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Generation, characterization, and toxicological assessment of reference ultrafine soot particles with different organic content for inhalation toxicological studies.

Sci. Total Environ. 951:175727 (2024)
Publ. Version/Full Text DOI PMC
Open Access Gold (Paid Option)
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Ultrafine particles (UFP) are the smallest atmospheric particulate matter linked to air pollution-related diseases. The extent to which UFP's physical and chemical properties contribute to its toxicity remains unclear. It is hypothesized that UFP act as carriers for chemicals that drive biological responses. This study explores robust methods for generating reference UFP to understand these mechanisms and perform toxicological tests. Two types of combustion-related UFP with similar elemental carbon cores and physical properties but different organic loads were generated and characterized. Human alveolar epithelial cells were exposed to these UFP at the air-liquid interface, and several toxicological endpoints were measured. UFP were generated using a miniCAST under fuel-rich conditions and immediately diluted to minimize agglomeration. A catalytic stripper and charcoal denuder removed volatile gases and semi-volatile particles from the surface. By adjusting the temperature of the catalytic stripper, UFP with high and low organic content was produced. These reference particles exhibited fractal structures with high reproducibility and stability over a year, maintaining similar mass and number concentrations (100 μg/m3, 2.0·105 #/cm3) and a mean particle diameter of about 40 nm. High organic content UFP had significant PAH levels, with benzo[a]pyrene at 0.2 % (m/m). Toxicological evaluations revealed that both UFP types similarly affected cytotoxicity and cell viability, regardless of organic load. Higher xenobiotic metabolism was noted for PAH-rich UFP, while reactive oxidation markers increased when semi-volatiles were stripped off. Both UFP types caused DNA strand breaks, but only the high organic content UFP induced DNA oxidation. This methodology allows modification of UFP's chemical properties while maintaining comparable physical properties, linking these variations to biological responses.
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Publication type Article: Journal article
Document type Scientific Article
Corresponding Author
Keywords Air-liquid Interface Exposure ; Black Carbon ; Cast ; In Vitro Toxicology ; Pahs ; Soot ; Ufp; Polycyclic Aromatic-hydrocarbons; Black Carbon; Source Apportionment; Oxidative Stress; Fly-ash; Particulate; Exposure; Absorption; Samples; Fine
ISSN (print) / ISBN 0048-9697
e-ISSN 1879-1026
Quellenangaben Volume: 951, Issue: , Pages: , Article Number: 175727 Supplement: ,
Publisher Elsevier
Publishing Place Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands
Non-patent literature Publications
Reviewing status Peer reviewed
Grants Helmholtz International Laboratory aeroHEALTH
Project ULTRHAS - ULtrafine particles from TRansportation - Health Assessment of Sources, a project - EU's Research and Innovation programme Horizon