Dating human skeletal remains using a radiometric method: Biogenic versus diagenetic (90)Sr and (210)Pb in vertebrae.

In forensic science, there is a strong interest in determining the post-mortem interval (PMI) of human skeletal remains up to 50 years after death. Currently, there are no reliable methods to resolve PMI, the determination of which relies almost exclusively on the experience of the investigating expert. Here we measured (90)Sr and (210)Pb ((210)Po) incorporated into bones through a biogenic process as indicators of the time elapsed since death. We hypothesised that the activity of radionuclides incorporated into trabecular bone will more accurately match the activity in the environment and the food chain at the time of death than the activity in cortical bone because of a higher remodelling rate. We found that determining (90)Sr can yield reliable PMI estimates as long as a calibration curve exists for (90)Sr covering the studied area and the last 50 years. We also found that adding the activity of (210)Po, a proxy for naturally occurring (210)Pb incorporated through ingestion, to the (90)Sr dating increases the reliability of the PMI value. Our results also show that trabecular bone is subject to both (90)Sr and (210)Po diagenesis. Accordingly, we used a solubility profile method to determine the biogenic radionuclide only, and we are proposing a new method of bone decontamination to be used prior to (90)Sr and (210)Pb dating.

Characterization of surface functional groups present on laboratory-generated and ambient aerosol particles by means of heterogeneous titration reactions

A Knudsen flow reactor has been used to quantify surface functional groups on aerosols collected in the field. This technique is based on a heterogeneous titration reaction between a probe gas and a specific functional group on the particle surface. In the first part of this work, the reactivity of different probe gases on laboratory-generated aerosols (limonene SOA, Pb(NO3)2, Cd(NO3)2) and diesel reference soot (SRM 2975) has been studied. Five probe gases have been selected for the quantitative determination of important functional groups: N(CH3)3 (for the titration of acidic sites), NH2OH (for carbonyl functions), CF3COOH and HCl (for basic sites of different strength), and O3 (for oxidizable groups). The second part describes a field campaign that has been undertaken in several bus depots in Switzerland, where ambient fine and ultrafine particles were collected on suitable filters and quantitatively investigated using the Knudsen flow reactor. Results point to important differences in the surface reactivity of ambient particles, depending on the sampling site and season. The particle surface appears to be multi-functional, with the simultaneous presence of antagonistic functional groups which do not undergo internal chemical reactions, such as acid-base neutralization. Results also indicate that the surface of ambient particles was characterized by a high density of carbonyl functions (reactivity towards NH2OH probe in the range 0.26-6 formal molecular monolayers) and a low density of acidic sites (reactivity towards N(CH3)3 probe in the range 0.01-0.20 formal molecular monolayer). Kinetic parameters point to fast redox reactions (uptake coefficient ?0>10-3 for O3 probe) and slow acid-base reactions (?0<10-4 for N(CH3)3 probe) on the particle surface. [Authors]

The biogenic origin of needle fibre calcite

Needle fibre calcite is one of the most ubiquitous habits of calcite in vadose environments (caves deposits, soil pores, etc.). Its origin, either through inorganic, indirect or direct biological processes, has long been debated. In this study, investigations at 11 sites in Europe, Africa and Central America support arguments for its biogenic origin. The wide range of needle morphologies is the result of a gradual evolution of the simplest type, a rod. This rod is the elementary brick which, by aggregation and welding, builds more complex needles. The absence of cross-welded needles implies that they are welded in a mould, or under a longitudinal and unidirectional constraint, before being released inside the soil pores. The difference between the lengthening of the needles and the c axis can be explained by the existence of needles observed under a scanning electron microscope in organic sleeves, which can act as a mould during rod growth. Complex morphologies with epitaxial outgrowths on straight rods cannot have grown entirely inside organic microtubes; they must result from soil diagenesis after the release of straight rods in a soil-free medium. Whisker crystals are interpreted as the result of growth and coalescence of euhedral crystals on a rod. Rhomb chains are considered to be the consequence of successive epitaxial growth steps on a needle during variations in growth conditions. Isotopic signatures for needle fibre calcite vary from -16.63[per mille] to +1.10[per mille] and from -8.63[per mille] to -2.25[per mille] for Delta13C and Delta18O, respectively. The absence of high Delta18O values for needle fibre calcite precludes a purely physicochemical origin (evaporative) for this particular habit of calcite. As epitaxial growth cannot precipitate in the same conditions as initial needles, needle fibre calcite stable isotopic signatures should be used with caution as a proxy for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. In addition, it is suggested that the term needle fibre calcite should be kept for the original biogenic form. The other habit should be referred to as epitaxial forms of needle fibre calcite.

