The use of respiratory enzymes as biomarkers of petroleum hydrocarbon exposure in Mytilus edulis planulatus

The effect of exposure to petroleum hydrocarbons via the water column and through contaminated sediment upon changes in respiratory enzymes in the common mussel (Mytilus edulis planulatus) was investigated. Mussels were exposed to three concentrations of the water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of Bass Strait crude oil, for 24, 48, and 96 h. In a second study mussels were exposed to three concentrations of crude oil-contaminated sediment for 2 weeks and 1, 2, 4 and 6 months. Activities of citrate synthase (CS) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured in the gills. In mussels exposed to WAF, a significant decrease in CS activity was observed over time (P<0.05), whereas treatment did not cause a significant change in CS activity (P>0.05); neither treatment nor time had an effect on LDH activity. Exposure to contaminated sediment did not have a significant effect on CS activity, however, time had a significant effect on CS activity (P<0.05). Both time and treatment had an effect on LDH activity (P<0.05). Results demonstrated that changes in gill CS and LDH are not sensitive biomarkers of petroleum hydrocarbon exposure in M. edulis planulatus.

Landfarming operation of oily sludge in arid region--human health risk assessment

Landfarming is becoming one of the most preferred treatment technologies for oily sludge disposal in the Arabian Gulf region in general, and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in particular. This technology is considered to be, economical, energy efficient, and environmentally friendly with minimal residue disposal problems. Application of this technology in the region is simply based on the studies conducted in the United States of America and Europe. There have hardly been any scientific studies conducted to evaluate performance of landfarming technology under arid conditions. Recently, detailed field experimental study has been conducted to evaluate the degradation process and health risk issues in landfarming under arid conditions. The study observed volatilization as the main process of hydrocarbon degradation, which can cause significantly high concentration of airborne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the atmosphere leading to serious human health risk to the onsite workers. It is particularly true in the early phase of the landfarming process (first 2 months from initial loading). This paper elaborates these findings in detail.

Adverse respiratory and irritant health effects in airport workers in Taiwan

Airport workers are potentially exposed to aviation fuel or jet stream exhaust. The purpose of this study was to assess if there was an excess of adverse health outcomes among airport workers. Self-reported adverse chronic respiratory symptoms and acute irritative symptoms were assessed in a cross-sectional study among 106 airport workers (exposure group) and 305 terminal or office workers (control group) at the Kaohsiung International Airport (KIA), Taiwan. The prevalence rates for acute irritative symptoms were not significantly different between groups. A possible explanation may be that the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that airport workers are exposed to is not sufficient to induce acute irritative symptoms, although this is not known for certain since data on the concentration of VOCs are lacking in this study. Chronic respiratory symptoms (cough and dyspnea), however, were significantly more common among the exposed group.

Can turbidity caused by Corophium volutator (Pallas) activity be used to assess sediment toxicity rapidly?

The standard toxicity test organism, Corophium volutator, exhibits a behavioural response to contaminated sediments that causes increased turbidity of overlying water. We quantify the effects of this response to an estuarine sediment spiked with copper and hydrocarbon contaminated sediments from an oil installation in the North Sea. Turbidity measured 24 h after the start of a toxicity test shows a strong relationship with contaminant concentrations and with mortality after 10 days. Turbidity measurements can therefore give a rapid indication of sediment toxicity, permitting a reduction in storage time of sediments to be used in dilution series and toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) tests, reducing the likelihood of contaminants degrading prior to testing.

