Genotoxicity and embryotoxicity of organic compounds adsorbed to air particles comparison of two localities and seasons
Abstract
This paper presents the results of in vitro part of Teplice Program. In order to assess the possible health risks associated with a complex mixture of hundreds of organic compounds adsorbed to air particles, a biomarker-directed fraction procedure to evaluate biological activities of different chemical compound classes was used.
The DNA binding activities were evaluated usingan in vitro acellular assay coupled with 32P-postlabeling, and the embryotoxicity using Chick Embryotoxicity Screening Test. In both assays , the highest activity was due to the neutral fractionsfrom which the aromatic subfractions containing mainly PAHs and their methyl-derivates werethe most active for both localities (Teplice and Prachatice) and seasons (winter and summer) studied..
A good correlation between the DNA adduct levels and the embryotoxicity (ED 50) for alldifferent complex mixtures was observed. The results confirmed the similarities of the major ubiquitous emission sources of organic compounds in both distric