témavezető: Gelencsér András
társ-témavezető: Kováts Nóra
helyszín (magyar oldal): University of Pannonia, Institute of Environmental Sciences helyszín rövidítés: IES
A kutatási téma leírása:
Atmospheric particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 10 m (PM10) and 2.5 m (PM2.5) is now identified as one of the most dangerous pollutants on human health by the EU new directive on air quality (2008/50/CE). Trace metals and other aerosol constituents e.g. polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) may play a major role concerning toxicity and ecotoxicity of atmospheric aerosol particles as they have a high affinity to the very fine and ultrafine aerosol fractions.
Toxicological effects of particulate matter resulting from biomass burning is a world-wide and continuously increasing problem, which have triggered extended research on the human health risk aspects. On the other hand, ecotoxicological effects and ecological risk of these contaminants on ecosystems and on the non-human biota have been only scarcely addressed. The team working at the Institute of Environmental Sciences, University of Pannonia identified this gap and started an extended research program to assess the applicability of already existing bioassays, to modify and adapt them to specific particulate matter samples, and also, to lay out new test protocols. Special emphasis has been given to urban PM samples, diesel exhaust emission samples, biodiesel exhaust emission samples, individual airborne components and quite recently, samples originating from burning biomass of different composition, to simulate the load winter household heating poses to the environment.
The main line in our study involves the kinetic version of the Vibrio fischeri bioluminescence inhibition bioassay. This version was developed by Lappalainen et al. (1999, 2001) and was later standardised (ISO 21338:2010: Water quality - Kinetic determination of the inhibitory effects of sediment, other solids and coloured samples on the light emission of Vibrio fischeri /kinetic luminescent bacteria test/). As bioluminescence is directly linked to respiratory activity, it gives a good indication on the metabolic activity of the organism and was found to show good correlation with several in vivo toxicity tests. This kinetic bioassay has been adapted for assessing airborne PM ecotoxicity.
The test is to be used during the proposed research work to assess the ecotoxicity of biomass burning. Particles emitted by biomass burning are hazardous and at the same time powerful climate-modifying pollutants ever produced by mankind. Soot nanoparticles that form in high-temperature combustion have the potential to translocate across the epithelium into the bloodstream. Their small size. resilience, high specific surface area loaded with adsorbed carcinogenic and mutagenic compounds make them particularly harmful to human health. Each year 10 million metric tons of soot particles are leaking into the atmosphere, and their effect on the Earth’s climate is comparable to that of carbon dioxide.
In addition to the conventional and quasi-conventional assays, the main goal is to get a complex ecotoxicological profiling of the samples in question, using other bioassays in a battery.
The main tasks of the Candidate:
• Ecotoxicological profiling of samples generated during experimental biomass burning
• Assessment of the potential of other, non-conventional bioassays to be included in a battery of biotests.
előírt nyelvtudás: English felvehető hallgatók száma: 1
Jelentkezési határidő: 2019-08-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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