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Physicochemical metamorphosis of re-aerosolized urban PM2.5

Bergman, Fanny LU orcid ; Eriksson, Axel C. LU orcid ; Spanne, Marten ; Ohlsson, Lena LU ; Mahmutovic Persson, Irma LU ; Uller, Lena LU ; Rissler, Jenny LU and Isaxon, Christina LU (2024) In Journal of Aerosol Science 181.
Abstract

The toxicity of particulate matter (PM) is dependent on particle physical and chemical properties and is commonly studied using in vivo and in vitro approaches. PM to be used for in vivo and in vitro studies is often collected on filters and then extracted from the filter surface using a solvent. During extraction and further PM sample handling, particle properties change, but this is often neglected in toxicology studies, with possible implications for health effect assessment. To address the current lack of knowledge and investigate changes in particle properties further, ambient PM with diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) was collected on filters at an urban site and extracted using a standard methanol protocol. After... (More)

The toxicity of particulate matter (PM) is dependent on particle physical and chemical properties and is commonly studied using in vivo and in vitro approaches. PM to be used for in vivo and in vitro studies is often collected on filters and then extracted from the filter surface using a solvent. During extraction and further PM sample handling, particle properties change, but this is often neglected in toxicology studies, with possible implications for health effect assessment. To address the current lack of knowledge and investigate changes in particle properties further, ambient PM with diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) was collected on filters at an urban site and extracted using a standard methanol protocol. After extraction, the PM was dried, dispersed in water and subsequently nebulized. The resulting aerosol properties were then compared to those of the ambient PM2.5. The number size distribution for the nebulized aerosol resembled the ambient in terms of the main mode diameter, and >90 % of particle mass in the nebulized size distribution was still in the PM2.5 range. Black carbon made up a similar fraction of PM mass in nebulized as in ambient aerosol. The sulfate content in the nebulized aerosol seemed depleted and the chemical composition of the organic fraction was altered, but it remains unclear to what extent other non-refractory components were affected by the extraction process. Trace elements were not distributed equally across size fractions, neither in ambient nor nebulized PM. Change in chemical form was studied for zinc, copper and iron. The form did not appear to be different between the ambient and nebulized PM for iron and copper, but seemed altered for zinc. Although many of the studied properties were reasonably well preserved, it is clear that the PM2.5 collection and re-aerosolization process affects particles, and thus potentially also their health effects. Because of this, the effect of the particle collection and extraction process must be considered when evaluating cellular and physiological outcomes upon PM2.5 exposure.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Air pollution, Chemical speciation, Inhalation toxicology, Methanol extraction, XANES
in
Journal of Aerosol Science
volume
181
article number
106416
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85196408742
ISSN
0021-8502
DOI
10.1016/j.jaerosci.2024.106416
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
37e5d911-a0d3-47cb-90ae-e3bf68911893
date added to LUP
2024-07-01 15:10:09
date last changed
2024-07-01 15:10:29
@article{37e5d911-a0d3-47cb-90ae-e3bf68911893,
  abstract     = {{<p>The toxicity of particulate matter (PM) is dependent on particle physical and chemical properties and is commonly studied using in vivo and in vitro approaches. PM to be used for in vivo and in vitro studies is often collected on filters and then extracted from the filter surface using a solvent. During extraction and further PM sample handling, particle properties change, but this is often neglected in toxicology studies, with possible implications for health effect assessment. To address the current lack of knowledge and investigate changes in particle properties further, ambient PM with diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) was collected on filters at an urban site and extracted using a standard methanol protocol. After extraction, the PM was dried, dispersed in water and subsequently nebulized. The resulting aerosol properties were then compared to those of the ambient PM<sub>2.5</sub>. The number size distribution for the nebulized aerosol resembled the ambient in terms of the main mode diameter, and &gt;90 % of particle mass in the nebulized size distribution was still in the PM<sub>2.5</sub> range. Black carbon made up a similar fraction of PM mass in nebulized as in ambient aerosol. The sulfate content in the nebulized aerosol seemed depleted and the chemical composition of the organic fraction was altered, but it remains unclear to what extent other non-refractory components were affected by the extraction process. Trace elements were not distributed equally across size fractions, neither in ambient nor nebulized PM. Change in chemical form was studied for zinc, copper and iron. The form did not appear to be different between the ambient and nebulized PM for iron and copper, but seemed altered for zinc. Although many of the studied properties were reasonably well preserved, it is clear that the PM<sub>2.5</sub> collection and re-aerosolization process affects particles, and thus potentially also their health effects. Because of this, the effect of the particle collection and extraction process must be considered when evaluating cellular and physiological outcomes upon PM<sub>2.5</sub> exposure.</p>}},
  author       = {{Bergman, Fanny and Eriksson, Axel C. and Spanne, Marten and Ohlsson, Lena and Mahmutovic Persson, Irma and Uller, Lena and Rissler, Jenny and Isaxon, Christina}},
  issn         = {{0021-8502}},
  keywords     = {{Air pollution; Chemical speciation; Inhalation toxicology; Methanol extraction; XANES}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Aerosol Science}},
  title        = {{Physicochemical metamorphosis of re-aerosolized urban PM2.5}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaerosci.2024.106416}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jaerosci.2024.106416}},
  volume       = {{181}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}