Oxidative Properties of Atmospheric Particles and their Biological Effects

Particulate Matter (PM) is the most toxic component in polluted air causing over 6 million deaths per year worldwide according to World Health Organisation estimates. Due to the highly complex composition of PM in the atmosphere, with thousands of inorganic and especially organic components, it is unknown which particle sources are responsible for their toxicity. In recent years it emerged that overall oxidising particle properties might directly link particle composition with health effects. This review summarises contributions of Swiss research groups to the chemical and biological characterisation of PM oxidising properties and identification of biological responses such as oxidative stress due to PM exposure.