Toxicity increases in ice upon containing monochlorophenols upon photolysis: environmental consequences
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2004 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Environmental Science & Technology |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Environment influence on health |
| Keywords | Toxicity increases in ice upon containing monochlorophenols upon photolysis: environmental consequences |
| Description | The toxic effects of photoproducts formed upon the photolysis of 2- and 4-chlorophenol (CP) frozen solutions in polycrystalline ice phase were determined with a bacterial luminescence test (Vibrio fisheri), and in vitro biomarker assay for dioxin-like effects (inductions of AhR-dependent luciferase in H4IIE-luc cells), and compared to the toxic effects of products of the same photoreaction in aquatic phase. Coupling photoproducts formed in ice samples (3-chlorobiphenyl-2,4-diol and 3-chlorobiphenyl-2,2-diol from 2-CP photolysis, and 5-chlorobiphenyl-2,4-diol from 4-CP photolysis) were found to be more toxic to Vibrio fisheri than parent CPs and elicited significant inductions of dioxin-like effects (the effective concentrations EC50 ~ 3 10-5 mol L-1 corresponded to known weaker ligands of AhR, such as non-planar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)). To complete the picture, a photoproduct formed from 4-CP (5-chlorobiphenyl-2,4-diol) was synthesized, and a detailed toxicity assessment with purified compound confirmed the results obtained with irradiated samples. Our findings support a recently proposed model according to which solar radiation can trigger formation of new types of organic pollutants in polar ice or tropospheric ice cloud particles, presenting possibly greater risk to the environments than the parent compounds. |
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