Nasal immunization of mice with virus-like particles protects offspring against rotavirus diarrhea.

Rotavirus is the major cause of diarrhea among young infants in both humans and animals. Immune protection of newborns by vaccination is difficult to achieve since there is not enough time to mount an immune response before exposure to the virus. We have designed a vaccination strategy mediating transfer of neutralizing antibodies from the mother to the offspring during pregnancy and/or lactation. Adult female mice were nasally immunized with virus-like particles (VLPs) made of viral proteins VP2 and 6 (VLP2/6) or VP 2, 6, and 7 (VLP2/6/7) derived from the RF rotavirus strain in the presence or absence of cholera toxin. Both vaccines elicited serum and milk antibodies against the respective VPs. Four days after parturition, suckling pups were challenged orally with RF rotavirus. Pups from mothers immunized with VLP2/6/7 but not VLP2/6 were protected against rotavirus diarrhea, indicating that VP7 plays a key role in protection. Protection was mediated by milk rather than serum antibodies, and mucosal adjuvants were not required. In conclusion, VLPs containing VP7 administered nasally to mothers represent a promising vaccine candidate for the protection of suckling newborns against rotavirus-induced diarrhea, even in the absence of a mucosal adjuvant.

Human inhalation exposure to iron oxide particles

In the past decade, many studies have been conducted to determine the health effects induced by exposure to engineered nanomaterials (NMs). Specifically for exposure via inhalation, numerous in vitro and animal in vivo inhalation toxicity studies on several types of NMs have been published. However, these results are not easily extrapolated to judge the effects of inhaling NMs in humans, and few published studies on the human response to inhalation of NMs exist. Given the emergence of more industries utilizing iron oxide nanoparticles as well as more nanomedicine applications of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), this review presents an overview of the inhalation studies that have been conducted in humans on iron oxides. Both occupational exposure studies on complex iron oxide dusts and fumes, as well as human clinical studies on aerosolized, micron-size iron oxide particles are discussed. Iron oxide particles have not been described to elicit acute inhalation response nor promote lung disease after chronic exposure. The few human clinical studies comparing inhalation of fine and ultrafine metal oxide particles report no acute changes in the health parameters measured. Taken together existing evidence suggests that controlled human exposure to iron oxide nanoparticles, such as SPIONs, could be conducted safely.

Sulfur isotope variations from orebody to hand-specimen scale at the Mezica lead-zinc deposit, Slovenia: a predominantly biogenic pattern

The Mississippi Valley-type (MVT) Pb-Zn ore district at Mezica is hosted by Middle to Upper Triassic platform carbonate rocks in the Northern Karavanke/Drau Range geotectonic units of the Eastern Alps, northeastern Slovenia. The mineralization at Mezica covers an area of 64 km(2) with more than 350 orebodies and numerous galena and sphalerite occurrences, which formed epigenetically, both conformable and discordant to bedding. While knowledge on the style of mineralization has grown considerably, the origin of discordant mineralization is still debated. Sulfur stable isotope analyses of 149 sulfide samples from the different types of orebodies provide new insights on the genesis of these mineralizations and their relationship. Over the whole mining district, sphalerite and galena have delta(34)S values in the range of -24.7 to -1.5% VCDT (-13.5 +/- 5.0%) and -24.7 to -1.4% (-10.7 +/- 5.9%), respectively. These values are in the range of the main MVT deposits of the Drau Range. All sulfide delta(34)S values are negative within a broad range, with delta(34)S(pyrite) < delta(34)S(sphalerite) < delta(34)S(galena) for both conformable and discordant orebodies, indicating isotopically heterogeneous H(2)S in the ore-forming fluids and precipitation of the sulfides at thermodynamic disequilibrium. This clearly supports that the main sulfide sulfur originates from bacterially mediated reduction (BSR) of Middle to Upper Triassic seawater sulfate or evaporite sulfate. Thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) by organic compounds contributed a minor amount of (34)S-enriched H(2)S to the ore fluid. The variations of delta(34)S values of galena and coarse-grained sphalerite at orefield scale are generally larger than the differences observed in single hand specimens. The progressively more negative delta(34)S values with time along the different sphalerite generations are consistent with mixing of different H(2)S sources, with a decreasing contribution of H(2)S from regional TSR, and an increase from a local H(2)S reservoir produced by BSR (i.e., sedimentary biogenic pyrite, organo-sulfur compounds). Galena in discordant ore (-11.9 to -1.7%; -7.0 +/- 2.7%, n=12) tends to be depleted in (34)S compared with conformable ore (-24.7 to -2.8%, -11.7 +/- 6.2%, n=39). A similar trend is observed from fine-crystalline sphalerite I to coarse open-space filling sphalerite II. Some variation of the sulfide delta(34)S values is attributed to the inherent variability of bacterial sulfate reduction, including metabolic recycling in a locally partially closed system and contribution of H(2)S from hydrolysis of biogenic pyrite and thermal cracking of organo-sulfur compounds. The results suggest that the conformable orebodies originated by mixing of hydrothermal saline metal-rich fluid with H(2)S-rich pore waters during late burial diagenesis, while the discordant orebodies formed by mobilization of the earlier conformable mineralization.

