Application of semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) to assess air genotoxicity in an occupational environment

Semipermeable membrane device (SPMD) is a passive sampler that sequesters lipophilic contaminants, mimicking the bioconcentration in the fatty tissue of organisms. This study was designed to assess the use of SPMD and biological tests (Comet assay and Ames test) for air monitoring. For this purpose an occupational environment with expected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) contamination (coke plant) was selected for a case study. The SPMDs were deployed in five occupational contaminated sites and in a control site. The SPMD dialysates were chemically analysed and examined for in vitro DNA-damaging activity in human cells (Jurkat) by Comet assay and for mutagenicity with the Ames test (TA98 strain, w/o S9). Total suspended particulates were also collected and analysed (GC-MS). No biological effect of SPMD extract was revealed in the control site. On the other hand, air samples collected with SPMDs within the coke plant showed variable degrees of genotoxic and mutagenic activity. The highest effects were associated with the highest PAH level recovered in the SPMDs extracts and in particulate samples. Results obtained support the sensitivity of biological tests associated to SPMD sampling for evaluating the health risk of potentially contaminated work environments highlighting the usefulness of SPMDs for environmental air quality monitoring.