AEROTOX-2Research of Biomarkers of Air Pollutants Exposure

To estimate the influence of the atmospheric pollution on the whole adult population, subjects will be recruited in a wide range of age (20 - 80 years). Samples of atmospheric particles will be collected in Dunkerque (North of France), one of the most important industrial areas in France. This city is influenced by car traffic, urban and industrial activities, and the wide sea traffic of the North Sea. Therefore, Dunkerque is a reference site to study the atmospheric pollution and its impact on health. These markers will be searched in association with the different mechanisms involved in the toxicity of the fine particles such as: inflammatory response, genotoxicity, metabolic activity and epigenetic changes after exposure of leukocytes isolated from patients to doses of fine particles. The study of the correlation between biological observations and conditions of exposure to air particles will bring answers about the impact of the environmental pollution on the health of vulnerable populations.