Mutagenicity assessment of aerosols in emissions from wood combustion in Portugal

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) extracts of fine particles (PM2.5) collected from combustion of seven wood species and briquettes were tested for mutagenic activities using Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100. The woods were Pinus pinaster (maritime pine), Eucalyptus globulus (eucalypt), Quercus suber (cork oak), Acacia longifolia (golden wattle), Quercus faginea (Portuguese oak), Olea europea (olive), and Quercus ilex rotundifolia (Holm oak). Burning experiments were done using woodstove and fireplace, hot start and cold start conditions. A mutagenic response was recorded for all species except golden wattle, maritime pine, and briquettes. The mutagenic extracts were not correlated with high emission factors of carcinogenic PAHs. These extracts were obtained both from two burning appliances and start-up conditions. However, fireplace seemed to favour the occurrence of mutagenic emissions. The negative result recorded for golden wattle was interesting, in an ecological point of view, since after confirmation, this invasive species, can be recommended for domestic use. ► Both woodstove and fireplace, either with a cold or hot start, produce emissions with mutagenic potential. ► The high level of carcinogenic PAHs in combustion emissions was not correlated with mutagenicity. ► The golden wattle, an invasive species, produced no mutagenic emissions. Wood smoke from fireplace burning of dominant forest species displayed strong mutagenic activity without a significant correlation with carcinogenic PAHs emission factors.