Exposure to air contaminants is significantly associated with both short-term and long-term health effects. However, the precise mechanisms that derive such effects are not always understood. While an extensive background database from in vivo toxicological studies have been developed, most toxicity data is from oral and dermal chemical exposures rather than inhalation exposure. There is a need to explore new alternative approaches to provide toxicity information particularly on this technically demanding area. This research explores the potential of in vitro methods for toxicity assessment of workplace air contaminants. A tiered approach for in vitro toxicity testing of workplace contaminants was designed in which appropriate air sampling and exposure techniques were developed. A diversified battery of in vitro assays including the MTS (tetrazolium salt, Promega), NRU (neutral red uptake, Sigma) and ATP (adenosine triphosphate, Promega) and a multiple human cell system including: A549- lung derived cells; HepG2-liver derived cells, and skin fibroblasts were used. Primarily the application and merits of in vitro methods for prediction of toxicity of selected workplace contaminants including Ammonium hydroxide, Cadmium chloride, Cobalt chloride, Formaldehyde, Glutaraldehyde, Manganese chloride, Mercuric chloride, Sodium dichromate, Sulphureous acid and Zinc chloride was confirmed. To study the toxicity of airborne contaminants an indirect exposure method was established using air sampling techniques followed by static and dynamic direct exposure methods by culturing cells on porous membranes to reveal representative data relating to human airborne exposures. The static method enabled the measurement of an airborne IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) value for selected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including: Xylene (IC50 = 5,350-8,200 ppm) and Toluene (IC50 = 10,500- 16,600 ppm) after 1 hr exposure. By implementing the dynamic method, airborne IC50 values were calculated for gaseous contaminants including: NO2 (IC50 = 11 ?? 3.54 ppm; NRU), SO2 (IC50 = 48 ?? 2.83 ppm; ATP) and NH3 (IC50 = 199 ?? 1.41 ppm; MTS). A higher sensitivity of in vitro methods was observed compared to in vivo published data. A range of in vitro bioassays in conjunction with exposure techniques developed in this thesis may provide an advanced technology for a comprehensive risk assessment of workplace air contaminants.

Bibliography: leaves 116-138 / [14], 138 leaves, 5 leaves of plates : ill ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology, 1988

The presence of complex mixtures of compounds in ambient air, many of which are either unknown or uncharacterised makes an assessment of risk associated with these exposures problematic. Bioanalytical methods can provide an integrative assessment of complex mixture potency for specific mechanisms of toxicity within these contexts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of monitoring ambient air exposures as sampled by (polyurethane foam) PUF passive air samplers (PAS) using effect based techniques (bioanalytical methods). Passive samplers have the advantage of offering a low-tech inexpensive monitoring strategy which can thereby increase sampling capacity across a broader range of scenarios simultaneously. One challenge posed by the application of passive samplers in particular for these assessments has been the expression of potency estimates in relatively non-comparable terms specific to a given dose of the sampler or for a specific deployment period. The project was therefore designed in order to address these aims and previously identified challenges by investigating the applicability of these techniques for: monitoring in both indoor and outdoor air, the determination of seasonal exposure gradients; the determination of exposure gradients in different locations (urban capitals, regional centres, background); and the application of in-situ calibration to provide comparable effect measurements in terms of equivalent reference compound air concentrations. Air sampled using PUF PAS was monitored for its capacity to induce biological responses which are mechanistically relevant to critical health endpoints in these scenarios. The mechanisms assessed included genotoxicity (DNA damage – umuC assay), Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity (CAFLUX assay), and estrogenicity (ESCREEN assay). The findings from this effect based monitoring revealed that the level of biological response measured changes with the exposure scenario (indoor vs. outdoor; summer vs. winter; urban capital cities vs. background locations). Estrogenicity for example assessed as estradiol equivalent air concentrations (E Eq BIO) averaged 54 pg.m-3 (1.5 - 185 pg.m-3) in indoor air, while samples from ambient air were found to be not estrogenic. Total aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activity assessed as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalent air concentrations (TCDD Eq BIO) averaged 4.1 pg.m-3 (1.3 – 7.2 pg.m-3) in indoor air while samples from ambient air averaged 15 pg.m-3 (1.5 – 46 pg.m-3)in summer and 53 pg.m-3 (2.2 – 251 pg.m-3) in winter. The relationship for both direct (-S9) and indirect (+S9) acting genotoxicity and AhR activity were found to be relatively consistent with respect to both season (elevated in winter) and location (elevated in urban capital cities). Overall suitable techniques were developed for combining passive sampling with multiple end-point toxicity testing and it was demonstrated that these techniques may be applied across different exposure scenarios. During the course of this method development and interpretation process a range of limitations were identified relating to: the use and application of effect based techniques to monitor environmental samples; the use of passive samplers within this context specifically; and also with the application of in-situ calibration techniques to passive samplers to improve the comparability of these assessments.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2007. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, 2007. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.Sc.) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Simon Fraser University, 2004. / Theses (Dept. of Biological Sciences) / Simon Fraser University.

