Physicochemical properties, in vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of PM and PM from Shanghai, China.

Exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) links with a variety of respiratory diseases. However, compared with coarse particles (PM) and fine particles (PM), submicrometer particles (PM) may be a more important indicator of human health risks. In this study, the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of PM samples from Shanghai were examined using A549 cells, and compared with the effects of PM, to better understand the health effects of PM in this area. The PM and PM samples were characterized for morphology, water-soluble inorganic ions, organic and elemental carbon, and metal elements. The cytotoxicity of PMs was measured using cell viability and cell membrane damage assays. The genotoxic effects of PMs were determined using the comet assay, and DNA damage was quantified using olive tail moment (OTM) values. The physicochemical characterization indicated that PM was enriched in carbonaceous elements and hazardous metals (Al, Zn, Pb, Mn, Cu, and V), whereas PM was more abundant in large, irregular mineral particles. The biological results revealed that both PM and PM could induce significant cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in A549 cells, and that exposure to PM caused more extensive toxic effects than exposure to PM. The greater cytotoxic effects of PM can be attributed to the combined effects of size and chemical composition, whereas the genotoxic effects of PM may be mainly associated with chemical species.