The Oxidative Potential of Particulate Matter (PM) in Different Regions Around the World and Its Relation to Air Pollution Sources

Overview

Journal Environ Sci Atmos

Publisher Royal Society of Chemistry

Date 2022 Oct 24

PMID 36277745

Authors

Vahid Jalali Farahani

Abdulmalik Altuwayjiri

Milad Pirhadi

Vishal Verma

Ario Alberto Ruprecht

Evangelia Diapouli

Konstantinos Eleftheriadis

Constantinos Sioutas

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the impact of urban emission sources on the chemical composition of ambient particulate matter (PM) as well as the associated oxidative potential. We collected six sets of PM samples in five urban location sites around the world over long time periods varying from weeks to months, intentionally selected for their PM to be dominated by unique emission sources: (1) PM produced mainly by traffic emissions in central Los Angeles, United States (US); (2) PM dominated by biomass burning in Milan, Italy; (3) PM formed by secondary photochemical reactions thus dominated by secondary aerosols in Athens, Greece; (4) PM emitted by refinery and dust resuspension in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (SA); (5) PM generated by dust storms in Riyadh, SA, and (6) PM produced mainly by industrial and traffic emissions in Beirut, Lebanon. The PM samples were chemically analyzed and their oxidative potential were quantified by employing the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. Our results revealed that the Milan samples were rich in water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and PAHs, even exceeding the levels measured on Los Angeles (LA) freeways. The PM in Athens was characterized by high concentrations of inorganic ions, specifically sulfate which was the highest of all PM samples. The ambient PM in LA was impacted by the traffic-emitted primary organic and elemental carbon. Furthermore, the contribution of metals and elements per mass of PM in Riyadh and Beirut samples were more pronounced relative to other sampling areas. The highest intrinsic PM redox activity was observed for PM with the highest WSOC fraction, including Milan (biomass burning) and Athens (secondary organic aerosols, SOA). PM in areas characterized by high metal emissions including dust events, refinery and industry, such as Riyadh and Beirut, had the lowest oxidative potential as assessed by the DTT assay. The results of this study illustrate the impact of major emission sources in urban areas on the redox activity and oxidative potential of ambient PM, providing useful information for developing efficient air pollution control and mitigation policies in polluted areas around the globe.

Citing Articles

Impact of Emission Standards on Fine Particulate Matter Toxicity: A Long-Term Analysis in Los Angeles.

Badami M, Aghaei Y, Sioutas C Toxics. 2025; 13(2).

PMID: 39997955 PMC: 11861624. DOI: 10.3390/toxics13020140.

Physicochemical Properties and Bioreactivity of Sub-10 μm Geogenic Particles: Comparison of Volcanic Ash and Desert Dust.

Tomasek I, Eychenne J, Damby D, Hornby A, Romanias M, Moune S Geohealth. 2025; 9(1):e2024GH001171.

PMID: 39790373 PMC: 11711107. DOI: 10.1029/2024GH001171.

Ambient Particulate Matter Induces In Vitro Toxicity to Intestinal Epithelial Cells without Exacerbating Acute Colitis Induced by Dextran Sodium Sulfate or 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid.

Chang C, Louie A, Zhou Y, Gupta R, Liang F, Xanthou G Int J Mol Sci. 2024; 25(13).

PMID: 39000289 PMC: 11241079. DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137184.

Inhaled Pollutants of the Gero-Exposome and Later-Life Health.

Finch C, Thorwald M J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2024; 79(7).

PMID: 38644649 PMC: 11170295. DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glae107.

Fine particulate matter from brick kilns site and roadside in Lahore, Pakistan: Insight into chemical composition, oxidative potential, and health risk assessment.

Ahmad M, Chen J, Panyametheekul S, Yu Q, Nawab A, Khan M Heliyon. 2024; 10(4):e25884.

PMID: 38390149 PMC: 10881335. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25884.

References

Reche C, Viana M, Amato F, Alastuey A, Moreno T, Hillamo R . Biomass burning contributions to urban aerosols in a coastal Mediterranean city. Sci Total Environ. 2012; 427-428:175-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.04.012. View

Shrey K, Suchit A, Deepika D, Shruti K, Vibha R . Air pollutants: the key stages in the pathway towards the development of cardiovascular disorders. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2011; 31(1):1-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2010.09.002. View

Fu P, Xia Q, Hwang H, Ray P, Yu H . Mechanisms of nanotoxicity: generation of reactive oxygen species. J Food Drug Anal. 2014; 22(1):64-75. PMC: 9359151. DOI: 10.1016/j.jfda.2014.01.005. View

