title: Estimating the toxicity of ambient fine aerosols using freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus (Rotifera: Monogononta).
abstract: The toxicity of atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Atlanta is assessed using freshwater rotifers (Brachionus calyciflorus). The PM-laden quartz filters were extracted in both water and methanol. Aerosol extracts were passed through a C-18 column to separate the PM components into hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions. Toxicity data reported in the units of LC50 (concentration that kills 50% of the test population in 24 h) shows that ambient particles are toxic to the rotifers with LC50 values ranging from 5 to 400 μg of PM. The methanol extract of the aerosols was substantially more toxic (8 ± 6 times) to the rotifers compared to the water extracts. A sizeable fraction (>70%) of toxicity was found to be associated with the hydrophobic fraction of PM. However, none of the bulk aerosol species was strongly correlated with the LC50 values suggesting a complicated mechanism of toxicity probably involving synergistic interactions of various PM components.
authors: School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 311 Ferst Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
authors: Vishal
authors: V
authors: Verma
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Rico-Martinez
authors: Neel
authors: N
authors: Kotra
authors: Corey
authors: C
authors: Rennolds
authors: Jiumeng
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Terry W
authors: TW
authors: Snell
authors: Rodney J
authors: RJ
authors: Weber
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000633:toxicity*; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity*; D012403:Rotifera; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Aerosol toxicity; Freshwater rotifers; Hydrophobic compounds; Water-insoluble PM components