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February 9, 2007
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History:
The history button on the search panel is a great way to keep track of any
previously searched materials.
By clicking on the ‘sort by’ drop down menu, users can sort through previously
searched materials by date searched or material name.
It is a useful time saving tool, and can you help remember that strange
material you searched for last month. The clearing options menu allows
users to clear the entire history or up to a specific date.
Hazard Alert
Tellurium
Tellurium is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol
Te and atomic number 52. A brittle silver-white metalloid which looks like
tin, tellurium is chemically related to selenium and sulfur. This element is
primarily used in alloys and as a semiconductor. Tellurium is a relatively
rare element, in the same chemical family as oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and
polonium (the chalcogens). When crystalline, tellurium is silvery-white and
when it is in its pure state it has a metallic luster. This is a brittle and easily
pulverized metalloid. Amorphous tellurium is found by precipitating it from
a solution of tellurous or telluric acid (Te(OH)6). However, there is some
debate whether this form is really amorphous or made of minute crystals.
Tellurium is a p-type semiconductor that shows a greater conductivity in
certain directions which depends on atomic alignment. Chemically related
to selenium and sulfur, the conductivity of this element increases slightly
when exposed to light. It can be doped with copper, gold, silver, tin, or other
metals. Tellurium gives a greenish-blue flame when burned in normal air
and forms tellurium dioxide as a result. When in its molten state, tellurium is
corrosive to copper, iron, and stainless steel. [1]
Applications: [1]
• Metal alloys
- It is mostly used in alloys with other metals. It is added to lead to improve
its strength and durability, and to decrease the corrosive action of sulfuric
acid. When added to stainless steel and copper it makes these metals
more workable. It is alloyed into cast iron for chill control.
• Used in ceramics.
• It is used in chalcogenide glasses.
• Tellurium is also used in blasting caps
• Organic tellurides have also been employed as initiators for living
radical polymerisation and electron-rich mono- and di-tellurides possess
antioxidant activity
Health Effects: [2]
Acute Health Effects
• Contact can irritate the skin and eyes.
• Breathing Tellurium can irritate the nose and throat.
• Breathing Tellurium can irritate the lungs causing coughing and/
or shortness of breath. Higher exposures can cause a build-up of
fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), a medical emergency, with severe
shortness of breath.
• Exposure to Tellurium can cause headache, fatigue, dizziness,
drowsiness and weakness.
Chronic Health Effects
• Repeated exposure can cause garlic odor to the breath, nausea,
vomiting, loss of appetite and upset stomach, metallic taste and irritability.
• Repeated or prolonged contact with Tellurium can cause dry and
cracked skin.
• Tellurium may affect the liver and kidneys.
• High exposure may damage the nervous system.
• At doses which are severely toxic to the mother, Tellurium produces
teratogenic effects.
Personal Protection: [2]
Clothing
• Avoid skin contact with Tellurium. Wear protective gloves and clothing.
Safety equipment suppliers/manufacturers can provide recommendations
on the most protective glove/clothing material for your operation.
• All protective clothing (suits, gloves, footwear, headgear) should be clean,
available each day, and put on before work.
Eye Protection
• Wear impact resistant eye protection with side shields or goggles.
• Wear a face shield along with goggles when working with corrosive, highly
irritating or toxic substances.
Respiratory Protection
• Be sure to consider all potential exposures in your workplace. You may
need a combination of filters, prefilters or cartridges to protect against
different forms of a chemical (such as vapor and mist) or against a mixture
of chemicals.
• Where the potential for high exposure exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH
approved supplied-air respirator with a full facepiece operated in a
pressure-demand or other positivepressure mode. For increased
protection use in combination with an auxiliary self-contained breathing
apparatus operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure
mode.
• Exposure to 25 mg/m3 is immediately dangerous to life and health. If
the possibility of exposure above 25 mg/m3 exists, use a MSHA/NIOSH
approved self-contained breathing apparatus with a full facepiece
operated in a pressure-demand or other positive-pressure mode.
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tellurium
2. www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/rtkweb/1777.pdf
Legislation
Asia Pacific
Control of chemicals of security concern
2007-01-23
Attorney-general Philip Ruddock, and the Minister for Agriculture, Peter
McGauran have released a discussion paper on the development of
appropriate controls for chemicals of security concern. The discussion
paper is a result of a widespread review, conducted on the use and supply
of chemicals of security concerns in order to prevent their possible use
in a terrorist incident. The Australian Government is working closely with
State and Territiry governments, as well as industry groups as part of COAG
Review of Hazardous Materials, which began in 2002. The discussion
paper identifies a list of chemicals which may require additional control
measures because of their assessed security risk. It will be necessary to
consider what, if any, measures should be taken in relation to each of the
listed chemicals. Mr Ruddock said it was “unlikely that any single regime
would be necessary and appropriate’’ for all the chemicals. “Governments
are a long way from finalising the list of chemicals and related controls and
no decisions will be made until a thorough consultation process, including
with key farm organisations such as the National Farmers’ Federation, has
occurred,’’ Mr McGauran said. Mr Ruddock said the discussion paper had
been prepared to generate feedback from industry, agriculture, researchers
and other users of chemicals, and Commonwealth, State and Territory
governments. “The review of chemicals of security concern is at an early
stage and we anticipate further stakeholder consultation during the COAG
review process,” Mr Ruddock said. The discussion paper will be available
for comment until 1 March 2007 and can be accessed from the Department
of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s website at www.pmc.gov.au.
Attorney General Media Release, 30 November 2006
http://www.ag.gov.au
FSANZ invites public comment on latest changes to the
Food Code
2007-01-23
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) have announced plans for
amendments to the Food Standards Code, including approval of food from
GM varieties of soybean and rice, permission to increase the amount of
water used in winemaking, labelling requirements for catered and delivered
meals, and a new national food safety standard for the egg industry. The
Food Standards Code contains regulations - called food standards - that
must be complied with by food manufacturers and producers. These
regulations usually change as a result of an application from an individual
or organisation, or when FSANZ itself identifies the need to make a change.
The ministerial council responsible for oversight of the food regulatory
system in Australia and New Zealand can also request changes to the
Code, the most recent being requests for FSANZ to develop standards for
the mandatory fortification of food with folic acid and with iodine. Public
comments on the amendments will be received by FSANZ until 7 February
2007, except for the new primary production and processing standard for
eggs and egg products, which is open until 24 February 2007.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand, 13 December 2006
http:// www.foodstandards.gov.au
Secondary Assessment Report for Infineum C9350 issued
2007-01-23
On 7 November 2006 the National Industrial Chemical Notification and
Assessment Scheme (NICNAS) announced the release of the Existing
Chemical Secondary Notification Assessment NA/486S for Infineum C9350
(also known as Parabar 9350). This chemical has been used as a component
in a lubricating oil additive package. The assessment results from additional
data made available to NICNAS on the hazardous nature of the chemical
since it was assessed in September 1999. The Assessment provides a
detailed summary and evaluation of information relevant to a secondary
notification assessment of Infineum C9350, covering uses, exposure, effects
on human health and the environment, and the risks of adverse effects the
chemical may cause to the environment and people of Australia. In addition,
recommendations are made for the safe use of the chemical.
Enhesa Update, December 2006
Standard of concentration limits for certain hazardous
substances in electronic information products adopted
2007-01-23
The Chinese Ministry of Information Industry adopted the Standard of
Concentration Limits for Certain Hazardous Substances in Electronic
Information Products. The new standard came into force on 6 November
2006 and is responsible for setting the concentration limits for hazardous
substances including: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, and
polybrominated biphenyls (PBB).
Enhesa update, December 2006
GHS Implementation under way
2007-01-23
On 25 September 2006, amendments to the Enforcement Regulation of
the Industrial Safety and Health Act was announced by the Ministry of
Government Legislation in South Korea. Amongst others, the amended
Enforcement Regulation of 25 September 2006 modified the previous 15
classifications of hazardous substances into 27 classifications in line with the
Globally Harmonized System on Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
(GHS).
Enhesa Update, December 2006
America
PHMSA: Harmonization With the United Nations
Recommendations, International Maritime Dangerous
Goods Code, and International Civil Aviation
Oganization’s Technical Instructions
2007-01-23
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
has released the final rule revising the Hazardous Materials Regulations.
The aim of this rule is to maintain alignment with international standards by
incorporating various amendments, including changes to proper shipping
names, hazard classes, packing groups, special provisions, packaging
authorizations, air transport quantity limitations and vessel stowage
requirements. These revisions will harmonize the Hazardous Materials
Regulations with the changes to the the International Maritime Dangerous
Goods Code, the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Technical
Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air, and the
United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, 29 December 2006
http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/notices/rulemakemake
Changes made to regulation of pesticide-infused
packaging
2007-01-23
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is turning over the regulation of
a new type of pesticide-impregnated food packaging to the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), a simplification of the law that will treat the chemicals
as additives. The EPA has reported that this decision was reached after
receiving applications for the registration of the new food packaging
pesticides under the current legislation: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The use of these pesticides is intended to act as an
alternative to more toxic and expensive applications of insecticides in food
storage and retail establishments. The EPA is now seeking feedback on the
final rule. The change would consolidate the oversight of food packaging
additives under the FDA, and allow the registrations to go ahead under a
simpler system, the EPA said. The applications raised a number of complex
jurisdictional issues for the EPA and FDA because the treated packaging
materials will be sold to food distributors for the purpose of controlling pest
infestations, as well as for packaging food. Under FIFRA, all pesticide-
treated products require registration and have components of either active
ingredients or inert ingredients.
Active ingredients are considered those which, will “prevent, destroy, repel or
mitigate any pest.” Inert ingredients are ingredients “which are not active.”
Thus, the components of the food packaging, such as paperboards and
coatings, become inert ingredients of a pesticide product regulated under
FIFRA. As inert ingredients, the components of food packaging would also
be subject to regulation by the FDA as “pesticide chemical residues” under
the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). In order to resolve
the issue the EPA gave sole jurisdiction to the FDA under the FFDCA.
As a consequence the EPA would no longer have jurisdiction over such
substances as pesticide chemicals.”Given FDA’s expertise and experience
in regulating the components of food packaging, EPA, in consultation with
FDA, believes this rule will eliminate the duplicative FFDCA jurisdiction and
economize federal government resources while continuing to protect human
health and the environment without additional regulatory oversight by EPA,”
the agencies stated. The agency has cautioned that this change will on
affect a very small number of food packaging materials -- pesticide-treated
food packaging that is distributed or sold with the purpose of controlling
pests. Food packaging that is not distributed or sold to control pests is not
considered as a pesticide under current law and is not subject to the rule.
“For example, packaged products that are simply treated with pesticides by
food distributors, retailers or homeowners solely to control pests on site do not
themselves become pesticides simply as a result of such applications,” the
EPA stated. “Rather, the product itself must be distributed with the purpose
of providing pest control to become a pesticide. The treated packaging
materials addressed in this rule are those that are sold for the express
purpose of providing ongoing protection from pests that may contaminate
the products made with the treated packaging.” Pesticide manufacturers
and food packages will be affected by this rule change, which comes into
effect on 5 February 2007.
All pesticides currently used in the US must be registered by the EPA, which
assesses applications on the basis that they are properly labeled and will
not cause unreasonable harm to the environment.
Food Production Daily News, 20 December 2006
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com
Hazardous Materials; Enhancing Rail Transportation
Safety and Security for Hazardous Materials Shipments;
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)
2007-01-23
A proposal by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
(PHMSA), in consultation with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)
and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), to revise the current
requirements in the Hazardous Materials Regulations applicable to the safe
and secure transportation of hazardous materials transported in commerce
by rail. This proposal would require rail carriers to compile annual data on
specified shipments of hazardous materials, use the data to analyze safety
and security risks along rail transportation routes where those materials are
transported, assess alternative routing options, and make routing decisions
based on those assessments. We are also proposing clarifications of the
current security plan requirements to address en route storage, delays in
transit, delivery notification, and additional security inspection requirements
for hazardous materials shipments.
