Induction of chromosome aberrations in cultured human lymphocytes treated with sand dust storm fine particles (PM2.5)

The clastogenic activity of airborne air fine particulate matter (PM2.5, particulates with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm) has already been demonstrated. However little is known about the health risks associated with sand dust storm PM2.5 and its extract. In order to investigate the clastogenic activity of sand dust storm PM2.5 (include its organic and inorganic extract) on human lymphocytes, the normal PM2.5 and sand dust storm PM2.5 samples were collected in Wuwei city (Gansu Province) and Baotou city (Inner Mongolia), China. The chromosomal aberration (CA) test was employed and the cells were treated with 0, 33, 100, 300 μg ml−1 sand dust storm or normal ambient air PM2.5 suspension (physiological saline as solvent control), or inorganic extract (0, 75, 150, 300 μg ml−1, physiological saline as solvent control) or organic extract (0, 20, 40, 80 μg ml−1, DMSO as solvent control) at the beginning of the cell culture.The results indicated that sand dust storm PM2.5 and its extract as well as normal samples can induce increase in CA frequency. With the increase of treatment concentrations the CA frequency increased and the mitotic index (MI) values declined in a dose–response manner. In the same concentrates, the CA frequency of normal ambient air PM2.5 and its extract were significant higher than those of sand dust storm PM2.5 (P < 0.05 or 0.01) except the treatment of Wuwei sample at higher doses (100, 300 μg ml−1), the treatment of inorganic extract of PM2.5 at the highest dose (300 μg ml−1) and the treatment of organic extract of PM2.5 at the higher dose (40 and 80 μg ml−1) either in Baotou or in Wuwei (P > 0.05). The toxicity of sand dust storm PM2.5 and its extract at high dose is very potent. CA frequency of normal PM2.5 (include its organic extract) from Baotou were higher than those of Wuwei especially in low and middle dose (P < 0.05), but the treatment results of sand dust storm PM2.5 (include its all extract) was not significant different between the cities (P > 0.05).