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Nitroarenes are ubiquitous environmental pollutants displaying potent mutagenicity in bacteria and carcinogenicity in mammal. In this study, the concentration of nitroarenes in coarse and fine particles and mutagenicity of POCN/ fraction was investigated in suspended particulates at the Shinchon and Bulkwang area of Seoul. The suspended particulates were collected bimonthly by a high volume cascade impactor air sampler from July 1987 to May 1988. Extractable organic matter was obtained by ultrasonic extraction on diethly ether/cyclohexane (8/2, v/v). Neutral fraction was obtained by liquid-liquid extraction. Polar neutral organic compounds (POCN/) was fractionated by thin-layer chromatography. Finally, the concentrations of nitroarenes in POCN/ fraction were measured and determined by capillary gas chromatography. Direct and indirect mutagenicity of POCN/ fraction were measured using Salmonella typhimurium TA 98. The result were as follows: 1) Major nitroarenes at the Shinchon area was 1-nitropyrene and at the Bulkwang area it was 2,7-dinitro-9-fluorenone during the year. 2) Average concentration of total nitroarenes measured was 67.26 ng/min fine particles which was 1,3 folds higher that in coarse particle (52.30 ng/m). 3) Annual pattern of nitroarenes concentrations revealed that concentration during heating season (Feb., Jan., Mar.) was 2.2 folds higher than that in non heating season (May, Jul., Sep.). Concentration of each season has 157.68 ng/mand 80.39 ng/m. 4) The mutagenic activity of POCN/ fraction from fine particles was higher compared to that of coarse particles and was increased when metabolically activated, with 59 mixture. Mutagenicities, Metabolically activated, were significantly different between Shinchon and Bulkwang area, 322.8 rev/250 /plate and 286.8 rev/250 /plate, respectively. 5) Annual pattern of mutagenicity of POCN/ fraction revealed that mutagenicity during the heating season was 1.7 folds higher at Shinchon area and 1.2 folds higher at Bulkwang than during the non heating season. The variable contents and levels of nitroarenes in suspended particulates may affect human health significantly. Further studies such as risk assessment should be conducted on the basis of these kind of studies.
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