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, 21 December 2006
http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/notices/rulemake
Transportation Security Administration: Rail
Transportation Security
2007-01-23
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) proposes security
requirements for freight railroad carriers; intercity, commuter, and short-haul
passenger train service providers; rail transit systems; and rail operations
at certain, fixed-site facilities that ship or receive specified hazardous
materials by rail. This rule proposes to codify the scope of TSA’s existing
inspection program and to require regulated parties to allow TSA and
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials to enter, inspect, and
test property, facilities, and records relevant to rail security. In addition, this
rule recommends that regulated parties designate rail security coordinators
and report significant security concerns to DHS. TSA also proposes that
freight rail carriers and certain facilities handling hazardous materials be
equipped to report location and shipping information to TSA upon request
and to implement chain of custody requirements to ensure a positive and
secure exchange of specified hazardous materials, and to clarify and
extend the sensitive security information (SSI) protections to cover certain
information associated with rail transportation. This proposed rule would
allow TSA to enhance rail security by coordinating its activities with other
Federal agencies, which would also avoid duplicative inspections and
minimize the compliance burden on the regulated parties. The aim of this
rule is to enhance existing rail transportation laws and regulations that the
Department of Transportation (DOT) administers.
Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, 21 December 2006
http://hazmat.dot.gov/regs/notices/rulemake
Warnings on common painkillers may get stronger
2007-01-23
The Government has announced a proposal to enforce stronger safety
warnings for nonprescription painkillers including aspirin, Tylenol, Advil,
Motrin and Aleve. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that it was
concerned that consumers were not well enough informed regarding the
serious and potentially fatal complications that may arise from misuse of
these medications. Dr. William M. Lee of the University of Texas Southwestern
Medical Center at Dallas, an expert on liver failure said, “Acetaminophen is
an enormous problem in the United States and overshadows prescription
drug toxicity.” “This is finally doing something in response.” Acetaminophen
is the active ingredient of Tylenol and its generic equivalents and is also
found in many other painkillers and cold remedies. The FDA estimates that
200 people a year die from acetaminophen overdoses, although others have
put the figure at more than 450. The other painkillers covered by the warning
- NSAIDs, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - can cause bleeding in
the stomach. NSAIDs include ibuprofen, which is sold as a generic and
under the brand names Advil and Motrin; naproxen, the active ingredient
in Aleve; and aspirin. Acetaminophen and NSAIDs are used for pain, fever,
headaches and muscle aches.
For the past four years the FDA have been considering imposing the
stronger warnings for nonprescription painkillers. However, due to the federal
regulatory process, it could take another year or more before the agency’s
proposed wording and layout changes appear on all drug packages - unless
manufacturers voluntarily embrace the changes. The Consumer Healthcare
Products Association, a trade group representing manufacturers, said
many companies had already improved their safety information. The FDA’s
proposal is to make the current warning information clearer and more
forceful. A key element would require standard language for all medications
containing the drugs. That is not the case now. “We more or less allowed the
companies to voluntarily put warnings” on their products, said Dr. Charles
J. Ganley, the FDA’s director of nonprescription drugs. “The language is not
the language we wanted on there.” Although the safety concern is not new,
Ganley said, the FDA is striving to better communicate it to the public. The
medications are safe when used as directed, he emphasized. Patients must
take care not to exceed the recommended overall dose if they are taking
other products with the same ingredient. For example, Tylenol and Nyquil, a
popular over-the-counter cold treatment, contain acetaminophen. NSAIDs
and acetaminophen are also found in prescription drugs, and that can cause
different sorts of problems.
Patients dependent on the codeine derivative in the painkiller Percocet, for
instance, could unwittingly overdose on acetaminophen if they took Tylenol
at the same time. In addition, the FDA said it was considering whether to
limit the number of acetaminophen pills in a single package. After British
regulators imposed such a restriction, the number of suicides dropped.
Ganley said the process for requiring safety warnings on over-the-counter
drugs was particularly cumbersome and required painstaking investigation.
Once the proposed rule is published, the public will have 150 days to comment
on it. Under the FDA proposal, drugs containing acetaminophen would carry
warnings that highlight the potential for liver problems, particularly with
high doses, or when using more than one medication with the ingredient,
or when taken with moderate amounts of alcohol. The active ingredient,
acetaminophen, would be prominently displayed to help consumers
recognize it as a component of different medications. For NSAIDs, the
new warnings would call attention to the potential for stomach bleeding
in patients over 60, or in those who have had previous ulcers or bleeding
or are taking blood-thinning medication. They would also advise against
taking the medications for a longer time than directed, or with alcohol, or in
combination with other medications that contain NSAIDs.
LA Times News, 20 December2006
http://www.latimes.com
Europe
IPPC guidance on ammonia, acids and fertilisers
2007-01-23
Agreement has been reached on the EU guidance on how to apply best
available techniques (BAT) to minimise the environmental impacts of
installations producing ammonia, acids and inorganic fertilisers. The BAT
reference document, known as a bref, is of much greater significance for
the European industry than related IPPC guidance on specific inorganic
chemicals as it targets chemicals produced in very large volumes for key
sectors of the economy such as agriculture. Ammonia is mainly used for
the production of fertilisers, plastics, fibres, explosives and amines. In
addition, the bref covers four types of acids - sulphuric, nitric, phosphoric
and hydrofluoric acids - and fertilisers made from nitrogen and phosphorus
and potassium. In the acids industry, sulphuric and nitric acids represent
the major part of production. Others, such as phosphoric acid, are on the
decline. The 446-page bref details a wide range of techniques for reducing
the industry’s main environmental impacts. These include energy use,
emissions of air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO2) and greenhouse
gases including nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia. According to an IPPC
bureau official, one of the most difficult issues during the bref’s drafting was
to define energy consumption levels for ammonia production.
Eventually an agreement was reached on levels ranging from 27.6 to
31.8 GJ/tonne. This could lead to “substantial” savings but will be tough
to achieve, the official said.Another difficulty was to agree levels for SO2
emissions for the production of sulphuric acid, particularly from non-ferrous
metal smelting. Daily average levels ranging between 200-680 mg/Nm3
for certain conversion processes are “really challenging”, the official said.
Overall, a high level of consensus was reached, apart from two “split views”.
The first one concerns N2O emission levels for the production of nitric acid.
Several industry representatives did not agree with recommended levels,
arguing BAT to reduce achieve these was not mature enough. The other split
occurred in regard to the BAT to reduce dust emissions from the production
of hydrofluoric acid. Some deemed this action too costly.
ENDS Europe Daily News, 19 January 2007
http://www.endseuropedaily.com
Finland implements EU curbs on VOCs in paints
2007-01-23
Finland has adopted national legislation implementing an EU directive
that tightens controls on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in paints and
varnishes used in the construction, decorating and vehicle repair sectors.
The new decree reduces maximum permissible concentrations and redefines
labelling obligations, effective from this month. The Finnish environment
agency retains discretion to grant permission to use non-compliant paints
on historic buildings and vehicles. Controls will be further toughened in 2010
in line with the decopaints directive ENDS Europe Daily News, 16 January
2007
http://www.endseuropedaily.com
MEP makes few changes to EU water pollutant list
2007-01-23
Only minor changes are required by the European parliament’s rapporteur
on draft water quality standards for a set of 33 priority pollutants proposed
by the European commission last summer. The new law will set limits on the
concentration of the substances in water bodies. The proposal will now be
forwarded to the MEPs for debate. French Liberal Anne Laperrouze backs
the hazard classification of the priority substances, which were picked out
for early regulatory attention under the 2000 water framework directive
(WFD). Twelve of the 33 pollutants have been classed as priority hazardous
substances subject to tougher curbs. Emissions of these must be phased out
within 20 years under the WFD. The commission considered, but decided
against, a similar classification for thirteen other substances on the list,
including some major industrial chemicals and pesticides. This decision has
been supported by Mrs Laperrouze, however she says a separate group
of eight pollutants covered by existing EU quality standards should now be
classified as priority hazardous substances under the WFD and subject to
the 20-year emission phase-out. These pollutants include the chlorinated
solvents trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. The rapporteur also
endorses a commission decision not to propose additional EU-level controls
on emissions of the 33 pollutants. It was argued by the commission that
new limit values are unnecessary, despite it having been explicitly required
to propose them under the framework law. Mrs Laperrouze says any new
limits should be left to member state discretion. In other amendments to
the commission’s draft the MEP says authorities should have less scope
to take into account natural background concentrations of the pollutants
when assessing compliance with the quality limits. She also wants a special
assessment of pollution levels in ports. The draft standard will be discussed
by the parliament’s environment committee on 23 January.
ENDS Europe Daily News, 15 January 2007
http://www.endseuropedaily.com
Food industry weighs in on impact of chemicals law
2007-01-23
With the final passage of the new EU law regulating chemicals in the
bloc, the food industry has expressed concern about the uncertainties
relating to the scope of the legislation and the eventual cost to processors.
Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) legislation
was approved by the EU Council of Ministers on 18 December 2006, with
the legislation to come into force from 1 June 2007. REACH transfers the
burden of proof regarding testing and evaluation of the risks of chemicals
from the regulator to industry. The legislation will now require businesses
to prove the safety of thousands of chemicals previously not regulated by
the bloc. REACH would also require producers and users to replace some
of the current chemicals in use with safer alternatives, if they exist. For end
users, the main cost will be from the requirement that they keep records of
all the chemicals they use, and for what purpose. Marta Bertran, manager of
scientific and regulatory affairs for the Confederation of the Food and Drink
Industries of the EU said that while the food industry lobbied hard to have
some of the chemical ingredients they used exempted from the legislation,
some of the products they use will still be covered under REACH. These
products include packaging materials and cleaning products. “So at the
moment we are analysing the main implications as ‘downstream users’ of
these products in order to inform our members, Bertran said. She noted
that manufacturers of these products would be required under REACH
to register them. Processors would then have to make sure that their use
for a food and drink application have been notified by the producer. Over
the period of debate on the legislation, the CIAA successfully lobbied the
parliament to explicitly exclude food and feed from the regulation. The CIAA
and other industry associations argued that food and feed were already
covered by the traceability requirements as defined by the General Food
Law Regulation 178/2002.
However the concession for some ingredients could result in confusion
for end users, the CIAA argued. Regulation 178/2002 requires companies
to trace food, feed, and ingredients through all stages of production,
processing and distribution. “A number of product categories, including
some food ingredients, have been excluded from the scope of the REACH
proposal since they are covered by other EU legislation, in order to avoid
double legislation,” the association said in a memorandum at the start of
this year. “The fact that some food materials are in, and some are out of
the scope, causes confusion and inconsistency at many levels.” The Food
and Drink Federation (FDF) in the UK are also looking at the industry’s
responsibilities as downstream users. The FDF has developed guidance for
members to assist their understanding of REACH’s requirements, including
practical guidance to assist them in discussions with their chemical suppliers
to ensure continuity of business in terms of their need for chemicals such
as cleaning agents, lubricants, inks and other products. In addition, the
FDF supports the views of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) on
the overall assessment of the impact of the regulation on the industry, the
spokesperson said. While REACH comes into effect on 1 June, its provisions
will be slowly phased in over the next 11 years and replaces 40 legislative
texts with a single system regulated by a single EU Chemicals Agency,
to be based in Helsinki, which will be responsible for the registration and
authorisation process. For the first time about 100,000 substances placed
on the market before 1981 will have to be approved and registered with a
newly created regulator. These are chemicals that did not have to undergo
health and safety tests, which became mandatory in the EU for the 3,000
substances introduced for use from 1981.
The authorisation process will initially cover about 2,500 substances
considered more risky than the rest. The agency will be responsible for
authorising them and the producers will have to present either replacement
proposals or research plans to develop alternatives. The authorisation will
be for a limited time period. For more hazardous substances, producers will
have to submit a substitution plan to replace them with safer alternatives.
When no alternative exists, producers will have to present a research plan
aimed at finding one. In the main the unified law would affect processors
by applying to the chemicals used for making packaging. However it could
also apply to cleaning chemicals and other substances used in plants.
