Seasonal variability of chemical composition and mutagenic effect of organic PM2.5 pollutants collected in the urban area of Wrocław (Poland)

Abstract The objective of the study was the assessment of the mutagenicity of chemical pollutants adsorbed on suspended particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter  The work covered sampling of suspended dusts in four seasons: summer, spring, autumn and winter. The dust samples were collected on glass filters using air aspirator and the organic matter of PM2.5 was extracted using Soxhlet extractor. The levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds (PAH), nitro-PAH and dinitro-PAH were determined in the extract. Variable degree of air pollution with mutagenic substances was determined at the selected study site. A greater, negative effect of chemical compounds on DNA was determined in dust samples collected in the autumn-winter season in comparison to samples collected in the spring-summer season. In the majority of tests, higher mutagenicity was obtained in analyses conducted on total extracts in comparison to tests conducted in the presence of PAH pollutant fractions. The obtained mutagenic ratio values pointed to the presence of chemical compounds with a character of both promutagens and direct mutagens. Samples collected in the autumn-winter season were observed to have a higher diversity of organic substances absorbed on PM2.5 dusts. Particular samples differed in the total content and percent contribution of particular PAHs, nitro-PAHs, and other organic compounds. In addition, the identified substances included compounds belonging to different chemical classes: aliphatic compounds, cycloalkanes, mono- and bicycling arenes, polycyclic arenes, compounds containing oxygen, nitrogen, and sulphur.