INVESTIGADORES
CARRERAS Hebe Alejandra
artículos
Título:
Genotoxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons associated to particulate matter.
Autor/es:
TAMES, FLORENCIA; CARRERAS, H
Revista:
Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Medicas
Editorial:
Facultad de Cs medicas
Referencias:
Año: 2013 vol. 71 p. 226 - 227
ISSN:
0014-6722
Resumen:
According
to the World Health Organization polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) are one of the most toxic pollutants in urban environments due
to theirs mutagenic activity, even in small concentrations. One of the
most useful methodologies for the study of this kind of genotoxic
compounds is the comet assay, due to its sensitivity to detect DNA
breaks in eukaryotic cells and the relatively fast processing of
results.
The present study aims to identify and quantify the PAHs associated to particulate suspension matter (PM) as well as to assess their genotoxic effects.
Samples
were collected in four areas of Córdoba province, during two different
seasons. PM samples were collected with a medium volume sampler and
HAPs were extracted by ultrasound sonication of filters with
dichloromethane followed by concentration with a rotary evaporator.
Extracts were further analyzed by high-performance liquid
chromatography. The same organic extracts were used to expose human
lymphocytes according to the comet assay methodology described by Singh
et al (1988), slightly modified. In addition, positive and negative
exposition controls were analyzed. The data obtained were statistically
analyzed using analysis of variance.
The
sampling site with higher concentration of PAHs was Córdoba downtown
and the most abundant compounds were fluoranthene,
benzo(b)fluoranthene, naphthalene and fluorene. In agreement with these
results, the lymphocytes exposed in these extracts showed higher DNA
damage, measured as tail moment and tail DNA percentage. PAHs values
associated with particulate material were high enough to cause DNA
damage in lymphocytes, which suggests a potential human exposure risk.