Thesis (M.S.)--Duquesne University, 2006. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. v-xi) and index.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-13T14:50:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-05-17Bitstream added on 2014-08-13T18:01:35Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000743622.pdf: 1640934 bytes, checksum: 02da6d91d5c5da0392b723a1d2003011 (MD5) / As estatinas são amplamente utilizadas no tratamento da hiperlipidemia e estão entre as drogas com maiores índices de vendas no mundo. Seu efeito se dá através da inibição competitiva da HMGCoA redutase, uma enzima limitante da síntese de colesterol que catalisa a conversão de HMG-CoA em mevalonato, interrompendo a cascata da síntese do colesterol e isoprenóides. Para os ensaios in vitro de reatividade farmacológica, ratos (n = 5) foram eutanaziados e epidídimo, canal deferente, e glândula seminal foram removidos. Após isso, os tecidos foram isolados e montados em câmaras musculares para o registro digital do desenvolvimento da tensão isométrica. Foi construída uma curva concentração- resposta à noradrenalina com a sinvastatina nas concentrações 3, 10, 30 e 100 μM. Não houve alterações na sensibilidade à noradrenalina nos ductos deferente e epididimário entre os grupos. Esses resultados estão relacionados com o não comprometimento da motilidade espermática e tempo de trânsito espermático pelo epidídimo em estudo realizado com animais expostos a 20 e 40 mg/Kg/dia de sinvastatina / Statins are lipid lowering agents extensively used in human clinical medical. They exert their effects through inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase, a crucial enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. Since cholesterol is the precursor of steroid hormones, drugs that decrease cholesterol may damage male reproductive function. Investigate the effects of the exposure to different doses of simvastatin on the reproductive parameters of adult male Wistar rats. Thirty rats were randomly assigned into three groups: simvastatin (20 or 40 mg/kg), control (vehicle - DMSO/oil), and were treated for 30 days orally for evaluation of reproductive parameters after euthanasia. Weight of the reproductive organs; sperm counts, motility and morphology; histopathology; hormonal levels and fertility. The weight of reproductive organs, sperm motility and histopathology analysis were similar among groups. There was a decrease in sperm production and epididymis sperm number, uterus weight with fetuses, implant and live fetuses numbers in simvastatin groups. The animals exposed to simvastatin showed an increase in the pre-implantation loss and sperm with abnormal morphology. The observed effects on reproductive parameters could be associated with toxic effects of simvastatin on spermatogenesis, causing potential damage to male fertility

Orientador: Wilma De Gravas Kempinas / Banca: Raquel Fantin Domeniconi / Banca: Glaura Scantamburlo Alves Fernandes / Resumo: As estatinas são amplamente utilizadas no tratamento da hiperlipidemia e estão entre as drogas com maiores índices de vendas no mundo. Seu efeito se dá através da inibição competitiva da HMGCoA redutase, uma enzima limitante da síntese de colesterol que catalisa a conversão de HMG-CoA em mevalonato, interrompendo a cascata da síntese do colesterol e isoprenóides. Para os ensaios in vitro de reatividade farmacológica, ratos (n = 5) foram eutanaziados e epidídimo, canal deferente, e glândula seminal foram removidos. Após isso, os tecidos foram isolados e montados em câmaras musculares para o registro digital do desenvolvimento da tensão isométrica. Foi construída uma curva concentração- resposta à noradrenalina com a sinvastatina nas concentrações 3, 10, 30 e 100 μM. Não houve alterações na sensibilidade à noradrenalina nos ductos deferente e epididimário entre os grupos. Esses resultados estão relacionados com o não comprometimento da motilidade espermática e tempo de trânsito espermático pelo epidídimo em estudo realizado com animais expostos a 20 e 40 mg/Kg/dia de sinvastatina / Abstract: Statins are lipid lowering agents extensively used in human clinical medical. They exert their effects through inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase, a crucial enzyme in cholesterol synthesis. Since cholesterol is the precursor of steroid hormones, drugs that decrease cholesterol may damage male reproductive function. Investigate the effects of the exposure to different doses of simvastatin on the reproductive parameters of adult male Wistar rats. Thirty rats were randomly assigned into three groups: simvastatin (20 or 40 mg/kg), control (vehicle - DMSO/oil), and were treated for 30 days orally for evaluation of reproductive parameters after euthanasia. Weight of the reproductive organs; sperm counts, motility and morphology; histopathology; hormonal levels and fertility. The weight of reproductive organs, sperm motility and histopathology analysis were similar among groups. There was a decrease in sperm production and epididymis sperm number, uterus weight with fetuses, implant and live fetuses numbers in simvastatin groups. The animals exposed to simvastatin showed an increase in the pre-implantation loss and sperm with abnormal morphology. The observed effects on reproductive parameters could be associated with toxic effects of simvastatin on spermatogenesis, causing potential damage to male fertility / Mestre