In Vitro Effects of Particulate Matter Associated with a Wildland Fire in the North-West of Italy

Marta Gea, Sara Bonetta, Daniele Marangon, Francesco Antonio Pitasi, Caterina Armato, Giorgio Gilli, Fabrizio Bert, Marco Fontana and Tiziana Schilirò
Additional contact information
Marta Gea: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
Sara Bonetta: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
Daniele Marangon: Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Piedmont (ARPA Piemonte), 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
Francesco Antonio Pitasi: Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Piedmont (ARPA Piemonte), 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
Caterina Armato: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
Giorgio Gilli: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
Fabrizio Bert: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy
Marco Fontana: Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Piedmont (ARPA Piemonte), 10095 Grugliasco, Italy
Tiziana Schilirò: Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Torino, 10126 Torino, Italy

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-16

Abstract: Wildland fires, increasing in recent decades in the Mediterranean region due to climate change, can contribute to PM levels and composition. This study aimed to investigate biological effects of PM 2.5 (Ø < 2.5 µm) and PM 10 (Ø < 10 µm) collected near a fire occurred in the North-West of Italy in 2017 and in three other areas (urban and rural areas). Organic extracts were assessed for mutagenicity using Ames test (TA98 and TA100 strains), cell viability (WST-1 and LDH assays) and genotoxicity (Comet assay) with human bronchial cells (BEAS-2B) and estrogenic activity using a gene reporter assay (MELN cells). In all sites, high levels of PM 10 and PM 2.5 were measured during the fire suggesting that near and distant sites were influenced by fire pollutants. The PM 10 and PM 2.5 extracts induced a significant mutagenicity in all sites and the mutagenic effect was increased with respect to historical data. All extracts induced a slight increase of the estrogenic activity but a possible antagonistic activity of PM samples collected near fire was observed. No cytotoxicity or DNA damage was detected. Results confirm that fires could be relevant for human health, since they can worsen the air quality increasing PM concentrations, mutagenic and estrogenic effects.

Keywords: forest fire; genotoxicity; mutagenicity; endocrine disruptors; particulate matter; air pollution; cytotoxicity; biological assays; BEAS-2B cells; MELN cells (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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