In vitro action of quartz on alveolar macrophage lipid peroxides.

The in vitro effects of quartz particles on the lipid peroxide rate were measured on guinea pig pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs). As controls, either PAMs alone or exposed to inert dust were used. The amount of lipid peroxide resulting after one-hour incubation was determined by means of the thiobarbituric acid test (TBA). The results showed that quartz induced a substantial increase of lipid peroxide in PAMs compared with both samples (dust-free or exposed to corundum). The influence of pretreatment of quartz by polyvinylpyridine-N-oxide (PVPNO) and by mineral water containing carbonate and chloride ions was also studied.