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Broccia G, Carter J, Ozsin-Ozler C, De Matteis S, Cocco P. Epidemiology of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in Sardinia, Italy: Age, sex, and environmental correlates. Cancer Epidemiol 2024; 91:102582. [PMID: 38733651 DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2024.102582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Using a database of 1974-2003 incident cases of haematological malignancies, we explored the time trend, geographic spread and socio-economic and environmental correlates of ALL incidence in Sardinia, Italy, by sex and age. The age- and sex-standardized (World population) ALL incidence rate was 2.0 per 100,000 (95% CI 1.8 - 2.1) and showed variable trend patterns by sex and age. In the total population, ALL incidence showed an annual per cent change of -1.4% (95% CI -0.59 - -3.34) over the study period, with a knot separating a downward slope in 1974-1996 from an increase in 1996-2003. ALL incidence replicated such pattern in women but not men, whose incidence did not substantially vary over the study period (APC = -2.57%, 95% CI -5.45 - 0.26). Among women, the spatial analysis suggested a clustering of ALL in the southwestern part of the region, whilst only a commune had a high posterior probability of a high ALL incidence among men. Three unrelated communes showed a high posterior probability of ALL at age ≤ 24; only the most populated urban centre showed excess cases at age ≥ 25 years. There was no correlation between the geographic spread of ALL at ages ≤ 24 and ≥ 25 years (p = 0.082). Urban residence was a risk factor for the younger age group. Residences near industrial settlements and in the most populated urban centre were risk factors for subjects aged ≥ 25 years. Our findings suggest age-related differences in ALL aetiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Broccia
- Department of Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplants, Hospital A. Businco, Cagliari 09121, Italy
| | | | - Cansu Ozsin-Ozler
- Hacettepe University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Pierluigi Cocco
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Division of Public Health, Health Services Research &Primary Care, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
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Rahimpoor R, Jalilian H, Mohammadi H, Rahmani A. Biological exposure indices of occupational exposure to benzene: A systematic review. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21576. [PMID: 38027568 PMCID: PMC10660043 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study aimed to systematically review the studies concerning the biological monitoring of benzene exposure in occupational settings. A systematic literature review was conducted in Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Medline from 1985 through July 2021. We included peer-reviewed original articles that investigated the association between occupational exposure to benzene and biological monitoring. We identified 4786 unique citations, of which 64 cross-sectional, one case-control, and one cohort study met our inclusion criteria. The most studied biomarkers were urinary trans-trans muconic acid, S- phenyl mercapturic acid, and urinary benzene, respectively. We found the airborne concentration of benzene as a key indicator for choosing a suitable biomarker. We suggest considering urinary benzene at low (0.5-5.0 TLV), urinary SPMA and TTMA at medium (5.0-25 and 25-50 TLV, respectively), and urinary phenol and hydroquinone and catechol at very high concentrations (500 and 1000 TLV ≤, respectively). Genetic polymorphism of glutathione S-transferase and oral intake of sorbic acid have confounding effects on the level of U-SPMA and U-TTMA, respectively. The airborne concentration, smoking habit, oral consumption of sorbic acid, and genetic polymorphism of workers should be considered in order to choose the appropriate indicator for biological monitoring of benzene exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razzagh Rahimpoor
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
| | - Hamed Jalilian
- School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Heidar Mohammadi
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
| | - Abdulrasoul Rahmani
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Research Center for Health Sciences, School of Health, Larestan University of Medical Sciences, Larestan, Iran
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Bowman BA, Lewis EV, Goldy DW, Kim JY, Elio DM, Blount BC, Bhandari D. Assessment of urinary 6-hydroxy-2,4-cyclohexadienyl mercapturic acid as a novel biomarker of benzene exposure. J Anal Toxicol 2023; 47:597-605. [PMID: 37632692 DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkad056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Assessing benzene exposure is a public health priority due to its deleterious health effects and ubiquitous industrial and environmental sources of exposure. Phenyl mercapturic acid (PhMA) is a commonly used urinary biomarker to assess benzene exposure. However, recent work has identified significant interlaboratory variation in urinary PhMA concentrations related to methodological differences. In this study, we present urinary 6-hydroxy-2,4-cyclohexadienyl mercapturic