Aldehydes, hydrogen peroxide, and organic radicals as mediators of ozone toxicity

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Free Radical Biology and Medicine; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0891-5849(91)90186-7· OSTI ID:6097437

Pryor, W A; Church, D F ^[1]

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1. Biodynamics Institute, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge (United States)

It is generally agreed that unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) are an important class of target molecule for reaction with ozone when polluted air is inhaled. Most discussions have implicated the UFA in cell membranes, but lung lining fluids also contain fatty acids that are from 20 to 40% unsaturated. Since UFA in lung lining fluids exist in a highly aquated environment, ozonation would be expected to produce aldehydes and hydrogen peroxide, rather than the Criegee ozonide. In agreement with this expectation, the authors find that ozonations of emulsions of fatty acids containing from one to four double bonds give one mole of H2O2 for each mole of ozone reacted. Ozonation of oleic acid emulsions and dioleoyl phosphatidyl choline gives similar results, with two moles of aldehydes and one mole of H2O2 formed per mole of ozone reacted. The net reaction that occurs when ozone reacts with pulmonary lipids is suggested to be given by equation 1. (formula: see text). From 5 to 10% yields of Criegee ozonides also appear to be formed. In addition, a direct reaction of unknown mechanism occurs between ozone and UFA in homogeneous organic solution, in homogeneous solutions in water, in aqueous emulsions, and in lipid bilayers to give organic radicals that can be spin trapped. These radicals are suggested to be responsible for initiating lipid peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Thus, aldehydes, hydrogen peroxide, and directly produced organic radicals are suggested to be mediators of ozone-induced pathology.39 references.

• OSTI ID: 6097437
• Journal Information: Free Radical Biology and Medicine; (United States), Vol. 11:1; ISSN 0891-5849
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALDEHYDES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OZONE
TOXICITY
AIR POLLUTION
CELL MEMBRANES
INHALATION
LUNGS
METABOLISM
OLEIC ACID
PHOSPHOLIPIDS
RADICALS
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
ESTERS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INTAKE
LIPIDS
MEMBRANES
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PEROXIDES
POLLUTION
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology