Changes in soft-bottom macrobenthic assemblages after a sulphuric acid spill in the Rio Grande Harbor (RS, Brazil)

The structure of macrobenthic assemblages in Rio Grande Harbor was analyzed during and after a sulphuric acid spill in August 1988. Five stations were sampled four times between September 1988 and March 1999. At each station, three samples were taken using a van Veen grab (0.078 m²). A total of 22 taxa were collected including Crustacea (9 spp.), Polychaeta (7 spp.), Mollusca (3 spp.), Phoronida (1 sp.), Nemertinea (1 sp.), and Plathyelminthea (1 sp.). The macrobenthic assemblages suffered different impacts depending on station location and time: 1) immediate impact, i.e., during acid discharge, as at the station nearest (250 m) the acid spill source; 2) impact some time after the discharge, as at the station 500 m downstream from the acid spill source; and 3) absence of direct impact on the remaining sampling points, on the discharge area outer limit. The macrobenthic assemblage recovered six months after the sulphuric acid spill.

Neurokinin-1 and neurokinin-2 antagonism inhibits long-term acid fog-induced airway hyperresponsiveness

BACKGROUND

We recently reported that airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) induced by a 6-h exposure to sulfuric acid (H(2)SO(4)) was inhibited by either the neurokinin (NK)-1 receptor antagonist, FK888, or the NK-2 receptor antagonist, SR48968, when administered immediately before the exposure. The aims of this study were to determine whether these antagonists have any therapeutic efficiency against AHR after long-term H(2)SO(4) inhalation and to elucidate the mechanisms in ovalbumin sensitized guinea pigs.

METHODS

Specific airway resistance (sRaw), AHR, and BAL fluid were analyzed after an 8-week exposure to H(2)SO(4) aerosol (82 mg/m(3), pH 1.7, 40 mOsm) or hypotonic saline solution (pH 5.9, 40 mOsm) as a control. The H(2)SO(4) group then received a 2-week treatment with FK888, SR48968, or vehicle.

RESULTS

The AHR and the eosinophil count in BAL fluid were significantly increased in the H(2)SO(4) group compared to control animals, while sRaw was significantly elevated in both groups after the 8-week exposure. Treatment with both FK888 and SR48968 significantly reduced the AHR and tended to inhibit eosinophilia in BAL fluid, but sRaw did not change. The degree of AHR improvement with SR48968 was much larger than with FK888.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that both NK-1 and NK-2 receptor antagonists inhibited long-term H(2)SO(4)-induced AHR in sensitized guinea pigs, and the effect was much greater with an NK-2 antagonist. We suggest that NK-1 or NK-2 antagonism might partially inhibit the H(2)SO(4)-induced influx of eosinophils into the lung.

Responses in the respiratory tract of rats following exposure to sulphuric acid aerosols for 5 or 28 days

Sulphuric acid mists have been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as being carcinogenic to humans based on epidemiological findings of respiratory tract tumours. To determine if early changes in the respiratory tract following exposure to sulphuric acid (H(2)SO(4)) aerosols are consistent with the possible development of tumours after extended periods of exposure, groups of female rats were exposed to respirable aerosols of H(2)SO(4) at target concentrations of 0, 0.2, 1.0 or 5.0 mg m(-3) for 6 h per day for either 5 days or for 5 days a week over a 28-day period. Additional groups exposed to 0 or 5.0 mg m(-3) over the 28-day period were retained after exposure for 4 or 8 weeks to assess recovery. Histopathological examinations and quantitative cell proliferation measurements were conducted on the nasal passages, larynx and lung. Achieved concentrations were 0.3, 1.38 and 5.52 mg m(-3) H(2)SO(4). Histological and cell proliferative changes were confined to the larynx and no effects were seen in the nasal passages or lungs. At the two highest concentrations, squamous metaplasia accompanied by significant cell proliferation was apparent after 5 and 28 days of exposure and there was a reduction in the severity of the pathological changes following the recovery periods. No effects were seen at 0.3 mg m(-3) after 5 days of exposure and only minimal metaplastic change was seen after 28 days in a few animals and was not accompanied by cell proliferation. The toxicological relevance of these findings is discussed.

Classification of carcinogenic chemicals in the work area by the German MAK Commission: current examples for the new categories

The German Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area (MAK Commission) introduced an extended classification scheme in 1998. In addition to the traditional three categories still used to date, now called: Category 1 (human carcinogen); Category 2 (animal carcinogen); and Category 3 (suspected carcinogen), two new Categories (4 and 5) were added. Classification of substances into the new Categories 4 and 5 is based on the knowledge of mode of action and the potency of carcinogens. The essential feature of substances classified in the new Categories 4 and 5 is that exposure to these chemicals does not contribute significantly to the risk of cancer to man, provided that an appropriate exposure limit (MAK value) is observed. Chemicals known to act typically by non-genotoxic mechanisms are classified in Category 4. Genotoxic chemicals for which low carcinogenic potency can be assessed on the basis of dose-response relationships and toxicokinetics are classified in Category 5. Since the use of this scheme for 3 years, various chemicals have been classified in one of the new categories. However, in several cases data to sufficiently substantiate a MAK value are missing. Such substances are now classified in a subcategory of Category 3, called Category 3 A, which indicates that further data are required for final classification. Examples are given for classification of dichloromethane into Category 3 A, chloroform and sulfuric acid into Category 4 and ethanol into Category 5.

[Irritating effect and dermal toxicity of virkon, a disinfectant widely used in Poland]

The aim of the study was to define the threshold irritating effect of Virkon, a disinfectant widely used in Poland, on the rabbit's skin and eye, and its dermal toxicity in single exposure. The studies were carried out according to the OECD guidelines, modified by Krysiak. A 10% aqueous solution of Virkon in the conditions of multiple open exposure was defined as the threshold concentration evoking small inflammatory reaction. After a single administration of Virkon in aqueous solutions into the rabbit's eye, the value of sensitising effect index was 1.5 for 1% solution of the disinfectant in question which indicates weak inflammatory reaction. The study of dermal toxicity in a single exposure revealed neither animal death nor morphological changes in internal organs which suggests non-cutaneous absorption of Virkon. The present study may provide the basis for assessing dermatological changes in people exposed to disinfectants.

Sulfuric acid aerosol induces changes in alveolar surface tension in the guinea pig but not in the rat

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an acid aerosol, at high concentration, on the surface properties of the extracellular fluid lining the airways and alveolae. Guinea pigs and rats were exposed to 43 mg/m3 and 94 mg/m3 of sulfuric acid aerosol mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) 0.9 micron or water aerosol (control), respectively, for 4 hours in an exposure chamber. Surfactant material was extracted from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) by centrifugation, and phospholipid, protein, and cell concentrations measured. The extract was reconstituted to 300 micrograms/mL of phospholipid, and its surface properties assessed with a captive bubble surfactometer. The minimum surface tension for the acid-exposed guinea pig BAL was 12.1 +/- 8.48 (mean +/- SD) mN/m, which was significantly higher than the control group, 2.0 +/- 0.43 (mean +/- SD) or the acid-exposed rats, 1.29 +/- 0.11 (mean +/- SD). The change in film area obtained by compressing the film from equilibrium surface tension (25 mN/m) to its minimum value (gamma min) was 62.9 +/- 13.83 (mean +/- SD)% for acid-exposed guinea pigs, compared to 16.3 +/- 5.77 (mean +/- SD)% for the control guinea pigs. The most sensitive index of surfactant inhibition was found to be the maximum film compressibility (Cmax) of the compression isotherm. This index was 119 times greater for the acid-exposed guinea pigs compared to control animals. These abnormalities were associated with an elevation of total protein (0.95 +/- 0.33 [mean +/- SD] mg/mL compared to 0.13 +/- 0.03 [mean +/- SD] mg/mL in controls) and polymorphonuclear leucocytes in the BAL. There was no change in total phospholipids. By contrast BAL retrieved from rats exposed to approximately twice the concentration of acid aerosol showed no cellular nor biochemical abnormalities and its surface tension properties were normal. We conclude that the abnormalities of surfactant activity in the acid-exposed guinea pigs result from the cellular and humoral responses of acute lung injury rather than a direct effect of acid.