acid (pre-PhMA), a metabolite that undergoes acid-catalyzed dehydration to form PhMA, as a novel and specific urinary biomarker for assessing benzene exposure. We developed and validated the first quantitative liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay for measuring urinary concentrations of pre-PhMA. The pH effect on the method of ruggedness testing determined that pre-PhMA is stable across the normal human urine pH range and that neutral conditions must be maintained throughout quantification for robust and accurate measurement of urinary pre-PhMA concentrations. The method exhibited below 2 ng/mL sensitivity for pre-PhMA, linearity over three orders of magnitude, and precision and accuracy within 10%. Urinary pre-PhMA concentrations were assessed in 369 human urine samples. Smoking individuals exhibited elevated levels of pre-PhMA compared to non-smoking individuals. Furthermore, the relationship between benzene exposure and urinary pre-PhMA levels was explored by examining the correlation of pre-PhMA with 2-cyanoethyl mercapturic acid, a smoke exposure biomarker. The urinary biomarkers exhibited a positive correlation (r = 0.720), indicating that pre-PhMA levels increased with benzene exposure. The results of this study demonstrate that urinary pre-PhMA is a rugged and effective novel biomarker of benzene exposure that can be widely implemented for future biomonitoring studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett A Bowman
- Tobacco and Volatiles Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Erica V Lewis
- Tobacco and Volatiles Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Devon W Goldy
- Tobacco and Volatiles Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Jenny Y Kim
- Tobacco and Volatiles Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Deanna M Elio
- Tobacco and Volatiles Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Benjamin C Blount
- Tobacco and Volatiles Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Deepak Bhandari
- Tobacco and Volatiles Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
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Broccia G, Carter J, Ozsin-Ozler C, De Matteis S, Cocco P. Incidence and Bayesian Mapping of Myeloid Hematologic Malignancies in Sardinia, Italy. Cancer Control 2023; 30:10732748231202906. [PMID: 37877513 PMCID: PMC10605662 DOI: 10.1177/10732748231202906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The epidemiology of myeloid hematologic malignancies in Italy has been poorly investigated. METHODS We used a validated database of 1974-2003 incident cases of hematologic malignancies among the resident population (all ages) of Sardinia, Italy, to describe the incidence of myeloid malignancies overall (N = 4389 cases) and by subtype. We investigated the time trend of acute myeloid leukemia (N = 1227 cases), chronic myeloid leukemia (N = 613 cases), and myelodysplastic syndrome (N = 1296 cases), and used Bayesian methods to explore their geographic spread, and Poisson regression analysis to estimate their association with environmental and socio-economic factors. RESULTS The annual standardized (world population) incidence rate (IR) of myeloid malignancies over the study period was 6.5 per 100,000 (95% CI 6.2-6.7). Myelodysplastic syndromes were the most prevalent subgroup (IR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.5-1.8). Incidence of all myeloid malignancies combined increased sharply during the study period with an annual percent change (APC) of 10.06% (95% CI 9.51-10.61), 19.77% for myelodysplastic syndromes (95% CI 19.63-19.91), and 3.18% (95% CI 2.99-3.37) for acute myeloid leukemia. Chronic myeloid leukemia did not show an upward trend. Apart from sporadic excesses in small rural communities and the major urban area, there was no evidence of spatial clustering. The risk of myeloid malignancies increased with increasing prevalence of sheep breeding. CONCLUSIONS Our results might prompt further research on the local genetic and environmental determinants of myeloid hematologic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Broccia
- Department of Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplants, Hospital A. Businco, Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Cansu Ozsin-Ozler
- Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sara De Matteis
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Cocco
- Division of Public Health, Health Services Research & Primary Care, Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
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Kuijpers E, van Wel L, Loh M, Galea KS, Makris KC, Stierum R, Fransman W, Pronk A. A Scoping Review of Technologies and Their Applicability for Exposome-Based Risk Assessment in the Oil and Gas Industry. Ann Work Expo Health 2021; 65:1011-1028. [PMID: 34219141 DOI: 10.1093/annweh/wxab039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Oil and gas workers have been shown to be at increased risk of chronic diseases including cancer, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and hearing loss, among others. Technological advances may be used to assess the external (e.g. personal sensors, smartphone apps and online platforms, exposure models) and internal exposome (e.g. physiologically based kinetic modeling (PBK), biomonitoring, omics), offering numerous