Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Methods to Access the Metal Solubility of Aerosols in Artificial Lung Fluid

Recent studies to quantify the health risks that fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic less than 2.5 µm (PM_2.5) pose use in vitro approaches. One of these approaches is to incubate PM_2.5 in artificial lysosomal fluid for a given period at body temperature. These body fluids used have a high ionic strength and as such can be challenging samples to analyze with atomic spectroscopy techniques. As PM_2.5 is a primary health hazard because it is tiny enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and could, in addition, dissolve in the lung fluid it is important to quantify elements of toxic and/or carcinogenic concerns, reliably and accurately. Sophisticated instrumentation and expensive pre-treatment of challenging samples are not always available, especially in developing countries. To evaluate the applicability of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) without Zeeman correction capability to detect trace quantities of heavy metals leached from PM_2.5 on to artificial lung fluid, univariate and multivariate approaches have been used for optimization purposes. The limits of quantification, LOQ, obtained by the optimized method were: 2 µg L⁻¹ (Cu), 3 µg L⁻¹ (Cr), 1 µg L⁻¹ (Mn), and 10 µg L⁻¹ (Pb). The addition/recovery experiments had a mean accuracy of: (Cu) 99 ± 7%; 110 ± 8% (Cr); 95 ± 9% (Mn), and 96 ± 11% (Pb). The average soluble fractions of PM_2.5 incubated in artificial lysosomal fluid (ALF) for 1 h were: 1.2 ± 0.01 ng m⁻³ Cu, 0.4 ± 0.01 ng m⁻³ Cr, 0.6 ± 0.01 ng m⁻³ Mn, and 4.8 ± 0.03 ng m⁻³ Pb. Using historical elemental averages of PM_2.5 in Curitiba (Cu 3.3 ng m⁻³, Cr 2.1 ng m⁻³, Mn 6.1 ng m⁻³, Pb 21 ng m⁻³), the percentage bioaccessibility were determined to be Cu 38%, Cr 20%, Mn 10%, and Pb 23%. The elemental values of the atmospheric soluble fraction of Cu, Cr, and Mn were below the inhalation risk concentrations. However, for Pb, the atmospheric soluble fraction exceeded the inhalation unit risk of 0.012 ng m⁻³. This robust and straightforward GF AAS method is pivotal for low and middle-income countries were most air pollution adverse effects occur and established lower-cost technologies are likely unavailable.