Strengths
With this study we can provide detailed data on the local airway response following a short-term exposure to a soot and PAH-rich wood smoke. The exposure set-up and combustion situation are well validated and controlled by combustion aerosol scientists, also responsible for the physiochemical characterisation of the wood smoke. We used bronchoscopy to perform local sampling from both the proximal and distal airways, as reflected by BW and BAL, to highlight the responses in different regions of the lungs. The blinded randomised cross-over design provides high internal validity. Collected wood smoke particles from the experiments were further investigated by in vitro systems, reflecting bronchial epithelium and the alveolar region, in order to gain complementary information.