Kim H, Choi M, Park M, Seo Y . Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers of Respiratory Diseases due to Particulate Matter Exposure. J Cancer Prev. 2017; 22(1):6-15. PMC: 5380184. DOI: 10.15430/JCP.2017.22.1.6. View

Lee B, Kim B, Lee K . Air pollution exposure and cardiovascular disease. Toxicol Res. 2014; 30(2):71-5. PMC: 4112067. DOI: 10.5487/TR.2014.30.2.071. View

Podechard N, Lecureur V, Le Ferrec E, Guenon I, Sparfel L, Gilot D . Interleukin-8 induction by the environmental contaminant benzo(a)pyrene is aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent and leads to lung inflammation. Toxicol Lett. 2008; 177(2):130-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.toxlet.2008.01.006. View

Abrams J, Weber R, Klein M, Sarnat S, Chang H, Strickland M . Associations between Ambient Fine Particulate Oxidative Potential and Cardiorespiratory Emergency Department Visits. Environ Health Perspect. 2017; 125(10):107008. PMC: 5933307. DOI: 10.1289/EHP1545. View

Verma V, Rico-Martinez R, Kotra N, King L, Liu J, Snell T . Contribution of water-soluble and insoluble components and their hydrophobic/hydrophilic subfractions to the reactive oxygen species-generating potential of fine ambient aerosols. Environ Sci Technol. 2012; 46(20):11384-92. DOI: 10.1021/es302484r. View

Gutierrez-Vazquez C, Quintana F . Regulation of the Immune Response by the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor. Immunity. 2018; 48(1):19-33. PMC: 5777317. DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2017.12.012. View

10.

Patel A, Rastogi N . Seasonal variability in chemical composition and oxidative potential of ambient aerosol over a high altitude site in western India. Sci Total Environ. 2019; 644:1268-1276. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.030. View

11.

Li J, Li W, Bai C, Song Y . Particulate matter-induced epigenetic changes and lung cancer. Clin Respir J. 2015; 11(5):539-546. PMC: 7310573. DOI: 10.1111/crj.12389. View

12.

. Prevalence and attributable health burden of chronic respiratory diseases, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Lancet Respir Med. 2020; 8(6):585-596. PMC: 7284317. DOI: 10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30105-3. View

13.

Bates J, Weber R, Abrams J, Verma V, Fang T, Klein M . Reactive Oxygen Species Generation Linked to Sources of Atmospheric Particulate Matter and Cardiorespiratory Effects. Environ Sci Technol. 2015; 49(22):13605-12. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b02967. View

14.

Roberts S, Arseneault L, Barratt B, Beevers S, Danese A, Odgers C . Exploration of NO and PM air pollution and mental health problems using high-resolution data in London-based children from a UK longitudinal cohort study. Psychiatry Res. 2018; 272:8-17. PMC: 6401205. DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2018.12.050. View

15.

Gao D, Ripley S, Weichenthal S, Pollitt K . Ambient particulate matter oxidative potential: Chemical determinants, associated health effects, and strategies for risk management. Free Radic Biol Med. 2020; 151:7-25. DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2020.04.028. View

16.

Taghvaee S, Sowlat M, Diapouli E, Manousakas M, Vasilatou V, Eleftheriadis K . Source apportionment of the oxidative potential of fine ambient particulate matter (PM) in Athens, Greece. Sci Total Environ. 2019; 653:1407-1416. PMC: 6383788. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.016. View

17.

Pirhadi M, Mousavi A, Taghvaee S, Shafer M, Sioutas C . Semi-volatile components of PM in an urban environment: volatility profiles and associated oxidative potential. Atmos Environ (1994). 2020; 223. PMC: 7311065. DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.117197. View

18.

Fushimi A, Nakajima D, Furuyama A, Suzuki G, Ito T, Sato K . Source contributions to multiple toxic potentials of atmospheric organic aerosols. Sci Total Environ. 2021; 773:145614. DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145614. View

19.

Potter N, Meltzer G, Avenbuan O, Raja A, Zelikoff J . Particulate Matter and Associated Metals: A Link with Neurotoxicity and Mental Health. Atmosphere (Basel). 2023; 12(4). PMC: 10718565. DOI: 10.3390/atmos12040425. View

20.

Charrier J, Anastasio C . On dithiothreitol (DTT) as a measure of oxidative potential for ambient particles: evidence for the importance of soluble transition metals. Atmos Chem Phys. 2013; 12(5):11317-11350. PMC: 3564657. DOI: 10.5194/acpd-12-11317-2012. View