The presented doctoral thesis deals with the characterization of elements in two size fractions of urban aerosol, which was sampled in all seasons on the terrace of the Institute of Analytical Chemistry of the CAS in Brno in 2018. The theoretical part of the thesis summarizes the basic information about the analysis and health risks of atmospheric aerosol and metals bound to aerosol. Furthermore, the work describes methods for determining the inhalation bioaccessibility of aerosol particles and methods used for the determination of oxidative potential. The first part of the thesis describes in detail the sampling and analysis of urban aerosol particles. The mass concentration of both aerosol size fractions and the total concentration of 21 elements were determined. The probable sources of the analysed elements were calculated using the enrichment factor and positive matrix factorization. The second part of the thesis deals with the determination of the oxidative potential of the aerosol and bioaccessible concentration of the analysed elements in three simulated lung fluids (deionized water, simulated alveoli fluid, Gamble solution). In addition to determining the oxidative potential of real samples, the oxidative potential of individual elements was also analysed. From the obtained results was calculated the probable contribution of the elements to the measured oxidative potential.

Two angiotensin II receptor subtypes were distinguished in the rat brain using in vitro receptor autoradiography based on the differential effects of sulfhydryl reducing agents on 125I-sarcosine1, isoleucine8 angiotensin II binding in various brain nuclei. At several nuclei, e.g. the hypothalamus, circumventricular organs and the dorsal medulla, 125I-sarcosine1, isoleucine8 angiotensin II binding was strongly inhibited by 30 mM β-mercaptoethanol or 5 mM dithiothreitol, whereas at other nuclei, e.g. the lateral septum, colliculi, locus coeruleus and medial amygdala, sulfhydryl reducing agents had either little effect on radioligand binding or enhanced the binding. The distribution of the sulfhydryl reducing agent inactivated subtype corresponds exactly with the distribution of DuP 753 sensitive (designated as AIIα) 125I-sarcosine1, isoleucine8 angiotensin II binding sites25. The subtype not inhibited by sulfhydryl reducing agents corresponds with the DuP 753 insensitive (designated as AIIβ) sites in the brain25. The sulfhydryl reducing agent effect on brain angiotensin II receptor subtypes is similar to that seen in angiotensin II receptor subtypes in peripheral tissues. These observations indicate that many previous studies of brain angiotensin II receptor binding that included 5 mM dithiothreitol in the assay medium overlooked the sulfhydryl reducing agent inactivated (AIIα) receptor subtype.