Potential toxic metals in household dusts extracted in simulated body fluids and their interaction with culturable pathogens responses

Abstract In the last decade, a great deal of research has focused on the determination of potential toxic metals in indoors due to an important source of the toxicity and health risks. The previous studies have commonly focused determination of total concentration of metals and identification the microorganisms in dust. On the other hand, determination bio-relevant forms (e.g., inhalable) of metals instead of total contents, examination the behavior of microorganism under these bio-relevant conditions and revealing the interaction between metals and pathogens is vital and necessary for realistic approach. However, previous studies have been ignored these topics in this field. Therefore, the present study aimed to (i) investigate metals in household dusts extracted in simulated body fluids by inhalation, (ii) examine the culturable pathogen responses in the presence of household dusts extracted in simulated body fluids, and (iii) assess their relations and risks using the model approaches by inhalation. Here, 25 household-dusts were extracted in four simulated body fluids to determine bio-relevant forms of metals (specifically using inhalation fluids). Moreover, four clinically important pathogens were incubated in the presence of household-dusts extracted in simulated body fluids. The activity, biofilm, biochemical and oxidative responses of pathogens were measured following household-dust exposures. Afterward, the relationship between metals and pathogens responses were evaluated, and model and derived approaches were used for risk assessments of metals and pathogens. The higher daily intake metal values obtained in artificial lysosomal fluid fraction of household dust that mimicking the inflammatory condition compared to other body fluids. The highest risk of the pathogens originated by biofilm formation.