The decline in kidney function with chromium exposure is exacerbated with co-exposure to lead and cadmium.

PubMed

Tsai, Tsung-Lin; Kuo, Chin-Chi; Pan, Wen-Harn; Chung, Yu-Teh; Chen, Chiu-Ying; Wu, Trong-Neng; Wang, Shu-Li

2017-09-01

Environmental factors contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease. However, these factors, and particularly the toxic effects of heavy metals, have not been completely evaluated. Chromium is a widespread industrial contaminant that has been linked to nephrotoxicity in animal and occupational population studies. Nevertheless, its role in population renal health and its potential interactions with other nephrotoxic metals, such as lead and cadmium, remain unknown. We assessed the association between exposure to chromium, lead, and cadmium with renal function using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in an analysis of 360 Taiwanese adults aged 19-84 years from the National Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (2005-2008). Doubling of urinary chromium or lead decreased the eGFR by -5.99 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (95% confidence interval -9.70, -2.27) and -6.61 (-9.71, -3.51), respectively, after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, cigarette smoking, sodium intake, education, urinary volume, and other metals. For those in the highest tertile of cadmium exposure, the eGFR decreased by -12.68 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (95% confidence interval -20.44, -4.93) and -11.22 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (-17.01, -5.44), as urinary chromium or lead levels doubled, respectively. Thus, there is a significant and independent association between chromium exposure and decreased renal function. Furthermore, co-exposure to chromium with lead and cadmium is potentially associated with additional decline in the glomerular filtration rate in Taiwanese adults. Copyright © 2017 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Assessment of Dietary Exposure to Cadmium in Residents of Guangzhou, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Weiwei; Liu, Yungang; Liu, Yufei; Liang, Boheng; Zhou, Hongwei; Li, Yingyue; Zhang, Yuhua; Huang, Jie; Yu, Chao; Chen, Kuncai

2018-03-20

Cadmium and its compounds are human carcinogens with severe organ toxicity, and their contamination of agricultural soil in China has been frequently reported; however, the dietary exposure to cadmium in residents and the relevant health risk have seldom been reported. In this study, the concentration of cadmium in various types of food collected from 2013 to 2015 were analyzed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, and the dietary exposure to cadmium assessed based on a dietary survey in 2976 Guangzhou residents. In total, 3074 out of 4039 food samples had cadmium levels above the limit of detection. The mean ± standard deviation (50th, 95th percentile) cadmium content in all samples was 159.0 ± 112.7 (8.6, 392.4) μg/kg, with levels ranging from 1.0 to 7830 μg/kg. Using the mean cadmium concentrations, the average monthly dietary exposure of Guangzhou residents to cadmium was 14.4 (μg/kg body weight (BW), accounting for 57.6% of the provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI). Rice, laver, vegetables, and live aquatic products were the main sources of cadmium intake, on average accounting for 89% of the total value. The dietary cadmium exposure in high consumers (95th percentile food consumption) was 41.0 μg/kg·BW/month, accounting for 163% of the PTMI. Additionally, dietary cadmium exposure at mean consumption but high cadmium food concentration (95th percentile) was 32.3 μg/kg·BW/month, corresponding to 129% of the PTMI. The level of dietary exposure to cadmium in most Guangzhou residents was within the safety limit, thus increased health risk from dietary cadmium exposure is low at present. However, continued efforts by local governments to monitor the levels of cadmium in the four main food categories contributing to exposure are necessary.

An Assessment of Dietary Exposure to Cadmium in Residents of Guangzhou, China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Weiwei; Liu, Yungang; Liu, Yufei; Liang, Boheng; Zhou, Hongwei; Li, Yingyue; Zhang, Yuhua; Huang, Jie; Yu, Chao; Chen, Kuncai

2018-01-01

Cadmium and its compounds are human carcinogens with severe organ toxicity, and their contamination of agricultural soil in China has been frequently reported; however, the dietary exposure to cadmium in residents and the relevant health risk have seldom been reported. In this study, the concentration of cadmium in various types of food collected from 2013 to 2015 were analyzed using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, and the dietary exposure to cadmium assessed based on a dietary survey in 2976 Guangzhou residents. In total, 3074 out of 4039 food samples had cadmium levels above the limit of detection. The mean ± standard deviation (50th, 95th percentile) cadmium content in all samples was 159.0 ± 112.7 (8.6, 392.4) μg/kg, with levels ranging from 1.0 to 7830 μg/kg. Using the mean cadmium concentrations, the average monthly dietary exposure of Guangzhou residents to cadmium was 14.4 (μg/kg body weight (BW), accounting for 57.6% of the provisional tolerable monthly intake (PTMI). Rice, laver, vegetables, and live aquatic products were the main sources of cadmium intake, on average accounting for 89% of the total value. The dietary cadmium exposure in high consumers (95th percentile food consumption) was 41.0 μg/kg·BW/month, accounting for 163% of the PTMI. Additionally, dietary cadmium exposure at mean consumption but high cadmium food concentration (95th percentile) was 32.3 μg/kg·BW/month, corresponding to 129% of the PTMI. The level of dietary exposure to cadmium in most Guangzhou residents was within the safety limit, thus increased health risk from dietary cadmium exposure is low at present. However, continued efforts by local governments to monitor the levels of cadmium in the four main food categories contributing to exposure are necessary. PMID:29558399

Exposure to potential occupational asthmogens: prevalence data from the National Occupational Exposure Survey.

PubMed

de la Hoz, R E; Young, R O; Pedersen, D H

1997-02-01

Few data are available about the prevalence of occupational exposures to agents which can cause occupational asthma or aggravate preexisting asthma (asthmogens). Using potential occupational exposure data from the National Occupational Exposure Survey (NOES) of 1980-1983, we investigated the number of asthmogen exposures, asthmogen-exposure(s) per production worker, and unprotected occupational asthmogen exposures in different industries and occupations. Data for the entire United States were used to generate estimates of occupational exposure at two selected state and local levels. It was estimated that 7,864,000 workers in the surveyed industries were potentially exposed to one or more occupational asthmogen(s) in the United States. The average number of observed potential exposures per asthmogen-exposed worker was 4.4, and varied from 11.9, in the Water Transportation industry, to 1.2 in Local and Suburban transportation. The largest number of observed potential exposures was recorded in the Apparel and Other Finished Products (garment) industry. This work and further analyses using this approach are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the epidemiology of occupational asthma, and to serve as a guide to target future occupational asthma surveillance efforts.

Biological monitoring results for cadmium exposed workers.

PubMed

McDiarmid, M A; Freeman, C S; Grossman, E A; Martonik, J

1996-11-01

As part of a settlement agreement with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) involving exposure to cadmium (Cd), a battery production facility provided medical surveillance data to OSHA for review. Measurements of cadmium in blood, cadmium in urine, and beta 2-microglobulin in urine were obtained for more than 100 workers over an 18-month period. Some airborne Cd exposure data were also made available. Two subpopulations of this cohort were of primary interest in evaluating compliance with the medical surveillance provisions of the Cadmium Standard. These were a group of 16 workers medically removed from cadmium exposure due to elevations in some biological parameter, and a group of platemakers. Platemaking had presented a particularly high exposure opportunity and had recently undergone engineering interventions to minimize exposure. The effect on three biological monitoring parameters of medical removal protection in the first group and engineering controls in platemakers is reported. Results reveal that both medical removal from cadmium exposures and exposure abatement through the use of engineering and work practice controls generally result in declines in biological monitoring parameters of exposed workers. Implications for the success of interventions are discussed.

Cadmium exposure induces hematuria in Korean adults

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Han, Seung Seok; Kim, Myounghee, E-mail: dkkim73@gmail.com; Lee, Su Mi

2013-07-15

Introduction: Toxic heavy metals have adverse effects on human health. However, the risk of hematuria caused by heavy metal exposure has not been evaluated. Methods: Data from 4701 Korean adults were obtained in the Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2008–2010). Blood levels of the toxic heavy metals cadmium, lead, and mercury were measured. Hematuria was defined as a result of ≥+1 on a urine dipstick test. The odds ratios (ORs) for hematuria were measured according to the blood heavy metal levels after adjusting for multiple variables. Results: Individuals with blood cadmium levels in the 3rd and 4th quartilesmore » had a greater OR for hematuria than those in the 1st quartile group: 3rd quartile, 1.35 (1.019–1.777; P=0.037); 4th quartile, 1.52 (1.140–2.017; P=0.004). When blood cadmium was considered as a log-transformed continuous variable, the correlation between blood cadmium and hematuria was significant: OR, 1.97 (1.224–3.160; P{sub trend}=0.005). In contrast, no significant correlations between hematuria and blood lead or mercury were found in the multivariate analyses. Discussion: The present study shows that high cadmium exposure is associated with a risk of hematuria. -- Highlights: • A high level of blood cadmium is associated with a high risk of hematuria. • This correlation is independent of several confounding factors. • Blood levels of lead and mercury are not associated with risk of hematuria. • This is the first study on the correlation between cadmium exposure and hematuria risk.« less

The effects of low environmental cadmium exposure on bone density

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trzcinka-Ochocka, M., E-mail: ochocka@imp.lodz.pl; Jakubowski, M.; Szymczak, W.

2010-04-15

Recent epidemiological data indicate that low environmental exposure to cadmium, as shown by cadmium body burden (Cd-U), is associated with renal dysfunction as well as an increased risk of cadmium-induced bone disorders. The present study was designed to assess the effects of low environmental cadmium exposure, at the level sufficient to induce kidney damage, on bone metabolism and mineral density (BMD). The project was conducted in the area contaminated with cadmium, nearby a zinc smelter located in the region of Poland where heavy industry prevails. The study population comprised 170 women (mean age=39.7; 18-70 years) and 100 men (mean age=31.9;more » 18-76 years). Urinary and blood cadmium and the markers of renal tubular dysfunction ({beta}{sub 2}M-U RBP, NAG), glomerular dysfunction (Alb-U and {beta}{sub 2}M-S) and bone metabolism markers (BAP-S, CTX-S) as well as forearm BMD, were measured. The results of this study based on simple dose-effect analysis showed the relationship between increasing cadmium concentrations and an increased excretion of renal dysfunction markers and decreasing bone density. However, the results of the multivariate analysis did not indicate the association between exposure to cadmium and decrease in bone density. They showed that the most important factors that have impact on bone density are body weight and age in the female subjects and body weight and calcium excretion in males. Our investigation revealed that the excretion of low molecular weight proteins occurred at a lower level of cadmium exposure than the possible loss of bone mass. It seems that renal tubular markers are the most sensitive and significant indicators of early health effects of cadmium intoxication in the general population. The correlation of urinary cadmium concentration with markers of kidney dysfunction was observed in the absence of significant correlations with bone effects. Our findings did not indicate any effects of environmental cadmium exposure

Renal and blood pressure effects from environmental cadmium exposure in Thai children

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swaddiwudhipong, Witaya, E-mail: swaddi@hotmail.com; Mahasakpan, Pranee; Jeekeeree, Wanpen

Very few studies have shown renal and blood pressure effects from environmental cadmium exposure in children. This population study examined associations between urinary cadmium excretion, a good biomarker of long-term cadmium exposure, and renal dysfunctions and blood pressure in environmentally exposed Thai children. Renal functions including urinary excretion of β{sub 2}-microglobulin, calcium (early renal effects), and total protein (late renal effect), and blood pressure were measured in 594 primary school children. Of the children studied, 19.0% had urinary cadmium ≥1 μg/g creatinine. The prevalence of urinary cadmium ≥1 μg/g creatinine was significantly higher in girls and in those consuming ricemore » grown in cadmium-contaminated areas. The geometric mean levels of urinary β{sub 2}-microglobulin, calcium, and total protein significantly increased with increasing tertiles of urinary cadmium. The analysis did not show increased blood pressure with increasing tertiles of urinary cadmium. After adjusting for age, sex, and blood lead levels, the analysis showed significant positive associations between urinary cadmium and urinary β{sub 2}-microglobulin and urinary calcium, but not urinary total protein nor blood pressure. Our findings provide evidence that environmental cadmium exposure can affect renal functions in children. A follow-up study is essential to assess the clinical significance and progress of renal effects in these children. - Highlights: • Few studies show renal effects from environmental cadmium exposure in children. • We report renal and blood pressure effects from cadmium exposure in Thai children. • Urinary β{sub 2}-microglobulin and calcium increased with increasing urinary cadmium. • The study found no association between urinary cadmium levels and blood pressure. • Environmental cadmium exposure can affect renal functions in children.« less

Occupational exposures and pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Ojajarvi, I; Partanen, T.; Ahlbom, A.; Boffetta, P.; Hakulinen, T.; Jourenkova, N.; Kauppinen, T.; Kogevinas, M.; Porta, M.; Vainio, H.; Weiderpass, E.; Wesseling, C.

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES—Consolidation of epidemiological data on pancreatic cancer and worksite exposures.
METHODS—Publications during 1969-98 were surveyed. Studies without verified exposures were excluded. Meta-analyses were conducted on data from 92 studies covering 161 populations, with results for 23 agents or groups of agents. With a standard format, five epidemiologists extracted risk estimates and variables of the structure and quality of each study. The extracted data were centrally checked. Random meta-models were applied.
RESULTS—Based on 20 populations, exposure to chlorinated hydrocarbon (CHC) solvents and related compounds was associated with a meta-risk ratio (MRR) of 1.4 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.0 to 1.8). Nickel and nickel compounds were considered in four populations (1.9; 1.2 to 3.2). Excesses were found also for chromium and chromium compounds (1.4; 0.9 to 2.3), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (1.5; 0.9 to 2.5), organochlorine insecticides (1.5; 0.6 to 3.7), silica dust (1.4; 0.9 to 2.0), and aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents (1.3; 0.8 to 2.8). Evidence on pancreatic carcinogenicity was weak or non-positive for the following agents: acrylonitrile (1.1; 0.0 to 6.2); arsenic (1.0; 0.6 to 1.5); asbestos (1.1; 0.9 to 1.5); diesel engine exhaust (1.0; 0.9 to 1.3); electromagnetic fields (1.1; 0.8 to 1.4); formaldehyde (0.8; 0.5 to 1.0); flour dust (1.1; 0.3 to 3.2); cadmium and cadmium compounds (0.7; 0.4 to 1.4); gasoline (1.0; 0.8 to 1.2); herbicides (1.0; 0.8 to 1.3); iron and iron compounds (1.3; 0.7 to 2.5); lead and lead compounds (1.1; 0.8 to 1.5); man-made vitreous fibres (1.0; 0.6 to 1.6); oil mist (0.9; 0.8 to 1.0); and wood dust (1.1; 0.9 to 2.5). The occupational aetiological fraction of pancreatic cancer was estimated at 12%. In a subpopulation exposed to CHC solvents and related compounds, it was 29%; to chromium and chromium compounds, 23%; to nickel and nickel compounds, 47%; to

REPRODUCTIVE EFFECTS OF TRANSGENERATIONAL CADMIUM EXPOSURE

EPA Science Inventory

Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) were used to compare the effects of environmentally relevant cadmium (Cd) exposure on reproduction in adult animals previously exposed in ovo or as hatchlings. Adults were raised either from eggs produced during a two week exposure to 0, 1, 5, o...

Cadmium and lung cancer mortality accounting for simultaneous arsenic exposure.

PubMed

Park, Robert M; Stayner, Leslie T; Petersen, Martin R; Finley-Couch, Melissa; Hornung, Richard; Rice, Carol

2012-05-01

Prior investigations identified an association between airborne cadmium and lung cancer but questions remain regarding confounding by arsenic, a well-established lung carcinogen. A cadmium smelter population exhibiting excess lung cancer was re-analysed using a retrospective exposure assessment for arsenic (As), updated mortality (1940-2002), a revised cadmium (Cd) exposure matrix and improved work history information. Cumulative exposure metrics for both cadmium and arsenic were strongly associated making estimation of their independent effects difficult. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were modelled with Poisson regression with the contribution of arsenic to lung cancer risk constrained by exposure-response estimates previously reported. The results demonstrate (1) a statistically significant effect of Cd independent of As (SMR=3.2 for 10 mg-year/m(3) Cd, p=0.012), (2) a substantial healthy worker effect for lung cancer (for unexposed workers, SMR=0.69) and (3) a large deficit in lung cancer mortality among Hispanic workers (SMR=0.27, p=0.009), known to have low lung cancer rates. A supralinear dose-rate effect was observed (contribution to risk with increasing exposure intensity has declining positive slope). Lung cancer mortality was somewhat better predicted using a cadmium burden metric with a half-life of about 20-25 years. These findings support an independent effect for cadmium in risk of lung cancer mortality. 1/1000 excess lifetime risk of lung cancer death is predicted from an airborne exposure of about 2.4 μg/m(3) Cd.

Health hazard evaluation/toxicity determination report 74-16-272, Marathon Battery Company, Waco, Texas. [Hazards to personnel from nickel and cadmium exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thoburn, T.W.; Larsen, L.R.

1976-03-01

A health hazard evaluation investigation was conducted by NIOSH at the Marathon Battery Company in Waco, Texas, acting on a request from an authorized employee representative regarding exposure to dust and fumes in maintenance and production areas in the nickel-cadmium battery assembly factory. The prevailing symptoms among the approximately 60 affected predominantly female employees, was nausea. Environmental evaluation revealed that a potential hazard exists to employees from exposure to nickel and cadmium dusts. Workers in 4 departments showed levels of cadmium and nickel in hair and urine above those found in the control group; workers in 2 of the 4more » departments also showed excessive symptomatology and physical findings indicating upper respiratory irritation. Air samples also showed some excessive levels of cadmium and nickel particularly in these same 2 departments. However, medical evaluation of employees failed to demonstrate any apparent serious occupationally induced illness.« less

Cadmium osteotoxicity in experimental animals: Mechanisms and relationship to human exposures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bhattacharyya, Maryka H.

Extensive epidemiological studies have recently demonstrated increased cadmium exposure correlating significantly with decreased bone mineral density and increased fracture incidence in humans at lower exposure levels than ever before evaluated. Studies in experimental animals have addressed whether very low concentrations of dietary cadmium can negatively impact the skeleton. This overview evaluates results in experimental animals regarding mechanisms of action on bone and the application of these results to humans. Results demonstrate that long-term dietary exposures in rats, at levels corresponding to environmental exposures in humans, result in increased skeletal fragility and decreased mineral density. Cadmium-induced demineralization begins soon after exposure,more » within 24 h of an oral dose to mice. In bone culture systems, cadmium at low concentrations acts directly on bone cells to cause both decreases in bone formation and increases in bone resorption, independent of its effects on kidney, intestine, or circulating hormone concentrations. Results from gene expression microarray and gene knock-out mouse models provide insight into mechanisms by which cadmium may affect bone. Application of the results to humans is considered with respect to cigarette smoke exposure pathways and direct vs. indirect effects of cadmium. Clearly, understanding the mechanism(s) by which cadmium causes bone loss in experimental animals will provide insight into its diverse effects in humans. Preventing bone loss is critical to maintaining an active, independent lifestyle, particularly among elderly persons. Identifying environmental factors such as cadmium that contribute to increased fractures in humans is an important undertaking and a first step to prevention.« less

Whole-Body Lifetime Occupational Lead Exposure and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Coon , Steven; Stark, Azadeh; Peterson, Edward

2006-12-01

We enrolled 121 PD patients and 414 age-, sex-, and race-, frequency-matched controls in a case–control study. As an indicator of chronic Pb exposure, we measured concentrations of tibial and calcaneal bone Pb stores using 109Cadmium excited K-series X-ray fluorescence. As an indicator of recent exposure, we measured blood Pb concentration. We collected occupational data on participants from 18 years of age until the age at enrollment, and an industrial hygienist determined the duration and intensity of environmental Pb exposure. We employed physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling to combine these data, and we estimated whole-body lifetime Pb exposures for each individual.more » Logistic regression analysis produced estimates of PD risk by quartile of lifetime Pb exposure.« less

Long-term health experience of jet engine manufacturing workers: VII: occupational exposures.

PubMed

Kennedy, Kathleen J; Esmen, Nurtan A; Hancock, Roger P; Lacey, Steven E; Marsh, Gary M; Buchanich, Jeanine M; Youk, Ada O

2013-06-01

To reconstruct agent-specific occupational exposures for a cohort of jet engine manufacturing workers for use in an epidemiological mortality study. Potential chemical and physical exposures at eight jet engine manufacturing and overhaul/repair plants were evaluated for the period 1952 to 2001. Eleven agents were selected for detailed examination, and a job-exposure matrix was constructed. Quantitative exposure estimates were generated for metalworking fluids, nickel, cobalt, chromium, solvents, and incomplete combustion aerosol from metalworking fluids. Qualitative exposure estimates were assigned for ionizing radiation, electromagnetic fields, polychlorinated biphenyls, and lead-cadmium. All exposures showed decreasing trends over the study period. The quantitative exposure levels generated in this study were lower than early contemporaneous professional practice recommendations and were similar to or lower than published data from other industries.

Changes in cadmium exposure among persons living in cadmium-contaminated areas in northwestern Thailand: a five-year follow-up.

PubMed

Swaddiwudhipong, Witaya; Mahasakpan, Pranee; Funkhiew, Thippawan; Limpatanachote, Pisit

2010-10-01

To determine changes in cadmium exposure among persons aged 15 years and older who lived in the 12 cadmium-contaminated villages in northwestern Thailand. Urinary cadmium was measured among villagers in 2004. An exposure reduction campaign was conducted soon afterwards, and in 2009, urinary cadmium was measured among people living in the same villages. The survey participants were asked about their smoking status and consumption of rice grown locally in cadmium-contaminated areas. Both were the two main routes of cadmium exposure in these villages. Seven thousand six hundred ninety seven and 6748 persons participated in the first and second surveys, respectively. The proportion of current smokers was higher in the first survey (34.9%) than the second survey (31.5%). The proportion of persons who consumed rice grown locally decreased from 88.0% in the first survey to 50.5% in the second survey. Of persons who consumed rice grown locally, the proportion of those with urinary cadmium > or =2 microg/g creatinine increased from 55.5% in the first survey to 61.3% in the second survey. Of persons consuming rice purchased from other areas, the proportion of those with urinary cadmium > or =2 microg/g creatinine decreased from 46.7% in the first survey to 35.6% in the second survey. In both surveys, the adjusted odds ratio for increasing prevalence of high urinary cadmium associated with consumption of locally grown rice was greater than that for tobacco smoking. Urinary excretion of cadmium significantly decreased after environmental cadmium exposure was reduced.

Sources of Cadmium Exposure Among Healthy Premenopausal Women

PubMed Central

Adams, Scott V.; Newcomb, Polly A.; Shafer, Martin M.; Atkinson, Charlotte; Aiello Bowles, Erin J.; Newton, Katherine M.; Lampe, Johanna W.

2011-01-01

Background Cadmium, a persistent and widespread environmental pollutant, has been associated with kidney function impairment and several diseases. Cigarettes are the dominant source of cadmium exposure among smokers; the primary source of cadmium in non-smokers is food. We investigated sources of cadmium exposure in a sample of healthy women. Methods In a cross-sectional study, 191 premenopausal women completed a health questionnaire and a food frequency questionnaire. The cadmium content of spot urine samples was measured with inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry and normalized to urine creatinine content. Multivariable linear regression was used to estimate the strength of association between smoking habits and, among non-smokers, usual foods consumed and urinary cadmium, adjusted for age, race, multivitamin and supplement use, education, estimated total energy intake, and parity. Results Geometric mean urine creatinine-normalized cadmium concentration (uCd) of women with any history of cigarette smoking was 0.43 μg/g (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.38–0.48 μg/g) and 0.30 μg/g (0.27–0.33 μg/g) among never-smokers, and increased with pack-years of smoking. Analysis of dietary data among women with no reported history of smoking suggested that regular consumption of eggs, hot cereals, organ meats, tofu, vegetable soups, leafy greens, green salad, and yams was associated with uCd. Consumption of tofu products showed the most robust association with uCd; each weekly serving of tofu was associated with a 22% (95% CI: 11–33%) increase in uCd. Thus, uCd was estimated to be 0.11 μg/g (95% CI: 0.06 – 0.15 μg/g ) higher among women who consumed any tofu than among those who consumed none. Conclusions Cigarette smoking is likely the most important source of cadmium exposure among smokers. Among non-smokers, consumption of specific foods, notably tofu, is associated with increased urine cadmium concentration. PMID:21333327

Effects of blood lead and cadmium levels on homocysteine level in plasma.

PubMed

Cai, R; Zheng, Y-F; Bu, J-G; Zhang, Y-Y; Fu, S-L; Wang, X-G; Guo, L-L; Zhang, J-R

2017-01-01

We studied the effect of non-occupational exposure to lead and cadmium on homocysteine level in plasma. Homocysteine is a marker for plasma folate folic acid metabolism in urban populations. 159 individuals from Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai with no history of close exposure to heavy metals and no history of metabolic diseases were enrolled to participate in this study. Blood lead and cadmium levels were detected using ICP-MS method and the level of homocysteine was also measured using enzyme method. Our results showed that blood lead and cadmium levels in males were significantly higher than those in females. Also, blood lead and cadmium levels in smokers were higher than those in non-smokers; homocysteine level was significantly higher in smokers as well. According to blood lead and cadmium levels, cases were divided into four groups. Our results showed that a surge in blood lead and cadmium levels could result in an increase in homocysteine level. We concluded that in the Chinese population, smoking and gender might be the risk factors for elevated levels of lead and cadmium. Meanwhile, blood lead and cadmium levels may influence the homocysteine levels in the body. It is possible to speculate that non-occupational exposure to lead and cadmium, by increasing the homocysteine levels, negatively affect the cardiovascular and nervous system.

Cadmium and lung cancer mortality accounting for simultaneous arsenic exposure

PubMed Central

Park, Robert M; Stayner, Leslie T; Petersen, Martin R; Finley-Couch, Melissa; Hornung, Richard; Rice, Carol

2015-01-01

Objectives Prior investigations identified an association between airborne cadmium and lung cancer but questions remain regarding confounding by arsenic, a well-established lung carcinogen. Methods A cadmium smelter population exhibiting excess lung cancer was re-analysed using a retrospective exposure assessment for arsenic (As), updated mortality (1940–2002), a revised cadmium (Cd) exposure matrix and improved work history information. Results Cumulative exposure metrics for both cadmium and arsenic were strongly associated making estimation of their independent effects difficult. Standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) were modelled with Poisson regression with the contribution of arsenic to lung cancer risk constrained by exposure–response estimates previously reported. The results demonstrate (1) a statistically significant effect of Cd independent of As (SMR=3.2 for 10 mg-year/m3 Cd, p=0.012), (2) a substantial healthy worker effect for lung cancer (for unexposed workers, SMR=0.69) and (3) a large deficit in lung cancer mortality among Hispanic workers (SMR=0.27, p=0.009), known to have low lung cancer rates. A supralinear dose-rate effect was observed (contribution to risk with increasing exposure intensity has declining positive slope). Lung cancer mortality was somewhat better predicted using a cadmium burden metric with a half-life of about 20–25 years. Conclusions These findings support an independent effect for cadmium in risk of lung cancer mortality. 1/1000 excess lifetime risk of lung cancer death is predicted from an airborne exposure of about 2.4 μg/m3 Cd. PMID:22271639

Assessment of cadmium exposure for neonates in Guiyu, an electronic waste pollution site of China.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Huo, Xia; Liu, Junxiao; Peng, Lin; Li, Weiqiu; Xu, Xijin

2011-06-01

This study aimed to determine the levels of placental cadmium (PCd) and cord blood cadmium (CBCd) and the resulting expression of placental metallothionein (MT) in neonates and to investigate cadmium (Cd) exposure levels in neonates and mothers who live in Guiyu, China, an electronic waste (e-waste) pollution site. Among the 423 mothers included in the study from 2004/2005 to 2007, 289 lived in Guiyu (exposed group) and 134 lived in Chaonan, located 10 km away from Guiyu (controls) and had never been exposed to e-waste pollution. CBCd and PCd levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Placental MT was examined by immunohistochemistry. Information on maternal and neonatal characteristics and exposure conditions was obtained from hospital records and by personal interviews. For the 3 years, the median CBCd was higher for Guiyu neonates than for controls (3.61 vs. 1.25 μg/L), with 25.61% of Guiyu subjects exhibiting a median CBCd that exceeded the safety limit defined by the World Health Organization (5 μg/L), as compared with 14.18% of control neonates (p < 0.01). In Guiyu, the mean PCd was higher than that for controls (0.17 ± 0.48 vs. 0.10 ± 0.11 μg/g, p ≤ 0.01). The high levels of CBCd and PCd were significantly associated with parents' occupational and environmental exposure to e-waste recycling pollutants. Staining for MT was positive and dense for 67.00% (67/100) of Guiyu neonates as compared with 32.69% (17/52) of controls (p < 0.01). Exposure to e-waste recycling pollutants increased Cd exposure in neonates, which was accompanied by increased placental MT expression.

Cadmium exposure and neuropsychological development in school children in southwestern Spain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rodríguez-Barranco, Miguel; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada; Lacasaña, Marina, E-mail: marina.lacasana.easp@juntadeandalucia.es

This study assessed the association between cadmium exposure and neuropsychological development in children from a region with high industrial and mining activities in southwestern Spain. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 261 children aged 6–9 years between January and March 2012. Cadmium exposure was measured in urine and hair of children, and neuropsychological development was assessed with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and with three computerized tests from the Behavioral Assessment and Research System (BARS): Reaction Time Test (RTT), Continuous Performance Test (CPT) and Selective Attention Test (SAT). Multivariate linear regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, weremore » used to estimate the association between neuropsychological development and cadmium exposure measured in urine and hair samples. Geometric means of urine and hair cadmium levels were 0.75 μg/g creatinine and 0.01 μg/g, respectively. We observed that doubling of levels of cadmium in urine was associated with a reduction of two points (95% CI: −3.8 to −0.4) in the Full-Scale intelligence quotient (IQ) in boys. By domains, association was statistically significant for Verbal Comprehension (β=−2.0; p=0.04) and close to the significance level for Perceptual Reasoning (β=−1.8; p=0.06). Among girls, only Verbal Comprehension showed suggestive associations with cadmium exposure (β=−1.7; p=0.06). Cadmium exposure is associated with cognitive delays in boys in our region. Our results provide additional evidence of the neurotoxic effect of low-level postnatal cadmium exposure among children, and support the hypothesis of differences between sexes in the neurotoxic effect of metals on children. - Highlights: • This study associates Cd exposure and neuropsychological development in children. • Cd exposure was associated with cognitive delay in boys, but not in girls. • Intellectual quotient of boys decreased two points

Environmental Cadmium and Lead Exposures and Hearing Loss in U.S. Adults: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 to 2004

PubMed Central

Choi, Yoon-Hyeong; Hu, Howard; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Miller, Josef

2012-01-01

Background: Although cadmium and lead are known risk factors for hearing loss in animal models, few epidemiologic studies have been conducted on their associations with hearing ability in the general population. Objectives: We investigated the associations between blood cadmium and lead exposure and hearing loss in the U.S. general population while controlling for noise and other major risk factors contributing to hearing loss. Methods: We analyzed data from 3,698 U.S. adults 20–69 years of age who had been randomly assigned to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2004 Audiometry Examination Component. Pure-tone averages (PTA) of hearing thresholds at frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz were computed, and hearing loss was defined as a PTA > 25 dB in either ear. Results: The weighted geometric means of blood cadmium and lead were 0.40 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.39. 0.42] µg/L and 1.54 (95% CI: 1.49, 1.60) µg/dL, respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical risk factors and exposure to occupational and nonoccupational noise, the highest (vs. lowest) quintiles of cadmium and lead were associated with 13.8% (95% CI: 4.6%, 23.8%) and 18.6% (95% CI: 7.4%, 31.1%) increases in PTA, respectively (p-trends < 0.05). Conclusions: Our results suggest that low-level exposure to cadmium and lead found in the general U.S. population may be important risk factors for hearing loss. The findings support efforts to reduce environmental cadmium and lead exposures. PMID:22851306

Cadmium exposure among residents in an area contaminated by irrigation water in China.

PubMed

Cai, S; Yue, L; Shang, Q; Nordberg, G

1995-01-01

River water used to irrigate arable land in Dayu County, Jiangxi Province, China, is polluted with cadmium from tailings and the wastewater of tungsten ore dressing plants. From information about the date on construction of ore dressing plants and an analysis of the annual growth rings of trees, we deduced that local residents have been exposed to cadmium for at least 25 years. Cadmium exposure was estimated based on a meal survey, which indicated that 99.5% of the oral cadmium intake came from rice and vegetables grown locally. The average oral intake of cadmium was calculated to be 367-382 micrograms/ day. Smokers had additional exposure from locally grown cadmium-containing tobacco. Cadmium concentrations in samples of urine (11 micrograms/g creatinine), blood (12 micrograms/l) and in the hair (0.11 microgram/g) of persons in the exposed area were high. The cadmium exposure lies in a range that can be considered to cause adverse renal effects in the long term.

Cadmium: Simulation of environmental control strategies to reduce exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yost, K. J.; Miles, L. J.; Greenkorn, R. A.

1981-07-01

The effects of selected environmental control strategies on human dietary and respiratory exposure to environmental cadmium (Cd) have been simulated. For each control strategy, mean Cd dietary and respiratory exposures are presented for a twenty-year simulation period. Human exposures related to cadmium are associated with both process waste disposal and product disposal. Dietary exposure is by far the dominant mechanism for Cd intake. Dietary exposure related to aqueous discharges is primarily a result of municipal sludge landspreading, whereas that associated with emissions to the atmosphere derives mainly from the deposition on cropland of airborne particulates from product incineration. Only relatively small dietary exposure reductions are possible through restrictions on any single Cd use. Combinations of waste management and environmental control measures promise greater reductions in dietary and respiratory exposure than those achievable through use restrictions.

Occupational exposure to glycol ethers: implications for occupational health nurses.

PubMed

Snow, J E

1994-09-01

1. Evaluation of workplace exposure to reproductive hazards is difficult and is often confounded by occupational exposure to multiple agents and exposure to non-occupational factors. 2. A growing body of evidence from animal and human study data supports a causal association between occupational exposure to certain glycol ethers and adverse reproductive outcomes. 3. Occupational health nurses providing services to employees exposed to glycol ethers should remain knowledgeable about the results of epidemiologic studies and current trends in the regulation of glycol ethers in industry. 4. Occupational health nurses are in a key position to reduce exposure to reproductive hazards by monitoring trends in group data and by implementing training and education programs to employees exposed to reproductive hazards.

Water exposure--challenging differences between occupations.

PubMed

Meding, Birgitta; Anveden Berglind, Ingegärd; Alderling, Magnus; Lindahl, Gunborg; Wrangsjö, Karin

2016-01-01

Few studies have compared water exposure between different occupations in the general population. To investigate and compare the extent of occupational water exposure, with a focus on service, healthcare and production occupations previously classified as involving a high risk for hand eczema. In two public health surveys (2006 and 2010), a validated question regarding occupational water exposure was answered by 18 342 and 15,736 gainfully employed individuals, respectively. Exposure for ≥ 0.5 h/day was reported by 17.5% and 16.3% (p = 0.020) for the respective years, and exposure for > 2 h/day by 7.8% and 7.7% (p = 0.73). Exposure in women was almost twice as high as in men for both years (p ≤ 0.001) and exposure levels (p < 0.001). Exposure for > 2 h/day was more common in high-risk occupations in service and healthcare than in non-high-risk occupations [prevalence proportion ratios of 16.7 (95%CI: 14.0-20.0) and 8.3 (95%CI: 6.9-9.9), respectively]. Exposure was highest in service occupations, where 44.6% reported exposure for > 2 h/day in 2010, and kitchen work, cleaning and hairdressing dominated. In healthcare, the corresponding figure was 22.0%. Challenging differences in water exposure between occupational groups were found, and extensive water exposure was reported in a number of occupations previously classified as involving a high risk for hand eczema. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Rare occupational cause of nasal septum perforation: Nickel exposure.

PubMed

Bolek, Ertugrul Cagri; Erden, Abdulsamet; Kulekci, Cagri; Kalyoncu, Umut; Karadag, Omer

2017-10-06

Many etiologies are held accountable for nasal septum perforations. Topical nasal drug usage, previous surgeries, trauma, nose picking, squamous cell carcinoma, some rheumatological disorders such as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener granulomatosis), some infectious diseases such as syphilis and leprosy are among the causes of the perforations. Occupational heavy metal exposures by inhalation rarely may also cause nasal septum perforation. Here, we present a 29-year-old patient without any known diseases, who is a worker at a metallic coating and nickel-plating factory, referred for investigation of his nasal cartilage septum perforation from an otorhinolaryngology clinic. The patient questioning, physical examination and laboratory assessment about rheumatic and infectious diseases were negative. There was a metallic smell in the breath during the physical examination. The analysis showed serum nickel level at 31 μg/l and urine nickel at 18 μg/l (84.11 μg/g creatinine). Other possible serum and urine heavy metal levels were within normal ranges. Nickel exposure is usually together with other heavy metals (chromium or cadmium), it is rarely alone. Nickel ingested by inhalation usually leads to respiratory problems such as reduced olfactory acuity, ulcers, septum perforation or tumors of the nasal sinuses. This case demonstrates the importance of occupational anamnesis and awareness of diagnosis. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2017;30(6):963-967. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Mimosa (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia) prevents oxidative DNA damage induced by cadmium exposure in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Silva, Marcelo Jose Dias; Vilegas, Wagner; da Silva, Marcelo Aparecido; de Moura, Carolina Foot Gomes; Ribeiro, Flávia Andressa Pidone; da Silva, Victor Hugo Pereira; Ribeiro, Daniel Araki

2014-12-01

The Mimosa (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia) is a plant native from South America; it is used in the traditional medicine systems for treating bacterial, fungal, parasitic and inflammatory conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antigenotoxic and antioxidant activities induced by mimosa (M. caesalpiniifolia) in multiple rodent organs subjected to intoxication with cadmium chloride. A total of 40 Wistar rats (8 weeks old, 250 g) were distributed into eight groups (n = 5), as follows: Control group (non-treated group, CTRL); Cadmium exposed group (Cd); cadmium exposure and treated with extract at 62.5 mg/kg/day; cadmium exposure and treated with extract at 125 mg/kg/day; cadmium exposure and treated with extract at 250 mg/kg/day; cadmium exposure and treated with ethyl acetate fraction at 62.5 mg/kg/day. For evaluating the toxicogenetic potential of mimosa, two groups were included in the study being treated with extract at 250 mg/kg/day and acetate fraction of mimosa at 62 mg/kg/day, only. Extract of mimosa at concentrations of 62.5 and 125 mg decreased DNA damage in animals intoxicated with cadmium when compared to cadmium group. In a similar manner, treatment with ethyl acetate fraction of mimosa at 62.5 mg concentration in animals previously exposed to cadmium reduced genetic damage in peripheral blood cells. In a similar manner, the treatment with ethyl acetate fraction reduced DNA damage in liver cells. Oxidative DNA damage was reduced to animals exposed to cadmium and treated with 125 mg of extract as well as those intoxicated to cadmium and treated with 62.5 of acetate fraction of mimosa. Taken together, our results indicate that mimosa prevents genotoxicity induced by cadmium exposure in liver and peripheral blood cells of rats as a result of antioxidant activity.

Cadmium Exposure and Liver Disease among US Adults

PubMed Central

Hyder, Omar; Chung, Michael; Cosgrove, David; Herman, Joseph M.; Li, Zhiping; Firoozmand, Amin; Gurakar, Ahmet; Koteish, Ayman; Pawlik, Timothy M.

2014-01-01

Background Effects of chronic cadmium exposure on liver disease and liver-related mortality are unknown. We evaluated the association of creatinine-corrected urinary cadmium levels with hepatic necroinflammation, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver-related mortality, and liver cancer mortality in the US general population. Methods We analyzed the relationship of individuals in the top quartile for urinary cadmium measured in 12,732 adults who participated in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 1988–1994 (NHANES III), and hepatic necroinflammation, NAFLD, and NASH. Associations between cadmium, liver-related mortality, and liver cancer mortality were evaluated in the NHANES III mortality follow-up study. Results The cutoffs for highest quartile of urinary cadmium per gram of urinary creatinine were 0.65 and 0.83 μg/g for men and women, respectively (P<0.001). After multivariate adjustment for other factors including smoking, the odds ratios [95 % confidence intervals (CI)] for hepatic necroinflammation, NAFLD, and NASH associated with being in the top quartile of cadmium levels by gender, were 2.21 (95 % CI, 1.64–3.00), 1.30 (95 % CI, 1.01–1.68) and 1.95 (95 % CI, 1.11–3.41) for men and 1.26 (95 % CI, 1.01–1.57), 1.11 (95 % CI, 0.88–1.41) and 1.34 (95 % CI, 0.72–2.50) for women, respectively. The hazard ratios for liver-related mortality and liver cancer mortality for both genders were 3.42 (95 % CI, 1.12–10.47) and 1.25 (95 % CI, 0.37–4.27). Conclusions Environmental cadmium exposure was associated with hepatic necroinflammation, NAFLD, and NASH in men, and hepatic necroinflammation in women. Individuals in the top quartile of creatinine-corrected urinary cadmium had over a threefold increased risk of liver disease mortality but not in liver cancer related mortality. PMID:23636881

Chronic cadmium exposure in vitro induces cancer cell characteristics in human lung cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Person, Rachel J.; Tokar, Erik J.; Xu, Yuanyuan

Cadmium is a known human lung carcinogen. Here, we attempt to develop an in vitro model of cadmium-induced human lung carcinogenesis by chronically exposing the peripheral lung epithelia cell line, HPL-1D, to a low level of cadmium. Cells were chronically exposed to 5 μM cadmium, a noncytotoxic level, and monitored for acquired cancer characteristics. By 20 weeks of continuous cadmium exposure, these chronic cadmium treated lung (CCT-LC) cells showed marked increases in secreted MMP-2 activity (3.5-fold), invasion (3.4-fold), and colony formation in soft agar (2-fold). CCT-LC cells were hyperproliferative, grew well in serum-free media, and overexpressed cyclin D1. The CCT-LCmore » cells also showed decreased expression of the tumor suppressor genes p16 and SLC38A3 at the protein levels. Also consistent with an acquired cancer cell phenotype, CCT-LC cells showed increased expression of the oncoproteins K-RAS and N-RAS as well as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition marker protein Vimentin. Metallothionein (MT) expression is increased by cadmium, and is typically overexpressed in human lung cancers. The major MT isoforms, MT-1A and MT-2A were elevated in CCT-LC cells. Oxidant adaptive response genes HO-1 and HIF-1A were also activated in CCT-LC cells. Expression of the metal transport genes ZNT-1, ZNT-5, and ZIP-8 increased in CCT-LC cells culminating in reduced cadmium accumulation, suggesting adaptation to the metal. Overall, these data suggest that exposure of human lung epithelial cells to cadmium causes acquisition of cancer cell characteristics. Furthermore, transformation occurs despite the cell's ability to adapt to chronic cadmium exposure. - Highlights: • Chronic cadmium exposure induces cancer cell characteristics in human lung cells. • This provides an in vitro model of cadmium-induced human lung cell transformation. • This occurred with general and lung specific changes typical for cancer cells. • These findings add insight to the

Bone Resorption and Environmental Exposure to Cadmium in Women: A Population Study

PubMed Central

Schutte, Rudolph; Nawrot, Tim S.; Richart, Tom; Thijs, Lutgarde; Vanderschueren, Dirk; Kuznetsova, Tatiana; Van Hecke, Etienne; Roels, Harry A.; Staessen, Jan A.

2008-01-01

Background Environmental exposure to cadmium decreases bone density indirectly through hypercalciuria resulting from renal tubular dysfunction. Objective We sought evidence for a direct osteotoxic effect of cadmium in women. Methods We randomly recruited 294 women (mean age, 49.2 years) from a Flemish population with environmental cadmium exposure. We measured 24-hr urinary cadmium and blood cadmium as indexes of lifetime and recent exposure, respectively. We assessed the multivariate-adjusted association of exposure with specific markers of bone resorption, urinary hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) and lysylpyridinoline (LP), as well as with calcium excretion, various calciotropic hormones, and forearm bone density. Results In all women, the effect sizes associated with a doubling of lifetime exposure were 8.4% (p = 0.009) for HP, 6.9% (p = 0.10) for LP, 0.77 mmol/day (p = 0.003) for urinary calcium, –0.009 g/cm2 (p = 0.055) for proximal forearm bone density, and –16.8% (p = 0.065) for serum parathyroid hormone. In 144 postmenopausal women, the corresponding effect sizes were –0.01223 g/cm2 (p = 0.008) for distal forearm bone density, 4.7% (p = 0.064) for serum calcitonin, and 10.2% for bone-specific alkaline phosphatase. In all women, the effect sizes associated with a doubling of recent exposure were 7.2% (p = 0.001) for urinary HP, 7.2% (p = 0.021) for urinary LP, –9.0% (p = 0.097) for serum parathyroid hormone, and 5.5% (p = 0.008) for serum calcitonin. Only one woman had renal tubular dysfunction (urinary retinol-binding protein > 338 μg/day). Conclusions In the absence of renal tubular dysfunction, environmental exposure to cadmium increases bone resorption in women, suggesting a direct osteotoxic effect with increased calciuria and reactive changes in calciotropic hormones. PMID:18560534

Reviews of the environmental effects of pollutants: IV. Cadmium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hammons, A.S.; Huff, J.E.; Braunstein, H.M.

This report is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary review of the health and environmental effects of cadmium and specific cadmium derivatives. More than 500 references are cited. The cadmium body burden in animals and humans results mainly from the diet. In the United States, the normal intake of cadmium for adult humans is estimated at about 50 ..mu..g per day. Tobacco smoke is a significant additional source of cadmium exposure. The kidneys and liver together contain about 50% of the total cadmium body burden. Acute cadmium poisoning is primarily an occupational problem, generally from inhalation of cadmium fumes or dusts. In themore » general population, incidents of acute poisoning by inhaled or ingested cadmium or its compounds are relatively rare. The kidney is the primary target organ for toxicity from prolonged low-level exposure to cadmium. No causal relationship has been established between cadmium exposure and human cancer, although a possible link between cadmium and prostate cancer has been indicated. Cadmium has been shown to be teratogenic in rats, hamsters, and mice, but no such effects have been proven in humans. Cadmium has been reported to increase the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells and in human peripheral leukocytes. The major concern about environmental cadmium is the potential effects on the general population. There is no substantial evidence of hazard from current levels of cadmium in air, water, or food. However, because cadmium is a cumulative poison and because present intake provides a relatively small safety margin, there are adequate reasons for concern over possible future increases in background levels.« less

Impact of Soil Cadmium on Land Snails: A Two-Stage Exposure Approach under Semi-Field Conditions Using Bioaccumulative and Conchological End-Points of Exposure

PubMed Central

Nica, Dragos V.; Filimon, Marioara Nicoleta; Bordean, Despina-Maria; Harmanescu, Monica; Draghici, George Andrei; Dragan, Simona; Gergen, Iosif I.

2015-01-01

Land snails are highly tolerant to cadmium exposure and are able to accumulate soil cadmium independently of food ingestion. However, little information exists on the kinetics of cadmium retention in terrestrial gastropods exposed to an increase in the soil cadmium content, over time. There is also little knowledge about how exposure to cadmium-polluted soils influences shell growth and architecture. In this context, we examined cadmium accumulation in the hepatopancreas and shell of juvenile Cantareus aspersus exposed to elevating high levels of cadmium in soil. Also, the toxicity of cadmium to snails was assessed using a range of conchological endpoints, including shell height, width, volume, allometry and integrity. Test snails, aged three months, were reared under semi-field conditions, fed an uncontaminated diet and exposed first, for a period of 30 days, to a series of soil cadmium concentrations, and then, for a second period of 30 days, to soils with higher cadmium content. Cadmium showed a dose-dependent accumulation in both the hepatopancreas and shell. The kinetics of cadmium retention in the hepatopancreas of snails previously exposed to cadmium-spiked soils was significantly influenced by a new exposure event. The shell was not a relevant bioaccumulator for soil cadmium. Under the present experimental conditions, only high cadmium exposure significantly affected either the shell growth or snail survival. There was no consistent effect on shell allometry, but the shell integrity, especially in rapidly growing parts, appeared to be affected by high cadmium exposure. Our results attest to the value of hepatopancreas for describing cadmium retention in land snails and to the difficulty of using conchological parameters in field surveys for estimating the environmental hazard of soil cadmium. PMID:25790135

Exposure to Nickel, Chromium, or Cadmium Causes Distinct Changes in the Gene Expression Patterns of a Rat Liver Derived Cell Line

PubMed Central

Permenter, Matthew G.; Lewis, John A.; Jackson, David A.

2011-01-01

Many heavy metals, including nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd), and chromium (Cr) are toxic industrial chemicals with an exposure risk in both occupational and environmental settings that may cause harmful outcomes. While these substances are known to produce adverse health effects leading to disease or health problems, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. To elucidate the processes involved in the toxicity of nickel, cadmium, and chromium at the molecular level and to perform a comparative analysis, H4-II-E-C3 rat liver-derived cell lines were treated with soluble salts of each metal using concentrations derived from viability assays, and gene expression patterns were determined with DNA microarrays. We identified both common and unique biological responses to exposure to the three metals. Nickel, cadmium, chromium all induced oxidative stress with both similar and unique genes and pathways responding to this stress. Although all three metals are known to be genotoxic, evidence for DNA damage in our study only exists in response to chromium. Nickel induced a hypoxic response as well as inducing genes involved in chromatin structure, perhaps by replacing iron in key proteins. Cadmium distinctly perturbed genes related to endoplasmic reticulum stress and invoked the unfolded protein response leading to apoptosis. With these studies, we have completed the first gene expression comparative analysis of nickel, cadmium, and chromium in H4-II-E-C3 cells. PMID:22110744

Cadmium, mercury, and lead in kidney cortex of living kidney donors: Impact of different exposure sources,

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barregard, Lars, E-mail: lars.barregard@amm.gu.se; Fabricius-Lagging, Elisabeth; Lundh, Thomas

Background: Most current knowledge on kidney concentrations of nephrotoxic metals like cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), or lead (Pb) comes from autopsy studies. Assessment of metal concentrations in kidney biopsies from living subjects can be combined with information about exposure sources like smoking, diet, and occupation supplied by the biopsied subjects themselves. Objectives: To determine kidney concentrations of Cd, Hg, and Pb in living kidney donors, and assess associations with common exposure sources and background factors. Methods: Metal concentrations were determined in 109 living kidney donors aged 24-70 years (median 51), using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (Cd and Pb) and coldmore » vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (Hg). Smoking habits, occupation, dental amalgam, fish consumption, and iron stores were evaluated. Results: The median kidney concentrations were 12.9 {mu}g/g (wet weight) for cadmium, 0.21 {mu}g/g for mercury, and 0.08 {mu}g/g for lead. Kidney Cd increased by 3.9 {mu}g/g for a 10 year increase in age, and by 3.7 {mu}g/g for an extra 10 pack-years of smoking. Levels in non-smokers were similar to those found in the 1970s. Low iron stores (low serum ferritin) in women increased kidney Cd by 4.5 {mu}g/g. Kidney Hg increased by 6% for every additional amalgam surface, but was not associated with fish consumption. Lead was unaffected by the background factors surveyed. Conclusions: In Sweden, kidney Cd levels have decreased due to less smoking, while the impact of diet seems unchanged. Dental amalgam is the main determinant of kidney Hg. Kidney Pb levels are very low due to decreased exposure.« less

ASSESSMENT OF CADMIUM EXPOSURE AND TOXICITY RISK IN AN AMERICAN VEGETARIAN POPULATION

EPA Science Inventory

It has been postulated that nonvegetarians may be exposed to less cadmium than vegetarians because of the cadmium-poor meat in their diet. This study attempts to test this possibility by measuring the cadmium exposure and accumulation in a population subgroup that includes many v...

