OBJECTIVETo assess biological response and health adverse effects of industrial dusts from pottery factories and tungsten mines on alveolar macrophages (AM) in vitro.

METHODSAM acquired from bronchoalveolar lavage of guinea pigs were used as the target cells. AM were then co-cultured with respirable dust particles (15, 30, 60 and 120 μg/10⁶) from pottery factories and tungsten mines. LDH activity, cell viability, the release of ROS and TNF-α were determined to assess the biological responses of the dusts. China Standard Quartz was used as control.

RESULTSDose- response relationships between the dust concentrations and the enhancement of LDH activity, the release of ROS and TNF-α were found in both dusts from pottery factories and tungsten mines. The cell viability decreased when the dusts' concentrations increased. Differences of biological response were observed in the dust particles from different mines or factories. Compared with the pottery dusts, higher LDH activity and the release of TNF-α induced by tungsten dust were observed. In the 120 μg/10⁶ group, the TNF-α induced by tungsten dust, pottery dusts and China Standard Quartz was (5.2 +/- 2.0) ng/ml, (3.3 +/- 1.6) ng/ml and (2.8 +/- 0.5) ng/ml respectively. However, the impact on the cell viability induced by pottery dust was higher than that by tungsten mine.

CONCLUSIONIndustrial dusts from various sources could induce different biological effects. The results of the biological effects of dusts in laboratory tests may be of potential use to provide base data for their adverse effects evaluation.