Journal of environmental science and health. Part A, Toxic/hazardous substances & environmental engineering
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J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng · Jan 2013
Airborne particulate collected from central Taiwan induces DNA strand breaks, Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 activation, and estrogen-disrupting activity in human breast carcinoma cell lines.
The objectives of this investigation were to examine whether airborne particles induce DNA damaging and estrogen-disrupting effects and to explore the relationships between them. In this study, airborne particulate was collected at an urban, a suburban, and a rural site in central Taiwan. The organic solvent extracts of airborne particulate were examined in human MCF-7 and T47D-KBluc breast cancer cells. ⋯ Furthermore, we confirmed that with series dilution airborne particles (∼10(-7)-10(-2) m(3) air equivalent) possess both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activities as determined by the ERα-mediated reporter gene assay in human T47D-KBluc breast cancer cells. In conclusions, we confirmed that the DNA-damaging activity and estrogenicity of airborne particles varied considerably with concentration (air equivalent). Our findings add further support to the theme that ROS formation is a significant determinant factor in mediating the induction of oxidative DNA damage and repair in human breast cancer cells exposed to airborne particles and that oxidative stress and the subsequent induction of DNA damage may, in part, contribute to airborne particle-induced carcinogenesis.
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J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng · Jan 2013
Hygroscopic aerosol deposition in the human upper respiratory tract under various thermo-humidity conditions.
The deposition of hygroscopic aerosols is highly complex in nature, which results from a cumulative effect of dynamic particle growth and the real-time size-specific deposition mechanisms. The objective of this study is to evaluate hygroscopic effects on the particle growth, transport, and deposition of nasally inhaled aerosols across a range of 0.2-2.5 μm in an adult image-based nose-throat model. Temperature and relative humidity fields were simulated using the LRN k-ω turbulence model and species transport model under a spectrum of thermo-humidity conditions. ⋯ Significant elevated nasal depositions of hygroscopic aerosols could be induced by condensation growth for both sub-micrometer and small micrometer particulates. In particular, the deposition of initially 2.5 μm hygroscopic aerosols was observed to be 5-8 times that of inert particles under warm to hot saturated conditions. Results of this study have important implications in exposure assessment in hot humid environments, where much higher risks may be expected compared to normal conditions.
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J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng · Jan 2013
The impact of lead and cadmium on selected motility, prooxidant and antioxidant parameters of bovine seminal plasma and spermatozoa.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) content on basic motility characteristics (motility-MOT, progressive motility-PROG) as well as selected markers of the prooxidant-antioxidant balance (catalase-CAT, glutathione-GSH, malondialdehyde-MDA) in bovine seminal plasma and spermatozoa. Twenty five semen samples were collected from breeding bulls and used in the study. Motility analysis was carried out using the Computer Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) system. ⋯ Moreover the samples were categorized in three quality groups (Excellent, Good, Moderate) according to their motility values. The lowest Pb, Cd and MDA concentrations but the best antioxidant characteristics were found in samples of the best quality, moderate quality samples exhibited the highest Pb, Cd and MDA content together with the worst antioxidant capacity. This study demonstrates that Pb and Cd are serious toxic elements, which are able to increase the risk of seminal oxidative stress development and a subsequent decrease of male fertility.