Ecotoxicity testing of airborne particulate matter—comparison of sample preparation techniques for the Vibrio fischeri assay
Nóra Kováts, Katalin Hubai, Tsend-Ayush Sainnokhoi, András Hoffer, Gábor Teke
Abstract
Abstract The bioassay based on the bioluminescence inhibition of the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri has been the most widely used test for the assessment of airborne particulate matter ecotoxicity. Most studies available use an extract of the solid sample, either made with water or organic solvents. As an alternative, a whole-aerosol test is also available where test bacteria are in actual contact with contaminated particles. In our study, different extraction procedures were compared to this direct contact test based on the V. fischeri assay and analytical measurements. The lowest PAH content and the highest EC 50 were determined in water extract, while the highest PAH amount and lowest EC 50 were measured in dichloromethane, hexane, and dimethyl-sulphoxide extracts. EC 50 of the direct contact test was comparable to that of the methanol extract. Our results suggest that the sensitivity of the direct contact test equals to that of extraction procedures using organic solvents, moreover, it is mimicking an environmentally realistic exposure route.