Adaptive and non-adaptive responses in rats exposed to ozone, alone and in mixtures, with acidic aerosols

Healthy young adult (300 g) Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed for 1-day or 5-day periods, nose only, to purified air (CA) or four different pollutant atmospheres. Pollutant atmospheres included (a) 0.2 ppm ozone; (b) 0.4 ppm O3; (c) a low concentration mixture of ozone and sulfuric acid-coated carbon particles (0.2 ppm, 100 microg/m(3) and 50 microg/m(3), respectively); and (d) a high-concentration O3 and sulfuric acid-coated carbon particle mixture (0.4 ppm, 500 microg/m(3) and 250 microg/m(3), respectively). Following 1-day exposures to the high O3 concentration, significant (p< or =.05) decreases were observed in respiratory tidal volumes and significant increases were observed in lung inflammatory response. Following 5-day exposures to 0.4 ppm ozone, tidal volumes and lung inflammation were not significantly different from those seen in CA controls. In contrast, following 5-day exposures to the high-concentration O3-particle mixture, lung inflammation was increased significantly relative to that seen after 1-day high concentration mixture exposure or after CA exposure. Macrophage Fc-receptor binding, an important immunological function of macrophages, was significantly depressed after 5-day exposures to either the high- or low-concentration O3-particle mixtures compared to 1-day exposures or to CA. Thus, at the concentrations tested, repeated exposures to O3 produced diminished responses in breathing pattern changes and lung parenchymal injuries compared to acute, single exposures. This diminution was not observed after exposures to mixtures of acidic particles plus ozone. We conclude that mixtures of ozone and acidic particles may alter adaptive mechanisms that have been reported by us and others after repeated exposures to ozone alone.

Ventilatory responses in awake guinea pigs exposed to acid aerosols

This study reports experiments designed to evaluate the dose and temporal effects of an atmospheric pollutant, sulfuric acid (H2SO4) aerosol, on the dynamic components of the respiratory cycle. Ventilation was measured in a whole-body barometric plethysmograph in unanesthetized, unrestrained animals following a 4-h exposure to H2SO4 aerosol at 14.1, 20.1, or 43.3 mg/m3. Lung injury was assessed by histopathology and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). Aerosol exposure with H2SO4 caused marked alterations in both the magnitude and composition of the ventilatory response, which were both dose and time dependent. At the highest concentration tested, there was a significant increase in tidal volume (deltaVt) and a decrease in breathing frequency (f) immediately after exposure. Analysis of BAL fluid at this time showed increased inflammatory cells and protein in the acid exposed animals, and histology showed hyaline membranes and acute inflammatory cells in the proximal acinar region. By 24 h postexposure, f significantly increased whereas deltaVt decreased. This pattern of breathing was interspersed with short periods of apnea. The onset of rapid, shallow breathing was associated with histological evidence of diffuse pulmonary edema. By contrast, the immediate postexposure period at the lowest concentration of H2SO4 aerosol was characterized by a significant increase in f and little or no effect on deltaVt. These effects diminished with time, and at 24 h postexposure ventilatory parameters were indistinguishable from baseline values. An apparent crossover between the effects associated with the high and low exposure concentrations was seen at the intermediate exposure concentration; however, closer inspection of these findings on an animal-by-animal basis revealed two populations of animals with respiratory characteristics of either the high-exposure or low-exposure groups. The data suggest that the guinea pig exhibits complex interactions between dose and time to response that are consistent with the activation of neural reflexes. The indirect plethysmographic method provides a simple means to assess these responses in a model system that avoids the use of anesthetics, surgery, and restraint.

