Soy aeroallergens in thoracic fraction particles (PM10).

■ Abstract Background: The aerodynamic diameter of biological particles determines their ability to penetrate the human respiratory system. Objective: To assess the content of allergens less than 10 μm in diameter in the particle fraction of airborne dust in order to improve control of exposure to harmful soybean aeroallergens. Methods: In this study, 98 pairs of particulate matter measuring less than 10 μm in diameter (PM10) and total suspended particulate (TSP) fi lters were collected in parallel and analyzed for soy aeroallergens by the inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: The median levels found were 6 and 22.5 U/m 3 for PM10 and TSP fi lters, respectively. A good correlation was found between soy aeroallergen content in PM10 and TSP fi lters. The median proportion of soy aeroallergen content in PM10 fi lters versus TSP fi lters was 28.6%, and varied widely across different days. Conclusions: Due to this wide variation between days, it seems that soy aeroallergen content in TSP fi lters is not a good surrogate of soy allergen content in PM10 fi lters. Further clinical studies should be conducted to assess differences in the health impact of soy allergen content in PM10 fi lters and TSP fi lters.