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Title: Cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of vapor-phase pollutants in rat lung epithelial cells and Chinese hamster ovary cells grown on collagen gels

Journal Article · · J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)

Lung epithelial cell (cell line designated LEC) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were grown on hydrated collagen gels and exposed directly to toxic vapor-phase pollutants. The cells were exposed to graded concentrations of phenol, formaldehyde, a volatile fraction of process stream material from an experimental coal gasifier, and the nonparticulate, vapor phase of diesel engine exhaust. During exposures, the cells were maintained at an air/collagen interface by removing the medium overlying the hydrated collagen gel. Morphological changes indicative of cell retraction were found in LEC cell cultures exposed to phenol, formaldehyde, or diesel exhaust. Damage following exposure to the toxicants was quantitated in LEC and CHO cells by Trypan blue dye exclusion, a measure of plasma membrane integrity. Clone-forming ability was also used to measure cell survival in CHO cells. When measured by Trypan blue dye exclusion, phenol (EC50 = 2.1 mg/l) caused membrane damage to LEC cells but not CHO cells, while formaldehyde (EC50 = 31 and 42 ..mu..g/l for LEC and CHO, respectively) and diesel exhaust (EC50 = 11 and 29% of tailpipe exhaust in LEC and CHO cells, respectively) caused damage to both cell types. No cytotoxicity was observed in LEC or CHO cells exposed to the fraction from the coal gasifier. Essentially no mutagenic activity was associated with the exposure of CHO cells to formaldehyde or the vapor phase of diesel exhaust. Mutagenic activity was found in CHO cells exposed to ethylene oxide, the positive control.

Research Organization:
Lovelace Biomedial and Environmental Research Inst., Albuquerque, NM
DOE Contract Number:
AC04-76EV01013
OSTI ID:
6238304
Journal Information:
J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States), Vol. 12
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English