Measurements of Oxidative Potential of Particulate Matter at Belgrade Tunnel; Comparison of BPEAnit, DTT and DCFH Assays.

To estimate the oxidative potential (OP) of particulate matter (PM), two commonly used cell-free, molecular probes were applied: dithiothreitol (DTT) and dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA), and their performance was compared with 9,10-bis (phenylethynyl) anthracene-nitroxide (BPEAnit). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in which the performance of the DTT and DCFH has been compared with the BPEAnit probe. The average concentrations of PM, organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) for fine (PM) and coarse (PM) particles were determined.

Comparison of fine particulate matter level, chemical content and oxidative potential derived from two dissimilar urban environments.

Urban airborne particles contain a wide spectrum of components, known to have harmful effects on human health. This study reports a detailed investigation of fine particulate matter (PM), chemical content and oxidative potential derived from two different urban environments. During summer and winter, 20-day campaigns were conducted at Belgrade city center (urban-background site - UB) and Bor (urban-industrial site - UI).