Toxicity and health effects of vehicle emissions in Shanghai

In China, the number of vehicles is increasing rapidly with the continuous development of economy, and vehicle emission pollution in major cities is m ore serious than ever. In this article, we summarized the results of a seri es of short-term assays, animal experiments and epidemiology investigations on the genotoxicity, immunotoxicity, respiratory toxicity and health effec ts of vehicle emissions in Shanghai, including gasoline exhausts (gas conde nsate and particles), diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and scooter exhaust pa rticles (SEP). The results showed that: (1) Both gases and particulate phas es of the exhausts of different kinds of vehicles showed strong mutagenicit y in Ames test (TA98 and TA100 strains), rat hepatocyte unscheduled DNA syn thesis (UDS) assay, and mouse micronucleus assay, and vehicle emissions cou ld induce the transformation of Syrian hamster embryo (SHE) cells. DEP and SEP could induce the transformation of human diploid cell strain (KMB-13) c ells, immunohistochemistry assay showed that c-myc and p21 proteins were hi ghly expressed in the transformed cells. DEP and SEP could also inhibit the gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) of BALB/C3T3 cells (2) V ehicle emissions could decrease the number of macrophages in the lung (bron chial alveolar lavage fluid) (BALF) of male SD rats. Vehicle emissions coul d also increase the proportion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), the c ontent of cetyneuraminic acid (NA), the activity of lactate dehydrogenase ( LDH), alkali phosphate (AKP), acid phosphate (ACP) in the lung BALE of the animals. (3) In epidemiology investigation, the proportion of those who hav e respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) in the workers who were exposed to DEP (n = 806) were much higher than those of the controls (n = 413). The OR (odd ratio) values of angina, nasal obstr uction, phlegm, short of breath and COPD were 2.27, 3.08, 3.00, 3.19 and 2. 32, respectively, and the proportion of those who have indisposed sensation of nose or laryngopharynx, cough, phlegm and pharyngitis in the workers wh o were occupationally exposed to gasoline exhausts (n = 157) were also high er than those of controls (n = 121), the OR values were 2.43, 3.76, 2.58, a nd 3.70, respectively, and in the 40 gasoline exhausts exposed workers, the frequencies of 6-TG (thioguanine), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and m icronuclei in peripheral blood were markedly higher (P < 0.05) than those o f controls. The SI (T lymphocytes transformation) activity, total E rosette , E active rosette, content of immunoglobulin A (IgA) and fibrin (FN) of th e exposed group were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased compared with those of the control. All the results showed that vehicle emissions could not on ly induce adverse effects on respiratory and immune system of occupationall y exposed people, but also have potential carcinogenicity to human beings. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.