Formation and Toxicity of Secondary Organic Aerosol from Oxidation of Dimethyl Selenide
Abstract
Selenium is a naturally occurring element cycling in the environment through biogeochemical processes. Dimethyl selenide (DMSe) is present in the atmosphere as one of major volatile methylated derivatives of selenium, yet little is known about its potential leading to secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation and health impacts through inhalation. In this study, we characterized the formation and composition of SOA from oxidation of dimethyl selenide (DMSe) in laboratory experiments. Further, we assessed the gene expression changes in human lung cells (BEAS-2B) in response to DMSe-derived SOA exposure. Substantial SOA production was found from the OH-initiated oxidation of DMSe. The oxidative potential of DMSe-derived SOA, as measured by the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay, suggested the presence of oxidizing moieties in DMSe-derived SOA at levels higher than typical ambient aerosols. Gene expression profiling followed by pathway enrichment analysis revealed several major biological pathways perturbed by DMSe-derived SOA, including elevated genotoxicity, oxidative DNA damage, and p53-mediated stress responses, as well as downregulated cholesterol biosynthesis, glycolysis and cytokine signaling. Our results highlight the potential impacts of SOA derived from atmospheric processing of DMSe.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMGH41A..03L
- Keywords:
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- 0305 Aerosols and particles;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0345 Pollution: urban and regional;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0394 Instruments and techniques;
- ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURE;
- 0240 Public health;
- GEOHEALTH