title: In vitro cellular responses to silicon carbide particles manufactured through the Acheson process: impact of physico-chemical features on pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidative effects.
abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) an industrial-scale product manufactured through the Acheson process, is largely employed in various applications. Its toxicity has been poorly investigated. Our study aims at characterizing the physico-chemical features and the in vitro impact on biological activity of five manufactured SiC powders: two coarse powders (SiC C1/C2), two fine powders (SiC F1/F2) and a powder rich in iron impurities (SiC I). RAW 264.7 macrophages were exposed to the different SiC particles and the cellular responses were evaluated. Contrary to what happens with silica, no SiC cytotoxicity was observed but pro-oxidative and pro-inflammatory responses of variable intensity were evidenced. Oxidative stress (H₂O₂ production) appeared related to SiC particle size, while iron level regulated pro-inflammatory response (TNFα production). To investigate the impact of surface reactivity on the biological responses, coarse SiC C1 and fine SiC F1 powders were submitted to different thermal treatments (650-1400 °C) in order to alter the oxidation state of the particle surface. At 1400 °C a decrease in TNFα production and an increase in HO·, COO(·-) radicals production were observed in correlation with the formation of a surface layer of crystalline silica. Finally, a strong correlation was observed between surface oxidation state and in vitro toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Université Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne, EA 4624 LINA, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; SFR IFRESIS, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; CHU de Saint-Etienne, F-42055 Saint-Etienne, France. Electronic address: delphine.boudard@univ-st-etienne.fr.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boudard
authors.affiliation: SFR IFRESIS, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, CIS-EMSE, EA 4624 LINA, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France. Electronic address: vforest@emse.fr.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Forest
authors.affiliation: SFR IFRESIS, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, CIS-EMSE, EA 4624 LINA, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France. Electronic address: pourchez@emse.fr.
authors.forename: Jérémie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pourchez
authors.affiliation: SFR IFRESIS, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, SPIN-EMSE, CNRS: UMR5307, LGF, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France. Electronic address: Najih.Boumahdi@saint-gobain.com.
authors.forename: Najih
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boumahdi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica and 'G. Scansetti' Interdepartmental Center for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy. Electronic address: m.tomatis@unito.it.
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomatis
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica and 'G. Scansetti' Interdepartmental Center for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates, Università di Torino, Torino, Italy. Electronic address: bice.fubini@unito.it.
authors.forename: Bice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fubini
authors.affiliation: SFR IFRESIS, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, SPIN-EMSE, CNRS: UMR5307, LGF, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France. Electronic address: bguilhot@emse.fr.
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guilhot
authors.affiliation: Université Jean Monnet Saint-Etienne, EA 4624 LINA, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; SFR IFRESIS, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; CHU de Saint-Etienne, F-42055 Saint-Etienne, France. Electronic address: Michele.Cottier@univ-st-etienne.fr.
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cottier
authors.affiliation: SFR IFRESIS, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France; Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines, SPIN-EMSE, CNRS: UMR5307, LGF, F-42023 Saint-Etienne, France. Electronic address: grosseau@emse.fr.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grosseau
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010316:Particle Size; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C041069:carboxyl radical; D017665:Hydroxyl Radical; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; C022088:silicon carbide
keywords: Acheson process; Biological toxicity; Occupational exposure; Physico-chemical characterization; Silicon carbide powders; Thermal post-treatment