Research Article Open Access

Study of pH and Cellular Response in Pulmonary Fibroblasts After Exposure to Market Street World Trade Center Particulate Matter

Michelle Hernandez1, Sung Choi1 and Ann Marie DiLorenzo1
  • 1 Montclair State University, United States

Abstract

Chronic health conditions have been noted among first responders and residents exposed to the dust generated from the World Trade Center (WTC) collapse on September 11, 2001. This study sought to isolate a single factor thought to play a substantial role in the decreased lung function of World Trade Center (WTC) workers and victims. Human pulmonary fibroblasts were exposed to 0 (control), 2.5, 25, 250 mg mL-1 WTC dust at 5% CO2 and 10% CO2 to test the hypothesis that cellular toxicity is attributed to the high pH (9.3) of the WTC dust. A decrease in viability, increase in toxicity, as well as increased apoptotic activity with increased WTC dust exposure at 5% CO2 were observed 24 h post exposure. Exposure of cells under 10% CO2, which reduced the high pH of the media, significantly increased viability, as well as decreased toxicity and apoptotic activity. Our results show that cellular toxicity can be mitigated by reducing the pH of the exposure condition and that high alkalinity is one of the most important factors in producing cellular toxicity in vitro.

OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences
Volume 12 No. 4, 2012, 142-148

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ojbsci.2012.142.148

Submitted On: 11 December 2012 Published On: 8 February 2013

How to Cite: Hernandez, M., Choi, S. & DiLorenzo, A. M. (2012). Study of pH and Cellular Response in Pulmonary Fibroblasts After Exposure to Market Street World Trade Center Particulate Matter. OnLine Journal of Biological Sciences, 12(4), 142-148. https://doi.org/10.3844/ojbsci.2012.142.148

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Keywords

  • WTC
  • Airborne Particulates
  • Particles
  • Human Lung Fibroblast Cells
  • Proliferate
  • Apoptosis
  • Mutagen
  • Toxin