You are here:
ACUTE PULMONARY AND SYSTEMIC EFFECTS OF INHALED COAL FLY ASH IN RATS: COMPARISON TO AMBIENT ENVIRONMENTAL PARTICLES
Citation:
SMITH, K. R., J. VERANTH, U. P. KODAVANTI, A. E. AUST, AND K. E. PINKERTON. ACUTE PULMONARY AND SYSTEMIC EFFECTS OF INHALED COAL FLY ASH IN RATS: COMPARISON TO AMBIENT ENVIRONMENTAL PARTICLES. TOXICOLOGICAL SCIENCES. Society of Toxicology, RESTON, VA, 93(2):390-9, (2006).
Impact/Purpose:
to measure the effect of CFA on pulmonary and systemic inflammation and injury
Description:
Although primary particle emissions of ash from coal-fired power plants are well controlled, coal fly ash (CFA) can still remain a significant fraction of the overall particle exposure for some plant workers and highly impacted communities. The effect of CFA on pulmonary and systemic inflammation and injury was measured in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to filtered air or to CFA for 4 hours/day for 3 days. The concentration of CFA (PM2.5) was 1400 ¢¯g/m3, of which 600 ¢¯g/m3 was PM1. Animals were examined 18 and 36 hours post exposure. Chemical analysis of CFA detected silicon, calcium, aluminum, and iron, as major components. The total number of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) following exposure to CFA was significantly increased along with significantly elevated blood neutrophils. Exposure to CFA caused slight increases in MIP-2, and marked increases in transferrin in BALF. IL-1¥â and total antioxidant potential in lung tissues were also increased in rats exposed to CFA. Histological examination of lung tissue demonstrated focal alveolar septal thickening and increased cellularity in select alveoli immediately beyond terminal bronchioles. These responses are consistent with the ability of CFA to induce mild neutrophilic inflammation in the lung and blood following short-term exposure at levels that could be occupationally relevant. However, when comparing the effects of CFA with
those of concentrated ambient particles, CFA does not appear to have greater potency to cause pulmonary alterations. This study furthers our understanding of possible mechanisms by which specific sources of particulate air pollution affect human health.