Long term exposure to diesel exhaust particulate matter (DEPM) can induce numerous adverse health effects to the respiratory system. Understanding the interaction between DEPM and pulmonary surfactant (PS) can be an essential step toward preliminary evaluation of the impact of DEPM on pulmonary health. Herein, DEPM was explored for its interaction with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), the major component of PS. The results indicated that the surface pressure-area (π-A) isotherms of DPPC monolayers shifted toward lower molecular areas and the compression modulus (C_S⁻¹) reduced in the presence of DEPM. Atomic force microscopy image showed that DEPM can disrupt the ultrastructure of DPPC monolayers along with the direction of lateral compression. In addition, DPPC can in turn condition the surface properties of DEPM, permitting its agglomeration in aqueous media, which was attributed to the adsorption of DEPM to DPPC. Furthermore, the particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) could be desorbed from DEPM by the solubilization of DPPC and it was positively correlated with the hydrophobicity of PAHs. These findings revealed the toxicity of DEPM-associated PAHs and the role of DPPC in facilitating the removal of the inhaled particles, which can provide a new insight into the potential hazards of airborne particles on lung health.

长期接触柴油机尾气颗粒物 (DEPM) 会对呼吸系统产生多种不利的健康影响。了解 DEPM 和肺表面活性物质 (PS) 之间的相互作用是初步评估 DEPM 对肺部健康影响的重要一步。在此，探索了 DEPM 与 PS 的主要成分 1,2-二棕榈酰-sn-甘油-3-磷酸胆碱 (DPPC) 的相互作用。结果表明，DPPC单层的表面压力-面积（π-A）等温线向低分子区域和压缩模量（C _S ^-1) 在存在 DEPM 时减少。原子力显微镜图像显示，DEPM 可以沿横向压缩方向破坏 DPPC 单层的超微结构。此外，DPPC 可以反过来调节 DEPM 的表面特性，使其在水性介质中团聚，这归因于 DEPM 吸附到 DPPC。此外，颗粒结合的多环芳烃 (PAHs) 可以通过 DPPC 的溶解从 DEPM 中解吸，并且与 PAHs 的疏水性呈正相关。这些发现揭示了 DEPM 相关多环芳烃的毒性以及 DPPC 在促进吸入颗粒物去除方面的作用，这可以为空气中颗粒物对肺部健康的潜在危害提供新的见解。