Genotoxic effects of fly ash in bacteria, mammalian cells and animals

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/tcm.1770090505· OSTI ID:7249518

Morris, D L; Connor, T H; Harper, J B; Ward, Jr, J B; Legator, M S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston (USA)

The increasing use of fossil fuels has raised concerns about possible deleterious health effects of the final combustion product, fly ash. Seven ash samples from coal sources obtained from Battelle Columbus Laboratories were evaluated in the Salmonella/mammalian microsome mutagenicity assay to determine their mutagenic potential. While dimethyl sulfoxide extracts of five samples showed no mutagenicity, sample 102 caused an increase in the number of revertants per plate over controls in TA100 and TA98 with activation by liver homogenate (2-fold and 2.4-fold, respectively), and without (2-fold and 6-fold). This ash was thus evaluated in whole animal studies. Animals treated by inhalation or oral gavage were assayed for the presence of mutagens in the urine, micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes, and chromosomal aberrations in metaphase bone marrow cells. Those animals treated by inhalation were also examined for local damage in the lung. The assay for mutagens in the urine was negative as shown by the Ames assay with TA100 and TA98 and there was no increase in micronuclei or in metaphase aberrations. Histological sections from the animals treated by inhalation did not show the presence of particles, macrophage infiltrations and generalized lung damage. We tested the same fly ash with an in vitro cell transformation assay with the cell line Balb/c 3T3 subclone A31-1-13. Although there was not an increase in Type III foci, there was a dose-dependent increase of Type II foci in the treated cells over the controls. In one assay, there was approximately a 14-fold increase in Type II foci in the highest dose (2 mg/ml) compared to the solvent control. One other ash sample induced cell transformation without being markedly cytotoxic, while a third sample was highly toxic but did not induce transformation.

• OSTI ID: 7249518
• Journal Information: Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis; (USA), Journal Name: Teratogenesis, Carcinogenesis, and Mutagenesis; (USA) Vol. 9:5; ISSN 0270-3211; ISSN TCMUD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
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& Peat-- Health & Safety
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOL WASTES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
ASHES
BACTERIA
BODY
BONE MARROW
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL TRANSFORMATIONS
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
COAL
CONNECTIVE TISSUE CELLS
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLY ASH
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GLANDS
HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
LIVER
LUNGS
MACROPHAGES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MICE
MICROORGANISMS
MICROSOMES
MUTAGEN SCREENING
MUTANTS
MUTATIONS
ONCOGENIC TRANSFORMATIONS
ORGANOIDS
ORGANS
PHAGOCYTES
RESIDUES
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
REVERTANTS
RIBOSOMES
RODENTS
SALMONELLA
SCREENING
SOMATIC CELLS
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
WASTES