Air pollution effects on the activity of antioxidant enzymes in Nerium oleander and Robinia pseudo acacia plants in Tehran

The air pollution effects on the activity of antioxidant enzymes were investigated on Nerium oleander and Robinla pseudo acacia in Tehran. Considering the information obtained from the Department of the Environment of Iran, Sorkh Hesar Park as well as South Azadi were selected as two sampling sites representing the unpolluted and polluted area respectively. A number of plant leave samples were collected from both sampling sites simultaneously. The activity of plant enzymes including peroxidase, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase was investigated using spectrophotometric methods. A higher level of peroxidase and catalase enzymes were measured in both plant samples collected from polluted area. However, this higher level was only statistically significant for the activity of peroxidase enzyme in Robinia pseudo acacia plants compare of to the control group (p < 0.05). The lower level of ascorbate peroxidase was observed in Nerium oleander plant leaves collected from the contaminated sampling site (p < 0.05), but though, the activity of this enzyme in Robinia pseudo acacia did not change significantly. The overall plant injury symptoms found in this study demonstrated that both Nerium oleander and Robinia pseudo acacia have a potential to be considered as effective bioindicators to reflect the environmental air quality in polluted areas

An integrated in vitro approach for toxicity testing of airborne contaminants

While it is possible to establish the chemical composition of air pollutants through conventional air sampling and analytical techniques, such data do not provide direct measures of toxicity and the potential mechanisms that induce adverse effects. The aim of this study was to optimize in vitro methods for toxicity testing of airborne contaminants. An integrated approach was designed in which appropriate exposure techniques were developed. A diversified range of in vitro assays using multiple human cell systems were implemented. Direct exposure of cells to airborne contaminants was developed by culturing cells on porous membranes in conjunction with a horizontal diffusion chamber system. Concentration-response curves were generated allowing the measurement of toxicity endpoints. Regression analysis indicated a significant correlation between in vitro and published in vivo toxicity data for the majority of selected chemical contaminants. Airborne IC50 values were calculated for selected volatile organic compounds (xylene, 5350 ± 328 ppm > toluene, 10500 ± 527 ppm) and gaseous contaminants (NO2, 11 ± 3.54 ppm > SO2, 48 ± 2.83 ppm and > NH3, 199 ± 1.41 ppm). Results of this study indicate the significant potential of in vitro methods as an advanced technology for toxicity assessment of airborne contaminants. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Comparative in vitro cytotoxicity assessment of selected gaseous compounds in human alveolar epithelial cells

Exposure to airborne contaminants is significantly associated with human health risks, ranging from bronchial reactivity to morbidity and mortality due to acute intense or long term low level repeated exposures. However, the precise mechanisms that derive such effects are not always understood. Although inhalation studies are technologically complicated, correct hazard characterisation is essential for comparable risk assessment of inhaled materials. The aim of this study was to investigate the comparative in vitro cytotoxicity of selected gaseous contaminants in human lung cells. The cytotoxicity of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia (NH3) was investigated in A549- human pulmonary type II-like epithelial cell lines cultured on porous membranes in Snapwell inserts. A dynamic direct exposure method was established by utilizing the horizontal diffusion chamber system (Harvard Apparatus Inc, USA) for delivery of test atmospheres. Test atmospheres were generated using a dynamic direct dilution method and the concentration monitored by appropriate analytical methods. A diversified battery of in vitro assays including the MTS (tetrazolium salt; Promega), NRU (neutral red uptake; Sigma) and ATP (adenosine triphosphate; Promega) assays was implemented. Airborne IC50 (50 inhibitory concentration) values were calculated based on the most sensitive assay for each test gas including NO2 (IC50 = 11 ± 3.54 ppm; NRU) &gt; SO2 (IC50 = 48 ± 2.83 ppm; ATP)&gt; and NH3 (IC50 = 199 ± 1.41 ppm; MTS). However, all in vitro assays revealed similar toxicity ranking for selected gaseous contaminants. Identical toxicity ranking was achieved using both in vitro and published in vivo data. This comparison suggests that results of in vitro methods are comparable to in vivo data and may provide greater sensitivity for respiratory toxicity studies of gaseous contaminants. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Troubleshooting methods for toxicity testing of airborne chemicals in vitro

Toxicology studies of adverse effects induced by inhaled chemicals are technically challenging, due to the requirement of highly controlled experimental conditions needed to achieve reproducible and comparable results. Therefore, many considerations must be fulfilled before adopting in vitro bioassay test systems for toxicity screening of airborne materials. However, recent methodological and technical breakthroughs of in vitro methods have the potential to fulfil the essential requirements of toxicity testing for airborne chemicals. Technology has now become available that allows cells to be cultured on permeable microporous membranes in transwell or snapwell inserts providing a very close contact between target cells and test atmospheres to study the cellular interactions caused by airborne chemical exposures without any interfering culture medium. Using a direct exposure technique at the air-liquid interface, target cells can be continuously exposed to airborne chemicals on their apical side, while being nourished from their basolateral side. Test atmospheres with different physicochemical characteristics such as gases, vapours, solid and liquid aerosols and more recently nanoaerosols, can be delivered into human target cells using static and/or direct dynamic exposure methods. Therefore, toxicological risk assessments of airborne chemicals and even complex atmospheres can be achieved using in vitro test methods in parallel with real-time air monitoring techniques to fulfil the general regulatory requirements of newly developed chemical or pharmaceutical products with the potential for inhalational exposure. In this review current toxicological methods for toxicity testing of inhaled chemicals are presented. Further, to demonstrate the potential application of in vitro methods for studying inhalation toxicity, more advanced exposure techniques developed for toxicity screening of airborne chemicals are discussed. © 2010 Elsevier Inc

The impact of leadership on the psychosocial safety climate of organizations: A scoping review

Growing evidence suggests that work-related psychological injuries are a concern worldwide. While previous efforts to address psychological injuries mainly focused on the individual level of analysis, the psychosocial safety climate (PSC) theory emphasizes the analysis and prevention of psychological injuries at the organizational level. While there is abundant evidence of the impact of leadership on other climate constructs, scant attention has been paid to the impact of leadership on PSC. This study is a scoping review of the extant literature to determine the state of the discipline in relation to the impact of leadership on the psychosocial safety climate of organizations. Three databases were searched, supplemented by a pearling exercise and Google Scholar searches, which yielded 14 studies that met the selection criteria. Our study shows that while much work has been done about the behavior of managers and organizational infrastructure to yield high levels of PSC, there is a dearth of studies on the impact of specific leadership styles on the PSC of organizations. We recommend further studies of leadership, especially the impact of post-heroic leadership styles, on the psychosocial safety climate of workplaces