The impact of oil-derived products on the behaviour and biochemistry of the eleven-armed asteroid Coscinasterias muricata (Echinodermata)

The present study examines the impact of exposure to oil-derived products on the behaviour and physiology of the Australian 11-armed asteroid Coscinasterias muricata. Asteroids were exposed to dilutions of water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of Bass Strait stabilised crude oil, dispersed oil or burnt oil (n = 8) for 4 days whereby, prey-localisation behaviour was examined immediately after exposure, and following 2, 7, and 14 days depuration in clean seawater. The prey-localisation behaviour of asteroids exposed to WAF and dispersed oil was significantly affected though recovery was apparent following 7 and 14 days depuration, respectively. In contrast, there was no significant change in the prey-localisation behaviour of asteroids exposed to burnt oil. Behavioural impacts were correlated with the total petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations (C6-C36) in each exposure solution, WAF (1.8 mg l(-1)), dispersed oil (3.5 mg l(-1)) and burnt oil (1.14 mg l(-1), respectively. The total microsomal cytochrome P450 content was significantly lower (P(Dunnett test) < 0.01) in asteroids exposed to dispersed oil than in any other asteroids, whilst asteroid alkaline phosphatase activity was not significantly affected (P(ANOVA) = 0.11). This study further documents the deleterious impact of dispersed oil to marine organisms and supports further research in the area of in situ burning as a less damaging oil spill response measure towards benthic macro-invertebrates.

[Management of dermatologic industrial accidents. Skin burns by bitumen as an example]

Hot bitumen burns, although rare, usually occur in workers in the paving or roofing industries. When bitumen is heated to high temperatures it can cause deep burns, and its incorrect removal often causes further skin damage. Application of butter has been proven to be very effective to remove bitumen from the skin. Further clinical and legal safety guidelines for occupational injuries are described.

Asphalt--a continuing challenge

Assessing the health risks of complex mixtures of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons such as diesel fumes and asphalt or bitumen continues to be a major challenge for occupational and environmental health scientists. The special Asphalt issue of the American Journal of Industrial Medicine (Cancer Mortality Among European Asphalt Workers (Am.J.Ind.Med. Volume 43, Number 1, 2003) presented the results of a major multi-country epidemiological study of a group of workers exposed to one common commercial PAH mixture, asphalt or bitumen.

Exposure to benzene, toluene, xylenes and total hydrocarbons among snowmobile drivers in Sweden

The exposure to benzene, toluene, xylenes and total hydrocarbons among 25 individuals exposed to exhaust from a snowmobile equipped with a two-stroke engine has been evaluated. Sampling was performed by pumped and diffusive sampling in parallel. There was a relatively bad agreement between the two air-sampling methods. The bad agreement can in part be explained by back diffusion of the substances from the samplers, a high face velocity, and deposition of droplets of unburned gasoline onto or in the vicinity of the samplers. The levels of benzene ranged from not detectable (< or =0.01 mgm(-3)) to 2.5 mgm(-3). For toluene, xylenes and total hydrocarbons the exposure was 0.10-12.0, < or =0.05-13.0 and 0.90-273 mgm(-3) respectively. The result from two measurements on individuals travelling on an open sleigh at the rear of the vehicle indicated higher levels of benzene, 0.7-0.8 mgm(-3). Children are often riding as a passenger on a sledge and may thus have a higher exposure than their parents. This study indicates that spare time driving a snowmobile may cause a considerable exposure to benzene. Using a four-stroke engine equipped with a catalyst could reduce the exposure. To reduce the exposure for the passenger on a sleigh an extension of the exhaust pipe may be effective.

Ecotoxicological risks associated with land treatment of petrochemical wastes. I. Residual soil contamination and bioaccumulation by cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus)