Workers unions have said the regulation is an important step forward
in making manufacturing plants a more healthier environment for their
members. Business industry associations said the law would in some cases
leave downstream users scrambling to find alternative suppliers for the
chemicals used in their manufacturing operations. “This will generate an
additional burden for chemical producers and downstream users alike,” the
Confederation of European Business (UNICE), the European Association of
Metals, The European Engineering Industries Association (Orgalime) and
the European Chemical Industry Council said in a joint statement. “It will
equally affect the supply of raw materials for different sectors of EU industry,
and this without any clear benefit for the end consumer.” This is because
producers would be required to submit a plan for all substances that can be
substituted with a suitable alternative, even if they are adequately controlled,
said Orgalime secretary general, Adrian Harris.
“Substitution not only requires time, but does not automatically represent
the best option in terms of safety, functionality or overall environment
performance of a product,” he said. “Besides, we yet have to be convinced
that the provisions on substances in articles will be enforceable and
workable in practice. Also, information communication obligations for
article manufacturers have been extended. This risks multiplying existing
communication obligations whilst causing confusion among consumers.”
REACH also includes obligations of duty of care for the industry and of
communication to the public about dangerous substances in products. It
also includes safeguards for confidential information and provisions to avoid
duplication of animal testing. The European Trade Union Confederation
(ETUC) said it welcomes the REACH regulation’s passage, but criticised
the success of the chemical industry in restricting its scope. “The law
as adopted puts the burden of proof firmly on producers for the 30,000
substances covered by the reform,” the association stated. “But the ETUC
can only condemn the chemical industry’s 7-year lobbying campaign to
get the European institutions to scale down the reform. More specifically,
European trade unions take issue with the fact that information vital to
protecting workers’ health given in the chemical safety reports will now
only be required for a third of the chemicals originally planned.” Some
17,000 chemicals of low priority will now be excluded from onerous testing
requirements, as originally proposed.
Food Production Daily News, 20 December 2006
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com
Africa & Middle East
List of substances considered as explosives modified
2007-01-23
The Decree of the minister of Interior No.10364 of 2006 was adopted in
Egypt on 17 August 2006. The Decree amends the current list of substances
considered to be explosives. This list was initially annexed to the Decree of
Minister of Interior No. 18722 of 2004.
Enhesa Update, December 2006
Polluter pays Bill approved by the Ministerial Committee
for Legislation
2007-01-23
On 27 November 2006, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation in Israel
approved the “Bill for Environment (Respiration) (The Polluter Pays) (Law
Amendment) 2006”. The aim of the Bill is to protect and sustain a proper
quality of the environment, to prevent harm to the environment or public
health and to deny the economic advantage of harming the environment.
The bill will now go before the Knesset in order to be ratified.
Enhesa Update, December 2006
Janet’s Corner - Not Too Seriously!
Pilot Checklist Part 2
After every flight, pilots fill out a form, called a gripe sheet which tells
mechanics about problems with the aircraft. The mechanics correct the
problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review
the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground
crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some maintenance complaints
submitted by pilots and the solutions recorded by maintenance
engineers. By the way, the airline these came from is the only major
airline that has never, ever, had an accident.
Pilot: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
Engineers: That’s what friction locks are for.
Pilot: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
Engineers: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.
Pilot: Suspected crack in windshield.
Engineers: Suspect you’re right.
Pilot: Number 3 engine missing.
Engineers: Engine found on right wing after brief search.
Pilot: Aircraft handles funny.
Engineers: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.
Pilot: Target radar hums.
Engineers: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.
Pilot: Mouse in cockpit.
Engineers: Cat installed.
Pilot: Noise coming from under instrument panel.
Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
Engineers: Took hammer away from midget
lotsofjokes.com
Please note: articles for Janet’s Corner are not original, and come from various
sources. Author’s credits are supplied when available.
Gossip
Copper and Nickel in Chinese Soil
2007-01-24
There has been an increase in the consumption of metals in China by the
country’s industrial and manufacturing sectors due to the economic boom.
A new study being sponsored by Australian and Chinese industry aims to
develop scientific guidelines for safe levels of copper and nickel in Chinese
soils. Previous studies have found that the soils in the Southeast region of
the country have low background metal concentrations but ecologically are
very sensitive to the addition of metals, as reflected in effects on plant growth
and soil microbe function. The study will include both laboratory and field
experiments, with a wide range of soils and environment conditions being
analysed. It is hoped that these results will help determine the behavior and
toxicity of copper and nickel in the soils in China. The data will be integrated
with that previous collected from many other country in order to develop
toxicity models.
Environmental Health Perspectives, January 2007
Studies uphold health benefits of alcohol
2007-01-24
According to the findings from a new study, drinking moderately may improve
your health, but the key is moderation and a healthy lifestyle. In the study,
it was demonstrated that healthy men who drank 15 to 29gm of alcohol
per day had the lowest risk for heart attacks and those who did not drink at
all had the highest. Another group of researchers presented papers on the
health benefits of beer at a University of Maryland conference. There is a
unanimous hesitancy among researchers to recommend drinking to avoid
certain diseases because of the fine line between moderation and binge
drinking. Medical practitioners have reason for concern in recommending
drinking. According to the National Centre for Health Statistics, in 2003 the
number of alcohol-induced deaths, excluding accidents and homicides was
20,687 and alcoholic liver disease resulted in another 12,360 deaths. Yet,
as part of a healthy lifestyle it appears moderate alcohol consumption pays
off. “Study after study has shown that moderate consumers of beer or other
alcoholic beverages have much lower risks of coronary heart disease, as
well as most other diseases of aging,” said Dr. Curtis Ellison, from Boston
University School of Medicine, where the Beer to Your Health! Conference
convened. The National Beer wholesalers Association funded the conference
and research. In the study, “Alcohol consumption and risk for coronary
heart disease in men with healthy lifestyles”, researchers assessed the
connection between drinking alcohol and heart attacks in 8,867 healthy men
between 1986 and 2002. The cohort included 51,529 dentists, pharmacists,
veterinarians and other health care professionals aged 40 to 75.
All of the men in the study had healthy lifestyles. They did not smoke, had a
body mass index (BMI) of less than 25, got at least 30 minutes of exercise per
day and ate a healthy diet that included large amounts of fruits, vegetables,
fish and polyunsaturated fats as well as low amounts of trans-fats and
red meat. The researchers observed a significant drop in the risk of heart
attacks associated with moderate consumption of alcohol when comparing
those who drank five grams per day or more with those who drank less than
five grams a day. “We estimate that 25 percent of the incidence cases of
myocardial infarction in this population were attributable to consuming less
than five grams per day,” wrote the authors. Between 1986 and 2002, 106
men had heart attacks. This included eight of the 1,282 who drank 15 to 29.9
grams of alcohol per day (about two drinks), nine of the 714 who drank 30
grams or more per day, 34 of the 2,252 who drank .1 to 4.9 drinks per day
and 28 of the 1,889 who did not drink at all. Those who drank 15 to 29 grams
per day had the lowest risk for heart attack and those who did not drink at all
had the highest. “We are not telling people to drink more,” said Ellison, “But
encouraging more people who do not have a contraindication to alcohol to
drink small amounts on a regular basis.”
Nutra Ingredients, 25 October 2006
http://www.nutraingredients.com
Overlooked impacts of bioproducts
2007-01-24
According to new research, bio-based fuel and plastics could reduce global
warming, but they have other environmental impacts that should be factored
into assessments of the products’ “greenness”. This debate on whether
plant-derived products are better for the environment than those derived
from petroleum, centres on the amount of energy that goes into growing the
crops and making the products as well as the greenhouse gases that result
from burning fuels. The new study is the first to quantify the environmental
impacts of the fertilizers, pesticides, and equipment that are used in soybean
and corn agriculture. The work suggests that policy makers should rethink
the benefits of bio-based fuels and plastics. The U.S ethanol and biodiesel
markets are rapidly expanding, due to the rising oil prices and the pursuit
of energy security, which has led to government subsidies. This market
also includes bio-based plastics including glues, and inks. Compared with
petroleum-based products, these commodities are considered “green”
because they come from plant sources-even though studies have shown that
their production may require more fossil fuels-and because they emit less
greenhouse gases. However the environmental impacts of these products
are not limited to global warming, says Amy Landis, a civil engineering
graduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a coauthor of the
study. Chemicals and heavy machinery used in soybean and corn farming
could adversely affect soil, groundwater, and air quality.
Nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizers and pesticides cause hypoxia and
eutrophication, whereas air pollutants, emitted during the operation of farm
equipment, have human health risks. “People keep having this argument
about whether or not [bio-based products] are better for global warming,
but you have to make your lens just a little bit bigger and look at the whole
problem,” Landis says. In the study, Landis and her colleagues compiled an
expanded data inventory for use in bioproduct life-cycle assessments (LCAs)
by including the flows of nitrogen, phosphorus, pesticides, and U.S. EPA
criteria air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxides, and volatile
organic compounds. Most inventories have overlooked these compounds.
The researchers then modified a software model developed by the U.S.
Department of Energy, which allowed them to estimate the energy use and
air emissions associated with the production of crops. From there they were
then able to develop an independent model to estimate pesticide runoff. Data
from nine states in the U.S. corn belt, which together produced 80% or more
of the country’s corn and soybeans in 2003, were used. They considered
corn and soybean agriculture as one system, because farmers typically
rotate the crops on a yearly basis. A key advance over past LCAs is that the
researchers estimate a range of values for the factors they consider in their
inventory, whereas past studies have estimated single values. For instance,
they calculate phosphorus emissions at 0-0.65 grams per kilogram (g/kg) of
corn; the most likely value is 0.1g/kg. The total energy use is estimated at
2.3-3.3 megajoules/kg of corn.
Including this variability in LCAs is crucial for agriculture because “there’s no
one way that people farm,” says Susan Powers, a civil and environmental
engineer at Clarkson University. “Rather than just taking an average and
saying all fields in the Midwest behave like this, they’re saying there’s a
range.” Thomas Seager, a civil engineer at Purdue University, says that
having a range of values for emissions and energy use shows that the
answer to whether bio-based products make environmental sense is not
a simple yes or no. “Under some conditions, bio-based production might
make a great deal of sense,” he says. “Under other conditions, it might
be a bad trade, and that’s a distinction that up until now we just haven’t
thought about.” Academic and industry researchers should be able to plug
the inventory data into their LCAs to weigh the environmental impacts of
bio-based products. Officials with chemical producer DuPont are interested
in using this data for the LCA of a polymer product that is partly plant-based,
Landis says. According to Seager, the paper should have immediate policy
implications and cause decision makers to rethink their goals, especially
in the corn-belt states, which are heavily subsidizing ethanol and biodiesel
production plants. Biofuels have environmental benefits at the global scale
and in urban areas, where they reduce smog precursors, he says, but
“environmental costs may be felt in the [crop] production states. If we have
increased hypoxia, eutrophication, or groundwater contamination, it’s going
to be in the corn belt.”
Environmental Science & Technology News, 17 January 2007
http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/index.html
Dioxins and PCBs in rural areas
2007-01-24
A new study has shown that measurements of dioxins and PCBs in the
ambient air over both rural and remote regions of the U.S contain background
levels and possible trends. Decades ago, industry such as waste incinerators
and paper pulp plants, released dioxins and related compounds into the
environment, polluting both rural and urban areas alike. Now after years of
regulations, there has been a reduction in the emissions from these sources
and cities have become the latest suppliers of the toxic contaminants in rural
air. These are the results of a new study by researchers from researcher at
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Scientist predicted that with the
introduction of the Clean Air Act, there would be a significant reduction in the
release of dioxins and PCBs from industrial sites. Indeed, after controls were
installed, those levels decreased. However according to measurements
taken by the National Dioxin Air Monitoring Network (NDAMN), by 1998, the
levels of these contaminants had leveled out in the atmosphere. From this
time until 2002, there were negligible changes in those levels recorded by
NDAMN. In the new study, David Cleverly of the U.S. EPA and his colleagues
present 4.5 years of atmospheric measurements taken from 34 sites across
the country, beginning in 1998. The team finds that the contaminantspolychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dioxin-like polychlorinated
dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and coplanar PCBs-correlate with population
density. Dioxins in particular, because of the similar distributions between
cities and rural areas, appear to be spreading outward relatively quickly from
urban centers. Cities, they conclude, seem to be creating plumes of the
pollutants that can waft 160 kilometers (km) away, into rural and remote
regions, to 1000 km and beyond.
