Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in human lung epithelial A549 cells caused by airborne volatile organic compounds emitted from pine wood and oriented strand boards.
Gminski R, Tang T, Mersch-Sundermann V.
Toxicol Lett. 2010 Mar 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Toxicol Lett. 2010 Mar 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Institute of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University Medical Center, Breisacher Strasse 115b, D-79106 Freiburg, Germany.
Abstract
Due to the massive reduction of air-change rates in modern, energy-saving houses and dwellings, the contribution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions from wood-based materials to indoor air quality has become increasingly important. To evaluate toxicity of VOC mixtures typically emitted from pine wood and oriented strand boards (OSB) and their main constituents (selected terpenes and aldehydes), cytotoxicity and genotoxicity were investigated in human A549 lung cells. To facilitate exposure directly via gas phase, a 200 L emission chamber was combined with a Vitrocell(R) exposure system. VOC exposure concentrations were measured by GC/MSD. Biological effects were determined after an exposure time of 1h by measuring cytotoxicity (erythrosine B staining) and genotoxicity (comet assay). Neither cytotoxic nor genotoxic effects were observed for VOC mixtures emitted from pine wood or OSB at loading factors of approximately 13m(2)/m(3) (worst case conditions) of the panels (with maximum VOC levels of about 80mg/m(3)) in comparison to clean air. While alpha-pinene and Delta(3)-carene did not induce toxic effects even at exposure concentrations of up to 1,800mg/m(3), and 600mg/m(3),respectively, hexanal showed a cytotoxic effect at 2,000mg/m3. The alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes 2-heptenal and 2-octenal caused genotoxic effects in concentrations exceeding 100mg/m(3) and 40mg/m(3), respectively. In conclusion, high concentrations of VOCs and VOC mixtures emitted from pine wood and OSB did not lead to adverse effects in A549 human lung cells even at concentrations 10(2)-10(5)-fold higher than those found in normal indoor air. Attention must be paid to mutagenic and possibly carcinogenic alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
PMID: 20362040 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
