Phagocytosis and chemotaxis of rat alveolar macrophages after a combined or separate exposure to ozone and carbon black

Investigations of health effects after exposure to ozone have shown the induction of significant lesions. Most of the experimental work was done by ozone exposure without further pollutants. The objective of this study was to investigate effects of a combined exposure of carbon black (CB) and ozone in the rat. From the comprehensive investigations only the results of two methods will be presented in this paper, i.e., the phagocytosis and the chemotactic migration capability of alveolar macrophages (MPh). Two approaches were performed: intratracheal instillation of carbon black over 4 weeks with 1) a subsequent 1-week ozone or clean air exposure (acute ozone experiment), and 2) a subsequent 2-month ozone or clean air exposure (subchronic ozone experiment).