Are in vitro cytotoxicity assessments of environmental samples useful for characterizing the risk of exposure to multiple contaminants at the workplace?

Abstract

In some occupational environments risk characterization is challenging or impossible to achieve due to the presence of multiple pollutants and contaminants. Thus, in vitro testing using the most relevant cell lines will provide information concerning health effects due to the co-exposure to multiple stressors. The aim of this review article is to identify studies where the cytotoxicity assessment was performed in environmental samples, as well as to describe the main outputs and challenges regarding risk characterization and management. This study is based on a study of the available information/data on cytotoxicity assessment performed on environmental samples following the PRISMA methodology. Different cell lines were used depending on the environment assessed and exposure routes implicated. The A549 alveolar epithelial cell line was applied in four studies for occupational exposure in the waste sorting industry and for outdoor environments; lymphocytes were used in two studies for occupational and outdoor environments; swine kidney cells were used in three studies performed in the waste industry and hepatocellular/Hep G2 in one study in the waste industry. Cytotoxicity assessments in environmental samples should have a more prominent role due to their contribution for identifying and better understanding the associations between co-exposure to environmental contaminants and adverse human health effects as a prioritization for risk management.