Petrochemical waste contains both organic and inorganic contaminants that can pollute soil and may pose significant ecological risks to wildlife. Petrochemical waste typically is disposed of in land treatment units, which are widespread throughout Oklahoma and the United States. Few studies have been conducted evaluating possible toxicity risks to terrestrial organisms residing on these units. In this study, the extent of soil contamination with fluoride (F), metals, and organic hydrocarbons, the bioaccumulation of F and metals in cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), the relationship between contaminants in soil and in tissues of cotton rats, and the level of potentially toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil were determined on land treatment units. Over a 2-yr period, cotton rats and soils were collected and analyzed from 5 land treatment and matched reference units. The number of land treatment units with soil metal contamination (in parentheses) included: Cr, Cu, Pb (5). Al, As, Ni, Sr, Zn (4). Ba (3). and Cd, V (2). The number of land treatment units with soil PAH contamination (in parentheses) were naphthalene, phenanthrene, benzo[g,h,i]perylene (3). acenaphthene, anthracene, pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3-c,d]pyrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene (2). and acenaphthylene, fluorene, fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene (1). Total PAH and total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) were elevated at all five land treatment units. Mean sums of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) equivalents (BaPequiv ) were not affected on

Hydrocarbon-induced changes to metabolic and detoxification enzymes of the Australian crimson-spotted rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis)

The toxicity of petroleum hydrocarbons to marine aquatic organisms has been widely investigated; however, the effects on freshwater environments have largely been ignored. Selected biomarkers were measured in a freshwater species, the crimson-spotted rainbowfish (Melanotaenia fluviatilis). Fish were exposed to either a water-accommodated fraction (WAF) of crude oil or a dispersed crude oil water-accommodated fraction (DCWAF) for 3 days and were depurated for 14 days. Generally, biomarkers were altered following the short-term exposures but recovered after 14 days of depuration. Metabolic enzymes measured in gill tissue were citrate synthase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). As a result of WAF and DCWAF exposures, citrate synthase and LDH activities increased. Enzyme activities returned to control levels following depuration. Subsequent to the WAF exposure, hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity levels were higher than controls and they returned to control levels during depuration. For the DCWAF exposure, EROD was induced by a TPH (total petroleum hydrocarbons) concentration of 14.5 mg/L; however, after depuration the 14.5 mg/L TPH group had lower EROD activity than did controls. There were no changes in liver- to body-weight ratios or the histopathological organization of gill or liver tissues. As the majority of biomarkers returned to control levels after 14 days of depuration, rainbowfish were able to recover from short-term exposures to crude oil and dispersed crude oil.

Recovery trajectories after in situ burning of an oiled wetland in coastal Louisiana, USA

The high degree of physical disturbance associated with conventional response options to oil spills in wetlands is driving the investigation of alternative cleanup methodologies. In March 1995, a spill of gas condensate in a brackish marsh at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Louisiana was remediated through the use of in situ burning. An assessment of vegetation recovery was initiated in three treatment marshes: (1) oil-impacted and burned, (2) oil impacted and unburned, and (3) a nonoiled unburned reference. We compared percent cover, stem density, and biomass in the treatment marshes to define ecological recovery of the marsh vegetation and soil hydrocarbon content to determine the efficacy of in situ burning as a cleanup technique. Burning led to a rapid decrease in soil hydrocarbon concentrations in the impacted-and-burned marsh to background levels by the end of the first growing season. Although a management fire accidentally burned the oil-impacted-and-unburned and reference marshes in December 1995, stem density, live biomass, and total percent cover values in the oil-impacted-and-burned marsh were equivalent to those in the other treatment marshes after three years. In addition, plant community composition within the oil-impacted-and-burned marsh was similar to the codominant mix of the grasses Distichlis spicata (salt grass) and Spartina patens (wire grass) characteristic of the surrounding marsh after the same time period. Rapid recovery of the oil-impacted-and-unburned marsh was likely due to lower initial hydrocarbon exposure. Water levels inundating the soil surface of this grass-dominated marsh and the timing of the in situ burn early in the growing season were important factors contributing to the rapid recovery of this wetland. The results of this in situ burn evaluation support the conclusion that burning, under the proper conditions, can be relied upon as an effective cleanup response to hydrocarbon spills in herbaceous wetlands.

