Passage of inhaled particles into the blood circulation in humans
Open accessAbstract
Background — Pollution by particulates has been consistently associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the mechanisms responsible for these effects are not well-elucidated. Methods and Results — To assess to what extent and how rapidly inhaled pollutant particles pass into the systemic circulation, we measured, in 5 healthy volunteers, the distribution of radioactivity after the inhalation of “Technegas,” an aerosol consisting mainly of ultrafine 99m Technetium-labeled carbon particles (<100 nm). Radioactivity was detected in blood already at 1 minute, reached a maximum between 10 and 20 minutes, and remained at this level up to 60 minutes. Thin layer chromatography of blood showed that in addition to a species corresponding to oxidized 99m Tc, ie, pertechnetate, there was also a species corresponding to particle-bound 99m Tc. Gamma camera images showed substantial radioactivity over the liver and other areas of the body. Conclusions — We conclude that inhaled 99m Tc-labeled ultrafine carbon particles pass rapidly into the systemic circulation, and this process could account for the well-established, but poorly understood, extrapulmonary effects of air pollution.
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Inhaled ultrafine carbon particles can be recovered in the blood.
“Radioactive‐labelling studies established that inhaled ultrafine carbon particles could then be recovered in the blood.23”
From The impact of airborne pollution on skin (2019) · cites this paper as [23]
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- Authors
- Nemmar, A., Hoet, P. H. M., Vanquickenborne, B., Dinsdale, D., Thomeer, M., Hoylaerts, M. F., Vanbilloen, H., Mortelmans, L., & Nemery, B.
- Affiliations
- MRC Toxicology Unit (GB)
- Venue
- Circulation
- Published
- 2002-01-29
- Volume
- 105
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 411-414
- ISSN
- 0009-7322 (ISSN-L)
- 1524-4539
- OpenAlex
- W2121681651
- Cited by
- 1,719
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 64 · 2024: 54 · 2023: 84 · 2022: 96 · 2021: 75 · 2020: 86 · 2019: 48 · 2018: 68 · 2017: 82 · 2016: 64 · 2015: 84 · 2014: 69 · 2013: 75 · 2012: 78
- FWCI
- 33.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- lirias.kuleuven.be
- Licence
- other-oa
- Locations
- Circulation (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Lirias (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Document Server@UHasselt (UHasselt) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Inhalation and Respiratory Drug Delivery
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Radiological and Ultrasound Technology › Radioactivity and Radon Measurements
- Keywords
- inhaled particles, ultrafine carbon particles, technetium-99m, systemic circulation, air pollution, pertechnetate
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Air Pollutants, Humans, Kinetics, Male, Middle Aged, Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m, Tissue Distribution, Radiopharmaceuticals, Inhalation Exposure
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