title: Ecotoxicity assessment of particulate matter emitted from heavy-duty diesel-powered vehicles: influence of leaching conditions.
abstract: Concerns regarding the environmental impact of diesel exhaust particulate matter (DPM) have increased in recent years. Following emission to the atmosphere, these fine materials can sorb many contaminants at their surface, which can subsequently be released, for instance, due to physicochemical environmental changes. The desorption of contaminants from particulate matter will increase the environmental pollution and can promote ecotoxicological effects. In this context, the objective of this study was to assess the aquatic ecotoxicity profile of extracts of DPM obtained at two different pH values. Thus, after collecting particulate matter from the diesel exhaust of heavy engines, extracts were obtained with pure water (at pH 2.00 and 5.00) and with a mixture of three organic solvents (dichloromethane, n-hexane, and acetone). To assess the environmental impact of DPM, the exhaust extracts were used in a battery of aquatic bioassays including key organisms of the food chain: bacteria (Aliivibrio fischeri), algae (Scenedesmus subspicatus), daphnids (Daphnia magna), and fishes (Danio rerio). The aqueous leachate at natural pH (2.0) and solvent extracts were extremely ecotoxic, while the aqueous leachate at pH = 5.0 showed the lowest ecotoxicity. The global ranking of sensitivity for the biotests tested was daphnids > algae > bacteria > fishes. Thus, the use of this bioassay battery could improve our understanding of the impact of DPM on aquatic environments, which is dependent on the pH of the leaching process.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Remediação Ambiental, UNIVALI Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Rua Uruguai, 458, Itajaí SC, Santa Catarina, 88302-202, Brazil.
authors.forename: Albertina X R
authors.initials: AX
authors.lastname: Corrêa
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Remediação Ambiental, UNIVALI Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Rua Uruguai, 458, Itajaí SC, Santa Catarina, 88302-202, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renan C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Testolin
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Remediação Ambiental, UNIVALI Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Rua Uruguai, 458, Itajaí SC, Santa Catarina, 88302-202, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), Université de Lorraine, CNRS UMR 7360, rue du Général Delestraint, 57070, Metz Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cotelle
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg, ICPEES, CNRS UMR 7515, 1 rue Blessig, 67084, Strasbourg Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Université de Strasbourg, ICPEES, CNRS UMR 7515, 1 rue Blessig, 67084, Strasbourg Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Maurice
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Remediação Ambiental, UNIVALI Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Rua Uruguai, 458, Itajaí SC, Santa Catarina, 88302-202, Brazil. radetski@univali.br.
authors.forename: Claudemir M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Radetski
mesh_terms: D048908:Aliivibrio fischeri / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D003621:Daphnia / Q000187:drug effects; D006586:Hexanes; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000737:chemistry*; D001335:Vehicle Emissions
chemical_list: D006586:Hexanes; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions; C026385:n-hexane
keywords: Acidic leaching process; Air pollution; Bioassays; Diesel exhaust; Environmental impact; Particular matter extracts