Effects of airborne volatile organic compounds on plants

Routine measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air have shown that average concentrations are very much smaller than those used in laboratory experiments designed to study the effects of VOCs on plants. However, maximum hourly concentrations of some VOCs can be 100 times larger than the average, even in rural air. Experimental studies have rarely extended for longer than a few days, so there is little information on potential long-term effects of exposure to small concentrations. This review considers the available evidence for long-term effects, based on laboratory and field data. Previous reviews of the literature from Germany and the USA are cited, prior to an assessment of the effects of individual VOCs. Although hydrocarbons from vehicle exhausts have been implicated in the observed effects on roadside vegetation, the evidence suggests that it is the nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gases that are mostly responsible. There is evidence that aromatic hydrocarbons can be metabolised in plants, although the fate of the metabolites is not known. There is a large literature on the effects of ethylene, because of its role as a plant hormone. Effects have been reported in the field, in response to industrial emissions, and dose-response experiments over several weeks in laboratory studies have clearly identified the potential for effects at ambient concentrations. The main responses are morphological (e.g. epinasty), which may be reversible, and on the development of flowers and fruit. Effects on seed production may be positive or negative, depending on the exposure concentration. Chlorinated hydrocarbons have been identified as potentially harmful to vegetation, but only one long-term experiment has studied dose-response relationships. As for ethylene, the most sensitive indication of effect was on seed production, although long-term accumulation of trichloroacetic acid in tissue may also be a problem. There is little evidence of the direct effects of oxygenated hydrocarbons on plants. Plants are a significant emission source of short-chain alcohols, aldehydes and ketones. Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) has a well-documented history as damaging to vegetation. There have been few long-term experimental studies despite the field evidence for damaging effects. Early studies in California have been followed by more recent data from east Asia, but there is still a dearth of information on the potential for effects of PAN and related peroxyacyl nitrates on vegetation typical of regions around tropical and sub-tropical cities where PAN pollution is increasingly important. The lack of long-term measurements, coupled with the available evidence that effects are not linearly related to 'dose' measured as the product of exposure concentration and time, means that the possibility of adverse effects of VOCs on vegetation cannot be safely rejected, particularly in urban and industrial areas. Although reproductive processes (flowering, seed production) appear to be most sensitive, there have been no experimental studies on subsequent seed viability and the consequences at the ecosystem level of changes to plant phenology. The potential for VOC metabolites to accumulate in plant tissue has been demonstrated, but any subsequent effects on herbivores and phytophagous insects have yet to be investigated.

Response of antioxidase in viscera of Pagrosuma major larvae to water soluble fraction of hydrocarbons in No.0 diesel oil

Pagrosomus major larvae were exposed to the water-soluble fraction of hydrocarbon in No.0 diesel oil (corresponding to No.2 fuel oil) at concentrations of 0, 0.17, 1.22 and 8.82 mg/L for up to 15 days. Larvae were sampled on days 9 and 15 of the experiment. Supernatants of viscera tissue extractions were assayed for biochemical response in terms of oxidative stress-superoxide dismutase(SOD), activity of selenium-dependant glutathione peroxidase(Se-GPx) and catalase (Ca), and the concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH). On day 9 of exposure, statistically significant dose-related increases in Se-GPx and SOD activity, and GSH concentration were ohserved in all cases except for Se-GPx activity under the highest dosage of hydrocarbon. However, on day 15 of exposure, a similar dose-related response was only observed for Se-GPx activity. GSH concentration decreased and SOD activity showed no statistical difference as compared to controls. However, a significant decrease in compared to day 9 Se-GPx activity and GSH concentration, in contrast to increase SOD activity at day 15 as indicates an accelerated accumulation of H2O2 and potential oxidative damage under long-term exposure of larvae to hydrocarbons. No statistical changes were observed in Ca activity throughout the experiment, possibly owing to the high efficiency of Se-GPx. A recovery experiment was performed on indicating that the response of antioxidants measured tending to return to their control levels. These results prove the function of the antioxidant defense system of the larvae to the water-soluble fraction of hydrocarbons in No.0 diesel oil.