“Higher amounts of PCBs observed in summer months are consistent with
the theory that PCBs are volatilizing,” particularly from soils and plants, says
Cleverly. “Dioxins are not so easily explained by their chemical-physical
properties, but a fair amount of work points to a primary removal process:
hydroxyl interaction or photochemical interactions in the atmosphere.”
Previous study suggested that during cooler weather, more fossil fuels are
burned and participation in activities that increase ambient levels of potentially
cancer-causing chemicals. Ultimately, these chemicals get sequestered in
animal fats. The team confirmed a slight increase in dioxins in winter and a
decrease in summer, particularly in northern latitudes. Cleverly and his team,
however, suggest that winter conditions dampen the atmospheric chemical
reactions of hydroxyl radicals with dioxin and photolysis of the dioxins,
leaving more of the compounds intact in winter air. Rainer Lohmann of the
University of Rhode Island says that the seasonal changes for dioxins are
not significant and that he would like to see data on the relative abundance
of the different dioxins measured. “I doubt photolysis is as important as they
think,” he comments. Because of air travel times, measurements would
have to be made much farther away from urban centers in order to catch the
hydroxyl chemistry, which can take days, he says; therefore, vehicle traffic
and other activities that change with the seasons cannot be ruled out yet as
a source.
Still, “this study was a huge effort, producing the first data set of its kind,”
says Tom Harner, an Environment Canada research scientist who works on
tracking persistent organic pollutants (POPs) at a global scale. “We now not
only have a high-resolution picture of PCDD/F and co-PCB concentrations
in ambient air across the U.S. but [also] how they vary with season and what
the temporal trends are over several years.” The data can be used to test fate
and transport models, particularly for the more volatile species that interact
with hydroxyl radicals. And they eventually will be useful for assessing the
success of regulations on the chemicals by establishing a baseline for future
comparison, Harner says. They can also be used for future assessments
under the Stockholm Convention of the UN Environment Programme, which
lists PCBs and dioxins in the “dirty dozen” of global POPs. Lohmann notes
that the yearly stability of dioxin and PCB concentrations shows that the U.S.
may have reached the limits of emissions controls on industrial plants and
sites, particularly depending on what the current sources of dioxins turn out
to be. “EPA has been very good at reducing emissions from big plants, and
they are now much more diffuse: general traffic, household burning of waste
and wood,” and other “not very strong point sources,” he says. Regulating
those kinds of activities “is a political nightmare.”
Environmental Science & Technology News, 17 January 2007
http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/index.html
Nutrient removal also extracts pharmaceuticals
2007-01-24
It is thought that the source of trace concentrations of household and industrial
chemicals in rivers and streams is traditional sewage treatment plants. That’s
hardly a surprise, because conventional treatment plants weren’t designed
to remove drugs, cosmetics, soaps, deodorants, insect repellents, and other
exotic contaminants from effluent discharged into waterways. New researcher
has shown that by tightening up current methods in order to reduce nutrient
pollution may also remove a good portion of pharmaceuticals and personal
care products (PPCPs). In one of the first U.S. studies to look at how longer
solids retention times (SRTs) affect PPCP removal, researchers from MWH,
an environmental engineering consulting firm, characterized the passage
of various PPCPs through six treatment plants of varying sizes in California
and New Mexico. The SRT is how long a facility holds on to sludge to allow
processing by microbes. The researchers found that SRTs of 5-15 days
were sufficient to remove many of the 20 compounds they were targeting
that are commonly detected in wastewaters and waterways. However, it was
observed that some still resisted biodegradation. The researchers found
that the most stubborn compounds were fragrances, such as musk ketone
and galaxolide, and trichloroethyl phosphate, a flame retardant, says Joan
Oppenheimer, an environmental scientist with MWH.
The findings from this study support data collected in Europe, where similar
studies have been conducted at the bench scale or at small full-scale
treatment plants. The MWH study, by contrast, sampled large full-scale
plants, which operate in major metropolitan areas, with capacities ranging
from 5 to greater than 300 million gallons per day. All were conventional
activated-sludge plants, the industry standard, operating at SRTs ranging
between 0.5 and 30 days. In addition, Oppenheimer and her colleagues
looked at PPCP removal through subsequent filters and disinfectants as well
as newer treatment processes, such as membrane bioreactors. Initial they
found no additional removal. It was reverse osmosis after regular filtration
that reduced all of the compounds to below detection limits. Oppenheimer
says that these results are encouraging as the EPA and states are pushing
to go to increased nutrient reduction, which will assist with the problem of
PPCPs. “Even if we don’t know what all these compounds are, as we go to
longer SRTs, we’ve got a more diverse community of microorganisms, and
we seem to be able to reduce more of them.” No federal standards exist on
nutrients, just criteria guidelines that EPA issued in 2001. State regulatory
agencies are supposed to either implement EPA’s criteria or develop their
own, but progress has been very slow.
The significance of the MWH study is that “it was done in the U.S. with
our style of operation and our contaminants and that it confirms some of
the same results that have been seen in Europe,” says Rhodes Trussell,
head of Trussell Technologies, Inc. Rolf Halden, an assistant professor of
environmental health sciences at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, agrees. “This study provides additional evidence for the notion
that SRT is an important operational parameter influencing PPCP removal
during biological wastewater treatment,” he says. Many sewage treatment
plants in the U.S. commonly operate with very low SRTs, Trussell notes. “If
we make a decision as a nation that we want to maximize removal of these
compounds, and there are a number of them, the science is showing that
longer SRTs will be necessary,” he points out. Treated wastewater is also
the source water for indirect potable reuse projects, Oppenheimer adds.
Better understanding of the fate of these compounds in treatment plants
helps “us figure out what we can do about conventional treatment processes
to enhance the quality of this source,” she says.
Environmental Science & Technology, 27 December 2006
http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/index.html
Antimicrobial nanomaterials meet increased regulatory
scrutiny
2007-01-24
The number of consumer products that advertisements say are embedded
with nanoscale silver particles that can kill bacteria is growing. One such
product is a washing machine produced by Samsung Electronic. The U.S.
EPA has done a back flip on these products and has now determined that
clothes washing machines that use silver ions as a disinfectant will have
to be registered as a pesticide. Up to this point, the EPA has not regulated
nanomaterials, including silver ions, made of a bioaccumulating, persistent,
and toxic metal. Yet EPA’s decision may be meaningless, critics point out,
because if the company deletes from its advertising the assertion that silver
can kill bacteria, it won’t have to register the washer. The fact that a product
can slip past the agency without being registered if the company doesn’t
claim that it can kill bacteria is a “quirk” of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and “it’ll be intriguing to see where we go on
this,” says Andrew Maynard, science adviser to the Project on Emerging
Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
He and others are urgently calling for research into nanotechnology’s potential
environmental, health, and safety risks. Maynard says that an assessment
conducted in November found that a number of consumer products made
with nanotechnologies have increased by 70% since March 2006. Silver
was found to be the most prevalent nanomaterials being used, now found in
47 products. It has been pointed out by the wastewater treatment industry
that the use of such products, that release silver ions into sanitary sewer
systems could greatly increase silver concentrations in treatment-plant
discharges, leading to adverse effects, such as bioaccumulation in fish and
killing of aquatic life.
“We think it’s great that EPA’s going to regulate” this application, says Phil
Bobel, manager of environmental compliance for the city of Palo Alto, Calif.,
and past president of Tri-TAC, a technical advisory committee on regulatory
issues affecting wastewater treatment plants in California. “Whether it’ll
end up going far enough to actually keep that silver out of our systems,
we don’t know.” Samsung Electronics advertisement claims that nanoscale
silver particles released during the wash and rinse cycles achieve 99.9%
sterilization of bacteria and leave behind a residual silver coating on clothing
to keep it smelling fresh for up to 30 days. It has not yet been determined by
the EPA if this is an advertising gimmick or if this is a novel material. Silver is
already regulated as a pesticide in a number of products. If Samsung submits
a FIFRA registration application to EPA, the agency will determine whether
and under what conditions the silver ions can be used. The company must
supply scientific data to show that the use of the nanoscale silver particles
won’t pose an unreasonable risk to people or the environment. A finding by
EPA that the technology involves nanomaterials could affect a wide range of
consumer products, scientists say. The EPA previous deemed this product
to be a device. This classification means that the product was not subject
to registration requirements under FIFRA. Concerns were raised by both
states and also various industries caused the agency to reconsider the
classification of this product and have now ruled “that the silver ions are
defined as pesticides, and therefore it needs to be regulated,” says Enesta
Jones, an EPA spokesperson.
“We don’t know if it’s a nanomaterial at this point,” but if it is, “it would be the
first federal restriction on nanotechnology.” Jones admits that if Samsung
pulls pesticidal claims from it’s advertising, the company won’t have to
register the washing machine under FIFRA. Other companies have already
taken note, removing statements of germ-killing capabilities in marketing
their nanotech consumer products. A prime example is The Sharper Image, a
company that has developed socks, slippers, and food containers embedded
with silver nanoparticles, according to the Natural Resources Defense
Council, an environmental group that relayed its concerns in a November
letter to EPA. “Failure to identify nanoscale pesticide ingredients should not
be an excuse to circumvent the FIFRA registration requirements,” NRDC
wrote. “Because of the significant potential for serious environmental harm,
EPA must conduct a comprehensive assessment of all products that use
nanosilver as a pesticide.” EPA will issue a Federal Register notice in the
next couple of months outlining the agency’s position on the classification of
silver-ion-generating washing machines, according to Jones.
Environmental Science & Technology, 3 January 2007
http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/index.html
Pollutants’ link to diabetes
2007-01-24
According to the results of a preliminary study, Americans who live near
toxic waste sites are hospitalized more for diabetes than those who live in
clean communities. The observational study, which tracked hospitalization
rates for patients in New York between 1993 and 2000, found an increase
in diabetes-related hospital admissions for people who live in ZIP codes
containing toxic waste sites. Although in the early stages, the study does
narrow the search for an answer to the U.S. diabetes increase, said study
author Lawrence Lessner, an associate professor of epidemiology and
biostatistics at the University at Albany in New York. During the study, the
researchers compared the hospitalization rates by ZIP code for three types
of communities: clean, without hazardous sites; contaminated by persistent
organic pollutants, or POPs; and containing other types of waste or pollutants.
Subjects recruited for the study included whites and blacks between the ages
of 25 to 74, correcting for potential factors that could skew the data, such as
age, race, sex and average household income. One of the major types of
POPs is polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, a former industrial ingredient
of pesticides, paints, paper and other products. Although banned from U.S.
industry in the 1970s, PCBs still exist in the environment. People are mainly
exposed through eating animal fats, although they can also breathe in the
pollutants.
Possible mechanisms for the association with diabetes are unknown,
although some speculate that PCBs may influence the retention of fat in
the body; more body fat is a risk factor for diabetes. Likewise, PCBs may
impair genes from working properly, said David Carpenter, director of the
Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. The
liver cannot break down the compounds, so they may alter the gene that
regulates insulin sensitivity. Type 2 diabetes occurs when cells become less
responsive to insulin. In addition, the pollutants may be especially potent in a
person who already has a genetic predisposition to diabetes. Carpenter was
also surprised to find that people who inhabited areas rife with other waste
or pollutants -- such as metals, radiation and volatile organic compounds
-- also had higher rates of hospitalizations; he only expected to find this
association with POPs. The researchers say that these results suggest
environmental triggers of diabetes, a fairly new research area, are worthy of
more investigation. The explosion in the rate of type 2 diabetes in Americans
from 1980 to 2002 have had scientists scrambling to find explanations for
the rise. Although experts often point to the obesity epidemic, that alone
can’t account for it, Carpenter said.