possibilities for chronic disease prevention strategies and risk management measures. The objective of this study was to review the literature on these technologies, by focusing on: (i) evaluating their applicability for exposome research in the oil and gas industry, and (ii) identifying key challenges that may hamper the successful application of such technologies in the oil and gas industry. METHOD A scoping review was conducted by identifying peer-reviewed literature with searches in MEDLINE/PubMed and SciVerse Scopus. Two assessors trained on the search strategy screened retrieved articles on title and abstract. The inclusion criteria used for this review were: application of the aforementioned technologies at a workplace in the oil and gas industry or, application of these technologies for an exposure relevant to the oil and gas industry but in another occupational sector, English language and publication period 2005-end of 2019. RESULTS In total, 72 articles were included in this scoping review with most articles focused on omics and bioinformatics (N = 22), followed by biomonitoring and biomarkers (N = 20), external exposure modeling (N = 11), PBK modeling (N = 10), and personal sensors (N = 9). Several studies were identified in the oil and gas industry on the application of PBK models and biomarkers, mainly focusing on workers exposed to benzene. The application of personal sensors, new types of exposure models, and omics technology are still in their infancy with respect to the oil and gas industry. Nevertheless, applications of these technologies in other occupational sectors showed the potential for application in this sector. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION New exposome technologies offer great promise for personal monitoring of workers in the oil and gas industry, but more applied research is needed in collaboration with the industry. Current challenges hindering a successful application of such technologies include (i) the technological readiness of sensors, (ii) the availability of data, (iii) the absence of standardized and validated methods, and (iv) the need for new study designs to study the development of disease during working life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Miranda Loh
- Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Karen S Galea
- Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Konstantinos C Makris
- Cyprus International Institute for Environmental and Public Health, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol, Cyprus
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Cattaneo A, Campo L, Iodice S, Spinazzè A, Olgiati L, Borghi F, Polledri E, Angelici L, Cavallo DM, Fustinoni S, Bollati V. Environmental and biological monitoring of personal exposure to air pollutants of adult people living in a metropolitan area. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 767:144916. [PMID: 33636771 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human exposure to air pollutants, and specifically to particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), may pose a relevant risk on human health. AIM To evaluate the personal exposure of adults living and working in Milan (Italy) by environmental and biological monitoring. METHODS Personal exposure of 51 volunteer adults to PM2.5, PM2.5-10 and selected VOCs, including benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, m + p-xylene, methyl tert-butyl ether, naphthalene, hexane, cyclohexane, heptane, and limonene was assessed along a 24-h period via personal cascade impactors and radial diffusive samplers. Urine spot samples were collected to investigate the corresponding urinary biomarkers. Time-activity patterns were filled in by participants to explore the performed activities. Multiple regression models were applied to investigate the association between personal exposure, biomarker levels, and tobacco smoke, traffic exposure, commuting mode, cooking activities, and personal characteristics. RESULTS Median personal exposure to PM2.5, PM2.5-10, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene o-xylene, m + p-xylene, methyl tert-butyl ether, naphthalene, hexane, cyclohexane, heptane, and limonene were 36.1, 7.8, 2.3, 7.8, 2.1, 1.8, 4.7, 0.8, 0.3, 1.4, 2.5, 1.6, and 59.9 μg/m3, respectively. Median levels of urinary benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene o-xylene, m + p-xylene, naphthalene, hexane, and heptane were 78.0, 88.1, 21.5, 15.2, 43.9, 21.0, 11.0, and 22.5 ng/L, respectively. For personal exposure, multiple regression models explained up to 67% (PM2.5) and 61% (benzene) of variability, with major contribution from commuting mode and environmental exposure. For biological monitoring, multiple regression analysis explained up to 74% of urinary benzene, with a major contribution given by creatinine, and secondary contributions by commuting mode, personal exposure to airborne benzene and smoking. CONCLUSIONS Personal exposure to air pollutants was lower than that measured in the past in Milan. Personal exposure was mainly driven by traffic variables, while internal dose was mainly driven by personal characteristics and smoking habit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cattaneo
- Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Laura Campo
- Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy.
