空氣污染越趨嚴重情況下，使得呼吸道相關的疾病，如肺炎、肺癌、慢性肺阻塞、氣喘、支氣管炎、非典型嚴重急性呼吸系統綜合症、肺氣腫等，成為全球相當重視的健康議題之一。而微粒汙染物可以分為 PM10 （氣動粒徑小於10 ?m，可以進入呼吸道系統）與PM2.5（氣動粒徑小於2.5 ?m，可以進入肺部氣體交換的區域）兩大類。
本研究利用標準高量採樣法（NIEA A102.12A）監測評估PM10及PM2.5在台中地區四季的濃度分佈及變化。建立PM10及PM2.5長期背景資料，並配合台中地區環保署空品測站之資料及氣象資料，進而比對本實驗採樣在空間及季節上之差異。結果顯示夏季時期PM濃度低於其他季節濃度，且高濃度之事件日較少出現於夏季。
根據採樣PM2.5水溶液金屬成份分析，進行多種金屬之健康風險評估，其造成之健康風險可接受。並探討暴露PM2.5對人類正常肺細胞及肺癌細胞中促血管內皮生長因子（vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGF）表現之影響。研究結果顯示肺癌細胞及正常肺細胞暴露水溶性PM2.5後，使VEGF之表現量顯著上升，進而可能誘發血管新生，推測肺癌病人如暴露在PM2.5的環境中，會促使肺癌病人更容易有轉移的可能性。
Atmospheric particle pollution has become a major public problem, and particulate matter has a great effect on human health. In this study, the standard TISCH high volume sampler (Taiwan EPA NIEA A102.12A) was applied to collect ambient PM2.5 particles in Taichung city for one year, the concentration of PM2.5 in the environment was analyzed by weight, and the metal components, types. At last, the experiment of cell exposure to PM2.5 was performed to observe the change of VEGF.
The PM2.5 concentration of Chung Shan Medical University (CSMU) station was similar to Taiwan EPA other PM2.5 stations in Taichung. According to the sampling results, it was found that the PM2.5 in Taichung was higher during winter, PM2.5 accounted for about 60% of the PM10. Some metal substances, such as lead, zinc, copper, etc., were found by GC-MS analysis. The results of showed that the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk of PM2.5 related heavy metals via inhalation outdoor environments were within safe limits. After exposure of water-soluble PM2.5 to lung cancer cells, the expression of VEGF is significantly increased, which may induce angiogenesis. It is speculated that patients with lung cancer who are exposed to PM2.5 will make it easier for lung cancer patients to have a metastasis.
