East Bay Diesel Exposure Project

East Bay Diesel Project Logo

This project is a collaboration with the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and will assess diesel exhaust exposure in communities along the Interstate 80 – Interstate 880 corridor on the east side of the San Francisco Bay.  We will measure chemicals from diesel engines in air and dust.  The study is unique because it will be the first to also measure metabolites of diesel combustion products in urine from young children and their parents.  This information will help improve understanding about diesel exhaust exposure and ways to reduce them. 

OEHHA is one of the California agencies that implements Biomonitoring California, which conducts research to measures chemical in California residents and inform programs to decrease exposures. For more information about Biomonitoring California see their website here. 

East Bay Diesel Particulate Matter
Map: Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment

Study at a Glance:
  • Study Objectives: Improve understandings of community member’s exposures to diesel exhaust. Compare exposures within households and between impacted communities.
  • Geographic Area: Participant's everyday environments, both outside and indoors, throughout the East Bay, CA.
  • Participants: 50 parents and 50 children
  • Study Tools:  Urine samples, air and house dust samples, and questionnaires.
  • Partner: California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
  • Principal Investigators: Dr. Asa Bradman 
  • Funder: California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
  • Contact: Dr. Asa Bradman: abradman@berkeley.edu

Impact:

Diesel exposure is associated with serious health effects, including asthma. More generally, air pollution is one of the top environmental health threats in the world. Exposures are of particular concern for children, who are more vulnerable to air pollution. Limited tools to assess diesel exposure have limited studies examining health impacts, especially among children.

Results of the study will be provided to participants and the communities they come from.  We will also provide summaries of findings for the general public and state policy makers, which will be posted on the Biomonitoring California website.  We will also publish articles in scientific journals.