| | - Simona Iodice
- EPIGET Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Spinazzè
- Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Luca Olgiati
- Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Borghi
- Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Elisa Polledri
- Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Angelici
- EPIGET Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy; Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, ASL Roma 1, Roma, Italy
| | - Domenico Maria Cavallo
- Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Silvia Fustinoni
- Environmental and Industrial Toxicology Unit Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy; EPIGET Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Biomarkers of Low-Level Environmental Exposure to Benzene and Oxidative DNA Damage in Primary School Children in Sardinia, Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18094644. [PMID: 33925535 PMCID: PMC8123794 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Background: The main anthropic sources of exposure to airborne benzene include vehicular traffic, cigarette smoke, and industrial emissions. Methods: To detect early genotoxic effects of environmental exposure to benzene, we monitored environmental, personal, and indoor airborne benzene in children living in an urban area and an area near a petrochemical plant. We also used urinary benzene and S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) as biomarkers of benzene exposure and urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as a biomarker of early genotoxic effects. Results: Although always below the European Union limit of 5 μg/m3, airborne benzene levels were more elevated in the indoor, outdoor, and personal samples from the industrial surroundings compared to the urban area (p = 0.026, p = 0.005, and p = 0.001, respectively). Children living in the surroundings of the petrochemical plant had urinary benzene values significantly higher than those from the urban area in both the morning and evening samples (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Results of multiple regression modelling showed that age was a significant predictor of 8-OHdG excretion, independent of the sampling hour. Moreover, at the low exposure level experienced by the children participating in this study, neither personal or indoor airborne benzene level, nor personal monitoring data, affected 8-OHdG excretion. Conclusions: Our results suggest the importance of biological monitoring of low-level environmental exposure and its relation to risk of genotoxic effects among children.
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Broccia G, Carter J, Ozsin-Ozler C, Meloni F, Pilia I, Satta G, Murgia G, Campagna M, Cocco P. Haemolymphatic cancer among children in Sardinia, Italy: 1974-2003 incidence. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e037163. [PMID: 33148724 PMCID: PMC7640504 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore the time trend and geographical distribution of childhood leukaemia incidence over the territory of the Italian region of Sardinia. SETTING All hospitals departments, diagnostic centres and social security agencies in Sardinia were regularly screened in 1974-2003 to identify, register and review the diagnoses of incident cases of haematological malignancies (HM). PARTICIPANTS The whole child population aged 0-14 resident in Sardinia. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Incidence and time trend of childhood HM and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) over the study period, and use of Bayesian methods to plot the probability of areas with excess incidence on the regional map. RESULTS Overall, 675 HM cases, including 378 ALL cases, occurred among children aged 0-14 years resident in Sardinia in 1974-2003, with an incidence rate of 6.97×10-5 (95% CI 6.47 to 7.51) and 3.85×10-5 (95% CI 3.48 to 4.26), respectively. Incidence of HM and ALL showed an upward trend along the study period especially among females. Three communes out of the 356 existing in 1974, namely Ittiri, Villa San Pietro and Carbonia, stand out as areas with excess incidence of HM and ALL in particular and another, Carloforte, for ALL only. CONCLUSIONS Our results might serve as convincing arguments for extending the coverage of routine cancer registration over the whole Sardinian population, while prompting further research on the genetic and environmental determinants in the areas at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Broccia
- Department of Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplants, Oncologico A. Businco Hospital, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Jonathan Carter
- School of Energy, Construction, Coventry University, Coventry, UK
| | - Cansu Ozsin-Ozler
- Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Paediatric Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Federico Meloni
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Ilaria Pilia
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giannina Satta
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giulio Murgia
- Department of Paediatric Oncohaematology, Microcitemico Hospital, Cagliari, Sardegna, Italy
| | - Marcello Campagna
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Cocco
