Hydroxyl Radical Mechanism of Toxicity Induced by Atmospheric Particulate Matter
大气颗粒物致机体损伤的OH自由基机制

Epidemiological studies show that exposure to increased levels of particulate matter is strongly and consistently associated with increased cardiopulmonary morbidity and mortality. Toxicological and clinical studies also demonstrate that PM can cause vast damages to human body. PM10 is a mixture of inorganic and organic components that varies in size, origin, and composition. Mechanisms under the health effects are still poorly understood. In vivo and in vitro studies suggest an important role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mechanism of toxicity. Among the ROS, hydroxyl radical (·OH) is the most reactive and its generation is the key step of the toxicity mechanism. The pro-inflammatory effects of ROS, the damage to the biomolecules caused by ·OH, the molecular mechanism of its generation and the detection methods are discussed in this paper.