1
|
Ogbunuzor C, Fransen LFH, Talibi M, Khan Z, Dalzell A, Laycock A, Southern D, Eveleigh A, Ladommatos N, Hellier P, Leonard MO. Biodiesel exhaust particle airway toxicity and the role of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2023; 259:115013. [PMID: 37182301 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Renewable alternatives to fossil diesel (FD) including fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) biodiesel have become more prevalent. However, toxicity of exhaust material from their combustion, relative to the fuels they are displacing has not been fully characterised. This study was carried out to examine particle toxicity within the lung epithelium and the role for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Exhaust particles from a 20% (v/v) blend of FAME biodiesel had little impact on primary airway epithelial toxicity compared to FD derived particles but did result in an altered profile of PAHs, including an increase in particle bound carcinogenic B[a]P. Higher blends of biodiesel had significantly increased levels of more carcinogenic PAHs, which was associated with a higher level of stress response gene expression including CYP1A1, NQO1 and IL1B. Removal of semi-volatile material from particulates abolished effects on airway cells. Particle size difference and toxic metals were discounted as causative for biological effects. Finally, combustion of a single component fuel (Methyl decanoate) containing the methyl ester molecular structure found in FAME mixtures, also produced more carcinogenic PAHs at the higher fuel blend levels. These results indicate the use of FAME biodiesel at higher blends may be associated with an increased particle associated carcinogenic and toxicity risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Ogbunuzor
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Roberts Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | | | - Midhat Talibi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Roberts Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Zuhaib Khan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Roberts Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Abigail Dalzell
- Toxicology Department, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Campus, OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Adam Laycock
- Toxicology Department, UK Health Security Agency, Harwell Campus, OX11 0RQ, UK
| | - Daniel Southern
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Roberts Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Aaron Eveleigh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Roberts Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Nicos Ladommatos
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Roberts Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Paul Hellier
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Roberts Building, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Crispo M, Cameron DD, Meredith W, Eveleigh A, Ladommatos N, Mašek O, Edmondson JL. Opening the black box: Soil microcosm experiments reveal soot black carbon short-term oxidation and influence on soil organic carbon mineralisation. Sci Total Environ 2021; 801:149659. [PMID: 34416602 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Soils hold three quarters of the total organic carbon (OC) stock in terrestrial ecosystems and yet we fundamentally lack detailed mechanistic understanding of the turnover of major soil OC pools. Black carbon (BC), the product of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, is ubiquitous in soils globally. Although BC is a major soil carbon pool, its effects on the global carbon cycle have not yet been resolved. Soil BC represents a large stable carbon pool turning over on geological timescales, but research suggests it can alter soil biogeochemical cycling including that of soil OC. Here, we established two soil microcosm experiments: experiment one added 13C OC to soil with and without added BC (soot or biochar) to investigate whether it suppresses OC mineralisation; experiment two added 13C BC (soot) to soil to establish whether it is mineralised in soil over a short timescale. Gases were sampled over six-months and analysed using isotope ratio mass spectrometry. In experiment one we found that the efflux of 13C OC from soil decreased over time, but the addition of soot to soil significantly reduced the mineralisation of OC from 32% of the total supplied without soot to 14% of the total supplied with soot. In contrast, there was not a significant difference after the addition of biochar in the flux of 13C from the OC added to the soil. In experiment two, we found that the efflux 13C from soil with added 13C soot significantly differed from the control, but this efflux declined over time. There was a cumulative loss of 0.17% 13C from soot over the experiment. These experimental results represent a step-change in understanding the influence of BC continuum on carbon dynamics, which has major consequences for the way we monitor and manage soils for carbon sequestration in future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Crispo
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK.
| | - Duncan D Cameron
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Will Meredith
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Aaron Eveleigh
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Nicos Ladommatos
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, Torrington Place, London WC1E 7JE, UK
| | - Ondřej Mašek
- UK Biochar Research Centre, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Jill L Edmondson
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| |
Collapse
|