Influence of acid aerosol droplet size on structural changes in the rat lung caused by acute exposure to sulfuric acid and ozone

To investigate whether aerosol droplet size influences structural changes in the lung produced by short-term, concomitant exposure to ozone and sulfuric acid, groups of 10 rats were exposed 4 hr/day for 2 days to filtered air, 0.6 ppm ozone, 0.5 mg/m3 fine (aerosol mass median diameter (MMD) = 0.3 microm) or ultrafine (MMD = 0.06 microm) sulfuric acid, or a mixture of ozone and 0.5 mg/m3 fine or ultrafine sulfuric acid. The volume percentage of total parenchyma containing markedly to severely injured alveolar septae was measured morphometrically. There were no differences between the ultrafine or fine acid exposure groups and the sham group for any of the morphologic endpoints. Volume percentage of markedly to severely injured tissue was increased in the ultrafine, but not fine, mixture animals when compared with the ozone-only group. In addition, a synergistic interaction between ozone and ultrafine, but not fine, sulfuric acid was found for this endpoint. The bromodeoxyuridine cell labeling index in the periacinar region was greater in the rats exposed to the fine sulfuric acid and ozone mixture than that in rats exposed to ozone alone, and a synergistic interaction between ozone and fine sulfuric acid was found for this end point. None of the exposures produced any changes in ventilatory parameters. Thus, acid aerosol droplet size was found to influence the effect of sulfuric acid in modifying ozone-induced structural changes in the rat lung.

A review of the chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity, and possible mechanisms of action of inorganic acid mists in animals

Occupational exposure to inorganic acid mists containing sulfuric acid has been associated with increased laryngeal cancer. The primary objective of this review was to compile the literature regarding chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity of inorganic acid mists in laboratory animals. Several chronic toxicity studies had exposures of 1 year or longer. Whereas numbers of animals were limited, no evidence of neoplastic or preneoplastic lesions was reported. Two studies evaluated the carcinogenicity of inorganic acid mists in rats; however, one was limited by a short duration of exposure and the other did not achieve a maximum tolerated dose. A large lifetime study in hamsters evaluated the carcinogenicity of 100 mg/M3 sulfuric acid mist, as well as its ability to act as a promoter or co-carcinogen for benzo(a)pyrene. No evidence of carcinogenic potential was shown. Although an increase in papillomas was noted in the benzo(a)pyrene + H2SO4 group, the co-carcinogenic or promoting potential was considered equivocal. Thus, no evidence from experimental animals strongly supports or refutes the induction of cancer by inorganic acid mists. A possible mechanism that could be associated with inorganic acid mist carcinogenicity relates to the genetic consequences of lowering the pH. Reduced pH can induce chromosomal aberrations, enhance depurination, and deamination of cytidine in DNA. This mechanism has not been evaluated in tissues of the respiratory tract.

Chronic exposure of rats to ozone and sulfuric acid aerosol: biochemical and structural responses

Groups of rats were exposed to either 0.12 or 0.20 ppm of ozone, 20, 100, or 150 ppm of sulfuric acid aerosol (0.4-0.8 microm diameter), or their mixtures in whole body exposure chambers for up to 90 days. Matched control animals were exposed to filtered air in comparable chambers. The rats were examined biochemically and morphometrically for centriacinar fibrosis or other indicators of pollutant-induced changes in the terminal bronchiole-alveolar duct junction region of the lung at the end of the exposures. By evaluating different markers of lung injury, we had previously demonstrated a synergistic interaction between ozone and sulfuric acid aerosol after acute exposures to these same concentrations of the pollutants. The present experiments were designed to answer the question of whether there was any interaction between ozone and respirable sized aerosols of sulfuric acid, synergistic or antagonistic, after chronic exposures. Exposure of rats to 0.12 or 0.20 ppm of ozone elicited tissue and cellular changes at the bronchiole-alveolar duct junction. Concurrent exposure to sulfuric acid aerosol did not affect the extent or magnitude of these changes. Intermittent exposure (12 h per day) to ozone, with or without the acid aerosol, elicited a greater response than did continuous exposure (24 h per day). No consistent effects of exposure to sulfuric acid aerosol alone were observed, either morphometrically or biochemically. The biochemical data were consistent with the morphometric analyses, showing trends towards or significantly increased lung 4-hydroxyproline content in the rats exposed to ozone, with or without sulfuric acid aerosol, in the intermittent exposure experiment, but not after continuous exposure. No interactive effects between ozone and sulfuric acid aerosol were observed with any of the biochemical parameters examined. We conclude that ozone and sulfuric acid aerosols do not exhibit synergistic interactions after chronic exposures (90 days) of rats to the concentrations tested in this study, which correspond to concentrations showing synergistic interactions in previously performed acute studies. We also observed that exposure of rats to ozone for 12 h per day elicited greater lung changes, which we interpret to indicate a mild fibrotic response, than did exposure of rats for 24 h per day, whether or not there was accompanying exposure to the acid aerosol.

