The Effect of air pollution in Northern Lebanon on human cell line BEAS-2B

Abstract

Air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM), is acomplex toxicological concern. ThePM toxicity occurs by fine and ultrafine particles according to their physico-chemical characteristics. Several sources of pollution affect the Northern Lebanon region: human activities, cement factories (quarries), phosphate fertilizer industries, and the transport sector. However,the impact of air pollutants on health and the physiological mechanisms that lead to carcinogenicity remain unclear. In the present project the cytotoxic effectof thefine particulate fraction (PM2.5) of air pollutants in the North of Lebanon (two different sites: rural and industrial) on human bronchial epithelial cell line / BEAS-2B cells is studied. Sampling of particles was performed using"a high volume air sampler Staplex type QIFT model (68m3 /h) and a Staplex® Model 235 cascade impactor"type. The"inorganic composition was studied by both"Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) and Atomic Emission Spectroscopy(ICP-AES). The industrial samples showed some alteration of cell viability through increased Extracellular Lactate Dehydrogenase and decreased Mitochondrial Dehydrogenase activity starting at a dose of 80μg/cm2.