Mutagenic effect of main groups of organic pollutants adsorbed on suspended particulate matter (PM10 and PM 2.5) collected within Wrocław urban area

Abstract

Mutagenic activity of pollutants adsorbed on suspended PM10 and PM2.5 particulates collected in springtime within the urban area of Wroclaw (Poland) was identified by the Salmonella assay. Particulate matter was sampled on sintered-glass filters, using a high performance Staplex air aspirator. Pollutant extraction by dichloromethane was performed in a Soxhlet apparatus. The fractions obtained were separated by a column chromatography method. The assays were conducted in the presence of TA98 and TA100 strains as well as their derivative strains YG1041 and YG1042. It was found that the samples under examination contained pollutants that might affect directly or indirectly the genetic material. These are mutagens of the reading frame-shift type and the base-pair substitution type. In the assays, where PAH, nitro-PAH and dinitro-PAH fractions were introduced, the values of the mutagenicity ratio (MR) obtained were higher or lower compared to those obtained for the whole extracts. The mutagenic effect was not found only in the case of a dinitro-PAH fraction presence in the extract of PM2.5 particulates when the assay was conducted with metabolic activation.