Airborne particles, mutagens

Baranski B, Palus J, Rogaczewska T, et al. 1992. Correlation between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons concentration and airborne particle mutagenicity in the rubber factory. Pol J Occup Med Environ Health 5(4) 357-362. 

Yamanaka S, Maruoka S. 1984. Mutagenicity of the extract recovered from airborne particles outside and inside a home with an unvented kerosine heater. Atmos Environ 18(7) 1485-1487. 

Gundel, L. A., J. M. Daisey, L. R. F. de Carvalho, N. Y. Kado, and D. Schuetzle, Polar Organic Matter in Airborne Particles Chemical Characterization and Mutagenic Activity, Environ. Sci. Technol., 27, 2112-2119 (1993). 

De Raat, W. K., G. L. Bakker, and F. A. de Meijere, Comparison of Filter Materials Used for Sampling of Mutagens and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Ambient Airborne Particles, Atmos. Environ., 24A, 2875-2887 (1990). 

Kado, N. Y., G. N. Guirguis, C. P. Flessel, R. C. Chan, K.-I. Chang, and J. J. Wesolowski, Mutagenicity of Fine (<2.5 p.m) Airborne Particles Diurnal Variation in Community Air Determined by a Salmonella Micro Preincubation (Microsuspension) Procedure, Environ. Mutagen., 8, 53-66 (1986). 

Villalobos-Pietrini, R., S. Blanco, and S. Gomez-Arroyo, Mutagenicity Assessment of Airborne Particles in Mexico City, Atmos. Environ., 29, 517-524 (1995). 

Enya T, Suzuki H, Watanabe T, Hirayama T, Hisamatsu Y. 3-Nitrobenzanthrone, a powerful bacterial mutagen and suspected human carcinogen found in diesel exhaust and airborne particles. Environ Sci Technol 1997 31 2772-6. 

Miller, A, Alfheim, I., Larssen, S., and Mikalsen, A. Mutagenicity of airborne particles in relation to traffic and air pollution parameters 1982, Environ. Sci. Technol. 16, pp. 221-225. 

Airborne particles collected from specific combustion sources have also produced positive mutagenic responses. These sources include coal-powered electric plants (72, 22), gasoline engines (63), and diesel engines (47). Azaarenes have been specifically implicated in the mutagenic response produced by extracts of particulate matter obtained from the exhaust of a heavy-duty diesel engine (3J). 

Until now more than 25 HCAs have been characterized as potent mutagens in the AmesISalmonella assay [7,12-14]. Figure 7.1 displays the HCAs structures and abbreviated names. Many of these mutagenic HCAs have been isolated and identified not only from various proteinaceous foods such as cooked meat and fish [7,15], but also from environmental components, for instance, airborne particles and diesel exhaust particles [16], river water [17], and mainstream cigarette smoke [18]. 

Since the initial discovery of the mutagenicity of air samples in 1977, most of the research has focused on genotoxicity of organic extracts of the airborne particulate matter. However, this emphasis has been shifting and there is increasing interest in, and concern over, the vapor-phase mutagenicity of urban atmospheres and its toxicological implications. We discuss here examples of some of the studies in which bacterial assays have been used to help in the identification of both gas- and particle-phase PAHs and PACs in ambient air. 

As we have seen, a great deal is known about emission sources and strengths, ambient levels, and mutagenic/carcinogenic properties of the particle-phase PAHs in airborne POM. However, because of the tremendous physical and chemical complexity of the aerosol surfaces on which photolysis, photooxidations, and gas-particle interactions take place in real polluted ambient air, much less is known about the structures, yields, and absolute rates and mechanisms of formation of PAH and PAC reaction products, especially for the more polar PACs. This is one area in which there exists a major gap in our knowledge of their atmospheric chemistry and toxicology. 

Talcott, R and W. Harger, Airborne Mutagens Extracted from Particles of Respirable Size, Mutat. Res., 79, 177-180 (1980). 

Foundry workers who are exposed to complex mixtures of gases and fine particles that include airborne particulates [H] and organic binders [L] have an elevated risk for lung cancer. In vitro laboratory studies have demonstrated mutagenic activity for these fumes, including free radical DNA damageJ53 ... 

J. M. Daisey, I. Hawryluk, T. J. Kneip, and F. H. Mukai, Mutagenic activity in organic fractions of airborne particulate matter. Presented at the Conference on Carbonaceous Particles in the Atmosphere, Berkeley, California, March 20-22, 1978. 

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