Environmental nitration processes enhance the mutagenic potency of aromatic compounds

Abstract

This work is an attempt to establish if aromatic nitration processes are always associated with an increase of genotoxicity. We determined the mutagenic and genotoxic effects of Benzene (B), Nitrobenzene (NB), Phenol (P), 2-Nitrophenol (2-NP), 2,4-Dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP), Pyrene (Py), 1-Nitropyrene (1-NPy), 1,3-Dinitropyrene (1,3-DNPy), 1,6-Dinitropyrene (1,6-DNPy), and 1,8-Dinitropyrene (1,8-DNPy). The mutagenic activities were evaluated with umuC test in presence and in absence of metabolic activation with S9 mix. Then, we used both cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CBMN) assay, in combination with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) of human pan-centromeric DNA probes on human lymphocytes in order to evaluate the genotoxic effects. Analysis of all results shows that nitro polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are definitely environmental genotoxic/mutagenic hazards and confirms that environmental aromatic nitration reactions lead to an increase in genotoxicity and mutagenicity properties. Particularly 1-NPy and 1,8-DNPy can be considered as human potential carcinogens. They seem to be significant markers of the genotoxicity, mutagenicity, and potential carcinogenicity of complex PAHs mixtures present in traffic emission and industrial environment. In prevention of environmental carcinogenic risk 1-NPy and 1,8-DNPy must therefore be systematically analyzed in environmental complex mixtures in association with combined umuC test, CBMN assay, and FISH on cultured human lymphocytes. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2012.

Indirect Photochemistry in Sunlit Surface Waters: Photoinduced Production of Reactive Transient Species

“…[224,225] The resulting nitrophenols (O 2 NÀPhOH) are toxic and potentially mutagenic secondary pollutants. [226][227][228][229] Photonitration reactions induced by nitrate photolysis and nitrite photooxidation have been observed in Figure 8. Relative roles played by COH, CO 3 À C, Br 2 À C, Cl 2 À C, and 3 CDOM* in the oxidation of nitrite to CNO 2 , in the presence of a) 10 À4 m Cl À and 10 À7 m Br À and b) 10 À2 m Cl À and 10 À5 m Br À .…”

Atmospheric Processing of Nitrophenols and Nitrocresols From Biomass Burning Emissions

“…Nitrophenols and nitrocresols have been of environmental and human health concern over the last few decades due to their phytotoxicity that contributes to the forest decline and their genotoxicity that is associated with an increased risk of cancer (Bonnefoy et al, 2012; Rippen et al, 1987). Sources of atmospheric nitrophenols and nitrocresols include direct emissions that result from coal and wood combustion, fugitive emissions in the manufacture of dyes, resins, explosives, and pharmaceuticals, as well as secondary production from the atmospheric nitration processes (Harrison, Barra, et al, 2005).…”

Antimutagenic potential of harpagoside and Harpagophytum procumbens against 1-nitropyrene

“…[ 3 ] 1-NPy was found to be mutagenic in mutagenicity test using bacteria and mammalian cells. [ 5 6 7 8 ] Many genes related to pro-inflammatory response were induced by 1-NPy, suggesting that 1-NPy plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases caused by ambient air pollutants such as diesel exhausted particles and urbanair particulates. [ 9 10 11 ]1-NPy is present in the human environment, and its elimination seems to be impossible, so studies carried out to avoid its deleterious effects are parts of the general policy of environmental carcinogenesis prevention.…”