Urban dust is a reservoir of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) that can be incorporated into aquatic ecosystems where they bioaccumulate and biomagnify causing toxic effects. The aim of this work was to assess the PTEs’ concentrations and toxicity to Caenorhabditis elegans of inorganic extracts from urban dust of Barranquilla, the largest Colombian Caribbean city. Trace elements were analyzed by inductively couple plasma-mass spectrometry. PTEs concentration decreased in the order Sr > Cu > Ba > Mo > Se > Cr > V > Ni > As > Zn > Rb > Mn > Sb > Co > Sn > Cd > La > Ce >Tl ≈ Bi > Ag ≈ Pb. Inorganic extracts from urban dust affected physiological parameters in the nematode, such as survival, growth and locomotion. Lethality showed a positive relation with Sr and negative with V. Growth displayed a negative association with Mo. Expression of mtl-2, sod-4, and unc-25 genes was induced by PTEs. The results suggest that C. elegans is a sensitive organism capable of responding to exposure to urban dust extracts, being a suitable sensor for the implementation of warning systems related to risks to biota associated with air pollution.

城市灰尘是潜在有毒元素 (PTE) 的储存库，这些元素可以被纳入水生生态系统，在那里它们会生物积累和生物放大，从而导致毒性效应。这项工作的目的是评估 PTE 的浓度和对秀丽隐杆线虫的毒性从哥伦比亚加勒比海最大城市巴兰基亚的城市尘埃中提取无机提取物。通过电感耦合等离子体质谱法分析微量元素。PTEs浓度按Sr > Cu > Ba > Mo > Se > Cr > V > Ni > As > Zn > Rb > Mn > Sb > Co > Sn > Cd > La > Ce >Tl ≈ Bi > Ag ≈ Pb的顺序降低。城市灰尘中的无机提取物影响线虫的生理参数，例如生存、生长和运动。致死率与 Sr 呈正相关，与 V 呈负相关。生长与 Mo 呈负相关。PTE 诱导mtl-2、sod-4和unc-25基因的表达。结果表明，秀丽隐杆线虫是一种敏感的生物体，能够对暴露于城市尘埃提取物做出反应，是实施与空气污染相关生物群风险相关的预警系统的合适传感器。