The mutagenic activity of ambient air particles from Morgantown, West Virginia, has been monitored for 6 months using the Ames Salmonella assay system. Airborne particles, collected on glass fiber filters using a Hi-Vol sampler, were extracted with dichloromethane (DCM) and/or ethyl acetate plus methanol (E + M) in sequence. A dose-dependent mutagenic response was observed in Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 for DCM extracts from all samples. E + M extracts were mutagenic only when samples were extracted with E + M before DCM extraction. The mutagenic activity of samples collected in June and July was independent of S-9 in vitro activation, whereas the mutagenicity of those collected from October to December increased in the presence of S-9 activation. The class fractionation of extracts showed that only acidic and polynuclear aromatic fractions were mutagenic. The mutagenicity of particles from Morgantown air was also detected with the Salmonella arabinose-resistant assay system.
Ground whole rye and airborne rye dust of comparable size distribution were tested for their ability to activate the complement cascade via the alternative pathway. Precipitin-negative pooled normal human serum was incubated with increasing amounts of the two rye dusts. Electrophoresis of the resultant supernatant fluids demonstrated the conversion of the proactivator of the third component of complement to the gamma-migrating activator of the third component. This activation was completely prevented by pre-treating the serum with the chelator EDTA, while pre-treatment with EGTA allowed suboptimal arc conversion, strongly implying that complement was activated via the alternative pathway. Quantification of the supernatant fluids showed dose-dependent complement consumption as defined by both CHioo immunodifl"usion and CH^o tube haemolytic techniques.Airborne rye dust showed a greater quantitative potential than ground whole rye for activating the alternative pathway. These results indicate the possibility of the direct action of airborne organic dusts on the induction of inflammatory sequelae in the lungs of both sensitized and unsensitized individuals.
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