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Multiplestudies show that particulate mass (PM) generated fromincomplete wood combustion may induce adverse health issues in humans.Previous findings have shown that also the PM from efficient woodcombustion may induce enhanced production of reactive oxygen species(ROS), inflammation, and cytotoxicity in vitroand in vivo. Underlying factors of these effects may be tracedback to volatile inorganic transition metals, especially zinc, whichcan be enriched in the ultrafine fraction of biomass combustion particulateemission. In this study, nanoparticles composed of potassium, sulfur,and zinc, which are the major components forming inorganic fine PM,were synthesized and tested in vitro. In addition, in vitrotoxicity of PM from efficient combustion of woodchips was compared with that of the synthesized particles. Cytotoxicity,cell cycle arrest, ROS generation, and tumor necrosis factor alpharelease were related to zinc concentration in PM. Potassium sulfateand potassium carbonate did not induce toxic responses. In light ofthe provided data, it can be concluded that zinc, enriched in woodcombustion emissions, caused the toxicity in all of the measured endpoints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]