AAAR 36th Annual Conference October 16 - October 20, 2017 Raleigh Convention Center Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Abstract View
Black Carbon Reactivity toward Antioxidant Glutathione
KAYLEE TROTH, Juan Rodriguez, Anne Johansen, Central Washington University
Abstract Number: 431 Working Group: Linking Aerosol Oxidative Potential with Chemical Composition and Biological Endpoints
Abstract Black carbon (BC), a component of atmospheric particulate matter emitted during the combustion of fossil and biomass fuels, is known to adversely affect human health. The mechanism through which BC is thought to cause damage to cells is through the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), yet particle characteristics responsible for this detrimental effect are not well understood. In this research project, BC particles are investigated in a biologically relevant medium to shed light on detailed chemical mechanisms that lead to ROS production. This will be accomplished by using fluorescent spectroscopy to study the oxidative capacity of commercially available BC particles in reaction with the natural and biologically relevant antioxidant within cells, glutathione (GSH). Physicochemical properties of these BC particles will be studied on various instruments including the scanning electron microscope (SEM), laser particle analyzer (Malvern Mastersizer 3000), and the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) to determine particle surface area, particle diameter, particle morphology, and trace metal concentration. These physical and chemical properties will be correlated with the oxidative capacity of BC particles in reaction with GSH and in comparison to the frequently used dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. This research will contribute to the analytical determination of particle toxicity and will help increase our understanding of the mechanisms that control their adverse effects.