Evaluation of in vitro cytoxicity and genotoxicity of size-fractionated air particles sampled during road tunnel construction.
In tunnel construction, workers exposed to dust from blasting, gases, diesel exhausts, and oil mist have shown higher risk for pulmonary diseases. A clear mechanism to explain how these pollutants determine diseases is lacking, and alveolar epithelium's capacity to ingest inhaled fine particles is not well characterized. The objective of this study was to assess the genotoxic effect exerted by fine particles collected in seven tunnels using the cytokinesis-block micronuclei test in an in vitro model on type II lung epithelium A549 cells. For each tunnel, five fractions with different aerodynamic diameters of particulate matter were collected with a multistage cascade sampler. The human epithelial cell line A549 was exposed to 0.2 m(3)/mL equivalent of particulate for 24 h before testing. The cytotoxic effects of particulate matter on A549 cells were also evaluated in two different viability tests. In order to evaluate the cells' ability to take up fine particles, imaging with transmission electron microscopy of cells after exposure to particulate matter was performed. Particle endocytosis after 24 h exposure was observed as intracellular aggregates of membrane-bound particles. This morphologic evidence did not correspond to an increase in genotoxicity detected by the micronucleus test.
Dipartimento di Specialità Medico-Chirurgiche e Sanità Pubblica (Sezione di Sanità Pubblica), Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via del Giochetto, 06122 Perugia, Italy.
Luca
L
Dominici
Elena
E
Guerrera
Milena
M
Villarini
Cristina
C
Fatigoni
Massimo
M
Moretti
Paolo
P
Blasi
Silvano
S
Monarca
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D060389:Construction Industry; D048749:Cytokinesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009153:Mutagens / Q000633:toxicity*; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014186:Transportation
D000393:Air Pollutants; D009153:Mutagens; D052638:Particulate Matter