Symptom base rates after chemical exposure for white, Hispanic and African-Americans

The results of a symptom checklist of three matched-pair studies (N = 460) of the following exposed groups are presented: Study 1, a primarily white community (N = 220) environmentally exposed to the pesticide metam sodium; Study 2, a Hispanic group (N = 180) who worked in a microelectronics plant and had extensive past exposure (M = 6.7 yrs) to multiple organic hydrocarbon solvents; and Study 3, an African-American group (N = 168) environmentally exposed to sulfuric acid. Each exposed group was compared to a matched (race, age +/- 3 years, gender, education +/- 2 years and number of children) unexposed reference group, resulting in 90 pairs for the white metam sodium group, 62 pairs for the Hispanic organic solvent group, and 78 pairs for the African-American sulfuric acid group. Symptom prevalence rates and relative risk ratios show very strong associations: in Study 1, the relative risk for all 33 symptoms ranged from 1.5 to 37; in Study 2, the relative risk for 31 of the symptoms ranged from 1.5 to 11.1; and in Study 3, the relative risk for 16 of the symptoms ranged from 1.5 to 6. Mann Whitney U results of each symptom indicate significantly greater symptomatology in the exposed vs. the reference groups in all three studies: in Study 1, at p < .01 for all 33 symptoms; in Study 2, at p < .01 for 31 symptoms, and p < .05 for one additional symptom; and in Study 3, at p < .01 for 24 symptoms and p < .05 for another three symptoms. These results suggest a robust symptom complex following chemical exposure regardless of specific chemical.

A review of the toxicology of air pollutants: toxicology of chemical mixtures

On a temporal basis, air has immense capacity for moving a large mass of pollutants. Mammals and birds are exposed to pollutants in air by the inhalation (nose and mouth), cutaneous or ocular routes. Most laboratory studies on air pollutants have been limited to single air pollutants and very little research has been done on the complex mixture of compounds that exist in ambient air. Complex mixtures are further complicated by dynamic chemical reactions that occur after the emissions leave point sources. Exposure parameters are also important in the toxicity of air pollutants. Intermittent exposure of monkeys to ozone increased the adverse pulmonary effects. Superimposing spikes of 0.8 ppm nitrogen dioxide on a baseline of 0.2 ppm, as occurs on a calm winter day, increased the susceptibility of mice to bacteria-induced pneumonia. Sulfur dioxide at concentrations of 5 ppm increased pulmonary resistance by 39%. Sulfuric acid is the predominate acid particle in the atmosphere. Exposure for 1 h to > 200 micrograms sulfuric acid/m3 depressed bronchomucociliary clearance. Concentrations of 100 micrograms/m3 of photochemical products caused headaches and 510 micrograms/m3 produced cough and chest pain. For chemical interactions in dose response, nitrogen dioxide is synergistic with ozone and ammonium sulfate. When all 3 chemicals are used in mixture, the response was 340%. Atmospheric conditions, such as fog, can alter the toxicity of air pollutants. The dose response to a single chemical can be altered by chemical mixtures and pre-existing disease conditions. Understanding these relationships is important for establishing no observable adverse effect levels. Mechanisms for multiple chemical interactions are multifaceted. One chemical may interfere with the metabolism or detoxification of another. Others may interact at cell receptors. To understand the effects of multiple chemical interactions of air pollutants, there is a need for a blend of epidemiological, laboratory and field studies. Studies are expensive. In the rural agricultural settings, the economic and environmental health risks are high. Should field observations and chemical problems be used as "red flags" for action?

