skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Metal-sulfide mineral ores, Fenton chemistry and disease. Particle induced inflammatory stress response in lung cells

Journal Article · · International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [3]
  1. Stony Brook Univ., Stony Brook, NY (United States); New York Univ., Tuxedo, NY (United States)
  2. Dowling College, Oakdale, NY (United States)
  3. Stony Brook Univ., Stony Brook, NY (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

The inhalation of mineral particulates and other earth materials, such as coal, can initiate or enhance disease in humans. Workers in occupations with high particulate exposure, such as mining, are particularly at risk. The ability of a material to generate an inflammatory stress response (ISR), a measure of particle toxicity, is a useful tool in evaluating said exposure risk. ISR is defined as the upregulation of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) normalized to cell viability. This study compares the ISR of A549 human lung epithelial cells after exposure to well-characterized common metal-sulfide ore mineral separates. The evaluation of the deleterious nature of ore minerals is based on a range of particle loadings (serial dilutions of 0.002 m2/mL stock) and exposure periods (beginning at 30 min and measured systematically for up to 24 h). There is a wide range in ISR values generated by the ore minerals. The ISR values produced by the sphalerite samples are within the range of inert materials. Arsenopyrite generated a small ISR that was largely driven by cell death. Galena showed a similar, but more pronounced response. Copper-bearing ore minerals generated the greatest ISR, both by upregulating cellular ROS and generating substantial and sustained cell death. Chalcopyrite and bornite, both containing ferrous iron, generated the greatest ISR overall. Particles containing Fenton metals as major constituents produce the highest ISR, while other heavy metals mainly generate cell death. Furthermore, this study highlights the importance of evaluating the chemistry, oxidation states and structure of a material when assessing risk management.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
R01-NS42168
OSTI ID:
1281142
Journal Information:
International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, Vol. 218, Issue 1; ISSN 1438-4639
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 14 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (31)

Characterization of particulate matter (PM10) related to surface coal mining operations in Appalachia journal July 2012
Short-Term Inhalation Exposure to Mild Steel Welding Fume had no Effect on Lung Inflammation and Injury but did Alter Defense Responses to Bacteria in Rats journal February 2009
Particulate matter and atherosclerosis: role of particle size, composition and oxidative stress journal January 2009
Arsenopyrite dissolution rates in O2-bearing solutions journal May 2010
Fe(III)-mediated cellular toxicity: Fe(III)-mediated cellular toxicity journal July 2002
Role of pyrite in formation of hydroxyl radicals in coal: possible implications for human health journal January 2006
Evaluating the use of 3'-(p-Aminophenyl) fluorescein for determining the formation of highly reactive oxygen species in particle suspensions journal August 2009
In situ investigation of galena dissolution in oxygen saturated solution: evolution of surface features and kinetic rate journal May 2001
Short-range order of Fe2+ in sphalerite by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility journal August 2005
Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in cell death signaling journal February 2002
Surface reactivity in the pathogenic response to particulates. journal September 1997
PM10 in the ambient air of Chandrapur coal mine and its comparison with other environments journal May 2012
Surface Iron Inhibits Quartz-Induced Cytotoxic and Inflammatory Responses in Alveolar Macrophages journal January 2011
Pyocyanin-induced toxicity in A549 respiratory cells is causally linked to oxidative stress journal October 2011
The oxidation states of copper and iron in mineral sulfides, and the oxides formed on initial exposure of chalcopyrite and bornite to air journal May 2006
Pyrite-driven reactive oxygen species formation in simulated lung fluid: implications for coal workers’ pneumoconiosis journal October 2011
Quantification of particle-induced inflammatory stress response: a novel approach for toxicity testing of earth materials journal April 2012
Alveolar macrophages from subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are deficient in their ability to phagocytose apoptotic airway epithelial cells journal August 2003
Protective effect of IL-6 on alveolar epithelial cell death induced by hydrogen peroxide journal February 2005
Formation of Sphalerite (ZnS) Deposits in Natural Biofilms of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria journal December 2000
Possible mechanisms to explain dust overloading of the lungs journal April 1988
Lung Particle Overload: Implications for Occupational Exposures to Particles journal February 1995
An X-ray absorption study of doped sphalerites [An X-ray absorption study of doped sphalerites] journal March 1998
Arsenic trioxide is highly cytotoxic to small cell lung carcinoma cells journal January 2009
Arsenic Inhibits NF-κB-mediated Gene Transcription by Blocking IκB Kinase Activity and IκBα Phosphorylation and Degradation journal May 2000
Role of Apoptosis in Amplifying Inflammatory Responses in Lung Diseases journal January 2010
Role of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radical in pyrite oxidation by molecular oxygen journal September 2010
Surface oxidation of chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) under ambient atmospheric and aqueous (pH 2-10) conditions: Cu, Fe L- and O K-edge X-ray spectroscopy journal June 2003
Metals, Toxicity and Oxidative Stress journal May 2005
Toxicity of iron and hydrogen peroxide: the Fenton reaction journal December 1995
A first principles study of the distribution of iron in sphalerite journal June 2010

Cited By (5)

Copper toxicology, oxidative stress and inflammation using zebrafish as experimental model: Copper-induced inflammation in zebrafish
  • Pereira, Talita Carneiro Brandão; Campos, Maria Martha; Bogo, Maurício Reis
  • Journal of Applied Toxicology, Vol. 36, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.3303
journal February 2016
Metalliferous Mine Dust: Human Health Impacts and the Potential Determinants of Disease in Mining Communities journal May 2019
Measurement of OH* Generation by Pulverized Minerals Using Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy and Implications for the Reactivity of Planetary Regolith journal January 2019
Resveratrol protects human bronchial epithelial cells against nickel‐induced toxicity via suppressing p38 MAPK, NF‐κB signaling, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation journal May 2020
The role of Iraqi dust in inducing lung injury in United States soldiers—An interdisciplinary study journal July 2017

Similar Records

Calc-silicate alteration and sulfide mineralization, San Martin mine, Zacatecas, Mexico
Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) · OSTI ID:1281142
Calc-silicate alteration and sulfide mineralization, San Martin mine, Zacatecas, Mexico
Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) · OSTI ID:1281142
Complex, multiple ore fluids in the world class southeast Missouri Pb-Zn-Cu MVT deposits: Sulfur isotope evidence
Conference · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) · OSTI ID:1281142
+1 more

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ore minerals
Fenton chemistry
oxidative stress
inflammatory stress response
occupational disease