ToxSci Advance Access originally published online on June 23, 2005
Toxicological Sciences 2005 87(1):232-241; doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfi230
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Composition, Toxicity, and Mutagenicity of Particulate and Semivolatile Emissions from Heavy-Duty Compressed Natural Gas-Powered Vehicles



* Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute, 2425 Ridgecrest Dr. SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108;
SKS Consulting Services, 3942 Rives Chapel Rd., Siler City, North Carolina;
Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78238-5166; and
Desert Research Institute, Atmospheric Sciences Division, 2251 Ragio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 98512-1095
Received April 1, 2005; accepted June 9, 2005
Particulate matter (PM) and vapor-phase semivolatile organic compounds (SVOC) were collected from three buses fueled by compressed natural gas. The bus engines included a well-functioning, conventional engine; a "high emitter" engine; and a new technology engine with an oxidation catalyst. Chemical analysis of the emissions showed differences among these samples, with the high emitter sample containing markers of engine oil constituents. PM + SVOC samples were also collected for mutagenicity and toxicity testing. Extraction efficiencies from the collection media were lower than for similarly collected samples from gasoline or diesel vehicles. Responses to the recovered samples were compared on the basis of exhaust volume, to incorporate the emission rates into the potency factors. Mutagenicity was assessed by Salmonella reverse mutation assay. Mutagenicity was greatest for the high emitter sample and lowest for the new technology sample. Metabolic activation reduced mutagenicity in strain TA100, but not TA98. Toxicity, including inflammation, cytotoxicity, and parenchymal changes, was assessed 24 h after intratracheal instillation into rat lungs. Lung responses were generally mild, with little difference between the responses to equivalent volumes of emissions from the normal emitter and the new technology, but greater responses for the high emitter. These emission sample potencies are further compared on the basis of recovered mass with previously reported samples from normal and high-emitter gasoline and diesel vehicles. While mutagenic potencies for the CNG emission samples were similar to the range observed in the gasoline and diesel emission samples, lung toxicity potency factors were generally lower than those for the gasoline and diesel samples.
Key Words: engine emissions; compressed natural gas; comparative toxicology; intratracheal instillation; bacterial mutagenicity.