title: Redox activity and in vitro bioactivity of the water-soluble fraction of urban particulate matter in relation to particle size and chemical composition.
abstract: Chemical and toxicological characterization of the water-soluble fraction of size-segregated urban particulate matter (PM) (<0.49, 0.49-0.97, 0.97-1.5, 1.5-3.0, 3.0-7.2 and >7.2 μm) was carried out at two urban sites, traffic and urban background, during the cold and the warm period. Chemical analysis of the water-soluble PM fraction included ionic species (NO3(-), SO4(2-), Cl(-), Na(+), NH4(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+)), water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), and trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru, Ir, Ca, and Mg). The dithiothreitol (DTT) assay was employed for the abiotic assessment of the oxidative PM activity. Cytotoxic responses were investigated in vitro by applying the mitochondrial dehydrogenase (MTT) and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) bioassays on human lung cells (MRC-5), while DNA damage was estimated by the single cell gel electrophoresis assay, known as Comet assay. The correlations between the observed bioactivity responses and the concentrations of water-soluble chemical PM constituents in the various size ranges were investigated. The results of the current study corroborate that short-term bioassays using lung human cells and abiotic assays, such as the DTT assay, could be relevant to complete the routine chemical analysis and to obtain a preliminary screening of the potential effects of PM-associated airborne pollutants on human health.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Ekaterini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Velali
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papachristou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pantazaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Theodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Choli-Papadopoulou
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Styliani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Planou
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kouras
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manoli
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Besis
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Voutsa
authors.affiliation: Environmental Pollution Control Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR 54124, Thessaloniki Greece. Electronic address: csamara@chem.auth.gr.
authors.forename: Constantini
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samara
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D005591:Chemical Fractionation; D020552:Comet Assay; D004249:DNA Damage; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D014867:Water
keywords: Comet assay; Cytotoxicity; DTT assay; Ions; LDH assay; MTT assay; Metals; PM; Redox activity; WSOC