Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), also known as titanium (IV) oxide or anatase, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium. It is also one of the most commercially used form. To date, no parameter has been set for the average ambient air concentration of TiO 2 nanoparticles (NP) by any regulatory agency. Previously conducted studies had established these nanoparticles to be mainly non-cytoand -genotoxic, although they had been found to generate free radicals both acellularly (specially through photocatalytic activity) and intracellularly. The present study determines the role of TiO 2 -NP (anatase, ∅ < 100 nm) using several parameters such as cyto-and genotoxicity, DNA-adduct formation and generation of free radicals following its uptake by human lung cells in vitro. For comparison, iron containing nanoparticles (hematite, Fe 2 O 3 , ∅ < 100 nm) were used. The results of this study showed that both types of NP were located in the cytosol near the nucleus. No particles were found inside the nucleus, in mitochondria or ribosomes. Human lung fibroblasts (IMR-90) were more sensitive regarding cyto-and genotoxic effects caused by the NP than human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). In contrast to hematite NP, TiO 2 -NP did not induce DNAbreakage measured by the Comet-assay in both cell types. Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured acellularly (without any photocatalytic activity) as well as intracellularly for both types of particles, however, the iron-containing NP needed special reducing conditions before pronounced radical generation. A high level of DNA adduct formation (8-OHdG) was observed in IMR-90 cells exposed to TiO 2 -NP, but not in cells exposed to hematite NP. Our study demonstrates different modes of action for TiO 2 -and Fe 2 O 3 -NP. Whereas TiO 2 -NP were able to generate elevated amounts of free radicals, which induced indirect genotoxicity mainly by DNAadduct formation, Fe 2 O 3 -NP were clastogenic (induction of DNA-breakage) and required reducing conditions for radical formation.

The present study shows that feces samples of 14 human volunteers and isolated gut segments of mice (small intestine, cecum, and large intestine) are able to transform metals and metalloids into volatile derivatives ex situ during anaerobic incubation at 37°C and neutral pH. (dry weight) in mouse gut samples, respectively. The upshift of the bismuth content also led to an increase of derivatives of other elements (such as arsenic, antimony, and lead in human feces or tellurium and lead in the murine large intestine). The assumption that the gut microbiota plays a dominant role for these transformation processes, as indicated by the production of volatile derivatives of various elements in feces samples, is supported by the observation that the gut segments of germfree mice are unable to transform administered bismuth to (CH 3 ) 3 Bi.The transformation of metals and metalloids [metal(loid)s] into volatile derivatives by methylation or hydridization plays an important role in spreading and cycling these elements in our natural and anthropogenetically modified environment (6, 25). These transformations are catalyzed to a large part by organisms, mainly by microorganisms growing under anaerobic conditions. Several elements such as arsenic, antimony, bismuth, selenium, tellurium, and mercury are known or thought to be susceptible to these biotransformations (2,5,9,(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)25).

The specific properties of nanoscale particles, large surface-to-mass ratios and highly reactive surfaces, have increased their commercial application in many fields. However, the same properties are also important for the interaction and bioaccumulation of the nonbiodegradable nanoscale particles in a biological system and are a cause for concern. Hematite (α-Fe₂O₃), being a mineral form of Fe(III) oxide, is one of the most used iron oxides besides magnetite. The aim of our study was the characterization and comparison of biophysical reactivity and toxicological effects of α-Fe₂O₃ nano- (d < 100 nm) and microscale (d < 5 μm) particles in human lung cells. Our study demonstrates that the surface reactivity of nanoscale α-Fe₂O₃ differs from that of microscale particles with respect to the state of agglomeration, radical formation potential, and cellular toxicity. The presence of proteins in culture medium and agglomeration were found to affect the catalytic properties of the hematite nano- and microscale particles. Both the nano- and microscale α-Fe₂O₃ particles were actively taken up by human lung cells in vitro, although they were not found in the nuclei and mitochondria. Significant genotoxic effects were only found at very high particle concentrations (> 50 μg/ml). The nanoscale particles were slightly more potent in causing cyto- and genotoxicity as compared with their microscale counterparts. Both types of particles induced intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species. This study underlines that α-Fe₂O₃ nanoscale particles trigger different toxicological reaction pathways than microscale particles. However, the immediate environment of the particles (biomolecules, physiological properties of medium) modulates their toxicity on the basis of agglomeration rather than their actual size.

ABSTRACT:Biological methylation and hydride formation of metals and metalloids are ubiquitous environmental processes that can lead to the formation of chemical species with significantly increased mobility and toxicity. Whereas much is known about the interaction of metal(loid)s with microorganisms in environmental settings, little information has been gathered on respective processes inside the human body as yet. Here, we studied the biotransformation and excretion of bismuth after ingestion of colloidal bismuth subcitrate (215 mg of bismuth) to 20 male human volunteers. Bismuth absorption in the stomach and upper intestine was very low, as evidenced by the small quantity of bismuth eliminated via the renal route. Total bismuth concentrations in blood increased rapidly in the first hour after ingestion. Most of the ingested bismuth was excreted via feces during the study period. Trace levels of the metabolite trimethylbismuth [(CH 3 ) 3 Bi] were detected via low temperaturegas chromatography/inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry in blood samples and in exhaled air samples. Concentrations were in the range of up to 2.50 pg/ml (blood) and 0.8 to 458 ng/m 3 (exhaled air), with high interindividual variation being observed. Elimination routes of bismuth were exhaled air (up to 0.03‰), urine (0.03-1.2%), and feces. The site of (CH 3 ) 3 Bi production could not be identified in the present study, but the intestinal microflora seems to be involved in this biotransformation if accompanying ex vivo studies are taken into consideration.It is a well known fact that the toxicity of metal(loid)s is essentially dependent on the chemical form, i.e., on the species of the element in question (Craig, 2003;Dopp et al., 2004; Hirner and Emons, 2004). In particular, alkylation often seems to considerably increase the toxic potential of metal(loid)s. Many studies have shown that in the environment methylated and also, in some cases, hydride species can be formed by different mechanisms and from a variety of metal(loid)s (Craig, 2003). In particular, microorganisms, e.g., bacteria and fungi, have been reported to be involved in this specific kind of conversion (Thayer, 2002).In contrast to the considerable knowledge that has accumulated on the interaction of microorganisms with metal(loid)s in the environment, a paucity of information is currently available on the respective processes inside the human body. This lack of knowledge is particularly striking in view of the fact that certain segments of the digestive tract, namely, the oral cavity and the colon, are colonized by myriads of bacteria. The difficulty of analyzing metal(loid) organic compounds at trace and even ultratrace levels might at least partly account for this information gap.After a pilot study with three volunteers , we performed an ingestion experiment with bismuth, administering this element as a single p.o. dose to 20 male volunteers in the form of a therapeutically used colloidal bismuth subcitrate compound. Bismuth was chosen as the element of interest ...

Current methods for monitoring multiple intracellular metabolite levels in parallel are limited in sample throughput capabilities and analyte selectivity. This article presents a novel high-throughput method based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) for monitoring intracellular metabolite levels in fed-batch processes. The MALDI-TOF-MS method presented here is based on a new microarray sample target and allows the detection of nucleoside phosphates and various other metabolites using stable isotope labeled internal standards. With short sample preparation steps and thus high sample throughput capabilities, the method is suitable for monitoring mammalian cell cultures, such as antibody producing hybridoma cell lines in industrial environments. The method is capable of reducing the runtime of standard LC-UV methods to approximately 1 min per sample (including 10 technical replicates). Its performance is exemplarily demonstrated in an 8-day monitoring experiment of independently controlled fed-batches, containing an antibody producing mouse hybridoma cell culture. The monitoring profiles clearly confirmed differences between cultivation conditions. Hypothermia and hyperosmolarity were studied in four bioreactors, where hypothermia was found to have a positive effect on the longevity of the cell culture, whereas hyperosmolarity lead to an arrest of cell proliferation. The results are in good agreement with HPLC-UV cross validation experiments. Subsequent principal component analysis (PCA) clearly separates the different bioreactor conditions based on the measured mass spectral profiles. This method is not limited to any cell line and can be applied as a process analytical tool in biotechnological processes.