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Published November 15, 1998 | public
Journal Article

Bioassay-Directed Chemical Analysis of Los Angeles Airborne Particulate Matter Using a Human Cell Mutagenicity Assay

Abstract

The human cell mutagenicity of Los Angeles airborne fine particulate matter is examined via bioassay-directed chemical analysis. A 1993 composite fine particle sample is separated via liquid chromatography into fractions containing organic compounds of varying polarity. Samples are analyzed by the h1A1v2 human cell mutagenicity assay to identify those fractions that contain human cell mutagens and by GC/MS to identify the chemical character of those mutagens. Those subfractions that contain unsubstituted polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC) are responsible for a considerable portion of the mutagenic potency of the whole atmospheric sample. Six unsubstituted PAC (cyclopenta[cd]pyrene, benzo[a]pyrene, benzo[ghi]perylene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, and benzo[k]fluoranthene) account for most of the mutagenic potency that can be assigned to specific compounds within the atmospheric samples. Important semipolar mutagens that are quantified include 2-nitrofluoranthene and 6H-benzo[cd]pyren-6-one. A large number of other aromatic organics are identified as candidates for future testing as pure compounds in the human cell assay, at which time it should be possible to account for more of the mutagenic potency of the atmospheric samples.

Additional Information

© 1998 American Chemical Society. Received for review July 28, 1997. Revised manuscript received June 22, 1998. Accepted July 9, 1998. We thank Lawrence Donhoffner and Lita Doza-Corpus at Gentest Corporation for performing the human cell mutation assays. We would also like to thank all those individuals associated with ambient particulate matter sampling campaign, specifically Matt Fraser and Lynn Salmon at Caltech and Bill Bope at the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Thanks also go to John Durant for his valuable guidance with bioassay data reduction as well as the use of several authentic standards. This research has been supported by Center Grant P30-ES02109 and Program Grant P01-ES07168 from the National Institute of Environmenal Health Sciences.

Additional details

Created:
August 19, 2023
Modified:
October 19, 2023