Introduction: Many studies were carried out in vivo and/or in vitro for better understanding toxic effects of exhausts or particles emitted by Diesel vehicles. Few studies were interested in Gazoline engines when progress of metrology made it possible to highlight the presence of small particles with a strong capacity of penetration within pulmonary tissue. The aim of this study is to compare the toxic impact of the emissions of Diesel and Gasoline engines of recent technology.
Materials and methods: Biological material was constituted by an organotypic rat lung precision slice. It was exposed to a continuous flow exhausts thanks to a preparation and dilutions system of these emissions placed on the line of exhaust. A measurement of the biological markers involved in the process of the lung tissue reaction to the air-contaminants was carried out.
Results: With Diesel exhausts, the results showed a stability of the rate of ATP and an increase in enzymatic activities of the antioxydant system (GPx and catalase). Gazoline emissions, as for them, were responsible for a cytotoxic attack of the pulmonary tissue defined by a reduction in the rate of ATP as well as a deterioration of the system of detoxication with reduction in the antioxydant enzymatic activities.
Conclusion: These results show that toxicological profiles obtained with this system of exposure depends on the engine technology used, highlighting thus the specific response of the model in relation with the type of atmospheres which it is exposed.