Photoirradiation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon diones by UVA light leading to lipid peroxidation

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous genotoxic environmental pollutants and potentially pose a health risk to humans. In most if not all cases, PAHs in the environment can be oxidized into their corresponding PAH-diones. This process is considered a detoxification pathway with regard to tumorigenicity. Nevertheless, photo-induced toxicological activity of PAH-diones has not been systematically investigated. In this study, we show that 27 potential environmental PAH-diones induced lipid peroxidation, in a dose (light) response manner, when irradiated with UVA at 7 and 21 J cm⁻². Photoirradiation in the presence of sodium azide, deuterated methanol, or superoxide dismutase revealed that lipid peroxidation is mediated by reactive oxygen species. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping studies supported this observation. These results suggest that UVA photoirradiation of PAH-diones generates reactive oxygen species and induces lipid peroxidation.