MUTAGENICA ACTIVITY INDUCED BY POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS IN SAMPLES OF PM2.5 IN A RESIDENTIAL SECTOR OF VILLA DEL ROSARIO-NORTE DE SANTANDER, COLOMBIA

Air pollutants, especially particulate matter (PM) have been investigated as potential agents responsible for lung cancer. Several components of the PM such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can contribute to adverse health effects. Air pollution, along with the intake of contaminated foods, are the primary route of human exposure to PAHs. PAHs are generally suspected of being carcinogenic at some degree. Although the level is very low, the main health risk associated with PHAs, is its ability to induce cancer in exposed organisms. The vehicular transport is the largest and most important source of atmospheric emissions that contribute over 60 % of PAH emissions. The aim of this study was to determine the mutagenicity of PM2.5 samples, from the air in Villa del Rosario, Norte de Santander, Colombia and identify PAH. Identification was carried out by gas chromatography with FID detector. The mutagenic assays were performed by the Ames Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100.