Inhalation of exhaust particles of biodiesel fuel promotes similar alterations on heart rate variability induced by diesel fuel

Epidemiological studies link short-term exposures to urban traffic-related particles with adverse cardiovascular events. Diesel engine exhaust contributes to urban ambient particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants. However, biodiesel is a clean fuel that reduces particles emission and few studies assess its effects. The objectives were to assess heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure (BP) on 60 Balb/C mice exposed to filtered air (FA) and two doses (600 and 1200 µg/m 3 ) of both diesel (D) and biodiesel (BD) fuels.HRV (time and frequency domain), HR and BP parameters were collected after 30 minutes of exposure. There were an increase in mean concentration of the pollutants on biodiesel exhaust compared to diesel: NO (FA- 4 µg/m 3 , B600- 89 µg/m 3 , B1200- 92 µg/m 3 , D600- 20 µg/m 3 , and D1200- 91 µg/m 3 ) and NO 2 (FA- no detectable, B600- 118 µg/m 3 , B1200- 144 µg/m 3 , D600- 31 µg/m 3 , and D1200- 97 µg/m 3 ). The HRV results obtained at 600 µg/m 3 showed an increase on SDNN (p 3 showed an increase on SDNN (p