TY - JOUR
T1 - Biodiesel Exhaust Toxicity with and without Diethylene Glycol Dimethyl Ether Fuel Additive in Primary Airway Epithelial Cells Grown at the Air-Liquid Interface
AU - Landwehr, Katherine R.
AU - Nabi, Md Nurun
AU - Rasul, Mohammad G.
AU - Kicic, Anthony
AU - Mullins, Benjamin J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was funded by the Central Queensland University’s Merit Grant (grant ID: RSH/4578) and Curtin University, Western Australia.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 American Chemical Society.
PY - 2022/10/18
Y1 - 2022/10/18
N2 - Biodiesel usage is increasing steadily worldwide as the push for renewable fuel sources increases. The increased oxygen content in biodiesel fuel is believed to cause decreased particulate matter (PM) and increased nitrous oxides within its exhaust. The addition of fuel additives to further increase the oxygen content may contribute to even further benefits in exhaust composition. The aim of this study was to assess the toxicity of 10% (v/v) diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DGDME) added as a biodiesel fuel additive. Primary human airway epithelial cells were grown at the air-liquid interface and exposed to diluted exhaust from an engine running on either grapeseed, bran, or coconut biodiesel or the same three biodiesels with 10% (v/v) DGDME added to them; mineral diesel and air were used as controls. Exhaust properties, culture permeability, epithelial cell damage, and IL-6 and IL-8 release were measured postexposure. The fuel additive DGDME caused a decrease in PM and nitrous oxide concentrations. However, exhaust exposure with DGDME also caused decreased permeability, increased epithelial cell damage, and increased release of IL-6 and IL-8 (p < 0.05). Despite the fuel additive having beneficial effects on the exhaust properties of the biodiesel, it was found to be more toxic.
AB - Biodiesel usage is increasing steadily worldwide as the push for renewable fuel sources increases. The increased oxygen content in biodiesel fuel is believed to cause decreased particulate matter (PM) and increased nitrous oxides within its exhaust. The addition of fuel additives to further increase the oxygen content may contribute to even further benefits in exhaust composition. The aim of this study was to assess the toxicity of 10% (v/v) diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DGDME) added as a biodiesel fuel additive. Primary human airway epithelial cells were grown at the air-liquid interface and exposed to diluted exhaust from an engine running on either grapeseed, bran, or coconut biodiesel or the same three biodiesels with 10% (v/v) DGDME added to them; mineral diesel and air were used as controls. Exhaust properties, culture permeability, epithelial cell damage, and IL-6 and IL-8 release were measured postexposure. The fuel additive DGDME caused a decrease in PM and nitrous oxide concentrations. However, exhaust exposure with DGDME also caused decreased permeability, increased epithelial cell damage, and increased release of IL-6 and IL-8 (p < 0.05). Despite the fuel additive having beneficial effects on the exhaust properties of the biodiesel, it was found to be more toxic.
KW - alternative fuels
KW - exhaust exposure
KW - fatty acid methyl ester
KW - fuel additive
KW - health effects
KW - renewable diesel
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85139387307&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.est.2c03806
DO - 10.1021/acs.est.2c03806
M3 - Article
C2 - 36177943
AN - SCOPUS:85139387307
SN - 0013-936X
VL - 56
SP - 14640
EP - 14648
JO - Environmental Science and Technology
JF - Environmental Science and Technology
IS - 20
ER -