Enhancing personal air pollution exposure data for mechanistic health research

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, awarded Research Triangle Institute (RTI International) $221,941 under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113) on June 1, 2026.

The project, titled "Enhancing Personal Air Pollution Exposure Data for Mechanistic Health Research," addresses limitations in conventional exposure assessments of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Current mass-based metrics fail to capture critical particle characteristics such as size distribution, which influences respiratory deposition patterns and toxicity. The award funds research to develop improved exposure assessment approaches that capture ultrafine particle data and other characteristics relevant to mechanistic health research.

Work is performed in Durham, North Carolina. The period of performance runs through May 30, 2028. RTI International is a nonprofit research organization headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, that delivers research, evaluation, and technical assistance services across health, environmental, education, justice, and international development domains.

The Environmental Health program supports research on how environmental exposures affect biological systems, including the development of technologies to assess human environmental exposures, mechanistic understanding of exposure impacts, and epidemiological studies of environmental health effects. Awards are made on the basis of dual review—first by a study section for scientific merit, then by a national advisory council—with final approval by the NIEHS Director.

Abstract

Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a leading global environmental health risk, contributing to millions of premature deaths annually. However, conventional exposure assessments often rely on mass- based metrics that fail to capture critical particle characteristics such as size distribution, which influences respiratory deposition patterns and toxicity. Ultrafine particles (ufps,