Preconception Brief: Occupational/Environmental Exposures

PubMed Central

Gehle, Kim

2006-01-01

In the last decade, more than half of U.S. children were born to working mothers and 65% of working men and women were of reproductive age. In 2004 more than 28 million women age 18–44 were employed full time. This implies the need for clinicians to possess an awareness about the impact of work on the health of their patients and their future offspring. Most chemicals in the workplace have not been evaluated for reproductive toxicity, and where exposure limits do exist, they were generally not designed to mitigate reproductive risk. Therefore, many toxicants with unambiguous reproductive and developmental effects are still in regular commercial or therapeutic use and thus present exposure potential to workers. Examples of these include heavy metals, (lead, cadmium), organic solvents (glycol ethers, percholoroethylene), pesticides and herbicides (ethylene dibromide) and sterilants, anesthetic gases and anti-cancer drugs used in healthcare. Surprisingly, many of these reproductive toxicants are well represented in traditional employment sectors of women, such as healthcare and cosmetology. Environmental exposures also figure prominently in evaluating a woman’s health risk and that to a pregnancy. Food and water quality and pesticide and solvent usage are increasingly topics raised by women and men contemplating pregnancy. The microenvironment of a woman, such as her choices of hobbies and leisure time activities also come into play. Caregivers must be aware of their patients’ potential environmental and workplace exposures and weigh any risk of exposure in the context of the time-dependent window of reproductive susceptibility. This will allow informed decision-making about the need for changes in behavior, diet, hobbies or the need for added protections on the job or alternative duty assignment. Examples of such environmental and occupational history elements will be presented together with counseling strategies for the clinician. PMID:16897370

Occupational Exposure to Pesticides With Occupational Sun Exposure Increases the Risk for Cutaneous Melanoma.

PubMed

Fortes, Cristina; Mastroeni, Simona; Segatto M, Marjorie; Hohmann, Clarissa; Miligi, Lucia; Bakos, Lucio; Bonamigo, Renan

2016-04-01

The objective of the study was to examine the association between occupational exposure to pesticides and cutaneous melanoma, controlling for all possible confounders. A pooled analysis of two case-control studies was conducted in two different geographic areas (Italy and Brazil). Detailed pesticides exposure histories were obtained. Ever use of any pesticide was associated with a high risk of cutaneous melanoma (odds ratio 2.58; 95% confidence interval 1.18-5.65) in particular exposure to herbicides (glyphosate) and fungicides (mancozeb, maneb), after controlling for confounding factors. When subjects were exposed to both pesticides and occupational sun exposure, the risk increased even more (odds ratio 4.68; 95% confidence interval 1.29-17.0). The study suggests an augmented risk of cutaneous melanoma among subjects with exposure to pesticides, in particular among those exposed to occupational sun exposure.

Low-level cadmium exposure and effects on kidney function

PubMed Central

Wallin, Maria; Sallsten, Gerd; Lundh, Thomas; Barregard, Lars

2014-01-01

Objectives The nephrotoxicity of cadmium at low levels of exposure, measured by urinary cadmium, has recently been questioned since co-excretion of cadmium and proteins may have causes other than cadmium toxicity. The aim of this study was to explore the relation between kidney function and low or moderate cadmium levels, measured directly in kidney biopsies. Methods We analysed cadmium in kidney biopsies (K-Cd), blood (B-Cd) and urine (U-Cd) from 109 living kidney donors in a cross-sectional study. We measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR), cystatin C in serum, albumin, β-2-microglobulin (B2M), retinol-binding protein (RBP), α-1-microglobulin (A1M), N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase and kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1) in 24 h and overnight urine. Results We found significant positive associations between A1M excretion and K-Cd in multiple regression models including age, sex, weight, smoking and urinary flow rate. This association was also present in never-smokers. A1M was also positively associated with B-Cd and U-Cd. GFR and the other biomarkers of kidney function were not associated with K-Cd. GFR estimated from serum cystatin C showed a very poor correlation with measured GFR. KIM-1, RBP and possibly albumin were positively associated with U-Cd, but only in overnight urine. No associations were found with B2M. Conclusions Our results suggest that A1M in urine is a sensitive biomarker for effects of low-level cadmium exposure. A few associations between other renal biomarkers and U-Cd, but not K-Cd, were probably caused by physiological co-excretion or chance. PMID:25286916

DOE 2011 occupational radiation exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2012-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Analysis within the Office of Health, Safety and Security (HSS) publishes the annual DOE Occupational Radiation Exposure Report to provide an overview of the status of radiation protection practices at DOE (including the National Nuclear Security Administration [NNSA]). The DOE 2011 Occupational Radiation Exposure Report provides an evaluation of DOE-wide performance regarding compliance with Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 835, Occupational Radiation Protection dose limits and as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) process requirements. In addition, the report provides data to DOE organizations responsible for developing policies for protectionmore » of individuals from the adverse health effects of radiation. The report provides a summary and an analysis of occupational radiation exposure information from the monitoring of individuals involved in DOE activities. The occupational radiation exposure information is analyzed in terms of aggregate data, dose to individuals, and dose by site over the past five years.« less

Occupational exposures and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): comparison of a COPD-specific job exposure matrix and expert-evaluated occupational exposures

PubMed Central

Kurth, Laura; Doney, Brent; Weinmann, Sheila

2017-01-01

Objectives To compare the occupational exposure levels assigned by our National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-specific job exposure matrix (NIOSH COPD JEM) and by expert evaluation of detailed occupational information for various jobs held by members of an integrated health plan in the Northwest USA. Methods We analysed data from a prior study examining COPD and occupational exposures. Jobs were assigned exposure levels using 2 methods: (1) the COPD JEM and (2) expert evaluation. Agreement (Cohen’s κ coefficients), sensitivity and specificity were calculated to compare exposure levels assigned by the 2 methods for 8 exposure categories. Results κ indicated slight to moderate agreement (0.19–0.51) between the 2 methods and was highest for organic dust and overall exposure. Sensitivity of the matrix ranged from 33.9% to 68.5% and was highest for sensitisers, diesel exhaust and overall exposure. Specificity ranged from 74.7% to 97.1% and was highest for fumes, organic dust and mineral dust. Conclusions This COPD JEM was compared with exposures assigned by experts and offers a generalisable approach to assigning occupational exposure. PMID:27777373

Occupational Pesticide Exposures and Respiratory Health

PubMed Central

Ye, Ming; Beach, Jeremy; Martin, Jonathan W.; Senthilselvan, Ambikaipakan

2013-01-01

Pesticides have been widely used to control pest and pest-related diseases in agriculture, fishery, forestry and the food industry. In this review, we identify a number of respiratory symptoms and diseases that have been associated with occupational pesticide exposures. Impaired lung function has also been observed among people occupationally exposed to pesticides. There was strong evidence for an association between occupational pesticide exposure and asthma, especially in agricultural occupations. In addition, we found suggestive evidence for a link between occupational pesticide exposure and chronic bronchitis or COPD. There was inconclusive evidence for the association between occupational pesticide exposure and lung cancer. Better control of pesticide uses and enforcement of safety behaviors, such as using personal protection equipment (PPE) in the workplace, are critical for reducing the risk of developing pesticide-related symptoms and diseases. Educational training programs focusing on basic safety precautions and proper uses of personal protection equipment (PPE) are possible interventions that could be used to control the respiratory diseases associated with pesticide exposure in occupational setting. PMID:24287863

Occupational Chemical Exposures Among Cosmetologists

PubMed Central

Pak, Victoria M.; Powers, Martha; Liu, Jianghong

2014-01-01

More research is needed to understand possible occupational reproductive risks for cosmetologists, specifically hairdressers and nail technicians, two occupations that often share workspace and exposure to hair dyes and nail polish. Cosmetologists are predominantly females of reproductive age; thus, they may be at higher risk for the effects of exposure to reproductive toxins. The purpose of this article is to inform nurses and public health professionals about occupational exposures for cosmetologists and discuss interventions to reduce the risks of reproductive disorders among susceptible worker populations. PMID:24328919

Cadmium Exposure and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in U.S. Children

PubMed Central

Weuve, Jennifer; Bellinger, David C.; Schwartz, Joel; Lanphear, Bruce; Wright, Robert O.

2012-01-01

Background: Low-level environmental cadmium exposure in children may be associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Objective: Our aim was to evaluate associations between urinary cadmium concentration and reported learning disability (LD), special education utilization, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in U.S. children using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Methods: We analyzed data from a subset of participants in NHANES (1999–2004) who were 6–15 years of age and had spot urine samples analyzed for cadmium. Outcomes were assessed by parent or proxy-respondent report. We fit multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models to estimate associations between urinary cadmium and the outcomes. Results: When we compared children in the highest quartile of urinary cadmium with those in the lowest quartile, odds ratios adjusted for several potential confounders were 3.21 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.43, 7.17] for LD, 3.00 (95% CI: 1.12, 8.01) for special education, and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.28, 1.61) for ADHD. There were no significant interactions with sex, but associations with LD and special education were somewhat stronger in males, and the trend in the ADHD analysis was only evident among those with blood lead levels above the median. 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. PMID:22289429

Is Urinary Cadmium a Biomarker of Long-term Exposure in Humans? A Review

PubMed Central

Kruse, Danielle; Harrington, James; Levine, Keith; Meliker, Jaymie R.

2017-01-01

Cadmium is a naturally-occurring element, and humans are exposed from cigarettes, food, and industrial sources. Following exposure, cadmium accumulates in the kidney and is slowly released into the urine, usually proportionally to the levels found in the kidneys. Cadmium levels in a single spot urine sample have been considered indicative of long-term exposure to cadmium; however, such a potentially exceptional biomarker requires careful scrutiny. In this review, we report good to excellent temporal stability of urinary cadmium (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.66–0.81) regardless of spot urine or first morning void sampling. Factors such as changes in smoking habits and diseases characterized by increased excretion of proteins may produce short-term changes in urinary cadmium levels. We recommend that epidemiologists use this powerful biomarker in prospective studies stratified by smoking status, along with thoughtful consideration of additional factors that can influence renal physiology and cadmium excretion. PMID:27696280

Cadmium contamination of the countryside, a case study on health effects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kreis, I.A.

1990-10-01

The border region between Belgium and The Netherlands, the Kempen, was found to be polluted with cadmium. The main route of pollution had been by air but some cadmium came by way of surface-water and solid waste. This resulted in an increase in the cadmium content of locally grown vegetables. The consequential exposure to cadmium of humans living in the area has been estimated using various methods and is approximately the FAO/WHO maximum allowable daily intake, smoking disregarded. Several studies of possible effects on public health were conducted. Among these studies were two geographic studies, one on hospital admissions formore » various non-malignant diseases and one on cancer-incidence. Two cohort studies on possible teratogenic effects in a non-occupationally exposed, non-smoking vegetarian population with a high fertility and good registration were also conducted. A survey on cadmium content of the urine and kidney damage in a longtime but non-occupationally exposed rural population and a reference population formed the main study. Also, a survey on cadmium content of the kidney samples of autopsied patients in a population based study and a reference population was conducted. Together these studies showed that the extra exposure had lead to an additional body-burden of cadmium resulting in various signs of malfunction. In consequence of the findings the Netherlands Ministry for Housing, Physical Planning and Environment appropriated money to cleanup contaminated gardens. 13 refs.« less

SMELTING PLANT CADMIUM/ARSENIC EXPOSURE COHORT ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's proposed IRIS cancer assessment (as well as OSHA, NIOSH and the European Union assessments) classify cadmium as a probable human carcinogen by inhalation exposure, based principally on data from the Globe Manufacturing facility located in the Western U.S. A major confoundi...

Occupational exposures and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): comparison of a COPD-specific job exposure matrix and expert-evaluated occupational exposures.

PubMed

Kurth, Laura; Doney, Brent; Weinmann, Sheila

2017-03-01

To compare the occupational exposure levels assigned by our National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-specific job exposure matrix (NIOSH COPD JEM) and by expert evaluation of detailed occupational information for various jobs held by members of an integrated health plan in the Northwest USA. We analysed data from a prior study examining COPD and occupational exposures. Jobs were assigned exposure levels using 2 methods: (1) the COPD JEM and (2) expert evaluation. Agreement (Cohen's κ coefficients), sensitivity and specificity were calculated to compare exposure levels assigned by the 2 methods for 8 exposure categories. κ indicated slight to moderate agreement (0.19-0.51) between the 2 methods and was highest for organic dust and overall exposure. Sensitivity of the matrix ranged from 33.9% to 68.5% and was highest for sensitisers, diesel exhaust and overall exposure. Specificity ranged from 74.7% to 97.1% and was highest for fumes, organic dust and mineral dust. This COPD JEM was compared with exposures assigned by experts and offers a generalisable approach to assigning occupational exposure. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Demographic responses to multi-generation cadmium exposure in two strains of the freshwater gastropod, Biomphalaria glabrata.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Salice, Christopher J.; Miller, Thomas J.; Roesijadi, Guritno

2008-08-20

A life table response experiment (LTRE) was used to quantify the population-level effects of continuous, multi-generation cadmium exposure on two strains of the freshwater gastropod, Biomphalaria glabrata; the parasite resistant BS90 and parasite susceptible NMRI strains. Snails were exposed to waterborne cadmium for three consecutive generations. Survival, growth and reproduction were measured empirically and incorporated into a stage-based, deterministic population model. Cadmium significantly affected hatching success, time to maturity and juvenile and adult survival in both strains. There were significant effects of generation on fecundity, hatching success time to maturity and juvenile survival in NMRI and time to maturity andmore » adult survival in BS90. Cadmium significantly affected the population growth rate, lambda (λ), in BS90. Cadmium, generation and the cadmium x generation interaction had significant effects on λ in NMRI. At the high cadmium exposure, λ for NMRI showed a decrease from generation 1 to generation 2 followed by and increase from generation 2 to 3. Lambda in high cadmium BS90 steadily decreased over the three generations while NMRI at this same concentration was similar to the controls. The results indicated that strain-specific differences in response to multi-generation cadmium exposure are evident in B. glabrata. Moreover, effects seen in the first generation are not necessarily indicative of effects in subsequent generations. Changes in λ over the course of the three-generation exposure suggest that acclimation and/or adaptation to cadmium may have occurred, particularly in NMRI at the high cadmium exposure level.« less

Exposure to Nickel, Chromium, or Cadmium Causes Distinct Changes in the Gene Expression Patterns of a Rat Liver Derived Cell Line

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-16

nickel, cadmium, and chromium are toxic industrial chemicals with an exposure. While these substances are known to produce adverse health effects leading...in both occupational and environmental settings that may cause harmful outcomes. While these substances are known to produce adverse health effects...that particular bin. A chi-squared test was used to test bin enrichment ( p ≤0.05). Probe sets that did not contain any biological process annotation were

Associations between cadmium exposure and circulating levels of sex hormones in postmenopausal women

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ali, Imran; Engström, Annette; Vahter, Marie

Recent epidemiological as well as in vivo and in vitro studies collectively suggest that the metalloestrogen cadmium (Cd) could be a potential risk factor for hormone-related cancers in particularly breast cancer. Assessment of the association between Cd exposure and levels of endogenous sex hormones is of pivotal importance, as increased levels of such have been associated with a higher risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. The present study investigated the perceived relationship (multivariable-adjusted linear regression analyses) between Cd exposure [blood Cd (B-Cd) and urinary Cd (U-Cd)], and serum levels of androstenedione, testosterone, estradiol, and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), inmore » 438 postmenopausal Swedish women without hormone replacement therapy (HRT). A significant positive association between B-Cd (median 3.4 nmol/L) and serum testosterone levels, as well as a significant inverse association between B-Cd and serum estradiol levels and with the estradiol/testosterone ratio were encountered. However, U-Cd (median 0.69 nmol/mmol creatinine) was inversely associated with serum estradiol levels only. Our data may suggest that Cd interferes with the levels of testosterone and estradiol in postmenopausal women, which might have implications for breast cancer risk. - Highlights: • Low level cadmium exposure may interfere with the levels of steroid hormones. • Cadmium exposure was associated with increased serum testosterone concentrations. • Cadmium exposure was associated with decreased estradiol/testosterone ratio. • Cadmium exposure may have implications for breast-cancer promotion.« less

Process for producing cadmium sulfide on a cadmium telluride surface

DOEpatents

Levi, Dean H.; Nelson, Art J.; Ahrenkiel, Richard K.

1996-01-01

A process for producing a layer of cadmium sulfide on a cadmium telluride surface to be employed in a photovoltaic device. The process comprises providing a cadmium telluride surface which is exposed to a hydrogen sulfide plasma at an exposure flow rate, an exposure time and an exposure temperature sufficient to permit reaction between the hydrogen sulfide and cadmium telluride to thereby form a cadmium sulfide layer on the cadmium telluride surface and accomplish passivation. In addition to passivation, a heterojunction at the interface of the cadmium sulfide and the cadmium telluride can be formed when the layer of cadmium sulfide formed on the cadmium telluride is of sufficient thickness.

Cigarette Smoke Cadmium Breakthrough from Traditional Filters: Implications for Exposure

PubMed Central

Pappas, R. Steven; Fresquez, Mark R.; Watson, Clifford H.

2015-01-01

Cadmium, a carcinogenic metal, is highly toxic to renal, skeletal, nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. Accurate and precise quantification of mainstream smoke cadmium levels in cigarette smoke is important because of exposure concerns. The two most common trapping techniques for collecting mainstream tobacco smoke particulate for analysis are glass fiber filters and electrostatic precipitators. We observed that a significant portion of total cadmium passed through standard glass fiber filters that are used to trap particulate matter. We therefore developed platinum traps to collect the cadmium that passed through the filters and tested a variety of cigarettes with different physical parameters for quantities of cadmium that passed though the filters. We found less than 1% cadmium passed through electrostatic precipitators. In contrast, cadmium that passed through 92 mm glass fiber filters on a rotary smoking machine was significantly higher, ranging from 3.5% to 22.9% of total smoke cadmium deliveries. Cadmium passed through 44 mm filters typically used on linear smoking machines to an even greater degree, ranging from 13.6% to 30.4% of the total smoke cadmium deliveries. Differences in the cadmium that passed through from the glass fiber filters and electrostatic precipitator could be explained in part if cadmium resides in the smaller mainstream smoke aerosol particle sizes. Differences in particle size distribution could have toxicological implications and could help explain the pulmonary and cardiovascular cadmium uptake in smokers. PMID:25313385

29 CFR 1928.1027 - Cadmium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Cadmium. 1928.1027 Section 1928.1027 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR AGRICULTURE Occupational Health § 1928.1027 Cadmium. See § 1910...

29 CFR 1928.1027 - Cadmium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Cadmium. 1928.1027 Section 1928.1027 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR AGRICULTURE Occupational Health § 1928.1027 Cadmium. See § 1910...

29 CFR 1928.1027 - Cadmium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Cadmium. 1928.1027 Section 1928.1027 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR AGRICULTURE Occupational Health § 1928.1027 Cadmium. See § 1910...

29 CFR 1928.1027 - Cadmium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Cadmium. 1928.1027 Section 1928.1027 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR AGRICULTURE Occupational Health § 1928.1027 Cadmium. See § 1910...

29 CFR 1928.1027 - Cadmium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Cadmium. 1928.1027 Section 1928.1027 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR AGRICULTURE Occupational Health § 1928.1027 Cadmium. See § 1910...

Exposure of children to lead and cadmium from a mining area of Brazil.

PubMed

Paoliello, Monica Maria Bastos; De Capitani, Eduardo Mello; da Cunha, Fernanda Gonçalves; Matsuo, Tiemi; Carvalho, Maria de Fátima; Sakuma, Alice; Figueiredo, Bernardino Ribeiro

2002-02-01

During the past 50 years the Ribeira river valley, in the southern part of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, had been under the influence of the full activity of a huge lead refinery and mine working by the side of the river. The plant completely stopped all kinds of industrial activities at the end of 1995, and part of the worker population and their families still remain living nearby in small communities. The objective of the study was to assess the exposure of children to lead and cadmium in these areas, where residual environmental contamination from the past industrial activity still exists. Blood samples of 295 children aged 7 to 14 years, residing in rural and urban areas around the mine and the refinery, were collected. A questionnaire was given to gather information on food habits, leisure activities, father's past employment, current and former residential places, and other variables. Blood lead and cadmium concentrations were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry using Zeeman background correction. Cadmium values obtained in this population were mostly below established quantification limits (0.5 microg/dl). The median of blood lead level (BLL) obtained in children living close to the lead refinery was 11.25 microg/dl, and the median in other mining regions far from the refinery was 4.4 microg/dl. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the independent contribution of selected variables in predicting BLL in these children. The following variables showed significant association with high BLL: residential area close to the lead refinery [odds ratio (OR)=10.38 (95% confidence interval (Cl)=4.86-23.25)], former father's occupational lead exposure [OR=4.07 (95% Cl=1.82-9.24)], and male gender [OR=2.60 (95% Cl=1.24-5.62)].

Process for producing cadmium sulfide on a cadmium telluride surface

DOEpatents

Levi, D.H.; Nelson, A.J.; Ahrenkiel, R.K.

1996-07-30

A process is described for producing a layer of cadmium sulfide on a cadmium telluride surface to be employed in a photovoltaic device. The process comprises providing a cadmium telluride surface which is exposed to a hydrogen sulfide plasma at an exposure flow rate, an exposure time and an exposure temperature sufficient to permit reaction between the hydrogen sulfide and cadmium telluride to thereby form a cadmium sulfide layer on the cadmium telluride surface and accomplish passivation. In addition to passivation, a heterojunction at the interface of the cadmium sulfide and the cadmium telluride can be formed when the layer of cadmium sulfide formed on the cadmium telluride is of sufficient thickness. 12 figs.

Aggregate Exposure and Cumulative Risk Assessment—Integrating Occupational and Non-occupational Risk Factors

PubMed Central

Lentz, T. J.; Dotson, G. S.; Williams, P. R.D.; Maier, A.; Gadagbui, B.; Pandalai, S. P.; Lamba, A.; Hearl, F.; Mumtaz, M.

2015-01-01

Occupational exposure limits have traditionally focused on preventing morbidity and mortality arising from inhalation exposures to individual chemical stressors in the workplace. While central to occupational risk assessment, occupational exposure limits have limited application as a refined disease prevention tool because they do not account for all of the complexities of the work and non-occupational environments and are based on varying health endpoints. To be of greater utility, occupational exposure limits and other risk management tools could integrate broader consideration of risks from multiple exposure pathways and routes (aggregate risk) as well as the combined risk from exposure to both chemical and non-chemical stressors, within and beyond the workplace, including the possibility that such exposures may cause interactions or modify the toxic effects observed (cumulative risk). Although still at a rudimentary stage in many cases, a variety of methods and tools have been developed or are being used in allied risk assessment fields to incorporate such considerations in the risk assessment process. These approaches, which are collectively referred to as cumulative risk assessment, have potential to be adapted or modified for occupational scenarios and provide a tangible path forward for occupational risk assessment. Accounting for complex exposures in the workplace and the broader risks faced by the individual also requires a more complete consideration of the composite effects of occupational and non-occupational risk factors to fully assess and manage worker health problems. Barriers to integrating these different factors remain, but new and ongoing community-based and worker health-related initiatives may provide mechanisms for identifying and integrating risk from aggregate exposures and cumulative risks from all relevant sources, be they occupational or non-occupational. PMID:26583907

Aggregate Exposure and Cumulative Risk Assessment--Integrating Occupational and Non-occupational Risk Factors.

PubMed

Lentz, T J; Dotson, G S; Williams, P R D; Maier, A; Gadagbui, B; Pandalai, S P; Lamba, A; Hearl, F; Mumtaz, M

2015-01-01

Occupational exposure limits have traditionally focused on preventing morbidity and mortality arising from inhalation exposures to individual chemical stressors in the workplace. While central to occupational risk assessment, occupational exposure limits have limited application as a refined disease prevention tool because they do not account for all of the complexities of the work and non-occupational environments and are based on varying health endpoints. To be of greater utility, occupational exposure limits and other risk management tools could integrate broader consideration of risks from multiple exposure pathways and routes (aggregate risk) as well as the combined risk from exposure to both chemical and non-chemical stressors, within and beyond the workplace, including the possibility that such exposures may cause interactions or modify the toxic effects observed (cumulative risk). Although still at a rudimentary stage in many cases, a variety of methods and tools have been developed or are being used in allied risk assessment fields to incorporate such considerations in the risk assessment process. These approaches, which are collectively referred to as cumulative risk assessment, have potential to be adapted or modified for occupational scenarios and provide a tangible path forward for occupational risk assessment. Accounting for complex exposures in the workplace and the broader risks faced by the individual also requires a more complete consideration of the composite effects of occupational and non-occupational risk factors to fully assess and manage worker health problems. Barriers to integrating these different factors remain, but new and ongoing community-based and worker health-related initiatives may provide mechanisms for identifying and integrating risk from aggregate exposures and cumulative risks from all relevant sources, be they occupational or non-occupational.

Chronic cadmium exposure in vitro induces cancer cell characteristics in human lung cells

PubMed Central

Person, Rachel J.; Tokar, Erik J.; Xu, Yuanyuan; Orihuela, Ruben; Olive Ngalame, Ntube N.; Waalkes, Michael P.

2013-01-01

Cadmium is a known human lung carcinogen. Here, we attempt to develop an in vitro model of cadmium-induced human lung carcinogenesis by chronically exposing the peripheral lung epithelia cell line, HPL-1D, to a low level of cadmium. Cells were chronically exposed to 5 μM cadmium, a noncytotoxic level, and monitored for acquired cancer characteristics. By 20 weeks of continuous cadmium exposure, these chronic cadmium treated lung (CCT-LC) cells showed marked increases in secreted MMP-2 activity (3.5-fold), invasion (3.4-fold), and colony formation in soft agar (2-fold). CCT-LC cells were hyperproliferative, grew well in serum-free media, and overexpressed cyclin D1. The CCT-LC cells also showed decreased expression of the tumor suppressor genes p16 and SLC38A3 at the protein levels. Also consistent with an acquired cancer cell phenotype, CCT-LC cells showed increased expression of the oncoproteins K-RAS and N-RAS as well as the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition marker protein Vimentin. Metallothionein (MT) expression is increased by cadmium, and is typically overexpressed in human lung cancers. The major MT isoforms, MT-1A and MT-2A were elevated in CCT-LC cells. Oxidant adaptive response genes HO-1 and HIF-1A were also activated in CCT-LC cells. Expression of the metal transport genes ZNT-1, ZNT-5, and ZIP-8 increased in CCT-LC cells culminating in reduced cadmium accumulation, suggesting adaptation to the metal. Overall, these data suggest that exposure of human lung epithelial cells to cadmium causes acquisition of cancer cell characteristics. Furthermore, transformation occurs despite the cell’s ability to adapt to chronic cadmium exposure. PMID:23811327

Cadmium and mercury exposure over time in Swedish children

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lundh, T., E-mail: Thomas.Lundh@med.lu.se

Purpose: Knowledge about changes in exposure to toxic metals over time remains very sparse, in particular for children, the most vulnerable group. Here, we assessed whether a reduction in environmental pollution with cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) caused a change in exposure over time. In total, 1257 children (age 4–9) in two towns in Sweden were sampled once in 1986–2013. Blood concentrations of Cd (b-Cd; n=1120) and Hg (b-Hg; n=560) were determined. Results: The median b-Cd was 0.10 (geometric mean 0.10; range 0.010–0.61) μg/L and b-Hg was 0.91 (geometric mean 0.83; range 0.021–8.2) μg/L. Children living close to a smeltermore » had higher b-Cd and b-Hg than those in urban and rural areas. There was no sex difference in b-Cd or b-Hg, and b-Cd and b-Hg showed no significant accumulation by age. b-Cd decreased only slightly (0.7% per year, p<0.001) over the study period. In contrast, b-Hg did show a clear decrease over the study period (3% per year, p<0.001). Conclusions: The exposure to Cd was very low but still might increase the risk of disease later in life. Moreover, b-Cd only showed a minor decrease, indicating that Cd pollution should be further restricted. b-Hg was relatively low and decreasing, probably because of reduced use of dental amalgam and lower Hg intake from fish. The b-Cd and b-Hg levels decreased much less than the levels of lead in the blood as previously found in the same children. - Highlights: • There are few studies of time trends for exposure to toxic metals, except for lead. • 1986–2013 we studied blood levels of cadmium and mercury in 1257 Swedish children. • The median blood concentration of cadmium was 0.10 μg/L, of mercury 0.83 μg/L. • Cadmium perhaps decreased by 0.7% per year, mercury by 3% per year. • Cadmium accumulation may result in toxic levels in elderly women.« less

Low-Level Environmental Cadmium Exposure Is Associated with DNA Hypomethylation in Argentinean Women

PubMed Central

Hossain, Mohammad Bakhtiar; Vahter, Marie; Concha, Gabriela

2012-01-01

Background: Cadmium, a common food pollutant, alters DNA methylation in vitro. Epigenetic effects might therefore partly explain cadmium’s toxicity, including its carcinogenicity; however, human data on epigenetic effects are lacking. Objective: We evaluated the effects of dietary cadmium exposure on DNA methylation, considering other environmental exposures, genetic predisposition, and gene expression. Methods: Concentrations of cadmium, arsenic, selenium, and zinc in blood and urine of nonsmoking women (n = 202) from the northern Argentinean Andes were measured by inductively coupled mass spectrometry. Methylation in CpG islands of LINE-1 (long interspersed nuclear element-1; a proxy for global DNA methylation) and promoter regions of p16 [cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A)] and MLH1 (mutL homolog 1) in peripheral blood were measured by bisulfite polymerase chain reaction pyrosequencing. Genotyping (n = 172) for the DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 1 gene (DNMT1 rs10854076 and rs2228611) and DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 3 beta gene (DNMT3B rs2424913 and rs2424932) was performed with Sequenom iPLEX GOLD SNP genotyping; and gene expression (n = 90), with DirectHyb HumanHT-12 (version 3.0). Results: Cadmium exposure was low: median concentrations in blood and urine were 0.36 and 0.23 µg/L, respectively. Urinary cadmium (natural log transformed) was inversely associated with LINE-1 methylation (β = –0.50, p = 0.0070; β = –0.44, p = 0.026, adjusted for age and coca chewing) but not with p16 or MLH1 methylation. Both DNMT1 rs10854076 and DNMT1 rs2228611 polymorphisms modified associations between urinary cadmium and LINE-1 (p-values for interaction in adjusted models were 0.045 and 0.064, respectively). The rare genotypes demonstrated stronger hypomethylation with increasing urinary cadmium concentrations. Cadmium was inversely associated with DNMT3B (rS = –0.28, p = 0.0086) but not with DNMT1 expression (rS = –0.075, p = 0

Effects of Multiple Routes of Cadmium Exposure on the Hibernation Success of the American Toad (Bufo americanus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

James, S.M.; Little, E.E.; Semlitsch, R.D.

2004-01-01

The effects of multiple routes of cadmium exposure on juvenile American toads (Bufo americanus) were evaluated using environmentally relevant concentrations. During or after exposure, toads were individually hibernated for 172 days at approximately 4??C. The following experiments were conducted: (1) dermal exposure (hibernation in soil contaminated with up to 120 ??g Cd/ g (dry weight)); (2) injection exposure (single injection with cadmium to achieve a maximum whole-body nominal concentration of 3 ??g Cd/g (wet weight) 12 days before hibernation in uncontaminated soil); and, (3) oral exposure (feeding with mealworms containing ???16 ??g Cd/g (dry weight) for 50 days before hibernation in uncontaminated soil)., We hypothesized that sublethal levels of cadmium would become lethal during hibernation because of combined chemical and cold stress. No prehibernation mortality occurred in the injection and oral exposure studies. There was a significant treatment effect on whole-body cadmium concentration in toads orally or dermally exposed and on percent of cadmium retention in toads orally exposed. There was also a trend of increased time-to-burrowing and more toads partially buried with greater cadmium concentration in the dermal study, which indicated avoidance. In all 3 experiments, no significant differences were found among cadmium treatments in hibernation survival, percent of mass loss, or locomotor performance. However, toads fed mealworms averaging 4.7 ??g Cd/g (dry weight) had only 56% survival compared with 100% survival for controls. Although our results suggest that environmentally relevant levels of cadmium do not pose a great risk to American toads, factors such as soil type or prey species may increase cadmium bioavailability, and other amphibian species may be more sensitive to cadmium than B. americanus.

Exposure to Stress: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals

MedlinePlus

EXPOSURE TO STRESS Occupational Hazards in Hospitals DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Exposure to Stress Occupational Hazards in Hospitals DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ...

Effects of cadmium exposure on Iberian ribbed newt (Pleurodeles waltl) testes

PubMed Central

Hirako, Ayano; Takeoka, Yuki; Hayashi, Toshinori; Takeuchi, Takashi; Furukawa, Satoshi; Sugiyama, Akihiko

2017-01-01

To characterize the histomorphologic effects of cadmium on adult newt testes, male Iberian ribbed newts (6 months post-hatching) were intraperitoneally exposed to a single dose of 50 mg/kg of cadmium, with histologic analysis of the testes at 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Beginning 24 h after cadmium exposure, apoptosis of spermatogonia and spermatocytes was observed, and congestion was observed in the interstitial vessels of the testes. Throughout the experimental period, the rates of pyknotic cells and TUNEL and cleaved caspase-3 positivity were significantly higher in the spermatogonia and spermatocytes of cadmium-treated newts compared with control newts. There were no significant differences between cadmium-treated and control newts in phospho-histone H3 positivity in the spermatogonia and spermatocytes. These results suggest that spermatogonia and spermatocytes in adult Iberian ribbed newts are highly sensitive to cadmium. This is the first report of the histomorphologic characteristics of cadmium-induced testicular dysfunction in newts. PMID:29097846

Cadmium exposure and atherosclerotic carotid plaques –Results from the Malmö diet and Cancer study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fagerberg, Björn, E-mail: bjorn.fagerberg@wlab.gu.se; Barregard, Lars, E-mail: lars.barregard@amm.gu.se; Sallsten, Gerd, E-mail: gerd.sallsten@amm.gu.se

Background: Epidemiological studies indicate that cadmium exposure through diet and smoking is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. There are few data on the relationship between cadmium and plaques, the hallmark of underlying atherosclerotic disease. Objectives: To examine the association between exposure to cadmium and the prevalence and size of atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery. Methods: A population sample of 4639 Swedish middle-aged women and men was examined in 1991–1994. Carotid plaque was determined by B-mode ultrasound. Cadmium in blood was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results: Comparing quartile 4 with quartile 1 of blood cadmium,more » the odds ratio (OR) for prevalence of any plaque was 1.9 (95% confidence interval 1.6–2.2) after adjustment for sex and, age; 1.4 (1.1–1.8) after additional adjustment for smoking status; 1.4 (1.1–1.7) after the addition of education level and life style factors; 1.3 (1.03–1.8) after additional adjustment for risk factors and predictors of cardiovascular disease. No effect modification by sex was found in the cadmium-related prevalence of plaques. Similarly, ORs for the prevalence of small and large plaques were after full adjustment 1.4 (1.0–2.1) and 1.4 (0.9–2.0), respectively. The subgroup of never smokers showed no association between cadmium and atherosclerotic plaques. Conclusions: These results extend previous studies on cadmium exposure and clinical cardiovascular events by adding data on the association between cadmium and underlying atherosclerosis in humans. The role of smoking remains unclear. It may both cause residual confounding and be a source of pro-atherogenic cadmium exposure. - Highlights: • Blood cadmium level is associated with atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid artery. • The results extend previous knowledge of cadmium exposure and clinical events. • The role of smoking remains unclear.« less

Sex-specific effects of early life cadmium exposure on DNA methylation and implications for birth weight.

PubMed

Kippler, Maria; Engström, Karin; Mlakar, Simona Jurkovic; Bottai, Matteo; Ahmed, Sultan; Hossain, Mohammad Bakhtiar; Raqib, Rubhana; Vahter, Marie; Broberg, Karin

2013-05-01

Dietary cadmium exposure was recently found to alter DNA methylation in adults, but data on effects early in life are lacking. Our objective was to evaluate associations between prenatal cadmium exposure, DNA methylation and birth weight. In total 127 mother-child pairs from rural Bangladesh were studied. For comparison, we included 56 children at 4.5 y. Cadmium concentrations in mothers' blood (gestational week 14) and children's urine were measured by ICPMS. Global DNA methylation was analyzed by Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip in cord blood and children's blood. Maternal cadmium exposure was associated with cord blood DNA methylation (p-value < 10 (-16) ). The association was markedly sex-specific. In boys, 96% of the top 500 CpG sites showed positive correlations (rS-values > 0.50), whereas most associations in girls were inverse; only 29% were positive (rS > 0.45). In girls we found overrepresentation of methylation changes in genes associated with organ development, morphology and mineralization of bone, whereas changes in boys were found in cell death-related genes. Several individual CpG sites that were positively associated with cadmium were inversely correlated with birth weight, although none statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons. The associations were, however, fairly robust in multivariable-adjusted linear regression models. We identified CpG sites that were significantly associated with cadmium exposure in both newborns and 4.5-y-old children. In conclusion, cadmium exposure in early life appears to alter DNA methylation differently in girls and boys. This is consistent with previous findings of sex-specific cadmium toxicity. Cadmium-related changes in methylation were also related to lower birth weight.

Sex-specific effects of early life cadmium exposure on DNA methylation and implications for birth weight

PubMed Central

Kippler, Maria; Engström, Karin; Mlakar, Simona Jurkovic; Bottai, Matteo; Ahmed, Sultan; Hossain, Mohammad Bakhtiar; Raqib, Rubhana; Vahter, Marie; Broberg, Karin

2013-01-01

Dietary cadmium exposure was recently found to alter DNA methylation in adults, but data on effects early in life are lacking. Our objective was to evaluate associations between prenatal cadmium exposure, DNA methylation and birth weight. In total 127 mother-child pairs from rural Bangladesh were studied. For comparison, we included 56 children at 4.5 y. Cadmium concentrations in mothers’ blood (gestational week 14) and children’s urine were measured by ICPMS. Global DNA methylation was analyzed by Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip in cord blood and children’s blood. Maternal cadmium exposure was associated with cord blood DNA methylation (p-value < 10–16). The association was markedly sex-specific. In boys, 96% of the top 500 CpG sites showed positive correlations (rS-values > 0.50), whereas most associations in girls were inverse; only 29% were positive (rS > 0.45). In girls we found overrepresentation of methylation changes in genes associated with organ development, morphology and mineralization of bone, whereas changes in boys were found in cell death-related genes. Several individual CpG sites that were positively associated with cadmium were inversely correlated with birth weight, although none statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons. The associations were, however, fairly robust in multivariable-adjusted linear regression models. We identified CpG sites that were significantly associated with cadmium exposure in both newborns and 4.5-y-old children. In conclusion, cadmium exposure in early life appears to alter DNA methylation differently in girls and boys. This is consistent with previous findings of sex-specific cadmium toxicity. Cadmium-related changes in methylation were also related to lower birth weight. PMID:23644563

Occupational exposure associated with reproductive dysfunction.

PubMed

Kumar, Sunil

2004-01-01

Evidence suggestive of harmful effects of occupational exposure on the reproductive system and related outcomes has gradually accumulated in recent decades, and is further compounded by persistent environmental endocrine disruptive chemicals. These chemicals have been found to interfere with the function of the endocrine system, which is responsible for growth, sexual development and many other essential physiological functions. A number of occupations are being reported to be associated with reproductive dysfunction in males as well as in females. Generally, occupations involving the manufacture/or application of some of the persistent chemicals that are not easily degradable as well as bio-accumulative chemicals, occupations involving intensive exposure to heat and radiation, occupations involving the use of toxic solvents as well as toxic fumes are reported to be associated with reproductive dysfunction. Occupational exposure of males to various persistent chemicals have been reported to have male mediated adverse reproductive outcomes in the form of abortion, reduction in fertility etc. with inconclusive or limited evidence. Nevertheless, there is a need for more well designed studies in order to implicate any individual chemical having such effects as in most occupations workers are exposed to raw, intermediate and finished products and there are also several confounding factors associated with lifestyles responsible for reproductive dysfunction. There is an urgent need to look at indiscriminate use of persistent chemicals especially pesticides and persistent organic pollutants (POP's) as these chemicals enter the food chain also and could be potential for exposure during the critical period of development. It is also necessary to impart information, and to educate about the safe use of these chemicals, as a very sensitive reproduction issue is involved with exposure to these chemicals. Occupational exposures often are higher than environmental exposures, so

Investigation of occupational asthma: Do clinicians fail to identify relevant occupational exposures?

PubMed Central

de Olim, Carlo; Bégin, Denis; Boulet, Louis-Philippe; Cartier, André; Gérin, Michel; Lemière, Catherine

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Specific inhalation challenges (SIC) enable the identification of the agent responsible of occupational asthma (OA). A clinician may fail to identify a specific agent in the workplace, which may potentially lead to a misdiagnosis. The expert assessment method performed by an occupational hygienist has been used to evaluate occupational exposures in epidemiological studies. OBJECTIVE: The broad aim of the present study was to evaluate the contribution of an expert assessment performed by an occupational hygienist to the diagnosis of OA. The specific aim was to compare work-place exposures identified by an occupational hygienist and by chest physicians in subjects with positive SICs and subjects with asthma, but with a negative SIC. METHODS: SICs were performed in 120 cases: 67 were positive and 53 were negative. A clinician assessed occupational exposures to sensitizers during a routine clinical evaluation preceding the performance of the SIC. An expert assessment of occupational exposures was performed by an occupational hygienist blind to the result of the SIC. RESULTS: The occupational hygienist identified the causal agent in 96.7% of the 61 cases of positive SIC. In 33 (62.3%) cases of negative SICs, the occupational hygienist identified ≥1 sensitizing agent(s) that had not been identified by the clinician. CONCLUSION: The hygienist identified the causal agent in almost all subjects with OA. In contrast, the clinician failed to identify potential exposures to sensitizers in >60% of the negative SIC subjects, which may have resulted in some subjects being misdiagnosed as not having OA. PMID:26422401

Cadmium

Cancer.gov

Learn about cadmium, which may raise your risk of lung cancer. Cadmium is a natural element: all soils and rocks contain some cadmium. Exposure occurs mostly where cadmium products (such as batteries, pigments, metal coatings, and plastics) are made or recycled. Tobacco smoke also contains cadmium.

COPD and occupational exposures: a case-control study.

PubMed

Weinmann, Sheila; Vollmer, William M; Breen, Victor; Heumann, Michael; Hnizdo, Eva; Villnave, Jacqueline; Doney, Brent; Graziani, Monica; McBurnie, Mary Ann; Buist, A Sonia

2008-05-01

Evidence demonstrates that occupational exposures are causally linked with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This case-control study evaluated the association between occupational exposures and prevalent COPD based on lifetime occupational history. Cases (n = 388) aged 45 years and older with COPD were compared with controls (n = 356), frequency matched on age, sex, and cigarette smoking history. Odds ratios for exposure to each of eight occupational hazard categories and three composite measures of exposure were computed using logistic regression. RESULTSOccupational exposures most strongly associated with COPD were diesel exhaust, irritant gases and vapors, mineral dust, and metal dust. The composite measures describing aggregate exposure to gases, vapors, solvents, or sensitizers (GVSS) and aggregate exposure to dust, GVSS, or diesel exhaust were also associated with COPD. In the small group of never-smokers, a similar pattern was evident. These population-based findings add to the literature linking occupational exposures to COPD.

Cardiovascular conditions, hearing difficulty, and occupational noise exposure within US industries and occupations.

PubMed

Kerns, Ellen; Masterson, Elizabeth A; Themann, Christa L; Calvert, Geoffrey M

2018-06-01

The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of occupational noise exposure, hearing difficulty and cardiovascular conditions within US industries and occupations, and to examine any associations of these outcomes with occupational noise exposure. National Health Interview Survey data from 2014 were examined. Weighted prevalence and adjusted prevalence ratios of self-reported hearing difficulty, hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and coronary heart disease or stroke were estimated by level of occupational noise exposure, industry, and occupation. Twenty-five percent of current workers had a history of occupational noise exposure (14% exposed in the last year), 12% had hearing difficulty, 24% had hypertension, 28% had elevated cholesterol; 58%, 14%, and 9% of these cases can be attributed to occupational noise exposure, respectively. Hypertension, elevated cholesterol, and hearing difficulty are more prevalent among noise-exposed workers. Reducing workplace noise levels is critical. Workplace-based health and wellness programs should also be considered. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Gene networks and toxicity pathways induced by acute cadmium exposure in adult largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides).

PubMed

Mehinto, Alvine C; Prucha, Melinda S; Colli-Dula, Reyna C; Kroll, Kevin J; Lavelle, Candice M; Barber, David S; Vulpe, Christopher D; Denslow, Nancy D

2014-07-01

Cadmium is a heavy metal that can accumulate to toxic levels in the environment leading to detrimental effects in animals and humans including kidney, liver and lung injuries. Using a transcriptomics approach, genes and cellular pathways affected by a low dose of cadmium were investigated. Adult largemouth bass were intraperitoneally injected with 20μg/kg of cadmium chloride (mean exposure level - 2.6μg of cadmium per fish) and microarray analyses were conducted in the liver and testis 48h after injection. Transcriptomic profiles identified in response to cadmium exposure were tissue-specific with the most differential expression changes found in the liver tissues, which also contained much higher levels of cadmium than the testis. Acute exposure to a low dose of cadmium induced oxidative stress response and oxidative damage pathways in the liver. The mRNA levels of antioxidants such as catalase increased and numerous transcripts related to DNA damage and DNA repair were significantly altered. Hepatic mRNA levels of metallothionein, a molecular marker of metal exposure, did not increase significantly after 48h exposure. Carbohydrate metabolic pathways were also disrupted with hepatic transcripts such as UDP-glucose, pyrophosphorylase 2, and sorbitol dehydrogenase highly induced. Both tissues exhibited a disruption of steroid signaling pathways. In the testis, estrogen receptor beta and transcripts linked to cholesterol metabolism were suppressed. On the contrary, genes involved in cholesterol metabolism were highly increased in the liver including genes encoding for the rate limiting steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and the catalytic enzyme 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase. Integration of the transcriptomic data using functional enrichment analyses revealed a number of enriched gene networks associated with previously reported adverse outcomes of cadmium exposure such as liver toxicity and impaired reproduction. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights

Designing exposure registries for improved tracking of occupational exposure and disease.

PubMed

Arrandale, Victoria H; Bornstein, Stephen; King, Andrew; Takaro, Timothy K; Demers, Paul A

2016-06-27

Registries are one strategy for collecting information on occupational exposure and disease in populations. Recently leaders in the Canadian occupational health and safety community have shown an interest in the use of occupational exposure registries. The primary goal of this study was to review a series of Canadian exposure registries to identify their strengths and weaknesses as a tool for tracking occupational exposure and disease in Canada. A secondary goal was to identify the features of an exposure registry needed to specifically contribute to prevention, including the identification of new exposure-disease relationships. A documentary review of five exposure registries from Canada was completed. Strengths and limitations of the registries were compared and key considerations for designing new registries were identified. The goals and structure of the exposure registries varied considerably. Most of the reviewed registries had voluntary registration, which presents challenges for the use of the data for either surveillance or epidemiology. It is recommended that eight key issues be addressed when planning new registries: clear registry goal(s), a definition of exposure, data to be collected (and how it will be used), whether enrolment will be mandatory, as well as ethical, privacy and logistical considerations. When well constructed, an exposure registry can be a valuable tool for surveillance, epidemiology and ultimately the prevention of occupational disease. However, exposure registries also have a number of actual and potential limitations that need to be considered.

Occupation and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

PubMed

Cullinan, Paul

2012-01-01

There is growing interest in preventable, non-smoking causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), among which are chronic exposures to respiratory irritants in the workplace. Reviews of occupational COPD in specific occupations and industries and in general populations; supplemented with other or more recently published material. There is good evidence for an increased risk of COPD from certain specific exposures (coal mine dust, silica, welding fume, textile dust, agricultural dust, cadmium fume). Less clear is the causal role of non-specific dusts or fumes/gases in general populations where the available literature is notably uncritical. Other specific exposures, such as diesel fume; interactions between specific exposures and cigarette smoking; the development of safe working limits. Occupations with large numbers of exposed employees, particularly in low-income countries.

Mechanism for accommodation to cadmium exposure in Escherichia coli B

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kitchen, J.R. Jr.

1989-01-01

All organisms possess, to varying degrees, the ability to adapt to changes in their environment. The extent of this capability can be the determining factor in whether or not an organism survives. The adaptation of the enteric microorganism, Escherichia coli, to the heavy metal cadmium is not the result of a beneficial mutation, and has been termed accommodation. A protein was found that binds to, and appears to be induced by cadmium. The work presented in this thesis is directed at (1) determining the mechanism of accommodation of E.coli to cadmium, and (2) determining the potential role of a putativemore » cadmium binding-protein in accomplishing this accommodation. The presence of three chemically related cadmium-binding proteins, possessing molecular weights of 150,000, 67,000, and 38,000, respectively, was demonstrated. The cadmium-protein bond in the 150 and 67 kDa proteins was stable when boiled in sodium dodecyl sulfate, but was lost in the presence of reducing agents. Evidence was obtained which supported the assertion that the lower molecular weight cadmium-binding proteins were proteolytic or oxidative breakdown products of the larger cadmium-binding proteins. The loss of cadmium-binding activity was time dependent, and appeared to be accelerated by the presence of high salt. To determine if the process of accommodation involved the sequestration of cadmium in the outer cell surface, subcellular fractionation experiments were performed under a variety of post-exposure conditions. The possibility that the cell surface was rendered impermeable to cadmium ions during its recovery was also examined. Neither of these processes was found to be involved in the accommodative response. Indeed, the results of these studies support the concept that E.coli circumvents the presence of internal cadmium by converting it to a form that is no longer toxic to the cell.« less

77 FR 13357 - The Cadmium in Construction Standard; Extension of the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-06

... workers from the adverse health effects that may result from their exposure to cadmium. The major... Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the worker who is the subject of the records, the worker's... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Occupational Safety and Health Administration [Docket No. OSHA-2012-0004] The...

Lead and cadmium content in human milk from the Northern Adriatic area of Croatia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frkovic, A.; Kras, M.; Alebic-Juretic, A.

