Influence of Polycyclic Aromatic Compounds and Oxidation States of Soot Organics on the Metabolome of Human-Lung Cells (A549): Implications for Vehicle Fuel Selection

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05228
• Publication Date: 2023-11-13T15:57:06Z
• Authors: Lina Wang; Wen Wen; Jiaqian Yan; Runqi Zhang; Chunlin Li; Hongxing Jiang; Shaofeng Chen; Michal Pardo; Ke Zhu; Boyue Jia; Wei Zhang; Zhe Bai; Longbo Shi; Yingjun Cheng; Yinon Rudich; Lidia Morawska; Jianmin Chen
• Keywords: 13. Climate action; 610; 540

Decades of research have established the toxicity soot particles resulting from incomplete combustion. However, unique chemical compounds responsible for adverse health effects remained uncertain. This study utilized mass spectrometry to analyze composition extracted organics at three oxidation states, aiming establish quantitative relationships between potentially toxic chemicals and their impact on human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549) through metabolomics-based evaluations. Targeted analysis using MS/MS indicated that with a medium state contained highest total abundance compounds, particularly oxygen-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OPAHs) composed fused benzene rings unsaturated carbonyls, which may cause oxidative stress, characterized by upregulation specific metabolites. Further investigation focused OPAH standards: 1,4-naphthoquinone, 9-fluorenone, anthranone. Pathway exposure these affected transcriptional functions, tricarboxylic acid cycle, cell proliferation, stress response. Biodiesel combustion emissions had higher concentrations PAHs, OPAHs, nitrogen-containing PAHs (NPAHs) compared other fuels. Quinones 9,10-anthraquinone were identified as dominant within category. knowledge enhances our understanding contributing observed in epidemiological studies highlights role aerosol toxicity.