Short-term associations between barbecue fumes and respiratory health in young adults

Background: Epidemiological studies have associated biomass combustion with (respiratory) morbidity and mortality, primarily in indoor settings. Barbecuing results in high outdoor air pollution exposures, but the health effects are unknown. Objective: The objective was to investigate short-term changes in respiratory health in healthy adults, associated with exposure to barbecue fumes. Methods: 16 healthy, adult volunteers were exposed to barbecue smoke in outdoor air in rest during 1.5 h, using a repeated-measures design. Major air pollutants were monitored on-site, including particulate matter