Spills of fuel oil #6 and Orimulsion can have indistinguishable effects on the benthic meiofauna

Fuel oil #6 is used for the production of electrical power in the United States. Orimulsion is being considered as an alternative fuel, but its value and risk compared to fuel oil #6 need to be assessed. Our study examined the relative impact of accidental spills of the two hydrocarbons on the meiofaunal community. To do so, we maintained microcosms of the shallow, sandy, subtidal environment for three months. Treatment microcosms received a single application of hydrocarbon-coated sand. As indicators of effect, we used copepod and nematode abundance and copepod species diversity, sex ratio, fecundity, age structure, and neutral-lipid content. A comparison of the hydrocarbon treatments showed no significant differences. The tests had adequate power to detect ecologically significant changes. Our results indicate that a spill of Orimulsion would have approximately the same impact as a spill of fuel oil #6 on the meiofauna.

Bitumen fumes: review of work on the potential risk to workers and the present knowledge on its origin

Bitumens fumes contain polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAC). There is a possibility of long-term health effects following chronic exposure by inhalation or skin contamination in asphalt road pavers and highway maintenance workers. Epidemiological and experimental studies on this topic are reviewed and the possible causes of cancer discussed with a primary focus on heterocyclic polyaromatic compounds. In 2001, the results of the IARC epidemiological study confirmed an excess of lung cancer despite a lower cancer mortality. In vitro genotoxicity and mechanistic studies demonstrated a mutagenic effect of bitumen fume condensates (BFC) and some data suggested that the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) analysed were not the major genotoxic compounds in bitumen fume condensates. Other compounds such as nitrogen-, sulfur- and/or oxygen-containing PAH or their alkyl substituted analogues, mutagenic in the Ames mutation assay, may be involved in the genotoxic effect of BFC. After skin painting with BFC, DNA adducts were found in skin, lung and lymphocytes of all the treated animals. Differences in the adduct patterns were also observed, but a more polar adduct was common to the three tissues and not observed in those from rats treated with coal-tar fume condensates (CTFC). Rat inhalation experiments with bitumen fumes confirmed the presence of a DNA-adduct in the lungs with the same Rf as the previous polar adduct. This adduct therefore merits further investigation as a potential biomarker in lymphocyte DNA to follow exposed workers. All the analytical data and the mechanistic data are complementary and suggest the potential role of thiophenes in the genotoxicity of bitumen fumes. Some thiophenes have lower mutagenic activity than their isosteric PAH, whereas others are very potent carcinogens. Generally, the sulfur analogues of PAH (SPAH) in bitumen fumes have a higher concentration than the PAH of similar molecular weight, whereas the SPAH in coal-tar fumes have a much lower concentration than the corresponding PAH. This may explain why the more polar adducts have been detected only in animals exposed to bitumen fume. In a skin carcinogenicity study of condensed asphalt roofing fumes, it has been demonstrated that the most active fractions were those containing a variety of aromatic SPAH. In conclusion to this review, there is an interest in determining the chemical identity of the major DNA adducts induced by BFC. This would allow experimental studies on the carcinogenic potency of these compounds and their validation as potential biomarkers. These compounds could thus merit further analytical investigation in preference to the PAH included in the list of the US Environmental Protection Agency that are currently being analysed by the industry in field studies.

Determination of estrogenic activity in landfill leachate by simplified yeast two-hybrid assay

We previously developed a simplified yeast two-hybrid assay of estrogenic activity. In the present study, the optimal conditions for sensitivity and stability of this assay were decided. The assay could determine the estrogenic activity of 4 x 10(-11) mol dm(-1) 17beta-estradiol and also anti-estrogenic activity by using 4-hydroxytamoxifen as a control. The assay was used to test various chemicals suspected of estrogenicity. Many kinds of chemical, including alkylphenols, naphthols, xylenols, methoxychlor, phthalates, and bisphenol-A, showed estrogenic activity, and several, such as 2,5-xylenol and di-iso-octyl phthalate, showed anti-estrogenic but no estrogenic activity. Copresence of two estrogenic chemicals produced additive activity. The assay was also used to test leachate and water samples from the sea-based landfill of Osaka North Port in Japan. Estrogenic activity was detected in leachate from a municipal waste-dumping site, but not in that from a dredged soil-dumping site, which did however cause inhibition of cell growth.