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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Kafaei R, Rezaei M, Ahmadi M, Tahmasebi R, Dobaradaran S, Omidvar M, Ostovar A, Savari A, Ramavandi B. Metal(loid)s urinary level among workers of gas refinery and petrochemical companies: Health risk assessment of metal(loid)s in drinking water and dust. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2019; 54:183-190. [PMID: 31109610 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2019.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asalouyeh (southern Iran) contains many pollution sources like petrochemical and gas refinery companies. Few studies were conducted on the body burden of metal(loid)s in occupationally exposed workers of the companies in this area. OBJECTIVES The urine concentration of metal(loid)s in workers of gas refinery and petrochemical companies in Asalouyeh (who have been worked as "two weeks work-two weeks rest" schedule) was evaluated during a before-and-after observational study. The risks of metal(loid)s in drinking water and dust particles in the studied area were also assessed. METHODS Urinary samples (n = 179) were gathered at the first day of two weeks of work (before) and at the end of two weeks of work (after). The concentration of V, Ni, Mn, Cd, and As was measured using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The health hazards of metal(loid)s in the air dust and drinking water of workers were also evaluated. RESULTS The median concentration of metal(loid)s for workers of gas refinery and petrochemical companies for before and after two weeks of work was measured, respectively, as: As (11.44 and 9.31 μg/L), Ni (1.06 and 0.51 μg/L), Cd (0.36 and 0.31 μg/L), Mn (0.29 and 0.24 μg/L), and V (0.08 and 0.05 μg/L). After two weeks work, the median of all metal(loid)s in the urine of petrochemical and gas refinery workers was significantly increased. The non-cancer risk due to intake metal(loid)s from drinking water was more than the threshold value and the cancer risk from drinking water and inhaled air dust was less than the threshold. CONCLUSION Our results revealed the effect of gas refinery and petrochemical activities on increasing the metal(loid)s concentration of the worker's body and the necessity to protect this group. Additionally, the metal(loid)s intake from drinking water and inhaled dust posed no cancer risk to the workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raheleh Kafaei
- Student Research Committee, School of Public Health and Safety, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Marzieh Rezaei
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Mehdi Ahmadi
- Environmental Technologies Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Rahim Tahmasebi
- Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Sina Dobaradaran
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Mohsen Omidvar
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Afshin Ostovar
- Osteoporosis Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinical Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arezo Savari
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Bahman Ramavandi
- Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran; Systems Environmental Health and Energy Research Center, The Persian Gulf Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
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Silva CB, Mota CDL, Almeida YR, Emídio V, Fonseca ASA, Mitri S, Moreira JC. Environmental exposure to benzene: evaluation of urinary S-PMA and polymorphism (CYP2E1-1293G>C and NQO1 609C>T) in Campos Elíseos residents, Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. CAD SAUDE PUBLICA 2019; 35:e00198618. [DOI: 10.1590/0102-311x00198618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Benzene is one of the most important substances for assessment, due to its significant use, the environmental contamination resulting from its emission and the effects on human health. It is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as a known carcinogen to humans (group 1) and associated with the development of leukemia. In general, the population is exposed to this substance by inhaling contaminated air, which varies according to the location and intensity of its potential sources. The petrochemical industry is one of the most important sources of this compound. The municipality of Duque de Caxias, specifically the Campos Elíseos district, in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, houses the Industrial Complex of Campos Elíseos (PICE), a grouping of over 25 industries, which includes the second largest oil refinery in Brazil. Environmental contamination from the PICE has been recognized, but there is a lack of studies concerning its impact on the health of the surrounding population. S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA) concentrations ranging from 0.80 to 8.01μg.g-1 creatinine were observed in the local population, apparently related to hematological changes also observed in exposed population. The quantifiable presence of urinary S-PMA from the benzene metabolism is associated with the fact that 60% of the participants present specific hematological changes, which may be due to the environmental benzene exposure. The allele and genotype frequencies of the CYP2E1 and NQO1 enzymes observed in the study population were similar to those reported in other studies. The presence of the variant allele in the NQO1 genotype may be a risk factor for the observed hematological changes.
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Biomonitoring of Urinary Benzene Metabolite SPMA in the General Population in Central Italy. TOXICS 2018; 6:toxics6030037. [PMID: 29997369 PMCID: PMC6161128 DOI: 10.3390/toxics6030037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Revised: 07/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background: Benzene is an important component of cigarette smoke and car exhaust. Products containing benzene in concentrations greater than 0.1% are prohibited in Europe, but 1% of benzene is still allowed in gasoline. The purpose of the study was to assess the levels of urine benzene biomarkers in a sample of the general population not occupationally exposed to benzene, resident in the period 2013–2014 in Central Italy, compared to other groups. Methods: The urinary levels of the benzene metabolites S-phenyl-mercapturic acid (SPMA) and cotinine (nicotine metabolite) were determined by means of HPLC with mass spectrometric detection in 1076 subjects. Results: The median SPMA value in smokers was 1.132 µg/g of creatinine while in non-smokers it was 0.097 µg/g of creatinine, and the 95th percentile results were seven times higher. Conclusion: The main source of benzene exposure in the studied population was active smoking, however, non-smokers were also exposed to airborne benzene concentrations. The concentration ranges found in this study can be used as a background reference for occupational exposure assessment to benzene by means of SPMA biomonitoring.
