Chemistry, lung toxicity and mutagenicity of burn pit smoke-related particulate matter.

BACKGROUND: Open burning of anthropogenic sources can release hazardous emissions and has been associated with increased prevalence of cardiopulmonary health outcomes. Exposure to smoke emitted from burn pits in military bases has been linked with respiratory illness among military and civilian personnel returning from war zones. Although the composition of the materials being burned is well studied, the resulting chemistry and potential toxicity of the emissions are not. METHODS: Smoke emission condensates from either flaming or smoldering combustion of five different types of burn pit-related waste: cardboard; plywood; plastic; mixture; and mixture/diesel, were obtained from a laboratory-scale furnace coupled to a multistage cryotrap system. The primary emissions and smoke condensates were analyzed for a standardized suite of chemical species, and the condensates were studied for pulmonary toxicity in female CD-1 mice and mutagenic activity in Salmonella (Ames) mutagenicity assay using the frameshift strain TA98 and the base-substitution strain TA100 with and without metabolic activation (S9 from rat liver). RESULTS: Most of the particles in the smoke emitted from flaming and smoldering combustion were less than 2.5 µm in diameter. Burning of plastic containing wastes (plastic, mixture, or mixture/diesel) emitted larger amounts of particulate matter (PM) compared to other types of waste. On an equal mass basis, the smoke PM from flaming combustion of plastic containing wastes caused more inflammation and lung injury and was more mutagenic than other samples, and the biological responses were associated with elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon levels. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that adverse health effects of burn pit smoke exposure vary depending on waste type and combustion temperature; however, burning plastic at high temperature was the most significant contributor to the toxicity outcomes. These findings will provide a better understanding of the complex chemical and combustion temperature factors that determine toxicity of burn pit smoke and its potential health risks at military bases.

Benchmark Dose Modeling Approaches for Volatile Organic Chemicals Using a Novel Air-Liquid Interface In Vitro Exposure System.

Inhalation is the most relevant route of volatile organic chemical (VOC) exposure; however, due to unique challenges posed by their chemical properties and poor solubility in aqueous solutions, in vitro chemical safety testing is predominantly performed using direct application dosing/submerged exposures. To address the difficulties in screening toxic effects of VOCs, our cell culture exposure system permits cells to be exposed to multiple concentrations at air-liquid interface (ALI) in a 24-well format. ALI exposure methods permit direct chemical-to-cell interaction with the test article at physiological conditions. In the present study, BEAS-2B and primary normal human bronchial epithelial cells (pHBEC) are used to assess gene expression, cytotoxicity, and cell viability responses to a variety of volatile chemicals including acrolein, formaldehyde, 1,3-butadiene, acetaldehyde, 1-bromopropane, carbon tetrachloride, dichloromethane, and trichloroethylene. BEAS-2B cells were exposed to all the test agents, whereas pHBECs were only exposed to the latter 4 listed above. The VOC concentrations tested elicited only slight cell viability changes in both cell types. Gene expression changes were analyzed using benchmark dose (BMD) modeling. The BMD for the most sensitive gene set was within one order of magnitude of the threshold-limit value reported by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, and the most sensitive gene sets impacted by exposure correlate to known adverse health effects recorded in epidemiologic and in vivo exposure studies. Overall, our study outlines a novel in vitro approach for evaluating molecular-based points-of-departure in human airway epithelial cell exposure to volatile chemicals.

Lung tumorigenicity in A/J and rasH2 transgenic mice following mainstream tobacco smoke inhalation.

Hypothesizing that their respective genetic backgrounds would confer an increased sensitivity to lung tumorigenesis, the plausibility of selected rodent models for the inhalation testing of mainstream tobacco smoke (MTS) was evaluated. Strain A/J and rasH2 transgenic (Tg) mice were exposed to MTS from Kentucky 1R4F research cigarettes using either a whole-body or nose-only exposure regimen. The whole-body regimen consisted of a 20-week exposure period [0.200 mg wet total particulate matter/liter (WTPM/l), 6 h/day, 5 days/week]; nose-only dosing proceeded for 28 weeks [0.040, 0.125, or 0.400 mg WTPM/l, 3 h/day, 5 days/week]. Both regimens included a 16-week recovery period. Gross and microscopic examinations of the lungs were used to evaluate tumor formation, with experimental results supporting the following conclusions: 1. Evaluation of MTS-induced tumorigenicity based on gross evaluation versus microscopic confirmation provides strikingly disparate results, indicating that serial sectioning is necessary for a definitive assessment of lung tumors. 2. While the dosing regimens employed do not allow for a definitive comparison, whole-body exposure appeared to be more effective for inducing statistical changes in tumor multiplicity and incidence compared to nose-only exposure. 3. Exposure-related stress, evidenced as reductions in both body weight gain and background tumor formation, represents a potential confounder during inhalation testing of MTS tumorigenicity, with additional investigation warranted to validate the specificity of exposure-related responses. 4. Comparative findings between A/J and rasH2 Tg mice suggest that the former may be overly sensitive to exposure-related stress, potentially influencing tumorigenic responses.

Toxicological evaluation of dry ice expanded tobacco.