Though occupational exposure to toxic metals (lead, cadmium) is well documented, harmful effects of environmental exposure to lower levels of these two metals is still under investigation. Most toxic metals are emitted by human activities and the atmosphere is the main transport route for these elements. According to some authors, 332 358 t of lead and 7570 t of cadmium were emitted in the atmosphere from anthropogenic sources in 1983. The principle source of lead is traffic, e.g. leaded petrol, still widely used in Croatia, as well as coal combustion, iron and steal production. Volcanic activity, zinc production and wastemore » incineration are the main sources of cadmium. Recent study indicates that traffic could also be the main source of cadmium found along busy streets. Chronic lead exposure at low levels is associated with adverse health effects especially in fetus and young children. This study examines lead and cadmium levels in breast milk from nursing women living in the Northern Adriatic area of Croatia. 15 refs., 2 tabs.« less

Association of Blood and Seminal Plasma Cadmium and Lead Levels With Semen Quality in Non-Occupationally Exposed Infertile Men in Abakaliki, South East Nigeria

PubMed Central

Famurewa, Ademola C.; Ugwuja, Emmanuel I.

2017-01-01

Objective: To evaluate association of blood and seminal plasma lead and cadmium with sperm quality of non-occupationally exposed male partners of couples with infertility. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 75 men aged 20-45 years (mean = 37.1 ± 7.0 yrs.) with infertility recruited from the Fertility Clinic of a hospital in Abakaliki. Sperm count done in accordance with the WHO guidelines was used to classify the participants as normospamia, oligospermia and azospermia. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine lead and cadmium levels in plasma from blood and semen. Results: There were 15 azospermics, 22 oligospermics and 36 normospermics. Seminal and blood plasma cadmium as well as blood plasma lead were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in azospermic and oligospermic men compared to normospermic men. However, while seminal plasma lead was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in oligospermic and normospernic men than in azospermic men, the seminal plasma lead was comparable between oligospermic and normospermic men. Significant inverse associations (p < 0.01) were found between blood and seminal cadmium levels and sperm count, motility and morphology; blood lead was inversely correlated with sperm count only. Conclusion: The study suggests that environmental exposure to cadmium and lead may contribute to development of poor sperm quality and infertility in men of reproductive age in Nigeria. PMID:29282417

The Australian Work Exposures Study: Occupational Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Driscoll, Timothy R; Carey, Renee N; Peters, Susan; Glass, Deborah C; Benke, Geza; Reid, Alison; Fritschi, Lin

2016-01-01

The aims of this study were to produce a population-based estimate of the prevalence of work-related exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), to identify the main circumstances of exposure and to describe the use of workplace control measures designed to decrease those exposures. The analysis used data from the Australian Workplace Exposures Study, a nationwide telephone survey which investigated the current prevalence and exposure circumstances of work-related exposure to 38 known or suspected carcinogens, including PAHs, among Australian workers aged 18-65 years. Using the web-based tool OccIDEAS, semi-quantitative information was collected about exposures in the current job held by the respondent. Questions were addressed primarily at tasks undertaken rather than about self-reported exposures. Of the 4,993 included respondents, 297 (5.9%) were identified as probably being exposed to PAHs in their current job [extrapolated to 6.7% of the Australian working population-677 000 (95% confidence interval 605 000-757 000) workers]. Most (81%) were male; about one-third were farmers and about one-quarter worked in technical and trades occupations. In the agriculture industry about half the workers were probably exposed to PAHs. The main exposure circumstances were exposure to smoke through burning, fighting fires or through maintaining mowers or other equipment; cleaning up ash after a fire; health workers exposed to diathermy smoke; cooking; and welding surfaces with a coating. Where information on control measures was available, their use was inconsistent. Workers are exposed to PAHs in many different occupational circumstances. Information on the exposure circumstances can be used to support decisions on appropriate priorities for intervention and control of occupational exposure to PAHs, and estimates of burden of cancer arising from occupational exposure to PAHs. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British

The Australian Work Exposures Study: Prevalence of Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde.

PubMed

Driscoll, Timothy R; Carey, Renee N; Peters, Susan; Glass, Deborah C; Benke, Geza; Reid, Alison; Fritschi, Lin

2016-01-01

The aims of this study were to produce a population-based estimate of the prevalence of work-related exposure to formaldehyde, to identify the main circumstances of exposure and to describe the use of workplace control measures designed to decrease those exposures. The analysis used data from the Australian Workplace Exposures Study, a nationwide telephone survey, which investigated the current prevalence and exposure circumstances of work-related exposure to 38 known or suspected carcinogens, including formaldehyde, among Australian workers aged 18-65 years. Using the web-based tool OccIDEAS, semi-quantitative information was collected about exposures in the current job held by the respondent. Questions were addressed primarily at tasks undertaken rather than about self-reported exposures. Of the 4993 included respondents, 124 (2.5%) were identified as probably being exposed to formaldehyde in the course of their work [extrapolated to 2.6% of the Australian working population-265 000 (95% confidence interval 221 000-316 000) workers]. Most (87.1%) were male. About half worked in technical and trades occupations. In terms of industry, about half worked in the construction industry. The main circumstances of exposure were working with particle board or plywood typically through carpentry work, building maintenance, or sanding prior to painting; with the more common of other exposures circumstances being firefighters involved in fighting fires, fire overhaul, and clean-up or back-burning; and health workers using formaldehyde when sterilizing equipment or in a pathology laboratory setting. The use of control measures was inconsistent. Workers are exposed to formaldehyde in many different occupational circumstances. Information on the exposure circumstances can be used to support decisions on appropriate priorities for intervention and control of occupational exposure to formaldehyde, and estimates of burden of cancer arising from occupational exposure to formaldehyde

Exposure Estimation and Interpretation of Occupational Risk: Enhanced Information for the Occupational Risk Manager

PubMed Central

Waters, Martha; McKernan, Lauralynn; Maier, Andrew; Jayjock, Michael; Schaeffer, Val; Brosseau, Lisa

2015-01-01

The fundamental goal of this article is to describe, define, and analyze the components of the risk characterization process for occupational exposures. Current methods are described for the probabilistic characterization of exposure, including newer techniques that have increasing applications for assessing data from occupational exposure scenarios. In addition, since the probability of health effects reflects variability in the exposure estimate as well as the dose-response curve—the integrated considerations of variability surrounding both components of the risk characterization provide greater information to the occupational hygienist. Probabilistic tools provide a more informed view of exposure as compared to use of discrete point estimates for these inputs to the risk characterization process. Active use of such tools for exposure and risk assessment will lead to a scientifically supported worker health protection program. Understanding the bases for an occupational risk assessment, focusing on important sources of variability and uncertainty enables characterizing occupational risk in terms of a probability, rather than a binary decision of acceptable risk or unacceptable risk. A critical review of existing methods highlights several conclusions: (1) exposure estimates and the dose-response are impacted by both variability and uncertainty and a well-developed risk characterization reflects and communicates this consideration; (2) occupational risk is probabilistic in nature and most accurately considered as a distribution, not a point estimate; and (3) occupational hygienists have a variety of tools available to incorporate concepts of risk characterization into occupational health and practice. PMID:26302336

Association of lead and cadmium exposure with frailty in US older adults

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

García-Esquinas, Esther, E-mail: esthergge@gmail.com; CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

Background: Environmental lead and cadmium exposure is associated with higher risk of several age-related chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and osteoporosis. These diseases may lead to frailty, a geriatric syndrome characterized by diminished physiologic reserve in multiple systems with decreased ability to cope with acute stressors. However, no previous study has evaluated the association between lead or cadmium exposure and frailty. Methods: Cross-sectional study among individuals aged ≥60 years who participated in the third U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and had either blood lead (N=5272) or urine cadmium (N=4887) determinations. Frailty was ascertained with amore » slight modification of the Fried criteria, so that individuals meeting ≥3 of 5 pre-defined criteria (exhaustion, low body weight, low physical activity, weakness and slow walking speed), were considered as frail. The association between lead and cadmium with frailty was evaluated using logistic regression with adjustment for relevant confounders. Results: Median (intertertile range) concentrations of blood lead and urine cadmium were 3.9 µg/dl (2.9–4.9) and 0.62 µg/l (0.41–0.91), respectively. The prevalence of frailty was 7.1%. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of frailty comparing the second and third to the lowest tertile of blood lead were, respectively, 1.40 (0.96–2.04) and 1.75 (1.33–2.31). Lead concentrations were also associated with the frequency of exhaustion, weakness and slowness. The corresponding odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for cadmium were, respectively, 0.97 (0.68–1.39) and 1.55 (1.03–2.32), but this association did not hold after excluding participants with reduced glomerular filtration rate: 0.70 (0.43–1.14) and 1.09 (0.56–2.11), respectively. Conclusions: In the US older adult population, blood lead but not urine cadmium concentrations showed a direct dose�

Paternal occupational exposures and childhood cancer.

PubMed Central

Feychting, M; Plato, N; Nise, G; Ahlbom, A

2001-01-01

The objective of the study described here was to test the hypothesis that paternal occupational exposure near conception increases the risk of cancer in the offspring. We conducted a cohort study based on a population of 235,635 children born shortly after two different censuses in Sweden. The children were followed from birth to 14 years, and cases of cancer were identified in the Swedish Cancer Registry. Occupational hygienists assessed the probability of exposure to different agents in each combination of the father's industry and occupation as reported in the censuses. We also analyzed individual job titles. We compared the cancer incidence among children of exposed fathers to that among children of unexposed fathers using Cox proportional hazards modeling. The main findings were an increased risk of nervous system tumors related to paternal occupational exposure to pesticides [relative risk (RR) = 2.36; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.27-4.39] and work as a painter (RR = 3.65; 95% CI, 1.71-7.80), and an increased risk of leukemia related to wood work by fathers (RR = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.26-3.78). We found no associations between childhood leukemia and paternal exposure to pesticides or paint. Our results support previous findings of an increased risk of childhood brain tumors and leukemia associated with certain paternal occupational exposures. Some findings in previous studies were not confirmed in this study. PMID:11266332

Epigenetics, obesity and early-life cadmium or lead exposure

PubMed Central

Park, Sarah S; Skaar, David A; Jirtle, Randy L; Hoyo, Cathrine

2017-01-01

Obesity is a complex and multifactorial disease, which likely comprises multiple subtypes. Emerging data have linked chemical exposures to obesity. As organismal response to environmental exposures includes altered gene expression, identifying the regulatory epigenetic changes involved would be key to understanding the path from exposure to phenotype and provide new tools for exposure detection and risk assessment. In this report, we summarize published data linking early-life exposure to the heavy metals, cadmium and lead, to obesity. We also discuss potential mechanisms, as well as the need for complete coverage in epigenetic screening to fully identify alterations. The keys to understanding how metal exposure contributes to obesity are improved assessment of exposure and comprehensive establishment of epigenetic profiles that may serve as markers for exposures. PMID:27981852

Epigenetics, obesity and early-life cadmium or lead exposure.

PubMed

Park, Sarah S; Skaar, David A; Jirtle, Randy L; Hoyo, Cathrine

2017-01-01

Obesity is a complex and multifactorial disease, which likely comprises multiple subtypes. Emerging data have linked chemical exposures to obesity. As organismal response to environmental exposures includes altered gene expression, identifying the regulatory epigenetic changes involved would be key to understanding the path from exposure to phenotype and provide new tools for exposure detection and risk assessment. In this report, we summarize published data linking early-life exposure to the heavy metals, cadmium and lead, to obesity. We also discuss potential mechanisms, as well as the need for complete coverage in epigenetic screening to fully identify alterations. The keys to understanding how metal exposure contributes to obesity are improved assessment of exposure and comprehensive establishment of epigenetic profiles that may serve as markers for exposures.

Parental occupational exposures and risk of childhood cancer.

PubMed Central

Colt, J S; Blair, A

1998-01-01

Occupational exposures of parents might be related to cancer in their offspring. Forty-eight published studies on this topic have reported relative risks for over 1000 specific occupation/cancer combinations. Virtually all of the studies employed the case-control design. Occupations and exposures of fathers were investigated much more frequently than those of the mother. Information about parental occupations was derived through interviews or from birth certificates and other administrative records. Specific exposures were typically estimated by industrial hygienists or were self-reported. The studies have several limitations related to the quality of the exposure assessment, small numbers of exposed cases, multiple comparisons, and possible bias toward the reporting of positive results. Despite these limitations, they provide evidence that certain parental exposures may be harmful to children and deserve further study. The strongest evidence is for childhood leukemia and paternal exposure to solvents, paints, and employment in motor vehicle-related occupations; and childhood nervous system cancers and paternal exposure to paints. To more clearly evaluate the importance of these and other exposures in future investigations, we need improvements in four areas: a) more careful attention must be paid to maternal exposures; b) studies should employ more sophisticated exposure assessment techniques; c) careful attention must be paid to the postulated mechanism, timing, and route of exposure; and d) if postnatal exposures are evaluated, studies should provide evidence that the exposure is actually transferred from the workplace to the child's environment. PMID:9646055

Cadmium and Cadmium/Zinc Ratios and Tobacco-Related Morbidities

PubMed Central

Richter, Patricia; Faroon, Obaid; Pappas, R. Steven

2017-01-01

Metals are one of five major categories of carcinogenic or toxic constituents in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Cadmium is highly volatile and a higher percentage of the total tobacco cadmium content is efficiently transferred to mainstream tobacco smoke than many other toxic metals in tobacco. Inhaled cadmium bioaccumulates in the lungs and is distributed beyond the lungs to other tissues, with a total body biological half-life of one to two decades. Chronic cadmium exposure through tobacco use elevates blood and urine cadmium concentrations. Cadmium is a carcinogen, and an inducer of proinflammatory immune responses. Elevated exposure to cadmium is associated with reduced pulmonary function, obstructive lung disease, bronchogenic carcinoma, cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, pancreatic cancer, and various oral pathologies. Cadmium and zinc have a toxicologically inverse relationship. Zinc is an essential element and is reportedly antagonistic to some manifestations of cadmium toxicity. This review summarizes associations between blood, urine, and tissue cadmium concentrations with emphasis on cadmium exposure due to tobacco use and several disease states. Available data about zinc and cadmium/zinc ratios and tobacco-related diseases is summarized from studies reporting smoking status. Collectively, data suggest that blood, urine, and tissue cadmium and cadmium/zinc ratios are often significantly different between smokers and nonsmokers and they are also different in smokers for several diseases and cancers. Additional biomonitoring data such as blood or serum and urine zinc and cadmium levels and cadmium/zinc ratios in smokers may provide further insight into the development and progression of diseases of the lung, cardiovascular system, and possibly other organs. PMID:28961214

Cadmium and Cadmium/Zinc Ratios and Tobacco-Related Morbidities.

PubMed

Richter, Patricia; Faroon, Obaid; Pappas, R Steven

2017-09-29

Metals are one of five major categories of carcinogenic or toxic constituents in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Cadmium is highly volatile and a higher percentage of the total tobacco cadmium content is efficiently transferred to mainstream tobacco smoke than many other toxic metals in tobacco. Inhaled cadmium bioaccumulates in the lungs and is distributed beyond the lungs to other tissues, with a total body biological half-life of one to two decades. Chronic cadmium exposure through tobacco use elevates blood and urine cadmium concentrations. Cadmium is a carcinogen, and an inducer of proinflammatory immune responses. Elevated exposure to cadmium is associated with reduced pulmonary function, obstructive lung disease, bronchogenic carcinoma, cardiovascular diseases including myocardial infarction, peripheral arterial disease, prostate cancer, cervical cancer, pancreatic cancer, and various oral pathologies. Cadmium and zinc have a toxicologically inverse relationship. Zinc is an essential element and is reportedly antagonistic to some manifestations of cadmium toxicity. This review summarizes associations between blood, urine, and tissue cadmium concentrations with emphasis on cadmium exposure due to tobacco use and several disease states. Available data about zinc and cadmium/zinc ratios and tobacco-related diseases is summarized from studies reporting smoking status. Collectively, data suggest that blood, urine, and tissue cadmium and cadmium/zinc ratios are often significantly different between smokers and nonsmokers and they are also different in smokers for several diseases and cancers. Additional biomonitoring data such as blood or serum and urine zinc and cadmium levels and cadmium/zinc ratios in smokers may provide further insight into the development and progression of diseases of the lung, cardiovascular system, and possibly other organs.

Cadmium exposure inhibits branching morphogenesis and causes alterations consistent with HIF-1α inhibition in human primary breast organoids.

PubMed

Rocco, Sabrina A; Koneva, Lada; Middleton, Lauren Y M; Thong, Tasha; Solanki, Sumeet; Karram, Sarah; Nambunmee, Kowit; Harris, Craig; Rozek, Laura S; Sartor, Maureen A; Shah, Yatrik M; Colacino, Justin A

2018-05-07

Developmental cadmium exposure in vivo disrupts mammary gland differentiation, while exposure of breast cell lines to cadmium causes invasion consistent with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The effects of cadmium on normal human breast stem cells have not been measured. Here, we quantified the effects of cadmium exposure on reduction mammoplasty patient-derived breast stem cell proliferation and differentiation. Using the mammosphere assay and organoid formation in 3D hydrogels, we tested two physiologically relevant doses of cadmium, 0.25μM and 2.5μM, and tested for molecular alterations using RNA-seq. We functionally validated our RNA-seq findings with a HIF-1α activity reporter line and pharmaceutical inhibition of HIF-1α in organoid formation assays. 2.5μM cadmium reduced primary mammosphere formation and branching structure organoid formation rates by 33% and 87%, respectively. Despite no changes in mammosphere formation, 0.25μM cadmium inhibited branching organoid formation in hydrogels by 73%. RNA-seq revealed cadmium downregulated genes associated with extracellular matrix formation and EMT, while upregulating genes associated with metal response including metallothioneins and zinc transporters. In the RNA-seq data, cadmium downregulated HIF-1α target genes including LOXL2, ZEB1, and VIM. Cadmium significantly inhibited HIF-1α activity in a luciferase assay, and the HIF-1α inhibitor acriflavine ablated mammosphere and organoid formation. These findings show that cadmium, at doses relevant to human exposure, inhibited human mammary stem cell proliferation and differentiation, potentially through disruption of HIF-1α activity.

Exposure-response relationships of occupational inhalative allergens.

PubMed

Baur, X; Chen, Z; Liebers, V

1998-05-01

Only a few threshold limit values exist at present for allergens in the workplace known to cause bronchial asthma. This contrasts with the great number of occupational asthma cases observed in industrialized countries. Recently published studies provide clear evidence for exposure intensity response relationships of occupational allergens of plant, microbiological, animal or man-made origin. If allergen exposure levels fall short of determined limit values, they are not associated with an increased risk of occupational asthma. Corresponding data are available for wheat flour (1-2.4 mg/m3), fungal alpha-amylase (0.25 ng/m3), natural rubber latex (0.6 ng/m3), western red cedar (0.4 mg/m3) and rat allergens (0.7 microg/m3). It is suggested to stipulate legally binding threshold limit values (TLV/TWA) on this basis in order to induce more effective primary preventive measures. If no reliable data on the health risk of an occupational airborne noxa exist, the lowest reasonably practicable exposure level has to be achieved. Appropriate secondary preventive measures have to be initiated in all workplaces contaminated with airborne allergens. Verified exposure-response relationships provide the basis for risk assessment and for targeted interventions to reduce the incidence of occupational asthma also in consideration of cost benefit aspects. 'Occupational asthma is a disease characterized by variable airflow limitation and/or airway hyperresponsiveness due to causes in a working environment. These causes can give rise to asthma through immunological or non-immunological mechanisms. Up to 15% of all asthma cases are of occupational origin or have at least a significant causal occupational factor. According to the New Zealand part of the European Respiratory Health Survey, an increased risk of asthma prevalence was found for several occupations such as laboratory technicians, food producers, chemical workers, plastic and rubber workers. The Spain part of this study

Association of cadmium and arsenic exposure with salivary telomere length in adolescents in Terai, Nepal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fillman, Toki, E-mail: tokif@humeco.m.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Shimizu-Furusawa, Hana, E-mail: hana-shimizu@umin.ac.jp; Ng, Chris Fook Sheng, E-mail: chrisng-tky@umin.ac.jp

Background: Cadmium and arsenic are ubiquitous metals commonly found in the environment which can harm human health. A growing body of research shows telomere length as a potential biomarker of future disease risk. Few studies have examined the effects of metals on telomere length and none have focused on adolescents. Objectives: In this study, the impact of cadmium and arsenic on salivary telomere length was studied in adolescents in Terai, Nepal. Methods: Adolescents aged 12–16 years old (n=351)were recruited where questionnaire interviews and both saliva and urine collection took place. Telomere length was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction usingmore » DNA extracted from saliva. Urinary cadmium and arsenic concentration were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations between urinary metals and salivary telomere length. Results: The geometric means and standard deviations of cadmium and arsenic were 0.33±0.33 μg/g creatinine and 196.0±301.1 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Urinary cadmium concentration was negatively associated with salivary telomere length after adjustment for confounders (β=−0.24, 95% CI −0.42,−0.07). Arsenic showed positive associations with telomere length but did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that cadmium may shorten adolescent telomeres, even at exposure levels that may be considered low. These results agree with prior experimental and adult epidemiological studies, and also help identify the mechanism of DNA damage by cadmium. This study expanded current evidence on the harmful effects of cadmium exposure on telomere length even to adolescents. - Highlights: • This is the first study examining metal exposure on telomere length in adolescents. • Urinary cadmium levels were similar to non-industrially polluted levels in Asia. • Urinary arsenic levels were as high as

Feeding Behavior of an Aquatic Snail as a Simple Endpoint to Assess the Exposure to Cadmium.

PubMed

Alonso, Álvaro; Valle-Torres, Guillermo

2018-01-01

One of the aims of ecotoxicology is the assessment of the effects of chemicals on the ecosystems. Bioassays assessing lethality are frequently used in ecotoxicology, however they usually employ supra-environmental toxic concentrations. Toxicity tests employing behavioral endpoints may present a balance between simplicity (i.e., laboratory bioassays) and complexity (i.e., relevant ecological effects). The aim of this study was to develop a feeding behavioral bioassay with the aquatic snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, which included a 2 days exposure to cadmium, followed by a 9 days post-exposure observational period. Several behavioral feeding endpoints were monitored, including percentage of actively feeding animals, percentage of animals in food quadrants and a mobility index. The percentage of actively feeding animals was reduced by the four cadmium treatments (0.009, 0.026, 0.091 and 0.230 mg Cd/L) with the stronger effect in the highest concentration. The two highest cadmium concentrations significantly reduced the percentage of animals in food quadrants and the mobility index. Therefore, the percentage of actively feeding animals was the most sensitive endpoint to cadmium toxicity as the four cadmium concentrations caused a significant decrease in this endpoint. It is concluded that feeding behavior is a useful endpoint to detect the exposure of aquatic snails to cadmium.

Occupational Risks and Exposures Among Wildlife Health Professionals.

PubMed

Garland-Lewis, Gemina; Whittier, Christopher; Murray, Suzan; Trufan, Sally; Rabinowitz, Peter M

2017-03-01

Most emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic in origin, with wildlife a frequent source of zoonotic disease events. Although individuals with extensive wildlife contact may be at the greatest risk of contracting novel infectious agents, the occupational risk of those working closely with wildlife has not been well studied. This study assessed the occupational exposures among wildlife health professionals working in multiple countries worldwide. An occupational risk survey of past and present exposures was developed and administered online in a confidential manner to wildlife workers recruited through an ongoing international wildlife pathogen surveillance project. Surveys were completed by 71 participants in 14 countries. Significant lifetime exposures reported included bites from bats and rodents and touching dead animals. Completion of training in occupational safety was reported by 75% of respondents. While gloves were used for most tasks, use of N95 respirators and other personal protective equipment varied by task. Eighty percent of workers reported rabies vaccination. Some respondents indicated interest in enhanced occupational health services targeting their unique needs. Wildlife workers represent an occupational population at risk of zoonotic infection and injury. Enhanced occupational health services targeting wildlife workers could reduce the risk and sequelae of zoonotic exposure and infection.

Cadmium exposure exacerbates hyperlipidemia in cholesterol-overloaded hepatocytes via autophagy dysregulation.

PubMed

Rosales-Cruz, Patricia; Domínguez-Pérez, Mayra; Reyes-Zárate, Elizabeth; Bello-Monroy, Oscar; Enríquez-Cortina, Cristina; Miranda-Labra, Roxana; Bucio, Leticia; Gómez-Quiroz, Luis Enrique; Rojas-Del Castillo, Emilio; Gutiérrez-Ruíz, María Concepción; Souza-Arroyo, Verónica

2018-04-01

Metabolic factors are the major risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, although other factors may contribute steatosis. Cadmium exposure produces histopathological and molecular changes in liver, which are consistent with steatosis. In the present study, we describe the effect of low cadmium acute treatment on hepatocytes obtained from mice fed with a high cholesterol diet. Our data suggest that hepatocytes with cholesterol overload promote an adaptive response against cadmium-induced acute toxicity by up-regulating anti-apoptotic proteins, managing ROS overproduction, increasing GSH synthesis and MT-II content to avoid protein oxidation. Cadmium treatment increases lipid content in cholesterol-fed mice hepatocytes because of an impaired autophagy process. Our data suggest an essential function of macroautophagy in the regulation of lipid storage induced by Cd on hepatocytes, that implies that alterations in this pathway may be a mechanism that aggravates hepatic steatosis. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Incidence of nephrolithiasis in relation to environmental exposure to lead and cadmium in a population study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hara, Azusa; Yang, Wen-Yi; Petit, Thibault

Whether environmental exposure to nephrotoxic agents that potentially interfere with calcium homeostasis, such as lead and cadmium, contribute to the incidence of nephrolithiasis needs further clarification. We investigated the relation between nephrolithiasis incidence and environmental lead and cadmium exposure in a general population. In 1302 participants randomly recruited from a Flemish population (50.9% women; mean age, 47.9 years), we obtained baseline measurements (1985–2005) of blood lead (BPb), blood cadmium (BCd), 24-h urinary cadmium (UCd) and covariables. We monitored the incidence of kidney stones until October 6, 2014. We used Cox regression to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for nephrolithiasis. At baseline,more » geometric mean BPb, BCd and UCd was 0.29 µmol/L, 9.0 nmol/L, and 8.5 nmol per 24 h, respectively. Over 11.5 years (median), nephrolithiasis occurred in 40 people. Contrasting the low and top tertiles of the distributions, the sex- and age-standardized rates of nephrolithiasis expressed as events per 1000 person-years were 0.68 vs. 3.36 (p=0.0016) for BPb, 1.80 vs. 3.28 (p=0.11) for BCd, and 1.65 vs. 2.95 (p=0.28) for UCd. In continuous analysis, with adjustments applied for sex, age, serum magnesium, and 24-h urinary volume and calcium, the hazard ratios expressing the risk associated with a doubling of the exposure biomarkers were 1.35 (p=0.015) for BPb, 1.13 (p=0.22) for BCd, and 1.23 (p=0.070) for UCd. In conclusion, our results suggest that environmental lead exposure is a risk factor for nephrolithiasis in the general population. - Highlights: • Prevalence and incidence rates of nephrolithiasis are increasing worldwide. • Lead and cadmium interfere with calcium homeostasis and might cause nephrolithiasis. • Environmental exposure to lead, not cadmium, predicts nephrolithiasis in the population. • Safety standards for environmental lead exposure need to account for nephrolithiasis. • Reducing environmental

Development of a Job-Exposure Matrix (AsbJEM) to Estimate Occupational Exposure to Asbestos in Australia.

PubMed

van Oyen, Svein C; Peters, Susan; Alfonso, Helman; Fritschi, Lin; de Klerk, Nicholas H; Reid, Alison; Franklin, Peter; Gordon, Len; Benke, Geza; Musk, Arthur W

2015-07-01

Occupational exposure data on asbestos are limited and poorly integrated in Australia so that estimates of disease risk and attribution of disease causation are usually calculated from data that are not specific for local conditions. To develop a job-exposure matrix (AsbJEM) to estimate occupational asbestos exposure levels in Australia, making optimal use of the available exposure data. A dossier of all available exposure data in Australia and information on industry practices and controls was provided to an expert panel consisting of three local industrial hygienists with thorough knowledge of local and international work practices. The expert panel estimated asbestos exposures for combinations of occupation, industry, and time period. Intensity and frequency grades were estimated to enable the calculation of annual exposure levels for each occupation-industry combination for each time period. Two indicators of asbestos exposure intensity (mode and peak) were used to account for different patterns of exposure between occupations. Additionally, the probable type of asbestos fibre was determined for each situation. Asbestos exposures were estimated for 537 combinations of 224 occupations and 60 industries for four time periods (1943-1966; 1967-1986; 1987-2003; ≥2004). Workers in the asbestos manufacturing, shipyard, and insulation industries were estimated to have had the highest average exposures. Up until 1986, 46 occupation-industry combinations were estimated to have had exposures exceeding the current Australian exposure standard of 0.1 f ml(-1). Over 90% of exposed occupations were considered to have had exposure to a mixture of asbestos varieties including crocidolite. The AsbJEM provides empirically based quantified estimates of asbestos exposure levels for Australian jobs since 1943. This exposure assessment application will contribute to improved understanding and prediction of asbestos-related diseases and attribution of disease causation. © The

House dust as possible route of environmental exposure to cadmium and lead in the adult general population

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hogervorst, Janneke; Plusquin, Michelle; Vangronsveld, Jaco

2007-01-15

Contaminated soil particles and food are established routes of exposure. We investigated the relations between biomarkers of exposure to cadmium and lead, and the metal loading rates in house dust in the adult residents of an area with a soil cadmium concentration of >=3mg/kg (n=268) and a reference area (n=205). We determined the metal concentrations in house dust allowed to settle for 3 months in Petri dishes placed in the participants' bedrooms. The continuously distributed vegetable index was the first principal component derived from the metal concentrations in six different vegetables. The biomarkers of exposure (blood cadmium 9.2 vs. 6.2nmol/L;more » 24-h urinary cadmium 10.5 vs. 7.0nmol; blood lead 0.31 vs. 0.24{mu}mol/L), the loading rates of cadmium and lead in house dust (0.29 vs. 0.12 and 7.52 vs. 3.62ng/cm{sup 2}/92 days), and the vegetable indexes (0.31 vs. -0.44 and 0.13 vs. -0.29 standardized units) were significantly higher in the contaminated area. A two-fold increase in the metal loading rate in house dust was associated with increases (P<0.001) in blood cadmium (+2.3%), 24-h urinary cadmium (+3.0%), and blood lead (+2.0%), independent of the vegetable index and other covariates. The estimated effect sizes on the biomarkers of internal exposure were three times greater for house dust than vegetables. In conclusion, in the adult population, house dust is potentially an important route of exposure to heavy metals in areas with contaminated soils, and should be incorporated in the assessment of health risks.« less

[Occupational exposure investigation and protective measures in a tertiary infectious disease hospital].

PubMed

Ding, H M; Zhou, X P; Huang, J Z

2018-02-20

Objective: To investigate the cause of occupational exposure among 136 nurses in a tertiary infectious disease hospital, and puts forward the prevention strategy. Methods: A total of 136 nurses exposed to occupational exposure between 2014 and 2016 were included in the study. Analysis was conducted from the years of work of nurses, exposure routes, and the pathogens. Results: The nurses suffer from the highest risk of occupational exposures (73.91%) .Nurses working for less than 5 years and interns are most likely to suffer occupational exposure (45.59% and 35.29% respectively) . Occupational exposure was mainly caused by needle injuries, in which infusion was the main route of occupational exposure (36.76%) . The improper treatment of needle pulling after infusion is the main link of needle puncture (36.76%) . Occupational exposure pathogens were mainly HBV (63.24%) . Conclusion: Nursing staff is the high-risk group of occupational exposure. Irregular operation, lack of awareness of protection, improper disposal after the needle withdrawal and poor safety assessment of the operating environment are the main causes of occupational exposure. It is suggested to strengthen the training of occupational safety and protection, enhance clinical nurses occupational safety protection consciousness, standardize medical operation, so as to prevent the occurrence of occupational exposure.

Urinary Cadmium and Estimated Dietary Cadmium in the Women’s Health Initiative

PubMed Central

Quraishi, Sabah M.; Adams, Scott V.; Shafer, Martin; Meliker, Jaymie R.; Li, Wenjun; Luo, Juhua; Neuhouser, Marian L.; Newcomb, Polly A.

2016-01-01

Cadmium, a heavy metal dispersed in the environment as a result of industrial and agricultural applications, has been implicated in several human diseases including renal disease, cancers, and compromised bone health. In the general population, the predominant sources of cadmium exposure are tobacco and diet. Urinary cadmium (uCd) reflects long-term exposure and has been frequently used to assess cadmium exposure in epidemiological studies; estimated dietary intake of cadmium (dCd) has also been used in several studies. The validity of dCd in comparison to uCd is unclear. This study aimed to compare dCd, estimated from food frequency questionnaires (FFQs), to uCd measured in spot urine samples from 1,002 participants of the Women’s Health Initiative. Using linear regression, we found that dCd was not statistically significantly associated with uCd (β=0.006, p-value=0.14). When stratified by smoking status, dCd was not significantly associated with uCd both in never smokers (β=0.006, p-value=0.09) and in ever smokers (β=0.003, p-value=0.0.67). Our results suggest that because of the lack of association between estimated dietary cadmium and measured urinary cadmium exposure, dietary estimation of cadmium exposure should be used with caution in epidemiologic studies. PMID:26015077

Distribution of cadmium in the pearl oyster following exposure to cadmium in seawater

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Francesconi, K.A.

1989-08-01

Laboratory studies on the uptake of cadmium from seawater have shown that bivalve molluscs readily accumulated cadmium from this medium and that the relative concentrations of cadmium between viscera and muscle were always the same as those found in natural populations. These results suggested that in the natural environment seawater was a major source of cadmium for bivalve molluscs. Results of a recent study have indicated that seawater is not always the major contributor of cadmium to bivalve molluscs. These authors reported high levels of cadmium in the pearl oyster Pinctada albina albina, collected from Shark Bay in Western Australia,more » and noted that there was no correlation between cadmium concentrations in the oysters and cadmium concentrations in the surrounding seawater. Australia is one of several countries which have a maximum permissible level of cadmium in molluscs. The possibility that the pearl oyster, and perhaps other molluscs as well, may accumulate cadmium preferentially in different tissues depending upon the source of cadmium has important implications in the area of contaminants in marine foodstuffs. The present study reports the uptake and distribution of cadmium within P. albina albina when subjected to cadmium in seawater alone.« less

29 CFR 1926.52 - Occupational noise exposure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 8 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Occupational noise exposure. 1926.52 Section 1926.52 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS FOR CONSTRUCTION Occupational Health and Environmental Controls...

Progress in cadmium-related health effects in persons with high environmental exposure in northwestern Thailand: a five-year follow-up.

PubMed

Swaddiwudhipong, Witaya; Limpatanachote, Pisit; Mahasakpan, Pranee; Krintratun, Somyot; Punta, Boonyarat; Funkhiew, Thippawan

2012-01-01

Food-borne cadmium was the principal source of exposure for persons living in the 12 cadmium-contaminated villages in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, northwestern Thailand. This report presents progress in cadmium-related health effects among persons with high cadmium exposure. The study included 436 persons who had urinary cadmium levels ≥5 μg/g creatinine and were screened for urinary cadmium, renal function, hypertension, diabetes and urinary stones in 2005 (baseline) and 2010 (5-year follow-up). Study renal biomarkers included urinary excretion of β(2)-microglobulin (β(2)-MG), total protein and calcium, serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The geometric mean level of urinary cadmium statistically significantly reduced from 9.5±1.6 μg/g creatinine in 2005 to 8.8±1.6 μg/g creatinine in 2010. Compared to baseline, the follow-up examination revealed significant increases in urinary β(2)-MG (tubular effect), urinary total protein and serum creatinine, and a decrease in GFR (glomerular effects). Progressive renal dysfunctions were similarly observed in persons both with and without reduction in cadmium intake. Significant increases in prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and urinary stones were also detected at follow-up. These three disorders were found to markedly impair renal functions in the study persons. Our study indicates that in persons with prolonged excessive cadmium exposure, toxic health effects may progress even after exposure reduction. Renal damage from cadmium can be due to its direct nephrotoxic effect and also through the related disorders causing nephropathy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dietary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory intake modifies the effect of cadmium exposure on markers of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colacino, Justin A.; Arthur, Anna E.; Ferguson, Kelly K.

Chronic cadmium exposure may cause disease through induction of systemic oxidative stress and inflammation. Factors that mitigate cadmium toxicity and could serve as interventions in exposed populations have not been well characterized. We used data from the 2003–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to quantify diet's role in modifying associations between cadmium exposure and oxidative stress and inflammation. We created a composite antioxidant and anti-inflammatory diet score (ADS) by ranking participants by quintile of intake across a panel of 19 nutrients. We identified associations and effect modification between ADS, urinary cadmium, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation bymore » multiple linear regression. An interquartile range increase in urinary cadmium was associated with a 47.5%, 8.8%, and 3.7% increase in C-reactive protein (CRP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), respectively. An interquartile range increase in ADS was associated with an 7.4%, 3.3%, 5.2%, and 2.5% decrease in CRP, GGT, ALP, and total white blood cell count respectively, and a 3.0% increase in serum bilirubin. ADS significantly attenuated the association between cadmium exposure, CRP and ALP. Dietary interventions may provide a route to reduce the impact of cadmium toxicity on the population level. - Highlights: • Cadmium may cause chronic disease through oxidative stress or inflammation. • We developed a score to quantify dietary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory intake. • Cadmium was associated with markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. • Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory intake mitigated the effects of cadmium exposure. • Dietary interventions may be effective against chronic cadmium toxicity.« less

Occupational exposure and risk of breast cancer

PubMed Central

FENGA, CONCETTINA

2016-01-01

Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease and the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Traditional risk factors for breast cancer include reproductive status, genetic mutations, family history and lifestyle. However, increasing evidence has identified an association between breast cancer and occupational factors, including environmental stimuli. Epidemiological and experimental studies demonstrated that ionizing and non-ionizing radiation exposure, night-shift work, pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals are defined environmental factors for breast cancer, particularly at young ages. However, the mechanisms by which occupational factors can promote breast cancer initiation and progression remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, the evaluation of occupational factors for breast cancer, particularly in the workplace, also remains to be explained. The present review summarizes the occupational risk factors and the associated mechanisms involved in breast cancer development, in order to highlight new environmental exposures that could be correlated to breast cancer and to provide new insights for breast cancer prevention in the occupational settings. Furthermore, this review suggests that there is a requirement to include, through multidisciplinary approaches, different occupational exposure risks among those associated with breast cancer development. Finally, the design of new epigenetic biomarkers may be useful to identify the workers that are more susceptible to develop breast cancer. PMID:26998264

Occupational exposure to carcinogens: Benzene, pesticides and fibers

PubMed Central

Falzone, Luca; Marconi, Andrea; Loreto, Carla; Franco, Sabrina; Spandidos, Demetrios A.; Libra, Massimo

2016-01-01

It is well known that the occupational exposure to contaminants and carcinogens leads to the development of cancer in exposed workers. In the 18th century, Percivall Pott was the first to hypothesize that chronic exposure to dust in the London chimney sweeps was associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. Subsequently a growing body of evidence indicated that other physical factors were also responsible for oncogenic mutations. Over the past decades, many carcinogens have been found in the occupational environment and their presence is often associated with an increased incidence of cancer. Occupational exposure involves several factors and the association between carcinogens, occupational exposure and cancer is still unclear. Only a fraction of factors is recognized as occupational carcinogens and for each factor, there is an increased risk of cancer development associated with a specific work activity. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the majority of carcinogens are classified as ‘probable’ and ‘possible’ human carcinogens, while, direct evidence of carcinogenicity is provided in epidemiological and experimental studies. In the present review, exposures to benzene, pesticides and mineral fibers are discussed as the most important cancer risk factors during work activities. PMID:27748850

Cardiac tissue injury resistance during myocardial infarction at adulthood by developmental exposure to cadmium.

PubMed

Zepeda, Ramiro; Castillo, Paula; Sáez, Daniel; Llanos, Miguel N; Ronco, Ana M

2012-03-01

It has been suggested that prenatal exposure to cadmium may alter the cardiovascular function during adulthood. Using the left coronary artery ligation model of acute myocardial infarction, we studied the cardiac function of female adult offspring rats exposed to cadmium (30 ppm) during gestation. The cardiac ischemic zone in the control and cadmium-exposed groups was measured 72 h post-ligation using the TPT staining technique. Offspring from cadmium-treated dams showed a significantly smaller infarcted area compared with the control group (7.1 ± 1.5 vs. 19.6 ± 2.8%, P ≤ 0.05). We also performed echocardiographic and biochemical studies, which positively correlated with the differences observed previously. To evaluate whether the effects were associated to pre-infarct tissue damage and/or angiogenic molecules, we performed histological studies and measured the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and platelet endothelial cellular adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1). Results revealed a higher heart vascularization in the exposed offspring that was associated with an increase in PECAM and a decrease in VEGF expression. We conclude that prenatal exposure to cadmium induces fetal adaptive responses involving changes in the expression of some cardiac angiogenic molecules resulting in long-term resistance to infarction.

Occupational exposure in dentistry and miscarriage.

PubMed

Lindbohm, Marja-Liisa; Ylöstalo, Pekka; Sallmén, Markku; Henriks-Eckerman, Maj-Len; Nurminen, Tuula; Forss, Helena; Taskinen, Helena

2007-02-01

Information on the reproductive effects of chemical exposures in dental work is sparse or inconsistent. To investigate whether dental workers exposed to acrylate compounds, mercury amalgam, solvents or disinfectants are at an increased risk of miscarriage. The study was conducted among women dental workers and a comparison group of workers occupationally unexposed to dental restorative materials. Information on pregnancies was obtained from national registers and outpatient units of hospitals. Data on occupational exposure were obtained using postal questionnaires. The final study population included 222 cases of miscarriage and 498 controls (births). An occupational hygienist assessed exposure to acrylate compounds, disinfectants and solvents. Exposure to other agents was assessed on the basis of the questionnaire data. Odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using conditional logistic regression. The ORs adjusted for confounding factors were increased for moderate-exposure and high-exposure categories of mercury amalgam (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.0 to 4.1 and OR 1.3, 95% CI 0.6 to 2.5, respectively). The risk was slightly increased for the highest-exposure category of 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.7 to 2.6) and polymethylmethacrylate dust (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.8 to 2.4). A slightly increased risk was also detected for likely exposure to organic solvents (OR 1.4, 95% CI 0.8 to 2.3) and disinfectants (OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.9 to 2.7). No strong association or consistent dose-response relationship was observed between exposure to chemical agents in dental work and the risk of miscarriage. A slightly increased risk was found for exposure to mercury amalgam, some acrylate compounds, solvents and disinfectants. These findings indicate that the possibility of a weak association between exposure to these agents and an increased risk of miscarriage cannot be excluded.

National guidelines on management of occupational exposure to HIV.

PubMed

Rewari, B B; Negi, Shivi

2009-05-01

During patient care, the healthcare personnel are at risk of infection of blood-borne pathogens (HIV, HBV, HCV) which is referred to as occupational exposure. Exposure to blood, semen, vaginal secretions, CSF, synovial, pleural, peritoneal, pericardial fluid, amniotic fluid and other body fluids contaminated with visible blood can lead to infection. Steps which are to be followed after occupational exposure are: (1) Step I : First aid following the exposure. (2) Step 2: Establish eligibility for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP). (3) Step 3: Counselling for PEP. (4) Step 4: Prescribe PEP. (5) HIV chemoprophylaxis. (6) Step 6: Follow-up of an exposed person. In order to get timely prophylactic therapy, PEP drugs should be kept available round-the-clock in at least three locations, casualty, ICU and labour room. Every hospital should have a written protocol and SOP for handling occupational exposure. NACO is in the process of launching a national HIV PEP Registry for capturing the cases of occupational exposure to HIV more effectively.

Effects of lead and cadmium exposure from electronic waste on child physical growth.

PubMed

Yang, Hui; Huo, Xia; Yekeen, Taofeek Akangbe; Zheng, Qiujian; Zheng, Minghao; Xu, Xijin

2013-07-01

Many studies indicate that lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) exposure may alter bone development through both direct and indirect mechanisms, increasing the risk of osteoporosis later in life. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between Pb and Cd exposure, physical growth, and bone and calcium metabolism in children of an electronic waste (e-waste) processing area. We recruited 246 children (3-8 years) in a kindergarten located in Guiyu, China. Blood lead levels (BLLs) and blood cadmium levels (BCLs) of recruited children were measured as biomarkers for exposure. Serum calcium, osteocalcin, bone alkaline phosphatase, and urinary deoxypyridinoline were used as biomarkers for bone and calcium metabolism. Physical indexes such as height, weight, and head and chest circumference were also measured. The mean values of BLLs and BCLs obtained were 7.30 μg/dL and 0.69 μg/L, respectively. The average of BCLs increased with age. In multiple linear regression analysis, BLLs were negatively correlated with both height and weight, and positively correlated with bone resorption biomarkers. Neither bone nor calcium metabolic biomarkers showed significant correlation with cadmium. Childhood lead exposure affected both physical development and increased bone resorption of children in Guiyu. Primitive e-waste recycling may threaten the health of children with elevated BLL which may eventually cause adult osteoporosis.

Progress in cadmium-related health effects in persons with high environmental exposure in northwestern Thailand: A five-year follow-up

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swaddiwudhipong, Witaya, E-mail: swaddi@hotmail.com; Limpatanachote, Pisit; Mahasakpan, Pranee

Food-borne cadmium was the principal source of exposure for persons living in the 12 cadmium-contaminated villages in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, northwestern Thailand. This report presents progress in cadmium-related health effects among persons with high cadmium exposure. The study included 436 persons who had urinary cadmium levels {>=}5 {mu}g/g creatinine and were screened for urinary cadmium, renal function, hypertension, diabetes and urinary stones in 2005 (baseline) and 2010 (5-year follow-up). Study renal biomarkers included urinary excretion of {beta}{sub 2}-microglobulin ({beta}{sub 2}-MG), total protein and calcium, serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The geometric mean level of urinary cadmiummore » statistically significantly reduced from 9.5{+-}1.6 {mu}g/g creatinine in 2005 to 8.8{+-}1.6 {mu}g/g creatinine in 2010. Compared to baseline, the follow-up examination revealed significant increases in urinary {beta}{sub 2}-MG (tubular effect), urinary total protein and serum creatinine, and a decrease in GFR (glomerular effects). Progressive renal dysfunctions were similarly observed in persons both with and without reduction in cadmium intake. Significant increases in prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and urinary stones were also detected at follow-up. These three disorders were found to markedly impair renal functions in the study persons. Our study indicates that in persons with prolonged excessive cadmium exposure, toxic health effects may progress even after exposure reduction. Renal damage from cadmium can be due to its direct nephrotoxic effect and also through the related disorders causing nephropathy.« less

Sex-Dependent Effects of Cadmium Exposure in Early Life on Gut Microbiota and Fat Accumulation in Mice.

PubMed

Ba, Qian; Li, Mian; Chen, Peizhan; Huang, Chao; Duan, Xiaohua; Lu, Lijun; Li, Jingquan; Chu, Ruiai; Xie, Dong; Song, Haiyun; Wu, Yongning; Ying, Hao; Jia, Xudong; Wang, Hui

2017-03-01

Environmental cadmium, with a high average dietary intake, is a severe public health risk. However, the long-term health implications of environmental exposure to cadmium in different life stages remain unclear. We investigated the effects of early exposure to cadmium, at an environmentally relevant dosage, on adult metabolism and the mechanism of action. We established mouse models with low-dose cadmium (LDC) exposure in early life to examine the long-term metabolic consequences. Intestinal flora measurement by 16S rDNA sequencing, microbial ecological analyses, and fecal microbiota transplant was conducted to explore the potential underlying mechanisms. Early LDC exposure (100 nM) led to fat accumulation in adult male mice. Hepatic genes profiling revealed that fatty acid and lipid metabolic processes were elevated. Gut microbiota were perturbed by LDC to cause diversity reduction and compositional alteration. Time-series studies indicated that the gut flora at early-life stages, especially at 8 weeks, were vulnerable to LDC and that an alteration during this period could contribute to the adult adiposity, even if the microbiota recovered later. The importance of intestinal bacteria in LDC-induced fat accumulation was further confirmed through microbiota transplantation and removal experiments. Moreover, the metabolic effects of LDC were observed only in male, but not female, mice. An environmental dose of cadmium at early stages of life causes gut microbiota alterations, accelerates hepatic lipid metabolism, and leads to life-long metabolic consequences in a sex-dependent manner. These findings provide a better understanding of the health risk of cadmium in the environment. Citation: Ba Q, Li M, Chen P, Huang C, Duan X, Lu L, Li J, Chu R, Xie D, Song H, Wu Y, Ying H, Jia X, Wang H. 2017. Sex-dependent effects of cadmium exposure in early life on gut microbiota and fat accumulation in mice. Environ Health Perspect 125:437-446; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP360.

Sex-Dependent Effects of Cadmium Exposure in Early Life on Gut Microbiota and Fat Accumulation in Mice

PubMed Central

Ba, Qian; Li, Mian; Chen, Peizhan; Huang, Chao; Duan, Xiaohua; Lu, Lijun; Li, Jingquan; Chu, Ruiai; Xie, Dong; Song, Haiyun; Wu, Yongning; Ying, Hao; Jia, Xudong; Wang, Hui

2016-01-01

Background: Environmental cadmium, with a high average dietary intake, is a severe public health risk. However, the long-term health implications of environmental exposure to cadmium in different life stages remain unclear. Objectives: We investigated the effects of early exposure to cadmium, at an environmentally relevant dosage, on adult metabolism and the mechanism of action. Methods: We established mouse models with low-dose cadmium (LDC) exposure in early life to examine the long-term metabolic consequences. Intestinal flora measurement by 16S rDNA sequencing, microbial ecological analyses, and fecal microbiota transplant was conducted to explore the potential underlying mechanisms. Results: Early LDC exposure (100 nM) led to fat accumulation in adult male mice. Hepatic genes profiling revealed that fatty acid and lipid metabolic processes were elevated. Gut microbiota were perturbed by LDC to cause diversity reduction and compositional alteration. Time-series studies indicated that the gut flora at early-life stages, especially at 8 weeks, were vulnerable to LDC and that an alteration during this period could contribute to the adult adiposity, even if the microbiota recovered later. The importance of intestinal bacteria in LDC-induced fat accumulation was further confirmed through microbiota transplantation and removal experiments. Moreover, the metabolic effects of LDC were observed only in male, but not female, mice. Conclusions: An environmental dose of cadmium at early stages of life causes gut microbiota alterations, accelerates hepatic lipid metabolism, and leads to life-long metabolic consequences in a sex-dependent manner. These findings provide a better understanding of the health risk of cadmium in the environment. Citation: Ba Q, Li M, Chen P, Huang C, Duan X, Lu L, Li J, Chu R, Xie D, Song H, Wu Y, Ying H, Jia X, Wang H. 2017. Sex-dependent effects of cadmium exposure in early life on gut microbiota and fat accumulation in mice. Environ Health

The risk of occupational injury increased according to severity of noise exposure after controlling for occupational environment status in Korea.

PubMed

Yoon, Jin-Ha; Roh, Jaehoon; Kim, Chi-Nyon; Won, Jong-Uk

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between noise exposure and risk of occupational injury. Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used for the current study. Self-report questionnaires were used to investigate occupational injury and exposure to noise, chemicals, and machines and equipments. In separate analyses for occupation and occupational hazard, the proportion of occupational injuries increased according to severity of noise exposure (all P < 0.05). Compared to the non-exposure group, the respective odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) for occupational injury was 1.39 (1.07-1.80) and 1.67 (1.13-2.46) in the mild and severe noise exposure groups, after controlling for age, gender, sleep hours, work schedule (shift work), and exposure status to hazardous chemicals and hazardous machines and equipments. The current study highlights the association between noise exposure and risk of occupational injury. Furthermore, risk of occupational injury increased according to severity of noise exposure.

CAREX Canada: an enhanced model for assessing occupational carcinogen exposure

PubMed Central

Peters, Cheryl E; Ge, Calvin B; Hall, Amy L; Davies, Hugh W; Demers, Paul A

2015-01-01

Objectives To estimate the numbers of workers exposed to known and suspected occupational carcinogens in Canada, building on the methods of CARcinogen EXposure (CAREX) projects in the European Union (EU). Methods CAREX Canada consists of estimates of the prevalence and level of exposure to occupational carcinogens. CAREX Canada includes occupational agents evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as known, probable or possible human carcinogens that were present and feasible to assess in Canadian workplaces. A Canadian Workplace Exposure Database was established to identify the potential for exposure in particular industries and occupations, and to create exposure level estimates among priority agents, where possible. CAREX EU data were reviewed for relevance to the Canadian context and the proportion of workers likely to be exposed by industry and occupation in Canada was assigned using expert assessment and agreement by a minimum of two occupational hygienists. These proportions were used to generate prevalence estimates by linkage with the Census of Population for 2006, and these estimates are available by industry, occupation, sex and province. Results CAREX Canada estimated the number of workers exposed to 44 known, probable and suspected carcinogens. Estimates of levels of exposure were further developed for 18 priority agents. Common exposures included night shift work (1.9 million exposed), solar ultraviolet radiation exposure (1.5 million exposed) and diesel engine exhaust (781 000 exposed). Conclusions A substantial proportion of Canadian workers are exposed to known and suspected carcinogens at work. PMID:24969047

Occupational exposures and mammographic density in Spanish women.

PubMed

Lope, Virginia; García-Pérez, Javier; Pérez-Gómez, Beatriz; Pedraza-Flechas, Ana María; Alguacil, Juan; González-Galarzo, Mª Carmen; Alba, Miguel Angel; van der Haar, Rudolf; Cortés-Barragán, Rosa Ana; Pedraz-Pingarrón, Carmen; Moreo, Pilar; Santamariña, Carmen; Ederra, María; Vidal, Carmen; Salas-Trejo, Dolores; Sánchez-Contador, Carmen; Llobet, Rafael; Pollán, Marina

2018-02-01

The association between occupational exposures and mammographic density (MD), a marker of breast cancer risk, has not been previously explored. Our objective was to investigate the influence of occupational exposure to chemical, physical and microbiological agents on MD in adult women. This is a population-based cross-sectional study based on 1476 female workers aged 45-65 years from seven Spanish breast cancer screening programmes. Occupational history was surveyed by trained staff. Exposure to occupational agents was assessed using the Spanish job-exposure matrix MatEmESp. Percentage of MD was measured by two radiologists using a semiautomatic computer tool. The association was estimated using mixed log-linear regression models adjusting for age, education, body mass index, menopausal status, parity, smoking, alcohol intake, type of mammography, family history of breast cancer and hormonal therapy use, and including screening centre and professional reader as random effects terms. Although no association was found with most of the agents, women occupationally exposed to perchloroethylene (e β =1.51; 95% CI 1.04 to 2.19), ionising radiation (e β =1.23; 95% CI 0.99 to 1.52) and mould spores (e β =1.44; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.04) tended to have higher MD. The percentage of density increased 12% for every 5 years exposure to perchloroethylene or mould spores, 11% for every 5 years exposure to aliphatic/alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents and 3% for each 5 years exposure to ionising radiation. Exposure to perchloroethylene, ionising radiation, mould spores or aliphatic/alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents in occupational settings could be associated with higher MD. Further studies are needed to clarify the accuracy and the reasons for these findings. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Cadmium, lead, and mercury exposure assessment among croatian consumers of free-living game.

PubMed

Lazarus, Maja; Prevendar Crnić, Andreja; Bilandžić, Nina; Kusak, Josip; Reljić, Slaven

2014-09-29

Free-living game can be an important source of dietary cadmium and lead; the question is whether exposure to these two elements is such that it might cause adverse health effects in the consumers. The aim of this study was to estimate dietary exposure to cadmium, lead, and mercury from free-living big game (fallow deer, roe deer, red deer, wild boar, and brown bear), and to mercury from small game (pheasant and hare), hunted in Croatia from 1990 to 2012. The exposure assessment was based on available literature data and our own measurements of metal levels in the tissues of the game, by taking into account different consumption frequencies (four times a year, once a month and once a week). Exposure was expressed as percentage of (provisional) tolerable weekly intake [(P)TWI] values set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Consumption of game meat (0.002-0.5 % PTWI) and liver (0.005-6 % PTWI) assumed for the general population (four times a year) does not pose a health risk to consumers from the general population, nor does monthly (0.02-6 % PTWI) and weekly (0.1-24 % PTWI) consumption of game meat. However, because of the high percentage of free-living game liver and kidney samples exceeding the legislative limits for cadmium (2-99 %) and lead (1-82 %), people should keep the consumption of certain game species' offal as low as possible. Children and pregnant and lactating women should avoid eating game offal altogether. Free-living game liver could be an important source of cadmium if consumed on a monthly basis (3-74 % TWI), and if consumed weekly (11-297 % TWI), it could even give rise to toxicological concern.

Investing in Prospective Cohorts for Etiologic Study of Occupational Exposures

PubMed Central

Blair, A.; Hines, C.J.; Thomas, K.W.; Alavanja, M.C.R.; Beane Freeman, L.E.; Hoppin, J.A.; Kamel, F.; Lynch, C.F.; Lubin, J.H.; Silverman, D.T.; Whelan, E.; Zahm, S. H.; Sandler, D. P.

2015-01-01

Prospective cohorts have played a major role in understanding the contribution of diet, physical activity, medical conditions, and genes to the development of many diseases, but have not been widely used for occupational exposures. Studies in agriculture are an exception. We draw upon our experience using this design to study agricultural workers to identify conditions that might foster use of prospective cohorts to study other occupational settings. Prospective cohort studies are perceived by many as the strongest epidemiologic design. It allows updating of information on exposure and other factors, collection of biologic samples before disease diagnosis for biomarker studies, assessment of effect modification by genes, lifestyle, and other occupational exposures, and evaluation of a wide range of health outcomes. Increased use of prospective cohorts would be beneficial in identifying hazardous exposures in the workplace. Occupational epidemiologists should seek opportunities to initiate prospective cohorts to investigate high priority, occupational exposures. PMID:25603935

Contributions of non-occupational activities to total noise exposure of construction workers.

PubMed

Neitzel, Richard; Seixas, Noah; Goldman, Bryan; Daniell, William

2004-07-01

This paper describes how exposures received during routine and episodic non-occupational activities contribute to total noise exposure in a group of occupationally exposed workers. Two-hundred and sixty-six construction apprentices enrolled in a longitudinal hearing loss study and completed questionnaires at 1 yr of follow-up to determine their episodic activities (e.g. concert attendance, power tool use, firearms exposure). Noise exposure levels for these episodic exposures were determined from the published literature. Routine activities were assessed using activity cards filled out over 530 subject-days, along with noise dosimetry measurements made over 124 subject-days of measurement. Equivalent Leq exposure levels were then calculated for specific activities. These activity-specific Leq values were combined into estimated individual annual Leq exposure levels for the 6760 nominal annual non-occupational hours in a year (LAeq6760h), which were then transformed into equivalent levels for a 2000 h exposure period (LA2000hn) for comparison with occupational noise exposure risk criteria. The mean non-occupational LAeq6760h exposure values for the cohort ranged from 56 to 87 dBA (equivalent LA2000hn 62-93 dBA). At the mid range of the routine and episodic activity exposure level distribution, the mean LAeq6760h was 73 dBA (LA2000hn 78 dBA). Nineteen percent of the LA2000hn non-occupational exposures exceeded 85 dBA, the generally recommended occupational limit for a 2000 h workyear, at the mid-range of exposure levels. Due to a lack of available data, firearms use could not be incorporated into the total noise exposure estimates. However, firearms users reported more exposure to other noisy non-occupational activities and had statistically significantly higher estimated exposure levels even without including their firearms exposure than did non-shooters. When compared with the high levels of occupational noise found in construction, non-occupational noise exposures

Occupational Exposure to Beryllium. Final rule.

PubMed

2017-01-09

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is amending its existing standards for occupational exposure to beryllium and beryllium compounds. OSHA has determined that employees exposed to beryllium at the previous permissible exposure limits face a significant risk of material impairment to their health. The evidence in the record for this rulemaking indicates that workers exposed to beryllium are at increased risk of developing chronic beryllium disease and lung cancer. This final rule establishes new permissible exposure limits of 0.2 micrograms of beryllium per cubic meter of air (0.2 [mu]g/m\\3\\) as an 8-hour time-weighted average and 2.0 [mu]g/m\\3\\ as a short-term exposure limit determined over a sampling period of 15 minutes. It also includes other provisions to protect employees, such as requirements for exposure assessment, methods for controlling exposure, respiratory protection, personal protective clothing and equipment, housekeeping, medical surveillance, hazard communication, and recordkeeping. OSHA is issuing three separate standards--for general industry, for shipyards, and for construction--in order to tailor requirements to the circumstances found in these sectors.

Occupational Sunlight Exposure and Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Karami, Sara; Boffetta, Paolo; Stewart, Patricia; Rothman, Nathaniel; Hunting, Katherine L.; Dosemeci, Mustafa; Berndt, Sonja I.; Brennan, Paul; Chow, Wong-Ho; Moore, Lee E.; Zaridze, David; Mukeria, Anush; Janout, Vladimir; Kollarova, Helena; Bencko, Vladimir; Holcatova, Ivana; Navritalova, Marie; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Neonila; Mates, Dana; Gromiec, Jan P.

2010-01-01

Background Recent findings indicate that vitamin D obtained from ultraviolet (UV) exposure may reduce the risk of a number of different cancers. Vitamin D is metabolized to its active form within the kidney, the major organ for vitamin D metabolism and activity. Since both the incidence of renal cell cancer and prevalence of vitamin D deficiency have increased over the past few decades, this study sought to explore whether occupational UV exposure was associated with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) risk. Methods A hospital-based case-control study of 1,097 RCC cases and 1,476 controls was conducted in four Central and Eastern European countries. Demographic and occupational information was collected to examine the association between occupational UV exposure and RCC risk. Results A significant (24%-38%) reduction in RCC risk was observed with increasing occupational UV exposure among male participants. No association between UV exposure and RCC risk was observed among female participants. When analyses were stratified by latitude as another estimate of sunlight intensity, a stronger (71%-73%) reduction in RCC risk was observed between UV exposure and cancer risk among males residing at the highest latitudes. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that among males there is an inverse association between occupational UV exposure and renal cancer risk. Replication studies are warranted to confirm these results. PMID:20213683

The Risk of Occupational Injury Increased According to Severity of Noise Exposure After Controlling for Occupational Environment Status in Korea

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jin-Ha; Roh, Jaehoon; Kim, Chi-Nyon; Won, Jong-Uk

2016-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between noise exposure and risk of occupational injury. Materials and Methods: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was used for the current study. Self-report questionnaires were used to investigate occupational injury and exposure to noise, chemicals, and machines and equipments. Results: In separate analyses for occupation and occupational hazard, the proportion of occupational injuries increased according to severity of noise exposure (all P < 0.05). Compared to the non-exposure group, the respective odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) for occupational injury was 1.39 (1.07–1.80) and 1.67 (1.13–2.46) in the mild and severe noise exposure groups, after controlling for age, gender, sleep hours, work schedule (shift work), and exposure status to hazardous chemicals and hazardous machines and equipments. Conclusions: The current study highlights the association between noise exposure and risk of occupational injury. Furthermore, risk of occupational injury increased according to severity of noise exposure. PMID:27991467

[Cardiovascular risk, occupation and exposure to occupational carcinogens in a group of workers in Salamanca].

PubMed

González-Sánchez, Jesús

2015-01-01

Identify the cardiovascular risk factors in a group of workers in the province of Salamanca, protected by external prevention services, as regards exposure to occupational carcinogens, by sector of activity and gender. An observational descriptive epidemiological study was conducted. The sample selection was by stratified random sampling in each entity. The variables collected by questionnaire were, sociodemographic characteristics, exposure to occupational carcinogens, and cardiovascular risk factors (smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes), using the clinical-work histories as a source of information. Statistically significant differences were observed in cardiovascular risk according to the exposure to occupational carcinogens (p <0.001), primarily among workers in the industry sector. A total of 32% of the workers in the province of Salamanca was exposed to some occupational carcinogen. Women were more exposed in the service sector and men in the agriculture and livestock sector. Nearly one third of the workers belonging to the external prevention services of the province of Salamanca, were exposed to some kind of occupational carcinogens. The most frequent being biological risks, solvent products, and silica, which were above the national mean of exposure. It is important to consider the exposure to occupational carcinogens in the implementation of interventions in the prevention of cardiovascular risk in the work place. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Hepatocellular carcinoma and the risk of occupational exposure

PubMed Central

Rapisarda, Venerando; Loreto, Carla; Malaguarnera, Michele; Ardiri, Annalisa; Proiti, Maria; Rigano, Giuseppe; Frazzetto, Evelise; Ruggeri, Maria Irene; Malaguarnera, Giulia; Bertino, Nicoletta; Malaguarnera, Mariano; Catania, Vito Emanuele; Di Carlo, Isidoro; Toro, Adriana; Bertino, Emanuele; Mangano, Dario; Bertino, Gaetano

2016-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. The main risk factors for HCC are alcoholism, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cirrhosis, aflatoxin, hemochromatosis, Wilson’s disease and hemophilia. Occupational exposure to chemicals is another risk factor for HCC. Often the relationship between occupational risk and HCC is unclear and the reports are fragmented and inconsistent. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge regarding the association of infective and non-infective occupational risk exposure and HCC in order to encourage further research and draw attention to this global occupational public health problem. PMID:27168870

Exposure to lead and cadmium released from ceramics and glassware intended to come into contact with food.

PubMed

Rebeniak, Małgorzata; Wojciechowska-Mazurek, Maria; Mania, Monika; Szynal, Tomasz; Strzelecka, Agnieszka; Starska, Krystyna

2014-01-01

The dietary intake of harmful elements, particularly lead and cadmium constitutes a health threat and essential measures should be undertaken to reduce consumer exposure. The latest risk assessments by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) have indicated that the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) for lead and cadmium do not ensure health safety and their review had to be undertaken. Migration from ceramics and glassware intended for food contact is an important source of lead and cadmium intake. To study the release of lead and cadmium from ceramics and glassware (including decorated products) intended for food contact that are available on the Polish market and to assess the resulting health risk to the consumer. Ceramics and glassware (mainly decorated) were sampled from the Polish market during 2010- 2012 throughout the country by staff of the Sanitary-Epidemiological Stations in accordance with monitoring procedures and guidelines designed by the National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene. Migration of lead and cadmium was measured by incubating the samples with 4% acetic acid for 24 hours at a temperature of 22±2ºC in the dark. Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS) was used to measure these elements in food simulant according to a validated and accredited method (PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025). 1273 samples of ceramics and glass wares were analysed in 2010-2012. Lead and cadmium release were usually found to be below analytical detection limits. Permissible migration limits (as prescribed by the legislation) of these metals were rarely exceeded and were reported mainly in articles imported from outside the EU. Two imported and decorated ceramic flat plates released lead at 0.9 and 11.9 mg/dm2 (limit 0.8 mg/dm2) and 5 imported deep plates gave migration values of 4.7 mg/L, 4.9 mg/L, 5.6 mg/L, 6.1 mg/L, 8.6 mg/L (limit 4.0 mg/L). Lead migrations from ceramic ware rims

Occupational exposure to carcinogens: Benzene, pesticides and fibers (Review).

PubMed

Falzone, Luca; Marconi, Andrea; Loreto, Carla; Franco, Sabrina; Spandidos, Demetrios A; Libra, Massimo

2016-11-01

It is well known that the occupational exposure to contaminants and carcinogens leads to the development of cancer in exposed workers. In the 18th century, Percivall Pott was the first to hypothesize that chronic exposure to dust in the London chimney sweeps was associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. Subsequently a growing body of evidence indicated that other physical factors were also responsible for oncogenic mutations. Over the past decades, many carcinogens have been found in the occupational environment and their presence is often associated with an increased incidence of cancer. Occupational exposure involves several factors and the association between carcinogens, occupational exposure and cancer is still unclear. Only a fraction of factors is recognized as occupational carcinogens and for each factor, there is an increased risk of cancer development associated with a specific work activity. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the majority of carcinogens are classified as 'probable' and 'possible' human carcinogens, while, direct evidence of carcinogenicity is provided in epidemiological and experimental studies. In the present review, exposures to benzene, pesticides and mineral fibers are discussed as the most important cancer risk factors during work activities.

Exposure to occupational therapy as a factor influencing recruitment to the profession.

PubMed

Byrne, Nicole

2015-08-01

This article provides insight into the impact that exposure to an occupational therapist, in personal capacity or via a professional interaction, has on the decision to enter an occupational therapy undergraduate programme. A quantitative survey was completed by 139 occupational therapy students. The survey tool focussed on the students' exposure to a range of allied health professions (e.g. occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology) and investigated how exposure to occupational therapy had influenced their decision to enter the programme. The results indicated that over 70% of respondents had personal professional exposure to occupational therapy prior to making a career decision. Exposure most frequently involved occupational therapy intervention of a friend or family member. The majority of students who had professional exposure to occupational therapy (e.g. family, self, friend received occupational therapy) identified that it was the most influential factor in their career choice. Forty per cent of the occupational therapy students did not enter the programme straight from school and the influence of 'working with an occupational therapist' was noteworthy for mature aged students. Occupational therapists need to consider that every interaction they have with the community provides valuable information regarding the profession and gives insight into occupational therapy as a potential career path for other people. Additionally, the current research identifies there were differences in the impact, type and number of exposures for different student groups, and this potentially offers some insight into ways in which occupational therapy could target specific groups within the community to increase future diversity in the profession. © 2015 Occupational Therapy Australia.

[Toxic nephropathy secondary to occupational exposure to metallic mercury].

PubMed

Voitzuk, Ana; Greco, Vanina; Caputo, Daniel; Alvarez, Estela

2014-01-01

Toxic nephrophaties secondary to occupational exposure to metals have been widely studied, including membranous nephropathy by mercury, which is rare. Occupational poisoning by mercury is frequent, neurological symptoms are the main form of clinical presentation. Secondary renal involvement in chronic exposure to metallic mercury can cause glomerular disease by deposit of immune-complexes. Membranous glomerulopathy and minimal change disease are the most frequently reported forms. Here we describe the case of a patient with occupational exposure to metallic mercury, where nephrotic syndrome due to membranous glomerulonephritis responded favorably to both chelation and immunosuppressive therapy.

Urinary cadmium and estimated dietary cadmium in the Women's Health Initiative.

PubMed

Quraishi, Sabah M; Adams, Scott V; Shafer, Martin; Meliker, Jaymie R; Li, Wenjun; Luo, Juhua; Neuhouser, Marian L; Newcomb, Polly A

2016-01-01

Cadmium, a heavy metal dispersed in the environment as a result of industrial and agricultural applications, has been implicated in several human diseases including renal disease, cancers, and compromised bone health. In the general population, the predominant sources of cadmium exposure are tobacco and diet. Urinary cadmium (uCd) reflects long-term exposure and has been frequently used to assess cadmium exposure in epidemiological studies; estimated dietary intake of cadmium (dCd) has also been used in several studies. The validity of dCd in comparison with uCd is unclear. This study aimed to compare dCd, estimated from food frequency questionnaires, to uCd measured in spot urine samples from 1,002 participants of the Women's Health Initiative. Using linear regression, we found that dCd was not statistically significantly associated with uCd (β=0.006, P-value=0.14). When stratified by smoking status, dCd was not significantly associated with uCd both in never smokers (β=0.006, P-value=0.09) and in ever smokers (β=0.003, P-value=0.67). Our results suggest that because of the lack of association between estimated dCd and measured uCd, dietary estimation of cadmium exposure should be used with caution in epidemiologic studies.

Cadmium exposure and cardiovascular disease in the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Mi-Sun; Park, Sung Kyun; Hu, Howard

Background: Limited epidemiologic data are available concerning the cardiovascular effects of cadmium exposure, although recent studies suggest associations with myocardial infarction and peripheral arterial disease. We examined the associations of cadmium exposure with cardiovascular disease in nationally representative general Korean adults. Methods: We used cross-sectional data on blood cadmium and self-reported diagnoses of ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, and hypertension in a sub-sample of 1908 adults, aged 20 years and older, who participated in the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). We used survey logistic regression models accounting for the complex sampling design to estimate the oddsmore » ratios (OR), adjusting for age, education, income, alcohol, smoking, body mass index, waist circumference, family history of hypertension, blood pressure, and blood lead. Results: The geometric mean of blood cadmium was 1.53 {mu}g/L. After adjusting for potential confounders, an interquartile range (IQR) increase in blood cadmium (0.91 {mu}g/L) was found to be associated with an increased risk for IHD (OR 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-3.4). An IQR increase in blood cadmium was found to be associated with an elevated risk for hypertension only among men (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-1.8) but not among women. No association was observed with stroke in both genders. Conclusions: These findings suggest that cadmium in blood may be associated with an increased risk for IHD and hypertension in the general Korean adult population.« less

The risk of infertility and delayed conception associated with exposures in the Danish workplace

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rachootin, P.; Olsen, J.

1983-05-01

The association between infertility and a number of occupations and occupational exposures was examined in a case-control study utilizing data collected from medical records and mailed questionnaires. The results suggest that male exposure to heat and female exposure to noise, textile dyes and lead, mercury, and cadmium are associated with infertility. Further research is needed to examine the entire spectrum of abnormal reproductive and developmental outcomes of exposure to these agents and to identify their full effects.

Estimating occupational exposure to carcinogens in Quebec.

PubMed

Labrèche, France; Duguay, Patrice; Ostiguy, Claude; Boucher, Alexandre; Roberge, Brigitte; Peters, Cheryl E; Demers, Paul A

2013-09-01

We estimated the extent of exposure to occupational carcinogens in Quebec, Canada, to help raise awareness of occupational cancers. Proportions of workers exposed to 21 recognized and 17 probable carcinogens (according to Quebec occupational health regulation and the International Agency for Research on Cancer [IARC] classification) were extracted from various sources: workplace monitoring data, research projects, a population survey, radiation protection data, exposure estimates from the Carcinogen Exposure Canada (CAREX Canada) Project database, and published exposure data. These proportions were applied to Quebec labor force data. Among the 38 studied, carcinogens with the largest proportions of exposed workers were solar radiation (6.6% of workers), night shift work/rotating shift work including nights (6.0%), diesel exhaust fumes (4.4%), wood dust (2.9%) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (2.0%). More than 15 carcinogens were identified in several industrial sectors, and up to 100,000 young workers are employed in these sectors. Although crude, estimates obtained with different data sources allow identification of research and intervention priorities for cancer in Quebec. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Childhood cancer and occupational radiation exposure in parents.

PubMed

Hicks, N; Zack, M; Caldwell, G G; Fernbach, D J; Falletta, J M

1984-04-15

To test the hypothesis that a parent's job exposure to radiation affects his or her child's risk of cancer, the authors compared this exposure during the year before the child's birth for parents of children with and without cancer. Parents of children with cancer were no more likely to have worked in occupations, industries, or combined occupations and industries with potential ionizing radiation exposure. Bone cancer and Wilms' tumor occurred more frequently among children of fathers in all industries with moderate potential ionizing radiation exposure. Children with cancer more often had fathers who were aircraft mechanics (odds ratio (OR) = infinity, one-sided 95% lower limit = 1.5; P = 0.04). Although four of these six were military aircraft mechanics, only children whose fathers had military jobs with potential ionizing radiation exposure had an increased cancer risk (OR = 2.73; P = 0.01). Four cancer types occurred more often among children of fathers in specific radiation-related occupations: rhabdomyosarcoma among children whose fathers were petroleum industry foremen; retinoblastoma among children whose fathers were radio and television repairmen; central nervous system cancers and other lymphatic cancers among children of Air Force fathers. Because numbers of case fathers are small and confidence limits are broad, the associations identified by this study need to be confirmed in other studies. Better identification and gradation of occupational exposure to radiation would increase the sensitivity to detect associations.

Occupational exposure to dusts and risk of renal cell carcinoma

PubMed Central

Karami, S; Boffetta, P; Stewart, P S; Brennan, P; Zaridze, D; Matveev, V; Janout, V; Kollarova, H; Bencko, V; Navratilova, M; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, N; Mates, D; Gromiec, J; Slamova, A; Chow, W-H; Rothman, N; Moore, L E

2011-01-01

Background: Occupational exposures to dusts have generally been examined in relation to cancers of the respiratory system and have rarely been examined in relation to other cancers, such as renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Although previous epidemiological studies, though few, have shown certain dusts, such as asbestos, to increase renal cancer risk, the potential for other occupational dust exposures to cause kidney damage and/or cancer may exist. We investigated whether asbestos, as well as 20 other occupational dust exposures, were associated with RCC risk in a large European, multi-center, hospital-based renal case–control study. Methods: General occupational histories and job-specific questionnaires were reviewed by occupational hygienists for subject-specific information. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) between RCC risk and exposures were calculated using unconditional logistic regression. Results: Among participants ever exposed to dusts, significant associations were observed for glass fibres (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1–3.9), mineral wool fibres (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.2–5.1), and brick dust (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0–2.4). Significant trends were also observed with exposure duration and cumulative exposure. No association between RCC risk and asbestos exposure was observed. Conclusion: Results suggest that increased RCC risk may be associated with occupational exposure to specific types of dusts. Additional studies are needed to replicate and extend findings. PMID:21540858

Australian work exposures studies: occupational exposure to pesticides.

PubMed

Jomichen, Jasmine; El-Zaemey, Sonia; Heyworth, Jane S; Carey, Renee N; Darcey, Ellie; Reid, Alison; Glass, Deborah C; Driscoll, Tim; Peters, Susan; Abramson, Michael; Fritschi, Lin

2017-01-01

Pesticides are widely used in some occupational settings. Some pesticides have been classified as carcinogens; however, data on the number of workers exposed to pesticides are not available in Australia. The main aim of this study was to estimate the current prevalence of pesticide exposure in Australian workplaces. The analysis used data from the Australian Work Exposures Study, a series of nationwide telephone surveys which investigated work-related prevalence and exposure to carcinogens and asthmagens, including pesticides, among current Australian workers. Information about the respondents' current job and various demographic factors was collected in a telephone interview using the web-based tool OccIDEAS. Workers were considered exposed to pesticides if they reported applying or mixing pesticides in their current job. Of the 10 371 respondents, 410 (4%) respondents were assessed as being exposed to pesticides in the workplace, with exposure being more likely among males, individuals born in Australia, individuals with lower education level and those residing in regional or remote areas. Glyphosate was the most common active ingredient used by workers. This is the first study to describe the prevalence of occupational pesticide exposure in Australia and one of the few recent studies internationally. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Dietary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory intake modifies the effect of cadmium exposure on markers of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress.

PubMed

Colacino, Justin A; Arthur, Anna E; Ferguson, Kelly K; Rozek, Laura S

2014-05-01

Chronic cadmium exposure may cause disease through induction of systemic oxidative stress and inflammation. Factors that mitigate cadmium toxicity and could serve as interventions in exposed populations have not been well characterized. We used data from the 2003-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to quantify diet׳s role in modifying associations between cadmium exposure and oxidative stress and inflammation. We created a composite antioxidant and anti-inflammatory diet score (ADS) by ranking participants by quintile of intake across a panel of 19 nutrients. We identified associations and effect modification between ADS, urinary cadmium, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation by multiple linear regression. An interquartile range increase in urinary cadmium was associated with a 47.5%, 8.8%, and 3.7% increase in C-reactive protein (CRP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), respectively. An interquartile range increase in ADS was associated with an 7.4%, 3.3%, 5.2%, and 2.5% decrease in CRP, GGT, ALP, and total white blood cell count respectively, and a 3.0% increase in serum bilirubin. ADS significantly attenuated the association between cadmium exposure, CRP and ALP. Dietary interventions may provide a route to reduce the impact of cadmium toxicity on the population level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dietary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory intake modifies the effect of cadmium exposure on markers of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress

PubMed Central

Colacino, Justin A.; Arthur, Anna E.; Ferguson, Kelly K.; Rozek, Laura S.

2014-01-01

Chronic cadmium exposure may cause disease through induction of systemic oxidative stress and inflammation. Factors that mitigate cadmium toxicity and could serve as interventions in exposed populations have not been well characterized. We used data from the 2003–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to quantify diet’s role in modifying associations between cadmium exposure and oxidative stress and inflammation. We created a composite antioxidant and anti-inflammatory diet score (ADS) by ranking participants by quintile of intake across a panel of 19 nutrients. We identified associations and effect modification between ADS, urinary cadmium, and markers of oxidative stress and inflammation by multiple linear regression. An interquartile range increase in urinary cadmium was associated with a 47.5%, 8.8%, and 3.7% increase in C-reactive protein (CRP), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), respectively. An interquartile range increase in ADS was associated with an 7.4%, 3.3%, 5.2%, and 2.5% decrease in CRP, GGT, ALP, and total white blood cell count respectively, and a 3.0% increase in serum bilirubin. ADS significantly attenuated the association between cadmium exposure, CRP and ALP. Dietary interventions may provide a route to reduce the impact of cadmium toxicity on the population level. PMID:24607659

The economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma due to occupational and para-occupational asbestos exposure

PubMed Central

Tompa, Emile; Kalcevich, Christina; McLeod, Chris; Lebeau, Martin; Song, Chaojie; McLeod, Kim; Kim, Joanne; Demers, Paul A

2017-01-01

Objectives To estimate the economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma due to occupational and para-occupational asbestos exposure in Canada. Methods We estimate the lifetime cost of newly diagnosed lung cancer and mesothelioma cases associated with occupational and para-occupational asbestos exposure for calendar year 2011 based on the societal perspective. The key cost components considered are healthcare costs, productivity and output costs, and quality of life costs. Results There were 427 cases of newly diagnosed mesothelioma cases and 1904 lung cancer cases attributable to asbestos exposure in 2011 for a total of 2331 cases. Our estimate of the economic burden is $C831 million in direct and indirect costs for newly identified cases of mesothelioma and lung cancer and $C1.5 billion in quality of life costs based on a value of $C100 000 per quality-adjusted life year. This amounts to $C356 429 and $C652 369 per case, respectively. Conclusions The economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma associated with occupational and para-occupational asbestos exposure is substantial. The estimate identified is for 2331 newly diagnosed, occupational and para-occupational exposure cases in 2011, so it is only a portion of the burden of existing cases in that year. Our findings provide important information for policy decision makers for priority setting, in particular the merits of banning the mining of asbestos and use of products containing asbestos in countries where they are still allowed and also the merits of asbestos removal in older buildings with asbestos insulation. PMID:28756416

Adaptive responses and latent costs of multigeneration cadmium exposure in parasite resistant and susceptible strains of a freshwater snail.

PubMed

Salice, Christopher J; Anderson, Todd A; Roesijadi, G

2010-11-01

Population response to anthropogenic activities will be influenced by prior adaptation to environmental conditions. We tested how parasite-resistant and -susceptible strains of the freshwater snail, Biomphalaria glabrata, responded to cadmium and elevated temperature challenges after having been exposed to low-level cadmium continuously for multiple generations. Snails exposed to cadmium for three generations were removed for the fourth generation, and challenged in the fifth generation with (1) chronic cadmium exposure over the entire life cycle; (2) lethal cadmium exposure of adults; and (3) elevated temperature challenge of adults. The parasite susceptible NMRI strain is more cadmium tolerant than the parasite resistant BS90 strain and remained more tolerant than BS90 throughout this study. Additionally, NMRI exhibited greater adaptive capacity for cadmium than BS90 and became more tolerant of both chronic and lethal cadmium challenges, while BS90 became more tolerant of lethal cadmium challenge only. Fitness costs, reflected in population growth rate, were not apparent in fifth generation snails maintained in control conditions. However, costs were latent and expressed as decreased tolerance to a secondarily imposed temperature stress. Adaptation to prior selection pressures can influence subsequent adaptation to anthropogenic stresses and may have associated costs that reduce fitness in novel environments.

Response of Pleurotus ostreatus to cadmium exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Favero, N.; Bressa, G.; Costa, P.

1990-08-01

The possibility of utilizing agroindustrial wastes in the production of edible, high-quality products (e.g., mushrooms) implies the risk of bringing toxic substances, such as heavy metals, into the human food chain. Thus, growth in the presence of cadmium and cadmium accumulation limits have been studied in the industrially cultivated fungus P. ostreatus. Fruit body production is substantially unaffected in the presence of 25, 139, and 285 mg Cd/kg of dried substrate. Cadmium concentration in fruit bodies is related to cadmium substrate level, the metal being present at higher levels in caps (22-56 mg/kg dry wt) than in stems (13-36 mg/kgmore » dry wt). Concentration factor (CF), very low in the controls (about 2), further decreases in treated specimens. The presence of a cadmium control mechanism in this fungi species is suggested. Fruit body cadmium levels could, however, represent a risk for P. ostreatus consumers, according to FAO/WHO limits related to weekly cadmium intake.« less

Gene expression profiling in rat kidney after intratracheal exposure to cadmium-doped nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coccini, Teresa; Roda, Elisa; Fabbri, Marco; Sacco, Maria Grazia; Gribaldo, Laura; Manzo, Luigi

2012-08-01

While nephrotoxicity of cadmium is well documented, very limited information exists on renal effects of exposure to cadmium-containing nanomaterials. In this work, "omics" methodologies have been used to assess the action of cadmium-containing silica nanoparticles (Cd-SiNPs) in the kidney of Sprague-Dawley rats exposed intratracheally. Groups of animals received a single dose of Cd-SiNPs (1 mg/rat), CdCl2 (400 μg/rat) or 0.1 ml saline (control). Renal gene expression was evaluated 7 and 30 days post exposure by DNA microarray technology using the Agilent Whole Rat Genome Microarray 4x44K. Gene modulating effects were observed in kidney at both time periods after treatment with Cd-SiNPs. The number of differentially expressed genes being 139 and 153 at the post exposure days 7 and 30, respectively. Renal gene expression changes were also observed in the kidney of CdCl2-treated rats with a total of 253 and 70 probes modulated at 7 and 30 days, respectively. Analysis of renal gene expression profiles at day 7 indicated in both Cd-SiNP and CdCl2 groups downregulation of several cluster genes linked to immune function, oxidative stress, and inflammation processes. Differing from day 7, the majority of cluster gene categories modified by nanoparticles in kidney 30 days after dosing were genes implicated in cell regulation and apoptosis. Modest renal gene expression changes were observed at day 30 in rats treated with CdCl2. These results indicate that kidney may be a susceptible target for subtle long-lasting molecular alterations produced by cadmium nanoparticles locally instilled in the lung.

Non-Renal Effects and the Risk Assessment of Environmental Cadmium Exposure

PubMed Central

Barregard, Lars; Bergdahl, Ingvar A.; Nordberg, Gunnar F.; Nordberg, Monica; Skerfving, Staffan

2014-01-01

Background: Exposure to cadmium (Cd) has long been recognized as a health hazard, both in industry and in general populations with high exposure. Under the currently prevailing health risk assessment, the relationship between urinary Cd (U-Cd) concentrations and tubular proteinuria is used. However, doubts have recently been raised regarding the justification of basing the risk assessment on this relationship at very low exposure. Objectives: Our objective was to review available information on health effects of Cd exposure with respect to human health risk assessment. Discussion: The associations between U-Cd and urinary proteins at very low exposure may not be due to Cd toxicity, and the clinical significance of slight proteinuria may also be limited. More importantly, other effects have been reported at very low Cd exposure. There is reason to challenge the basis of the existing health risk assessment for Cd. Our review of the literature found that exposure to low concentrations of Cd is associated with effects on bone, including increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures, and that this observation has implications for the health risk assessment of Cd. Other effects associated with Cd should also be considered, in particular cancer, although the information is still too limited for appropriate use in quantitative risk assessment. Conclusion: Non-renal effects should be considered critical effects in the health risk assessment of Cd. Citation: Åkesson A, Barregard L, Bergdahl IA, Nordberg GF, Nordberg M, Skerfving S. 2014. Non-renal effects and the risk assessment of environmental cadmium exposure. Environ Health Perspect 122:431–438; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307110 PMID:24569905

[Monitoring of hematogenous occupational exposure in medical staff in infectious disease hospital].

PubMed

Xie, Manxia; Zhou, Jin; Wang, Yimei

2015-10-01

To investigate the status and risk factors for hematogenous occupational exposure in medical staff in an infectious disease hospital, and to provide a scientific basis for targeted preventive and control measures. The occupational exposure of 395 medical workers in our hospital was monitored from January 2012 to December 2014, among whom 79 individuals with occupational exposure were subjected to intervention and the risk factors for occupational exposure were analyzed. The high-risk group was mainly the nursing staff (69.6%). The incidence of hematogenous occupational exposure was high in medical personnel with a working age under 3 years, aged under 25 years, and at the infection ward, accounting for 63.3%, 72.1%, and 72.2%, respectively. Hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, Treponema pallidum, and human immunodeficiency virus were the primary exposure sources. Sharp injury was the major way of injury (91.1%), with needle stick injury accounting for the highest proportion (86.1%). Injury occurred on the hand most frequently (91.1%). The high-risk links were improper disposal during or after pulling the needle, re-capturing the needle, and processing waste, accounting for 46.8%, 17.7%, and 12.7%, respectively. Seventy-nine professionals with occupational exposure were not infected. The main risk factor for hematogenous occupational exposure in medical staff in the infectious disease hospital is needle stick injury. Strengthening the occupational protection education in medical staff in infectious disease hospital, implementing protective measures, standardizing operating procedures in high-risk links, and enhancing the supervision mechanism can reduce the incidence of occupational exposure and infection after exposure.

Environmental exposure to cadmium at a level insufficient to induce renal tubular dysfunction does not affect bone density among female Japanese farmers.

PubMed

Horiguchi, Hyogo; Oguma, Etsuko; Sasaki, Satoshi; Miyamoto, Kayoko; Ikeda, Yoko; Machida, Munehito; Kayama, Fujio

2005-01-01

Some recent research suggests that environmental exposure to cadmium, even at low levels, may increase the risk of osteoporosis, and that the bone demineralization is not just a secondary effect of renal dysfunction induced by high doses of cadmium as previously reported. To investigate the effect of exposure to cadmium at a level insufficient to induce kidney damage on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism, we conducted health examinations on 1380 female farmers from five districts in Japan who consumed rice contaminated by low-to-moderate levels of cadmium. We collected peripheral blood and urine samples and medical and nutritional information, and measured forearm BMD. Analysis of the data for subjects grouped by urinary cadmium level and age-related menstrual status suggested that cadmium accelerates both the increase of urinary calcium excretion around the time of menopause and the subsequent decrease in bone density after menopause. However, multivariate analyses showed no significant contribution of cadmium to bone density or urinary calcium excretion, indicating that the results mentioned above were confounded by other factors. These results indicate that environmental exposure to cadmium at levels insufficient to induce renal dysfunction does not increase the risk of osteoporosis, strongly supporting the established explanation for bone injury induced by cadmium as a secondary effect.

Human occupational and nonoccupational exposure to fibers.

PubMed Central

Esmen, N A; Erdal, S

1990-01-01

Human exposure to fibers in occupational and nonoccupational environments has been a health concern for nearly a century. In this review, selected results from the literature are presented to highlight the availability, limitations, and interpretive difficulties associated with the past and current human fiber exposure data sets. In the traditionally defined asbestos fibers, large amounts of the data available suffer from the diversity of sample collection and analysis methods. Two simple generalizations suggest that occupational exposures are several orders of magnitude higher than that of environmental exposures; and currently extant data and the current routine measurement practices present significant difficulties in the consistent interpretation of the data with respect to health effects. The data on the human exposures to man-made vitreous fibers are much more complete than the data on asbestos exposure, while exposure data on other man-made fibrous materials are lacking. The human exposure data to many minerals which, at times, exist in fibrous habit, are very scanty, and in view of the biological activity of some of these fibers, this lack may be of significant concern. PMID:2272324

Occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing.

PubMed

Esswein, Eric J; Breitenstein, Michael; Snawder, John; Kiefer, Max; Sieber, W Karl

2013-01-01

This report describes a previously uncharacterized occupational health hazard: work crew exposures to respirable crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing. Hydraulic fracturing involves high pressure injection of large volumes of water and sand, and smaller quantities of well treatment chemicals, into a gas or oil well to fracture shale or other rock formations, allowing more efficient recovery of hydrocarbons from a petroleum-bearing reservoir. Crystalline silica ("frac sand") is commonly used as a proppant to hold open cracks and fissures created by hydraulic pressure. Each stage of the process requires hundreds of thousands of pounds of quartz-containing sand; millions of pounds may be needed for all zones of a well. Mechanical handling of frac sand creates respirable crystalline silica dust, a potential exposure hazard for workers. Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health collected 111 personal breathing zone samples at 11 sites in five states to evaluate worker exposures to respirable crystalline silica during hydraulic fracturing. At each of the 11 sites, full-shift samples exceeded occupational health criteria (e.g., the Occupational Safety and Health Administration calculated permissible exposure limit, the NIOSH recommended exposure limit, or the ACGIH threshold limit value), in some cases, by 10 or more times the occupational health criteria. Based on these evaluations, an occupational health hazard was determined to exist for workplace exposures to crystalline silica. Seven points of dust generation were identified, including sand handling machinery and dust generated from the work site itself. Recommendations to control exposures include product substitution (when feasible), engineering controls or modifications to sand handling machinery, administrative controls, and use of personal protective equipment. To our knowledge, this represents the first systematic study of work crew exposures to crystalline silica during

Maternal occupational exposure during pregnancy and the risk of spina bifida.

PubMed Central

Blatter, B M; Roeleveld, N; Zielhuis, G A; Gabreëls, F J; Verbeek, A L

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVES: A case-control study was carried out to explore associations between spina bifida and occupational exposure of the mother. METHODS: The cases were children with spina bifida aperta born between 1980 and 1992 from nine hospitals in the Netherlands. The controls were children born healthy in the same period as the cases, from hospitals and from the general population. Data collection was carried out in two steps. Firstly, postal questionnaires were sent to all the parents of cases and controls to gather information on occupations and potential confounders. In the second phase of the study, information on specific exposures was collected by means of job and task specific personal interviews. Interviews were performed with 55 case mothers and 66 control mothers who had occupations with a potential for chemical or physical exposure. Those exposures were assumed to be negligible for--for example, teachers and secretaries, so personal interviews were not indicated for these women. Information was collected on specific tasks in the period just after conception, and on the associated use of chemical or physical agents, frequency of exposure, and use of protective equipment. RESULTS: The analyses of occupation showed an increased risk for women working in agricultural occupations (OR = 3.4, CI:1.3-9.0), and, although less distinct, for cleaning women (OR = 1.7, CI:0.9-3.4). Only a few women seemed to be occupationally exposed to chemical or physical agents. No differences in occurrence of specific exposures could be detected between cases and controls. Besides, no differences were seen in pesticide or disinfectant exposure among case and control mothers in agricultural occupations. CONCLUSIONS: Occupational exposures of the mother during pregnancy were infrequent and did not seem to play an important part in the aetiology of spina bifida in this study. The association found between spina bifida and maternal agricultural occupations could not be explained by the

The Australian Work Exposures Study: prevalence of occupational exposure to diesel engine exhaust.

PubMed

Peters, Susan; Carey, Renee N; Driscoll, Timothy R; Glass, Deborah C; Benke, Geza; Reid, Alison; Fritschi, Lin

2015-06-01

Diesel engines are widely used in occupational settings. Diesel exhaust has been classified as a lung carcinogen, but data on number of workers exposed to different levels of diesel exhaust are not available in Australia. The aim of this study was to estimate the current prevalence of exposure to diesel engine exhaust in Australian workplaces. A cross-sectional survey of Australian males and females (18-65 years old) in current paid employment was undertaken. Information about the respondents' current job and various demographic factors was collected in a telephone interview using the web-based tool OccIDEAS. Semi-quantitative occupational exposure levels to diesel exhaust were assigned using programmed decision rules and numbers of workers exposed in Australia in 2011 were estimated. We defined substantial exposure as exposed at a medium or high level, for at least 5h per week. Substantial occupational exposure to diesel exhaust was experienced by 13.4% of the respondents in their current job. Exposure prevalence varied across states, ranging from 6.4% in the Australian Capital Territory to 17.0% in Western Australia. Exposures occurred mainly in the agricultural, mining, transport and construction industries, and among mechanics. Men (20.4%) were more often exposed than women (4.7%). Extrapolation to the total working population indicated that 13.8% (95% confidence interval 10.0-20.4) of the 2011 Australian workforce were estimated to be substantially exposed to diesel exhaust, and 1.8% of the workers were estimated to experience high levels of exposures in their current job. About 1.2 million Australian workers were estimated to have been exposed to diesel exhaust in their workplace in 2011. This is the first study to describe the prevalence of occupational diesel exhaust exposure in Australia and will enable estimation of the number of lung cancers attributable to diesel exhaust exposure in the workplace. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press

Biomonitoring of styrene occupational exposures: Biomarkers and determinants.

PubMed

Persoons, Renaud; Richard, Justine; Herve, Claire; Montlevier, Sarah; Marques, Marie; Maitre, Anne

2018-06-22

High styrene exposures are still experienced in various occupational settings, requesting regular exposure assessments. The aims of this study were to study occupational exposures in various industrial sectors and to determine factors influencing styrene urinary metabolites levels. Biomonitoring was conducted in 141 workers from fiberglass-reinforced plastic (FRP) manufacture, thermoplastic polymers production, vehicle repair shops and cured-in-place pipe lining (CIPP). Urinary styrene (StyU) as well as Mandelic (MA) / Phenyglyoxylic Acids (PGA) were quantified at the beginning and at the end of week, and multivariate linear regression models were used. StyU levels revealed very low, rarely exceeding 3 µg.L -1 . Highest concentrations of MA + PGA were observed in FRP sector, with levels reaching up to 1100 mg.g -1 of creatinine. Factors influencing end-of-week MA + PGA concentrations were levels at the beginning of week, open molding processes, proximity to the emission source, respiratory protection, styrene content in raw materials. Elevated levels were also observed during CIPP process, whereas thermoplastic injection and vehicle repair shop workers exhibited much lower exposures. Intervention on process (decreasing styrene proportion, using closed molding), protective equipment (local exhaust ventilation, respiratory protection) and individual practices (stringent safety rules) are expected to decrease occupational exposures. Urinary MA + PGA remain the most appropriate biomarkers for occupational biomonitoring. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Case-Based Toxicology Module on Agricultural- and Mining-Related Occupational Exposures

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Objective. To develop and assess a toxicology module to teach pharmacy students about farming- and mining-related occupational exposures in the context of an existing toxicology elective course. Design. A teaching unit that included lectures and case studies was developed to address the unique occupational exposures of patients working in agricultural and mining environments. Upon completion of this 4-hour (2 class periods) module, students were expected to recognize the clinical signs and symptoms associated with these occupational exposures and propose acceptable therapeutic plans. Assessment. After completing the module, students scored significantly higher on a patient case involving suicide resulting from pesticide consumption. Seventy-three percent of the students scored higher than 90% on a 33-item multiple-choice examination. Eighty-two percent of students were able to correctly read a product label to determine the type of pesticide involved in an occupational exposure. Conclusion. Pharmacy students who completed a module on occupation exposure demonstrated competence in distinguishing occupational exposures from each other and from exposure to prescription and nonprescription drugs. This module can be used to educate future pharmacists about occupational health issues, some of which may be more prevalent in a rural setting. PMID:23049108

Blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) extract ameliorates ovarian damage induced by subchronic cadmium exposure in mice: Potential δ-ALA-D involvement.

PubMed

Izaguirry, Aryele Pinto; Soares, Melina Bucco; Vargas, Laura Musacchio; Spiazzi, Cristiano Chiapinotto; Dos Santos Brum, Daniela; Noremberg, Simone; Mendez, Andreas Sebastian Loureiro; Santos, Francielli Weber

2017-01-01

Females are born with a finite number of oocyte-containing follicles and ovary damage results in reduced fertility. Cadmium accumulates in the reproductive system, damaging it, and the cigarette smoke is a potential exposure route. Natural therapies are relevant to health benefits and disease prevention. This study verified the effect of cadmium exposure on the ovaries of mice and the blueberry extract as a potential therapy. Blueberry therapy was effective in restoring reactive species levels and δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase activity, and partially improved the viability of cadmium-disrupted follicles. This therapy was not able to restore the 17 β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. Extract HPLC evaluation indicated the presence of quercetin, quercitrin, isoquercetin, and ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid was the major substance and its concentration was 620.24 µg/mL. Thus, cadmium accumulates in the ovaries of mice after subchronic exposure, inducing cellular damage, and the blueberry extract possesses antioxidant properties that could protect, at least in part, the ovarian tissue from cadmium toxicity. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 188-196, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Occupational exposure to pesticides and respiratory health.

PubMed

Mamane, Ali; Baldi, Isabelle; Tessier, Jean-François; Raherison, Chantal; Bouvier, Ghislaine

2015-06-01

This article aims to review the available literature regarding the link between occupational exposure to pesticides and respiratory symptoms or diseases. Identification of epidemiological studies was performed using PubMed. 41 articles were included, 36 regarding agricultural workers and five regarding industry workers. Among the 15 cross-sectional studies focusing on respiratory symptoms and agricultural pesticide exposure, 12 found significant associations with chronic cough, wheeze, dyspnoea, breathlessness or chest tightness. All four studies on asthma found a relationship with occupational exposure, as did all three studies on chronic bronchitis. The four studies that performed spirometry reported impaired respiratory function linked to pesticide exposure, suggestive of either obstructive or restrictive syndrome according to the chemical class of pesticide. 12 papers reported results from cohort studies. Three out of nine found a significant relationship with increased risk of wheeze, five out of nine with asthma and three out of three with chronic bronchitis. In workers employed in pesticide production, elevated risks of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (two studies out of three) and impaired respiratory function suggestive of an obstructive syndrome (two studies out of two) were reported. In conclusion, this article suggests that occupational exposure to pesticides is associated with an increased risk of respiratory symptoms, asthma and chronic bronchitis, but the causal relationship is still under debate. Copyright ©ERS 2015.

The economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma due to occupational and para-occupational asbestos exposure.

PubMed

Tompa, Emile; Kalcevich, Christina; McLeod, Chris; Lebeau, Martin; Song, Chaojie; McLeod, Kim; Kim, Joanne; Demers, Paul A

2017-11-01

To estimate the economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma due to occupational and para-occupational asbestos exposure in Canada. We estimate the lifetime cost of newly diagnosed lung cancer and mesothelioma cases associated with occupational and para-occupational asbestos exposure for calendar year 2011 based on the societal perspective. The key cost components considered are healthcare costs, productivity and output costs, and quality of life costs. There were 427 cases of newly diagnosed mesothelioma cases and 1904 lung cancer cases attributable to asbestos exposure in 2011 for a total of 2331 cases. Our estimate of the economic burden is $C831 million in direct and indirect costs for newly identified cases of mesothelioma and lung cancer and $C1.5 billion in quality of life costs based on a value of $C100 000 per quality-adjusted life year. This amounts to $C356 429 and $C652 369 per case, respectively. The economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma associated with occupational and para-occupational asbestos exposure is substantial. The estimate identified is for 2331 newly diagnosed, occupational and para-occupational exposure cases in 2011, so it is only a portion of the burden of existing cases in that year. Our findings provide important information for policy decision makers for priority setting, in particular the merits of banning the mining of asbestos and use of products containing asbestos in countries where they are still allowed and also the merits of asbestos removal in older buildings with asbestos insulation. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Neurotoxicity in Preclinical Models of Occupational Exposure to Organophosphorus Compounds.

PubMed

Voorhees, Jaymie R; Rohlman, Diane S; Lein, Pamela J; Pieper, Andrew A

2016-01-01

Organophosphorus (OPs) compounds are widely used as insecticides, plasticizers, and fuel additives. These compounds potently inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme that inactivates acetylcholine at neuronal synapses, and acute exposure to high OP levels can cause cholinergic crisis in humans and animals. Evidence further suggests that repeated exposure to lower OP levels insufficient to cause cholinergic crisis, frequently encountered in the occupational setting, also pose serious risks to people. For example, multiple epidemiological studies have identified associations between occupational OP exposure and neurodegenerative disease, psychiatric illness, and sensorimotor deficits. Rigorous scientific investigation of the basic science mechanisms underlying these epidemiological findings requires valid preclinical models in which tightly-regulated exposure paradigms can be correlated with neurotoxicity. Here, we review the experimental models of occupational OP exposure currently used in the field. We found that animal studies simulating occupational OP exposures do indeed show evidence of neurotoxicity, and that utilization of these models is helping illuminate the mechanisms underlying OP-induced neurological sequelae. Still, further work is necessary to evaluate exposure levels, protection methods, and treatment strategies, which taken together could serve to modify guidelines for improving workplace conditions globally.

Neurotoxicity in Preclinical Models of Occupational Exposure to Organophosphorus Compounds

PubMed Central

Voorhees, Jaymie R.; Rohlman, Diane S.; Lein, Pamela J.; Pieper, Andrew A.

2017-01-01

Organophosphorus (OPs) compounds are widely used as insecticides, plasticizers, and fuel additives. These compounds potently inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme that inactivates acetylcholine at neuronal synapses, and acute exposure to high OP levels can cause cholinergic crisis in humans and animals. Evidence further suggests that repeated exposure to lower OP levels insufficient to cause cholinergic crisis, frequently encountered in the occupational setting, also pose serious risks to people. For example, multiple epidemiological studies have identified associations between occupational OP exposure and neurodegenerative disease, psychiatric illness, and sensorimotor deficits. Rigorous scientific investigation of the basic science mechanisms underlying these epidemiological findings requires valid preclinical models in which tightly-regulated exposure paradigms can be correlated with neurotoxicity. Here, we review the experimental models of occupational OP exposure currently used in the field. We found that animal studies simulating occupational OP exposures do indeed show evidence of neurotoxicity, and that utilization of these models is helping illuminate the mechanisms underlying OP-induced neurological sequelae. Still, further work is necessary to evaluate exposure levels, protection methods, and treatment strategies, which taken together could serve to modify guidelines for improving workplace conditions globally. PMID:28149268

Occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields from medical sources

PubMed Central

STAM, Rianne; YAMAGUCHI-SEKINO, Sachiko

2017-01-01

High exposures to electromagnetic fields (EMF) can occur near certain medical devices in the hospital environment. A systematic assessment of medical occupational EMF exposure could help to clarify where more attention to occupational safety may be needed. This paper seeks to identify sources of high exposure for hospital workers and compare the published exposure data to occupational limits in the European Union. A systematic search for peer-reviewed publications was conducted via PubMed and Scopus databases. Relevant grey literature was collected via a web search. For each publication, the highest measured magnetic flux density or internal electric field strength per device and main frequency component was extracted. For low frequency fields, high action levels may be exceeded for magnetic stimulation, MRI gradient fields and movement in MRI static fields. For radiofrequency fields, the action levels may be exceeded near devices for diathermy, electrosurgery and hyperthermia and in the radiofrequency field inside MRI scanners. The exposure limit values for internal electric field may be exceeded for MRI and magnetic stimulation. For MRI and magnetic stimulation, practical measures can limit worker exposure. For diathermy, electrosurgery and hyperthermia, additional calculations are necessary to determine if SAR limits may be exceeded in some scenarios. PMID:29109357

Environmental and occupational exposure to resorcinol in Finland.

PubMed

Porras, Simo P; Hartonen, Minna; Ylinen, Katriina; Tornaeus, Jarkko; Tuomi, Tapani; Santonen, Tiina

2018-03-27

Resorcinol is a suspected endocrine disruptor that affects thyroid function by inhibiting thyroxin peroxidase. It may also have an impact on iodine uptake. Resorcinol has various uses; for example in the manufacture of rubber products and in wood adhesives, flame retardants, UV stabilizers, and dyes. It is also used in personal care products such as hair colorants, anti-acne preparations, and peels. The aim of this study was to assess both environmental background exposure and occupational exposure to resorcinol in Finland. We investigated occupational exposure in hairdresser work and in the manufacture of tyres, adhesive resins and glue-laminated timber by biomonitoring total resorcinol concentration in urine samples. The biomonitoring results were compared to the urinary levels of occupationally non-exposed volunteers, and to the biomonitoring equivalent (BE), which we estimated on the basis of the EFSA's acceptable daily intake (ADI) value for resorcinol. Almost all the urine samples (99%) of the non-occupationally exposed volunteers contained measurable amounts of resorcinol. The urinary resorcinol data were rather scattered, and the resorcinol concentrations among women (GM 84 μg/l, 95th percentile 2072 μg/l) were clearly higher than the respective concentrations among men (GM 35 μg/l, 95th percentile 587 μg/l). The reason for this difference remains unclear. Although the two highest results exceeded the BE of 4 mg/l calculated on the basis of the EFSA's ADI, the 95th percentile of the occupationally non-exposed volunteers' results remained well below the BE among both males and females. According to the results, hairdressers' exposure to resorcinol was at the same level as that of the reference population of occupationally non-exposed volunteers. All hairdresser's values remained below the BE for resorcinol. The urinary resorcinol levels of the industrial workers were also at the same level as those of the reference population. We observed

Occupational exposures among nurses and risk of spontaneous abortion

PubMed Central

LAWSON, Christina C; ROCHELEAU, Carissa M.; WHELAN, Elizabeth A; LIVIDOTI HIBERT, Eileen N.; GRAJEWSKI, Barbara; SPIEGELMAN, Donna; RICH-EDWARDS, Janet W.

2015-01-01

Objective We investigated self-reported occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs, anesthetic gases, antiviral drugs, sterilizing agents (disinfectants), and X-rays and the risk of spontaneous abortion in U.S. nurses. Study Design Pregnancy outcome and occupational exposures were collected retrospectively from 8,461 participants of the Nurses’ Health Study II. Of these, 7,482 were eligible for analysis using logistic regression. Results Participants reported 6,707 live births, and 775 (10%) spontaneous abortions (<20 weeks). After adjusting for age, parity, shift work, and hours worked, antineoplastic drug exposure was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of spontaneous abortion, particularly with early spontaneous abortion before the 12th week, and 3.5-fold increased risk among nulliparous women. Exposure to sterilizing agents was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of late spontaneous abortion (12–20 weeks), but not with early spontaneous abortion. Conclusion This study suggests that certain occupational exposures common to nurses are related to risks of spontaneous abortion. PMID:22304790

Occupational exposures among nurses and risk of spontaneous abortion.

PubMed

Lawson, Christina C; Rocheleau, Carissa M; Whelan, Elizabeth A; Lividoti Hibert, Eileen N; Grajewski, Barbara; Spiegelman, Donna; Rich-Edwards, Janet W

2012-04-01

We investigated self-reported occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs, anesthetic gases, antiviral drugs, sterilizing agents (disinfectants), and X-rays and the risk of spontaneous abortion in US nurses. Pregnancy outcome and occupational exposures were collected retrospectively from 8461 participants of the Nurses' Health Study II. Of these, 7482 were eligible for analysis using logistic regression. Participants reported 6707 live births, and 775 (10%) spontaneous abortions (<20 weeks). After adjusting for age, parity, shift work, and hours worked, antineoplastic drug exposure was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of spontaneous abortion, particularly with early spontaneous abortion before the 12th week, and 3.5-fold increased risk among nulliparous women. Exposure to sterilizing agents was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of late spontaneous abortion (12-20 weeks), but not with early spontaneous abortion. This study suggests that certain occupational exposures common to nurses are related to risks of spontaneous abortion. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Occupational Surveillance for Spaceflight Exposures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarver, William J.

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the importance of longterm occupational health surveillance of astronauts after exposure to the possible hazards of spaceflight. Because there is not much information about long term effects of spaceflight on human health, it is important to identify some of the possible results of exposure to the many possible factors that can influence longterm health impacts. This surveillance also allows for NASA to meet the obligation to care for the astronauts for their lifetime.

Evaluation of kidney injury biomarkers in rat amniotic fluid after gestational exposure to cadmium.

PubMed

Jacobo-Estrada, Tania; Cardenas-Gonzalez, Mariana; Santoyo-Sánchez, Mitzi; Parada-Cruz, Benjamín; Uria-Galicia, Esther; Arreola-Mendoza, Laura; Barbier, Olivier

2016-09-01

Cadmium is a well-characterized nephrotoxic agent that is also capable of accumulating and diffusing across the placenta; however, only a few studies have addressed its effects over fetal kidneys and none of them has used a panel of sensitive and specific biomarkers for the detection of kidney injury. The goal of this study was to determine cadmium renal effects in rat fetuses by the quantification of early kidney injury biomarkers. Pregnant Wistar rats were exposed by inhalation to an isotonic saline solution or to CdCl2 solution (DDel =1.48 mg Cd kg(-1) day(-1) ) during gestational days (GD) 8-20. On GD 21, dams were euthanized and samples obtained. Kidney injury biomarkers were quantified in amniotic fluid samples and fetal kidneys were microscopically evaluated to search for histological alterations. Our results showed that cadmium exposure significantly raised albumin, osteopontin, vascular endothelial growth factor and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 levels in amniotic fluid, whereas it decreased creatinine. Clusterin, calbindin and IFN-inducible protein 10 did not show any change. Accordingly, histological findings showed tubular damage and precipitations in the renal pelvis. In conclusion, gestational exposure to cadmium induces structural alterations in fetal renal tissue that can be detected by some kidney injury biomarkers in amniotic fluid samples. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dose-time-response association between occupational asbestos exposure and pleural mesothelioma.

PubMed

Lacourt, Aude; Lévêque, Emilie; Guichard, Elie; Gilg Soit Ilg, Anabelle; Sylvestre, Marie-Pierre; Leffondré, Karen

2017-09-01

Early occupational exposure to asbestos has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of pleural mesothelioma (PM), which suggests that the timing of exposure might play a role in the dose-response relationship. However, none studies has evaluated the relative impact of increasing the annual intensity of occupational exposure to asbestos at each time of the whole exposure history. Yet such evaluation would allow the comparison of the risks of PM associated with different longitudinal profiles of occupational exposure to asbestos. Our objective was to estimate the time-dependent relative impact of asbestos exposure intensity over the whole occupational history and to compare the resulting estimated risks of PM associated with different profiles of exposure, using data from a large French case-control study. This study included 1196 male cases recruited in 1987-2006 and 2369 matched controls on birth year. Occupational exposure to asbestos was assessed using a job exposure matrix and represented in logistic regression models using a flexible weighted cumulative index of exposure. Due to much stronger weights of early doses of asbestos exposure, subjects who accumulated 20 fibres/mL over their entire job history with high doses during the first years and low doses thereafter were at higher risk of PM than those who accumulated most of the doses later (OR=2.37 (95% CI 2.01 to 2.87)). This study provides new insights on the dose-time-response relationship between occupational asbestos and PM and illustrates the importance of considering timing of exposure in its association with cancer risk. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Occupational exposures and chronic respiratory symptoms: a population-based study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Korn, R.J.; Dockery, D.W.; Speizer, F.E.

1987-01-01

Data from a random sample of 8515 white adults residing in six cities in the eastern and midwestern United States were used to examine the relationships between occupational exposures to dust or to gases and fumes and chronic respiratory symptoms. 31% of the population had a history of occupational dust exposure and 30% reported exposure to gas or to fumes. After adjusting for smoking habits, age, gender, and city of residence, subjects with either occupational exposure had significantly elevated prevalence of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, persistent wheeze, and breathlessness. The adjusted relative odds of chronic respiratory symptoms for subjects exposedmore » to dust ranged from 1.32 to 1.60. Subjects with gas or fume exposure had relative odds of symptoms between 1.27 and 1.43 when compared to unexposed subjects. Occupational dust exposure was associated with a higher prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as defined by an FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 0.6, when comparing exposed and unexposed participants (OR=1.53, 95% CI=1.17-2.08). Gas or fume exposure was associated with a small, but not significant, increase in COPD prevalence. Significant trends were noted for wheeze and phlegm with increasing duration of dust exposure. Although 36% of exposed subjects reported exposure to both dust and fumes, there was no evidence of a multiplicative interaction between the effects of the individual exposures. Smoking was a significant independent predictor of symptoms, but did not appear to modify the effect of dust or fumes on symptom reporting. These data, obtained in random samples of general populations, demonstrate that chronic respiratory disease can be independently associated with occupational exposures.« less

Occupational exposures and chronic respiratory symptoms. A population-based study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Korn, R.J.; Dockery, D.W.; Speizer, F.E.

1987-08-01

Data from a random sample of 8515 white adults residing in 6 cities in the eastern and midwestern United States were used to examine the relationships between occupational exposures to dust or to gases and fumes and chronic respiratory symptoms; 31% of the population had a history of occupational dust exposure and 30% reported exposure to gas or fumes. After adjusting for smoking habits, age, gender, and city of residence, subjects with either occupational exposure had significantly elevated prevalences of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, persistent wheeze, and breathlessness. The adjusted relative odds of chronic respiratory symptoms for subjects exposed tomore » dust ranged from 1.32 to 1.60. Subjects with gas or fume exposure had relative odds of symptoms between 1.27 and 1.43 when compared with unexposed subjects. Occupational dust exposure was associated with a higher prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as defined by an FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 0.6, when comparing exposed and unexposed participants (OR = 1.53, 95% Cl = 1.17-2.08). Gas or fume exposure was associated with a small, but not significant, increase in COPD prevalence. Significant trends were noted for wheeze and phlegm with increasing duration of dust exposure. Although 36% of exposed subjects reported exposure to both dust and fumes, there was no evidence of a multiplicative interaction between the effects of the individual exposures. Smoking was a significant independent predictor of symptoms, but did not appear to modify the effect of dust or fumes on symptom reporting. These data, obtained in random samples of general populations, demonstrate that chronic respiratory symptoms and disease can be independently associated with occupational exposures.« less

Dietary Cadmium Exposure and Risk of Breast, Endometrial, and Ovarian Cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative

PubMed Central

Quraishi, Sabah M.; Shafer, Martin M.; Passarelli, Michael N.; Freney, Emily P.; Chlebowski, Rowan T.; Luo, Juhua; Meliker, Jaymie R.; Mu, Lina; Neuhouser, Marian L.; Newcomb, Polly A.

2014-01-01

Background: In vitro and animal data suggest that cadmium, a heavy metal that contaminates some foods and tobacco plants, is an estrogenic endocrine disruptor. Elevated estrogen exposure is associated with breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer risk. Objectives: We examined the association between dietary cadmium intake and risk of these cancers in the large, well-characterized Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). Methods: A total of 155,069 postmenopausal women, 50–79 years of age, who were enrolled in the WHI clinical trials or observational study, participated in this study. We estimated dietary cadmium consumption by combining baseline food frequency questionnaire responses with U.S. Food and Drug Administration data on food cadmium content. Participants reported incident invasive breast, endometrial, or ovarian cancer, and WHI centrally adjudicated all cases through August 2009. We applied Cox regression to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for each cancer, comparing quintiles of energy-adjusted dietary cadmium intake. Results: Over an average of 10.5 years, 6,658 invasive breast cancers, 1,198 endometrial cancers, and 735 ovarian cancers were reported. We observed no statistically significant associations between dietary cadmium and risk of any of these cancers after adjustment for potential confounders including total dietary energy intake. Results did not differ in any subgroup of women examined. Conclusions: We found little evidence that dietary cadmium is a risk factor for breast, endometrial, or ovarian cancers in postmenopausal women. Misclassification in dietary cadmium assessment may have attenuated observed associations. Citation: Adams SV, Quraishi SM, Shafer MM, Passarelli MN, Freney EP, Chlebowski RT, Luo J, Meliker JR, Mu L, Neuhouser ML, Newcomb PA. 2014. Dietary cadmium exposure and risk of breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer in the Women’s Health Initiative. Environ Health Perspect 122:594–600; http://dx.doi.org/10

Occupational exposure to organic solvents and sleep-disordered breathing.

PubMed

Ulfberg, J; Carter, N; Talbäck, M; Edling, C

1997-01-01

To investigate whether people with occupational exposure to organic solvents have a higher prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) than the general population and to examine the relationship between snoring and exposure to organic solvents. Consecutive patients, aged 30-64 years, referred during a 3-year period to the sleep laboratory at Avesta Hospital, Sweden, because of suspected OSAS made up the patient groups. Following admission, patients underwent a simplified sleep apnea investigation and were divided into two groups, OSAS (n = 320) and snorers (n = 443). A random sample of 296 men and 289 women aged 30-64 years obtained from a register of all country residents maintained by the county tax authority served as referents (controls). Both patients and referents responded to two questionnaires, including questions about occupation, exposure to organic solvents, and other chemical and physical agents. Men with OSAS or snoring and women with snoring had more often been occupationally exposed to organic solvents than the referents, showing an almost twofold increase in risk for those exposed during whole workdays. For men, the risk of OSAS or snoring increased with increasing exposure. The result indicates that occupational exposure to organic solvents might cause sleep apnea. A new observation is that even snoring could be caused by exposure to organic solvents. It is important to elucidate whether exposure to organic solvents is a cause of OSAS, because such a finding may have important implications for prevention and treatment of sleep disturbances.

Levels of blood lead and urinary cadmium in industrial complex residents in Ulsan.

PubMed

Kim, Sang Hoon; Kim, Yang Ho; An, Hyun Chan; Sung, Joo Hyun; Sim, Chang Sun

2017-01-01

Populations neighboring industrial complexes are at an increased health risk, due to constant exposure to various potentially hazardous compounds released during industrial production activity. Although there are many previous studies that focus on occupational exposure to heavy metals, studies that focused on environmental exposure to lead and cadmium are relatively rare. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent of the environmental exposure of heavy metals in residents of industrial area. Four areas in close proximity to the Ulsan petrochemical industrial complex and the Onsan national industrial complex were selected to be included in the exposure group, and an area remotely located from these industrial complexes was selected as the non-exposure group. Among the residents of our study areas, a total of 1573 subjects aged 20 years and older were selected and all study subjects completed a written questionnaire. Blood and urine samples were obtained from about one third of the subjects (465 subjects) who provided informed consent for biological sample collection. Total 429 subjects (320 subjects from exposure area, 109 subjects from non-exposure area) were included in final analysis. The geometric mean blood lead level among the subjects in the exposed group was 2.449 μg/dL, which was significantly higher than the non-exposure group's level of 2.172 μg/dL. Similarly, the geometric mean urine cadmium levels between the two groups differed significantly, at 1.077 μg/g Cr. for the exposed group, and 0.709 μg/g Cr. for the non-exposure group. In a multiple linear regression analysis to determine the relationship between blood lead level and related factors, the results showed that blood lead level had a significant positive correlation with age, the male, exposure area, and non-drinkers. In the same way, urine cadmium level was positively correlated with age, the female, exposure area, and smokers. This study found that blood lead levels and urine

Diesel Engine Exhaust: Basis for Occupational Exposure Limit Value.

PubMed

Taxell, Piia; Santonen, Tiina

2017-08-01

Diesel engines are widely used in transport and power supply, making occupational exposure to diesel exhaust common. Both human and animal studies associate exposure to diesel exhaust with inflammatory lung effects, cardiovascular effects, and an increased risk of lung cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has evaluated diesel exhaust as carcinogenic to humans. Yet national or regional limit values for controlling occupational exposure to diesel exhaust are rare. In recent decades, stricter emission regulations have led to diesel technologies evolving significantly, resulting in changes in exhaust emissions and composition. These changes are also expected to influence the health effects of diesel exhaust. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge on the health effects of diesel exhaust and the influence of new diesel technologies on the health risk. It discusses the relevant exposure indicators and perspectives for setting occupational exposure limit values for diesel exhaust, and outlines directions for future research. The review is based on a collaborative evaluation report by the Nordic Expert Group for Criteria Documentation of Health Risks from Chemicals and the Dutch Expert Committee on Occupational Safety. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Wood-related occupations, wood dust exposure, and sinonasal cancer.

PubMed

Hayes, R B; Gerin, M; Raatgever, J W; de Bruyn, A

1986-10-01

A case-control study was conducted to examine the relations between type of woodworking and the extent of wood dust exposure to the risks for specific histologic types of sinonasal cancer. In cooperation with the major treatment centers in the Netherlands, 116 male patients newly diagnosed between 1978 and 1981 with primary malignancies of epithelial origin of this site were identified for study. Living controls were selected from the municipal registries, and deceased controls were selected from the national death registry. Interviews were completed for 91 (78%) cases and 195 (75%) controls. Job histories were coded by industry and occupation. An index of exposure was developed to classify the extent of occupational exposure to wood dust. When necessary, adjustment was made for age and usual cigarette use. The risk for nasal adenocarcinoma was elevated by industry for the wood and paper industry (odds ratio (OR) = 11.9) and by occupation for those employed in furniture and cabinet making (OR = 139.8), in factory joinery and carpentry work (OR = 16.3), and in association with high-level wood dust exposure (OR = 26.3). Other types of nasal cancer were not found to be associated with wood-related industries or occupations. A moderate excess in risk for squamous cell cancer (OR = 2.5) was associated with low-level wood dust exposure; however, no dose-response relation was evident. The association between wood dust and adenocarcinoma was strongest for those employed in wood dust-related occupations between 1930 and 1941. The risk of adenocarcinoma did not appear to decrease for at least 15 years after termination of exposure to wood dust. No cases of nasal adenocarcinoma were observed in men whose first exposure to wood dust occurred after 1941.

Occupational radiation Exposure at Agreement State-Licensed Materials Facilities, 1997-2010

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

The purpose of this report is to examine occupational radiation exposures received under Agreement State licensees. As such, this report reflects the occupational radiation exposure data contained in the Radiation Exposure Information and Reporting System (REIRS) database, for 1997 through 2010, from Agreement State-licensed materials facilities.

[Hygiene and legal aspects of occupational exposure assessment to cytostatics].

PubMed

Kupczewska-Dobecka, Małgorzata; Pałaszewska-Tkacz, Anna; Czerczak, Sławomir; Konieczko, Katarzyna

2018-01-01

The employers responsibilities for the assessment of occupational exposure to cytostatics in the workplace were analyzed in the light of existing legal regulations. Cytostatics may pose a threat to health and life of workers taking care of patients treated oncologically, i.e., pharmacists, physicians, nurses and other personnel. The significant scale of occupational exposure to cytostatics in Poland is confirmed by the data collected in the Central Register of Data on Exposure to Carcinogenic or Mutagenic Substances, Mixtures, Agents or Technological Processes, maintained by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Łódź, Poland. The issue of occupational risk assessment of exposure to cytostatics gives raise to numerous concerns. Polish regulations concerning health protection of employees occupationally exposed to cytostatics are not unequivocal, as they are derived from different areas of the law, especially those applying to hazard classification, labeling and preparation of safety data sheets for cytostatics. There are neither binding occupational exposure limits legally set for active compounds of antineoplastic drugs nor methods for monitoring of these substances concentrations in a worker's breathing zone and biological material. This prevents the employer to carry out the correct assessment of occupational exposure, the results of which are the basis for preparing the proper preventive strategy. In this article the consequences of amendments to the European chemical legislation for employers responsible for adequate protection of health and life of employees exposed to cytostatics, were discussed, as well as some legal changes aimed at a better health and life protection of workers exposed to cytostatics in a workplace were proposed. Med Pr 2018;69(1):77-92. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Occupational exposures and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: Canadian case-control study.

PubMed

Karunanayake, Chandima P; McDuffie, Helen H; Dosman, James A; Spinelli, John J; Pahwa, Punam

2008-08-07

The objective was to study the association between Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL) and occupational exposures related to long held occupations among males in six provinces of Canada. A population based case-control study was conducted from 1991 to 1994. Males with newly diagnosed NHL (ICD-10) were stratified by province of residence and age group. A total of 513 incident cases and 1506 population based controls were included in the analysis. Conditional logistic regression was conducted to fit statistical models. Based on conditional logistic regression modeling, the following factors independently increased the risk of NHL: farmer and machinist as long held occupations; constant exposure to diesel exhaust fumes; constant exposure to ionizing radiation (radium); and personal history of another cancer. Men who had worked for 20 years or more as farmer and machinist were the most likely to develop NHL. An increased risk of developing NHL is associated with the following: long held occupations of faer and machinist; exposure to diesel fumes; and exposure to ionizing radiation (radium). The risk of NHL increased with the duration of employment as a farmer or machinist.

Dose — response relationship between noise exposure and the risk of occupational injury

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jin-Ha; Hong, Jeong-Suk; Roh, Jaehoon; Kim, Chi-Nyon; Won, Jong-Uk

2015-01-01

Many workers worldwide experience fatality and disability caused by occupational injuries. This study examined the relationship between noise exposure and occupational injuries at factories in Korea. A total of 1790 factories located in northern Gyeonggi Province, Korea was evaluated. The time-weighted average levels of dust and noise exposure were taken from Workplace Exposure Assessment data. Apart occupational injuries, sports events, traffic accidents, and other accidents occurring outside workplaces were excluded. The incidences of occupational injury in each factory were calculated by data from the Korea Workers’ Compensation and Welfare Services. Workplaces were classified according to the incidence of any occupational injuries (incident or nonincident workplaces, respectively). Workplace dust exposure was classified as <1 or ≥1 mg/m3, and noise exposure as <80, 80-89, or >90 dB. Workplaces with high noise exposure were significantly associated with being incident workplaces, whereas workplaces with high dust exposure were not. The odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) derived from a logistic regression model were 1.68 (1.27-2.24) and 3.42 (2.26-5.17) at 80-89 dB and ≥90 dB versus <80 dB. These associations remained significant when in a separate analysis according to high or low dust exposure level. Noise exposure increases the risk of occupational injury in the workplace. Furthermore, the risk of occupational injury increases with noise exposure level in a dose-response relationship. Therefore, strategies for reducing noise exposure level are required to decrease the risk of occupational injury. PMID:25599757

Concentration dependent transcriptome responses of zebrafish embryos after exposure to cadmium, cobalt and copper.

PubMed

Sonnack, Laura; Klawonn, Thorsten; Kriehuber, Ralf; Hollert, Henner; Schäfers, Christoph; Fenske, Martina

2017-12-01

Environmental metals are known to cause harmful effects to fish of which many molecular mechanisms still require elucidation. Particularly concentration dependence of gene expression effects is unclear. Focusing on this matter, zebrafish embryo toxicity tests were used in combination with transcriptomics. Embryos were exposed to three concentrations of copper (CuSO 4 ), cadmium (CdCl 2 ) and cobalt (CoSO 4 ) from just after fertilization until the end of the 48hpf pre- and 96hpf post-hatch stage. The RNA was then analyzed on Agilent's Zebrafish (V3, 4×44K) arrays. Enrichment for GO terms of biological processes illustrated for cadmium that most affected GO terms were represented in all three concentrations, while for cobalt and copper most GO terms were represented in the lowest test concentration only. This suggested a different response to the non-essential cadmium than cobalt and copper. In cobalt and copper treated embryos, many developmental and cellular processes as well as the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways, were found significantly enriched. Also, different exposure concentrations affected varied functional networks. In contrast, the largest clusters of enriched GO terms for all three concentrations of cadmium included responses to cadmium ion, metal ion, xenobiotic stimulus, stress and chemicals. However, concentration dependence of mRNA levels was evident for several genes in all metal exposures. Some of these genes may be indicative of the mechanisms of action of the individual metals in zebrafish embryos. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) verified the microarray data for mmp9, mt2, cldnb and nkx2.2a. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bladder cancer and occupational exposure to leather.

PubMed Central

Marrett, L D; Hartge, P; Meigs, J W

1986-01-01

A large case-control study of bladder cancer (2982 cases; 5782 controls) included information about occupational exposure to leather. Occupational histories of exposed white study subjects were reviewed and 150 were determined to have had "true" on the job exposure to leather. The odds ratio estimate (OR) of bladder cancer associated with such exposure in white subjects (n = 8063) was 1.4 (95% confidence limits = 1.0, 1.9) after adjustment for sex, age, and cigarette smoking. The risk was highest in those first employed in a leather job before 1945, although no dose-response relation with duration of leather employment was found. Subjects employed in "dusty" leather jobs had a slightly higher risk than those with other types of leather jobs. Our results are consistent with reports of an increased risk of bladder cancer associated with exposure to leather. Although the agents responsible have not been identified, our findings of an increased risk associated with exposure in the earlier years of this century and in dusty jobs suggest that leather dusts may be important. PMID:3947575

Impact of prenatal exposure to cadmium on cognitive development at preschool age and the importance of selenium and iodine.

PubMed

Kippler, Maria; Bottai, Matteo; Georgiou, Vaggelis; Koutra, Katerina; Chalkiadaki, Georgia; Kampouri, Mariza; Kyriklaki, Andriani; Vafeiadi, Marina; Fthenou, Eleni; Vassilaki, Maria; Kogevinas, Manolis; Vahter, Marie; Chatzi, Leda

2016-11-01

The evidence regarding a potential link of low-to-moderate iodine deficiency, selenium status, and cadmium exposure during pregnancy with neurodevelopment is either contradicting or limited. We aimed to assess the prenatal impact of cadmium, selenium, and iodine on children's neurodevelopment at 4 years of age. The study included 575 mother-child pairs from the prospective "Rhea" cohort on Crete, Greece. Exposure to cadmium, selenium and iodine was assessed by concentrations in the mother's urine during pregnancy (median 13 weeks), measured by ICPMS. The McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities was used to assess children's general cognitive score and seven different sub-scales. In multivariable-adjusted regression analysis, elevated urinary cadmium concentrations (≥0.8 µg/L) were inversely associated with children's general cognitive score [mean change: -6.1 points (95 % CI -12; -0.33) per doubling of urinary cadmium; corresponding to ~0.4 SD]. Stratifying by smoking status (p for interaction 0.014), the association was restricted to smokers. Urinary selenium was positively associated with children's general cognitive score [mean change: 2.2 points (95 % CI -0.38; 4.8) per doubling of urinary selenium; ~0.1 SD], although the association was not statistically significant. Urinary iodine (median 172 µg/L) was not associated with children's general cognitive score. In conclusion, elevated cadmium exposure in pregnancy of smoking women was inversely associated with the children's cognitive function at pre-school age. The results indicate that cadmium may adversely affect neurodevelopment at doses commonly found in smokers, or that there is an interaction with other toxicants in tobacco smoke. Additionally, possible residual confounding cannot be ruled out.

Occupational exposure to beryllium in French enterprises: a survey of airborne exposure and surface levels.

PubMed

Vincent, Raymond; Catani, Jacques; Créau, Yvon; Frocaut, Anne-Marie; Good, Andrée; Goutet, Pierre; Hou, Alain; Leray, Fabrice; André-Lesage, Marie-Ange; Soyez, Alain

2009-06-01

An assessment survey of occupational exposure to beryllium (Be) was conducted in France between late 2004 and the end of 2006. Exposure estimates were based on the analytical results of samples collected from workplace air and from work surfaces in 95 facilities belonging to 37 sectors of activity. The results of this study indicated airborne Be concentrations in excess of the occupational exposure limit value of 2 microg m(-3) recommended in France. Metallurgy and electronic component manufacturing represented the activities and occupations where workers had the highest arithmetic mean exposures to Be. Surface contamination levels were also high and frequently exceeded thresholds recommended by different bodies. These results should prompt the development of prevention programmes that include Be substitution, process control and surface decontamination, in conjunction with suitable medical surveillance.

Occupational exposures and Parkinson's disease mortality in a prospective Dutch cohort.

PubMed

Brouwer, Maartje; Koeman, Tom; van den Brandt, Piet A; Kromhout, Hans; Schouten, Leo J; Peters, Susan; Huss, Anke; Vermeulen, Roel

2015-06-01

We investigated the association between six occupational exposures (ie, pesticides, solvents, metals, diesel motor emissions (DME), extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) and electric shocks) and Parkinson's disease (PD) mortality in a large population-based prospective cohort study. The Netherlands Cohort Study on diet and cancer enrolled 58,279 men and 62,573 women aged 55-69 years in 1986. Participants were followed up for cause-specific mortality over 17.3 years, until December 2003, resulting in 402 male and 207 female PD deaths. Following a case-cohort design, a subcohort of 5,000 participants was randomly sampled from the complete cohort. Information on occupational history and potential confounders was collected at baseline. Job-exposure matrices were applied to assign occupational exposures. Associations with PD mortality were evaluated using Cox regression. Among men, elevated HRs were observed for exposure to pesticides (eg, ever high exposed, HR 1.27, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.88) and ever high exposed to ELF-MF (HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.36). No association with exposure duration or trend in cumulative exposure was observed for any of the occupational exposures. Results among women were unstable due to small numbers of high-exposed women. Associations with PD mortality were observed for occupational exposure to pesticides and ELF-MF. However, the weight given to these findings is limited by the absence of a monotonic trend with either duration or cumulative exposure. No associations were found between PD mortality and occupational exposure to solvents, metals, DME or electric shocks. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Appraisal of levels and patterns of occupational exposure to 1,3-butadiene.

PubMed

Scarselli, Alberto; Corfiati, Marisa; Di Marzi, Davide; Iavicoli, Sergio

2017-09-01

Objectives 1,3-butadiene is classified as carcinogenic to human by inhalation and the association with leukemia has been observed in several epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate data about occupational exposure levels to 1,3-butadiene in the Italian working force. Methods Airborne concentrations of 1,3-butadiene were extracted from the Italian database on occupational exposure to carcinogens in the period 1996-2015. Descriptive statistics were calculated for exposure-related variables. An analysis through linear mixed model was performed to determine factors influencing the exposure level. The probability of exceeding the exposure limit was predicted using a mixed-effects logistic model. Concurrent exposures with other occupational carcinogens were investigated using the two-step cluster analysis. Results The total number of exposure measurements selected was 23 885, with an overall arithmetic mean of 0.12 mg/m3. The economic sector with the highest number of measurements was manufacturing of chemicals (18 744). The most predictive variables of the exposure level resulted to be the occupational group and its interaction with the measurement year. The highest likelihood of exceeding the exposure limit was found in the manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products. Concurrent exposures were frequently detected, mainly with benzene, acrylonitrile and ethylene dichloride, and three main clusters were identified. Conclusions Exposure to 1,3-butadiene occurs in a wide variety of activity sectors and occupational groups. The use of several statistical analysis methods applied to occupational exposure databases can help to identify exposure situations at high risk for workers' health and better target preventive interventions and research projects.

Incidence of nephrolithiasis in relation to environmental exposure to lead and cadmium in a population study.

PubMed

Hara, Azusa; Yang, Wen-Yi; Petit, Thibault; Zhang, Zhen-Yu; Gu, Yu-Mei; Wei, Fang-Fei; Jacobs, Lotte; Odili, Augustine N; Thijs, Lutgarde; Nawrot, Tim S; Staessen, Jan A

2016-02-01

Whether environmental exposure to nephrotoxic agents that potentially interfere with calcium homeostasis, such as lead and cadmium, contribute to the incidence of nephrolithiasis needs further clarification. We investigated the relation between nephrolithiasis incidence and environmental lead and cadmium exposure in a general population. In 1302 participants randomly recruited from a Flemish population (50.9% women; mean age, 47.9 years), we obtained baseline measurements (1985-2005) of blood lead (BPb), blood cadmium (BCd), 24-h urinary cadmium (UCd) and covariables. We monitored the incidence of kidney stones until October 6, 2014. We used Cox regression to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for nephrolithiasis. At baseline, geometric mean BPb, BCd and UCd was 0.29µmol/L, 9.0nmol/L, and 8.5nmol per 24h, respectively. Over 11.5 years (median), nephrolithiasis occurred in 40 people. Contrasting the low and top tertiles of the distributions, the sex- and age-standardized rates of nephrolithiasis expressed as events per 1000 person-years were 0.68 vs. 3.36 (p=0.0016) for BPb, 1.80 vs. 3.28 (p=0.11) for BCd, and 1.65 vs. 2.95 (p=0.28) for UCd. In continuous analysis, with adjustments applied for sex, age, serum magnesium, and 24-h urinary volume and calcium, the hazard ratios expressing the risk associated with a doubling of the exposure biomarkers were 1.35 (p=0.015) for BPb, 1.13 (p=0.22) for BCd, and 1.23 (p=0.070) for UCd. In conclusion, our results suggest that environmental lead exposure is a risk factor for nephrolithiasis in the general population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational chemical exposures: a collaboration between the Georgia Poison Center and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

PubMed

Tustin, Aaron W; Jones, Alison; Lopez, Gaylord P; Ketcham, Glenn R; Hodgson, Michael J

2018-01-01

In the United States, regional poison centers frequently receive calls about toxic workplace exposures. Most poison centers do not share call details routinely with governmental regulatory agencies. Worker health and safety could be enhanced if regulators such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) had the ability to investigate these events and prevent similar incidents. With this goal in mind, the Georgia Poison Center (GPC) began referring occupational exposures to OSHA in July 2014. GPC began collecting additional employer details when handling occupational exposure calls. When workers granted permission, GPC forwarded call details to the OSHA Regional Office in Atlanta. These referrals enabled OSHA to initiate several investigations. We also analyzed all occupational exposures reported to GPC during the study period to characterize the events, detect violations of OSHA reporting requirements, and identify hazardous scenarios that could form the basis for future OSHA rulemaking or guidance. GPC was informed about 953 occupational exposures between 1 July, 2014 and 7 January, 2016. Workers were exposed to 217 unique substances, and 70.3% of victims received treatment in a healthcare facility. Hydrogen sulfide was responsible for the largest number of severe clinical effects. GPC obtained permission to refer 89 (9.3%) calls to OSHA. As a result of these referrals, OSHA conducted 39 investigations and cited 15 employers for "serious" violations. OSHA forwarded several other referrals to other regulatory agencies when OSHA did not have jurisdiction. At least one employer failed to comply with OSHA's new rule that mandates reporting of all work-related hospitalizations. This collaboration increased OSHA's awareness of dangerous job tasks including hydrofluoric acid exposure among auto detailers and carbon monoxide poisoning with indoor use of gasoline-powered tools. Collaboration with the GPC generated a useful source of referrals to OSHA. OSHA

Development of an occupational airborne chemical exposure matrix

PubMed Central

Kurmi, O. P.; Chambers, H.; Lam, K. B. H.; Fishwick, D.

2016-01-01

Background Population-based studies of the occupational contribution to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease generally rely on self-reported exposures to vapours, gases, dusts and fumes (VGDF), which are susceptible to misclassification. Aims To develop an airborne chemical job exposure matrix (ACE JEM) for use with the UK Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2000) system. Methods We developed the ACE JEM in stages: (i) agreement of definitions, (ii) a binary assignation of exposed/not exposed to VGDF, fibres or mists (VGDFFiM), for each of the individual 353 SOC codes and (iii) assignation of levels of exposure (L; low, medium and high) and (iv) the proportion of workers (P) likely to be exposed in each code. We then expanded the estimated exposures to include biological dusts, mineral dusts, metals, diesel fumes and asthmagens. Results We assigned 186 (53%) of all SOC codes as exposed to at least one category of VGDFFiM, with 23% assigned as having medium or high exposure. We assigned over 68% of all codes as not being exposed to fibres, gases or mists. The most common exposure was to dusts (22% of codes with >50% exposed); 12% of codes were assigned exposure to fibres. We assigned higher percentages of the codes as exposed to diesel fumes (14%) compared with metals (8%). Conclusions We developed an expert-derived JEM, using a strict set of a priori defined rules. The ACE JEM could also be applied to studies to assess risks of diseases where the main route of occupational exposure is via inhalation. PMID:27067914

Development of an occupational airborne chemical exposure matrix.

PubMed

Sadhra, S S; Kurmi, O P; Chambers, H; Lam, K B H; Fishwick, D

2016-07-01

Population-based studies of the occupational contribution to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease generally rely on self-reported exposures to vapours, gases, dusts and fumes (VGDF), which are susceptible to misclassification. To develop an airborne chemical job exposure matrix (ACE JEM) for use with the UK Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 2000) system. We developed the ACE JEM in stages: (i) agreement of definitions, (ii) a binary assignation of exposed/not exposed to VGDF, fibres or mists (VGDFFiM), for each of the individual 353 SOC codes and (iii) assignation of levels of exposure (L; low, medium and high) and (iv) the proportion of workers (P) likely to be exposed in each code. We then expanded the estimated exposures to include biological dusts, mineral dusts, metals, diesel fumes and asthmagens. We assigned 186 (53%) of all SOC codes as exposed to at least one category of VGDFFiM, with 23% assigned as having medium or high exposure. We assigned over 68% of all codes as not being exposed to fibres, gases or mists. The most common exposure was to dusts (22% of codes with >50% exposed); 12% of codes were assigned exposure to fibres. We assigned higher percentages of the codes as exposed to diesel fumes (14%) compared with metals (8%). We developed an expert-derived JEM, using a strict set of a priori defined rules. The ACE JEM could also be applied to studies to assess risks of diseases where the main route of occupational exposure is via inhalation. © Crown copyright 2016.

Occupational exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Legal issues in workers' compensation.

PubMed

Evenson, W

1999-08-01

Occupational exposure to TB remains a significant threat in select high risk occupations despite 5 years of declining disease incidence rates in the United States. TB kills more people on a global scale than any other infectious disease. One third of the global population is currently infected with TB. Workers' compensation insurance may be inadequate to cover lost wages and medical bills in cases of occupational exposure to TB if the source patient is unknown. There is a need to reform state laws for workers' compensation so TB infections in high risk employees are presumed to be work related unless a community exposure to the disease is identified.

Health and safety implications of occupational exposure to engineered nanomaterials.

PubMed

Stebounova, Larissa V; Morgan, Hallie; Grassian, Vicki H; Brenner, Sara

2012-01-01

The rapid growth and commercialization of nanotechnology are currently outpacing health and safety recommendations for engineered nanomaterials. As the production and use of nanomaterials increase, so does the possibility that there will be exposure of workers and the public to these materials. This review provides a summary of current research and regulatory efforts related to occupational exposure and medical surveillance for the nanotechnology workforce, focusing on the most prevalent industrial nanomaterials currently moving through the research, development, and manufacturing pipelines. Their applications and usage precedes a discussion of occupational health and safety efforts, including exposure assessment, occupational health surveillance, and regulatory considerations for these nanomaterials. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Thiol peptides induction in the seagrass Thalassia testudinum (Banks ex König) in response to cadmium exposure.

PubMed

Alvarez-Legorreta, Teresa; Mendoza-Cozatl, David; Moreno-Sanchez, Rafael; Gold-Bouchot, Gerardo

2008-01-20

Trace metal accumulation and thiol compounds synthesis as induced by cadmium exposure was studied in the seagrass Thalassia testudinum. Shoots were exposed for 24, 48, 96 and 144 h to several CdCl(2) concentrations (0, 30, 50 and 70 microM). Levels of cadmium, cysteine, glutathione (GSH), gamma-glutamylcysteine (gamma-EC), and phytochelatin-like peptides were determined in green blades, live sheaths and root/rhizomes tissues. Metal accumulation was dependent on Cd concentration and type of tissue, with green blades showing the highest content followed by live sheaths and root/rhizomes. All tissues experienced an increase in thiol-containing compounds as a response to cadmium exposure. Live sheaths showed the highest levels of cysteine, GSH and gamma-EC. This is the first report of induction of thiol peptides, presumably phytochelatins, by a trace metal in a sea grass species.

Working conditions and occupational risk exposure in employees driving for work.

PubMed

Fort, Emmanuel; Ndagire, Sheba; Gadegbeku, Blandine; Hours, Martine; Charbotel, Barbara

2016-04-01

An analysis of the occupational constraints and exposures to which employees facing road risk at work are subject was performed, with comparison versus non-exposed employees. Objective was to improve knowledge of the characteristics of workers exposed to road risk in France and of the concomitant occupational constraints. The descriptive study was based on data from the 2010 SUMER survey (Medical Monitoring of Occupational Risk Exposure: Surveillance Médicale des Expositions aux Risques professionnels), which included data not only on road risk exposure at work but also on a range of socio-occupational factors and working conditions. The main variable of interest was "driving (car, truck, bus, coach, etc.) on public thoroughfares" for work (during the last week of work). This was a dichotomous "Yes/No" variable, distinguishing employees who drove for work; it also comprised 4-step weekly exposure duration: <2h, 2-10h, 10-20h and ≥20h. 75% of the employees with driving exposure were male. Certain socio-occupational categories were found significantly more frequently: professional drivers (INSEE occupations and socio-occupational categories (PCS) 64), skilled workers (PCS 61), intermediate professions and teaching, health, civil service (functionaries) and assimilated (PCS 46) and company executives (PCS 36). Employees with driving exposure more often worked in small businesses or establishments. Constraints in terms of schedule and work-time were more frequent in employees with driving exposure. Constraints in terms of work rhythm were more frequent in non-exposed employees, with the exception of external demands requiring immediate response. On the Karasek's Job Demand-Control Model, employees with driving exposure less often had low decision latitude. Prevalence of job-strain was also lower, as was prevalence of "iso-strain" (combination of job-strain and social isolation). Employees with driving exposure were less often concerned by hostile behavior and, when

Serum Cadmium Levels in Pancreatic Cancer Patients from the East Nile Delta Region of Egypt

PubMed Central

Kriegel, Alison M.; Soliman, Amr S.; Zhang, Qing; El-Ghawalby, Nabih; Ezzat, Farouk; Soultan, Ahmed; Abdel-Wahab, Mohamed; Fathy, Omar; Ebidi, Gamal; Bassiouni, Nadia; Hamilton, Stanley R.; Abbruzzese, James L.; Lacey, Michelle R.; Blake, Diane A.

2006-01-01

The northeast Nile Delta region exhibits a high incidence of early-onset pancreatic cancer. It is well documented that this region has one of the highest levels of pollution in Egypt. Epidemiologic studies have suggested that cadmium, a prevalent pollutant in the northeast Nile Delta region, plays a role in the development of pancreatic cancer. Objective: We aimed to assess serum cadmium levels as markers of exposure in pancreatic cancer patients and noncancer comparison subjects from the same region in Egypt. Design and Participants: We assessed serum cadmium levels of 31 newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients and 52 hospital comparison subjects from Mansoura, Egypt. Evaluation/Measurements: Serum cadmium levels were measured using a novel immunoassay procedure. Results: We found a significant difference between the mean serum cadmium levels in patients versus comparison subjects (mean ± SD, 11.1 ± 7.7 ng/mL vs. 7.1 ± 5.0 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.012) but not in age, sex, residence, occupation, or smoking status. The odds ratio (OR) for pancreatic cancer risk was significant for serum cadmium level [OR = 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04–1.23; p = 0.0089] and farming (OR = 3.25; 95% CI, 1.03–11.64; p = 0.0475) but not for age, sex, residence, or smoking status. Conclusions: The results from this pilot study suggest that pancreatic cancer in the East Nile Delta region is significantly associated with high levels of serum cadmium and farming. Relevance to Clinical Practice/Public Health: Future studies should further investigate the etiologic relationship between cadmium exposure and pancreatic carcinogenesis in cadmium-exposed populations. PMID:16393667

Occupational airborne exposure of the general population of a Norwegian county.

PubMed

Bakke, P; Baste, V; Hanoa, R; Gulsvik, A

1992-02-01

Occupational airborne exposure was examined for a stratified sample (N = 1275) of the general population aged 18-73 years in Hordaland County, Norway. The subjects identified all jobs of more than six months since leaving school and stated whether they had been occupationally exposed to specific agents and work processes potentially harmful to the lungs. The prevalence in the population ever having been exposed was 18% for asbestos, 9% for quartz, 5% for aluminum dust, 6% for wood dust, 12% for metal gases, 12% for welding, 9% for soldering, and 1% for hairdressing. According to occupational title (last job), 3% of the population had held a job with a high degree of airborne exposure, 26% a job with moderate exposure, and 70% a job with no airborne exposure. During their worklife both the men and the women tended to leave polluted jobs more often than unpolluted jobs. Occupational exposure to airborne pollutants potentially harmful to the lungs is widespread in this Norwegian general population.

Toxicity of cadmium and its health risks from leafy vegetable consumption.

PubMed

Huang, Yingying; He, Chuntao; Shen, Chuang; Guo, Jingjie; Mubeen, Samavia; Yuan, Jiangang; Yang, Zhongyi

2017-04-19

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic heavy metal and has spread widely in the environment in recent decades. This review summarizes current knowledge about Cd contamination of leafy vegetables, its toxicity, exposure, health risks, and approaches to reducing its toxicity in humans. Leafy vegetable consumption has been identified as a dominant exposure pathway of Cd in the human body. An overview of Cd pollution in leafy vegetables as well as the main sources of Cd is given. Notable estimated daily intakes and health risks of Cd exposure through vegetable consumption for humans are revealed in occupational exposure areas and even in some reference areas. Vegetable consumption is one of the most significant sources of exposure to Cd, particularly in occupational exposure regions. Therefore, numerous approaches have been developed to minimize the accumulation of Cd in leafy vegetables, among which the breeding of Cd pollution-safe cultivars is one of the most effective tools. Furthermore, dietary supplements from leafy vegetables perform positive roles in alleviating Cd toxicity in humans with regard to the effects of essential mineral elements, vitamins and phytochemicals taken into the human body via leafy vegetable consumption.

Recent and long-term occupational noise exposure and salivary cortisol level.

PubMed

Stokholm, Zara Ann; Hansen, Åse Marie; Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Bonde, Jens Peter; Christensen, Kent Lodberg; Frederiksen, Thomas Winther; Lund, Søren Peter; Vestergaard, Jesper Medom; Kolstad, Henrik Albert

2014-01-01

Environmental and occupational noise exposure have been related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, hypothetically mediated by stress-activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between recent and long-term occupational noise exposure and cortisol level measured off work to assess a possible sustained HPA-axis effect. We included 501 industrial, finance, and service workers who were followed for 24h during work, leisure, and sleep. Ambient occupational noise exposure levels were recorded every 5s by personal dosimeters and we calculated the full-shift LAEq value and estimated duration and cumulative exposure based on their work histories since 1980. For 332 workers who kept a log-book on the use of hearing protection devices (HPD), we subtracted 10 dB from every noise recording obtained during HPD use and estimated the noise level at the ear. Salivary cortisol concentration was measured at 20.00 h, the following day at awakening, and 30 min after awakening on average 5, 14 and 14.5h after finishing work. The mean ambient noise exposure level was 79.9 dB(A) [range: 55.0-98.9] and the mean estimated level at the ear 77.7 dB(A) [range: 55.0-94.2]. In linear and mixed regression models that adjusted for age, sex, current smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, personal income, BMI, leisure-time noise exposure level, time since occupational noise exposure ceased, awakening time, and time of saliva sampling, we observed no statistically significant exposure response relation between recent, or long-term ambient occupational noise exposure level and any cortisol parameter off work. This was neither the case for recent noise level at the ear. To conclude, neither recent nor long-term occupational noise exposure levels were associated with increased cortisol level off work. Thus, our results do not indicate that a sustained activation of the HPA axis, as measured by cortisol, is involved in

Cadmium exposure is associated with soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, a circulating marker of inflammation and future cardiovascular disease

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fagerberg, Björn, E-mail: bjorn.fagerberg@wlab.gu.

Background: Diet and smoking are the main sources of cadmium exposure in the general population. Cadmium increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and experimental studies show that it induces inflammation. Blood cadmium levels are associated with macrophages in human atherosclerotic plaques. Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is an emerging biomarker for cardiovascular events related to inflammation and atherosclerotic plaques. The aim was to examine whether blood cadmium levels are associated with circulating suPAR and other markers of inflammation. Methods: A population sample of 4648 Swedish middle-aged women and men was examined cross-sectionally in 1991–1994. Plasma suPAR was assessed bymore » ELISA, leukocytes were measured by standard methods, and blood cadmium was analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Prevalent cardiovascular disease, ultrasound-assessed carotid plaque occurrence, and several possible confounding factors were recorded. Results: After full adjustment for risk factors and confounding variables, a 3-fold increase in blood cadmium was associated with an 10.9% increase in suPAR concentration (p<0.001). In never-smokers, a 3-fold increase in blood cadmium was associated with a 3.7% increase in suPAR concentration (p<0.01) after full adjustment. Blood cadmium was not associated with C-reactive protein, white blood cell count and Lp-PLA2 but with neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in one of two statistical models. Conclusions: Exposure to cadmium was associated with increased plasma suPAR in the general population, independently of smoking and cardiovascular disease. These results imply that cadmium is a possible cause for raised levels of this inflammatory marker. - Highlights: • Cadmium is a toxic proinflammatory, proatherosclerotic metal. • Soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in plasma is a promising proinflammatory marker of atherosclerosis. • Blood cadmium and

A review of the cohorts with environmental and occupational mineral fiber exposure.

PubMed

Metintas, Selma; Ak, Guntulu; Metintas, Muzaffer

2018-04-20

The aim of the study was to examine factors associated with Malignant Mesothelioma (MM) incidence rate of the groups with occupational asbestos and environmental asbestos or erionite exposure in rural area. In this ecological study, a total of 21 cohort datasets (8 environmental and 13 occupational) were evaluated. Data were analyzed using a multiple linear regression analysis model. In environmental cohorts, the risk of MM incidence was higher in women and people exposed to erionite. In this cohort, the incidence rate of MM increased as the median exposure time increased, while the incidence decreased as the median cumulative exposure dose increased. In occupational cohorts, the incidence rate of MM was positively correlated with the median cumulative exposure dose. The risk of mesothelioma was lower in those exposed to tremolite than others. Environmental asbestos exposure is as important as occupational exposure to develop MM, and it has its own unique exposure features on the risk of MM.

Functional Involvement of Carbonic Anhydrase in the Lysosomal Response to Cadmium Exposure in Mytilus galloprovincialis Digestive Gland

PubMed Central

Caricato, Roberto; Giordano, M. Elena; Schettino, Trifone; Lionetto, M. Giulia

2018-01-01

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is a ubiquitous metalloenzyme, whose functions in animals span from respiration to pH homeostasis, electrolyte transport, calcification, and biosynthetic reactions. CA is sensitive to trace metals in a number of species. In mussels, a previous study demonstrated CA activity and protein expression to be enhanced in digestive gland by cadmium exposure. The aim of the present work was to investigate the functional meaning, if any, of this response. To this end the study addressed the possible involvement of CA in the lysosomal system response of digestive gland cells to metal exposure. The in vivo exposure to acetazolamide, specific CA inhibitor, significantly inhibited the acidification of the lysosomal compartment in the digestive gland cells charged with the acidotropic probe LysoSensor Green D-189, demonstrating in vivo the physiological contribution of CA to the acidification of the lysosomes. Under CdCl2 exposure, CA activity significantly increased in parallel to the increase of the fluorescence of LysoSensor Green charged cells, which is in turn indicative of proliferation and/or increase in size of lysosomes. Acetazolamide exposure was able to completely inhibit the cadmium induced Lysosensor fluorescence increase in digestive gland cells. In conclusion, our results demonstrated the functional role of CA in the lysosomal acidification of Mytilus galloprovincialis digestive gland and its involvement in the lysosomal activation following cadmium exposure. CA induction could physiologically respond to a prolonged increased requirement of H+ for supporting lysosomal acidification during lysosomal activation. PMID:29670538

Low-dose cadmium exposure exacerbates polyhexamethylene guanidine-induced lung fibrosis in mice.

PubMed

Kim, Min-Seok; Kim, Sung-Hwan; Jeon, Doin; Kim, Hyeon-Young; Han, Jin-Young; Kim, Bumseok; Lee, Kyuhong

2018-01-01

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal present in tobacco smoke, air, food, and water. Inhalation is an important route of Cd exposure, and lungs are one of the main target organs for metal-induced toxicity. Cd inhalation is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary diseases. The present study aimed to assess the effects of repeated exposure to low-dose Cd in a mouse model of polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG)-induced lung fibrosis. Mice were grouped into the following groups: vehicle control (VC), PHMG, cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ), and PHMG + CdCl 2 . Animals in the PHMG group exhibited increased numbers of total cells and inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) accompanied by inflammation and fibrosis in lung tissues. These parameters were exacerbated in mice in the PHMG + CdCl 2 group. In contrast, mice in the CdCl 2 group alone displayed only minimal inflammation in pulmonary tissue. Expression of inflammatory cytokines and fibrogenic mediators was significantly elevated in lungs of mice in the PHMG group compared with that VC. Further, expression of these cytokines and mediators was enhanced in pulmonary tissue in mice administered PHMG + CdCl 2 . Data demonstrate that repeated exposure to low-dose Cd may enhance the development of PHMG-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Dupuytren's contracture and occupational exposure to hand-transmitted vibration

PubMed Central

Palmer, Keith T; D'Angelo, Stefania; Syddall, Holly; Griffin, Michael J; Cooper, Cyrus; Coggon, David

2014-01-01

Aims The relation between Dupuytren's contracture and occupational exposure to hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) has frequently been debated. We explored associations in a representative national sample of workers with well-characterised exposure to HTV. Methods We mailed a questionnaire to 21 201 subjects aged 16–64 years, selected at random from the age-sex registers of 34 general practices in Great Britain and to 993 subjects chosen randomly from military pay records, asking about occupational exposure to 39 sources of HTV and about fixed flexion contracture of the little or ring finger. Analysis was restricted to men at work in the previous week. Estimates were made of average daily vibration dose (A(8) root mean squared velocity (rms)) over that week. Associations with Dupuytren's contracture were estimated by Poisson regression, for lifetime exposure to HTV and for exposures in the past week >A(8) of 2.8 ms−2 rms. Estimates of relative risk (prevalence ratio (PR)) were adjusted for age, smoking status, social class and certain manual activities at work. Results In all 4969 eligible male respondents supplied full information on the study variables. These included 72 men with Dupuytren's contracture, 2287 with occupational exposure to HTV and 409 with A(8)>2.8 ms−2 in the past week. PRs for occupational exposure to HTV were elevated 1.5-fold. For men with an A(8)>2.8 ms−2 in the past week, the adjusted PR was 2.85 (95% CI 1.37 to 5.97). Conclusions Our findings suggest that risk of Dupuytren's contracture is more than doubled in men with high levels of weekly exposure to HTV. PMID:24449599

Metamorphosis of two amphibian species after chronic cadmium exposure in outdoor aquatic mesocosms

USGS Publications Warehouse

James, S.M.; Little, E.E.; Semlitsch, R.D.

2005-01-01

Amphibian larvae at contaminated sites may experience an alteration of metamorphic traits and survival compared to amphibians in uncontaminated conditions. Effects of chronic cadmium (Cd) exposure on the metamorphosis of American toads (Bufo americanus) and southern leopard frogs (Rana sphenocephala) were determined. The two species were reared separately from shortly after hatching through metamorphosis in outdoor mesocosms (1,325-L polyethylene cattle tanks) that simulated natural ponds and enhanced environmental realism relative to the laboratory. Both species exhibited a decrease in survival with increasing initial nominal aqueous Cd concentration. Cadmium treatment did not influence mass at metamorphosis for either species when survival was included as a covariate, but increased the age at metamorphosis for the American toads. The whole body Cd content of metamorphs increased with aqueous Cd treatment level for both species, and the American toads tended to possess more elevated residues. Cadmium quickly partitioned out of the water column and accumulated in and altered the abundance of the tadpoles' diet. Cadmium-contaminated sites may produce fewer metamorphs, and those that survive will metamorphose later and contain Cd. Interspecific differences in the response variables illustrate the importance of testing multiple species when assessing risk.

Exploring lifetime occupational exposure and SLE flare: a patient-focussed pilot study

PubMed Central

Squance, Marline L; Guest, Maya; Reeves, Glenn; Attia, John; Bridgman, Howard

2014-01-01

Introduction Environmental effectors, such as ultraviolet radiation exposure, infection and stress, have been established as having a role in exacerbating lupus symptoms. However, unpredictable patterns of flare events still remain a mystery. Occupational effectors have also been suggested as having a contributing role; however, they are not widely researched. In this paper we report a pilot study designed to generate focus areas for future research regarding occupational exposures and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods The study explored potential links between exposures and the occurrence of patient-reported flare events in 80 Australian women with SLE (American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria classified). Specifically, the study assessed the hypothesis that occupational exposure is associated with significant changes in the likelihood of lupus flares. Lifetime employment history was analysed with the Finnish Job Exposure Matrix (FINJEM), 40 different semiquantified exposure class estimates for a wide number of occupations based on probability of exposure (p≥5%=exposed) were analysed with the construction of negative binomial regression models to test relationships between occupational agents and flare days. A backward stepwise elimination was used to generate a parsimonious model. Results Significant associations were noted for exposure classes of manual handling burden, (p=0.02, incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.01), Iron (p=0.00, IRR 1.37), wood dust (p=0.00, IRR 3.34) and asbestos (p=0.03, IRR 2.48). Conclusion Exposure assessment results indicated that occupations, such as nursing, with a high manual handling burden, posed increased risk to patients with SLE, however, the greatest risk was associated with wood dust and iron exposure with teachers and specialist labourers. PMID:25379190

Study of oxidative stress related responses induced in Arabidopsis thaliana following mixed exposure to uranium and cadmium.

PubMed

Vanhoudt, Nathalie; Vandenhove, Hildegarde; Horemans, Nele; Wannijn, Jean; Bujanic, Andelko; Vangronsveld, Jaco; Cuypers, Ann

2010-01-01

In this study, toxicity effects in plants of uranium in a binary pollution condition were investigated by studying biological responses and unraveling oxidative stress related mechanisms in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings, grown on hydroponics and exposed for 3 days to 10 μM uranium in combination with 5 μM cadmium. While uranium mostly accumulated in the roots with very low root-to-shoot transport, cadmium was taken up less by the roots but showed higher translocation to the shoots. Under mixed exposure, cadmium influenced uranium uptake highly but not the other way round resulting in a doubled uranium concentration in the roots. Under our mixed exposure conditions, it is clear that micronutrient concentrations in the roots are strongly influenced by addition of cadmium as a second stressor, while leaf macronutrient concentrations are mostly influenced by uranium. Oxidative stress related responses are highly affected by cadmium while uranium influence is more limited. Hereby, an important role was attributed to the ascorbate redox balance together with glutathione as both metabolites, but more explicitly for ascorbate, increased their reduced form, indicating an important defense and regulatory function. While for roots, based on an increase in FSD1 gene expression, oxidative stress was suggested to be superoxide induced, in leaves on the other hand, hydrogen peroxide related genes were mostly altered. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Derivation of an occupational exposure level for manganese in welding fumes.

PubMed

Bailey, Lisa A; Kerper, Laura E; Goodman, Julie E

2018-01-01

Exposure to high levels of manganese (Mn) in occupational settings is known to lead to adverse neurological effects. Since Mn is an essential nutrient, there are mechanisms that maintain its homeostatic control in the body, and there is some level of Mn in air that does not perturb Mn homeostasis. However, the Mn exposure concentrations at which no adverse effects are expected in occupational settings vary considerably across regulatory agencies. We set out to derive a Mn Occupational Exposure Level (OEL) for welders based on a review of studies that evaluated Mn exposure concentrations from welding fumes and: (1) neurological effects in welders; (2) levels of Mn in the brains of welders (via pallidal index [PI] estimated from magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]); (3) other biomarkers of Mn exposure in welders (i.e., blood and urine); and (4) Mn brain concentrations, PI, and corresponding neurological effects in non-human primates. Our analysis suggests uncertainty in quantifying dose-response associations for Mn from many of the occupational welding studies. The few welding studies that adequately estimate exposure suggest a possible OEL of 100-140μg/m 3 for respirable Mn. This range is consistent with other epidemiology studies, studies of biomarkers of Mn exposure in welders, and with studies in non-human primates, though future studies could provide a stronger basis for deriving a Mn occupational guideline for welders. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic variability in ABCB1, occupational pesticide exposure, and Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Narayan, Shilpa; Sinsheimer, Janet S; Paul, Kimberly C; Liew, Zeyan; Cockburn, Myles; Bronstein, Jeff M; Ritz, Beate

2015-11-01

Studies suggested that variants in the ABCB1 gene encoding P-glycoprotein, a xenobiotic transporter, may increase susceptibility to pesticide exposures linked to Parkinson's Disease (PD) risk. To investigate the joint impact of two ABCB1 polymorphisms and pesticide exposures on PD risk. In a population-based case control study, we genotyped ABCB1 gene variants at rs1045642 (c.3435C/T) and rs2032582 (c.2677G/T/A) and assessed occupational exposures to organochlorine (OC) and organophosphorus (OP) pesticides based on self-reported occupational use and record-based ambient workplace exposures for 282 PD cases and 514 controls of European ancestry. We identified active ingredients in self-reported occupational use pesticides from a California database and estimated ambient workplace exposures between 1974 and 1999 employing a geographic information system together with records for state pesticide and land use. With unconditional logistic regression, we estimated marginal and joint contributions for occupational pesticide exposures and ABCB1 variants in PD. For occupationally exposed carriers of homozygous ABCB1 variant genotypes, we estimated odds ratios of 1.89 [95% confidence interval (CI): (0.87, 4.07)] to 3.71 [95% CI: (1.96, 7.02)], with the highest odds ratios estimated for occupationally exposed carriers of homozygous ABCB1 variant genotypes at both SNPs; but we found no multiplicative scale interactions. This study lends support to a previous report that commonly used pesticides, specifically OCs and OPs, and variant ABCB1 genotypes at two polymorphic sites jointly increase risk of PD. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Occupational exposure to wood dust and nasal sinus cancer].

PubMed

Fontana, L; Liétin, B; Catilina, P; Devif, C; Féneon, B; Martin, F; Mom, T; Gilain, L

2008-04-01

To determine the clinical, histological, epidemiological and occupational data related to exposure to wood dust in a series of 100 nasal sinus malignant tumors. We conducted a retrospective and descriptive study of cases diagnosed between 1st January 1981 and 31 December 2000, in the Auvergne region of France. Individual, medical, and occupational data were collected from a questionnaire completed by the patient (or the patient's family in case of death) and from the medical documents available. Forty-six cases (46 men), with an average age of 63+/-9.2 years [range, 43-82], had been exposed to occupational wood dust before the diagnosis. Fifty-four cases (30 men, 24 women), with an average age of 64.3+/-8.7 years [range, 40-96], had never been exposed. The average annual incidence increased, either for the total population or for the two subgroups distinguished on the basis of occupational exposure to wood dust. The majority of the patients presented different functional symptoms at the time of the diagnosis. For the 46 patients exposed to wood dust, the tumors were primarily ethmoid adenocarcinomas (92%). For the 54 non-exposed patients, the tumors observed were mainly epidermoid carcinomas (57%), then adenocarcinomas (15%). On the 46 patients exposed to wood dust, 85% were carpenters or cabinetmakers. For the majority of the patients, wood dust exposure started before the age of 20 (average age: 17+/-4.5) and the longest exposure began before 1981. The exposure time to wood dust before diagnosis was in the majority of cases greater than 20 years (mean exposure time: 37 years+/-11.4). Only 15% were exposed at the time of the diagnosis (mean time between the end of the exposure to the diagnosis was 11 years+/-2.8). Of the 54 non-exposed patients, no professional risk factor was evidenced. Epidemiologic data, such as the increasing incidence, and clinical and professional data, such as the occupational exposure to wood dust, were in agreement with the French and

Occupational exposure to HIV: a conflict situation for health workers.

PubMed

Kumakech, E; Achora, S; Berggren, V; Bajunirwe, F

2011-12-01

To determine the frequency of occupational exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the circumstances and predisposing factors, the high-risk groups, the extent to which exposures are reported and the post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) utilized by health-care workers (HCWs) and students in a Ugandan hospital. Occupational exposure to HIV is a low but potential risk of HIV infection to health workers. Self-administered questionnaire was given to 224 participants (including 98 HCWs and 126 students) in Mbarara Hospital, Uganda. Data were analysed with descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 15.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA). Of the 224 participants surveyed, 19.2% reported having sustained injection needle stick injuries in the previous year, of which 4.46% occurred with HIV-infected blood. Other reported injuries were cannula needle stick injury (0.89%), suture needle stick injuries (3.13%), scalpel cut injuries (0.45%) and muco-cutaneous contamination (10.27%). The most affected groups were nurses-midwives for scalpel injuries and students for stick injuries. The predisposing factors reported included lack of protective devices and recapping of needles. Exposures were under-reported. Uptake of PEP was also low. Occupational exposure to HIV presents a conflict situation for HCWs. It remains a frequent occurrence particularly among student nurses-midwives, despite being avoidable. Its prophylactic treatment is hampered by poor reporting and investigation of exposures, and poor access to PEP. Strict adherence to universal precaution and proper handling of occupational exposure to HIV should be encouraged. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

Environmental Exposure to Arsenic, Lead, and Cadmium in People Living near Janghang Copper Smelter in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Dae; Eom, Sang-Yong; Yim, Dong-Hyuk; Kim, In-Soo; Won, Hee-Kwan; Park, Choong-Hee; Kim, Guen-Bae; Yu, Seung-Do; Choi, Byung-Sun; Park, Jung-Duck; Kim, Heon

2016-04-01

Concentrations of heavy metals exceed safety thresholds in the soil near Janghang Copper Refinery, a smelter in Korea that operated from 1936 to 1989. This study was conducted to evaluate the level of exposure to toxic metals and the potential effect on health in people living near the smelter. The study included 572 adults living within 4 km of the smelter and compared them with 413 controls group of people living similar lifestyles in a rural area approximately 15 km from the smelter. Urinary arsenic (As) level did not decrease according to the distance from the smelter, regardless of gender and working history in smelters and mines. However, in subjects who had no occupational exposure to toxic metals, blood lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) and urinary Cd decreased according to the distance from the smelter, both in men and women. Additionally, the distance from the smelter was a determinant factor for a decrease of As, Pb, and Cd in multiple regression models, respectively. On the other hands, urinary Cd was a risk factor for renal tubular dysfunction in populations living near the smelter. These results suggest that Janghang copper smelter was a main contamination source of As, Pb, and Cd, and populations living near the smelter suffered some adverse health effects as a consequence. The local population should be advised to make efforts to reduce exposure to environmental contaminants, in order to minimize potential health effects, and to pay close attention to any health problems possibly related to toxic metal exposure.

Occupational exposures associated with severe exacerbation of asthma.

PubMed

Henneberger, P K; Liang, X; Lillienberg, L; Dahlman-Höglund, A; Torén, K; Andersson, E

2015-02-01

The exacerbation of asthma by workplace conditions is common, but little is known about which agents pose a risk. We used data from an existing survey of adults with asthma to identify occupational exposures associated with severe exacerbation of asthma. Questionnaires were completed by 557 working adults with asthma. Severe exacerbation of asthma in the past 12 months was defined as asthma-related hospitalization, or reports of both unplanned asthma care and treatment with a short course of oral corticosteroids. Occupational exposures for the same time period were assessed using an asthma-specific job exposure matrix. We modeled severe exacerbation to yield prevalence ratios (PRs) for exposures while controlling for potential confounders. A total of 164 participants (29%) were positive for severe exacerbation, and 227 (40.8%) were assessed as being exposed to asthma agents at work. Elevated PRs were observed for several specific agents, notably the irritant subcategories of environmental tobacco smoke (PR 1.84, 95%CI 1.34-2.51) among all participants, inorganic dusts (PR 2.53, 95%CI 1.37-4.67) among men, and the low molecular weight subcategory of other highly reactive agents (PR 1.97, 95%CI 1.08-3.60) among women. Among working adults with asthma, severe exacerbation was associated with several occupational agents.

Maternal exposure to cadmium during gestation perturbs the vascular system of the adult rat offspring

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ronco, Ana Maria, E-mail: amronco@inta.cl; Montenegro, Marcela; Castillo, Paula

2011-03-01

Several cardiovascular diseases (CVD) observed in adulthood have been associated with environmental influences during fetal growth. Here, we show that maternal exposure to cadmium, a ubiquitously distributed heavy metal and main component of cigarette smoke is able to induce cardiovascular morpho-functional changes in the offspring at adult age. Heart morphology and vascular reactivity were evaluated in the adult offspring of rats exposed to 30 ppm of cadmium during pregnancy. Echocardiographic examination shows altered heart morphology characterized by a concentric left ventricular hypertrophy. Also, we observed a reduced endothelium-dependent reactivity in isolated aortic rings of adult offspring, while endothelium-independent reactivity remainedmore » unaltered. These effects were associated with an increase of hem-oxygenase 1 (HO-1) expression in the aortas of adult offspring. The expression of HO-1 was higher in females than males, a finding likely related to the sex-dependent expression of the vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), which was lower in the adult female. All these long-term consequences were observed along with normal birth weights and absence of detectable levels of cadmium in fetal and adult tissues of the offspring. In placental tissues however, cadmium levels were detected and correlated with increased NF-{kappa}B expression - a transcription factor sensitive to inflammation and oxidative stress - suggesting a placentary mechanism that affect genes related to the development of the cardiovascular system. Our results provide, for the first time, direct experimental evidence supporting that exposure to cadmium during pregnancy reprograms cardiovascular development of the offspring which in turn may conduce to a long term increased risk of CVD.« less

Occupational exposure to magnetic fields and the risk of brain tumors

PubMed Central

Coble, Joseph B.; Dosemeci, Mustafa; Stewart, Patricia A.; Blair, Aaron; Bowman, Joseph; Fine, Howard A.; Shapiro, William R.; Selker, Robert G.; Loeffler, Jay S.; Black, Peter M.; Linet, Martha S.; Inskip, Peter D.

2009-01-01

We investigated the association between occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (MFs) and the risk of glioma and meningioma. Occupational exposure to MF was assessed for 489 glioma cases, 197 meningioma cases, and 799 controls enrolled in a hospital-based case–control study. Lifetime occupational history questionnaires were administered to all subjects; for 24% of jobs, these were supplemented with job-specific questionnaires, or “job modules,” to obtain information on the use of electrically powered tools or equipment at work. Job-specific quantitative estimates for exposure to MF in milligauss were assigned using a previously published job exposure matrix (JEM) with modification based on the job modules. Jobs were categorized as ≤1.5 mG, >1.5 to <3.0 mG, and ≥3.0 mG. Four exposure metrics were evaluated: (1) maximum exposed job; (2) total years of exposure >1.5 mG; (3) cumulative lifetime exposure; and (4) average lifetime exposure. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using unconditional logistic regression with adjustment for the age, gender, and hospital site. The job modules increased the number of jobs with exposure ≥3.0 mG from 4% to 7% relative to the JEM. No statistically significant elevation in ORs or trends in ORs across exposure categories was observed using four different exposure metrics for the three tumor types analyzed. Occupational exposure to MFs assessed using job modules was not associated with an increase in the risk for glioma, glioblastoma, or meningioma among the subjects evaluated in this study. PMID:19234232

The relationship between occupational sun exposure and non-melanoma skin cancer: clinical basics, epidemiology, occupational disease evaluation, and prevention.

PubMed

Fartasch, Manigé; Diepgen, Thomas Ludwig; Schmitt, Jochen; Drexler, Hans

2012-10-01

The cumulative effect of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is responsible for the worldwide increase in non-melanoma skin cancer, a category that includes squamous cell carcinoma and its precursors (the actinic keratoses) as well as basal-cell carcinoma. Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in areas of the world with a light-skinned population. The occupational exposure to UV radiation is high in many outdoor occupations; recent studies suggest that persons working in such occupations are more likely to develop non-melanoma skin cancer. On the basis of a selective review of the literature, we present the current state of knowledge about occupational and non-occupational UV exposure and the findings of meta-analyses on the association of outdoor activity with non-melanoma skin cancer. We also give an overview of the current recommendations for prevention and for medicolegal assessment. Recent meta-analyses have consistently documented a significantly higher risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin among persons who work outdoors (odds ratio [OR] 1.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40-2.22, p<0.001). There is also evidence for an elevated risk of basal-cell carcinoma (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.23-1.66, p = 0.0001), but the effect is of lesser magnitude and the study findings are not as uniform. The association of occupational exposure to solar UV radiation with squamous cell carcinoma, including actinic keratosis, has been conclusively demonstrated. It follows that, in Germany, suspected non-melanoma skin cancer in persons with high occupational exposure to UV radiation should be reported as an occupational disease under § 9, paragraph 2 of the Seventh Book of the German Social Code (Sozialgesetzbuch, SGB VII). Preventive measures are urgently needed for persons with high occupational exposure to UV radiation.

Low cadmium exposure in males and lactating females–estimation of biomarkers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stajnko, Anja

Background: Urine cadmium (Cd) and renal function biomarkers, mostly analysed in urine spot samples, are well established biomarkers of occupational exposure. Their use and associations at low environmental level are common, but have recently been questioned, particularly in terms of physiological variability and normalisation bias in the case of urine spot samples. Aim: To determine the appropriateness of spot urine and/or blood Cd exposure biomarkers and their relationships with renal function biomarkers at low levels of exposure. To this end, we used data from Slovenian human biomonitoring program involving 1081 Slovenians (548 males, mean age 31 years; 533 lactating females,more » mean age 29 years; 2007–2015) who have not been exposed to Cd occupationally. Results: Geometric means (GMs) of Cd in blood and spot urine samples were 0.27 ng/mL (0.28 for males and 0.33 for females) and 0.19 ng/mL (0.21 for males and 0.17 for females), respectively. Differing results were obtained when contrasting normalisation by urine creatinine with specific gravity. GMs of urine albumin (Alb), alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M), N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were far below their upper reference limits. Statistical analysis of unnormalised or normalised urine data often yielded inconsistent and conflicting results (or trends), so association analyses with unnormalised data were taken as more valid. Relatively weak positive associations were observed between urine Cd (ng/mL) and blood Cd (β=0.11, p=0.002 for males and β=0.33, p<0.001 for females) and for females between urine NAG and blood Cd (β=0.14, p=0.04). No associations were found between other renal function biomarkers and blood Cd. Associations between Cd and renal function biomarkers in urine were stronger (p<0.05, β=0.11–0.63). Mostly, all of the associations stayed significant but weakened after normalisation for diuresis. In the case of A1M, its associations with Cd were influenced

Developing regulations for occupational exposures to health hazards in Malaysia.

PubMed

Rampal, Krishna Gopal; Mohd Nizam, J

2006-11-01

In Malaysia exposures in the workplace are regulated under the Factories and Machinery Act (FMA), 1967 and also under the more comprehensive Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) enacted in 1994. With OSHA 1994 the philosophy of legislating safety and health in the workplace changed from one that was very prescriptive and containing detailed technical provisions under FMA, 1967 to one that is more flexible and encourages self-regulation under OSHA 1994. OSHA 1994 is supported by regulations, codes of practices and guidelines to further clarify the provisions in the Act. Under the FMA 1967 emphasis was on safety while with OSHA 1994 there has been equal emphasis on addressing health hazards in the workplace. Regulations for occupational exposures are developed by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health with tripartite and stakeholder consultation. When developing these regulations International Labor Organization Conventions, laws of other countries and occupational exposure standards adopted internationally are reviewed. The government also conducts surveys to collect information on both exposures and health effects in workplaces to have better understanding on specific occupational health problems. Effective law enforcement is crucial in ensuring compliance to safety and health law. The challenge at the moment is to ensure all employers and employees, particularly those in the small and medium enterprises, understand and comply with the provisions stipulated in the legislation.

Short-term cadmium exposure induces gas exchanges, morphological and ultrastructural disturbances in mangrove Avicennia schaueriana young plants.

PubMed

Garcia, Janaina S; Dalmolin, Ândrea C; Cortez, Priscila A; Barbeira, Paulo S; Mangabeira, Pedro A O; França, Marcel G C

2018-06-01

Mangroves have been subject to more metal contamination, including cadmium (Cd). This study evaluated if a relatively short Cd exposure may induce metabolic, morphological and ultrastructural cell disturbance in Avicennia schaueriana. Cd induced evident constraints to seedlings since there was reduction in leaf gas exchanges and the plants did not survive for more than 10 days at a higher Cd exposure in controlled conditions. The highest Cd accumulation was observed in roots and gradually less in stem and leaves. Cadmium induced lignin deposition was observed in xylem cells of all vegetative organs. Intense sclerification in xylem cells, endoderm and change in the hypoderm organization were also detected. Cadmium clearly induced chloroplast deformities with ruptures of its membranes, thylakoids and core and provoked cytoplasm disorganization. These metal constraints under natural conditions for long term can lead to the accumulation of cellular and metabolic damages and jeopardize seedlings establishment and local biodiversity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disorders Induced by Direct Occupational Exposure to Noise: Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Domingo-Pueyo, Andrea; Sanz-Valero, Javier; Wanden-Berghe, Carmina

2016-01-01

Background: To review the available scientific literature about the effects on health by occupational exposure to noise. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of the retrieved scientific literature from the databases MEDLINE (via PubMed), ISI-Web of Knowledge (Institute for Scientific Information), Cochrane Library Plus, SCOPUS, and SciELO (collection of scientific journals) was conducted. The following terms were used as descriptors and were searched in free text: “Noise, Occupational,” “Occupational Exposure,” and “Occupational Disease.” The following limits were considered: “Humans,” “Adult (more than 18 years),” and “Comparative Studies.” Results: A total of 281 references were retrieved, and after applying inclusion/exclusion criteria, 25 articles were selected. Of these selected articles, 19 studies provided information about hearing disturbance, four on cardiovascular disorders, one regarding respiratory alteration, and one on other disorders. Conclusions: It can be interpreted that the exposure to noise causes alterations in humans with different relevant outcomes, and therefore appropriate security measures in the work environment must be employed to minimize such an exposure and thereby to reduce the number of associated disorders. PMID:27762251

Estimated prevalence of exposure to occupational carcinogens in Australia (2011-2012).

PubMed

Carey, Renee N; Driscoll, Timothy R; Peters, Susan; Glass, Deborah C; Reid, Alison; Benke, Geza; Fritschi, Lin

2014-01-01

Although past studies of workplace exposures have contributed greatly to our understanding of carcinogens, significant knowledge gaps still exist with regard to the actual extent of exposure among current workers, with no routinely collected population-based data being available in most countries. This study, the Australian Work Exposures Study (AWES), aimed to investigate the current prevalence of occupational exposure to carcinogens. A random sample of men and women aged between 18 and 65, who were currently in paid employment, were invited to participate in a telephone interview collecting information about their current job and various demographic factors. Interviews were conducted using a web-based application (OccIDEAS). OccIDEAS uses the expert exposure method in which participants are asked about their job tasks and predefined algorithms are used to automatically assign exposures. Responses were obtained from 5023 eligible Australian residents, resulting in an overall response rate of 53%. 1879 respondents (37.6%) were assessed as being exposed to at least one occupational carcinogen in their current job. Extrapolation of these figures to the Australian working population suggested 3.6 million (40.3%) current workers could be exposed to carcinogens in their workplace. Exposure prevalence was highest among farmers, drivers, miners and transport workers, as well as men and those residing in regional areas. This study demonstrates a practical, web-based approach to collecting population information on occupational exposure to carcinogens and documents the high prevalence of current exposure to occupational carcinogens in the general population.

Occupational exposure to chemicals and fetal growth: the Generation R Study

PubMed Central

Snijder, Claudia A.; Roeleveld, Nel; te Velde, Egbert; Steegers, Eric A.P.; Raat, Hein; Hofman, Albert; Jaddoe, Vincent W.V.; Burdorf, Alex

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND Developmental diseases, such as birth defects, growth restriction and preterm delivery, account for >25% of infant mortality and morbidity. Several studies have shown that exposure to chemicals during pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify whether occupational exposure to various chemicals might adversely influence intrauterine growth patterns and placental weight. METHODS Associations between maternal occupational exposure to various chemicals and fetal growth were studied in 4680 pregnant women participating in a population-based prospective cohort study from early pregnancy onwards in the Netherlands (2002–2006), the Generation R Study. Mothers who filled out a questionnaire during mid-pregnancy (response: 77% of enrolment) were included if they conducted paid employment during pregnancy and had a spontaneously conceived singleton live born pregnancy (n = 4680). A job exposure matrix was used, linking job titles to expert judgement on exposure to chemicals in the workplace. Fetal growth characteristics were repeatedly measured by ultrasound and were used in combination with measurements at birth. Placental weight was obtained from medical records and hospital registries. Linear regression models for repeated measurements were used to study the associations between maternal occupational exposure to chemicals and intrauterine growth. RESULTS We observed that maternal occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalates, alkylphenolic compounds and pesticides adversely influenced several domains of fetal growth (fetal weight, fetal head circumference and fetal length). We found a significant association between pesticide and phthalate exposure with a decreased placental weight. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that maternal occupational exposure to several chemicals is associated with impaired fetal growth during pregnancy and a decreased placental weight. Further studies are needed to

The role of cadmium in obesity and diabetes.

PubMed

Tinkov, Alexey A; Filippini, Tommaso; Ajsuvakova, Olga P; Aaseth, Jan; Gluhcheva, Yordanka G; Ivanova, Juliana M; Bjørklund, Geir; Skalnaya, Margarita G; Gatiatulina, Eugenia R; Popova, Elizaveta V; Nemereshina, Olga N; Vinceti, Marco; Skalny, Anatoly V

2017-12-01

Multiple studies have shown an association between environmental exposure to hazardous chemicals including toxic metals and obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. At the same time, the existing data on the impact of cadmium exposure on obesity and diabetes are contradictory. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to review the impact of cadmium exposure and status on the risk and potential etiologic mechanisms of obesity and diabetes. In addition, since an effect of cadmium exposure on incidence of diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance was suggested by several epidemiologic studies, we carried out a meta-analysis of all studies assessing risk of prevalence and incidence of diabetes. By comparing the highest versus the lowest cadmium exposure category, we found a high risk of diabetes incidence (odds ratio=1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.12-1.71), which was higher for studies using urine as exposure assessment. On the converse, results of epidemiologic studies linking cadmium exposure and overweight or obesity are far less consistent and even conflicting, also depending on differences in exposure levels and the specific marker of exposure (blood, urine, hair, nails). In turn, laboratory studies demonstrated that cadmium adversely affects adipose tissue physiopathology through several mechanisms, thus contributing to increased insulin resistance and enhancing diabetes. However, intimate biological mechanisms linking Cd exposure with obesity and diabetes are still to be adequately investigated. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occupational lead exposure aboard a tall ship.

PubMed

Landrigan, P J; Straub, W E

1985-01-01

To evaluate occupational exposures to lead in shipfitters cutting and riveting lead-painted iron plates aboard an iron-hulled sailing vessel, we conducted an environmental and medical survey. Lead exposures in seven personal (breathing zone) air samples ranged from 108 to 500 micrograms/m3 (mean 257 micrograms/m3); all were above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard of 50 micrograms/m3. In two short-term air samples obtained while exhaust ventilation was temporarily disconnected, mean lead exposure rose to 547 micrograms/m3. Blood lead levels in ten shipfitters ranged from 25 to 53 micrograms/dl (mean, 37.8 micrograms/dl); levels in three of these workers exceeded the upper normal limit of 40 micrograms/dl. Blood lead levels in shipfitters were significantly higher than in other shipyard workers (mean 10.0 micrograms/dl; p less than 0.001). Smoking shipfitters (mean, 47 micrograms/dl) had significantly higher lead levels than nonsmokers (mean, 32 micrograms/dl; p = 0.03). Lead levels in shipfitters who wore respirators were not lower than in those who wore no protective gear (p = 0.68). Four shipfitters had erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) concentrations above the adult upper normal limit of 50 micrograms/dl. A close correlation was found between blood lead and EP levels (r = 0.70). Prevalence of lead-related symptoms was no higher in shipfitters than in other workers. No cases of symptomatic lead poisoning were noted. These data indicate that serious occupational exposure to lead can occur in a relatively small boatyard.

Brain tumors in children and occupational exposure of parents.

PubMed

Peters, F M; Preston-Martin, S; Yu, M C

1981-07-10

Ninety-two cases of brain tumor in children less than 10 years old were compared with 92 matched controls for parental occupational history. Cases were more likely than controls to show material occupations involving chemical exposure, paternal occupations involving solvents, and employment of father in the aircraft industry. These three factors were not affected by adjustment for the potential confounding variables examined in this study.

Occupational exposure to blood and body fluids: new postexposure prophylaxis recommendations. United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

PubMed

Cuny, E; Carpenter, W M

1998-04-01

Dental health care professionals continue to suffer exposure incidents from instruments contaminated with blood and/or body fluids from patients. Each of these cases requires that a rigid protocol be followed for their evaluation. New information regarding the risk factors for HIV-seroconversion following an exposure incident have been identified. Recent data has demonstrated that a 79 percent reduction in disease transmission may be possible with a new combination drug therapy. The anti-retroviral drugs included in this new regimen are now standard in the management of occupational exposure to HIV. Several factors set dentistry apart from other health care occupations, and these differences appear to have an effect on the risks associated with occupational exposures. This article explores these risk factors and the new recommendations for postexposure care.

Monitoring occupational exposure to cancer chemotherapy drugs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, E. S.; Connor, T. H.

1996-01-01

Reports of the health effects of handling cytotoxic drugs and compliance with guidelines for handling these agents are briefly reviewed, and studies using analytical and biological methods of detecting exposure are evaluated. There is little conclusive evidence of detrimental health effects from occupational exposure to cytotoxic drugs. Work practices have improved since the issuance of guidelines for handling these drugs, but compliance with the recommended practices is still inadequate. Of 64 reports published since 1979 on studies of workers' exposure to these drugs, 53 involved studies of changes in cellular or molecular endpoints (biological markers) and 12 described chemical analyses of drugs or their metabolites in urine (2 involved both, and 2 reported the same study). The primary biological markers used were urine mutagenicity, sister chromatid exchange, and chromosomal aberrations; other studies involved formation of micronuclei and measurements of urinary thioethers. The studies had small sample sizes, and the methods were qualitative, nonspecific, subject to many confounders, and possibly not sensitive enough to detect most occupational exposures. Since none of the currently available biological and analytical methods is sufficiently reliable or reproducible for routine monitoring of exposure in the workplace, further studies using these methods are not recommended; efforts should focus instead on wide-spread implementation of improved practices for handling cytotoxic drugs.

Correlations of urinary cadmium with hypertension and diabetes in persons living in cadmium-contaminated villages in northwestern Thailand: A population study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Swaddiwudhipong, Witaya, E-mail: swaddi@hotmail.com; Mahasakpan, Pranee; Limpatanachote, Pisit

Risk for hypertension and diabetes has not been conclusively found to be a result of cadmium exposure. A population-based study was conducted in 2009 to examine the correlations of urinary cadmium, a good biomarker of long-term cadmium exposure, with hypertension and diabetes in persons aged 35 years and older who lived in the 12 cadmium-contaminated rural villages in northwestern Thailand. A total of 5273 persons were interviewed and screened for urinary cadmium, hypertension, and diabetes. The geometric mean level of urinary cadmium for women (2.4{+-}2.3 {mu}g/g creatinine) was significantly greater than that for men (2.0{+-}2.2 {mu}g/g creatinine). Hypertension was presentedmore » in 29.8% of the study population and diabetes was detected in 6.6%. The prevalence of hypertension significantly increased from 25.0% among persons in the lowest tertile of urinary cadmium to 35.0% in the highest tertile. In women, the rate of hypertension significantly increased with increasing urinary cadmium levels in both ever and never smokers, after adjusting for age, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and diabetes. In men, such association was less significantly found in never smokers. The study revealed no significant association between urinary cadmium and diabetes in either gender. Our study supports the hypothesis that environmental exposure to cadmium may increase the risk of hypertension. Risk for diabetes in relation to cadmium exposure remains uncertain in this exposed population.« less

Occupational exposure limits for carcinogens--variant approaches by different countries

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, W.A.

1989-09-01

The differences in treatment of occupational exposure limits for carcinogens by 24 countries is described along with a discussion of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) threshold limit values (TLV) treatment, the similar treatment of the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard, and the treatment by provinces of Canada. The unique listing by the Federal Republic of Germany of so-called technical guiding concentrations of a group of carcinogens is discussed with the note that Austria used this same system. Publications on justification for establishing occupational exposure limits for certain carcinogens are discussed also.

A Systematic Review of Occupational Exposure to Particulate Matter and Cardiovascular Disease

PubMed Central

Fang, Shona C.; Cassidy, Adrian; Christiani, David C.

2010-01-01

Exposure to ambient particulate air pollution is a recognized risk factor for cardiovascular disease; however the link between occupational particulate exposures and adverse cardiovascular events is less clear. We conducted a systematic review, including meta-analysis where appropriate, of the epidemiologic association between occupational exposure to particulate matter and cardiovascular disease. Out of 697 articles meeting our initial criteria, 37 articles published from January 1990 to April 2009 (12 mortality; 5 morbidity; and 20 intermediate cardiovascular endpoints) were included. Results suggest a possible association between occupational particulate exposures and ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality as well as non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and stronger evidence of associations with heart rate variability and systemic inflammation, potential intermediates between occupational PM exposure and IHD. In meta-analysis of mortality studies, a significant increase in IHD was observed (meta-IRR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.06–1.26), however these data were limited by lack of adequate control for smoking and other potential confounders. Further research is needed to better clarify the magnitude of the potential risk of the development and aggravation of IHD associated with short and long-term occupational particulate exposures and to clarify the clinical significance of acute and chronic changes in intermediate cardiovascular outcomes. PMID:20617059

Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica. Final rule.

PubMed

2016-03-25

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is amending its existing standards for occupational exposure to respirable crystalline silica. OSHA has determined that employees exposed to respirable crystalline silica at the previous permissible exposure limits face a significant risk of material impairment to their health. The evidence in the record for this rulemaking indicates that workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica are at increased risk of developing silicosis and other non-malignant respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and kidney disease. This final rule establishes a new permissible exposure limit of 50 micrograms of respirable crystalline silica per cubic meter of air (50 [mu]g/m\\3\\) as an 8-hour time-weighted average in all industries covered by the rule. It also includes other provisions to protect employees, such as requirements for exposure assessment, methods for controlling exposure, respiratory protection, medical surveillance, hazard communication, and recordkeeping. OSHA is issuing two separate standards--one for general industry and maritime, and the other for construction--in order to tailor requirements to the circumstances found in these sectors.

Adverse respiratory effects associated with cadmium exposure in small-scale jewellery workshops in India.

PubMed

Moitra, Subhabrata; Blanc, Paul D; Sahu, Subhashis

2013-06-01

Cadmium (Cd) is an important metal with both common occupational and environmental sources of exposure. Although it is likely to cause adverse respiratory effects, relevant human data are relatively sparse. A cross-sectional study of 133 workers in jewellery workshops using Cd under poor hygienic conditions and 54 referent jewellery sales staffs was performed. We assessed symptoms, performed spirometry, measured urinary Cd levels in all study subjects and quantified airborne total oxidant contents for 35 job areas in which the studied workforce was employed. We tested the association of symptoms with exposure relative to the unexposed referents using logistic regression analysis, and tested the association between urinary Cd levels and lung function using multiple regression analysis, adjusting for demographics, smoking and area-level airborne oxidants. Exposed workers had 10 times higher urinary Cd values than referents (geometric mean 5.8 vs 0.41 µg/dl; p<0.01). Of the exposed subjects, 75% reported respiratory tract symptoms compared with 33% of the referents (OR=3.1, 95% CI 1.4 to 7.3). Forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were also lower among the exposed workers than the referents (>600 ml decrement for each, p<0.001). For every 1 µg increase in urinary Cd there was a 34 ml decrement in FVC and a 39 ml decrement in FEV1 (p<0.01), taking into account other covariates including workplace airborne oxidant concentrations. This cohort of heavily exposed jewellery workers experienced frequent respiratory symptoms and manifested a marked deficit in lung function, demonstrating a strong response to Cd exposure.

Occupational exposure to carcinogens in Australian road transport workers.

PubMed

Si, Si; Carey, Renee; Reid, Alison; Peters, Susan; Glass, Deborah D; Driscoll, Timothy; Darcey, Ellie; Fritschi, Lin

2016-01-01

Road transport workers (RTWs) are at high risk of exposure to several occupational carcinogens. However, there are gaps in knowledge regarding the extent and the circumstances of exposure. As a sub-study of the Australian Work Exposures Study, this study investigated the prevalence of occupational exposure in Australian RTWs. A random sample of Australian working population was invited to a telephone interview regarding their current jobs. An automated expert-assessment procedure was applied to self-reported job-related tasks using a web-based application. 162 RTWs were included in this study. RTWs were exposed to diesel exhaust (97%), solar ultraviolet radiation (78%), environmental tobacco smoke (55%), benzene (29%), silica (15%), and asbestos (10%) at work. Besides driving on roads, vehicle maintenance-related tasks were the major source of carcinogen exposures among RTWs. Most RTWs are exposed to at least one carcinogen at work. We have identified tasks where the use of control measures could potentially reduce exposures. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mass, surface area and number metrics in diesel occupational exposure assessment.

PubMed

Ramachandran, Gurumurthy; Paulsen, Dwane; Watts, Winthrop; Kittelson, David

2005-07-01

While diesel aerosol exposure assessment has traditionally been based on the mass concentration metric, recent studies have suggested that particle number and surface area concentrations may be more health-relevant. In this study, we evaluated the exposures of three occupational groups-bus drivers, parking garage attendants, and bus mechanics-using the mass concentration of elemental carbon (EC) as well as surface area and number concentrations. These occupational groups are exposed to mixtures of diesel and gasoline exhaust on a regular basis in various ratios. The three groups had significantly different exposures to workshift TWA EC with the highest levels observed in the bus garage mechanics and the lowest levels in the parking ramp booth attendants. In terms of surface area, parking ramp attendants had significantly greater exposures than bus garage mechanics, who in turn had significantly greater exposures than bus drivers. In terms of number concentrations, the exposures of garage mechanics exceeded those of ramp booth attendants by a factor of 5-6. Depending on the exposure metric chosen, the three occupational groups had quite different exposure rankings. This illustrates the importance of the choice of exposure metric in epidemiological studies. If these three occupational groups were part of an epidemiological study, depending on the metric used, they may or may not be part of the same similarly exposed group (SEG). The exposure rankings (e.g., low, medium, or high) of the three groups also changes with the metric used. If the incorrect metric is used, significant misclassification errors may occur.

Occupational exposures are associated with worse morbidity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Paulin, Laura M; Diette, Gregory B; Blanc, Paul D; Putcha, Nirupama; Eisner, Mark D; Kanner, Richard E; Belli, Andrew J; Christenson, Stephanie; Tashkin, Donald P; Han, MeiLan; Barr, R Graham; Hansel, Nadia N

2015-03-01

Links between occupational exposures and morbidity in individuals with established chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain unclear. To determine the impact of occupational exposures on COPD morbidity. A job exposure matrix (JEM) determined occupational exposure likelihood based on longest job in current/former smokers (n = 1,075) recruited as part of the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes in COPD Study, of whom 721 had established COPD. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression models estimated the association of occupational exposure with COPD, and among those with established disease, the occupational exposure associations with 6-minute-walk distance (6MWD), the Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC), the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), 12-item Short-Form Physical Component (SF-12), and COPD exacerbations requiring health care utilization, adjusting for demographics, current smoking status, and cumulative pack-years. An intermediate/high risk of occupational exposure by JEM was found in 38% of participants. In multivariate analysis, those with job exposures had higher odds of COPD (odds ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.97). Among those with COPD, job exposures were associated with shorter 6MWDs (-26.0 m; P = 0.006); worse scores for mMRC (0.23; P = 0.004), CAT (1.8; P = 0.003), SGRQ (4.5; P = 0.003), and SF-12 Physical (-3.3; P < 0.0001); and greater odds of exacerbation requiring health care utilization (odds ratio, 1.55; P = 0.03). Accounting for smoking, occupational exposure was associated with COPD risk and, for those with established disease, shorter walk distance, greater breathlessness, worse quality of life, and increased exacerbation risk. Clinicians should obtain occupational histories from patients with COPD because work-related exposures may influence disease burden.

Occupational Exposures Are Associated with Worse Morbidity in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

PubMed Central

Paulin, Laura M.; Diette, Gregory B.; Blanc, Paul D.; Putcha, Nirupama; Eisner, Mark D.; Kanner, Richard E.; Belli, Andrew J.; Christenson, Stephanie; Tashkin, Donald P.; Han, MeiLan; Barr, R. Graham

2015-01-01

Rationale: Links between occupational exposures and morbidity in individuals with established chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain unclear. Objectives: To determine the impact of occupational exposures on COPD morbidity. Methods: A job exposure matrix (JEM) determined occupational exposure likelihood based on longest job in current/former smokers (n = 1,075) recruited as part of the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes in COPD Study, of whom 721 had established COPD. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression models estimated the association of occupational exposure with COPD, and among those with established disease, the occupational exposure associations with 6-minute-walk distance (6MWD), the Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC), the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), 12-item Short-Form Physical Component (SF-12), and COPD exacerbations requiring health care utilization, adjusting for demographics, current smoking status, and cumulative pack-years. Measurements and Main Results: An intermediate/high risk of occupational exposure by JEM was found in 38% of participants. In multivariate analysis, those with job exposures had higher odds of COPD (odds ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–1.97). Among those with COPD, job exposures were associated with shorter 6MWDs (−26.0 m; P = 0.006); worse scores for mMRC (0.23; P = 0.004), CAT (1.8; P = 0.003), SGRQ (4.5; P = 0.003), and SF-12 Physical (−3.3; P < 0.0001); and greater odds of exacerbation requiring health care utilization (odds ratio, 1.55; P = 0.03). Conclusions: Accounting for smoking, occupational exposure was associated with COPD risk and, for those with established disease, shorter walk distance, greater breathlessness, worse quality of life, and increased exacerbation risk. Clinicians should obtain occupational histories from patients with COPD because work-related exposures may

Temporal variability of urinary cadmium in spot urine samples and first morning voids.

PubMed

Vacchi-Suzzi, Caterina; Porucznik, Christina A; Cox, Kyley J; Zhao, Yuan; Ahn, Hongshik; Harrington, James M; Levine, Keith E; Demple, Bruce; Marsit, Carmen J; Gonzalez, Adam; Luft, Benjamin; Meliker, Jaymie R

2017-05-01

Cadmium is a carcinogenic heavy metal. Urinary levels of cadmium are considered to be an indicator of long-term body burden, as cadmium accumulates in the kidneys and has a half-life of at least 10 years. However, the temporal stability of the biomarker in urine samples from a non-occupationally exposed population has not been rigorously established. We used repeated measurements of urinary cadmium (U-Cd) in spot urine samples and first morning voids from two separate cohorts, to assess the temporal stability of the samples. Urine samples from two cohorts including individuals of both sexes were measured for cadmium and creatinine. The first cohort (Home Observation of Perinatal Exposure (HOPE)) consisted of 21 never-smokers, who provided four first morning urine samples 2-5 days apart, and one additional sample roughly 1 month later. The second cohort (World Trade Center-Health Program (WTC-HP)) consisted of 78 individuals, including 52 never-smokers, 22 former smokers and 4 current smokers, who provided 2 spot urine samples 6 months apart, on average. Intra-class correlation was computed for groups of replicates from each individual to assess temporal variability. The median creatinine-adjusted U-Cd level (0.19 and 0.21 μg/g in the HOPE and WTC-HP, respectively) was similar to levels recorded in the United States by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The intra-class correlation (ICC) was high (0.76 and 0.78 for HOPE and WTC-HP, respectively) and similar between cohorts, irrespective of whether samples were collected days or months apart. Both single spot or first morning urine cadmium samples show good to excellent reproducibility in low-exposure populations.

Measured occupational solar UVR exposures of lifeguards in pool settings.

PubMed

Gies, Peter; Glanz, Karen; O'Riordan, David; Elliott, Tom; Nehl, Eric

2009-08-01

The aim of this study was to measure ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposures of lifeguards in pool settings and evaluate their personal UVR protective practices. Lifeguards (n = 168) wore UVR sensitive polysulfone (PS) film badges in wrist bracelets on 2 days and completed a survey and diary covering sun protection use. Analyses were used to describe sun exposure and sun protection practices, to compare UVR exposure across locations, and to compare findings with recommended threshold limits for occupational exposure. The measured UVR exposures varied with location, ranging from high median UVR exposures of 6.2 standard erythemal doses (SEDs) to the lowest median of 1.7 SEDs. More than 74% of the lifeguards' PS badges showed UVR above recommended threshold limits for occupational exposure. Thirty-nine percent received more than four times the limit and 65% of cases were sufficient to induce sunburn. The most common protective behaviors were wearing sunglasses and using sunscreen, but sun protection was often inadequate. At-risk individuals were exposed to high levels of UVR in excess of occupational limits and though appropriate types of sun protection were used, it was not used consistently and more than 50% of lifeguards reported being sunburnt at least twice during the previous year.

Measured Occupational Solar UVR Exposures of Lifeguards in Pool Settings

PubMed Central

Gies, Peter; Glanz, Karen; O’Riordan, David; Elliott, Tom; Nehl, Eric

2013-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to measure ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposures of lifeguards in pool settings and evaluate their personal UVR protective practices. Methods Lifeguards (n = 168) wore UVR sensitive polysulfone (PS) film badges in wrist bracelets on 2 days and completed a survey and diary covering sun protection use. Analyses were used to describe sun exposure and sun protection practices, to compare UVR exposure across locations, and to compare findings with recommended threshold limits for occupational exposure. Results The measured UVR exposures varied with location, ranging from high median UVR exposures of 6.2 standard erythemal doses (SEDs) to the lowest median of 1.7 SEDs. More than 74% of the lifeguards’ PS badges showed UVR above recommended threshold limits for occupational exposure. Thirty-nine percent received more than four times the limit and 65% of cases were sufficient to induce sunburn. The most common protective behaviors were wearing sunglasses and using sunscreen, but sun protection was often inadequate. Conclusions At-risk individuals were exposed to high levels of UVR in excess of occupational limits and though appropriate types of sun protection were used, it was not used consistently and more than 50% of lifeguards reported being sunburnt at least twice during the previous year. PMID:19572325

[Occupational risk related to optical radiation exposure in construction workers].

PubMed

Gobba, F; Modenese, A

2012-01-01

Optical Radiation is a relevant occupational risk in construction workers, mainly as a consequence of the exposure to the ultraviolet (UV) component of solar radiation (SR). Available data show that UV occupational limits are frequently exceeded in these workers, resulting in an increased occupational risk of various acute and chronic effects, mainly to skin and to the eye. One of the foremost is the carcinogenic effect: SR is indeed included in Group 1 IARC (carcinogenic to humans). UV exposure is related to an increase of the incidence of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). The incidence of these tumors, especially CMM, is constantly increasing in Caucasians in the last 50 years. As a conclusion, an adequate evaluation of the occupational risk related to SR, and adequate preventive measures are essential in construction workers. The role of occupational physicians in prevention is fundamental.

Ototoxic effects of occupational exposure to styrene and co-exposure to styrene and noise.

PubMed

Sliwińska-Kowalska, Mariola; Zamyslowska-Szmytke, Ewa; Szymczak, Wieslaw; Kotylo, Piotr; Fiszer, Marta; Wesolowski, Wiktor; Pawlaczyk-Luszczynska, Malgorzata

2003-01-01

Ototoxicity of styrene and the synergistic action of styrene and noise have been shown in rats. The respective data in humans are scarce and equivocal. This study evaluated the effects of occupational exposure to styrene and combined exposures to styrene and noise on hearing. The study group, comprised of 290-yacht yard and plastic factory workers, was exposed to a mixture of organic solvents, having styrene as its main compound. The reference group, totaling 223 subjects, included (1) white-collar workers, exposed neither to solvents nor noise and (2) metal factory workers, exposed exclusively to noise. All subjects were assessed by means of a detailed questionnaire and underwent otorhinolaryngological and audiometric examinations. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed almost a 4-fold (or 3.9; 95% CI = 2.4-6.2) increase in the odds of developing hearing loss related to styrene exposure. The factors adjusted for were: age, gender, current occupational exposure to noise, and exposure to noise in the past. In cases of the combined exposures to styrene and noise, the odds ratios were two to three times higher than the respective values for styrene-only and noise-only exposed subjects. The mean hearing thresholds--adjusted for age, gender, and exposure to noise--were significantly higher in the solvent-exposed group than in the unexposed reference group at all frequencies tested. A positive linear relationship existed between an averaged working life exposure to styrene concentration and a hearing threshold at the frequencies of 6 and 8 kHz. This study provides the epidemiological evidence that occupational exposure to styrene is related to an increased risk of hearing loss. Combined exposures to noise and styrene seem to be more ototoxic than exposure to noise alone.

Cadmium exposure and the epigenome

PubMed Central

Sanders, Alison P; Smeester, Lisa; Rojas, Daniel; DeBussycher, Tristan; Wu, Michael C; Wright, Fred A; Zhou, Yi-Hui; Laine, Jessica E; Rager, Julia E; Swamy, Geeta K; Ashley-Koch, Allison; Lynn Miranda, Marie; Fry, Rebecca C

2014-01-01

Cadmium (Cd) is prevalent in the environment yet understudied as a developmental toxicant. Cd partially crosses the placental barrier from mother to fetus and is linked to detrimental effects in newborns. Here we examine the relationship between levels of Cd during pregnancy and 5-methylcytosine (5mC) levels in leukocyte DNA collected from 17 mother-newborn pairs. The methylation of cytosines is an epigenetic mechanism known to impact transcriptional signaling and influence health endpoints. A methylated cytosine-guanine (CpG) island recovery assay was used to assess over 4.6 million sites spanning 16,421 CpG islands. Exposure to Cd was classified for each mother-newborn pair according to maternal blood levels and compared with levels of cotinine. Subsets of genes were identified that showed altered DNA methylation levels in their promoter regions in fetal DNA associated with levels of Cd (n = 61), cotinine (n = 366), or both (n = 30). Likewise, in maternal DNA, differentially methylated genes were identified that were associated with Cd (n = 92) or cotinine (n = 134) levels. While the gene sets were largely distinct between maternal and fetal DNA, functional similarities at the biological pathway level were identified including an enrichment of genes that encode for proteins that control transcriptional regulation and apoptosis. Furthermore, conserved DNA motifs with sequence similarity to specific transcription factor binding sites were identified within the CpG islands of the gene sets. This study provides evidence for distinct patterns of DNA methylation or “footprints” in fetal and maternal DNA associated with exposure to Cd. PMID:24169490

Occupational exposure of petroleum depot workers to BTEX compounds.

PubMed

Rezazadeh Azari, M; Naghavi Konjin, Z; Zayeri, F; Salehpour, S; Seyedi, M D

2012-01-01

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) are the most important toxic volatile compounds in the air and could be easily absorbed through the respiratory tract. In recent years, the risk of exposure to BTEX compounds, especially benzene as a carcinogen, has been considered in petroleum depot stations. To assess the occupational exposure of petroleum depot workers in Iran to BTEX compounds. After completing a questionnaire and assessing occupational exposure to BTEX compounds, 78 (46 exposed and 32 non-exposed) depot workers were randomly selected to participate in this study. Air sampling and analysis of BTEX was conducted according to the NIOSH method No. 1501. Analysis of urinary hippuric acid, as an indicator of toluene exposure, was carried out according to NIOSH method No. 8300. Personal monitoring of the high exposure group to BTEX compounds was repeated to verify the results obtained in the first phase of the monitoring. Among the 9 operating groups studied, occupational exposure to benzene and toluene was higher in quality control and gasoline loading operators-the median exposure ranged from 0.16 to 1.63 ppm for benzene and 0.2 to 2.72 ppm for toluene. Median exposure of other group members to BTEX compounds was below the detection limit of analytical method (0.07, 0.06, 0.05, and 0.05 ppm, respectively). The level of toluene exposure measured showed correlation with neither post-shift urinary hippuric acid (Spearman's rho = 0.128, p = 0.982) nor with the difference between post- and pre-shift urinary hippuric acid (Spearman's rho = 0.089, p = 0.847) in depot operational workers. Gasoline loading operators are exposed to a relatively high level of benzene.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and occupational exposure to silica.

PubMed

Rushton, Lesley

2007-01-01

Prolonged exposure to high levels of silica has long been known to cause silicosis This paper evaluates the evidence for an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in occupations and industries in which exposure to crystalline silica is the primary exposure, with a focus on the magnitude of risks and levels of exposure causing disabling health effects. The literature suggests consistently elevated risks of developing COPD associated with silica exposure in several occupations, including the construction industry; tunneling; cement industry; brick manufacturing; pottery and ceramic work; silica sand, granite and diatomaceous earth industries; gold mining; and iron and steel founding, with risk estimates being high in some, even after taking into account the effect of confounders like smoking. Average dust levels vary from about 0.5 mg.m3 to over 10 mg.m3 and average silica levels from 0.04 to over 5 mg.m3, often well above occupational standards. Factors influencing the variation from industry to industry in risks associated with exposure to silica-containing dusts include (a) the presence of other minerals in the dust, particularly when associated with clay minerals; (b) the size of the particles and percentage of quartz; (c) the physicochemical characteristics, such as whether the dust is freshly fractured. Longitudinal studies suggest that loss of lung function occurs with exposure to silica dust at concentrations of between 0.1 and 0.2 mg.m3, and that the effect of cumulative silica dust exposure on airflow obstruction is independent of silicosis. Nevertheless, a disabling loss of lung function in the absence of silicosis would not occur until between 30 and 40 years exposure.

Impact of climate change on occupational exposure to solar radiation.

PubMed

Grandi, Carlo; Borra, Massimo; Militello, Andrea; Polichetti, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Occupational exposure to solar radiation may induce both acute and long-term effects on skin and eyes. Personal exposure is very difficult to assess accurately, as it depends on environmental, organisational and individual factors. The ongoing climate change interacting with stratospheric ozone dynamics may affect occupational exposure to solar radiation. In addition, tropospheric levels of environmental pollutants interacting with solar radiation may be altered by climate dynamics, so introducing another variable affecting the overall exposure to solar radiation. Given the uncertainties regarding the direction of changes in exposure to solar radiation due to climate change, compliance of outdoor workers with protective measures and a proper health surveillance are crucial. At the same time, education and training, along with the promotion of healthier lifestyles, are of paramount importance.

Renal cancer risk and occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and plastics

PubMed Central

Karami, Sara; Boffetta, Paolo; Brennan, Paul; Stewart, Patricia A.; Zaridze, David; Matveev, Vsevolod; Janout, Vladimir; Kollarova, Helena; Bencko, Vladimir; Navratilova, Marie; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Neonila; Mates, Dana; Gromiec, Jan P.; Sobotka, Roman; Chow, Wong-Ho; Rothman, Nathaniel; Moore, Lee E.

2011-01-01

Objective To investigate whether occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and certain plastic monomers increased renal cell carcinomas (RCC) risk. Methods Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate RCC risk in relation to exposure. Results No association between RCC risk and having ever been occupationally exposed to any polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or plastics was observed. Duration of exposure and average exposure also showed no association with risk. Suggestive positive associations between RCC risk and cumulative exposure to styrene (P-trend = 0.02) and acrylonitrile (P-trend = 0.06) were found. Cumulative exposure to petroleum/gasoline engine emissions was inversely associated with risk (P-trend = 0.02). Conclusions Results indicate a possible association between occupational styrene and acrylonitrile exposure and RCC risk. Additional studies are needed to replicate findings, as this is the first time these associations have been reported and they may be due to chance. PMID:21270648

Influence of cadmium on ketamine-induced anesthesia and brain microsomal Na[sup +], K[sup +]-ATPase in mice

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shen, Y.; Sangiah, S.

1994-10-01

Cadmium is a rare metallic element, present in almost all types of food. Shellfish, wheat and rice accumulate very high amounts. Occupational and environmental pollutants are the main sources of cadmium exposure. Cadmium has a very long biologic half-life. Exposure to Cadmium causes anemia, hypertension, hepatic, renal, pulmonary and cardiovascular disorders as well as being a possible mutagen, teratogen and carcinogen. Acute cadmium treatment increased the hexobarbital sleeping time and inhibited hepatic microsomal drug metabolism due to a decrease in cytochrome P[sub 450] content. Cadmium potentiated ethanol-induced sleep in a dose-dependent manner. Cadmium has been shown to inhibit brain microsomalmore » Na[sup +], K[sup +]-ATPase activity in vitro and in vivo. Cadmium and ethanol additively inhibited brain Na[sup +], K[sup +]-ATPase. This might be a direct interaction between cadmium and ethanol in the central nervous system. Ketamine is an intravenous anesthetic agent. It acts on central nervous system and produces [open quotes]dissociative anaesthesia.[close quotes] Ketamine provides adequate surgical anesthesia and is used alone in humans and/or combination with xylazine, an [alpha][sub 2]-adrenergic agonist in animals. It produces CNS depression, analgesia, amnesia, immobility and a feeling of dissociation from the environment. Ketamine is a non-competitive antagonist of the NMDA subset of the glutamate receptor. This perhaps results in an increase in neuronal activity leading to disorganization of normal neurotransmission and produces dissociative anesthetic state. Because it is different from most other anesthetics, ketamine may be expected to have a unique effect on brain biochemical parameters and enzymes. The purpose of this study was to examine the interactions between cadmium and ketamine on the central nervous system and ATPase, in an attempt to further understand the mechanism of action. 12 refs., 3 figs.« less

Occupational Exposures to Ebola Virus in Ebola Treatment Center, Conakry, Guinea.

PubMed

Savini, Hélène; Janvier, Frédéric; Karkowski, Ludovic; Billhot, Magali; Aletti, Marc; Bordes, Julien; Koulibaly, Fassou; Cordier, Pierre-Yves; Cournac, Jean-Marie; Maugey, Nancy; Gagnon, Nicolas; Cotte, Jean; Cambon, Audrey; Mac Nab, Christine; Moroge, Sophie; Rousseau, Claire; Foissaud, Vincent; De Greslan, Thierry; Granier, Hervé; Cellarier, Gilles; Valade, Eric; Kraemer, Philippe; Alla, Philippe; Mérens, Audrey; Sagui, Emmanuel; Carmoi, Thierry; Rapp, Christophe

2017-08-01

We report 77 cases of occupational exposures for 57 healthcare workers at the Ebola Treatment Center in Conakry, Guinea, during the Ebola virus disease outbreak in 2014-2015. Despite the high incidence of 3.5 occupational exposures/healthcare worker/year, only 18% of workers were at high risk for transmission, and no infections occurred.

Developing Asbestos Job Exposure Matrix Using Occupation and Industry Specific Exposure Data (1984-2008) in Republic of Korea.

PubMed

Choi, Sangjun; Kang, Dongmug; Park, Donguk; Lee, Hyunhee; Choi, Bongkyoo

2017-03-01

The goal of this study is to develop a general population job-exposure matrix (GPJEM) on asbestos to estimate occupational asbestos exposure levels in the Republic of Korea. Three Korean domestic quantitative exposure datasets collected from 1984 to 2008 were used to build the GPJEM. Exposure groups in collected data were reclassified based on the current Korean Standard Industrial Classification (9 th edition) and the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations code (6 th edition) that is in accordance to international standards. All of the exposure levels were expressed by weighted arithmetic mean (WAM) and minimum and maximum concentrations. Based on the established GPJEM, the 112 exposure groups could be reclassified into 86 industries and 74 occupations. In the 1980s, the highest exposure levels were estimated in "knitting and weaving machine operators" with a WAM concentration of 7.48 fibers/mL (f/mL); in the 1990s, "plastic products production machine operators" with 5.12 f/mL, and in the 2000s "detergents production machine operators" handling talc containing asbestos with 2.45 f/mL. Of the 112 exposure groups, 44 groups had higher WAM concentrations than the Korean occupational exposure limit of 0.1 f/mL. The newly constructed GPJEM which is generated from actual domestic quantitative exposure data could be useful in evaluating historical exposure levels to asbestos and could contribute to improved prediction of asbestos-related diseases among Koreans.

[Prevalence of exposure to occupational risks in pregnant Spanish workers (the INMA Project-Valencia)].

PubMed

González-Galarzo, M Carmen; García, Ana M; Estarlich, Marisa; García García, Francisco; Esplugues, Ana; Rodríguez, Paz; Rebagliato, Marisa; Ballester, Ferran

2009-01-01

To describe the prevalence of exposure to occupational risks among pregnant women and analyze its relationship with personal and occupational characteristics using information collected in the Childhood and Environment (Infancia y Medio Ambiente [INMA])-Valencia cohort study. The INMA-Valencia cohort study started in 2004 with 855 pregnant women living in Valencia, Spain. Data on sociodemographic variables (age, education and country of birth) and occupational conditions (activity, occupation, type of contract, working hours and self-reported occupational exposure to physical load and psychosocial, physical, chemical and biological risks) in women with paid employment during pregnancy (n=649) were collected through face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire in week 32 of pregnancy. The prevalences of reported exposure to physical and psychosocial load and to physical pollutants (including non-ionizing radiations) were 56%, 63% and 62%, respectively. The prevalence of reported exposure to chemicals (including cleaning products) and biological pollutants was 22% and 6%, respectively. In general, the characteristics most closely associated with exposure to occupational risks were younger age, non-Spanish nationality, lower education, having a temporary contract or being self-employed. This study is the first to quantify the prevalence of exposure to occupational risks during pregnancy in a Spanish population-based sample. According to the data observed, surveillance and control actions should be intensified in pregnant workers, as some of the observed occupational exposures have been consistently associated with detrimental reproductive and developmental effects.

Psychiatric epidemiologic study of occupational lead exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parkinson, D.K.; Ryan, C.; Bromet, E.J.

1986-02-01

The association of occupational lead exposure with neuropsychiatric functioning was evaluated using data collected in 1982 in eastern Pennsylvania from 288 lead-exposed workers and 181 nonexposed subjects. Both current and cumulative exposure indices were used. After controlling for age, education, and income, few meaningful differences between exposed and control workers were found on either neuropsychologic or psychosocial variables. Dose-response analyses indicated that among lead-exposed workers, cumulative and current exposure were unrelated to neuropsychologic performance. The only meaningful associations occurred between exposure and level of conflict in interpersonal relationships. The results thus give evidence against hypotheses suggesting adverse neuropsychologic effects.

48 CFR 952.223-75 - Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... occupational radiation exposure records. 952.223-75 Section 952.223-75 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 952.223-75 Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records. Link to an... execution, or 952.223-72, Radiation protection and nuclear criticality: Preservation of Individual...

Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002): a new tool for surveying occupational skin diseases and exposure.

PubMed

Susitaival, P; Flyvholm, M-A; Meding, B; Kanerva, L; Lindberg, M; Svensson, A; Olafsson, J H

2003-08-01

Occupational skin diseases are among the most frequent work-related diseases in industrialized countries. Good occupational skin disease statistics exist in few countries. Questionnaire studies are needed to get more data on the epidemiology of occupational skin diseases. The Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire Group has developed a new questionnaire tool - Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ-2002) - for surveys on work-related skin disease and exposures to environmental factors. The 2 NOSQ-2002 questionnaires have been compiled by using existing questionnaires and experience. NOSQ-2002/SHORT is a ready-to-use 4-page questionnaire for screening and monitoring occupational skin diseases, e.g. in a population or workplace. All the questions in the short questionnaire (NOSQ-2002/SHORT) are included in the long version, NOSQ-2002/LONG, which contains a pool of questions to be chosen according to research needs and tailored to specific populations. The NOSQ-2002 report includes, in addition to the questionnaires, a comprehensive manual for researchers on planning and conducting a questionnaire survey on hand eczema and relevant exposures. NOSQ-2002 questionnaires have been compiled in English and translated into Danish, Swedish, Finnish and Icelandic. The use of NOSQ-2002 will benefit research on occupational skin diseases by providing more standardized data, which can be compared between studies and countries.

Occupational and environmental exposures and cancers in developing countries.

PubMed

Hashim, Dana; Boffetta, Paolo

2014-01-01

Over the past few decades, there has been a decline in cancers attributable to environmental and occupational carcinogens of asbestos, arsenic, and indoor and outdoor air pollution in high-income countries. For low- to middle-income countries (LMICs), however, these exposures are likely to increase as industrialization expands and populations grow. The aim of this study was to review the evidence on the cancer risks and burdens of selected environmental and occupational exposures in less-developed economies. A causal association has been established between asbestos exposure and mesothelioma and lung cancer. For arsenic exposure, there is strong evidence of bladder, skin, lung, liver, and kidney cancer effects. Women are at the highest risk for lung cancer due to indoor air pollution exposure; however, the carcinogenic effect on the risk for cancer in children has not been studied in these countries. Cancer risks associated with ambient air pollution remain the least studied in LMICs, although reported exposures are higher than World Health Organization, European, and US standards. Although some associations between lung cancer and ambient air pollutants have been reported, studies in LMICs are weak or subject to exposure misclassification. For pulmonary cancers, tobacco smoking and respiratory diseases have a positive synergistic effect on cancer risks. A precise quantification of the burden of human cancer attributable to environmental and occupational exposures in LMICs is uncertain. Although the prevalence of carcinogenic exposures has been reported to be high in many such countries, the effects of the exposures have not been studied due to varying country-specific limitations, some of which include lack of resources and government support. Copyright © 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational Electromagnetic Field Exposures Associated with Sleep Quality: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Liu, Hui; Chen, Guangdi; Pan, Yifeng; Chen, Zexin; Jin, Wen; Sun, Chuan; Chen, Chunjing; Dong, Xuanjun; Chen, Kun; Xu, Zhengping; Zhang, Shanchun; Yu, Yunxian

2014-01-01

Background Exposure to electromagnetic field (EMF) emitted by mobile phone and other machineries concerns half the world’s population and raises the problem of their impact on human health. The present study aims to explore the effects of electromagnetic field exposures on sleep quality and sleep duration among workers from electric power plant. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in an electric power plant of Zhejiang Province, China. A total of 854 participants were included in the final analysis. The detailed information of participants was obtained by trained investigators using a structured questionnaire, which including socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle variables, sleep variables and electromagnetic exposures. Physical examination and venous blood collection were also carried out for every study subject. Results After grouping daily occupational electromagnetic exposure into three categories, subjects with long daily exposure time had a significantly higher risk of poor sleep quality in comparison to those with short daily exposure time. The adjusted odds ratios were 1.68 (95%CI: 1.18, 2.39) and 1.57 (95%CI: 1.10, 2.24) across tertiles. Additionally, among the subjects with long-term occupational exposure, the longer daily occupational exposure time apparently increased the risk of poor sleep quality (OR (95%CI): 2.12 (1.23∼3.66) in the second tertile; 1.83 (1.07∼3.15) in the third tertile). There was no significant association of long-term occupational exposure duration, monthly electric fee or years of mobile-phone use with sleep quality or sleep duration. Conclusions The findings showed that daily occupational EMF exposure was positively associated with poor sleep quality. It implies EMF exposure may damage human sleep quality rather than sleep duration. PMID:25340654

Occupational Exposures to Ebola Virus in Ebola Treatment Center, Conakry, Guinea

PubMed Central

Janvier, Frédéric; Karkowski, Ludovic; Billhot, Magali; Aletti, Marc; Bordes, Julien; Koulibaly, Fassou; Cordier, Pierre-Yves; Cournac, Jean-Marie; Maugey, Nancy; Gagnon, Nicolas; Cotte, Jean; Cambon, Audrey; Mac Nab, Christine; Moroge, Sophie; Rousseau, Claire; Foissaud, Vincent; De Greslan, Thierry; Granier, Hervé; Cellarier, Gilles; Valade, Eric; Kraemer, Philippe; Alla, Philippe; Mérens, Audrey; Sagui, Emmanuel; Carmoi, Thierry; Rapp, Christophe

2017-01-01

We report 77 cases of occupational exposures for 57 healthcare workers at the Ebola Treatment Center in Conakry, Guinea, during the Ebola virus disease outbreak in 2014−2015. Despite the high incidence of 3.5 occupational exposures/healthcare worker/year, only 18% of workers were at high risk for transmission, and no infections occurred. PMID:28726614

Cadmium--a metallohormone?

PubMed

Byrne, Celia; Divekar, Shailaja D; Storchan, Geoffrey B; Parodi, Daniela A; Martin, Mary Beth

2009-08-01

Cadmium is a heavy metal that is often referred to as the metal of the 20th century. It is widely used in industry principally in galvanizing and electroplating, in batteries, in electrical conductors, in the manufacture of alloys, pigments, and plastics, and in the stabilization of phosphate fertilizers. As a byproduct of smelters, cadmium is a prevalent environmental contaminant. In the general population, exposure to cadmium occurs primarily through dietary sources, cigarette smoking, and, to a lesser degree, drinking water. Although the metal has no known physiological function, there is evidence to suggest that the cadmium is a potent metallohormone. This review summarizes the increasing evidence that cadmium mimics the function of steroid hormones, addresses our current understanding of the mechanism by which cadmium functions as a hormone, and discusses its potential role in development of the hormone dependent cancers.

Exposure assessment in different occupational groups at a hospital using Quick Exposure Check (QEC) - a pilot study.

PubMed

Ericsson, Pernilla; Björklund, Martin; Wahlström, Jens

2012-01-01

In order to test the feasibility and sensitivity of the ergonomic exposure assessment tool Quick Exposure Check (QEC), a pilot-study was conducted. The aim was to test QEC in different occupational groups to compare the exposure in the most common work task with the exposure in the work task perceived as the most strenuous for the neck/shoulder region, and to test intra-observer reliability. One experienced ergonomist observed 23 workers. The mean observation time was 45 minutes, waiting time and time for complementary questions included. The exposure scores varied between the different occupational groups as well as between workers within the occupational groups. Eighteen workers rated their most common work task as also being the most strenuous for the neck/shoulder region. For the remaining five workers, the mean exposure score were higher both for the neck and shoulder/arm in the most common work task. Intra-observer reliability shows agreement in 86% of the exposure interactions in the neck and in 71% in the shoulder/arm. QEC seems to fulfill the expectations of being a quick, sensible and practical exposure assessment tool that covers physical risk factors in the neck, upper extremities and low back.

Modelling of occupational exposure to inhalable nickel compounds.

PubMed

Kendzia, Benjamin; Pesch, Beate; Koppisch, Dorothea; Van Gelder, Rainer; Pitzke, Katrin; Zschiesche, Wolfgang; Behrens, Thomas; Weiss, Tobias; Siemiatycki, Jack; Lavoué, Jerome; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Stamm, Roger; Brüning, Thomas

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to estimate average occupational exposure to inhalable nickel (Ni) using the German exposure database MEGA. This database contains 8052 personal measurements of Ni collected between 1990 and 2009 in adjunct with information on the measurement and workplace conditions. The median of all Ni concentrations was 9 μg/m 3 and the 95th percentile was 460 μg/m 3 . We predicted geometric means (GMs) for welders and other occupations centered to 1999. Exposure to Ni in welders is strongly influenced by the welding process applied and the Ni content of the used welding materials. Welding with consumable electrodes of high Ni content (>30%) was associated with 10-fold higher concentrations compared with those with a low content (<5%). The highest exposure levels (GMs ≥20 μg/m 3 ) were observed in gas metal and shielded metal arc welders using welding materials with high Ni content, in metal sprayers, grinders and forging-press operators, and in the manufacture of batteries and accumulators. The exposure profiles are useful for exposure assessment in epidemiologic studies as well as in industrial hygiene. Therefore, we recommend to collect additional exposure-specific information in addition to the job title in community-based studies when estimating the health risks of Ni exposure.

48 CFR 952.223-75 - Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... occupational radiation exposure records. 952.223-75 Section 952.223-75 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 952.223-75 Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records. As prescribed at..., and health into work planning and execution, or 952.223-72, Radiation protection and nuclear...

48 CFR 952.223-75 - Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... occupational radiation exposure records. 952.223-75 Section 952.223-75 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 952.223-75 Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records. As prescribed at..., and health into work planning and execution, or 952.223-72, Radiation protection and nuclear...

48 CFR 952.223-75 - Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... occupational radiation exposure records. 952.223-75 Section 952.223-75 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 952.223-75 Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records. As prescribed at..., and health into work planning and execution, or 952.223-72, Radiation protection and nuclear...

48 CFR 952.223-75 - Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... occupational radiation exposure records. 952.223-75 Section 952.223-75 Federal Acquisition Regulations System... Clauses 952.223-75 Preservation of individual occupational radiation exposure records. As prescribed at..., and health into work planning and execution, or 952.223-72, Radiation protection and nuclear...

Bleeding problems associated with occupational exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides.

PubMed

Svendsen, Susanne Wulff; Kolstad, Henrik A; Steesby, Erik

2002-09-01

Sporadic reports have occurred on adverse health effects due to occupational exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides. We report a case of coagulation derangement in a pest-control officer and present the results of a survey of his colleagues. A 48-year-old man worked as a part-time pest-control officer applying rodenticides 3 h a week using gloves, but no mask, and without washing his hands between applications. He developed a symptomatic coagulation disturbance, probably caused by absorption of the poisons during work. No signs of coagulopathy were found in the patient's colleagues ( n=16), although basic hygiene measures were not always taken. Occupational exposure to anticoagulants should be considered in cases of unexplained bleeding. We recommend that measures be taken to minimize the risk of occupational intoxication.

Occupational exposure influences on gender differences in respiratory health.

PubMed

Dimich-Ward, Helen; Beking, Kris; DyBuncio, Anne; Chan-Yeung, Moira; Du, Weiwei; Karlen, Barbara; Camp, Pat G; Kennedy, Susan M

2012-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate gender differences in the respiratory health of workers exposed to organic and inorganic dusts. Meta-analysis techniques incorporating logistic regression were applied to a combined file of 12 occupational health studies. Meta-analysis of data on 1,367 women and 4,240 men showed that women had higher odds of shortness of breath whether exposed to inorganic dust or having no occupational exposure, with an overall odds ratio (OR) of 2.07 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.57-2.73) adjusted for smoking status, age, body mass index (BMI), ethnic status, atopy, and job duration. Inorganic dust exposure was associated with the highest odds of asthma (adjusted OR = 8.38, 95% CI = 1.72-40.89) for women compared to men, but no differences were found for unexposed workers. With organic dust exposure, men had elevated odds for occasional wheeze and worse lung function compared to women. Within the limitations of this analysis, gender differences in respiratory health, as suggested by population-based studies, were confirmed in our analysis of occupational health studies, with the general type of exposure, organic or inorganic, generally determining the extent of differences. The higher risks for women compared to men for shortness of breath were robust regardless of work exposure category, with the highest odds ratios found for asthma.

Isocyanate exposure and occupational asthma: a case-referent study

PubMed Central

Meredith, S; Bugler, J; Clark, R

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVE—To examine the quantitative relation between exposure to isocyanates and occupational asthma, and to explore the role of atopy and smoking in occurrence of the disease.
METHOD—A case-referent study was undertaken of cases from two manufacturing companies (A and B) from which referents without disease could be selected and reliable exposure measurements were available. In company A, 27 cases mainly attributed to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) were matched to 51 referents on work area, start and duration of employment, sex, and age. Exposures were estimated from existing measurements by job category. In company B there were seven cases attributed to 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) in two areas of the plant; 12 non-cases from the same areas were used as referents. Personal exposure measurements were available for all cases and 11 referents.
RESULTS—No difference in peak exposures between cases and referents was found in either plant; but in both, time weighted average (TWA) exposures at the time of onset of asthma were higher for cases. In A, the mean TWA exposure for cases was 1.5 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.2 to 1.8) ppb compared with 1.2 (1.0 to 1.4) ppb for referents. From a matched analysis, the odds ratio (OR) associated with 8 hour TWA exposure to isocyanates greater than 1.125 ppb (the median concentration for the referent group) was 3.2 (95% CI 0.96 to 10.6; p=0.06). Occupational asthma was associated with a pre-employment history of atopic illness (OR 3.5, p=0.04) and, less strongly, with smoking (OR 2.1, p=0.14). In B, small numbers limited analysis, but three of seven cases had at least one TWA exposure measurement greater than 5 ppb compared with one of 11 referents (OR 7.5, p=0.09).
CONCLUSION—Asthma can occur at low concentrations of isocyanates, but even at low concentrations, the higher the exposure the greater the risk. By contrast with other studies, smoking and atopy seemed to increase the odds

Occupational dental erosion from exposure to acids: a review.

PubMed

Wiegand, Annette; Attin, Thomas

2007-05-01

Dental erosion is characterized as a disorder with a multifactorial aetiology including environmental acid exposure. The purpose of this article was to summarize and discuss the available information concerning occupational dental erosion. Information from original scientific papers, case reports and reviews with additional case reports listed in PubMed, Medline or EMBASE [search term: (dental OR enamel OR dentin) AND (erosion OR tooth wear) AND (occupational OR worker)] were included in the review. References from the identified publications were manually searched to identify additional relevant articles. The systematic search resulted in 59 papers, of which 42 were suitable for the present review. Seventeen papers demonstrated evidence that battery, galvanizing and associated workers exposed to sulphuric or hydrochloric acid were at higher risk of dental erosion. For other industrial workers, wine tasters and competitive swimmers, only a few clinical studies exist and these do not allow the drawing of definitive conclusions. Occupational acid exposure might increase the risk of dental erosion. Evidence for occupational dental erosion is limited to battery and galvanizing workers, while data for other occupational groups need to be confirmed by further studies.

Measurement of vitamin D3 metabolites in smelter workers exposed to lead and cadmium

PubMed Central

Chalkley, S. R.; Richmond, J.; Barltrop, D.

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of lead and cadmium on the metabolic pathway of vitamin D3. METHODS: Blood and urinary cadmium and urinary total proteins were measured in 59 smelter workers occupationally exposed to lead and cadmium. In 19 of these workers, the plasma vitamin D3 metabolites, (25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25 OHD3), 24R, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (24R,25(OH)2D3) and 1 alpha,25- dihydroxycholecalciferol (1 alpha, 25(OH)2D3)) were measured together with blood lead. Vitamin D3 metabolites were measured by radioimmunoassay, (RIA), lead and cadmium by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and total proteins with a test kit. RESULTS: Ranges for plasma 25(OH)D3, 24R,25(OH)2D3 and 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 were 1.0-51.9 ng/ml, 0.6-5.8 ng/ml, and 0.1-75.7 pg/ml, respectively. Ranges for blood lead were 1-3.7 mumol/l, (21-76 micrograms/dl), blood cadmium 6- 145 nmol/l, and urinary cadmium 3-161 nmol/l. Total proteins in random urine samples were 2.1-32.6 mg/dl. Concentrations of lead and cadmium in blood showed no correlation (correlation coefficient -0.265) but there was a highly significant correlation between blood and urinary cadmium. Concentrations for 24R,25(OH)2D3 were depressed below the normal range as blood and urinary cadmium increased, irrespective of lead concentrations. High cadmium concentrations were associated with decreased plasma 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 when lead concentrations were < 1.9 mumol/l and with above normal plasma 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3 when lead concentrations were > 1.9 mumol/l, Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance (K-W ANOVA) chi 2 = 10.3, p = 0.006. Plasma 25(OH)D3 was negatively correlated with both urinary total proteins and urinary cadmium, but showed no correlation with plasma 24R,25(OH)2D3, 1 alpha,25(OH)2D3, blood lead, or blood cadmium. CONCLUSION: Continuous long term exposure to cadmium may result in a state of equilibrium between blood and urinary cadmium. Cadmium concentrations in blood could be predicted from the cadmium

Systematically extracting metal- and solvent-related occupational information from free-text responses to lifetime occupational history questionnaires.

PubMed

Friesen, Melissa C; Locke, Sarah J; Tornow, Carina; Chen, Yu-Cheng; Koh, Dong-Hee; Stewart, Patricia A; Purdue, Mark; Colt, Joanne S

2014-06-01

Lifetime occupational history (OH) questionnaires often use open-ended questions to capture detailed information about study participants' jobs. Exposure assessors use this information, along with responses to job- and industry-specific questionnaires, to assign exposure estimates on a job-by-job basis. An alternative approach is to use information from the OH responses and the job- and industry-specific questionnaires to develop programmable decision rules for assigning exposures. As a first step in this process, we developed a systematic approach to extract the free-text OH responses and convert them into standardized variables that represented exposure scenarios. Our study population comprised 2408 subjects, reporting 11991 jobs, from a case-control study of renal cell carcinoma. Each subject completed a lifetime OH questionnaire that included verbatim responses, for each job, to open-ended questions including job title, main tasks and activities (task), tools and equipment used (tools), and chemicals and materials handled (chemicals). Based on a review of the literature, we identified exposure scenarios (occupations, industries, tasks/tools/chemicals) expected to involve possible exposure to chlorinated solvents, trichloroethylene (TCE) in particular, lead, and cadmium. We then used a SAS macro to review the information reported by study participants to identify jobs associated with each exposure scenario; this was done using previously coded standardized occupation and industry classification codes, and a priori lists of associated key words and phrases related to possibly exposed tasks, tools, and chemicals. Exposure variables representing the occupation, industry, and task/tool/chemicals exposure scenarios were added to the work history records of the study respondents. Our identification of possibly TCE-exposed scenarios in the OH responses was compared to an expert's independently assigned probability ratings to evaluate whether we missed identifying

Occupational Exposure to Nano-Objects and Their Agglomerates and Aggregates Across Various Life Cycle Stages; A Broad-Scale Exposure Study.

PubMed

Bekker, Cindy; Kuijpers, Eelco; Brouwer, Derk H; Vermeulen, Roel; Fransman, Wouter

2015-07-01

Occupational exposure to manufactured nano-objects and their agglomerates, and aggregates (NOAA) has been described in several workplace air monitoring studies. However, data pooling for general conclusions and exposure estimates are hampered by limited exposure data across the occupational life cycle of NOAA and a lack in comparability between the methods of collecting and analysing the data. By applying a consistent method of collecting and analysing the workplace exposure data, this study aimed to provide information about the occupational NOAA exposure levels across various life cycle stages of NOAA in the Netherlands which can also be used for multi-purpose use. Personal/near field task-based exposure data was collected using a multi-source exposure assessment method collecting real time particle number concentration, particle size distribution (PSD), filter-based samples for morphological, and elemental analysis and detailed contextual information. A decision logic was followed allowing a consistent and objective way of analysing the exposure data. In total, 46 measurement surveys were conducted at 15 companies covering 18 different exposure situations across various occupational life cycle stages of NOAA. Highest activity-effect levels were found during replacement of big bags (<1000-76000 # cm(-3)), mixing/dumping of powders manually (<1000-52000 # cm(-3)) and mechanically (<1000-100000 # cm(-3)), and spraying of liquid (2000-800000 # cm(-3)) showing a high variability between and within the various exposure situations. In general, a limited change in PSD was found during the activity compared to the background. This broad-scale exposure study gives a comprehensive overview of the NOAA exposure situations in the Netherlands and an indication of the levels of occupational exposure to NOAA across various life cycle of NOAA. The collected workplace exposure data and contextual information will serve as basis for future pooling of data and modelling of worker

Review of refractory ceramic fiber (RCF) toxicity, epidemiology and occupational exposure.

PubMed

Maxim, L Daniel; Utell, Mark J

2018-02-01

This literature review on refractory ceramic fibers (RCF) summarizes relevant information on manufacturing, processing, applications, occupational exposure, toxicology and epidemiology studies. Rodent toxicology studies conducted in the 1980s showed that RCF caused fibrosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Interpretation of these studies was difficult for various reasons (e.g. overload in chronic inhalation bioassays), but spurred the development of a comprehensive product stewardship program under EPA and later OSHA oversight. Epidemiology studies (both morbidity and mortality) were undertaken to learn more about possible health effects resulting from occupational exposure. No chronic animal bioassay studies on RCF have been conducted since the 1980s. The results of the ongoing epidemiology studies confirm that occupational exposure to RCF is associated with the development of pleural plaques and minor decrements in lung function, but no interstitial fibrosis or incremental lung cancer. Evidence supporting a finding that urinary tumors are associated with RCF exposure remains, but is weaker. One reported, but unconfirmed, mesothelioma was found in an individual with prior occupational asbestos exposure. An elevated SMR for leukemia was found, but was absent in the highly exposed group and has not been observed in studies of other mineral fibers. The industry will continue the product stewardship program including the mortality study.

Occupational COPD and job exposure matrices: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Sadhra, Steven; Kurmi, Om P; Sadhra, Sandeep S; Lam, Kin Bong Hubert; Ayres, Jon G

2017-01-01

Background The association between occupational exposure and COPD reported previously has mostly been derived from studies relying on self-reported exposure to vapors, gases, dust, or fumes (VGDF), which could be subjective and prone to biases. The aim of this study was to assess the strength of association between exposure and COPD from studies that derived exposure by job exposure matrices (JEMs). Methods A systematic search of JEM-based occupational COPD studies published between 1980 and 2015 was conducted in PubMed and EMBASE, followed by meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model, with results presented as a pooled effect estimate with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The quality of study (risk of bias and confounding) was assessed by 13 RTI questionnaires. Heterogeneity between studies and its possible sources were assessed by Egger test and meta-regression, respectively. Results In all, 61 studies were identified and 29 were included in the meta-analysis. Based on JEM-based studies, there was 22% (pooled odds ratio =1.22; 95% CI 1.18–1.27) increased risk of COPD among those exposed to airborne pollutants arising from occupation. Comparatively, higher risk estimates were obtained for general populations JEMs (based on expert consensus) than workplace-based JEM were derived using measured exposure data (1.26; 1.20–1.33 vs 1.14; 1.10–1.19). Higher risk estimates were also obtained for self-reported exposure to VGDF than JEMs-based exposure to VGDF (1.91; 1.72–2.13 vs 1.10; 1.06–1.24). Dusts, particularly biological dusts (1.33; 1.17–1.51), had the highest risk estimates for COPD. Although the majority of occupational COPD studies focus on dusty environments, no difference in risk estimates was found for the common forms of occupational airborne pollutants. Conclusion Our findings highlight the need to interpret previous studies with caution as self-reported exposure to VGDF may have overestimated the risk of occupational

The Scientific Basis of Uncertainty Factors Used in Setting Occupational Exposure Limits.

PubMed

Dankovic, D A; Naumann, B D; Maier, A; Dourson, M L; Levy, L S

2015-01-01

The uncertainty factor concept is integrated into health risk assessments for all aspects of public health practice, including by most organizations that derive occupational exposure limits. The use of uncertainty factors is predicated on the assumption that a sufficient reduction in exposure from those at the boundary for the onset of adverse effects will yield a safe exposure level for at least the great majority of the exposed population, including vulnerable subgroups. There are differences in the application of the uncertainty factor approach among groups that conduct occupational assessments; however, there are common areas of uncertainty which are considered by all or nearly all occupational exposure limit-setting organizations. Five key uncertainties that are often examined include interspecies variability in response when extrapolating from animal studies to humans, response variability in humans, uncertainty in estimating a no-effect level from a dose where effects were observed, extrapolation from shorter duration studies to a full life-time exposure, and other insufficiencies in the overall health effects database indicating that the most sensitive adverse effect may not have been evaluated. In addition, a modifying factor is used by some organizations to account for other remaining uncertainties-typically related to exposure scenarios or accounting for the interplay among the five areas noted above. Consideration of uncertainties in occupational exposure limit derivation is a systematic process whereby the factors applied are not arbitrary, although they are mathematically imprecise. As the scientific basis for uncertainty factor application has improved, default uncertainty factors are now used only in the absence of chemical-specific data, and the trend is to replace them with chemical-specific adjustment factors whenever possible. The increased application of scientific data in the development of uncertainty factors for individual chemicals also has

Association between secondhand smoke exposure and blood lead and cadmium concentration in community dwelling women: the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2012).

PubMed

Jung, Se Young; Kim, Suyeon; Lee, Kiheon; Kim, Ju Young; Bae, Woo Kyung; Lee, Keehyuck; Han, Jong-Soo; Kim, Sarah

2015-07-16

To assess the association between secondhand smoke exposure and blood lead and cadmium concentration in women in South Korea. Population-based cross-sectional study. South Korea (Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V). 1490 non-smoking women who took part in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2012), in which blood levels of lead and cadmium were measured. The primary outcome was blood levels of lead and cadmium in accordance with the duration of secondhand smoke exposure. The adjusted mean level of blood cadmium in women who were never exposed to secondhand smoke was 1.21 (0.02) µg/L. Among women who were exposed less than 1 h/day, the mean cadmium level was 1.13 (0.03) µg/L, and for those exposed for more than 1 h, the mean level was 1.46 (0.06) µg/L. In particular, there was a significant association between duration of secondhand smoke exposure at the workplace and blood cadmium concentration. The adjusted mean level of blood cadmium concentration in the never exposed women's group was less than that in the 1 h and more exposed group, and the 1 h and more at workplace exposed group: 1.20, 1.24 and 1.50 µg/L, respectively. We could not find any association between lead concentration in the blood and secondhand smoke exposure status. This study showed that exposure to secondhand smoke and blood cadmium levels are associated. Especially, there was a significant association at the workplace. Therefore, social and political efforts for reducing the exposure to secondhand smoke at the workplace are needed in order to promote a healthier working environment for women. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Factors associated with occupational exposure to biological material among nursing professionals.

PubMed

Negrinho, Nádia Bruna da Silva; Malaguti-Toffano, Silmara Elaine; Reis, Renata Karina; Pereira, Fernanda Maria Vieira; Gir, Elucir

2017-01-01

to identify factors associated with occupational exposure to biological material among nursing professionals. a cross-sectional study was conducted in a high complexity hospital of a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Nursing professionals were interviewed from March to November 2015. All ethical aspects were observed. among the 226 professionals interviewed, 17.3% suffered occupational exposure to potentially contaminated biological material, with 61.5% being percutaneous. Factors such as age (p=0.003), professional experience in nursing (p=0.015), and experience at the institution (p=0.032) were associated with the accidents with biological material. most accidents with biological material among nursing professionals were percutaneous. Age, professional experience, and experience at the institution were considered factors associated with occupational exposure.

Gender-specific differences of interaction between cadmium exposure and obesity on prediabetes in the NHANES 2007-2012 population.

PubMed

Jiang, Fei; Zhi, Xueyuan; Xu, Miao; Li, Bingyan; Zhang, Zengli

2018-05-30

Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the years 2007-2012 were used to evaluate the interactions of cadmium (Cd) exposure with being overweight/obesity on the risk of prediabetes among adults 20 years older. A total of 3552 subjects were included in the analysis. Urinary cadmium levels (UCd) was used as a biomarker for long-term exposure to Cd. Additive interaction was estimated using relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) and synergy index (S). Following covariates adjustments, we found significant associations of UCd with higher prediabetes prevalence, and this association was more apparent in males (Q4 vs Q1: OR = 1.95, 95%CI: 1.34-2.84); while overweight/obesity was associated with prediabetes both in males and in females. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between Cd exposure and being overweight/obesity on prediabetes risk among males (RERI = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.42-1.93; AP = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.12-0.58; S = 2.00, 95% CI: 0.92-4.34). Our results suggest that being overweight/obesity may substantially amplify the adverse effects of long-term cadmium exposure on prediabetes risk, and this interaction is more severe in male adults. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Workshop report: strategies for setting occupational exposure limits for engineered nanomaterials.

PubMed

Gordon, Steven C; Butala, John H; Carter, Janet M; Elder, Alison; Gordon, Terry; Gray, George; Sayre, Philip G; Schulte, Paul A; Tsai, Candace S; West, Jay

2014-04-01

Occupational exposure limits (OELs) are important tools for managing worker exposures to chemicals; however, hazard data for many engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) are insufficient for deriving OELs by traditional methods. Technical challenges and questions about how best to measure worker exposures to ENMs also pose barriers to implementing OELs. New varieties of ENMs are being developed and introduced into commerce at a rapid pace, further compounding the issue of OEL development for ENMs. A Workshop on Strategies for Setting Occupational Exposure Limits for Engineered Nanomaterials, held in September 2012, provided an opportunity for occupational health experts from various stakeholder groups to discuss possible alternative approaches for setting OELs for ENMs and issues related to their implementation. This report summarizes the workshop proceedings and findings, identifies areas for additional research, and suggests potential avenues for further progress on this important topic. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational exposure to crystalline silica at Alberta work sites.

PubMed

Radnoff, Diane; Todor, Maria S; Beach, Jeremy

2014-01-01

Although crystalline silica has been recognized as a health hazard for many years, it is still encountered in many work environments. Numerous studies have revealed an association between exposure to respirable crystalline silica and the development of silicosis and other lung diseases including lung cancer. Alberta Jobs, Skills, Training and Labour conducted a project to evaluate exposure to crystalline silica at a total of 40 work sites across 13 industries. Total airborne respirable dust and respirable crystalline silica concentrations were quite variable, but there was a potential to exceed the Alberta Occupational Exposure Limit (OEL) of 0.025 mg/m(3) for respirable crystalline silica at many of the work sites evaluated. The industries with the highest potentials for overexposure occurred in sand and mineral processing (GM 0.090 mg/m(3)), followed by new commercial building construction (GM 0.055 mg/m(3)), aggregate mining and crushing (GM 0.048 mg/m(3)), abrasive blasting (GM 0.027 mg/m(3)), and demolition (GM 0.027 mg/m(3)). For worker occupations, geometric mean exposure ranged from 0.105 mg/m(3) (brick layer/mason/concrete cutting) to 0.008 mg/m(3) (dispatcher/shipping, administration). Potential for GM exposure exceeding the OEL was identified in a number of occupations where it was not expected, such as electricians, carpenters and painters. These exposures were generally related to the specific task the worker was doing, or arose from incidental exposure from other activities at the work site. The results indicate that where there is a potential for activities producing airborne respirable crystalline silica, it is critical that the employer include all worker occupations at the work site in their hazard assessment. There appears to be a relationship between airborne total respirable dust concentration and total respirable dust concentrations, but further study is require to fully characterize this relationship. If this relationship holds true

Cadmium - A metallohormone?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Byrne, Celia; Divekar, Shailaja D.; Storchan, Geoffrey B.

2009-08-01

Cadmium is a heavy metal that is often referred to as the metal of the 20th century. It is widely used in industry principally in galvanizing and electroplating, in batteries, in electrical conductors, in the manufacture of alloys, pigments, and plastics, and in the stabilization of phosphate fertilizers. As a byproduct of smelters, cadmium is a prevalent environmental contaminant. In the general population, exposure to cadmium occurs primarily through dietary sources, cigarette smoking, and, to a lesser degree, drinking water. Although the metal has no known physiological function, there is evidence to suggest that the cadmium is a potent metallohormone.more » This review summarizes the increasing evidence that cadmium mimics the function of steroid hormones, addresses our current understanding of the mechanism by which cadmium functions as a hormone, and discusses its potential role in development of the hormone dependent cancers.« less

Heart Rate, Stress, and Occupational Noise Exposure among Electronic Waste Recycling Workers

PubMed Central

Burns, Katrina N.; Sun, Kan; Fobil, Julius N.; Neitzel, Richard L.

2016-01-01

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing occupational and environmental health issue around the globe. E-waste recycling is a green industry of emerging importance, especially in low-and middle-income countries where much of this recycling work is performed, and where many people’s livelihoods depend on this work. The occupational health hazards of e-waste recycling have not been adequately explored. We performed a cross-sectional study of noise exposures, heart rate, and perceived stress among e-waste recycling workers at a large e-waste site in Accra, Ghana. We interviewed 57 workers and continuously monitored their individual noise exposures and heart rates for up to 24 h. More than 40% of workers had noise exposures that exceeded recommended occupational (85 dBA) and community (70 dBA) noise exposure limits, and self-reported hearing difficulties were common. Workers also had moderate to high levels of perceived stress as measured via Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale, and reported a variety of symptoms that could indicate cardiovascular disease. Noise exposures were moderately and significantly correlated with heart rate (Spearman’s ρ 0.46, p < 0.001). A mixed effects linear regression model indicated that a 1 dB increase in noise exposure was associated with a 0.17 increase in heart rate (p-value = 0.01) even after controlling for work activities, age, smoking, perceived stress, and unfavorable physical working conditions. These findings suggest that occupational and non-occupational noise exposure is associated with elevations in average heart rate, which may in turn predict potential cardiovascular damage. PMID:26797626

Heart Rate, Stress, and Occupational Noise Exposure among Electronic Waste Recycling Workers.

PubMed

Burns, Katrina N; Sun, Kan; Fobil, Julius N; Neitzel, Richard L

2016-01-19

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a growing occupational and environmental health issue around the globe. E-waste recycling is a green industry of emerging importance, especially in low-and middle-income countries where much of this recycling work is performed, and where many people's livelihoods depend on this work. The occupational health hazards of e-waste recycling have not been adequately explored. We performed a cross-sectional study of noise exposures, heart rate, and perceived stress among e-waste recycling workers at a large e-waste site in Accra, Ghana. We interviewed 57 workers and continuously monitored their individual noise exposures and heart rates for up to 24 h. More than 40% of workers had noise exposures that exceeded recommended occupational (85 dBA) and community (70 dBA) noise exposure limits, and self-reported hearing difficulties were common. Workers also had moderate to high levels of perceived stress as measured via Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale, and reported a variety of symptoms that could indicate cardiovascular disease. Noise exposures were moderately and significantly correlated with heart rate (Spearman's ρ 0.46, p < 0.001). A mixed effects linear regression model indicated that a 1 dB increase in noise exposure was associated with a 0.17 increase in heart rate (p-value = 0.01) even after controlling for work activities, age, smoking, perceived stress, and unfavorable physical working conditions. These findings suggest that occupational and non-occupational noise exposure is associated with elevations in average heart rate, which may in turn predict potential cardiovascular damage.

[The influence of occupational lead exposure on transmural repolarization dispersion].

PubMed

Zyśko, Dorota; Gajek, Jacek; Chlebda, Ewa; Mazurek, Walentyna

2005-02-01

The parts of QT interval: time from Q wave to the peak of T wave (QTp) representing the de- and repolarization of subepicardial layer and the time from the peak of T wave to its end (QTp-e) building the transmural dispersion of repolarization enable more exact assessment of repolarization period of the heart muscle. Occupational exposure to lead influences the electrophysiologic properties of the heart. The aim of our study was to assess the QTp and QTp-e interval in workers occupationally exposed to lead. The study was carried out in 22 copper smelters aged 41.8 +/- 8.7 years, occupationally exposed to lead. The control group consisted of 14 healthy men. In all studied subjects blood lead concentration (Pb) and the concentration of free protoporphyrins in erytrocytes were assessed. 24-hour ECG holter monitoring was done to study rhythm disturbances and the duration in lead CM5 of QT interval, QTp interval, RR interval preceding the assessed QT interval (pRR) during sleep, rest during the awake state and moderate daily activity. The QTp-e interval is the difference between the duration of QT and QTp interval. The duration of QTp and QTp-e in occupationally exposed workers and healthy persons did not differ significantly. These parameters were significantly lower in both groups during moderately physical activity comparing to the values during sleep. The QTp-e/ QTp ratio in occupationally exposed workers during night hours was significantly lower than during daily activity what was not the case in control persons. Occupational exposure to lead do not change significantly the transmural dispersion of repolarization. Occupational exposure to lead diminishes the QTp-e/QTp ratio during the night.

Burden of lung cancer attributable to occupational diesel engine exhaust exposure in Canada.

PubMed

Kim, Joanne; Peters, Cheryl E; Arrandale, Victoria H; Labrèche, France; Ge, Calvin B; McLeod, Christopher B; Song, Chaojie; Lavoué, Jérôme; Davies, Hugh W; Nicol, Anne-Marie; Pahwa, Manisha; Demers, Paul A

2018-04-28

To estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) and number of incident and fatal lung cancers in Canada from occupational exposure to diesel engine exhaust (DEE). DEE exposure prevalence and level estimates were used with Canadian Census and Labour Force Survey data to model the exposed population across the risk exposure period (REP, 1961-2001). Relative risks of lung cancer were calculated based on a meta-regression selected from the literature. PAFs were calculated using Levin's equation and applied to the 2011 lung cancer statistics obtained from the Canadian Cancer Registry. We estimated that 2.4% (95% CI 1.6% to 6.6%) of lung cancers in Canada are attributable to occupational DEE exposure, corresponding to approximately 560 (95% CI 380 to 1570) incident and 460 (95% CI 310 to 1270) fatal lung cancers in 2011. Overall, 1.6 million individuals alive in 2011 were occupationally exposed to DEE during the REP, 97% of whom were male. Occupations with the highest burden were underground miners, truck drivers and mechanics. Half of the attributable lung cancers occurred among workers with low exposure. This is the first study to quantify the burden of lung cancer attributable to occupational DEE exposure in Canada. Our results underscore a large potential for prevention, and a large public health impact from occupational exposure to low levels of DEE. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Current employment status, occupational category, occupational hazard exposure, and job stress in relation to telomere length: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

PubMed Central

Fujishiro, Kaori; Diez-Roux, Ana V; Landsbergis, Paul; Jenny, Nancy Swords; Seeman, Teresa

2014-01-01

Objective Telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of cell senescence, which is associated with a wide array of adverse health outcomes. While work is a major determinant of health, few studies have investigated the association of telomere length with various dimensions of occupation. Accelerated cellular aging could be a common pathway linking occupational exposure to several health outcomes. Methods Leukocyte telomere length was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) in a community-based sample of 981 individuals (age: 45–84 years old). Questionnaires were used to collect information on current employment status, current or main occupation before retirement, and job strain. The O*NET (Occupational Resource Network) database was linked to the questionnaire data to create 5 exposure measures: physical activity on the job, physical hazard exposure, interpersonal stressors, job control, and job demands. Linear regression was used to estimate associations of occupational characteristics with telomere lengths after adjustment for age, sex, race, socioeconomic position, and several behavioral risk factors. Results There were no mean differences in telomere lengths across current employment status, occupational category, job strain categories or levels of most O*NET exposure measures. There was also no evidence that being in lower status occupational categories or being exposed to higher levels of adverse physical or psychosocial exposures accelerated the association between age and telomere shortening. Conclusions Cellular aging as reflected by shorter telomeres does not appear to be an important pathway linking occupation to various health outcomes. PMID:23686115

Current employment status, occupational category, occupational hazard exposure and job stress in relation to telomere length: the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

PubMed

Fujishiro, Kaori; Diez-Roux, Ana V; Landsbergis, Paul A; Jenny, Nancy Swords; Seeman, Teresa

2013-08-01

Telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of cell senescence, which is associated with a wide array of adverse health outcomes. While work is a major determinant of health, few studies have investigated the association of telomere length with various dimensions of occupation. Accelerated cellular aging could be a common pathway linking occupational exposure to several health outcomes. Leukocyte telomere length was assessed using quantitative PCR in a community-based sample of 981 individuals (age: 45-84 years). Questionnaires were used to collect information on current employment status, current or main occupation before retirement and job strain. The Occupational Resource Network (O*NET) database was linked to the questionnaire data to create five exposure measures: physical activity on the job, physical hazard exposure, interpersonal stressors, job control and job demands. Linear regression was used to estimate associations of occupational characteristics with telomere lengths after adjustment for age, sex, race, socioeconomic position and several behavioural risk factors. There were no mean differences in telomere lengths across current employment status, occupational category, job strain categories or levels of most O*NET exposure measures. There was also no evidence that being in lower status occupational categories or being exposed to higher levels of adverse physical or psychosocial exposures accelerated the association between age and telomere shortening. Cellular aging as reflected by shorter telomeres does not appear to be an important pathway linking occupation to various health outcomes.

Are occupational, hobby, or lifestyle exposures associated with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukaemia?

PubMed Central

Bjork, J; Albin, M; Welinder, H; Tinnerberg, H; Mauritzson, N; Kauppinen, T; Stromberg, U; Johansson, B; Billstrom, R; Mikoczy, Z; Ahlgren, T; Nilsson, P; Mitelman, F; Hagmar, L

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVES—To investigate a broad range of occupational, hobby, and lifestyle exposures, suggested as risk factors for Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML).
METHODS—A case-control study, comprising 255 Ph+CML patients from southern Sweden and matched controls, was conducted. Individual data on work tasks, hobbies, and lifestyle exposures were obtained by telephone interviews. Occupational hygienists assessed occupational and hobby exposures for each subject individually. Also, occupational titles were obtained from national registries, and group level exposure—that is, the exposure proportion for each occupational title—was assessed with a job exposure matrix. The effects of 11 exposures using individual data and two exposures using group data (organic solvents and animal dust) were estimated.
RESULTS—For the individual data on organic solvents, an effect was found for moderate or high intensity of exposure (odds ratio (OR) 3.4, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.1 to 11) and for long duration (15-20 years) of exposure (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.0). By contrast, the group data showed no association (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.8; moderate or high intensity versus no exposure). For extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs), only individual data were available. An association with long occupational exposure to EMFs was found (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2 to 4.5). However, no effect of EMF intensity was indicated. No significant effects of benzene, gasoline or diesel, or tobacco smoking were found. OR estimates below unity were suggested for personal use of hair dye and for agricultural exposures.
CONCLUSIONS—Associations between exposure to organic solvents and EMFs, and Ph+CML were indicated but were not entirely consistent.


Keywords: risk factors; epidemiology; case-control study PMID:11600728

Occupational exposure of aldehydes resulting from the storage of wood pellets.

PubMed

Rahman, Mohammad Arifur; Rossner, Alan; Hopke, Philip K

2017-06-01

An exposure assessment was conducted to investigate the potential for harmful concentrations of airborne short chain aldehydes emitted from recently stored wood pellets. Wood pellets can emit a number of airborne aldehydes include acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, valeraldehyde, and hexanal. Exposure limits have been set for these compounds since they can result in significant irritation of the upper respiratory system at elevated concentrations. Formaldehyde is a recognized human carcinogen and acetaldehyde is an animal carcinogen. Thus, air sampling was performed in a wood pellet warehouse at a pellet mill, two residential homes with bulk wood pellet storage bins, and in controlled laboratory experiments to evaluate the risk to occupants. Using NIOSH method 2539, sampling was conducted in five locations in the warehouse from April-June 2016 when it contained varying quantities of bagged pellets as well as two homes with ten ton bulk storage bins. The aldehyde concentrations were found to increase with the amount of stored pellets. Airborne concentrations of formaldehyde were as high as 0.45 ppm in the warehouse exceeding the NIOSH REL-C, and ACGIH TLV-C occupational exposure limits (OELs). The concentrations of aldehydes measured in the residential bins were also elevated indicating emissions may raise indoor air quality concerns for occupants. While individual exposures are of concern the combined irritant effect of all the aldehydes is a further raise the concerns for building occupants. To minimize exposure and the risk of adverse health effects to a building's occupants in storage areas with large quantities of pellets, adequate ventilation must be designed into storage areas.

29 CFR 1910.1450 - Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories. 1910.1450 Section 1910.1450 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS (CONTINUED) Toxic and Hazardous Substances §...

29 CFR 1910.1450 - Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 29 Labor 6 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories. 1910.1450 Section 1910.1450 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS (CONTINUED) Toxic and Hazardous Substances §...

29 CFR 1910.1450 - Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 29 Labor 6 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals in laboratories. 1910.1450 Section 1910.1450 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS (CONTINUED) Toxic and Hazardous Substances §...

Prevalence of tinnitus in elderly individuals with and without history of occupational noise exposure.

PubMed

Melo, Juliana Jandre; Meneses, Caroline Luiz; Marchiori, Luciana Lozza de Moraes

2012-04-01

 The various metabolic and circulatory alterations that are related to noise exposure may cause the onset of several symptoms, including tinnitus.  The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence of tinnitus complaints in elderly individuals with and without history of occupational noise exposure.  This prospective study was conducted in a sample population consisting of 502 individuals aged over 60 years, by anamnesis and audiological evaluation. The variables that were studied were the frequency of tinnitus and the history of occupational noise. Logistic regression was used to control for potential confusion or modifications caused by the effects of the other variables on the associations of interest.  Tinnitus was reported in 50% of the cases, with tinnitus reported in 40% of the elderly individuals with history of occupational noise exposure, and in 43% of controls (elderly individuals without history of occupational noise exposure). A high frequency of tinnitus was detected in the population under investigation, but there were no statistically significant associations between the presence of tinnitus and history of occupational noise exposure.  The results of this study may have occurred due to other factors such as the age of the individuals without history of occupational noise exposure.

MINIMIZING OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO PESTICIDES: PERSONNEL MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

This communication is presented with two objectives in mind. The first objective is to provide an introduction to personnel monitoring of occupational exposure to pesticides for those who are not familiar with this field of investigation. The second objective is to stimulate disc...

Risk of lymphatic or haematopoietic cancer mortality with occupational exposure to animals or the public

PubMed Central

Svec, M; Ward, M; Dosemeci, M; Checkoway, H; De Roos, A J

2005-01-01

Background: Occupational exposure to animals or the public could result in exposure to infectious agents, which may play a role in the aetiology of lymphohaematopoietic (LH) cancers. Aims: To conduct a population based, case-control study of death certificate data from 1984 to 1998 in 24 US states in order to evaluate the risk of mortality from LH neoplasms associated with occupational exposure to animals or the public. Methods: Cases were selected as those with an underlying cause of death of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, n = 72 589), Hodgkin's disease (HD, n = 5479), multiple myeloma (n = 35 857), or leukaemia (n = 68 598); 912 615 controls were randomly selected from all remaining deaths, frequency matched on age, sex, race, and geographic region. Results: Occupational exposure to animals was associated with modest increased risks of mortality from all four LH cancers; these associations varied by region. Occupational exposure to the public was associated with only negligible increased risk with LH cancer outcomes. Occupations involving animal exposure were predominantly agricultural, and the risks associated with employment in the livestock industry exceeded the corresponding risks associated with the crop industry for all outcomes except HD. Conclusions: Increased risks of NHL, HD, multiple myeloma, and leukaemia were associated with occupations that involved animal exposure. Regional differences in risk imply that the risks may be associated with exposure to specific livestock or farming practices. However, these associations may be confounded by other farming related exposures, such as pesticides. Because the use of death certificates to classify occupation may result in misclassification during aetiologically relevant time periods, these hypotheses should be further explored in studies with detailed information on lifetime occupation. PMID:16169919

Parental Occupational Exposure to Heavy Metals and Welding Fumes and Risk of Testicular Germ Cell Tumors in Offspring: A Registry-Based Case-Control Study.

PubMed

Togawa, Kayo; Le Cornet, Charlotte; Feychting, Maria; Tynes, Tore; Pukkala, Eero; Hansen, Johnni; Olsson, Ann; Oksbjerg Dalton, Susanne; Nordby, Karl-Christian; Uuksulainen, Sanni; Wiebert, Pernilla; Woldbæk, Torill; Skakkebæk, Niels E; Fervers, Béatrice; Schüz, Joachim

2016-10-01

Data are scarce on the association between prenatal/preconception environmental exposure and testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) in offspring. We examined parental occupational exposures to heavy metals and welding fumes in relation to TGCT in offspring in a registry-based case-control study (NORD-TEST Study). We identified TGCT cases diagnosed at ages 14-49 years in Finland (1988-2012), Norway (1978-2010), and Sweden (1979-2011) through nationwide cancer registries. These cases were individually matched by country and year of birth to controls selected from population registries. Information on parental occupations was retrieved from censuses. From this, we estimated prenatal/preconception exposures of chromium, iron, nickel, lead, and welding fumes (all three countries), and cadmium (Finland only) for each parent using job-exposure matrices specifying prevalence (P) and mean exposure level (L). Exposure indices were calculated as a product of P and L (P × L), and exposure categories were based on P × L or different combinations of P and L. The study comprised 8,112 cases and 26,264 controls. We observed no statistically significant TGCT risk associated with presence of heavy metals/welding fumes (P × L > 0) and no dose-response relationship (P trend ≥ 0.32). A statistically significant elevated TGCT risk was found in paternal exposure category where both P and L of chromium were high (vs. no chromium; OR = 1.37, 95% confidence interval; 1.05-1.79). Our study provides little evidence of associations between parental exposures to heavy metals/welding fumes and TGCT in offspring with the potential exception of high paternal chromium exposure. Further research on paternal chromium exposure is warranted. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(10); 1426-34. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Systematically Extracting Metal- and Solvent-Related Occupational Information from Free-Text Responses to Lifetime Occupational History Questionnaires

PubMed Central

Friesen, Melissa C.; Locke, Sarah J.; Tornow, Carina; Chen, Yu-Cheng; Koh, Dong-Hee; Stewart, Patricia A.; Purdue, Mark; Colt, Joanne S.

2014-01-01

Objectives: Lifetime occupational history (OH) questionnaires often use open-ended questions to capture detailed information about study participants’ jobs. Exposure assessors use this information, along with responses to job- and industry-specific questionnaires, to assign exposure estimates on a job-by-job basis. An alternative approach is to use information from the OH responses and the job- and industry-specific questionnaires to develop programmable decision rules for assigning exposures. As a first step in this process, we developed a systematic approach to extract the free-text OH responses and convert them into standardized variables that represented exposure scenarios. Methods: Our study population comprised 2408 subjects, reporting 11991 jobs, from a case–control study of renal cell carcinoma. Each subject completed a lifetime OH questionnaire that included verbatim responses, for each job, to open-ended questions including job title, main tasks and activities (task), tools and equipment used (tools), and chemicals and materials handled (chemicals). Based on a review of the literature, we identified exposure scenarios (occupations, industries, tasks/tools/chemicals) expected to involve possible exposure to chlorinated solvents, trichloroethylene (TCE) in particular, lead, and cadmium. We then used a SAS macro to review the information reported by study participants to identify jobs associated with each exposure scenario; this was done using previously coded standardized occupation and industry classification codes, and a priori lists of associated key words and phrases related to possibly exposed tasks, tools, and chemicals. Exposure variables representing the occupation, industry, and task/tool/chemicals exposure scenarios were added to the work history records of the study respondents. Our identification of possibly TCE-exposed scenarios in the OH responses was compared to an expert’s independently assigned probability ratings to evaluate whether

Occupational exposure to metals and risk of meningioma: a multinational case-control study.

PubMed

Sadetzki, Siegal; Chetrit, Angela; Turner, Michelle C; van Tongeren, Martie; Benke, Geza; Figuerola, Jordi; Fleming, Sarah; Hours, Martine; Kincl, Laurel; Krewski, Daniel; McLean, Dave; Parent, Marie-Elise; Richardson, Lesley; Schlehofer, Brigitte; Schlaefer, Klaus; Blettner, Maria; Schüz, Joachim; Siemiatycki, Jack; Cardis, Elisabeth

2016-12-01

The aim of the study was to examine associations between occupational exposure to metals and meningioma risk in the international INTEROCC study. INTEROCC is a seven-country population-based case-control study including 1906 adult meningioma cases and 5565 population controls. Incident cases were recruited between 2000 and 2004. A detailed occupational history was completed and job titles were coded into standard international occupational classifications. Estimates of mean workday exposure to individual metals and to welding fumes were assigned based on a job-exposure-matrix. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using conditional logistic regression. Although more controls than cases were ever exposed to metals (14 vs. 11 %, respectively), cases had higher median cumulative exposure levels. The ORs for ever vs. never exposure to any metal and to individual metals were mostly greater than 1.0, with the strongest association for exposure to iron (OR 1.26, 95 % CI 1.0-1.58). In women, an increased OR of 1.70 (95 % CI 1.0-2.89) was seen for ever vs never exposure to iron (OR in men 1.19, 95 % CI 0.91-1.54), with positive trends in relation with both cumulative and duration of exposure. These results remained after consideration of other occupational metal or chemical co-exposures. In conclusion, an apparent positive association between occupational exposure to iron and meningioma risk was observed, particularly among women. Considering the fact that meningioma is a hormone dependent tumor, the hypothesis that an interaction between iron and estrogen metabolism may be a potential mechanism for a carcinogenic effect of iron should be further investigated.

Occupational exposure to solvents, metals and welding fumes and risk of Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

van der Mark, Marianne; Vermeulen, Roel; Nijssen, Peter C G; Mulleners, Wim M; Sas, Antonetta M G; van Laar, Teus; Huss, Anke; Kromhout, Hans

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between occupational exposure to solvents, metals and/or welding fumes and risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). Data of a hospital based case-control study including 444 PD patients and 876 age and sex matched controls was used. Occupational histories and lifestyle information of cases and controls were collected in a structured telephone interview. Exposures to aromatic solvents, chlorinated solvents and metals were estimated by linking the ALOHA+ job-exposure matrix to the occupational histories. Exposure to welding fumes was estimated using self-reported information on welding activities. No statistically significant associations with any of the studied metal and solvent exposures were found. However, for self-reported welding activities we observed non-statistically significant reduced risk estimates (third tertile cumulative exposure: OR = 0.51 (95% CI: 0.21-1.24)). The results of our study did not provide support for an increased chance on developing PD after occupational exposure to aromatic solvents, chlorinated solvents or exposure to metals. The results showed reduced risk estimates for welding, which is in line with previous research, but no clear explanation for these findings is available. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Nano-zinc on Biochemical Parameters in Cadmium-Exposed Rats.

PubMed

Hejazy, Marzie; Koohi, Mohammad Kazem

2017-12-01

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic environmental and occupational pollutant with reported toxic effects on the kidneys, liver, lungs, bones, and the immunity system. Based on its physicochemical similarity to cadmium, zinc (Zn) shows protective effects against cadmium toxicity and cadmium accumulation in the body. Nano-zinc and nano-zinc oxide (ZnO), recently used in foods and pharmaceutical products, can release a great amount of Zn 2+ in their environment. This research was carried out to investigate the more potent properties of the metal zinc among sub-acute cadmium intoxicated rats. Seventy-five male Wistar rats were caged in 15 groups. Cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ) was used in drinking water to induce cadmium toxicity. Different sizes (15, 20, and 30 nm) and doses of nano-zinc particles (3, 10, 100 mg/kg body weight [bw]) were administered solely and simultaneously with CdCl 2 (2-5 mg/kg bw) for 28 days. The experimental animals were decapitated, and the biochemical biomarkers (enzymatic and non-enzymatic) were determined in their serum after oral exposure to nano-zinc and cadmium. Statistical analysis was carried out with a one-way ANOVA and t test. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The haematocrit (HCT) significantly increased and blood coagulation time significantly reduced in the nano-zinc-treated rats. AST, ALT, triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL, and free fatty acids increased significantly in the cadmium- and nano-zinc-treated rats compared with the controls. However, albumin, total protein, and HDLc significantly decreased in the cadmium- and nano-zinc-treated rats compared with the controls (P < 0.05). It seems that in the oral administration of nano-zinc, the smaller sizes with low doses and the larger sizes with high doses are more toxic than metallic zinc. In a few cases, an inverse dose-dependent relationship was seen as well. This research showed that in spite of larger sizes of zinc, smaller sizes of nano-zinc particles are not

Contribution of job-exposure matrices for exposure assessment in occupational safety and health monitoring systems: application from the French national occupational disease surveillance and prevention network.

PubMed

Florentin, Arnaud; Zmirou-Navier, Denis; Paris, Christophe

2017-08-01

To detect new hazards ("signals"), occupational health monitoring systems mostly rest on the description of exposures in the jobs held and on reports by medical doctors; these are subject to declarative bias. Our study aims to assess whether job-exposure matrices (JEMs) could be useful tools for signal detection by improving exposure reporting. Using the French national occupational disease surveillance and prevention network (RNV3P) data from 2001 to 2011, we explored the associations between disease and exposure prevalence for 3 well-known pathology/exposure couples and for one debatable couple. We compared the associations measured when using physicians' reports or applying the JEMs, respectively, for these selected diseases and across non-selected RNV3P population or for cases with musculoskeletal disorders, used as two reference groups; the ratio of exposure prevalences according to the two sources of information were computed for each disease category. Our population contained 58,188 subjects referred with pathologies related to work. Mean age at diagnosis was 45.8 years (95% CI 45.7; 45.9), and 57.2% were men. For experts, exposure ratios increase with knowledge on exposure causality. As expected, JEMs retrieved more exposed cases than experts (exposure ratios between 12 and 194), except for the couple silica/silicosis, but not for the MSD control group (ratio between 0.2 and 0.8). JEMs enhanced the number of exposures possibly linked with some conditions, compared to experts' assessment, relative to the whole database or to a reference group; they are less likely to suffer from declarative bias than reports by occupational health professionals.

Occupational sunlight exposure and melanoma in the U.S. Navy.

PubMed

Garland, F C; White, M R; Garland, C F; Shaw, E; Gorham, E D

1990-01-01

Melanoma is the second most common cancer, after testicular cancer, in males in the U.S. Navy. A wide range of occupations with varying exposures to sunlight and other possible etiologic agents are present in the Navy. Person-years at risk and cases of malignant melanoma were ascertained using computerized service history and inpatient hospitalization files maintained at the Naval Health Research Center. A total of 176 confirmed cases of melanoma were identified in active-duty white male enlisted Navy personnel during 1974-1984. Risk of melanoma was determined for individual occupations and for occupations grouped by review of job descriptions into three categories of sunlight exposure: (1) indoor, (2) outdoor, or (3) indoor and outdoor. Compared with the U.S. civilian population, personnel in indoor occupations had a higher age-adjusted incidence rate of melanoma, i.e., 10.6 per 100,000 (p = .06). Persons who worked in occupations that required spending time both indoors and outdoors had the lowest rate, i.e., 7.0 per 100,000 (p = .06). Incidence rates of melanoma were higher on the trunk than on the more commonly sunlight-exposed head and arms. Two single occupations were found to have elevated rates of melanoma: (1) aircrew survival equipmentman, SIR = 6.8 (p less than .05); and (2) engineman, SIR = 2.8 (p less than .05). However, there were no cases of melanoma or no excess risk in occupations with similar job descriptions. Findings on the anatomical site of melanoma from this study suggest a protective role for brief, regular exposure to sunlight and fit with recent laboratory studies that have shown vitamin D to suppress growth of malignant melanoma cells in tissue culture. A mechanism is proposed in which vitamin D inhibits previously initiated melanomas from becoming clinically apparent.

Occupational exposure and laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer risk in central and eastern Europe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shangina, O.; Brennan, P.; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, N.

2006-08-15

A multicenter case-control study was conducted during 1999-2002 in four European countries (Poland, Romania, Russia, and Slovakia) to evaluate the role of occupational exposures in risk of laryngeal/hypopharyngeal cancer. Male cancer cases (34 hypopharyngeal, 316 laryngeal) with full data on occupational history and nonoccupational factors were compared with 728 hospital controls for occupational exposure to 73 suspected carcinogens. Occupational history was evaluated by industrial hygienists blinded to case/control status. Elevated risks for over exposure to coal dust were found for both hypopharyngeal (odds ratio (OR) = 4.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18, 14.89) and laryngeal (OR = 1.81, 95% CI:more » 0.94, 3.47) cancer, with clear dose-response patterns. Inclusion of a 20-year lag in the analysis strengthened these associations. Hypopharyngeal cancer risk was also significantly associated with exposure to mild steel dust (OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.39, 6.64) and iron compounds and fumes (OR = 2.74, 95% CI: 1.29, 5.84), without clear dose-response relations. Laryngeal cancer was significantly associated with exposure to hard-alloys dust (OR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.08, 4.57) and chlorinated solvents (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.03, 4.61), without dose-response relations. A possible link between high formaldehyde exposure and laryngeal cancer was suggested. These data indicate that occupational exposure to coal dust may play a role in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer. Other possible relations need further evaluation.« less

Occupational exposure to carbon black in its manufacture.

PubMed

Gardiner, K; Trethowan, W N; Harrington, J M; Calvert, I A; Glass, D C

1992-10-01

Carbon black is manufactured by the vapour phase pyrolysis of heavy aromatic hydrocarbon feedstocks. Its manufacture is worldwide and the majority of its production is for use in the rubber industry especially tyre manufacture. Its carbonaceous nature has led many to investigate the occurrence of exposure-related medical conditions. To quantify any such relationships, it is necessary to assess exposure accurately. As part of such an epidemiological investigation survey involving the measurement both of respirable and of total inhalable carbon black was undertaken in 18 plants in seven European countries between mid-1987 and mid-1989. A total of 1298 respirable samples (SIMPEDS cyclone) and 1317 total inhalable samples (IOM head) were taken and deemed of sufficient quality for inclusion in the study. The distributions of the time-weighted average values were assessed and found to be best described by a log-normal distribution, and so exposure is characterized by geometric means and standard deviations. The data are presented in terms of 13 separate job titles for both dust fractions and shows a wide variation between job titles, with the highest mean exposure experienced by the site cleaners, and 30% of the samples taken from the warehouse packers being in excess of the relevant countries' occupational exposure limits for total inhalable dust. The quality and extent of this data allows both for comparison with exposure standards and for generation of occupational exposure indices, which will be presented in another paper (Gardiner et al., in preparation).

Childhood leukemia and parents' occupational and home exposures.

PubMed

Lowengart, R A; Peters, J M; Cicioni, C; Buckley, J; Bernstein, L; Preston-Martin, S; Rappaport, E

1987-07-01

A case-control study of children of ages 10 years and under in Los Angeles County was conducted to investigate the causes of leukemia. The mothers and fathers of acute leukemia cases and their individually matched controls were interviewed regarding specific occupational and home exposures as well as other potential risk factors associated with leukemia. Analysis of the information from the 123 matched pairs showed an increased risk of leukemia for children whose fathers had occupational exposure after the birth of the child to chlorinated solvents [odds ratio (OR) = 3.5, P = .01], spray paint (OR = 2.0, P = .02), dyes or pigments (OR = 4.5, P = .03), methyl ethyl ketone (CAS: 78-93-3; OR = 3.0, P = .05), and cutting oil (OR = 1.7, P = .05) or whose fathers were exposed during the mother's pregnancy with the child to spray paint (OR = 2.2, P = .03). For all of these, the risk associated with frequent use was greater than for infrequent use. There was an increased risk of leukemia for the child if the father worked in industries manufacturing transportation equipment (mostly aircraft) (OR = 2.5, P = .03) or machinery (OR = 3.0, P = .02). An increased risk was found for children whose parents used pesticides in the home (OR = 3.8, P = .004) or garden (OR = 6.5, P = .007) or who burned incense in the home (OR = 2.7, P = .007). The risk was greater for frequent use. Risk of leukemia was related to mothers' employment in personal service industries (OR = 2.7, P = .04) but not to specified occupational exposures. Risk related to fathers' exposure to chlorinated solvents, employment in the transportation equipment-manufacturing industry, and parents' exposure to household or garden pesticides and incense remains statistically significant after adjusting for the other significant findings.

Combined Effects of Cadmium Exposure and Temperature on the Annual Killifish Nothobranchius furzeri.

PubMed

Philippe, Charlotte; Hautekiet, Pauline; Grégoir, Arnout F; Thoré, Eli S J; Pinceel, Tom; Stoks, Robby; Brendonck, Luc; De Boeck, Gudrun

2018-06-07

Freshwater organisms are increasingly exposed to combinations of stressors. However, since it is time-consuming and costly, research on the interaction of stressors, such as compound toxicity and global warming on vertebrates, is scarce. Studies on multigenerational effects of these combined stressors are almost non-existent. Here, we tested the combined effects of 4 °C warming and cadmium exposure on life history traits, biomarkers, bio-accumulation and multigenerational tolerance in the turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri. The extremely short life cycle of this vertebrate model allows for assessment of sublethal and multigenerational effects within four months. The applied cadmium concentrations had only limited effects on the measured endpoints, which suggests that N. furzeri is more resistant to cadmium than fathead minnow and rainbow trout. In contrast, the temperature increase of 4 °C was stressful: it delayed female maturation and lowered adult mass and fecundity. Finally, indications of synergistic effects were found on peak fecundity and embryonic survival. Overall, these results indicate the importance of studying chronic and multigenerational effects of combined stressors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Occupational exposure and ovarian cancer risk.

PubMed

Le, Nhu D; Leung, Andy; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Gallagher, Richard P; Swenerton, Kenneth D; Demers, Paul A; Cook, Linda S

2014-07-01

Relatively little work has been done concerning occupational risk factors in ovarian cancer. Although studies conducted in occupational settings have reported positive associations, their usefulness is generally limited by the lack of information on important confounders. In a population-based case-control study, we assessed risk for developing epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) associated with occupational exposure while accounting for important confounders. Participants were identified through provincial population-based registries. Lifetime occupational history and information on potential confounding factors were obtained through a self-administered questionnaire. Unconditional logistic regression and the likelihood ratio test were used to assess EOC risk with each occupation (or industry), relative to all other occupations (or industries), adjusting for potential confounders including body mass index, oral contraceptive use, menopausal hormone therapy, parity, age at first childbirth, age at menarche, age at menopause, family history of breast and ovarian cancer in mother and sister(s), tubal ligation, partial oophorectomy, and hysterectomy. Occupations and industries were coded according to the Canadian Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) and Standard Industrial Classification (SIC). Significant excess risk was observed for several groups of teaching occupations, including SOC 27, teaching and related (adjusted OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.15-2.81) and SOC 279, other teaching and related (adjusted OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.35-8.49). Significant excess was also seen for a four-digit occupational group SOC 4131, bookkeepers and accounting clerks (adjusted OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.30-6.80). Industrial sub-groups showing significant excess risk included SIC 65, other retail stores (adjusted OR 2.19, 95 % CI 1.16-4.38); SIC 85, educational service (adjusted OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.00-2.13); and SIC 863, non-institutional health services (adjusted OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.13-6.52). Our study found

Subchronic cadmium exposure upregulates the mRNA level of genes associated to hepatic lipid metabolism in adult female CD1 mice.

PubMed

Zhang, Jun; Wang, Yan; Fu, Lin; Feng, Yu-Jie; Ji, Yan-Li; Wang, Hua; Xu, De-Xiang

2018-07-01

Cadmium (Cd) is a persistent environmental and occupational contaminant that accumulates in humans and shows adverse effects on health. Accumulating evidence reveals that environmental Cd exposure is associated with hepatic lipid accumulation and metabolic alterations in adult male mice. However, whether Cd exposure induces hepatic lipid accumulation and metabolic alterations in female mice remains poorly understood. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of Cd exposure on insulin resistance, hepatic lipid accumulation and associated metabolic pathways. Female CD1 mice were administrated with CdCl 2 (10 and 100 mg l -1 ) by drinking water. We found that Cd exposure did not induce obesity, insulin resistance and hepatic lipid accumulation. By contrary, mice in the Cd-100 mg l -1 group presented a significant reduction of the glucose area under the curve during the glucose tolerance test. However, there was a significant elevation in the mRNA level of Fasn and Scd-1, which were critical genes during hepatic fatty acid synthesis. Moreover, hepatic Fabp1 and Fabp4, two genes for hepatic fatty acid uptake were upregulated in Cd-treated mice. Of interest, Lpl, a key gene for hepatic lipoprotein lysis, was also upregulated in Cd-treated mice. Collectively, our results suggest that Cd exposure upregulated mRNA level of genes related to hepatic lipid metabolism although there was no insulin resistance and hepatic lipid accumulation shown in the present study. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Gene expression analysis in rat lungs after intratracheal exposure to nanoparticles doped with cadmium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coccini, Teresa; Fabbri, Marco; Roda, Elisa; Grazia Sacco, Maria; Manzo, Luigi; Gribaldo, Laura

2011-07-01

Silica nanoparticles (NPs) incorporating cadmium (Cd) have been developed for a range of potential application including drug delivery devices. Occupational Cd inhalation has been associated with emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis and lung tumours. Mechanistically, Cd can induce oxidative stress and mediate cell-signalling pathways that are involved in inflammation.This in vivo study aimed at investigating pulmonary molecular effects of NPs doped with Cd (NP-Cd, 1 mg/animal) compared to soluble CdCl2 (400 μg/animal), in Sprague Dawley rats treated intra-tracheally, 7 and 30 days after administration. NPs of silica containing Cd salt were prepared starting from commercial nano-size silica powder (HiSil™ T700 Degussa) with average pore size of 20 nm and surface area of 240 m2/g. Toxicogenomic analysis was performed by the DNA microarray technology (using Agilent Whole Rat Genome Microarray 4×44K) to evaluate changes in gene expression of the entire genome. These findings indicate that the whole genome analysis may represent a valuable approach to assess the whole spectrum of biological responses to cadmium containing nanomaterials.

Cancer risk in nuclear workers occupationally exposed to uranium-emphasis on internal exposure.

PubMed

Canu, Irina Guseva; Ellis, Elizabeth Dupree; Tirmarche, Margot

2008-01-01

Workers involved in the nuclear fuel cycle have a potential for internal exposure to uranium. The present review of epidemiological studies of these workers aims to elucidate the relationship between occupational internal uranium exposure and cancer risk. Eighteen cohort and 5 nested case-control studies published since 1980 are reviewed. Workers occupationally exposed to uranium appear to be at increased risk of mortality from neoplasms of the lung, larynx, and lymphatic and haematopoietic tissue. Currently available evidence for a positive association between internal exposure to uranium and the risk of cancer is limited. The common weaknesses in reviewed studies include low statistical power and inaccurate assessment of internal exposure to uranium. Further investigations should focus on precise assessment of occupational exposure and address the issue of potential confounders.

Occupational dermal exposure to nanoparticles and nano-enabled products: Part 2, exploration of exposure processes and methods of assessment.

PubMed

Brouwer, Derk H; Spaan, Suzanne; Roff, Martin; Sleeuwenhoek, Anne; Tuinman, Ilse; Goede, Henk; van Duuren-Stuurman, Birgit; Filon, Francesca Larese; Bello, Dhimiter; Cherrie, John W

2016-08-01

Over the past decade, the primary focus of nanotoxicology and nanoenvironmental health and safety efforts has been largely on inhalation exposure to engineered nanomaterials, at the production stage, and much less on considering risks along the life cycle of nano-enabled products. Dermal exposure to nanomaterials and its health impact has been studied to a much lesser extent, and mostly in the context of intentional exposure to nano-enabled products such as in nanomedicine, cosmetics and personal care products. How concerning is dermal exposure to such nanoparticles in the context of occupational exposures? When and how should we measure it? In the first of a series of two papers (Larese Filon et al., 2016), we focused our attention on identifying conditions or situations, i.e. a combination of nanoparticle physico-chemical properties, skin barrier integrity, and occupations with high prevalence of skin disease, which deserve further investigation. This second paper focuses on the broad question of dermal exposure assessment to nanoparticles and attempts to give an overview of the mechanisms of occupational dermal exposure to nanoparticles and nano-enabled products and explores feasibility and adequacy of various methods of quantifying dermal exposure to NOAA. We provide here a conceptual framework for screening, prioritization, and assessment of dermal exposure to NOAA in occupational settings, and integrate it into a proposed framework for risk assessment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Lead exposure in US worksites: A literature review and development of an occupational lead exposure database from the published literature

PubMed Central

Koh, Dong-Hee; Locke, Sarah J.; Chen, Yu-Cheng; Purdue, Mark P.; Friesen, Melissa C.

2016-01-01

Background Retrospective exposure assessment of occupational lead exposure in population-based studies requires historical exposure information from many occupations and industries. Methods We reviewed published US exposure monitoring studies to identify lead exposure measurement data. We developed an occupational lead exposure database from the 175 identified papers containing 1,111 sets of lead concentration summary statistics (21% area air, 47% personal air, 32% blood). We also extracted ancillary exposure-related information, including job, industry, task/location, year collected, sampling strategy, control measures in place, and sampling and analytical methods. Results Measurements were published between 1940 and 2010 and represented 27 2-digit standardized industry classification codes. The majority of the measurements were related to lead-based paint work, joining or cutting metal using heat, primary and secondary metal manufacturing, and lead acid battery manufacturing. Conclusions This database can be used in future statistical analyses to characterize differences in lead exposure across time, jobs, and industries. PMID:25968240

Determination of crystalline silica in respirable dust upon occupational exposure for Egyptian workers

PubMed Central

MOHAMED, Sabrein H.; EL-ANSARY, Aida L.; EL-AZIZ, Eman M. Abd

2017-01-01

Crystalline free silica is considered as a lung carcinogen and the occupational exposure to its dust is a health hazard to workers employed in industries that involve ores of mineral dust. In Egypt, thousands of people work under conditions of silica dust exposure exceeding the occupational exposure limit, as a result the monitoring of this occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust is required by government legislation. The assessment of the later is a multi-phase process, depend on workplace measurements, quantitative analyses of samples, and comparison of results with the permissible limits. This study aims to investigate occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust at 22 factories in Egypt with different industrial activities like stone cutting, glass making, ceramic, and sand blasting. Dust samples were collected from work sites at the breathing zone using a personal sampling pump and a size-selective cyclone and analyzed using FTIR. The sampling period was 60–120 min. The results show that the exposure at each of the industrial sectors is very much higher than the current national and international limits, and that lead to a great risk of lung cancer and mortality to workers. PMID:29199263

Assessment of time to pregnancy and spontaneous abortion status following occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture.

PubMed

Attarchi, Mir Saeed; Ashouri, Monir; Labbafinejad, Yasser; Mohammadi, Saber

2012-04-01

Due to increasing usage of chemicals in various industries, occupational exposure of women with these materials is unavoidable. Nowadays, some studies indicate adverse effects of exposure to these chemicals, especially organic solvents on the reproductive system of females. This study aimed to assess the relationship between spontaneous abortion and occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture in pharmaceutical industry. This study was carried out in a pharmaceutical factory located in the suburb of Tehran in 2010. During the study, married women who were working in the factory laboratory units and had exposure to mixed organic solvents were compared with married women who were working in the packing units of the factory without occupational exposure to organic solvents in terms of spontaneous abortion frequency and duration of pregnancy using statistical methods. In this study, the frequency of spontaneous abortion in employees with and without exposure to organic solvents mixture was 10.7 and 2.9% respectively. This study showed that even after adjustment for confounding factors, there was a significant correlation between spontaneous abortion and occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture and this correlation increased with increasing levels of exposure to organic solvents. Also, a significant correlation was observed between occupational exposure to mixed organic solvents and waiting time to become pregnant (TTP). Furthermore, this study showed that even after adjustment for confounding variables, shift workers were significantly more affected by spontaneous abortion compared to daytime workers (P < 0.001). Also, in our study, synergistic effect between shift working and occupational exposure to organic solvents mixture on spontaneous abortion was seen. According to the results of this study, since there is probability of spontaneous abortion resulting from occupational exposure to various chemicals including organic solvents, recommendation to

Cadmium exposure in newborn rats ovary induces developmental disorders of primordial follicles and the differential expression of SCF/c-kit gene.

PubMed

Zhang, Wenchang; Wu, Tingting; Zhang, Chenyun; Luo, Lingfeng; Xie, Meimei; Huang, Huiling

2017-10-05

Since the 1990s, the rising problem that gonad reproductive toxicity on adult female after exposing to cadmium (Cd), an environmental endocrine disruptor, has attracted high attention at home and abroad,and was systematically studied. Our research focuses on a further problem is that early cadmium exposure (during birth to before puberty) impact on development and function of ovarian cells and its possible mechanism. Our research focuses on the changes of ovarian cells growth and development after the newborn rat ovaries with cadmium exposure in vitro, and different expression of ovarian cells development-related factors, SCF/c-kit and changes of their DNA methylation status. We obtained ovaries from 4-day-old SD rats and cultured them in DMEM/F12 mixed with α-MEM media in vitro. Different doses of cadmium were designed as control, 0.5, 5, 10 and 50μM, and then the constituent ratio of ovarian follicle and follicular oocytes diameter were observed with microscope after 4-h exposure. We found that the increased constituent ratio of original follicle and decreased diameter of all levels of follicular oocytes(compared with control, with statistically significant differences, P<0.01).After the measurement of expression of SCF/c-kit by qRT-PCR and Western Blotting, the mRNA and protein expression of SCF/c-kit in ovarian were both decreased. We further found that the increased constituent ratio of growth follicle and increased diameter of oocytes under the treatment of adding SCF in cell culture media. Finally, MALDI-TOF-MS method showed DNA-low methylation status of SCF/c-kit promoter region after Cd exposure. Overall, we concluded that the exposure of cadimium (5-50μM) on newborn rats ovaries could inhibit follicle development.SCF/c-kit system might mediate follicle development damage caused by cadmium, which is associated with DNA hypomethylation of SCF/c-kit promoter region may be worthy of further study. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cadmium, lead, and chromium in large game: a local-scale exposure assessment for hunters consuming meat and liver of wild boar.

PubMed

Danieli, P P; Serrani, F; Primi, R; Ponzetta, M P; Ronchi, B; Amici, A

2012-11-01

Heavy metals are ubiquitous in soil, water, and air. Their entrance into the food chain is an important environmental issue that entails risks to humans. Several reports indicate that game meat can be an important source of heavy metals, particularly because of the increasing consumption of game meat, mainly by hunters. We performed an exposure assessment of hunters and members of their households, both adults and children, who consumed wild boar (WB) meat and offal. We estimated the amount of cadmium, lead, and chromium in the tissues of WB hunted in six areas within Viterbo Province (Italy) and gathered data on WB meat and offal consumption by conducting specific diet surveys in the same areas. The exposure to cadmium, lead, and chromium was simulated with specifically developed Monte Carlo simulation models. Cadmium and lead levels in WB liver and meat harvested in Viterbo Province (Italy) were similar to or lower than the values reported in other studies. However, some samples contained these metals at levels greater then the EU limits set for domestic animals. The chromium content of meat or liver cannot be evaluated against any regulatory limit, but our results suggest that the amounts of this metal found in WB products may reflect a moderate environmental load. Our survey of the hunter population confirmed that their consumption of WB meat and liver was greater than that of the general Italian population. This level of consumption was comparable with other European studies. Consumption of WB products contributes significantly to cadmium and lead exposure of both adults and children. More specifically, consumption of the WB liver contributed significantly to total cadmium and lead exposure of members of the households of WB hunters. As a general rule, liver consumption should be kept to a minimum, especially for children living in these hunter households. The exposure to chromium estimated for this population of hunters may be considered to be safe. However

Surveillance of occupational noise exposures using OSHA's Integrated Management Information System.

PubMed

Middendorf, Paul J

2004-11-01

Exposure to noise has long been known to cause hearing loss, and is an ubiquitous problem in workplaces. Occupational noise exposures for industries stored in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) can be used to identify temporal and industrial trends of noise exposure to anticipate changes in rates of hearing loss. The noise records in OSHA's IMIS database for 1979-1999 were extracted by major industry division and measurement criteria. The noise exposures were summarized by year, industry, and employment size. The majority of records are from Manufacturing and Services. Exposures in Manufacturing and Services have decreased during the period, except that PEL exposures measured by federal enforcement increased from 1995 to 1999. Noise exposures in manufacturing have been reduced since the late 1970s, except those documented by federal enforcement. Noise exposure data outside manufacturing is not well represented in IMIS. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Occupational solvent exposure and cognition