Human high-density lipoprotein particles prevent activation of the JNK pathway induced by human oxidised low-density lipoprotein particles in pancreatic beta cells.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We explored the potential adverse effects of pro-atherogenic oxidised LDL-cholesterol particles on beta cell function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Isolated human and rat islets and different insulin-secreting cell lines were incubated with human oxidised LDL with or without HDL particles. The insulin level was monitored by ELISA, real-time PCR and a rat insulin promoter construct linked to luciferase gene reporter. Cell apoptosis was determined by scoring cells displaying pycnotic nuclei. RESULTS: Prolonged incubation with human oxidised LDL particles led to a reduction in preproinsulin expression levels, whereas the insulin level was preserved in the presence of native LDL-cholesterol. The loss of insulin production occurred at the transcriptional levels and was associated with an increase in activator protein-1 transcriptional activity. The rise in activator protein-1 activity resulted from activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK, now known as mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 [MAPK8]) due to a subsequent decrease in islet-brain 1 (IB1; now known as MAPK8 interacting protein 1) levels. Consistent with the pro-apoptotic role of the JNK pathway, oxidised LDL also induced a twofold increase in the rate of beta cell apoptosis. Treatment of the cells with JNK inhibitor peptides or HDL countered the effects mediated by oxidised LDL. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: These data provide strong evidence that oxidised LDL particles exert deleterious effects in the progression of beta cell failure in diabetes and that these effects can be countered by HDL particles.

Growth and demise of Permian biogenic chert along northwest Pangea: evidence for end-Permian collapse of thermohaline circulation

The Permian Chert Event (PCE) was a 30 Ma long episode of unusual chert accumulation along the northwest margin of Pangea, and possibly worldwide. The onset of the PCE occurred at about the Sakmarian-Artinskian boundary in the Sverdrup Basin, Canadian Arctic, where it coincides with a maximum flooding event, the ending of high-frequency/high-amplitude shelf cyclicity, the onset of massive biogenic chert deposition in deep-water distal areas, and a long-term shift from warm- to cool-water carbonate sedimentation in shallow-water proximal areas. A similar and coeval shift is observed from the Barents Sea to the northwestern USA. A landward and southward expansion of silica factories occurred during the Middle and Late Permian at which time warm-water carbonate producers disappeared completely from the northwest margin of Pangea. Biotically impoverished and increasingly narrow cold-water carbonate factories (characterised by non-cemented bioclasts of sponges, bryozoans, echinoderms and brachiopods) were then progressively replaced by silica factories. By Late Permian time, little carbonate sediments accumulated in the Barents Sea and in the Sverdrup Basin. where the deep- to shallow-water sedimentary spectrum was occupied by siliceous sponge spicules. By that time, biogenic silica sedimentation was common throughout the world. Silica factories collapsed in the Late Permian, abruptly bringing the PCE to an end. In northwest Pangea, the end- Permian collapse of the PCE was associated with a major transgression and with a return to much warmer oceanic and continental climatic conditions. Chert deposition resumed in the distal oceanic areas during the early Middle Triassic (Anisian) after a 8-10 Ma interruption (Early Triassic Chert Gap). The conditions necessary for the onset, expansion and zenith of the PCE were provided by the thermohaline circulation of nutrient-rich cold waters along the northwestern and western margin of Pangea, and possibly throughout the world oceans. These conditions provided an efficient transportation mechanism that constantly replenished the supply of silica in the area, created a nutrient- and oxygen-rich environment favouring siliceous biogenic productivity. established cold sea-floor conditions, hindering silica dissolution, while increasing calcium carbonate solubility, and provided conditions adverse to organic and inorganic carbonate production, The northwest margin of Pangea was, for nearly 30 Ma. bathed by cold waters presumably derived from the seasonal melting of northern sea ice, the assumed engine for thermohaline circulation. This process started near the Sakmarian-Artinskian boundary. intensified throughout Middle and Late Permian time and ceased suddenly in latest Permian time, It led to oceanic conditions much colder than normally expected from the palaeolatitudes. and the influence of cold northerly-derived water was felt as far south southern Nevada. The demise of silica factories was caused by the rapid breakdown of these conditions and the establishment of a much warmer marine environment accompanied by sluggish circulation and perhaps a reduced input of dissolved silica to the ocean. Complete thawing of northern sea ice would have ended thermohaline circulation and led to warm and sluggish oceanic conditions inimical to the production. accumulation and preservation of biogenic silica.

Deposition rates of sidestream tobacco smoke particles in an experimental chamber

The natural dissipation rates of sidestream smoke (SS) particles dispersed in a chamber were studied from the standpoint of a static atmosphere and were expressed as half-lives of residence in the air. The half-lives for particles less than 0.3 micron, 0.3-0.5 micron and 0.5-1 micron were found to be 25.5, 12.8 and 4.9 h, respectively. Total particulate matter (TPM) decreases by half after 6.2 h. Other data on diluted SS in the indoor air were also reported.

The Hydrophobic interaction: modeling hydrophobic interactions and aggregation of non-polar particles in aqueous solutions

Malgré son importance dans notre vie de tous les jours, certaines propriétés de l?eau restent inexpliquées. L'étude des interactions entre l'eau et les particules organiques occupe des groupes de recherche dans le monde entier et est loin d'être finie. Dans mon travail j'ai essayé de comprendre, au niveau moléculaire, ces interactions importantes pour la vie. J'ai utilisé pour cela un modèle simple de l'eau pour décrire des solutions aqueuses de différentes particules. Récemment, l?eau liquide a été décrite comme une structure formée d?un réseau aléatoire de liaisons hydrogènes. En introduisant une particule hydrophobe dans cette structure à basse température, certaines liaisons hydrogènes sont détruites ce qui est énergétiquement défavorable. Les molécules d?eau s?arrangent alors autour de cette particule en formant une cage qui permet de récupérer des liaisons hydrogènes (entre molécules d?eau) encore plus fortes : les particules sont alors solubles dans l?eau. A des températures plus élevées, l?agitation thermique des molécules devient importante et brise les liaisons hydrogènes. Maintenant, la dissolution des particules devient énergétiquement défavorable, et les particules se séparent de l?eau en formant des agrégats qui minimisent leur surface exposée à l?eau. Pourtant, à très haute température, les effets entropiques deviennent tellement forts que les particules se mélangent de nouveau avec les molécules d?eau. En utilisant un modèle basé sur ces changements de structure formée par des liaisons hydrogènes j?ai pu reproduire les phénomènes principaux liés à l?hydrophobicité. J?ai trouvé une région de coexistence de deux phases entre les températures critiques inférieure et supérieure de solubilité, dans laquelle les particules hydrophobes s?agrègent. En dehors de cette région, les particules sont dissoutes dans l?eau. J?ai démontré que l?interaction hydrophobe est décrite par un modèle qui prend uniquement en compte les changements de structure de l?eau liquide en présence d?une particule hydrophobe, plutôt que les interactions directes entre les particules. Encouragée par ces résultats prometteurs, j?ai étudié des solutions aqueuses de particules hydrophobes en présence de co-solvants cosmotropiques et chaotropiques. Ce sont des substances qui stabilisent ou déstabilisent les agrégats de particules hydrophobes. La présence de ces substances peut être incluse dans le modèle en décrivant leur effet sur la structure de l?eau. J?ai pu reproduire la concentration élevée de co-solvants chaotropiques dans le voisinage immédiat de la particule, et l?effet inverse dans le cas de co-solvants cosmotropiques. Ce changement de concentration du co-solvant à proximité de particules hydrophobes est la cause principale de son effet sur la solubilité des particules hydrophobes. J?ai démontré que le modèle adapté prédit correctement les effets implicites des co-solvants sur les interactions de plusieurs corps entre les particules hydrophobes. En outre, j?ai étendu le modèle à la description de particules amphiphiles comme des lipides. J?ai trouvé la formation de différents types de micelles en fonction de la distribution des regions hydrophobes à la surface des particules. L?hydrophobicité reste également un sujet controversé en science des protéines. J?ai défini une nouvelle échelle d?hydrophobicité pour les acides aminés qui forment des protéines, basée sur leurs surfaces exposées à l?eau dans des protéines natives. Cette échelle permet une comparaison meilleure entre les expériences et les résultats théoriques. Ainsi, le modèle développé dans mon travail contribue à mieux comprendre les solutions aqueuses de particules hydrophobes. Je pense que les résultats analytiques et numériques obtenus éclaircissent en partie les processus physiques qui sont à la base de l?interaction hydrophobe.<br/><br/>Despite the importance of water in our daily lives, some of its properties remain unexplained. Indeed, the interactions of water with organic particles are investigated in research groups all over the world, but controversy still surrounds many aspects of their description. In my work I have tried to understand these interactions on a molecular level using both analytical and numerical methods. Recent investigations describe liquid water as random network formed by hydrogen bonds. The insertion of a hydrophobic particle at low temperature breaks some of the hydrogen bonds, which is energetically unfavorable. The water molecules, however, rearrange in a cage-like structure around the solute particle. Even stronger hydrogen bonds are formed between water molecules, and thus the solute particles are soluble. At higher temperatures, this strict ordering is disrupted by thermal movements, and the solution of particles becomes unfavorable. They minimize their exposed surface to water by aggregating. At even higher temperatures, entropy effects become dominant and water and solute particles mix again. Using a model based on these changes in water structure I have reproduced the essential phenomena connected to hydrophobicity. These include an upper and a lower critical solution temperature, which define temperature and density ranges in which aggregation occurs. Outside of this region the solute particles are soluble in water. Because I was able to demonstrate that the simple mixture model contains implicitly many-body interactions between the solute molecules, I feel that the study contributes to an important advance in the qualitative understanding of the hydrophobic effect. I have also studied the aggregation of hydrophobic particles in aqueous solutions in the presence of cosolvents. Here I have demonstrated that the important features of the destabilizing effect of chaotropic cosolvents on hydrophobic aggregates may be described within the same two-state model, with adaptations to focus on the ability of such substances to alter the structure of water. The relevant phenomena include a significant enhancement of the solubility of non-polar solute particles and preferential binding of chaotropic substances to solute molecules. In a similar fashion, I have analyzed the stabilizing effect of kosmotropic