The release of mutagens from airborne particles in the presence of physiological fluids.
Airborne particulates collected indoors in residences and outdoors were extracted by soxhlet extraction and sonication with methanol. In a comparative study in which mutagenic activity was evaluated in the Salmonella typhimurium reversion assay both soxhlet extraction and sonication proved to be suitable extraction methods. First, the residue, obtained by sonication of loaded filters with methanol followed by evaporation to dryness (tar), was sonicated with newborn calf serum and lung lavage fluid from pigs. All serum extracts of the tar were mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium TA98, and contained direct- and indirect-acting mutagens. However, the mutagenic activity recovered by serum was only about half of the total mutagenic activity of the tar. The other part of the mutagenic activity remained in the tar. Lung lavage fluid was only able to remove 5-10% of direct-acting mutagens from the tar of all samples. About 20% of indirect-acting mutagens from indoor air were recovered in lung lavage fluid, while the lung lavage fluid extract from outdoor air did not show indirect mutagenic activity. Second, mutagenic activity recovered by direct sonication of the filters with physiological fluids was comparable with the recovery obtained by sonication of the tar. However, after sonication of the filter with lung lavage fluid hardly any mutagenic activity remained on the filter, whereas after sonication of the tar a clear mutagenic activity was observed in the non-soluble residue.
van Houdt
J J
JJ
Department of Toxicology, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
de Haan
L H
LH
Alink
G M
GM
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D002417:Cattle; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005312:Fetal Blood; D005374:Filtration; D008297:Male; D009153:Mutagens / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013010:Sonication; D013552:Swine
D000393:Air Pollutants; D009153:Mutagens; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide