Factors affecting possible carcinogenicity of inhaled nitropyrene aerosols

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Research Report Health Effects Institue; (USA)

OSTI ID:5030803

Wolff, R K; Barr, E B; Bond, J A; Eidson, A F; Griffith, W C; Hahn, F F; Harkema, J R; Henderson, R F; Mitchell, C E; Rothenberg, S J

Nitroaromatics in general, and 1-nitropyrene in particular, are potent bacterial mutagens and animal carcinogens. Their importance as possible human carcinogens is difficult to assess because they are usually found in the environment as the products of combustion processes, and so they usually exist with many other compounds associated with airborne particles. The experiments reported here were carried out to determine if the inhalation of particle-associated 1-nitropyrene, or the concomitant exposure to an irritant gas, would alter the tissue distribution of 1-nitropyrene or its metabolites, compared to their distribution after inhalation of pure 1-nitropyrene. These experiments were intended to yield insights into the mechanisms involved in the potential carcinogenicity of particle-associated nitroaromatics as inhaled in the environment from automotive emissions and other sources. Groups of Fischer 344 rats inhaled pure 14C-1-nitropyrene aerosols, with and without coexposure to 5 parts per million sulfur dioxide, or 14C-1-nitropyrene adsorbed onto gallium oxide particles, with and without coexposure to sulfur dioxide, for four weeks. Lung retention of 14C-1-nitropyrene was not prolonged by its association with gallium oxide particles or by coexposure to sulfur dioxide. Another set of experiments was carried out in which rats were exposed to 14C-1-nitropyrene either as pure aerosol or adsorbed onto carbon black particles. The amount of 14C in the lung that was bound to carbon black particles steadily decreased with time after exposure, compared to total lung 14C, indicating removal of 14C from the particles. Thirty minutes after exposure, the amount of 14C covalently bound to lung macromolecules, expressed as a percentage of calculated deposited radioactivity, was twofold greater for 1-nitropyrene adsorbed onto carbon black than for 1-nitropyrene alone.

• OSTI ID: 5030803
• Journal Information: Research Report Health Effects Institue; (USA), Journal Name: Research Report Health Effects Institue; (USA) Vol. 19; ISSN RRHIE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BODY
CARBON
CARBON 14 COMPOUNDS
CARBON BLACK
CARCINOGEN SCREENING
CARCINOGENESIS
COLLOIDS
CONDENSED AROMATICS
DISPERSIONS
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
HYDROCARBONS
INHALATION
INTAKE
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LUNGS
MAMMALS
METABOLISM
NITRO COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOGENESIS
POLLUTION
PYRENE
RATS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RETENTION
RODENTS
SCREENING
SOLS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VERTEBRATES