cosolvents in these solutions. Including the ability of kosmotropic substances to enhance the structure of liquid water, leads to reduced solubility, larger aggregation regime and the preferential exclusion of the cosolvent from the hydration shell of hydrophobic solute particles. I have further adapted the MLG model to include the solvation of amphiphilic solute particles in water, by allowing different distributions of hydrophobic regions at the molecular surface, I have found aggregation of the amphiphiles, and formation of various types of micelle as a function of the hydrophobicity pattern. I have demonstrated that certain features of micelle formation may be reproduced by the adapted model to describe alterations of water structure near different surface regions of the dissolved amphiphiles. Hydrophobicity remains a controversial quantity also in protein science. Based on the surface exposure of the 20 amino-acids in native proteins I have defined the a new hydrophobicity scale, which may lead to an improvement in the comparison of experimental data with the results from theoretical HP models. Overall, I have shown that the primary features of the hydrophobic interaction in aqueous solutions may be captured within a model which focuses on alterations in water structure around non-polar solute particles. The results obtained within this model may illuminate the processes underlying the hydrophobic interaction.<br/><br/>La vie sur notre planète a commencé dans l'eau et ne pourrait pas exister en son absence : les cellules des animaux et des plantes contiennent jusqu'à 95% d'eau. Malgré son importance dans notre vie de tous les jours, certaines propriétés de l?eau restent inexpliquées. En particulier, l'étude des interactions entre l'eau et les particules organiques occupe des groupes de recherche dans le monde entier et est loin d'être finie. Dans mon travail j'ai essayé de comprendre, au niveau moléculaire, ces interactions importantes pour la vie. J'ai utilisé pour cela un modèle simple de l'eau pour décrire des solutions aqueuses de différentes particules. Bien que l?eau soit généralement un bon solvant, un grand groupe de molécules, appelées molécules hydrophobes (du grecque "hydro"="eau" et "phobia"="peur"), n'est pas facilement soluble dans l'eau. Ces particules hydrophobes essayent d'éviter le contact avec l'eau, et forment donc un agrégat pour minimiser leur surface exposée à l'eau. Cette force entre les particules est appelée interaction hydrophobe, et les mécanismes physiques qui conduisent à ces interactions ne sont pas bien compris à l'heure actuelle. Dans mon étude j'ai décrit l'effet des particules hydrophobes sur l'eau liquide. L'objectif était d'éclaircir le mécanisme de l'interaction hydrophobe qui est fondamentale pour la formation des membranes et le fonctionnement des processus biologiques dans notre corps. Récemment, l'eau liquide a été décrite comme un réseau aléatoire formé par des liaisons hydrogènes. En introduisant une particule hydrophobe dans cette structure, certaines liaisons hydrogènes sont détruites tandis que les molécules d'eau s'arrangent autour de cette particule en formant une cage qui permet de récupérer des liaisons hydrogènes (entre molécules d?eau) encore plus fortes : les particules sont alors solubles dans l'eau. A des températures plus élevées, l?agitation thermique des molécules devient importante et brise la structure de cage autour des particules hydrophobes. Maintenant, la dissolution des particules devient défavorable, et les particules se séparent de l'eau en formant deux phases. A très haute température, les mouvements thermiques dans le système deviennent tellement forts que les particules se mélangent de nouveau avec les molécules d'eau. A l'aide d'un modèle qui décrit le système en termes de restructuration dans l'eau liquide, j'ai réussi à reproduire les phénomènes physiques liés à l?hydrophobicité. J'ai démontré que les interactions hydrophobes entre plusieurs particules peuvent être exprimées dans un modèle qui prend uniquement en compte les liaisons hydrogènes entre les molécules d'eau. Encouragée par ces résultats prometteurs, j'ai inclus dans mon modèle des substances fréquemment utilisées pour stabiliser ou déstabiliser des solutions aqueuses de particules hydrophobes. J'ai réussi à reproduire les effets dûs à la présence de ces substances. De plus, j'ai pu décrire la formation de micelles par des particules amphiphiles comme des lipides dont la surface est partiellement hydrophobe et partiellement hydrophile ("hydro-phile"="aime l'eau"), ainsi que le repliement des protéines dû à l'hydrophobicité, qui garantit le fonctionnement correct des processus biologiques de notre corps. Dans mes études futures je poursuivrai l'étude des solutions aqueuses de différentes particules en utilisant les techniques acquises pendant mon travail de thèse, et en essayant de comprendre les propriétés physiques du liquide le plus important pour notre vie : l'eau.

Physico-chemical characterization and oxidative reactivity evaluation of aged brake wear particles

Brake wear dust is a significant component of traffic emissions and has been linked to adverse health effects. Previous research found a strong oxidative stress response in cells exposed to freshly generated brake wear dust. We characterized aged dust collected from passenger vehicles, using microscopy and elemental analyses. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was measured with acellular and cellular assays using 2′7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein dye. Microscopy analyses revealed samples to be heterogeneous particle mixtures with few nanoparticles detected. Several metals, primarily iron and copper, were identified. High oxygen concentrations suggested that the elements were oxidized. ROS were detected in the cell-free fluorescent test, while exposed cells were not dramatically activated by the concentrations used. The fact that aged brake wear samples have lower oxidative stress potential than fresh ones may relate to the highly oxidized or aged state of these particles, as well as their larger size and smaller reactive surface area.