Zinc is the toxic factor in the lung response to an atmospheric particulate sample.

The atmospheric dust sample EHC-93 is known to induce lung cell injury and inflammation in which the toxicity has been attributed to a soluble component, possibly metal ions. To determine whether any specific metal is responsible for the pulmonary reactivity, various metal salts, at the concentration of metal present in the soluble fraction of EHC dust, have now been instilled into mouse lung. After 3 days, only a solution containing all metals tested and that of a zinc salt alone induced an increase in inflammatory cells and protein in lung lavage fluid. These two solutions also increased DNA synthesis in lung cells at this time, indicating a reparative response. Other solutions containing metals such as Cu, Fe, Al, Pb, Mg, or Ni induced no changes in the preceding measurements at the EHC dose level of metal. In a more extensive 28-day study, zinc salts induced rapid focal necrosis of Type 1 alveolar epithelial cells followed by inflammation and elevation of protein levels in lavage fluid over a 2-week period. Following the injury, epithelial cell proliferation increased and focal fibrosis was seen at 4 weeks. A solution containing all the other metals tested without the zinc component induced only minimal lung effects. When a zinc salt was administered at a 10x dose, the pulmonary changes were greatly enhanced, and after 4 weeks fibrosis could be measured biochemically. The results indicate that the acute toxicity associated with EHC atmospheric dust is most likely the result of the level of soluble zinc in this particulate sample. This suggests that a high soluble metal content of atmospheric dust, in this case the zinc level, may be a crucial factor in determining pulmonary cell reactivity to inhaled particulates.