MedWorm: Environmental Health Top 20

Cadmium Exposure and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in U.S. Children

EHP-in-Press — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: These findings suggest that children who have higher urinary cadmium concentrations may have increased risk of both LD and special education. Importantly, we observed these associations at exposure levels that were previously considered to be without adverse effects and these levels are common among U.S. children. (Source: EHP-in-Press)

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Retrospective exposure assessment in a chemical research and development facility.

Environment International — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:14:53 +0100

The objective of this exposure assessment was to reconstruct cumulative historical exposures for workers who have been exposed to multiple chemicals and chemical groups to better understand a cluster of brain cancers within a research and development lab. Chemicals of interest, including acrylates, bis-chloromethyl ether (BCME), chloromethyl methyl ether (CMME), isothiazolones and nitrosoamines, were selected on the basis of the plausibility of penetrating the blood-brain barrier and the uniqueness of the chemical's biological activity. In a complicated exposure setting such as a chemical R&D facility, multiple exposure estimation methods were needed. First, similarly exposure groups (SEGs) were created for these materials based on department group, time period of the department's exis...

Asbestos Awareness Group Details 2012 Asbestos Conference

Asbestos and Mesothelioma News — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:11:19 +0100

The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization recently announced who the keynote speaker and honorees will be for the 8th Annual International Asbestos Awareness Conference. The event strives to end the development of asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma. (Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News)

Mercury and thyroid autoantibodies in U.S. women, NHANES 2007-2008.

Environment International — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:49:17 +0100

Authors: Gallagher CM, Meliker JR Abstract Associations between positive thyroid autoantibodies and total blood mercury in women were evaluated using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2008. Women are at increased risk for autoimmune disorders, mercury exposure has been associated with cellular autoimmunity and mercury accumulates in the thyroid gland. We used multiple logistic regression to evaluate the associations between total bloodmercury and thyroglobulin autoantibody antibody positivity and thyroid peroxidase autoantibody positivity in non-pregnant, non-lactating women aged 20 and older not currently using birth control pills or other hormone therapies, adjusted for demographic factors, menopausal status, nutrient intake and urine iodine (n=2...

Dietary exposure estimates of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Xuanwei and Fuyuan, counties in a high lung cancer incidence area in China

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:21:55 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10807K, PaperYanming Cai, Jungang Lv, Wen Zhang, Linlin ZhangDietary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure at sites in a high lung cancer incidence area in China are estimated to be high.To cite this article before page numbers are assigned, use the DOI form of citation above.The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Validation of the ICRP model for caesium intake by lactating mothers with Italian data after the Chernobyl fallout.

Environment International — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:13:34 +0100

Authors: Giussani A, Risica S Abstract In the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, a research group of the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità) carried out two research programmes on maternal milk. One concerned the transfer of caesium radionuclides from the diet to breast milk. In the other, the activity concentrations of (137)Cs were also determined in urine and placenta. The first study estimated the mothers' average (137)Cs dietary intake, in the second study the intake was evaluated individually for each subject. In 2004, the International Commission on Radiological Protection published modified systemic biokinetic models which also account for transfer to breast milk. The model for caesium radionuclides was implemented and t...

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Policy, practice and decision making for zoonotic disease management: Water and Cryptosporidium.

Environment International — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:48:33 +0100

Authors: Austin Z, Alcock RE, Christley RM, Haygarth PM, Heathwaite AL, Latham SM, Mort M, Oliver DM, Pickup R, Wastling JM, Wynne B Abstract Decision making for zoonotic disease management should be based on many forms of appropriate data and sources of evidence. However, the criteria and timing for policy response and the resulting management decisions are often altered when a disease outbreak occurs and captures full media attention. In the case of waterborne disease, such as the robust protozoa, Cryptosporidium spp, exposure can cause significant human health risks and preventing exposure by maintaining high standards of biological and chemical water quality remains a priority for water companies in the UK. Little has been documented on how knowledge and information is translat...

Bridging Taxonomic and Disciplinary Divides in Infectious Disease

EcoHealth — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:49:56 +0100

Abstract Pathogens traverse disciplinary and taxonomic boundaries, yet infectious disease research occurs in many separate disciplines including plant pathology, veterinary and human medicine, and ecological and evolutionary sciences. These disciplines have different traditions, goals, and terminology, creating gaps in communication. Bridging these disciplinary and taxonomic gaps promises novel insights and important synergistic advances in control of infectious disease. An approach integrated across the plant-animal divide would advance our understanding of disease by quantifying critical processes including transmission, community interactions, pathogen evolution, and complexity at multiple spatial and temporal scales. These advances require more substantial investment i...

