Criteria C: The impact of exposure to traffic on indicators of

asthma.

In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a team of researchers explored the effects
of roadside traffic exposure on people with asthma. The participants in the study were asked to Walk for
two hours through Hyde Park, a large traffic-free park in central London, on one occasion, and walk
along Oxford Street, one of the busiest streets in central London, on a separate occasion. The
researchers measured the pH of participants’ exhaled breath two hours before each walk and three
hours and six hours after the start of each walk. The lower the pH, the more carbon dioxide is being
exhaled. Researchers also measured the level of myeloperoxidase, which is a chemical indicator of
swelling.

1. Compare and contrast the changes in exhaled breath pH caused by walking though Hyde Park
and along Oxford Street. Explain these results.
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1. Calculate the percentage increase of myeloperoxidase between Hyde Park and Oxford Street for
participants.

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2. Explain the myeloperoxidase results and deduce a conclusion that is supported by this data.

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