IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v7y2010i9p3313-3331d9389.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Characterization and Cytotoxic Assessment of Ballistic Aerosol Particulates for Tungsten Alloy Penetrators into Steel Target Plates

Author

Listed:
  • Brenda I. Machado

    (Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Lawrence E. Murr

    (Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Raquel M. Suro

    (Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Sara M. Gaytan

    (Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Diana A. Ramirez

    (Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Kristine M. Garza

    (Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA)

  • Brian E. Schuster

    (U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Weapons and Materials Research Directorate (RDRL-WML-H), USA)

Abstract

The nature and constituents of ballistic aerosol created by kinetic energy penetrator rods of tungsten heavy alloys (W-Fe-Ni and W-Fe-Co) perforating steel target plates was characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. These aerosol regimes, which can occur in closed, armored military vehicle penetration, are of concern for potential health effects, especially as a consequence of being inhaled. In a controlled volume containing 10 equispaced steel target plates, particulates were systematically collected onto special filters. Filter collections were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) which included energy-dispersive (X-ray) spectrometry (EDS). Dark-field TEM identified a significant nanoparticle concentration while EDS in the SEM identified the propensity of mass fraction particulates to consist of Fe and FeO, representing target erosion and formation of an accumulating debris field. Direct exposure of human epithelial cells (A549), a model for lung tissue, to particulates (especially nanoparticulates) collected on individual filters demonstrated induction of rapid and global cell death to the extent that production of inflammatory cytokines was entirely inhibited. These observations along with comparisons of a wide range of other nanoparticulate species exhibiting cell death in A549 culture may suggest severe human toxicity potential for inhaled ballistic aerosol, but the complexity of the aerosol (particulate) mix has not yet allowed any particular chemical composition to be identified.

Suggested Citation

  • Brenda I. Machado & Lawrence E. Murr & Raquel M. Suro & Sara M. Gaytan & Diana A. Ramirez & Kristine M. Garza & Brian E. Schuster, 2010. "Characterization and Cytotoxic Assessment of Ballistic Aerosol Particulates for Tungsten Alloy Penetrators into Steel Target Plates," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:7:y:2010:i:9:p:3313-3331:d:9389
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/7/9/3313/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/7/9/3313/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. L. E. Murr, 2008. "Microstructures and Nanostructures for Environmental Carbon Nanotubes and Nanoparticulate Soots," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 5(5), pages 1-16, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:7:y:2010:i:9:p:3313-3331:d:9389. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.