title: Ecotoxicity and genotoxicity assessment of exhaust particulates from diesel-powered buses.
abstract: Diesel exhaust is one of the major sources of fine and ultra-fine particulate matter in urban air. Toxicity of diesel-powered engine emissions has been quite widely assessed; however, much less information is available on their ecotoxicity. In our study, the kinetic version of the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition bioassay based on the ISO 21338:2010 standard was used to characterise the ecotoxicity of diesel-powered buses. It is a direct contact test in which solid samples are tested in suspension and test organisms are in direct contact with toxic particles. The age of the selected buses fell into a wide range; the oldest one was produced in 1987. Diesel engines of different emission standards (Euro0-Euro4) were included. Measured EC50 values of Euro0-Euro1 engine emissions fell into the same range, 1.24-0.96 μg ml(-1), respectively. On the contrary, emission of Euro4 vehicle proved to be non-toxic. Genotoxic potential of the samples was also estimated, using the colorimetric SOS-chromotest™. Genotoxicity was detected also for Euro0 and Euro1 buses, showing correlation with the ecotoxic potential. The fact that the particulates from Euro4 vehicles did not show ecotoxic/genotoxic effect implies that replacing old Euro1 and Euro2 buses can be a highly effective solution for reducing environmental hazard of automotive emissions. The whole-aerosol testing method is a cheap alternative that can be used in engine developments and emission control.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Pannonia, Egyetem Str. 10, 8200, Veszprém, Hungary. kovats@almos.uni-pannon.hu
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kováts
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acs
authors.forename: Arpád
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferincz
authors.forename: Anikó
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kovács
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horváth
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kakasi
authors.forename: Beatrix
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jancsek-Turóczi
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gelencsér
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity*; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D009153:Mutagens; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions