Use of a field portable X-Ray fluorescence analyzer to determine the concentration of lead and other metals in soil samples.
(25/3303)
Field portable methods are often needed in risk characterization, assessment and management to rapidly determine metal concentrations in environmental samples. Examples are for determining: "hot spots" of soil contamination, whether dust wipe lead levels meet housing occupancy standards, and worker respiratory protection levels. For over 30 years portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers have been available for the in situ, non-destructive, measurement of lead in paint. Recent advances made possible their use for analysis of airborne dust filter samples, soil, and dust wipes. Research at the University of Cincinnati with the NITON 700 Series XRF instrument (40 millicurie Cadmium 109 source, L X-Rays) demonstrated its proficiency on air sample filters (NIOSH Method No. 7702, "Lead by Field Portable XRF; limit of detection 6 microg per sample; working range 17-1,500 microg/m3 air). Research with lead dust wipe samples from housing has also shown promising results. This XRF instrument was used in 1997 in Poland on copper smelter area soil samples with the cooperation of the Wroclaw Medical Academy and the Foundation for the Children from the Copper Basin (Legnica). Geometric mean soil lead concentrations were 200 ppm with the portable XRF, 201 ppm with laboratory-based XRF (Kevex) and 190 ppm using atomic absorption (AA). Correlations of field portable XRF and AA results were excellent for samples sieved to less than 125 micrometers with R-squared values of 0.997, 0.957, and 0.976 for lead, copper and zinc respectively. Similarly, correlations were excellent for soil sieved to less than 250 micrometers, where R-squared values were 0. 924, 0.973, and 0.937 for lead, copper and zinc, respectively. The field portable XRF instrument appears to be useful for the determination of soil pollution by these metals in industrial regions. (+info)
Seasonal effect on airborne pyrene, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene, and benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide-hemoglobin adducts in the general population.
(26/3303)
Exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 65 employees (40 sampled both in summer and winter, 15 sampled in summer only, and 10 sampled in winter only) with no occupational exposure to PAHs was assessed by measuring: personal exposure to pyrene, urinary excretion of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), and benzo(a)pyrene diol epoxide adducts to hemoglobin (BPDE-Hb). Overall, office employees were exposed to significantly higher levels of pyrene in winter (4.54 +/- 2.35 ng/m3, mean +/- SD) than in summer (1.67 +/- 1.92 ng/m3, mean +/- SD; P < 0.001), but no such seasonal variability was observed in 1-OHP excretion. Tobacco smoking was the major determinant of 1-OHP excretion. BPDE-Hb adducts were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as benzo(a)pyrene tetrols (BPT) released from adducted hemoglobin. In the 65 employees analyzed, mean BPT levels +/- SD were higher in winter (0.14 +/- 0.38 fmol/mg Hb) than summer (0.031 +/- 0.022 fmol/mg Hb). This difference was not statistically significant, probably because of the small proportion of subjects with detectable adducts (11% in summer and 16% in winter). BPDE-Hb adducts were not significantly associated with sex, age, diet, smoking habits, or with pyrene levels and 1-OHP excretion. This is the first report providing reference BPDE-Hb adduct values for the general population not occupationally exposed to environmental PAHs and shows a tendency to seasonal variability, with higher BPT levels in winter when environmental PAHs are also high. (+info)
Air pollution and daily mortality in Inchon, Korea.
(27/3303)
The association between total daily mortality and air pollution was investigated for a 1-year period (January 1995 to December 1995) in Inchon, Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative importance of particulate and gaseous air pollution as predictors of daily mortality. Concentration of total suspended particulates (TSP), inhalable particles (PM10), and gaseous pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, were measured daily during the study period. A generalized additive model was used to regress daily death counts on each air pollutant, controlling for time trend and meteorologic influences such as temperature or relative humidity. Total mortality was found to increase 1.2% (95% CI: 0.2 to 2.2%) for each 10 microg/m3 increase in 6-day moving average of TSP, and 1.2% (95% CI 0.2 to 2.1%) for each 10 microg/m3 increase in 5-day moving average of PM10. The association is similar in magnitude to associations between particulate air pollution and mortality found in several other communities in America and Europe. Associations with gaseous pollutants were all statistically insignificant in the generalized additive model. The relative risk of death increased at particulate levels that were well below the current Korean Ambient Air Quality Standard. (+info)
Fomes pectinatis: an aeroallergen in India.
(28/3303)
This work is focused on the aerobiology and allergenicity of Fomes pectinatis in India. The atmospheric concentration of Fomes basidiospores was recorded and the antigens were prepared from spore (FSE) and whole body (FWBE) materials. The intradermal (ID) and prick (PT) skin tests were conducted on 172 patients having respiratory allergy. The period from July to October has been recorded as having a higher concentration of Fomes spores. The maximum counts (67 spores/m3) were observed from the North Delhi site in the month of July, 1989, compared with 550 spores/m3 in the South Delhi site. Marked skin positivity (2+ and above) varied from 9.8% to FSE to 22% to FWBE. Nine out of twelve ID positive patients (2+ to 3+) to FSE also gave PT positive response. For FWBE, similar ID and PT response was obtained in 80% of cases. The soluble protein content of FSE was 0.37 mg/ml, whereas, for FWBE it was 0.70 mg/ml. It was observed through ELISA that almost all patients had significantly raised FP specific IgE levels in their sera. The current study, therefore, indicates that Fomes pectinatis may be a prevalent aeroallergen in India. (+info)
Prevalence of allergic sensitization to regional inhalants among allergic patients in Jakarta, Indonesia.
