Pulmonary function and histological impairment in mice after acute exposure to aluminum dust.
Along the aluminum refining process, alumina (Al2O3) constitutes the main source of dust. Although aluminum refinery workers present respiratory symptoms with lung functional changes, no conclusive data about lung function impairment after alumina exposure has been so far reported. We examined the pulmonary alterations of exposure to material collected in an aluminum refinery in Brazil. BALB/c mice were exposed in a whole-body chamber for 1 h to either saline (CTRL, n = 11) or to a suspension (in saline) of 8 mg/m(3) of the dust (ALUM, n = 11) both delivered by an ultrasonic nebulizer. Twenty-four hours after exposure lung mechanics were measured by the end-inflation method. Lungs were prepared for histology. ALUM showed significantly higher static elastance (34.61 +/- 5.76 cmH2O/mL), elastic component of viscoelasticity (8.16 +/- 1.20 cmH2O/mL), pressure used to overcome the resistive component of viscoelasticity (1.62 +/- 0.24 cmH2O), and total resistive pressure (2.21 +/- 0.49 cmH2O) than CTRL (27.95 +/- 3.63 cmH2O/mL, 6.12 +/- 0.99 cmH2O/mL, 1.23 +/- 0.19 cmH2O, and 1.68 +/- 0.23 cmH2O, respectively). ALUM also presented significantly higher fraction area of alveolar collapse (69.7 +/- 1.2%) and influx of polymorphonuclear cells (27.5 +/- 1.1%) in lung parenchyma than CTRL (27.2 +/- 1.1% and 14.6 +/- 0.7%, respectively). The composition analysis of the particulate matter showed high concentrations of aluminum. For the first time it was demonstrated in an experimental model that an acute exposure to dust collected in an aluminum producing facility impaired lung mechanics that could be associated with inflammation.
Mazzoli-Rocha
Flavia
F
Laboratory of Respiration Physiology, Carlos Chagas Filho Institute of Biophysics, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Dos Santos
Aline Nogueira
AN
Fernandes
Silviane
S
Ferreira Normando
Valeria Marques
VM
Malm
Olaf
O
Nascimento Saldiva
Paulo Hilário
PH
Wanderley Picanço-Diniz
Domingos Luiz
DL
Faffe
Débora Souza
DS
Zin
Walter Araujo
WA
D055371:Acute Lung Injury / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000633:toxicity*; D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001273:Atmosphere Exposure Chambers; D004391:Dust; D004548:Elasticity / Q000187:drug effects; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008170:Lung Compliance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D004391:Dust; D000537:Aluminum Oxide