Analysis of coal tar pitch and smoke extract components and their cytotoxicity on human bronchial epithelial cells

J Hazard Mater. 2011 Feb 28;186(2-3):1277-82. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.11.123. Epub 2010 Dec 10.

Abstract

Coal tar pitch and its smoke are considered hazardous by-products and common pollutant generated from coal industry processing. In this study, coal tar pitch and its smoke extracts were characterized by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) with dimethylsulfoxide. We identified only 0.3025% of components in the total coal tar pitch using GC/MS. Among 18 identified compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has the highest relative abundance (0.19%). The remaining components were composed of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic compounds and alkenes. In contrast, among 38 coal tar pitch smoke extract constituents that have been profiled, 87.91% were PAHs, and the remaining 12.09% were composed of monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic compounds and alkenes. The cytotoxic effect of coal tar pitch and its smoke extracts on BEAS-2B cells were also evaluated by MTT assay. BEAS-2B cells exposed to coal tar pitch showed a non dose-dependent U-shaped cytotoxicity with a dosage for maximal inhibitory of 3.75 mg/L. In contrast, BEAS-2B cells exposed to coal tar pitch smoke extracts showed a dose dependent cytotoxicity with a LC(50) of 8.64 mg/L. Our study demonstrated the significant different composition and cytotoxicity of coal tar pitch and its extracts, suggesting two different underlying mechanisms that are pending future investigation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bronchi / cytology*
  • Bronchi / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Coal Tar / analysis*
  • Coal Tar / toxicity*
  • Coloring Agents
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide
  • Epithelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Humans
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / analysis
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / toxicity
  • Smoke / adverse effects*
  • Smoke / analysis*
  • Tetrazolium Salts
  • Thiazoles

Substances

  • Coloring Agents
  • Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
  • Smoke
  • Tetrazolium Salts
  • Thiazoles
  • Coal Tar
  • thiazolyl blue
  • Dimethyl Sulfoxide