Genotoxicity and embryotoxicity of urban air particulate matter collected during winter and summer period in two different districts of the Czech Republic
Abstract
This study is the in vitro part of a long term program to investigate the impact of air polution on the health of a population in a polluted region of Northern Bohemia. In order to assess the possible health risks associated with a complex mixture of hunreds of organic compounds adsorbed to air particles , we used a biomarker-directed fractionation procedure to evaluate biological activities of different chemical compounds classes.
The extractable organic compounds from the air particles collected inthe polluted and the control districts during the summers and winters of 1993-1994 were investigated. The principal aim of this study was to compare the DNA binding activities of those compound classes using an in vitro acellular assay coupled with 32P postlabeling and an embryotoxicity assay using Chick Embryotoxicity Screening Test (CHEST).
In both assays, the highest activity was due to the neutral fractins from which the aromatic subfractions containing mainly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.