Effect of dietary acid or aluminum on growth and growth-related hormones in young chickens

The effect of two concentrations of dietary acid (sulfuric acid) or aluminum (aluminum sulfate) on growth and growth-related hormones was examined in a heavy (broiler) strain of chicken between 4 and 18 days old. Growth (body weight, average daily gain, and tibial length) in chicks receiving either dietary acid or aluminum-containing diets were compared to chicks fed a control diet and to chicks fed diets containing sodium sulfate. Despite the reduced growth in acid-fed chicks, there were no changes in the plasma concentrations of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor-binding proteins (IGF-BP). However, in chicks receiving the high aluminum diet where growth was markedly depressed (by 57%), plasma concentrations of IGF-I were depressed, while those of the 36-kDa IGF-BP were elevated. The effects of acid and aluminum on growth were mediated at least partially by reductions in feed intake. Pair feeding depressed growth and tended to decrease plasma concentrations of IGF-I. Some differences were observed between acid or aluminum groups and their respective pair-fed controls. For the groups receiving the low-aluminum and both the high- and low-acid diets, values were increased compared to corresponding pair-fed controls for average daily gain, the level of the 36-kDa IGF-BP, and skeletal growth. On the other hand, high aluminum had a toxic effect in addition to reducing feed intake, with skeletal growth being reduced more in chicks receiving the aluminum diet than in the pair-fed controls.

Nonspecific bronchial responsiveness assessed in vitro following acute inhalation exposure to ozone and ozone/sulfuric acid mixtures

Air pollution may play some role in the recent increase in severity and prevalence of asthma, but the specific chemical components with the ambient pollutant mix that may be responsible have not been delineated. Since ambient exposures involve mixtures, it is essential to examine airway responses to realistic pollutant mixtures. This study examined the ability of single (3-h) inhalation exposures to ozone and to mixtures of ozone plus sulfuric acid to induce nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness in healthy rabbits. Airway responsiveness was assessed using an in vitro assay involving administration of increasing doses of acetylcholine to bronchial rings obtained from animals exposed to 0.1-0.6 ppm ozone or to mixtures of ozone and 50-125 micrograms/m3 sulfuric acid aerosol; results were compared to those reported previously for sulfuric acid alone. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness to ozone was noted following exposure at all concentrations, but the combination of pollutants results in antagonism. The results support the potential for ozone to induce airway hyperresponsiveness in healthy animals and suggest that interaction with sulfuric acid may reduce the effectiveness of both pollutants.

Alteration of pulmonary macrophage intracellular pH following inhalation exposure to sulfuric acid/ozone mixtures

Recent studies have demonstrated that additive and synergistic effects on rabbit pulmonary macrophages (PM phi) function can occur after combined exposures to acid aerosols and ozone. This study investigated intracellular pH (pHi) homeostasis and H+ extrusion mechanisms of PM phi from rabbits exposed to sulfuric acid, ozone, and their mixtures. Animals were exposed for 3 h to 125 micrograms/m3 sulfuric acid, 0.1, 0.3, 0.6 ppm ozone, or combinations of acid with each concentration of ozone, and the pHi was determined by a fluorescent dye ratioing technique. Exposure to 125 micrograms/m3 acid reduced pHi and exposure to ozone resulted in a concentration-dependent reduction in pHi. Ozone generally tended to mitigate the effect of the acid aerosol on pHi. Other groups of rabbits were exposed to 50 micrograms/m3 sulfuric acid, 0.6 ppm ozone, or their mixture, for 3 h, and PM phi were again harvested. The pHi of PM phi following exposure to each of the pollutant atmospheres was not different from control. However, H+ extrusion with an imposed internal acid load was found to be significantly depressed following exposure to either sulfuric acid or ozone alone, while the mixture produced a significant interaction.

