Application of the luciferase cell culture bioassay for the detection of refined petroleum products.
A luciferase cell culture-based bioassay, developed to detect 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-like activity of halo-genated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, was optimized to detect refined petroleum products and to determine their relative inducing potency. Quality control standards from 32 refined products (gasolines and diesels, jet fuels, lubricating oils, fuel oils and weathered products) and three commercial products were evaluated. Induction equivalents (I-EQs) were determined by direct comparison of the EC50 and EC20 values (based on the median and 20% TCDD maximal response, respectively) from dose-response curves for each product to those obtained with TCDD. Most petroleum products were active in the luciferase bioassay, with those products composed of fractions produced later in the distillation process (i.e. fuel oils) inducing higher levels. Additionally, weathering of products reduced their induction potency. Based on the high I-EQ estimates of many products, biological effects associated with exposure may have been previously underestimated using other diagnostic methods.
Ziccardi
Michael H
MH
Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. mhziccardi@ucdavis.edu
Gardner
Ian A
IA
Mazet
Jonna A K
JA
Denison
Michael S
MS
D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008156:Luciferases; D051379:Mice; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000032:analysis*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; D008156:Luciferases