Exposure and harm to combustion-derived particles: Searching for biomarkers

The physicochemical properties of size, surface area and presence of transition metals have been implicated as drivers of the oxidative capacity of CDPM. However, the precise role of reactive organic compounds (ROC) in ambient aerosols, present either in the gas phase or the particle phase or in both phases, have not been fully-investigated for their relevance in the induction of the observed adverse health effects. Oxidation of fatty acids linked to the cell membrane phospholipids leads to many metabolites that have been used as markers of the process. Such metabolites have long been considered to be involved in two possibly inter-related processes: cell/tissue damage and signalling. As one approach to resolve the role played by ROCs, their effects on fatty acid and lipid metabolism in human lung tissues will be studied in detail by using the standard biochemical techniques and lipidomics

Particulate matter from both heavy fuel oil and diesel fuel shipping emissions show strong biological effects on human lung cells at realistic and comparable in vitro exposure conditions

Background: Ship engine emissions are important with regard to lung and cardiovascular diseases especially in coastal regions worldwide. Known cellular responses to combustion particles include oxidative stress and inflammatory signalling. Objectives: To provide a molecular link between the chemical and physical characteristics of ship emission particles and the cellular responses they elicit and to identify potentially harmful fractions in shipping emission aerosols. Methods: Through an air-liquid interface exposure system, we exposed human lung cells under realistic in vitro conditions to exhaust fumes from a ship engine running on either common heavy fuel oil (HFO) or cleaner-burning diesel fuel (DF). Advanced chemical analyses of the exhaust aerosols were combined with transcriptional, proteomic and metabolomic profiling including isotope labelling methods to characterise the lung cell responses. Results: The HFO emissions contained high concentrations of toxic compounds such as metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and were higher in particle mass. These compounds were lower in DF emissions, which in turn had higher concentrations of elemental carbon (“soot”). Common cellular reactions included cellular stress responses and endocytosis. Reactions to HFO emissions were dominated by oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, whereas DF emissions induced generally a broader biological response than HFO emissions and affected essential cellular pathways such as energy metabolism, protein synthesis, and chromatin modification. Conclusions: Despite a lower content of known toxic compounds, combustion particles from the clean shipping fuel DF influenced several essential pathways of lung cell metabolism more strongly than particles from the unrefined fuel HFO. This might be attributable to a higher soot content in DF. Thus the role of diesel soot, which is a known carcinogen in acute air pollution-induced health effects should be further investigated. For the use of HFO and DF we recommend a reduction of carbonaceous soot in the ship emissions by implementation of filtration devices

Regenerationshilfen fuer Partikelfilter durch temperatursteigernde Eingriffe in die dieselmotorische Prozessfuehrung Theoretische und experimentelle Ergebnisse aus stationaeren und instationaeren Untersuchungen

Das Ziel der Arbeit, die in der vorliegenden Dissertation praesentiert wird, ist es, die in den Partikelfiltern in den regenerativen Betriebszustaenden erforderliche Oxidationswaerme durch gezielte, temperatursteigernde motorische Prozesseingriffe bereitzustellen. Es wurden folgende Massnahmen untersucht: 1) Ansaugluftdrosselung; 2) Abgasrueckfuehrung; 3) Ansaugluftvorwaermung; Kombination von 1-3. (HW)The objective of the investigation presented in this doctoral thesis is to find a way to provide the oxidation heat needed by the particle filters in the regenerative operation phases by means of temperature-raising motoric process-related interventions. Following measures are analysed: 1) Reduced induction systems; 2) Exhaust an recirculation systems; 3) Preheating the induction air; Combination of 1 and 3. (HW)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: H93B4432 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman