The project, in collaboration with Stockholm University, uses innovative silicone samplers to analyze household pollutants and assess their direct toxicity on lung cells.
In public health research, scientific evidence is clear: genetics only accounts for 30% of diseases, while the remaining 70% is determined by the exposome. The human exposome is the combined total of non-genetic exposures we receive throughout our lives and our body’s biological response to them.
Since we spend the vast majority of our time indoors, indoor air is a fundamental yet still largely unexplored factor. For this reason, Girostudi is launching a pioneering monitoring campaign exclusively focused on the indoor air quality of 200 homes in the city of Girona.
Analytical innovation: in search of the unknown pollutant
Through the EXPOAIR project, led by Dr. Adrià Sunyer Caldú, a researcher at Stockholm University, passive air samplers have been installed in participants’ homes. The major breakthrough of this study is the use of high-resolution equipment that allows for a dual chemical analysis:
- Targeted analysis: allows for the reliable detection and quantification of lists of known and regulated chemical compounds.
- Non-targeted analysis: an advanced technique that allows for the discovery of new or unexpected pollutants (such as plastic additives or flame retardants) that would otherwise go unnoticed, providing a much broader picture of the chemical diversity we are exposed to in our homes.
Beyond chemistry: the real biological impact
The study goes a step beyond compiling a simple inventory of chemical substances. The collected air extracts undergo toxicological testing using lung epithelial cells to assess their direct impact on cell viability, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
To obtain a comprehensive view, this indoor environmental data is cross-referenced with biological samples from the same participants (blood, urine, and hair). Currently, there are no global-scale studies that simultaneously monitor indoor air and biological samples while combining targeted and non-targeted analyses of this magnitude.
Cross-referencing data for public health action
The great value of this research is that it will allow unprecedented indoor air data to be cross-referenced with official outdoor pollution records—a milestone that will help us understand exactly how emissions penetrate and interact within our living environments.
While Girostudi physically measures the air inside homes, the outdoor air assessment is obtained from the database of the Atmospheric Pollution Monitoring and Forecasting Network of the Government of Catalonia.
This data is crucial, as outdoor air pollution stems almost entirely from human activity. Structural pollutants, such as gases derived from urban traffic, have proven severe toxicity, and this data cross-referencing will reveal what kind of impact they ultimately have indoors.
All chemical and toxicological data generated will be publicly accessible. The ultimate goal is to communicate these results to policymakers and regulatory bodies to drive real improvements in public health and establish future environmental policies based on scientific evidence.
Science is knocking on your door
To make all of this possible, citizen cooperation is essential. Opening your home to scientific research is a fundamental step toward improving and protecting everyone’s health.
If you receive a call from Girostudi, say yes!
