Pulmonary function and histological impairment in mice after acute exposure to aluminum dust

Abstract

Along the aluminum refining process, alumina (Al2O3) constitutes the main source of dust. Although aluminum refinery workers present respiratory symptoms with lung functional changes, no conclusive data about lung function impairment after alumina exposure has been so far reported. We examined the pulmonary alterations of exposure to material collected in an aluminum refinery in Brazil. BALB/c mice were exposed in a whole-body chamber for 1 h to either saline (CTRL, n = 11) or to a suspension (in saline) of 8 mg/m(3) of the dust (ALUM, n = 11) both delivered by an ultrasonic nebulizer. Twenty-four hours after exposure lung mechanics were measured by the end-inflation method. Lungs were prepared for histology. ALUM showed significantly higher static elastance (34.61 +/- 5.76 cmH2O/mL), elastic component of viscoelasticity (8.16 +/- 1.20 cmH2O/mL), pressure used to overcome the resistive component of viscoelasticity (1.62 +/- 0.24 cmH2O), and total resistive pressure (2.21 +/- 0.49 cmH2O) than CTRL (27.95 +/- 3.63 cmH2O/mL, 6.12 +/- 0.99 cmH2O/mL, 1.23 +/- 0.19 cmH2O, and 1.68 +/- 0.23 cmH2O, respectively). ALUM also presented significantly higher fraction area of alveolar collapse (69.7 +/- 1.2%) and influx of polymorphonuclear cells (27.5 +/- 1.1%) in lung parenchyma than CTRL (27.2 +/- 1.1% and 14.6 +/- 0.7%, respectively). The composition analysis of the particulate matter showed high concentrations of aluminum. For the first time it was demonstrated in an experimental model that an acute exposure to dust collected in an aluminum producing facility impaired lung mechanics that could be associated with inflammation.

Inflammation in induced sputum after aluminium oxide exposure: an experimental chamber study

“…If a similar response is present in aluminium production workers is, to our knowledge, not yet studied. However, in an experimental whole-body chamber study of mice exposed to an atmospheric concentration of 8 mg/m 3 dust from an aluminium-producing facility, a significant increase in alveolar collapse and increased level of percentage of neutrophils in the lung parenchyma was observed 29. This Al 2 O 3 dust also contained a mixture of other substances such as mercury, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, zinc and lead.…”

Current state of knowledge on the health effects of engineered nanomaterials in workers: a systematic review of human studies and epidemiological investigations

“…There have been no epidemiological studies of intentionally manufactured aluminum oxide nanomaterials. However, there have been occupational studies that have shown that inhaled aluminum oxide particles (size unspecified) are linked to pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, chronic obstructive lung diseases and possibly lung cancer (49)(50)(51)(52). Ultrafine particles have been identified in primary aluminum smelters and pot rooms (53).…”

Dietary unsaponifiable fraction of extra virgin olive oil supplementation attenuates lung injury and DNA damage of rats co-exposed to aluminum and acrylamide

“…In the physiological conditions of human beings, 50 % of this metal is accumulated in the skeletal system and 25 % in the lung tissue (ATSDR 1999). Aluminum might potentiate oxidative and inflammatory stress leading to functional disturbance in the lung epithelium (Mazzoli-Rocha et al 2010). Chronic Al administration might be responsible for the oxidative cell damage due to its interference with the mitochondrial functions disturbing the redox status (Kumar et al 2009).…”