Abstract
Particulate matter (PM) can deeply enter the respiratory system and have serious effects on living organisms, therefore, it is important to investigate the biological effects of the PM. In this study, we measured the oxidative potential (OP) of fine and coarse particles in the air collected by the cyclone using the AA (ascorbic acid) assay, which is a well-known chemical method to evaluate the biological effects of the PM. Because there was a strong correlation between the OP and transition metal components (especially for Fe and Cu) of the PM, the contribution to AA oxidation by Fe and Cu with different chemical forms was investigated by using standard reagents with different valences and solubilities. In addition, since hydrogen peroxide exists in the atmosphere, the reaction between metal components in atmospheric particles and hydrogen peroxide (Fenton reaction) is expected to occur in the real environment. Therefore, the effect of the Fenton reaction on the AA oxidation was investigated. It was found that the different chemical forms of the metal components or the Fenton reaction had a strong influence on the OP measured by the AA assay.