Inflammatory effects on human lung epithelial cells after exposure to diesel exhaust micron sub particles (PM(1.0)) and pollen allergens.

Environmental Pollution — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:16:00 +0100

Authors: Mazzarella G, Esposito V, Bianco A, Ferraraccio F, Prati MV, Lucariello A, Manente L, Mezzogiorno A, De Luca A Abstract Asthma is currently defined as a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway. Several evidence indicate that vehicle emissions in cities is correlated with the allergic respiratory diseases. In the present study, we evaluated in the A549 cells the production and release of IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 after treatment with sub-micron PM(1.0) particles (PM(1.0)), Parietaria officinalis (ALL), and PM(1.0) + ALL together. Our data demonstrated that PM(1.0) + ALL together exhibited the greatest capacity to induce A549 cells to enhance the expression of IL-4 and IL-5 compared with the only PM(1.0) or ALL treatment. Interestingly, IL-13 that is necessary for allergen...

The influence of neighborhood traffic density on the respiratory health of elementary schoolchildren.

Environment International — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:12:22 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide further support for the hypothesis that neighborhood exposure to traffic-related air pollution increases respiratory symptoms and reduces ventilatory function in children, especially those with self-reported asthma. PMID: 22208751 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Environment International)

Potential influence of CO(2) release from a carbon capture storage site on release of trace metals from marine sediment.

Environmental Pollution — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:22:42 +0100

Authors: Payán MC, Verbinnen B, Galan B, Coz A, Vandecasteele C, Viguri JR Abstract One of the main risks of CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) is CO(2) leakage from a storage site. The influence of CO(2) leakage on trace metals leaching from contaminated marine sediment in a potential storage area (Northern Spain) is addressed using standardized leaching tests. The influence of the pH of the leaching solution on the leachates is evaluated using deionized water, natural seawater and acidified seawater at pH = 5, 6 and 7, obtained by CO(2) bubbling. Equilibrium leaching tests (EN 12457) were performed at different liquid-solid ratios and the results of ANC/BNC leaching test (CEN/TS 15364) were modeled using Visual Minteq. Equilibrium tests gave values of the final pH for all seawat...

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Prediction of environmental concentrations of glucocorticoids: The River Thames, UK, as an example.

Environment International — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:49:50 +0100

Authors: Kugathas S, Williams RJ, Sumpter JP Abstract Synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) are consumed in large amounts as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive drugs worldwide. Based on what has been learnt from studies of other human pharmaceuticals, they are likely to be present in the aquatic environment. However, to date, information on the environmental concentrations of GCs is very limited. The situation is complicated by the fact that a considerable number of GCs are in everyday use in most developed countries. Hence, obtaining a full picture of GC concentrations in the aquatic environment using the traditional analytical chemistry approach would be time-consuming and expensive. Thus, we took a modelling approach to predict the total environmental concentration of all synthet...

Influence of black carbon addition on phenanthrene dissipation and microbial community structure in soil.

Environmental Pollution — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:13:29 +0100

Authors: Wang P, Wang H, Wu L, Di H, He Y, Xu J Abstract Biodegradation processes and changes in microbial community structure were investigated in black carbon (BC) amended soils in a laboratory experiment using two soils (black soil and red soil). We applied different percentages of charcoal as BC (0%, 0.5% and 1% by weight) with 100 mg kg(-1) of phenanthrene. Soil samples were collected at different incubation times (0, 7, 15, 30, 60, 120 d). The amendment with BC caused a marked decrease in the dissipation (ascribed to mainly degradation and/or sequestration) of phenanthrene residues from soil. Extracted phenanthrene in black soil with 1% BC were higher, oppositely in red soil, 0.5% BC amendments were higher. There were significant changes in the PLFA pattern in phenanthrene...

In vitro bioassay for reactive toxicity towards proteins implemented for water quality monitoring

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:39:43 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Accepted ManuscriptDOI: 10.1039/C2EM10927A, PaperJanet Tang, Beate EscherReactive organic chemicals comprise a large number of compounds with a variety of reactive moieties. While most assays for reactive toxicity focus on DNA damage, reactivity towards protein can also...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

Ambient nitrogen oxides exposure and early childhood respiratory illnesses.