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Mendes MPR, Silveira JN, Andre LC. An efficient analytical method for determination of S -phenylmercapturic acid in urine by HPLC fluorimetric detector to assessing benzene exposure. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2017; 1063:136-140. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2017.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2016] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
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13
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Magnani C, Ranucci A, Badaloni C, Cesaroni G, Ferrante D, Miligi L, Mattioli S, Rondelli R, Bisanti L, Zambon P, Cannizzaro S, Michelozzi P, Cocco P, Celentano E, Assennato G, Merlo DF, Mosciatti P, Minelli L, Cuttini M, Torregrossa MV, Lagorio S, Haupt R, Forastiere F. Road Traffic Pollution and Childhood Leukemia: A Nationwide Case-control Study in Italy. Arch Med Res 2017; 47:694-705. [PMID: 28476197 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The association of childhood leukemia with traffic pollution was considered in a number of studies from 1989 onwards, with results not entirely consistent and little information regarding subtypes. AIM OF THE STUDY We used the data of the Italian SETIL case-control on childhood leukemia to explore the risk by leukemia subtypes associated to exposure to vehicular traffic. METHODS We included in the analyses 648 cases of childhood leukemia (565 Acute lymphoblastic-ALL and 80 Acute non lymphoblastic-AnLL) and 980 controls. Information on traffic exposure was collected from questionnaire interviews and from the geocoding of house addresses, for all periods of life of the children. RESULTS We observed an increase in risk for AnLL, and at a lower extent for ALL, with indicators of exposure to traffic pollutants. In particular, the risk was associated to the report of closeness of the house to traffic lights and to the passage of trucks (OR: 1.76; 95% CI 1.03-3.01 for ALL and 6.35; 95% CI 2.59-15.6 for AnLL). The association was shown also in the analyses limited to AML and in the stratified analyses and in respect to the house in different period of life. CONCLUSIONS Results from the SETIL study provide some support to the association of traffic related exposure and risk for AnLL, but at a lesser extent for ALL. Our conclusion highlights the need for leukemia type specific analyses in future studies. Results support the need of controlling exposure from traffic pollution, even if knowledge is not complete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corrado Magnani
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, CPO Piedmont and University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Ranucci
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, CPO Piedmont and University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Chiara Badaloni
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
| | - Giulia Cesaroni
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
| | - Daniela Ferrante
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Translational Medicine, CPO Piedmont and University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, Italy
| | - Lucia Miligi
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, ISPO Cancer Prevention and Research Institute, Florence, Italy
| | - Stefano Mattioli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roberto Rondelli
- Paediatric Oncology-Haematology Lalla Seràgnoli, Policlinico S.Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Santina Cannizzaro
- Lega Italiana per la Lotta contro i Tumori Onlus Sez. Provinciale di Ragusa, Ragusa Ibla, Italy
| | - Paola Michelozzi
- Department of Epidemiology, Lazio Regional Health Service, Roma, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Cocco
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, Occupational Health Section, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Egidio Celentano
- Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Fondazione G.Pascale, IRCCS, Napoli, Italy
| | | | - Domenico Franco Merlo
- Clinical Epidemiology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Martino-IST Istituto Nazionale per la Ricerca sul Cancro, Genova, Italy
| | - Paola Mosciatti
- Università di Camerino, Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e di Sanità Pubblica, Camerino, Italy
| | - Liliana Minelli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale-Sezione di Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Marina Cuttini
- Unità di Ricerca di Epidemiologia Perinatale, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Valeria Torregrossa
- Dipartimento di Scienze per la Promozione della Salute Sez.Igiene, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Susanna Lagorio
- National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, National Institute of Health, Roma, Italy
| | - Riccardo Haupt
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova, Italy