Trends in inhalation exposure to hydrocarbons among commercial painters in The Netherlands

OBJECTIVES

An attempt was made to develop a database for measurements of exposure to solvents that could be used as a tool in the historical exposure assessment of commercial painters participating in a health surveillance program.

METHODS

The measurement data on personal exposure from six studies still available for Dutch commercial painters were collected into a database. The database was analyzed to identify time trends for the inhalation exposure levels of hydrocarbons and the production conditions that influence exposure levels among commercial painters in The Netherlands.

RESULTS

Altogether 304 measurements of solvent exposure were collected between 1980 and 1999, providing data for 137 workers. Toluene was selected as a marker for solvent exposure, since hydrocarbon exposures appeared to be strongly correlated. Exposure to toluene measured during the application of solvent-based paints has declined by 12% per year. The use of solvent-based paints, painting in small rooms, house (versus shipyard) painting, and spray-painting were associated with increased exposures. Water-based paint was also associated with increased exposure to toluene, relative to tasks in which no paint was used. The exposure model for toluene explained 86% of the between-worker variance. In a subset of the data, we observed that a single cell model did not adequately describe total solvent exposure among painters, because of the stronger-than-expected positive effect of source strength and the lack of the protective effect of general ventilation.

CONCLUSIONS

An exposure model was developed that can be used to predict the intensity of inhalation exposure to aromatic solvents among commercial painters in The Netherlands.

Comparative risk analysis of six volatile organic compounds in California drinking water

The widespread use and storage of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the United States has led to releases of these chemicals into the environment, including groundwater sources of drinking water. Many of these VOCs are commonly found in public drinking water supplies across the nation and are considered by state or federal agencies to be potentially carcinogenic to humans. In this paper, we evaluate the detection frequencies, detected concentrations, and relative cancer risks of six VOCs in drinking water sources in California from 1995 to 2001. We find that during this 7-year period, the most frequently detected VOCs in sampled drinking water sources were chloroform (12-14%), PCE (11-13%), and TCE (10-12%). Detection frequencies in water were lower for 1,1-DCE (3-6%), MTBE (1-3%), and benzene (<1%). Mean detected concentrations were also consistently above California's primary maximum contaminant level for some VOCs, including benzene, PCE, and TCE. Although none of the six VOCs necessarily poses a significant public health threat from drinking water exposures, 1,1-DCE and benzene werefound to pose the greatest cancer risk relative to the other VOCs. However, after adjusting for the occurrence of each VOC in drinking water, chloroform and PCE were found to pose the greatest relative cancer risk. Despite media reports about significant MTBE contamination of drinking watersupplies in California, MTBE detections were infrequent and this chemical was found to pose the least cancer risk relative to the other VOCs.

Possibilities to control the health risk of petrochemical workers

OBJECTIVES

It is well known that the adverse health effects of a number of chemical substances are related to the formation of free radicals. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of oxidative stress and the possibility of strengthening the antioxidative potential of the organism by antioxidant treatment.

METHODS

The levels of benzene, toluene, xylene, hexane, ethylbenzene and total hydrocarbons were measured in workplace air by personal dosimetry. A questionnaire was used to collect data on length of service, past and current occupational exposure to chemicals, lifestyle, diet, past and current diseases, drug use. The antioxidative status was measured by indices: malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH); glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity; total antioxidant status (TAS), levels of alpha-tocopherol and vitamin A; selenium, before and after the treatment. The workers were given tablets containing vitamins, micro-elements, and bioflavonoids, in appropriate doses. All subjects had signed an informed consent.

