Short-Term Health Outcomes of Cooking UFP Exposure

Conditions

• Air Pollution Exposure
• Cognitive Function Decline
• Respiratory Inflammation

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

18 Years - N/A

Healthy Volunteers

Accepted

Interventions

• Clean Indoor Air Exposure (Control) — OTHER
  Participants will be exposed to clean indoor air in a controlled exposure chamber with no cooking activity. This condition serves as the control session for within-subject comparisons.
• Exposure to Cooking-Generated Ultrafine Particles and Gases — OTHER
  Participants will be exposed to cooking-generated ultrafine particles and associated gases in a controlled exposure chamber during standardized cooking activities.

Study Details

This study examines the short-term respiratory and cognitive effects of exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) generated during typical household cooking. Healthy adults will complete two 6-hour sessions in a controlled exposure chamber at the University of Illinois Chicago: one control day with clean indoor air and one exposure day during which standardized cooking (frying potatoes and grilling beef) is performed by research staff. Participants will not cook or handle food. Lung function will be measured using peak expiratory flow (PEF), and cognitive performance will be assessed using validated tests including the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised and the Processing Speed Index from the WAIS-IV. Airborne particle and gas concentrations in the chamber will be continuously monitored to ensure that exposures remain within levels typical of everyday home cooking. Findings will help characterize acute physiological responses to indoor cooking emissions and inform future research on indoor air quality and potential mitigation strategies.

Key Dates

Start date

Jan 2, 2026

Status verified

Dec 2025

Primary completion

Mar 1, 2026

Completion

Jun 1, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment

15 participants (estimated)

Allocation

NA

Intervention model

CROSSOVER

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Arms

• Other: Control Condition (Clean Indoor Air)
  Participants will complete a control study session conducted in a controlled exposure chamber with clean indoor air and no cooking activity. Respiratory, cognitive, and physiological outcomes will be assessed during the session.
• Experimental: Cooking Emissions Exposure
  Participants will complete an exposure study session conducted in the same controlled exposure chamber during which cooking activities generate ultrafine particles. Respiratory, cognitive, and physiological outcomes will be assessed during the session.

Primary Outcome Measure

Change in Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) Total Recall Score [ Time Frame: Measured at baseline and at approximately 1, 2, 3, and 5 hours after session start on both study days ]

Central Contacts

• Mehdi Amouei Torkmahalleh, PhD
  8326077765
  [email protected]

Locations (1)

Find similar trials in Chicago, IL