COMPARATIVE GENOTOXICITY TESTING OF AIRBORNE-PARTICULATES USING RODENT TRACHEAL EPITHELIAL-CELLS AND HUMAN-LYMPHOCYTES IN-VITRO

In our study samples of airborne particulates were collected in the he avily industrialized Rhine-Ruhr region utilizing a high volume sampler HVS 150 (Strohlein Instruments) equipped with glass fibre filters. Ch emical substances were extracted from filters with dichloromethane and quantitatively transferred to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for tissue cu lture experiments. For detection of genotoxicity of extract of airborn e particulates we utilized as a sensitive bioassay the induction of 's ister chromatid exchanges' (SCE) in cultures of human lymphocytes and of tracheal epithelial cells of the Syrian golden hamster. The extract of airborne particulates was added in various concentrations to tell cultures of human lymphocytes and hamster tracheal epithelial cells in presence of bromodeoxyuridine for 72 or 48 h, the last 3 h in presenc e of demecolcine or nocodazole, respectively. Extract of airborne part iculates led in both test systems - human lymphocytes and tracheal epi thelial cells of the hamster - to a dose-dependent, highly significant induction of 'sister chromatid exchanges'. Very low quantities of sub stances corresponding to airborne particulates from less than 1 m(3) a ir were highly effective in both cell systems. In comparison, tracheal epithelial cells of the Syrian golden hamster revealed a higher sensi tivity showing a steeper increase of 'sister chromatid exchanges' than human lymphocytes.