Indeed, the “evidence is accumulating rapidly that environmental exposures
are very important factors,” he said. Dr. Larry Deeb, president of medicine
and science at the American Diabetes Association, also stressed obesity
can’t be the only culprit for the dizzying increase in diabetes. He noted the
associations in the study between toxic waste exposures and hospitalizations
were small, but were there nonetheless, and the idea of environmental
factors is intriguing. The study has limitations, as with any observational
research. The results are too preliminary to assume any causation between
toxic pollutants and diabetes. Likewise, PCBs likely require an unknown
amount of time to incubate before a disease occurs. The authors could
not gather behavioral information on the patients or find out long they’d
lived in their neighborhoods. It’s possible some patients did not live in their
homes long enough to see the effects of PCBs. Although it’s too early to
draw conclusions about pollutants and diabetes, Carpenter points out one
public-health message is clear: “We should do whatever we can to reduce
exposure to these compounds coming from waste sites.”
United Press International News, 5 January 2007
http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily
New chemical dispenser helps food firms clean up
2007-01-24
A manufacturer claims that a new chemical dispensing system can provide
safer, easier and more economic extraction of chemicals from containers
while helping to reduce costly spills. The DrumQuik Pro system developed
by the Colder Products Company is compatible with most chemical uses,
including food and flavourings as its polyethylene construction is FDA
approved. Spillages in plants can prove costly to clean and increase the risk
of accidents in plants. The system is a closed design, which combines into
one integrated unit a recyclable bung closure and dip-tube with a reusable
quick disconnect coupler. This design ensures that both sides are sealed
from point-of-origin to point-of-use, said Thomas Braun, Colder’s business
unit manager for chemical and packaging products. “The best way to
minimise exposure when dispensing chemicals from bulk containers is with
a closed system that eliminates the removal of the inserted dip-tube from
the drum,” he said. The DrumQuik Pro system is comprised of a coupler and
a drum insert assembly. The drum insert assembly contains a bung closure
and dip-tube and can be shipped as part of a drum package, providing a
cost-efficient alternative to open and semi-open dispensing systems.
No special tools are required to connect the coupler to the system. Clean-up
and disposal are easier, because the low-cost drum insert and dip-tube are
recyclable. The quick disconnect coupler can be easily rinsed and cleaned
for re-use. A built-in vent port allows a pressure feed connection, which
speeds chemical flow and prevents release of harmful vapors. The vent port
also allows for a blanket gas connection limiting chemical exposure to air,
preventing oxidation of sensitive liquids, such as oils and fragrances, and
reducing product waste.
Nutra Ingredients, 30 October 2006
http://www.nutraingredients.com
Acrylamide guide updated by industry association
2007-01-24
The EU’s food industry association has issued an updated version of its
guide on successful methods processors can use to reduce acrylamide
formation during the manufacturing process. The guide is part of a bid by the
EU Confederation of Food and Drinks Industries (CIAA) to share techniques
among its smaller members, who may not have access to the resources
available to larger companies. Reducing acrylamide in foods industry wide
can only help improve the public perception about food safety. The CIAA is
also working with the EU and regulators to find ways to reduce acrylamide.
Acrylamide hit the headlines in 2002 when scientists at the Swedish Food
Administration first reported unexpectedly high levels of the potential
carcinogen in carbohydrate-rich foods cooked at high temperatures. Until
then acrylamide was known only as a highly reactive industrial chemical,
present also at low levels for example in tobacco smoke. Since the Swedish
discovery a global effort has been underway to amass data about this
chemical. More than 200 research projects have been initiated around the
world, and their findings co-ordinated by national governments, the EU and
the United Nations. Recent findings by UK scientist Professor Don Mottram
at the University of Reading, suggest that the free amino acid asparagine,
found naturally in potatoes and cereals, could play a key role in the formation
of acrylamide.
Tests show that when the amino acid is heated, it reacts with sugar to create
acrylamide, a process called the Maillard reaction. A wide range of cooked
foods - prepared industrially, in catering, or at home - contain acrylamide
at levels between a few parts per billion (ppb) to over 1000 ppb. The foods
include bread, fried potatoes and coffee as well as specialty products like
potato crisps, biscuits, crisp bread, and a range of other heat-processed
products. The document issued by the CIAA provides descriptions of the
intervention steps being evaluated by food manufacturers. In some cases
the procedures are already being used by food processors, are undergoing
testing or are the result of laboratory studies. The CIAA will update the
guidance as new processes are discovered or achieve trial stages. The
final goal is to find appropriate and practical solutions to reduce the overall
dietary exposure to acrylamide, the CIAA stated.
Nutra Ingredients, 17 October 2006
http://www.nutraingredients.com
‘Technologies could fill climate-change legislative gap’
2007-01-24
According to the results of a recent EU funded study, the better use
of technology can combat air pollution and lower the impact of those
greenhouse gases not covered by the Kyoto Protocol. The study compared
the results of 26 models of atmospheric chemistry covering the entire global
atmosphere. In a challenge to policies championed by the EU, including
the much-debated emissions trading scheme for CO2, it found that current
international protocols and national legislation to reduce air pollution are not
sufficient to reduce global warming. The researchers suggested that this
was because the existing policies do not do enough to address other gases
such as ozone. “Even with the legislation that is in place, the models showed
that emissions would still increase,” the Commission said. The researchers
concluded that with better use of existing technology, the negative impacts
of ozone, which contributes to global warming, could be addressed. The EU,
North American countries and Japan currently have laws establishing limits
for the concentrations of ozone in the air and other countries in Asia and
Latin America are introducing them. Internationally, there is a UN convention
on long-range trans-boundary air pollution that identifies specific measures
to be taken to reduce emissions of air pollutants such as ozone.
Euractive News, 16 November 2006
http://www.euractiv.com/en
Worried About Prostate Cancer? Tomato-broccoli Combo
Shown To Be Effective
2007-01-24
The results from a study by researchers from the University of Illinois, have
indicated that tomatoes and broccol – two vegetables known for their cancerfighting qualities – are better at shrinking prostate tumors when both are part
of the daily diet than when they’re eaten alone. “When tomatoes and broccoli
are eaten together, we see an additive effect. We think it’s because different
bioactive compounds in each food work on different anti-cancer pathways,”
said University of Illinois food science and human nutrition professor John
Erdman. In the study, Erdman and doctoral candidate Kirstie Canene-Adams
fed a diet containing 10 percent tomato powder and 10 percent broccoli
powder to laboratory rats that had been implanted with prostate cancer
cells. The powders were made from whole foods so the effects of eating the
entire vegetable could be compared with consuming individual parts of them
as a nutritional supplement. Two groups of rats were just feed with either
the tomato or broccoli powder alone, an a further 2 groups were given either
a supplemental dose of lycopene, the red pigment in tomatoes thought to
be the effective cancer-preventive agent in tomatoes; or finasteride, a drug
prescribed for men with enlarged prostates. The final group of rats were all
castrated. After 22 weeks, the tumors were weighed. The tomato/broccoli
combo outperformed all other diets in shrinking prostate tumors.
The Ohio State University conducted the evaluation of the biopsies, confirming
that tumor cells in the tomato/broccoli-fed rats were not proliferating as
quickly. The only treatment that approached the tomato/broccoli diet’s level
of effectiveness was castration, said Erdman. “As nutritionists, it was very
exciting to compare this drastic surgery to diet and see that tumor reduction
was similar. Older men with slow-growing prostate cancer who have chosen
watchful waiting over chemotherapy and radiation should seriously consider
altering their diets to include more tomatoes and broccoli,” said CaneneAdams. The scientist calculated how much tomato and broccoli a 55-yearold man concerned about prostate health should eat and found that “To get
these effects, men should consume daily 1.4 cups of raw broccoli and 2.5
cups of fresh tomato, or 1 cup of tomato sauce, or 1/2 cup of tomato paste.
I think it’s very doable for a man to eat a cup and a half of broccoli per
day or put broccoli on a pizza with 1/2 cup of tomato paste,” said CaneneAdams. Erdman said the study showed that eating whole foods is better
than consuming their components. “It’s better to eat tomatoes than to take a
lycopene supplement,” he said. “And cooked tomatoes may be better than
raw tomatoes. Chopping and heating make the cancer-fighting constituents
of tomatoes and broccoli more bioavailable.” “When tomatoes are cooked,
for example, the water is removed and the healthful parts become more
concentrated. That doesn’t mean you should stay away from fresh produce.
The lesson here, I think, is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables prepared
in a variety of ways,” Canene-Adams added.
Another of Erman’s studies, demonstrated that fed the tomato carotenoids
phytofluene, lycopene, or a diet containing 10 percent tomato powder for
four days had significantly reduced testosterone levels. “Most prostate
cancer is hormone-sensitive, and reducing testosterone levels may be
another way that eating tomatoes reduces prostate cancer growth,” Erdman
said. Erdman said the tomato/broccoli study was a natural to be carried out
at Illinois because of the pioneering work his colleague Elizabeth Jeffery has
done on the cancer-fighting agents found in broccoli and other cruciferous
vegetables. Jeffery has discovered sulfur compounds in broccoli that
enhance certain enzymes in the human body, which then act to degrade
carcinogens. “For ten years, I’ve been learning how the phytochemicals in
tomatoes affect the progression of prostate cancer. Meanwhile Dr. Jeffery
has been investigating the ways in which the healthful effects of broccoli
are produced. Teaming up to see how these vegetables worked together
just made sense and certainly contributes to our knowledge about dietary
treatments for prostate cancer,” said Erdman.
Science Daily News, 16 January 2007
http://www.sciencedaily.com
Acrylamide in foods: Consumers are aware of the risk but
are scarcely changing their behaviour at all
2007-01-24
The result of a recent BfR survey confirmed the successful risk communication
to German consumers regarding the occurrence of acrylamide in food and
the potential health risks associated. The survey showed that consumers are
aware that the substance may be found starch-containing foods like crisps,
fried potatoes or chips after roasting, frying and deep frying. In addition,
consumers were aware that the acrylamide content in a food depends on how
it is prepared and that it is harmful. Despite all this, only a small proportion of
consumers use this knowledge to reduce the risk. “The results confirm that
risk communication can be successful if the players speak with one voice”,
says BfR President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. “Consumers are
entitled to and expect clear, comprehensible and comprehensive information.
But it will take more than information to get consumers to change their
habits.” Consumers tend to use this information for their own personal riskbenefit analysis. The study was commissioned by BfR as part of its statutory
remit to inform the public about the health risks linked to foods, substances
and products. The goal of the study was to determine whether the BfR risk
communication on acrylamide has reached and influenced the behaviour of
consumers.
In addition, they questioned 45 representatives of different media who act
as multipliers in the communication of health risks linked to foods. The
results showed that currently, acrylamide did not rank on top of consumers’
personal risk ranking. Nevertheless, it is present and anchored in the
collective awareness. Most consumers know that the substance can be
formed during the preparation of certain foods or may be contained in some
ready-to-eat products. Acrylamide in food is not, however, seen as a direct
threat to their health. Consumers believe that microbial risks like Salmonella
or pesticide residues in foods are more dangerous than acrylamide. Overall,
the interviewees have a rather down-to-earth attitude towards the problem
of acrylamide. They don’t avoid foods that could contain acrylamide but
some of the interviewees do now prepare food more carefully according
to the motto “golden not charcoaled” to keep the formation of acrylamide
to a minimum. Overall the number of consumers who indicate that they
have altered their behaviour considerably is relatively small: 30-40 percent.
Here, it can be said that anyone who changes his behaviour, is also wellinformed. The study also showed that consumers tend to find it hard to
interpret the sometimes contradictory and complex information on food
safety generated by the media. Information from the media is taken into
account. However, information from institutions which consumers have faith
in is more important.
Consumer advice bureaus were the first agencies that consumers looked to
for information Public agencies are only in third place on the “trust scale”.
One thing always applies: statements must be clear and unequivocal and
permit concrete action. They should be presented in such a way that they
facilitate individual risk assessment and decisions. Besides information on
the risk, consumers expect advice on how to deal with the risk. This includes,
for instance, tips on preparing food or indications of a potentially high level
of acrylamide in individual products. Only few of the interviewed consumers
were familiar with BfR as a public agency. And yet, a large majority of the
interviewees were of the opinion that it was very important to have an
institution that provides clear and simple information based on scientific
assessment about the risk of acrylamide, an institution that is uninfluenced
by economic, political or social interests. In contrast to the consumers, the
media representatives were very familiar with the BfR and indicated that they
valued BfR as an institution that they could trust to give them scientifically
sound information. Overall, the results of the study confirm successful
communication of the health risk from acrylamide in foods.
BfR News, 14 October 2006
http://www.bfr.bund.de
South Korea Dioxin Find Not Surprising - Meat Scientists
2007-01-24
It has been reported that South Korean scientists have detected trace
amounts of dioxin in U.S beef. This comes as no surprise to U.S. meat
scientists. Previous tests by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture
Biosciences Research Laboratory at Fargo, N.D., and the Food Safety and
inspection Service found low and variable levels of dioxins in meat and
milk from the U.S. Twig Marston, Kansas State University Beef Specialist,
supplied the results from the study, which showed the preliminary results
indicated that geographical location may influence dioxin concentrations in
beef cattle, and that bulls may have a higher concentration in their system
than other slaughter animals. “These compounds are highly toxic in many
species and have been studied extensively,” the study said. “Sources of
dioxins are numerous (e.g., municipal incinerators, hospital incinerators,
engines burning leaded gasoline, diesel engines, coal-fired power plants,
manufacture of certain chemicals, paper mills, fireplaces, candles, grass
fires, etc.).” However, “contributions from many of these sources are now
relatively insignificant because of modification or elimination of processes or
procedures,” the study said. The study said the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency had identified environmental dioxins as potential chronic toxins to
humans, and exposure nationwide was proposed to be predominately from
meat consumption, most notably beef.
The EPA have suggested that the contamination in the cattle is occurring
as a result of consuming forage contaminated by fallout of dioxin containing
particulates from all combustion processes, the study said. Little information
was available on dioxin concentrations in domestic beef overall, the study
said, but the high variability in individual cattle tested suggests there may be
a correlation between geographical location and contamination. Scott Smith,
a meat scientist at Kansas State University, said measurements for dioxin are
done in parts per trillion, meaning they are very small. He tried to do some
research on dioxins with cattle in areas around Manhattan, Kansas, where he
is located and couldn’t come up with enough to study. Dioxin contamination
in livestock appears to be higher in animals grazing close to plants where it
is produced, Smith said. Dioxin is a general term encompassing a group of
chemicals. It primarily comes from burning plastics and some plant exhausts
in certain situations, Smith said. Besides waste-burning incinerators, backyard burn barrels provide the largest sources of dioxins to the environment,
says the Environmental Justice Activists’ Web site. It’s also linked to paper
mills, which use chlorine Bleaching in their process, and with the production
of certain chlorinated chemicals (like many pesticides).
Cattle Network News, 21 December 2006
http://www.cattlenetwork.com
New NIST References Could Lead To More Accurate
Measurement Of Quartz Dust In The Air
2007-01-24
According to an announcement by the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST), chemists have developed a new set of reference
material that could contribute to significant improvements in workplace
safety through more accurate measurement of the amount of quartz dust in
the air. The crystalline silica or quartz is one of the most common minerals
on Earth. When finely powdered silica gets in the air it becomes a significant
health hazard. Respirable quartz is associated with the development of
silicosis, lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis and other airway diseases.
NIOSH has estimated that at least 1.7 million U.S. workers are exposed
to respirable crystalline silica in a variety of industries and occupations,
including construction, sandblasting and mining (1991 data). Other industries
with significant exposure include building construction and medical and
dental laboratories. Traditionally, monitoring silica dust in the workplace is
done by collecting samples over a period of hours on a special air filter and
using X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the amount of silica present in
the sample. To be effective, monitoring requires accurate measurements of
micrograms of silica on the filters, which in turn requires precise calibration
of the measurement system. NIOSH has identified calibration errors as a
significant factor in inconsistent results from different laboratories. To help
environmental laboratories perform these demanding calibrations, NIST has
developed a series of Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) with precisely
measured quantities of respirable quartz deposited on typical filters. The
NIST materials cover the range between 5 micrograms and 1,000 micrograms
of quartz per filter, the typical range encountered in the field, and can be
used to validate the accuracy of lab measurements needed to meet OSHA
regulations. The reduction to ash technique must be used to prepare the
quartz-on-filter specimens for XRD measurements.
A related series of reference materials using cristobalite, the second-most
important form of respirable crystalline silica, also is being developed.
Standard Reference Materials are among the most widely distributed and
used products from NIST, officials said.
Occupational Health & Safety News, 22 January 2007
http://www.ohsonline.com
Researchers Find Potential Neural Bottleneck That
Hinders Multi-Tasking
2007-01-24
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have found that when it comes to
handling two tasks at once, your brain is not fast enough. Neuroscientists
Paul E. Dux and Rene Marois said an example of this is driving and
talking on the cell phone. “Why is it that with our incredibly complex and
sophisticated brain, with 100 billion neurons processing information at rates
of up to a thousand times a second, we still have such a crippling inability to
do two tasks at once?” Marois, associate professor of Psychology, asked.
“For example, what is it about our brain that gives us such a hard time at
being able to drive and talk on a cell phone simultaneously?” It has long be
thought that a central “bottleneck” exists in the brain that prevents us from
doing two things at once. Dux and Marois are the first to identify the regions
of the brain responsible for this bottleneck, by examining patterns of neural
activity over time. “In our everyday lives, we seem to complete so many
cognitive tasks effortlessly. However, we experience severe limitations when
we try to do even two simple tasks at once, such as pressing a button when
a visual stimulus appears and saying a word when a sound is presented.
This is known as dual-task interference,” said Dux, a postdoctoral research
associate in the Department of Psychology. “We were interested in trying to
understand these limitations and in finding where in the brain this bottleneck
might be taking place.”
These results come at a time when more staes are considering banning the
use of cell phones while driving. “While we are driving, we are bombarded
with visual information. We also might be talking to passengers or talking
on the phone,” Marois said. “Our new research offers neurological evidence
that the brain cannot effectively do two things at once. People think if they
are using a headset with their cell phone while driving they are safe, but
they’re not because they are still doing two cognitively demanding tasks at
once.” Identifying the information bottleneck responsible for this dual-task
limitation required the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging, or
fMRI, an imaging technology that reveals the brain areas active in a given
mental task by registering changes in oxygenated blood concentration in
these regions. While fMRI is an excellent tool for identifying a particular area
in the brain involved in a given task, it generally provides limited information
about how that area responds over time, the researchers said. To overcome
this limitation, Dux and Marois rapidly sampled brain activity using fMRI
while subjects were performing two demanding tasks. Evaluation of the data
produced by this rapid sampling method allowed them to characterize the
temporal pattern of activity in specific brain areas. The two tasks consisted
of pressing the appropriate computer key in response to hearing one of eight
possible sounds and uttering an appropriate syllable in response to seeing
one of eight possible images. Different senses and motor responses were
enlisted in order to ensure that any interference between the two tasks was
not specific to a particular sensory or motor modality, but instead originated
at a central information-processing bottleneck.
The results showed that the central bottleneck was caused by the inability of
the lateral frontal and prefrontal cortex, and also the superior frontal cortex,
to process the two tasks at once. Both areas have been shown in previous
experiments to play a critical role in cognitive control. “We determined these
brain regions responded to tasks irrespective of the senses involved, they
were engaged in selecting the appropriate response, and, most importantly,
they showed ‘queing’ of neural activity -- the neural response to the second
task was postponed until the response to the first was completed,” Dux said.
“Neural activity seemed to be delayed for the second task when the two
tasks were presented nearly simultaneously -- within 300 milliseconds of
each other,” Marois said. “If individuals have a second or more between
tasks, we did not see this delay. “This temporal delay is the essence of dualtask interference for tasks that require actions. By using time-resolved fMRI,
we can see its signature in the brain,” he continued. “These findings allow us
to really now focus on this set of brain areas and to understand why these
areas cannot process two tasks at once.” The next step for the researchers
are to explore the bottleneck further to determine what the cause of the slow
performance is. They believe that the work will have future implications for
people performing complex tasks. “It may be possible to look to the sort of
tasks people are going to have to do in a very complex environment, such
as flying a plane, and find out under what circumstances these tasks may be
less vulnerable to dual-task interference,” Dux said.
Occupational Health & Safety News, 22 January 2007
http://www.ohsonline.com
Environmental
A comparative study on the anaerobic membrane
bioreactor performance during the treatment of domestic
wastewaters of various origins
2007-01-16
This study investigated the practical performance of a cross-flow ultrafiltration
membrane coupled to an anaerobic bioreactor, for treatment of raw domestic
wastewater (RDW), at a pilot-scale plant. Wastewaters used in this study
originated from two different domestic wastewater treatment plans (DWTPs)
(Sfax and Ksour Essef). During the treatment in the membrane bioreactor
(MBR) of the RDW originating from Sfax DWTP, the bioreactor did not reach
its stationary phase because the anaerobic biomass was unable to adapt
to the wastewater. The treatment of RDW originating from Ksour Essef
(DWTP) was successful. In both cases, it was found the treatment led to a
total removal of all tested pathogens and the quality of treated wastewater
fitted with WHO guidelines for unrestricted irrigation. The phytotoxicity and
the microtoxicity tests demonstrated that wastewater from Sfax exhibited
higher toxicity than that from Ksour Sssef.
Author: Saddoud, A.; Ellouze, M.; Dhouib, A.; Sayadi, S.
Full Source: Environmental Technology 2006, 27(9), 991-999 (English).
Soil Pollution by heavy metals and remediation
2007-01-17
Heavy metals and metalloids are an increasing environmental problem
worldwide. Some industrial activities and agricultural practices increase
their level in the substrate and the possible introduction of these elements in
the food chain is an increasing human health concern. Agricultural fertilizers,
which contain small amounts of cadmium and lead is widely applied and
used in Iran, both these heavy metals remain below toxic levels. In contrast,
contamination of lowland rice fields by sewage sludge from textile plants and
some mining has increased the heavy metal content of the soil and reduced
rice yields in these areas. Using plants such as Vetiveria zizanioides and
Eichornia crassipes, plus applications of zeolite are being carried out at
present. They found that the above-mentioned species may be an effective
species for phytoextraction and that it should be tested in field conditions.
Author: Kalantari, M. R.; Shokrzadeh, M.; Ebadi, A. G.; Mohammadizadeh,
C.; Choudhary, M. I.; Atta-ur-Rahman.
Full source: Journal of Applied Sciences 2006, 6(9), 2110-2116 (English).
Medical
Intra-individual variations and time trends 1991-2001 in
human serum levels of PCB, DDE and hexachlorobenzene
2007-01-22
The aim of this study was to assess intra-individual variations over time of
serum levels of CB-153, p,p’-DDE and HCB, considering the impact of a
number of possible determinants. Blood samples were drawn for the same
39 subjects in 1991 and 2001. Interviews were made at both occasions.
Lipid adjusted serum concentrations of CB-153, p,p’-DDE and HCB were
determined in both sets of blood samples. The results showed that the
CB-153 concentrations in serum had averagely decreased with 34% in
between 1991 and 2001. Of individual determinants only increasing BMI
was associated with decreasing CB-153 levels, explaining 13% of the
variation. The average decrease of p,p’-DDE was 55%, and could only
weakly be associated with a relative increase of BMI, explaining only 5% of
the variation. The average decrease of HCB was 53%, and was associated
only with high fish consumption in 1991, explaining 12% of the variation.
They found that the results supported a continuing decrease in human body
burdens of PCBs, DDE and HCB during the 1990s. The explanatory factors
relative change of BMI and fish consumption explained only a minor part of
the time-related variations in serum levels.
Author: Hagmar, Lars; Wallin, Ewa; Vessby, Bengt; Joensson, Bo A. G.;
Bergman, Aake; Rylander, Lars
Full source: Chemosphere 2006, 64(9), 1507-1513 (Eng), Elsevier Ltd.
Comparison of polyethylene glycol-conjugated
recombinant human acetylcholinesterase and serum
human butyrylcholinesterase as bioscavengers of
organophosphate compounds
2007-01-22
Comparative protection studies in mice demonstrate that on a mole basis,
recombinant human acetylcholinesterase (rHuAChE) confers higher levels
of protection than native human butyrylcholinesterase (HuBChE) against
organophosphorous (OP) compound intoxication. For example, mice
challenged with 2.5 LD50 of sarin, soman and VX following treatment with
equimolar amounts of the two cholinesterases, displayed 80, 100 and 100%
survival respectively when pretreatment was carried out with rHuAChE and
0, 20 and 60% survival respectively, when pretreatment was carried out
with HuBChE. Kinetic studies and active site titration analyses of the tested
OP compounds with AChEs and BChEs from different mammalian species
demonstrated that the superior in-vivo efficacy of acetylcholinesterases is in
accordance with the higher stereoselectivity of AChE versus BChE towards
the toxic enantiomers comprising the racemic mixtures of the various OP
agents. In addition, they show that polyethylene glycol conjugated rHuAChE
(PEGylated rHuAChE), which is characterized by a significantly extended
circulatory residence both in mice and monkeys, retains full reactivity
towards OP compounds both in-vitro and in-vivo and provides higher
level of protection to mice against OP poisoning, as compared to native
serum-derived HuBChE. In fact, PEGylated rHuAChE also confers superior
prophylactic protection when administered intravenously or intramuscularly
over 20 hours before exposure of mice to a lethal dose of VX (1.3-1.5 LD50).
These findings, together with the observations that the PEGylated rHuAChE
exhibits unaltered biodistribution and high bioavailability, presents a case
for utilizing PEGylated rHuAChE as a very efficacious bioscavenger of OPagents.
Author: Cohen, Ofer; Kronman, Chanoch; Raveh, Lily; Mazor, Ohad;
Ordentlich, Arie; Shafferman, Avigdor.
Full source: Molecular Pharmacology 2006, 70(3), 1121-1131 (English)
Role of oxidative stress, mitochondrial membrane
potential, and calcium homeostasis in human lymphocyte
death induced by nickel carbonate hydroxide in vitro
2007/01/22
When isolated human lymphocytes were treated in vitro with various
concentrations of nickel sulfate (NiSO[4]) (0-4mM) at 37 ∞C for 4 h, both
concentration- and time-dependent effects of NiSO[4] on lymphocyte death
were observed. Increased generation of hydrogen peroxide, depletion of
both nonprotein and protein sulfhydryl contents, and lipid peroxidation were
induced by NiSO[4]. NiSO[4]-induced lymphocyte death was significantly
prevented by pre-treatment with either catalase, or dimethylthiourea/mannitol,
or deferoxamine, or excess glutathione/N-acetylcysteine. Cotreatment with
cyclosporin A (a specific inhibitor of mitochondrial membrane potential) not
only inhibited NiSO[4]-induced mitochondrial membrane potential, but also
significantly prevented Ni compound-induced lymphocyte death. NiSO[4]induced lymphocyte death was also significantly prevented by modulating
intracellular calcium fluxes using both Ca[2][+] channel blockers and
intracellular Ca[2][+] antagonist. Thus it was found that the mechanism
of NiSO[4]-induced activation of lymphocyte death signaling pathways
involves not only the excess generation of different types of oxidative stress
but also NiSO[4]-induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and
destabilization of cellular calcium homeostasis as well.
Authors: M’Bemba-Meka, Prosper; Lemieux, Nicole; Chakrabarti, Saroj K.
Full Source: Archives of Toxicology 2006, 80(7), 405-420 (English).
Identification of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-pdioxin
(TCDD)-inducible genes in human amniotic epithelial cells
2007/01/22
Exposure to dioxins results in a broad rage of pathophysiological disorders
in human fetuses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of
dioxins on the feto-placental tissues. This was done by analysing the gene
expression in 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) treated primary
culture of human amniotic epithelial cells. Human amniotic epithelial cells
were dispersed by trypsin from amniotic membranes and cultured in DME/
Ham’s F12 medium supplemented with 10% FBS. Two weeks after plating,
cells were treated with 50 nM TCDD or DMSO (control), further incubated
for 48 h, and the gene expression was analyzed. They identified thirty-eight
TCDD-inducible genes, including cytochrome P 4501A1 and cytochrome P
4501B1. The genes involved in the interferon gene expression and interferonsignaling pathways were also up-regulated. Furthermore, the expression
of genes related to collagen synthesis or degradation was enhanced by
TCDD.
Using DNA microarray and quantity real-time PCR analyses, they identified
TCDD-inducible genes, including interferon-inducible genes and genes
related to collagen synthesis or degradation in human amniotic epithelial
cells.
Authors: Abe, Yumiko; Sinozaki, Hiromitsu; Takagi, Takeshi; Minegishi,
Takashi; Kokame, Koichi; Kangawa, Kenji; Uesaka, Miki; Miyamoto, Kaoru.
Full source: Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology [online computer file]
2006, 4, No pp. given (English).
Inducible nitric synthase activity contributes to the
regulation of peripheral vascular tone in patients with
cirrhosis and ascites.
2007-01-22
The aim of this study was to determine whether iNOS activity contributes
to the regulation of vascular tone in patients with cirrhosis and ascites
by using highly selective iNOS inhibitor, 1400W. Bilateral forearm blood
flow was measured using strain gauge plethysmography in eight patients
with cirrhosis and ascites, and eight matched healthy volunteers during
intrabrachialinfusion of 1400W (0.1-1 µmol/min), NG-monomethyl-Larginine
(L-NMMA, a non-selective NOS inhibitor; 2-8 µmol), and norepinephrine
(a control vasoconstrictor; 60-480 pmol/min). The results showed that In
patients with cirrhosis, 1400W, L-NMMA, and norepinephrine caused dose
dependent reductions in forearm blood flow: peak reductions of 11 (5)%,
37 (4)%, and 48 (5)%, respectively (p<0.05 for all). In contrast, 1400W had
no effect on blood flow (+4 (8)%; NS) in healthy controls despite similar
reductions in blood flow with L-NMMA and norepinephrine (39 (5)% and 49
(5)%, respectively; p<0.05 for both). They found and have demonstrated
that that 1400W causes peripheral vasoconstriction in patients with cirrhosis
but not healthy matched controls. This suggests that iNOS contributes to the
regulation of peripheral vascular tone in patients with cirrhosis and ascites,
and may contribute towards the hyperdynamic circulation associated with
this condition.
Authors: Ferguson, J. W.; Dover, A. R.; Chia, S.; Cruden, N. L. M.; Hayes, P.
C.; Newby,D. E.
Full source; Gut 2006, 55(4), 542-546 (Eng)
Occupational
Field study to explore possible effects of styrene on
auditory function in exposed workers
2007-01-22
In this study, the authors examined whether occupational styrene exposures
were associated with reduced hearing ability. The auditory function was
investigated by pure tone audiometry and registration of transitory evoked
otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) in 32 workers of a fiber-reinforced plastic
boat-building factory. Of the subjects, sixteen were laminators and therefore
regularly exposed to styrene with mean duration of exposure to styrene
of 7.5 yr (SD 5.0). Another group of subjects were also tested. This group
contained the control subjects, who were not directly exposed to styrene but
had a similar noise exposure. The results indicated a few isolated significant
correlations between the parameters of hearing acuity and exposure
indexes, such as current internal styrene exposures (sum of MA and PGA)
and duration of styrene exposure. However, no consistent association was
found. The authors concluded that the findings do not support the assumption
of an ototoxic effect of chronic styrene exposure in workers.
Authors: Hoffmann, Joerg; Ihrig, Andreas; Hoth, Sebastian; Triebig,
Gerhard
Full Source: Industrial Health 2006, 44(2), 283-286 (Eng)
Detection of DNA damages of peripheral white blood cells
in benzene-exposed workers
2007-01-22
This study investigated the effect of benzene exposure on DNA damage of
the peripheral white blood cells and the possible dose-response relationship
between benzene and DNA damage in exposed workers. Personal benzene
exposure was sampled with 3M organic vapor monitors. Single cell gel
electrophoresis assay was used to detect DNA damage in white blood cells
of benzene-exposed workers. The results demonstrated that there was a
significant increase in the Olive tail moment and the grade of DNA breakage
in benzene exposure groups compared with the control group. The authors
also observed a dose-response relation with benzene concentration. The
authors concluded that benzene exposure increased DNA damage of the
peripheral white blood cell, in a dose-response relationship; cumulative
dose is better than simple concentration to reflect benzene exposure.
Authors: Xing, Caihong; Ji, Zhiying; Li, Guilan; Gao, Yun; Yin, Songnian
Full Source: Weisheng Yanjiu 2005, 34(1), 22-24 (Ch)
Relationship of blood lead levels to blood pressure in
exhaust battery storage workers
2007-01-22
It has been hypothesized by several researcher, that low blood lead levels
may be associated with the increased risk of hypertension.
This study assessed the relationship between occupational lead exposure
and elevated blood pressure. Twenty-seven workers were recruited for the
study, age range from 27 to 62 years, length of employment mean (DS) 2.97
(( 1.67) yr. The researchers measured the blood lead concentration, (BPb),
Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (ALAD) activity, Zinc Protoporphyrin (ZPP),
creatinine, hematocrit, Body Mass Index (BMI) and Systolic Blood Pressure
(SBP) and Diastolic Blood (DBP) Pressure for each of the subjects. The
results showed that long-term occupational exposure was related to a slight
increase of systolic and diastolic blood pressure among workers who had
been exposed to higher level of lead with respect to workers exposed to
lower level of lead. In addition, blood lead concentration (BPb) and ZPP
were increased among workers exposed to higher level of ambient lead,
while in the same group of workers ALAD activity was more inhibited. The
authors concluded long term cumulative lead exposure can significantly
increase blood pressure in low level Pb exposed workers.
Authors: Fenga, Concettina; Cacciola, Anna; Martino, Lucia Barbaro;
Calderaro, Santina Ricciardo; Di Nola, Carmelina; Verzera, Aurelio;
Trimarchi, Giuseppe; Germano, Domenico
Full Source: Industrial Health 2006, 44(2), 304-309 (Eng)
Exposure to organic solvents among handicraft car
painters: a pilot study in Italy
2007-01-22
Car repair painters usually experience long-term exposure to many different
solvents. In Italy, many of the paint shops are considered to be “handicraft”
shops with 2-5 workers and small premises. Usually workers do not have
specific duties, but everyone takes part in all different operations. In addition,
the number of work hours varies depending on the workload. Working
methods tend to be traditional, and compliance to individual protection
devices is poor. In this study, 8 Italian handicraft car-painting shops were
examined to determine the exposure levels to solvents. 3 classic exposure
monitoring methods were used: environmental sampling with charcoal tubes,
personal sampling with diffusive charcoal samplers, and urinary detection
of unmetabolised solvents. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the
relationships between the three series of data. The solvents analyzed were
toluene, ethylbenzene, 1, 2-dichloropropane, n-butylacetate, n-amylacetate,
xylene isomers, ethylacetate, and benzene. Benzene was included due to
its presences in Italian unleaded gasoline. The results showed benzene was
found in all shops, at levels around or higher than the 8-h time-weighted
av. limit (8-h TLV-TWA). Other solvents were found in the different shops
at various levels, 10-2-10-1 times the 8-h TLV-TWA. There was a positive
correlation between the air concentrations of toluene, n-butylacetate,
xylenes, and benzene with urinary levels of the parent compounds. Negative
correlations were observed for ethylbenzene.
