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Title: Development and application of short-term mutagenicity and cytotoxicity bioassays for integrated health assessment studies of coal fly ash emissions

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:5018384

Two respirable coal fly ash samples (less than or equal to3 ..mu..m) one from a pressurized fluidized-bed combustion miniplant (sample A) and one from a conventional combustion power plant (sample B), were investigated for physical properties, chemical composition and biological activity. Electron microscopy illustrated irregularity in sample A and sphericity in sample B. Elemental analysis of these samples showed differences in trace elements. Both samples were toxic in rabbit alveolar macrophage and Chinese hamster ovary cell systems in vitro. The macrophages were more sensitive to toxicity than the ovary cells. Intact particles of sample A showed mutagenicity only in strains TA98 and TA1538 without metabolic activation in the Ames Salmonella assay. Solvent extraction yielded more mass from sample A than from sample B. The extracts of sample A showed higher mutagenic activity than those of sample B. Fly ash samples collected from the same fluidized-bed source at various temperatures were compared for particle size, toxicity, and mutagenicity. Results demonstrated that the biological activity and coal fly ash was affected by the collection site, device, and temperature. Coal fly ash vapor-coated with 1-nitropyrene was developed as a model system to study the bioavailability and recovery of nitroaromatic compounds in fly ash. The nitropyrene coating did not significantly alter the ash's cytotoxicity. Nitropyrene was bioavailable in the biological media, and a significant percentage was not recovered after the coated fly ash was cultured with alveolar macrophages. 1-Nitropyrene loss increased as the number of macrophages was increased, suggesting that the macrophages are capable of metabolizing or binding 1-nitropyrene present in coal fly ash.

Research Organization:
Texas Univ., Houston (USA). School of Public Health
OSTI ID:
5018384
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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