Carcinogenicity study of outdoor airborne particulate matter in newborn male NMRI mice.
An organic extract of airborne particulate matter (APM) was tested for carcinogenicity at two dose levels in the newborn mouse bioassay. The samples used were taken under specific polluted conditions. The doses tested corresponded with 0.75 and 1.5 times the amount of air man inhales during lifetime. Benzo(a)pyrene, which was used as a positive control, significantly increased the lung tumor incidence. No evidence was found for a carcinogenic activity of the organic extract of APM. Considering the high dose of APM applied in this animal model and the much lower actual cumulative dose to which man is exposed to in many areas, the conclusion can be drawn that exposure to APM alone probably does not represent an important cancer risk for man.
Heussen
G A
GA
Department of Toxicology, Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
van den Berg
J H
JH
Dreef-van der Meulen
H C
HC
Alink
G M
GM
D000236:Adenoma / Q000139:chemically induced; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000139:chemically induced; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000187:drug effects
D000393:Air Pollutants; D002273:Carcinogens; D001564:Benzo(a)pyrene