Authors: Vittali, Matteo; Ensabella, Francesca; Stella, Daniela; Guidotti,
Maurizio
Full Source: Industrial Health 2006, 44(2), 310-317 (Eng)
Cross-sectional analysis of blood lead level of entire
Korean lead workers
2007-01-22
This study analysed the blood lead (PbB) level from the 2003 health
surveillance results of 13,043 lead workers from 1,217 total lead industries
to evaluate lead intoxication at low level in Korea. The results showed 56.6%
and 7.9% of total lead workers had PbB level over 5µg/dL and 25µg/dL,
respectively. Relatively higher PbB levels were observed in male workers
compared with female workers. However, the “Manufacture of Other
Electronic Valves, Tubes and Electronic Components n.e.c.” showed more
women than male in risk of low level lead exposure. While those conventional
high-risk industry such as “Manufacturing of Accumulators” and “Other Basic
Non-ferrous Metal Industries” remained in high-risk groups, lead exposure in
other industries such as plastic, chemical and part manufacturing were also
identified. Non-production tasks such as fork lift truck driving, maintenance,
lab testing, and supporting function showed high blood lead level in addition
to routine manufacturing processes such as smelting and soldering.
Authors: Kim, Kyeong-Ran; Lee, Sang-Won; Paik, Nam-Won
Full Source: Industrial Health 2006, 44(2), 318-327 (Eng)
Public Health
Radon concentration in houses over a closed Hungarian
uranium mine
2007-01-22
Radon (Rn) concentrations in a tunnel in a uranium mine, below the
village of Kovagoszolos, Hungary were measured and the average Rn
concentration detected was 410 kBq/m3. When the mine was closed, artificial
ventilation of the tunnel was terminated. This study evaluated whether the
Rn concentration in the mine tunnel could affect the surface dwellings. At
different distances from the surface projection of the mining tunnel, Rn
concentration, the gamma dose, Rn exhalation and Rn concentration of soil
gas were measured. The average Rn concentration in the dwellings was 483
Bq/m3. The results demonstrated that houses within 150m from the surface
projection of the tunnel had significantly higher Rn concentrations compared
with houses further than 300 m away. The average Rn concentration of the
soil gas was 88.8 kBq/m3 and the average Rn exhalation was 71.4 Bq·m2·s-1 - higher values were measured over the tunnel. The authors concluded
that the many fissures intersecting the tunnel and extending to the surface
as well as the high Rn concentration in the tunnel may influence the Rn
concentration of the houses over the tunnel.
Authors: Somlai, Janos; Gorjanacz, Zoran; Varhegyi, Andras; Kovacs,
Tibor
Full Source: Science of the Total Environment 2006, 367(2-3), 653-665
(Eng)
Estimating health risk from exposure to 1,4-dioxane in
Japan
2007-01-22
Exposure to 1,4-dioxane from the atmosphere around high-emission plants
and from consumer products that contain the substance may have adverse
health effects; however, its emission into the atmosphere is not regulated. In
this study, the health risk posed by 1,4-dioxane was investigated to determine
whether measures should be introduced to reduce exposure to 1,4-dioxane.
The notion of the margin of exposure (MOE), given by the ratio of the number
of observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) to actual or projected exposure
level, is used to assess risk. In exposure assessment, two types of exposure
channel are considered: (a) the use of consumer products that contain 1,4dioxane and (b) the inhalation of air around high-emission plants. In order
to estimate the exposure via channel A, the concentration of 1,4- dioxane
in consumer products was measured and the interindividual variability of
exposure was estimated. To estimate exposure via channel B, a local-level
atmosphere dispersion model was used to estimate the concentration of 1,4dioxane immediately around high-emission plants. For hazard assessment,
the inhalatory and oral NOAELs for liver adenomas and carcinomas and the
uncertainty factor were derived. The results suggesting that measures are
not needed to reduce exposure to 1,4-dioxane from consumer products. As
for inhalation exposure around high-emission plants, some residents may
be exposed to health risks if certain conservative analysis conditions are
assumed. Even in this case, the authors conclude that it is not necessary
for Plant A to stop the use of 1,4-dioxane immediately and that medium- to
long-term emission reduction measures should be sufficient.
Authors: Makino, Ryoji; Kawasaki, Hajime; Kishimoto, Atsuo; Gamo,
Masashi; Nakanishi, Junko
Full Source: Environmental Sciences (Tokyo, Japan) 2006, 13(1), 43-58
(Eng)
Variations and sources of formaldehyde levels in
residential indoor air in Ankara, Turkey
2007-01-22
This study was performed to examine the associations between formaldehyde
levels and housing characteristics by analysing 309 air samples collected
in Ankara using a calorimetric method. The results showed formaldehyde
concentrations ranging from 2.34µg·m-3 to 866.22µg·m-3. Formaldehyde
levels were elevated in homes inhabited by at least one smoker and were
correlated with indoor and outdoor temperature, age of house and density
of plywood furniture. Sufficient sample numbers were collected to allow the
data to be statistically divided into five daytime periods. The data suggests
that the formaldehyde concentrations were generally slightly higher in the
afternoon. A mathematic model was developed to estimate the formaldehyde
decay rates for two rooms in one of the typical background homes. When
the windows and doors were closed, the formaldehyde concentrations in
indoor air decreased within 10h to background concentrations, although this
change depended on the room volume and the natural air exchange rate.
Authors: Mentese, Sibel; Gullu, Gulen
Full Source: Indoor and Built Environment 2006, 15(3), 273-281 (Eng)
Wintertime organic aerosols in Christchurch and
Auckland, New Zealand: Contributions of residential
wood and coal burning and petroleum utilization
2007-01-22
This study characterized PM10 samples collected in wintertime from 2 New
Zealand cities (Christchurch and Auckland) using gas chromatographymass spectrometry for biomass burning tracers, hopanes, n-alkanes,
fatty acids, n-alkanols, and sugars. The aerosol samples collected from
Christchurch, which were heavily influenced by residential wood and coal
burning, showed substantially higher ambient concentrations for most of the
organic compounds than those of Auckland, where major sources of aerosols
were vehicular emissions and sea salt. Mass ratios between the biomass
burning tracers studied were found to be significantly different, although
levoglucosan to nssK+ ratios were similar at the both sites. In addition, the
authors estimated that 60% of fossil fuel emissions came from petroleum
utilization with the remaining 40% being from coal burning in Christchurch In
contrast, contribution of coal burning was negligible in Auckland. Moreover,
contributions of most biomass burning tracers to organic carbon (OC) were
significantly higher in Christchurch than in Auckland. On the other hand,
saccharides (excluding levoglucosan) and hopanes accounted for larger
fractions of OC in Auckland. The authors concluded that intensive wood and
coal burning can significantly affect organic aerosol composition in an urban
environment.
Authors: Wang, Haobo; Kawamura, Kimitaka; Shooter, David
Full Source: Environmental Science & Technology 2006, 40(17), 5257-5262
(Eng)
The effects of air pollution on hospitalizations for
cardiovascular disease in elderly people in Australian and
New Zealand cities
2007-01-22
This study examined the associations between outdoor air pollution and
cardiovascular hospital admissions for the elderly, using the case-crossover
method for seven cities: Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand; and
Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney Australia. Results
obtained for all cities were combined and stratified for two adult age
groups: 15-64 years and g65 years of age (elderly). Pollutants measured
were nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, daily measures of particulate
matter (PM) and ozone. When multiple pollutant associations were found,
a matched case-control analysis was used to identify the most consistent
association. The results indicated that in the elderly subjects, all pollutants
except O3 were significantly associated with five categories of cardiovascular
disease admissions. No associations were found for arrhythmia and stroke.
For a 0.9-ppm increase in CO, there were significant increases in elderly
hospital admissions for total cardiovascular disease (2.2%), all cardiac
disease (2.8%), cardiac failure (6.0%), ischemic heart disease (2.3%), and
myocardial infarction (2.9%). There was some heterogeneity between cities,
possibly due to differences in humidity and the percentage of elderly people.
The authors found that in matched analyses, CO had the most consistent
association. It was concluded that the findings suggest that air pollution
arising from common emission sources for CO, NO2, and PM (e.g., motor
vehicle exhausts) has significant associations with adult cardiovascular
hospital admissions, especially in the elderly, at air pollution concentrations
below normal health guidelines.
Authors: Barnett, Adrian G.; Williams, Gail M.; Schwartz, Joel; Best, Trudi L.;
Neller, Anne H.; Petroeschevsky, Anna L.; Simpson, Rod W.
Full Source: Environmental Health Perspectives 2006, 114(7), 1018-1023
(Eng)
Safety
Polyurethane foam chips combined with liquid
chromatography in the determination of unmetabolized
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons excreted in human
urine
2007-01-22
The aim of this investigation was to find develop and test the efficiency of a
suitable detection method of unmetabolized polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
(PAHs) excreted at trace levels (ng/L) in human urine for the monitoring
of exposure of the general population to PAH contamination. PAHs were
detected after enrichment by solid-phase extraction on polyurethane foam
(PUF) chips, by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Different parameters
affecting analyte extraction to the PUF, including urine salting-out and organic
additives, and optimization of conditions for clean-up and desorption was
investigated. The recovery of PAH congeners from spiked urines was >90%
in the 2-100 ng/L range; the detection limit was 0.1-0.5 ng/L, depending
on the considered PAH congener; day-to-day precision, at 50 ng/L native
PAH content, was CV ) 10-20%. The proposed technique provided a simple,
economical and effective procedure for the detection of trace amounts of
unmetabolized PAHs excreted in human urine spot samples.
Author: Buratti, Marina; Pellegrino, Oronzo; Valla, Carla; Rubino, Federico
Maria; Verduci, Cinzia; Colombi, Antonio
Full Source: Biomedical Chromatography 2006, 20(9), 971-978 (Eng).
Reference values for metabolites of pyrethroid and
organophosphorus insecticides in urine for human
biomonitoring in environmental medicine
2007-01-22
Pesticides are widely used throughout the world, in agriculture to protect
crops and in public health to control diseases transmitted by vectors or
intermediate hosts. After the prohibition of organochlorines such as DDT,
today, mainly pyrethroids and organophosphorus insecticides are used. The
aim of this research is to report on internal exposure of children and young
people, in an urban area in Germany, to pyrethroids and organophosphorus
acids, assessed by the analysis of urinary levels of their corresponding
specific metabolites .Approximately 673 children and adolescents took
part in this voluntary investigation, including 331 children <6 years of age.
They analysed their spot urine samples for six metabolites of (DMP),
(DEP), (DMTP), (DETP), (DMDTP) and (DEDTP) and for four metabolites
of pyrethroids (Br2CA), (cis-Cl2-CA ), (trans-Cl2-CA) and (F-PBA) using
gas chromatographic methods with mass-selective detection. The limit of
detection was 0.1-0.2 mgrg/l for pyrethroid metabolites and 1 mgrg/l for
metabolites of organophosphorus acids; in DMP it was 5 mgrg/l. Exposure
to these substances in the general population is thought to occur mainly via
residues in the diet. The level of background internal pyrethroid exposure in
the children is orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding acceptable
daily intake (ADI) values published, but the level of internal organophosphate
exposure may reach and even exceed ADI values. They found that further
examinations were required.
Author: Buratti, Marina; Pellegrino, Oronzo; Valla, Carla; Rubino, Federico
Maria; Verduci, Cinzia; Colombi, Antonio
Full source: International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health
2006, 209(3), 293-299 (Eng).
Diagnostic method of cadmium poisoning by using
cadmium specific genes
2007-01-22
Provided are a diagnostic method of cadmium poisoning by using cadmium
specific genes and a diagnostic kit by using the method. Toxicity of heavy
metals in human body is evaluated using the method. The cadmium specific
genes are identified by PCR, RT-PCR, SSH, microarray, differential display
RTPCR or serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE). The cadmium specific
gene is selected from MIF, LPPAT-alpha, enolase-1alpha, VEGF, Bax,
Nor-1, Nur77, Nurr1, COX-2, ferritin-1 and HMOX-1. The diagnostic kit of
cadmium poisoning comprises the cadmium specific genes, buffer solution
for hybridization, reverse transcription enzymes for synthesizing cDNA from
RNA and chromogenic reagents for identifying expression.
Authors: Mun, Chang Kyu; Lee, Byung Hoon; Lee, Mi Ok; Park, Keon Koo;
Shin, Hye Jin
Full source: Korean Kongkae Taeho Kongbo KR 2005 92,248 , 21 Sep 2005,
Appl. 17,376, 15 Mar 2004; No pp. given (Korean)