T5 PM Emerging Pollutants
Tuesday, 15 November 2005: 1:50 PM - 5:30 PM in 321-323
(KAS-1122-048373) Forensic Analysis, Source Partitioning and Genotoxic Evaluation of Different Size Fractions of Atmospheric Particulate Matter over the State of Kuwait.
Kassim, T1, Al-Sabbagh, T2, 1 Seattle University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Seattle, WA, USA2 Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), Kuwait
ABSTRACT- During the last four decades oil exploration, development, and refining have been the major economic activities in the State of Kuwait, which have led to a major contamination of its atmospheric environment. Associations between atmospheric particulate matter (PM) concentrations and human health effects have been well researched; however the exact biological mechanisms underlying such effects are poorly understood. It is presumed that mutagens/carcinogens present in human lungs contribute to lung cancer. Most of these molecules are inhaled with PM through the respiratory tract and particles of different sizes reach defined regions of the pulmonary system. Airborne PM is not a single contaminant, but rather a mixture of contaminants with each one containing various chemical species. Atmospheric PM occurs as fine- and coarse-mode particles, which in addition to falling into different size fractions; differ in formation mechanisms, chemical composition, sources, and final effects in humans. For instance, the coarse fraction (i.e., particles >2.5 
m) is dominated by natural sources (e.g., dust, pollen, bacteria, etc.), while the fine fraction (i.e., particles <2.5 
m) is dominated by anthropogenic emissions. The objectives of the present study are to: (1) Conduct a comprehensive forensic analysis approach to characterize the natural vs. anthropogenic (specially emerging) organic chemical composition of airborne PMs (Total, PM10 and PM2.5) over the State of Kuwait; (2) Develop a PM source-partitioning model in order to group contaminants according to their original sources; and (3) evaluate the genotoxic effects of different PM sizes on various genetic targets using the Ames plate test, gene conversion and reversion, and the comet assay on human leukocytes.
Key words: forensic analysis