(29/3303)
Sensitization towards a panel of eight regional inhalant allergens was evaluated among 107 patients with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. A total of 32 children (age 5-13 years, mean 9 years; 18 male, 14 female), 75 adolescents and adults (aged 14-66 years, mean 32 years; 21 male, 54 female) and 20 normal control volunteers (aged 16-46, mean 30 years; 4 male, 16 female) were evaluated via skin prick test. A weal response of 3 x 3 mm or greater was taken to be positive. The sensitization rates among individuals to these allergens were: house dust mites, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (77.57%), Blomia tropicalis (71.96%), Austroglycyphagus malaysiensis (33.64%), pollen, palm oil Elaeis guineensis (22.43%), Acacia auriculiformis (12.15%), fern spore, resam Dicranopteris spp (11.21%), fungal spores: Curvularia fallax (8.41%) and Exserohilum rostratum (13.08%). There were significantly higher frequencies of sensitization to these allergens among allergic individuals compared to normal controls, and among atopic individuals with two allergy manifestations (rhinitis and asthma) compared to those with only one. No difference was noted between children and adults in the allergic group. In conclusion, the allergic patients were highly sensitized to dust mites and sensitization to regional pollen and spores was also documented. They should be considered as relevant and be included in skin test batteries in Indonesia. (+info)
Community analysis of biofilters using fluorescence in situ hybridization including a new probe for the Xanthomonas branch of the class Proteobacteria.
(30/3303)
Domain-, class-, and subclass-specific rRNA-targeted probes were applied to investigate the microbial communities of three industrial and three laboratory-scale biofilters. The set of probes also included a new probe (named XAN818) specific for the Xanthomonas branch of the class Proteobacteria; this probe is described in this study. The members of the Xanthomonas branch do not hybridize with previously developed rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes for the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-Proteobacteria. Bacteria of the Xanthomonas branch accounted for up to 4.5% of total direct counts obtained with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. In biofilter samples, the relative abundance of these bacteria was similar to that of the gamma-Proteobacteria. Actinobacteria (gram-positive bacteria with a high G+C DNA content) and alpha-Proteobacteria were the most dominant groups. Detection rates obtained with probe EUB338 varied between about 40 and 70%. For samples with high contents of gram-positive bacteria, these percentages were substantially improved when the calculations were corrected for the reduced permeability of gram-positive bacteria when formaldehyde was used as a fixative. The set of applied bacterial class- and subclass-specific probes yielded, on average, 58.5% (+/- a standard deviation of 23.0%) of the corrected eubacterial detection rates, thus indicating the necessity of additional probes for studies of biofilter communities. The Xanthomonas-specific probe presented here may serve as an efficient tool for identifying potential phytopathogens. In situ hybridization proved to be a practical tool for microbiological studies of biofiltration systems. (+info)
Lessons learnt from a factory fire with asbestos-containing fallout.
(31/3303)
BACKGROUND: Fallout containing asbestos from a factory fire at Tranmere, Wirral, England, landed on a highly populated urban area with an estimated 16000 people living in the area worst affected, which included a shipbuilding community. There was considerable public concern over the health impact of the acute environmental incident, and great media interest. METHODS: A descriptive study was carried out of the acute environmental incident and its management, and the difficulties encountered. RESULTS: Practical lessons learnt include need for: increased fire-fighter awareness of potential adverse health effects from asbestos in the structure of buildings; early involvement of both Local Authority environmental health and National Health Service public health departments; creation of a systematic local database of potential environmental health hazards in the structure of buildings as well as their contents; 24 hour on-call arrangements with laboratories expert in analyses of fire fallout; rapid quantitative analyses of multiple environmental samples; district written policy on handling asbestos incidents; systematic assessment of fright and media factors in public impact of an incident; dedicated public help-lines open long hours; consistent evidence-based public messages from all those communicating with the public; measurement of asbestos levels in the street and homes for public reassurance; local and health authorities' subscription to an environmental incident support service; formation of an acute environmental incident team to jointly manage and publicly report on airborne acute environmental incidents; clear government definition of responsibilities of different agencies. CONCLUSIONS: This paper provides a description of important lessons learnt during an acute environmental incident with asbestos-containing fallout. It will be helpful to those involved in the practical planning for and management of future incidents. (+info)
Inhomogeneity in response to air pollution in European children (PEACE project).
(32/3303)
OBJECTIVES: The PEACE study is a multicentre panel study of the acute effects of particles with a 50% cut off aerodynamic diameter of 10 microns (PM10), black smoke (BS), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on respiratory health of children with chronic respiratory symptoms. In the complete panels no consistent association between air pollution and respiratory health was found. The study evaluated whether potentially more sensitive subgroups in the panels did show effects of air pollution. METHODS: To evaluate heterogeneity in response to air pollution, effect estimates of air pollution on peak expiratory flow (PEF) and respiratory symptoms were calculated in subgroups based on presence of chronic respiratory symptoms, use of respiratory medication, atopy, sex, and baseline lung function. RESULTS: The association between PEF and air pollution was positive in asthmatic children who used respiratory medication whereas the associations tended to be negative in children who did not use respiratory medication selected only on cough. No consistent association was found among asthmatic children who did not use medication. The association between daily prevalence of symptoms and concentrations of air pollution was not different between these subgroups. CONCLUSION: None of the predefined potentially more sensitive subgroups showed a consistent association between air pollution, PEF, and respiratory symptoms. (+info)