STUDIES ON EFFECT OF QUARTZ, BENTONITE AND COAL-DUST MIXTURES ON MACROPHAGES INVITRO

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  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 59  (4) , 411-415
Abstract
The effect of quartz, bentonite and coal dusts [occupational and environmental contaminants] and the effect of the artificial mixture of these dusts on TTC [2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride] reduction and extra- and intra-cellular lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] activity in peritoneal rat macrophages was determined in vitro. The cell-membrane-damaging effect of quartz caused a significant extracellular release of LDH. Bentonite caused no extracellular enzyme release; which the biological effect of this dust is believed to be shown by decrease in intracellular LDH activity. TTC reduction was inhibited equally by quartz and qentonite. In mixtures of quartz (60%)-bentonite (40%) dust the specific effect of quartz was inhibited by bentonite in vitro and in vivo. The same results were obtained with coal-quartz-bentonite dust mixtures in vitro. Comparison of the biological effects of artificial dust mixtures and airborne dust samples is justified; performing various examinations simultaneously gives fuller particulars on the probable biological effect of mineral dusts.