Environment International — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:17:27 +0100

In this study, we investigated the association between ambient nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) and bronchitis or upper airway inflammation. This longitudinal study was conducted in Teplice and Prachatice districts, Czech Republic. Children were followed from birth to 4.5years of age. Data were compiled from medical records at delivery and at follow up, and from self-administered questionnaires from the same two time points. Air pollution monitoring data were used to estimate exposure over five different averaging periods ranging from three to 45days prior to an episode. To quantify the association between exposure and outcome, while accounting for repeated measure correlation we conducted logistic regression analysis using generalized estimating equations. During the first 2years of life, the adju...

Changes in hydrocarbon groups, soil ecotoxicity and microbiology along horizontal and vertical contamination gradients in an old landfarming field for oil refinery waste.

Environmental Pollution — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:13:39 +0100

Authors: Mikkonen A, Hakala KP, Lappi K, Kondo E, Vaalama A, Suominen L Abstract Horizontal and vertical contaminant gradients in an old landfarming field for oil refinery waste were characterised with the aim to assess parallel changes in hydrocarbon groups and general, microbiological and ecotoxicological soil characteristics. In the surface soil polar compounds were the most prevalent fraction of heptane-extractable hydrocarbons, superseding GC-FID-resolvable and high-molar-mass aliphatics and aromatics, but there was no indication of their relatively higher mobility or toxicity. The size of the polar fraction correlated poorly with soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties, which were better explained by the total heptane-extractable and total petroleum hydrocarbon...

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Anticancer drugs in surface waters What can we say about the occurrence and environmental significance of cytotoxic, cytostatic and endocrine therapy drugs?

Environment International — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:19:58 +0100

This study considers the implications and research needs arising from anticancer (also referred to as antineoplastic) drugs being released into the aquatic environment, for the entire therapeutic classes used: cytotoxic, cytostatic and endocrine therapy drugs. A categorization approach, based on French consumption amounts, allowed to highlight parent molecules and several metabolites on which further occurrence and ecotoxicological studies should be conducted. Investigations of consumption trends at a national and a local scale show an increase in the use of anticancer drugs between 2004 and 2008, thus leading to increased levels released in the environment. It therefore appears necessary to continue surveying their presence in surface waters and in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) efflue...

Febuary eFactor

Environmental Factor - NIEHS Newsletter — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:31:33 +0100

Weis addresses industrial hygiene group on mineral fibers LST fellow makes a move from lab bench to global health Former NIEHS staff fellow named vice chancellor Staffers and trainees gain toxicology certification NIH turns 125 Public health officials work to keep research first during a tough economy Prins honored by University of Illinois at Chicago NIEHS Public Interest Partner honored Superfund promotes safe drinking water at Agua Fria Festival Registration is underway for NIEHS and HHS national research conference NTP toxicologist Kamal Abdo remembered Minisymposium brings epigenetic experts to NIEHS BPA researchers meet for updates and assessment Women's health takes the spotlight Study estimates millions have autoantibodies that target their own tissues Fry maps arsen...

A Novel Approach to Rapid Detection of Acute Water Toxicity and Its Policy Implications for Grassroots Sustainable Environmental Monitoring

RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:38:08 +0100

J. Environ. Monit., 2012, Accepted ManuscriptDOI: 10.1039/C2EM11010E, PaperJie Liu, Lee Liu, Li Yu, Guoqiang Yang, Xia WangUnknown chemicals, emerging contaminants, and the resulting reactions among them make early detection and warning of acute water toxicity extremely challenging. The conventional approach using small fish for toxicity monitoring...The content of this RSS Feed (c) The Royal Society of Chemistry (Source: RSC - J. Environ. Monit. latest articles)

PBDEs in Italian sewage sludge and environmental risk of using sewage sludge for land application.

Environmental Pollution — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:07:30 +0100

Authors: Cincinelli A, Martellini T, Misuri L, Lanciotti E, Sweetman A, Laschi S, Palchetti I Abstract Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in sewage sludge samples collected from eight Italian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) between June 2009 and March 2010. Total PBDE concentrations ranged from 158.3 to 9427 ng g(-1) dw, while deca-BDE (BDE-209) (concentrations ranging from 130.6 to 9411 ng g(-1) dw) dominated the congener profile in all the samples, contributing between 77% and 99.8% of total PBDE. The suitability of using a magnetic particle enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) to analyse PBDEs in sewage sludge was also tested. The ELISA results, expressed as BDE-47 equivalents, were well correlated with those obtained by GC-NCI-MS, with correlation coeff...