Toxicity of Volatile Methylated Species of Bismuth, Arsenic, Tin, and Mercury in Mammalian Cells In Vitro

The biochemical transformation of mercury, tin, arsenic and bismuth through formation of volatile alkylated species performs a fundamental role in determining the environmental processing of these elements. While the toxicity of inorganic forms of most of these compounds are well documented (e.g., a...

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Main Authors: E. Dopp, U. von Recklinghausen, J. Hippler, R. A. Diaz-Bone, J. Richard, U. Zimmermann, A. W. Rettenmeier, A. V. Hirner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2011-01-01
Series:Journal of Toxicology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/503576
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author E. Dopp
U. von Recklinghausen
J. Hippler
R. A. Diaz-Bone
J. Richard
U. Zimmermann
A. W. Rettenmeier
A. V. Hirner
author_facet E. Dopp
U. von Recklinghausen
J. Hippler
R. A. Diaz-Bone
J. Richard
U. Zimmermann
A. W. Rettenmeier
A. V. Hirner
author_sort E. Dopp
collection DOAJ
description The biochemical transformation of mercury, tin, arsenic and bismuth through formation of volatile alkylated species performs a fundamental role in determining the environmental processing of these elements. While the toxicity of inorganic forms of most of these compounds are well documented (e.g., arsenic, mercury) and some of them are of relatively low toxicity (e.g., tin, bismuth), the more lipid-soluble organometals can be highly toxic. In the present study we investigated the cyto- and genotoxicity of five volatile metal(loid) compounds: trimethylbismuth, dimethylarsenic iodide, trimethylarsine, tetramethyltin, and dimethylmercury. As far as we know, this is the first study investigating the toxicity of volatile metal(loid) compounds in vitro. Our results showed that dimethylmercury was most toxic to all three used cell lines (CHO-9 cells, CaCo, Hep-G2) followed by dimethylarsenic iodide. Tetramethyltin was the least toxic compound; however, the toxicity was also dependend upon the cell type. Human colon cells (CaCo) were most susceptible to the toxicity of the volatile compounds compared to the other cell lines. We conclude from our study that volatile metal(loid) compounds can be toxic to mammalian cells already at very low concentrations but the toxicity depends upon the metal(loid) species and the exposed cell type.
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spelling doaj-art-e03da0a4ff694155b078904f9a9d2f552025-08-20T03:26:09ZengWileyJournal of Toxicology1687-81911687-82052011-01-01201110.1155/2011/503576503576Toxicity of Volatile Methylated Species of Bismuth, Arsenic, Tin, and Mercury in Mammalian Cells In VitroE. Dopp0U. von Recklinghausen1J. Hippler2R. A. Diaz-Bone3J. Richard4U. Zimmermann5A. W. Rettenmeier6A. V. Hirner7Institute of Hygiene and Occupational Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45122 Essen, GermanyInstitute of Hygiene and Occupational Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45122 Essen, GermanyInstitute of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstraße 3-5, 45141 Essen, GermanyInstitute of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstraße 3-5, 45141 Essen, GermanyInstitute of Hygiene and Occupational Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45122 Essen, GermanyInstitute of Hygiene and Occupational Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45122 Essen, GermanyInstitute of Hygiene and Occupational Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstraße 55, 45122 Essen, GermanyInstitute of Environmental Analytical Chemistry, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitaetsstraße 3-5, 45141 Essen, GermanyThe biochemical transformation of mercury, tin, arsenic and bismuth through formation of volatile alkylated species performs a fundamental role in determining the environmental processing of these elements. While the toxicity of inorganic forms of most of these compounds are well documented (e.g., arsenic, mercury) and some of them are of relatively low toxicity (e.g., tin, bismuth), the more lipid-soluble organometals can be highly toxic. In the present study we investigated the cyto- and genotoxicity of five volatile metal(loid) compounds: trimethylbismuth, dimethylarsenic iodide, trimethylarsine, tetramethyltin, and dimethylmercury. As far as we know, this is the first study investigating the toxicity of volatile metal(loid) compounds in vitro. Our results showed that dimethylmercury was most toxic to all three used cell lines (CHO-9 cells, CaCo, Hep-G2) followed by dimethylarsenic iodide. Tetramethyltin was the least toxic compound; however, the toxicity was also dependend upon the cell type. Human colon cells (CaCo) were most susceptible to the toxicity of the volatile compounds compared to the other cell lines. We conclude from our study that volatile metal(loid) compounds can be toxic to mammalian cells already at very low concentrations but the toxicity depends upon the metal(loid) species and the exposed cell type.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/503576
spellingShingle E. Dopp
U. von Recklinghausen
J. Hippler
R. A. Diaz-Bone
J. Richard
U. Zimmermann
A. W. Rettenmeier
A. V. Hirner
Toxicity of Volatile Methylated Species of Bismuth, Arsenic, Tin, and Mercury in Mammalian Cells In Vitro
Journal of Toxicology
title Toxicity of Volatile Methylated Species of Bismuth, Arsenic, Tin, and Mercury in Mammalian Cells In Vitro
title_full Toxicity of Volatile Methylated Species of Bismuth, Arsenic, Tin, and Mercury in Mammalian Cells In Vitro
title_fullStr Toxicity of Volatile Methylated Species of Bismuth, Arsenic, Tin, and Mercury in Mammalian Cells In Vitro
title_full_unstemmed Toxicity of Volatile Methylated Species of Bismuth, Arsenic, Tin, and Mercury in Mammalian Cells In Vitro
title_short Toxicity of Volatile Methylated Species of Bismuth, Arsenic, Tin, and Mercury in Mammalian Cells In Vitro
title_sort toxicity of volatile methylated species of bismuth arsenic tin and mercury in mammalian cells in vitro
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/503576
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