

Spirometry test OTHER

* 2 measurements per subject - before and after the work shift - in warm and cold seasons * Subject will inhale and exhale in the device

Also known as: Spirobank II

Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Testing DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

\- Performed by a physician during the inclusion clinical examination

Exposure measurement OTHER

* 2 measurements per subject (in warm season and in cold season) * Devices placed inside taxi vehicles on the passenger seat in a sampling bag

Also known as: Exposure measurement of UFP, BC, NO2, CO, CO2

Exhaled carbon monoxide test DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

* 2 measurements per subject - before and after the work shift - in warm and cold seasons * Subject will exhale in the device

Also known as: Smokerlyzer- Micro

Skin allergy test DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

\- Performed by a physician during the inclusion clinical examination

Also known as: Prick test

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age \> 18 years
• Full time licensed taxi driver
• Subjects with more than 6 months of job tenure (as a taxi driver)
• Subjects affiliated to a social security scheme
• Subjects must have signed an informed consent and are willing to participate in the study

You may not qualify if:

• Subjects having difficulty to understand the French language
• Subjects with less than 6 months of job tenure (as a taxi driver)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris: lead
• University of Paris 5 - Rene Descartes: collaborator
• Centre national de la recherche scientifique - Lebanon (CNRS-L): collaborator
• French Environment and Energy Management Agency: collaborator
• URC-CIC Paris Descartes Necker Cochin: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Paris Descartes University

Paris, Paris, 75006, France

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Hachem M, Loizeau M, Saleh N, Momas I, Bensefa-Colas L. Short-term association of in-vehicle ultrafine particles and black carbon concentrations with respiratory health in Parisian taxi drivers. Environ Int. 2021 Feb;147:106346. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106346. Epub 2020 Dec 31.

  PMID: 33388565 RESULT

• Hachem M, Saleh N, Bensefa-Colas L, Momas I. Determinants of ultrafine particles, black carbon, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide concentrations inside vehicles in the Paris area: PUF-TAXI study. Indoor Air. 2021 May;31(3):848-859. doi: 10.1111/ina.12779. Epub 2020 Dec 22.

  PMID: 33350528 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Skin Tests; Patch Tests; Spirometry; Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Testing

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Immunologic Tests; Clinical Laboratory Techniques; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; Diagnosis; Investigative Techniques; Immunologic Techniques; Respiratory Function Tests; Diagnostic Techniques, Respiratory System; Breath Tests

Study Officials

• Lynda BENSEFA-COLAS, MD, PhD

  Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SCREENING
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 7, 2019
• First Posted: February 15, 2019
• Study Start: February 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: June 11, 2020
• Study Completion: June 11, 2020
• Last Updated: March 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations

FR (1)