Immunotoxicity of sulfuric acid aerosol: effects on pulmonary macrophage effector and functional activities critical for maintaining host resistance against infectious diseases

Despite the widespread occurrence of acidic sulfur oxides in the ambient environment and their potential risks to human health, effects associated with pulmonary immune defenses have been poorly studied. The current in vivo study was designed to provide some insight into this relatively unexplored area by investigating the impact of inhaled sulfuric acid on immune defense mechanisms critical for maintaining pulmonary resistance against infectious diseases. Results of this study demonstrate that repeated inhalation of sulfuric acid reduces the uptake and intracellular killing of pathogenic bacteria by exposed pulmonary macrophages, and depresses the activity/production of important biological modifiers critical for maintaining pulmonary immunocompetence. These findings have important implications for human health, and may contribute to a better understanding of the possible mechanism(s) underlying the epidemiological evidence which suggests an association between total sulfates in the ambient air and increased incidence of acute bronchitis and lower respiratory illness in school-age children.

Nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness induced by inhalation exposure to sulfuric acid aerosol: an in vitro assessment

Air pollution may be a factor in the recent increase in severity and prevalence of asthma, but the specific chemical components within the ambient pollutant mix which may be responsible have not been delineated. Acid sulfate aerosols, such as sulfuric acid, have been associated with exacerbation of symptoms in asthmatics and induction of nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness in normal laboratory animals. This study examined the ability of single (3 hr) inhalation exposures to sulfuric acid to induce nonspecific airway hyperresponsiveness in healthy rabbits. Responsiveness was assessed using an in vitro assay involving administration of increasing doses of acetylcholine or histamine to bronchial and tracheal rings obtained from animals exposed to 50-500 micrograms/m3 sulfuric acid aerosol. Bronchial hyperresponsiveness to both agonists was noted following exposures at > or = 75 micrograms/m3. In addition, sulfuric acid altered the normal response pattern of trachea to histamine. The results provide further support for a role of acid sulfates in the induction of airway hyperresponsiveness, and suggest that effects may be due to modulation of pharmacological receptors involved in maintaining airway tone.

Alteration of pulmonary macrophage intracellular pH regulation by sulfuric acid aerosol exposures

In vivo exposure to sulfuric acid aerosols produces profound effects on pulmonary macrophage (PM phi) phagocytic function and cytokine release and perturbs intracellular pH (pHi) homeostasis. Because pHi influences a multitude of cellular processes, we sought to investigate the mechanism by which acid aerosol exposure affects its regulation. Guinea pigs underwent a single or 5 repeated 3-hr exposures to sulfuric acid aerosol (969 and 974 micrograms/m3 for single and repeated exposures, respectively). PM phi harvested immediately after exposure were incubated in HCO3-free media and their pHi recovery from an intracellular acid load was examined. The overall pHi recovery was depressed after single and multiple exposures to sulfuric acid aerosol. delta pHi (the difference between initial pHi and the one measured at 150 sec) decreased by 15.6 and 23.3% (p < 0.05) for single and repeated exposures, respectively. Initial dpHi/dt (maximum pHi recovery rate) after cytoplasmic acidification diminished by 20.3 and 32.2%, which were not statistically significant (p = 0.08 for repeated exposure). To determine whether the activity of the H(+)-ATPase pump the Na(+)-H+ exchanger was specifically altered by the acid exposures, PM phi were first incubated in Na+ and HCO3-free media with NBD-Cl (7-chloro-4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol, blocking H(+)-ATPase and leaving only the Na(+)-H+ exchanger in effect) and then challenged with 30 mM NaCl. The pHi recovery of PM phi after Na challenge was significantly reduced in acid aerosol exposed guinea pigs (p < 0.05) compared to controls (for delta pHi, 18.2% lower in single exposure and 22.7% in multiple exposure groups; for initial dpHi/dt, 26.9% lower in single exposure and 22.4% in multiple exposure groups). In contrast, the H(+)-ATPase pump was inconsistently affected as indicated by delta pHi and initial dpHi/dt measured in the presence of MIA (amiloride-5-N-methylisobutyl, inhibiting the Na(+)-H+ exchanger and leaving only the H(+)-ATPase pump in effect). These results suggest that in vivo exposure to sulfuric acid aerosols induces alterations in pHi regulation in guinea pig PM phi attributable to changes in Na(+)-H+ exchanger activity.

