Scientists have begun studying the effects of air pollution on vegetation and humans in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Last week researchers from University of Tennessee, Western Carolina University and Emory University began studying the effects of air pollution — primarily ozone and small particulates — on hikers who were using the trail from Newfound Gap to Charlies Bunion.

Faculty and students from UT and WCU will use specially outfitted vans at the Newfound Gap parking lot to measure the respiratory function of hikers before they begin their hike and again when they finish. Participation in the study is voluntary and participants’ names and information are kept confidential.

Dr. Susan Smith, associate professor of UT’s Health, Safety and Exercise Science Department, is coordinating the Hiker Health Study. Researchers received a $750,000 grant appropriated by Congress and administrated by the Environmental Protection Agency to do the Hiker Health Study and to study transportation issues in the park.

Smith said several studies link air pollution to detrimental impacts on wildlife and vegetation. There is no substantial data, however, regarding air quality and human health. She said the Smokies study was based on earlier research done by Harvard University in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.

Dr. Cindy Atterholt, who will be heading up the WCU team, said the Harvard research showed that poor air quality had measurable impacts on lung functions.

“We hope to document the effects of various air quality conditions on hikers in the park,” Atterholt said.

The study will be conducted from now through October and again from May through July 2003. The vans will be at Newfound Gap about every third day during the sampling period to coincide with data collection at the park’s Clingmans Dome air monitoring station. There will also be portable monitoring stations at the trailhead during the study.

According to Smith, neither researchers nor hikers will be told what the pollution levels are at the time of testing.

“We hope to have data from all kinds of conditions; high ozone, high particulates; high ozone, low particulates; low ozone, high particulates and low ozone and low particulates to help us understand the implications of air pollution at varying levels, on human health.”

Smith said she also hopes to have a good cross-section of hikers. “We want to survey the broadest possible representation of hikers, so that we can more accurately predict what types of individuals are most likely to experience respiratory impacts at varying levels of pollution.”

Hikers who volunteer for the study will be asked to blow into a spirometer to test their lung capacity before they begin their hike and again when they finish. Smith said the spirometers measure small airway function changes. She said changes in large airways may not occur for 24 to 48 hours, but for small airways it’s important to test hikers within 20 minutes of the completion of their hike.

Hikers who volunteer for the study must be 18 or older and sign a consent form. Hikers will also be asked to fill out a questionnaire after they complete their hike. Hikers will be provided with a trip log and asked to record the time and their pulse rate at different checkpoints along the trail. Holly Kelly, acting team manager for UT, said only hikers going at least as far as Boulevard Trail Turnoff (about a 4-mile roundtrip,) or farther, will be solicited for the study.

In conjunction with the hiker study, Dr. Wayne Davis of UT and professor Phillip Kneller of WCU and other researchers will be studying traffic flow and congestion in the park and nearby cities Gatlinburg, Tenn. and Cherokee.

“We’re looking to see if there is a correlation between high traffic counts in the park and high levels of ozone and pollution,” Kneller said.

Researchers hope to test 1,500 or more hikers during the study period. Results from the study will be presented at a symposium to be scheduled in November 2003.

“Air quality in the mountains of Western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee has been worsening. We are searching for evidence that this situation is, indeed, a health problem, with the ultimate goal of coming up with a series of recommendations that will lead to a reduction in pollution and improvements to air quality and overall health,” David Butcher, head of WCU’s chemistry department and member of the Western team said.