A tiered testing strategy has been developed to evaluate the potential of tobacco processes, ingredients, or technological developments to change the biological activity resulting from burning tobacco. The strategy is based on comparative chemical and biological testing. Dry ice expanded tobacco (DIET) is an example of a common tobacco expansion process currently used in the manufacture of cigarettes to increase tobacco filling capacity. As part of the toxicological evaluation of DIET, test cigarettes containing DIET were compared with control cigarettes containing tobacco expanded with a traditional expansion agent (Freon-11, also known as trichlorofluoromethane). Testing included mainstream cigarette smoke chemistry studies, genotoxicity studies (Ames and sister chromatid exchange, SCE), a 13-week inhalation study in Sprague-Dawley rats, and a 30-week dermal tumor promotion study in SENCAR mice. Cigarettes containing DIET or Freon-11 expanded tobacco were similar in biological activity.

Toxicological evaluation of propane expanded tobacco.

A tiered testing strategy has been developed to evaluate the potential for tobacco processes, ingredients, and other technological developments to increase or decrease the biological activity resulting from burning tobacco. The strategy is based on comparative chemical and biological testing. Propane expanded tobacco is an example of a processed tobacco used in the modern manufacture of cigarettes. Test cigarettes containing propane expanded tobacco were compared to control cigarettes containing tobacco expanded with a traditional expansion agent (Freon-11). The toxicological evaluation included chemistry studies using mainstream cigarette smoke (determination of selected constituent yields), in vitro studies using cigarette smoke condensate (Ames study in Salmonella typhimurium and sister chromatid exchange study in Chinese hamster ovary cells) and in vivo studies (13-week inhalation study of mainstream cigarette smoke in Sprague-Dawley rats and 30-week dermal tumor promotion study of cigarette smoke condensate in SENCAR mice). Although statistically significant differences in several smoke constituents were observed, most constituents from cigarettes containing 100% propane expanded tobacco were within market survey ranges. Furthermore, biological tests indicated that the cigarettes containing propane or Freon-11 expanded tobacco were not significantly different.

Toxicological evaluation of expanded shredded tobacco stems.

A tiered testing strategy has been developed to evaluate the potential of tobacco processes, ingredients, or technological developments to change the biological activity resulting from burning tobacco. The strategy is based on comparative chemical and biological testing. Expanded shredded tobacco stems (ESS) constitute an example of a common tobacco components expansion process currently used in the manufacture of cigarettes to increase the tobacco blend filling capacity. As part of the toxicological evaluation of ESS, test cigarettes containing 9.5%, 18.5%, and 25% ESS were compared to control cigarettes containing 0% ESS. Testing included mainstream cigarette smoke chemistry studies, genotoxicity studies (Ames and sister chromatid exchange), a 13-week inhalation study in Sprague-Dawley rats, and a 30-week dermal tumor promotion study in SENCAR mice. Collectively, data indicated that cigarettes with and without ESS had a similar toxicological profile in this test battery.

Comparative subchronic inhalation study of smoke from the 1R4F and 2R4F reference cigarettes.

A subchronic, nose-only inhalation study compared the effects of mainstream smoke from a 1R4F research cigarette to that of a 2R4F research cigarette. Male and female rats were exposed for 1 h/day, 5 days/wk, for 13 wk to mainstream smoke at 0, 0.06, 0.20, or 0.80 mg wet total particulate matter per liter of air. Clinical signs, body and organ weights, clinical chemistry, hematology, carboxyhemoglobin, serum nicotine, pulmonary plethysmography, gross pathology, and histopathology were determined. When histological changes resulting from exposure to smoke from the two types of cigarettes were compared, no biologically significant differences were observed. At the end of the exposure period, subsets of rats from each group were maintained without smoke exposures for an additional 13 wk (recovery period). At the end of the recovery period, there were no statistically significant differences in histopathological findings observed between the 1R4F and the 2R4F cigarettes. The complete toxicological assessment in this comparative inhalation study of 1R4F and 2R4F cigarettes suggests no overall biologically significant differences between the rats exposed to the two cigarettes.

Quantification of continuous glass filaments on eclipse cigarettes retrieved from the test market.

ECLIPSE cigarettes utilize a special form of continuous glass filament (CGF) as an insulator around the carbon heat source. The average numbers of CGFs on the external barrel and cigarette filter end were determined subsequent to manufacture, subsequent to real-world consumer handling and subsequent to simulated consumer handling. The following were not statistically significantly different: the average number of CGFs on the external barrel of cigarettes retrieved from the test market compared to the average external barrel counts from cigarettes subsequent to manufacture or when subjected to simulated consumer handling, and the average number of CGFs on the external barrel of cigarettes subsequent to manufacture compared to the average external barrel counts from cigarettes subjected to simulated consumer handling. The average number of CGFs on the filter end of cigarettes retrieved from the test market was statistically significantly higher than average cigarette filter end counts from cigarettes subsequent to manufacture. The average number of CGFs on the cigarette filter end of cigarettes retrieved from the test market was statistically significantly lower than average cigarette filter end counts from cigarettes subjected to simulated consumer handling. Overall, results from this study suggest that consumer handling does increase the average numbers of CGFs on the external surfaces of the cigarette. Further, the results of this study demonstrate that for the purpose of CGF quantification, the simulated consumer handling protocol used in this study (i.e., based on laboratory measurements of forces) is a reasonably good model for actual consumer handling of cigarettes. Based on the minimal number of CGFs that could be transferred to the smoker and the deposition pattern governed by their physical characteristics, the potential to deposit CGFs from these cigarettes to the lungs of smokers is extremely remote. Therefore, no convincing information exists to suggest that smokers would be exposed to CGFs from any ECLIPSE-related source at a biologically significant level.