Genotoxicity of organic extracts of airborne particles in somatic cells of Drosophila melanogaster

Complex mixtures extracted from air filters exposed for 24 h in two sessions (27 July and 02 August 1991) and at two locations (Merced, downtown, and Pedregal de San Angel, south-west) in Mexico City were analysed. The organic extracts were from airborne particles equal or smaller than 10 μm (PM10), and from total suspended particles (TSP). These organic extracts were assayed in the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in wings of Drosophila melanogaster using two different crosses as well as in the Salmonella/microsome assay using strain TA98 with and without S9 fraction. The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the extracts was determined by gas chromatography. The genotoxic activities observed in the two test systems were comparable with the indirect mutagens producing greater response than the direct mutagens. The quantities of particulate matter as well as the genotoxic activities were higher on 02 August than on 27 July 1991 for both locations. The amounts of airborne particles and the resulting genotoxic activities were higher at Merced than at Pedregal. In both biological systems, PM10 were more genotoxic than TSP. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of the Drosophila wing SMART — which is an in vivo eukaryotic genotoxicity assay — as a biological monitor of environmental pollution related to airborne particles.