RESULTS

Before treatment the workers had significantly higher MDA levels ( P<0.001) and lower GSH concentrations ( P<0.001) and GPx activities ( P<0.001) than did the controls. Other indices were without significant changes. The results after 40 days of supplementation demonstrated that the number of subjects with high values of MDA decreased significantly; the activity of GPx was within the referent values; the level of GSH had also recovered and conformed to physiological norms.

CONCLUSIONS

The decrease of GPx and GSH and the increase of the MDA levels give evidence of misbalance in the antioxidant status. The decreased values of MDA and the increased GPx activity and GSH concentrations at the second examination proved the positive effect of the treatment. The strengthened antioxidant potential of workers exposed to a mixture of hydrocarbons confirmed the possibilities that the exposure-related health risk can be controlled and the adverse effects prevented.

Outcomes in patients with Goodpasture's syndrome and hydrocarbon exposure

Goodpasture's Syndrome has been associated with hydrocarbon exposure. No study has examined outcomes in these patients. All reported cases of Goodpasture's Syndrome and hydrocarbon exposure were identified using MEDLINE and was analyzed for factors related to outcomes. A total of 43 cases were identified since 1969. The mean age of patients was 28 years old. There was a slight predilection for males (60%) when analyzing gender. Various types of hydrocarbons were identified and the duration of exposure varied from minutes to years. A majority of patients (86%) had pulmonary hemorrhage and antiglomerular basement membrane antibodies (AGBM) (92%). Patients were treated with immunosuppressive agents. The only significant statistical correlation was female patients with hydrocarbon exposure were younger. There was no correlation between age, gender, duration of exposure, presence of pulmonary hemorrhage or AGBM, or other risk factors and outcome. The relationship between hydrocarbon exposure and Goodpasture's Syndrome remains unclear since only 6% of cases in the literature had exposure. Even though most patients survived, no factor studied affected outcome making it difficult to predict prognosis in these patients.

Evaluation of worker exposure to asphalt paving fumes using traditional and nontraditional techniques

Forty-five workers at 11 paving sites across the United States were evaluated for exposure to paving asphalt (bitumen) fumes. Traditional measures of exposure such as total particulate matter (TPM) and benzene soluble matter (BSM) were monitored. In addition, total organic matter (TOM), which includes both the BSM residue and the more volatile components that pass through the filter and are collected on sorption material, was quantified and further characterized using a gas chromatography technique and a recently developed fluorescence test. The latter method, which indirectly estimates the content of four- to six-ring polycyclic aromatic compounds, is used as a predictor of carcinogenicity. The correlation between fluorescence emission intensity and carcinogenicity for 36 laboratory generated fume fractions, as measured in a mouse skin-painting bioassay, was then used to estimate the carcinogenic potential of worker monitoring samples. Emission levels, and therefore predicted carcinogenicity, for these samples were at least 17-fold below the value corresponding to a minimal carcinogenic effect. This result was consistent with more extensive chemical analysis (using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry) of two of the samples, which showed the predominant constituents to be alkanes, monocycloparaffins, alkyl-benzenes, alkyl-naphthalenes, and alkyl-benzothiophenes. The geometric mean exposures for all worker studies were 0.21 mg/m3 (TPM), 0.06 mg/m3 (BSM), and 1.23 mg/m3 (TOM).

Fire eater's risk: lipoid pneumonia following aspiration of a liquid hydrocarbon mixture

Acute aspiration of a liquid hydrocarbon mixture by fire eaters may cause severe lipoid pneumonia. The toxic effect of ingested hydrocarbon chains depends on their length and biophysical qualities. We report the case of a patient who accidentally aspirated a hydrocarbon liquid resulting in a lipoid pneumonia. The pathomechanism, diagnostic work-up, and the therapeutic approach are discussed.

