Uptake and Toxicity of Respirable Carbon-Rich Uranium-Bearing Particles: Insights into the Role of Particulates in Uranium Toxicity.

ABSTRACT: Particulate matter (PM) presents an environmental health risk for communities residing close to uranium (U) mine sites. However, the role of the particulate form of U on its cellular toxicity is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the cellular uptake and toxicity of C-rich U-bearing particles as a model organic particulate containing uranyl citrate over a range of environmentally relevant concentrations of U (0-445 μM). The cytotoxicity of C-rich U-bearing particles in human epithelial cells (A549) was U-dose-dependent. No cytotoxic effects were detected with soluble U doses. Carbon-rich U-bearing particles with a wide size distribution (<10 μm) presented 2.7 times higher U uptake into cells than the particles with a narrow size distribution (<1 μm) at 100 μM U concentration. TE

SUBMITTER: El Hayek E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8413144 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature