Ambient air pollution characteristics differ across sources.

Sector-specific air pollution (SSAP) was associated with liver injury biomarkers.

Significant positive associations were observed for all SSAP sources and most biomarkers.

Significant associations were most frequent in children aged 3 to 12 years.

Ambient air pollution has been linked to biomarkers of liver injury. Little information exists on these effects at relatively low air pollution levels and among children. The relative hepatic toxicity of air pollution mixes from specific emission sectors has not been previously investigated.

To test associations between sector-specific air pollution (SSAP) and biomarkers of liver injury.

Using generalized linear mixed models, we tested associations between SSAP exposure and liver injury biomarkers in 30,781 participants aged 3-79 years, in the nationally representative Canadian Health Measures Survey (2007 and 2019) who were exposed to relatively low air pollution concentrations.

Interquartile range (IQR) increases in SSAP from residential (RES), on- and off-road transportation (ONRD, OFRD), air-marine-rail (AMR), upstream and downstream oil and gas production (UPOG, DNOG), chemical manufacturing (MAN) and pulp and paper (P&P) sectors were associated with significant increases in bilirubin (BIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). The largest effects were for alkaline phosphatase with increases of 1.86% (95% CI 0.46,3.26), and 1.58% (95% 0.08, 3.07) for AMR, and DNOG-attributable concentrations, respectively. Among children <13 years, BIL, AST and gamma-glutamyl transferase were positively and significantly associated with all sources, with the largest effect being a 0.8% increase in BIL per IQR increase in UPOG.

The relatively low levels of SSAP in Canada were associated with significant increases in liver injury biomarkers, including among children. These observed effects may be consequential given the widespread population exposure especially in countries with higher levels of air pollution.

Epidemiology

Air pollution

Liver injury biomarkers

Canada

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