Effects of exposure to sulfuric acid-aerosol on airway responsiveness in guinea pigs: concentration and time dependency

We investigated the concentration and time dependency of the effects of exposure to sulfuric acid (H2SO4) aerosol on airway responsiveness. Two hundred and sixteen male Hartley guinea pigs were used. The animals were divided into 3 groups (n = 72/group), with 1 group being exposed to filtered air and the other 2 to 1.0 mg/m3 or 3.2 mg/m3 H2SO4 aerosol. In each group, the animals were divided into 4 subgroups (n = 18/subgroup), with exposure terms of 3 d (24 h/d), 7 d, 14 d, and 30 d. Specific airway resistance (SRaw) under room air (SRaw0) and airway responsiveness were determined 1 wk before the beginning of exposure and on the day of termination of the exposure. Specific airway resistance values under room air (SRaw0) prior to and after exposure were compared. There was no significant change in SRaw0 after the exposure to filtered air, 1.0 mg/m3, or 3.2 mg/m3 H2SO4 aerosol. Our results also showed that exposure to filtered air or 1 mg/m3 H2SO4 aerosol did not cause any significant change in airway responsiveness to inhaled histamine aerosol, expressed as the effective concentration of histamine (EC200His) that produced a doubling of SRawNaCl (SRaw after exposure to aerosol of 0.9% NaCl saline). On the contrary, exposure to 3.2 mg/m3 H2SO4 aerosol induced transient airway hyporesponsiveness after a 3-d exposure [EC200His prior to and after exposure: 1.35 +/- 0.28 and 2.23 +/- 0.22 mM (p < .01), respectively] and then transient hyperresponsiveness after a 14-d exposure [EC200His prior to and after exposure: 1.65 +/- 0.21 and 0.95 +/- 0.23 mM (p < .01), respectively]. Overall, the present results revealed that (1) 1.0 mg/m3 or 3.2 mg/m3 H2SO4 aerosol had no significant effect on SRaw0 during a 30-d exposure period, (2) a high concentration (3.2 mg/m3) of H2SO4 aerosol affected airway responsiveness during the 30-d exposure, while a low concentration (1.0 mg/m3) of H2SO4 aerosol did not, and (3) the effect of exposure to 3.2 mg/m3 H2SO4 aerosol on airway responsiveness was transient and stimulatory or inhibitory, depending on the duration of exposure.

Adaptation to alcoholic fermentation in Drosophila: a parallel selection imposed by environmental ethanol and acetic acid

Besides ethanol, acetic acid is produced in naturally fermenting sweet resources and is a significant environmental stress for fruit-breeding Drosophila populations and species. Although not related to the presence of an active alcohol dehydrogenase, adult acetic acid tolerance was found to correlate with ethanol tolerance when sensitive (Afrotropical) and resistant (European) natural populations of Drosophila melanogaster were compared. The same correlation was found when comparing various Drosophila species. Tolerance to acetic acid also correlated with the tolerance to longer aliphatic acids of three, four, or five carbons but did not correlate with the tolerance to inorganic acids (i.e., hydrochloric and sulfuric acids). These observations suggest that acetic acid is detoxified by the conversion of acetate into acetyl-CoA, a metabolic step also involved in ethanol detoxification. Future investigations on the adaptation of Drosophila to fermenting resources should consider selective effects of both ethanol and acetic acid.