Associations between brake and tire wear-related PM2.5 metal components, particulate oxidative stress potential, and autism spectrum disorder in Southern California

Karl O'Sharkey; Qi Meng; Sanjali Mitra; Seung-a Paik; Jonathan Liu; Jiaqi Shen; Laura K. Thompson; Ting Chow; Jason Su; Myles Cockburn; Scott Weichenthal; Susanne E. Paulson; Michael Jerrett; Beate Ritz

Environment International (Mar 2024)

Associations between brake and tire wear-related PM2.5 metal components, particulate oxidative stress potential, and autism spectrum disorder in Southern California

Karl O'Sharkey,
Qi Meng,
Sanjali Mitra,
Seung-a Paik,
Jonathan Liu,
Jiaqi Shen,
Laura K. Thompson,
Ting Chow,
Jason Su,
Myles Cockburn,
Scott Weichenthal,
Susanne E. Paulson,
Michael Jerrett,
Beate Ritz

Affiliations

Karl O'Sharkey: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Qi Meng: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Sanjali Mitra: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Seung-a Paik: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Jonathan Liu: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Jiaqi Shen: Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Laura K. Thompson: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
Ting Chow: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Jason Su: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
Myles Cockburn: Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90032, USA
Scott Weichenthal: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A0G4, Canada
Susanne E. Paulson: Department of Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Michael Jerrett: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
Beate Ritz: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Corresponding author at: Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 185
p. 108573

Abstract

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Background: Air pollution is a global health concern, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) constituents posing potential risks to human health, including children's neurodevelopment. Here we investigated associations between exposure during pregnancy and infancy to specific traffic-related PM2.5 components with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Methods: For exposure assessment, we estimated PM2.5 components related to traffic exposure (Barium [Ba] as a marker of brake dust and Zinc [Zn] as a tire wear marker, Black Carbon [BC]) and oxidative stress potential (OSP) markers (Hydroxyl Radical [OPOH] formation, Dithiothreitol activity [OPDTT], reactive oxygen species [ROS]) modeled with land use regression with co-kriging based on an intensive air monitoring campaign. We assigned exposures to a cohort of 444,651 children born in Southern California between 2016 and 2019, among whom 11,466 ASD cases were diagnosed between 2018 and 2022, Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained with logistic regression for single pollutant and PM2.5 mass co-adjusted models, also adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Among PM2.5 components, we found the strongest positive association with ASD for our brake wear marker Ba (ORper IQR = 1.29, 95 % CI: 1.24, 1.34). This was followed by an increased risk for all PM2.5 oxidative stress potential markers; the strongest association was with ROS formation (ORper IQR = 1.22, 95 % CI: 1.18, 1.25). PM2.5 mass was linked to ASD in Hispanic and Black children, but not White children, while traffic-related PM2.5 and OSP markers increased ASD risk across all groups. In neighborhoods with the lowest socioeconomic status (SES), associations with ASD were stronger for all examined pollutants compared to higher SES areas. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that brake wear-related PM2.5 and PM2.5 OSP are associated with ASD diagnosis in Southern California. These results suggest that strategies aimed at reducing the public health impacts of PM2.5 need to consider specific sources.

Published in Environment International

ISSN: 0160-4120 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international

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