Behavior of a chemically dispersed oil in a wetland environment

An experiment was conducted at a wetland research facility, investigating the behavior and effects of chemically dispersed oil (CDO) using an oil-spill dispersant. The research site is located on the San Jacinto River near Houston, TX. The replicated treatments included oiled control, "high-dose" CDO (1:10 dispersant-to-oil ratio (DOR)), "low-dose" CDO (1:20 DOR), as well as an unoiled control. Known amounts of oil or dispersed oil were added to the respective plots. Sediment samples were taken over a 99-day period using a 5-cm-diameter coring device. The GC/MS results for both "total target saturate hydrocarbons" and "total target aromatic hydrocarbons" were plotted over time and data were modeled using nonlinear regression. The overall (including abiotic and biotic) petroleum loss rates for the dispersed-oil treatments were not statistically different when compared to the oiled control. However, the initial concentrations for the dispersed-oil treatments were statically lower (95% confidence) than for the oiled control. From this, it can be inferred that the dispersed oil was more prone to flush off the sediments, as was visually observed. Biodegradation rates were also determined for all treatments; it was concluded that there were no differences when comparing each dispersed-oil treatment to the oiled control. The sediments from each plot were also analyzed for microbial population numbers (most-probable-number) and acute toxicity (Microtox 100% Test). Statistical analyses for both sets of data found no significant differences for the dispersed-oil treatments when compared to the oiled control.

Phytoremediation of subarctic soil contaminated with diesel fuel

The effects of several plant species, native to northern latitudes, and different soil amendments, on diesel fuel removal from soil were studied. Plant treatments included Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Poplar (Populus deltoides x Wettsteinii), a grass mixture (Red fescue, Fesuca rubra; Smooth meadowgrass, Poa pratensis and Perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne) and a legume mixture (White clover, Trifolium repens and Pea, Pisum sativum). Soil amendments included NPK fertiliser, a compost extract and a microbial enrichment culture. Diesel fuel disappeared more rapidly in the legume treatment than in other plant treatments. The presence of poplar and pine enhanced removal of diesel fuel, but removal under grass was similar to that with no vegetation. Soil amendments did not enhance diesel fuel removal significantly. Grass roots accumulated diesel-range compounds. This study showed that utilisation of selected plants accelerates removal of diesel fuel in soil and may serve as a viable, low-cost remedial technology for diesel-contaminated soils in subarctic regions.

Genotoxic impacts in Klaipeda Marine port and Bŭtinge oil terminal areas (Baltic Sea)

Genotoxic effects were evaluated in the somatic and gonadal cells of bivalve and gastropod molluscs inhabiting different sites of Klaipeda port area in Lithuania. The occurrence of aneuploidy and polyploidy of cells, meiotic injures, centromere dissociation and fragmented polyploid nuclei as cytogenetic indicators of environmental stressors was assessed in snails Lymnaea ovata . The highest level of environmental genotoxicity (in 43.2 and 46.2% of studied cells) was observed in the tissues of snails inhabiting Malku Bay in 1995 and 1996. Dredging and thus removal of contaminated sediments from Malku Bay resulted in significant decrease (up to 27.2% in 1999) of cytogenetic injures in molluscs studied over the period from 1997 to 1999. However, the frequency of cytogenetic disturbances in molluscs from Vilhelmo Channel was increasing (1.8 times) from 1995 to 1999. Therefore, the ecological safety of the biggest drinking water supply for Klaipeda population became questionable. Assessment of cytogenetic damage in Mytilus edulis (MN test) and the crustacean, Balanus improvisus, (aneugenic effects) inhabiting the Baltic Sea at Bŭtinge oil terminal has shown the highest genotoxicity level in the zone of sewage effluents from Palanga town and Mazeikiai oil refinery plant. Extensive cytogenetic injuries in gonadal cells indicated the potential long-term hazards of pollutants to ecological health and integrity of aquatic species.