Katja M Bendtsen1, Elizabeth Bengtsen2, Anne T Saber2, Ulla Vogel2,3. 1. National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. katjabendtsen@gmail.com. 2. National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Lersø Parkallé 105, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark. 3. Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Airport personnel are at risk of occupational exposure to jet engine emissions, which similarly to diesel exhaust emissions include volatile organic compounds and particulate matter consisting of an inorganic carbon core with associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals. Diesel exhaust is classified as carcinogenic and the particulate fraction has in itself been linked to several adverse health effects including cancer. METHOD: In this review, we summarize the available scientific literature covering human health effects of exposure to airport emissions, both in occupational settings and for residents living close to airports. We also report the findings from the limited scientific mechanistic studies of jet engine emissions in animal and cell models. RESULTS: Jet engine emissions contain large amounts of nano-sized particles, which are particularly prone to reach the lower airways upon inhalation. Size of particles and emission levels depend on type of aircraft, engine conditions, and fuel type, as well as on operation modes. Exposure to jet engine emissions is reported to be associated with biomarkers of exposure as well as biomarkers of effect among airport personnel, especially in ground-support functions. Proximity to running jet engines or to the airport as such for residential areas is associated with increased exposure and with increased risk of disease, increased hospital admissions and self-reported lung symptoms. CONCLUSION: We conclude that though the literature is scarce and with low consistency in methods and measured biomarkers, there is evidence that jet engine emissions have physicochemical properties similar to diesel exhaust particles, and that exposure to jet engine emissions is associated with similar adverse health effects as exposure to diesel exhaust particles and other traffic emissions.
BACKGROUND: Airport personnel are at risk of occupational exposure to jet engine emissions, which similarly to diesel exhaust emissions include volatile organic compounds and particulate matter consisting of an inorganic carbon core with associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and metals. Diesel exhaust is classified as carcinogenic and the particulate fraction has in itself been linked to several adverse health effects including cancer. METHOD: In this review, we summarize the available scientific literature covering human health effects of exposure to airport emissions, both in occupational settings and for residents living close to airports. We also report the findings from the limited scientific mechanistic studies of jet engine emissions in animal and cell models. RESULTS: Jet engine emissions contain large amounts of nano-sized particles, which are particularly prone to reach the lower airways upon inhalation. Size of particles and emission levels depend on type of aircraft, engine conditions, and fuel type, as well as on operation modes. Exposure to jet engine emissions is reported to be associated with biomarkers of exposure as well as biomarkers of effect among airport personnel, especially in ground-support functions. Proximity to running jet engines or to the airport as such for residential areas is associated with increased exposure and with increased risk of disease, increased hospital admissions and self-reported lung symptoms. CONCLUSION: We conclude that though the literature is scarce and with low consistency in methods and measured biomarkers, there is evidence that jet engine emissions have physicochemical properties similar to diesel exhaust particles, and that exposure to jet engine emissions is associated with similar adverse health effects as exposure to diesel exhaust particles and other traffic emissions.
Authors: J Brightwell; X Fouillet; A L Cassano-Zoppi; D Bernstein; F Crawley; F Duchosal; R Gatz; S Perczel; H Pfeifer Journal: J Appl Toxicol Date: 1989-02 Impact factor: 3.446
Authors: Rui-Wen He; Miriam E Gerlofs-Nijland; John Boere; Paul Fokkens; Daan Leseman; Nicole A H Janssen; Flemming R Cassee Journal: Toxicol In Vitro Date: 2020-07-26 Impact factor: 3.500
Authors: Calvin Ge; Susan Peters; Ann Olsson; Lützen Portengen; Joachim Schüz; Josué Almansa; Wolfgang Ahrens; Vladimir Bencko; Simone Benhamou; Paolo Boffetta; Bas Bueno-de-Mesquita; Neil Caporaso; Dario Consonni; Paul Demers; Eleonóra Fabiánová; Guillermo Fernández-Tardón; John Field; Francesco Forastiere; Lenka Foretova; Pascal Guénel; Per Gustavsson; Vladimir Janout; Karl-Heinz Jöckel; Stefan Karrasch; Maria Teresa Landi; Jolanta Lissowska; Danièle Luce; Dana Mates; John McLaughlin; Franco Merletti; Dario Mirabelli; Tamás Pándics; Marie-Élise Parent; Nils Plato; Hermann Pohlabeln; Lorenzo Richiardi; Jack Siemiatycki; Beata Świątkowska; Adonina Tardón; Heinz-Erich Wichmann; David Zaridze; Kurt Straif; Hans Kromhout; Roel Vermeulen Journal: Am J Respir Crit Care Med Date: 2020-08-01 Impact factor: 21.405
Authors: Heather Klemick; Dennis Guignet; Linda T Bui; Ron Shadbegian; Cameron Milani Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-13 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Liza Selley; Ariana Lammers; Adrien Le Guennec; Milad Pirhadi; Constantinos Sioutas; Nicole Janssen; Anke H Maitland-van der Zee; Ian Mudway; Flemming Cassee Journal: Int J Hyg Environ Health Date: 2021-09-10 Impact factor: 5.840
Authors: Robert W Haley; Gerald Kramer; Junhui Xiao; Jill A Dever; John F Teiber Journal: Environ Health Perspect Date: 2022-05-11 Impact factor: 11.035