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Tranfo G, Pigini D, Paci E, Marini F, Bonanni RC. Association of exposure to benzene and smoking with oxidative damage to nucleic acids by means of biological monitoring of general population volunteers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:13885-13894. [PMID: 26971514 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-016-6366-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the validation of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) isotopic dilution method for the determination of benzene and nicotine metabolites in urine was carried out. Limit of detection are 0.026 μg/L for S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA), 0.55 μg/L for t,t-muconic acid (t,t-MA), and 12.41 μg/L for the cotinine, and the relative combined uncertainty was also calculated. The study involves 446 healthy volunteer residents since at least 10 years in an area of central Italy. SPMA resulted to be strongly correlated with cotinine (p = 0.75), its concentration in smokers (93) being about ten times than in non/ex-smokers (197/156), while the t,t-MA of smokers is about twice the non/ex-smokers value. A cutoff value for the definition of smoker is set at 100 μg/g creat. Oxidative stress was studied in smokers and non- and ex-smokers by means of the determination of the biomarkers 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo), and 8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua): no significant differences were found between smokers and non/ex-smokers, but when subjects are classified according to the cotinine cutoff value, a correlation in smokers' urinary 8-oxodGuo is found with SPMA and cotinine (p = 0.60 and p = 0.57). Results were confirmed by chemometric analysis that also identified the experimental variables most contributing the discrimination as cotinine and t,t-MA.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Tranfo
- INAIL, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Research Area of Monte Porzio Catone, Via di Fontana Candida 1, 00040, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - D Pigini
- INAIL, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Research Area of Monte Porzio Catone, Via di Fontana Candida 1, 00040, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy
| | - E Paci
- INAIL, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Research Area of Monte Porzio Catone, Via di Fontana Candida 1, 00040, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy
| | - F Marini
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, Italy
| | - R C Bonanni
- INAIL, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Research Area of Monte Porzio Catone, Via di Fontana Candida 1, 00040, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy
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15
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Mendes M, Machado JMH, Durand A, Costa-Amaral IC, Valente D, Gonçalves ES, Arcuri ASA, Trevisan EA, Sarcinelli PDN, Larentis AL, Moura-Correa MJ, André LC. Normas ocupacionais do benzeno: uma abordagem sobre o risco e exposição nos postos de revenda de combustíveis. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE SAÚDE OCUPACIONAL 2017. [DOI: 10.1590/2317-6369000127515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Resumo Introdução: trabalhadores estão sujeitos a riscos decorrentes da exposição ambiental e ocupacional ao benzeno, situação ainda mais crítica quando associada a fatores como desigualdade social, múltipla exposição, suscetibilidade individual, degradação ambiental e às possíveis interações entre os contaminantes ambientais. Além disso, nem sempre as regulamentações são estabelecidas e/ou atualizadas apenas a partir de achados científicos, pois são processos permeados por conflitos de interesses. Objetivo: realizar análise crítica sobre a identificação de risco e avaliação da exposição ao benzeno. Métodos: revisão bibliográfica e documental do marco normativo brasileiro e internacional sobre exposição ao benzeno, com relação aos aspectos toxicológicos, de exposição ocupacional e ambiental e de avaliação de risco. Discussão: o controle da exposição ao benzeno permeia o campo da disputa técnico-política de saúde e segurança, constituindo-se em marco regulatório resultante de consenso de entendimentos. Esses entendimentos são marcados pela disputa entre a proteção à saúde e a gestão empresarial das condições de trabalho, em detrimento das evidencias científicas. Em tal contexto, os Limites de Exposição Ocupacional podem variar significativamente entre os países e agências, apesar do reconhecimento universal de que não há limites seguros para exposição ao benzeno, por ser um composto carcinogênico.
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16
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Kampeerawipakorn O, Navasumrit P, Settachan D, Promvijit J, Hunsonti P, Parnlob V, Nakngam N, Choonvisase S, Chotikapukana P, Chanchaeamsai S, Ruchirawat M. Health risk evaluation in a population exposed to chemical releases from a petrochemical complex in Thailand. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 152:207-213. [PMID: 27792945 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 09/12/2016] [Accepted: 10/08/2016] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Emissions from petrochemical industries may contain toxic and carcinogenic compounds that can pose health risk to human populations. The scenario may be worse in developing countries where management of such exposure-health problems is typically not well-implemented and the public may not be well-informed about such health risk. In Thailand, increasing incidences of respiratory diseases and cancers have been reported for the population around a major petrochemical complex, the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate (MTPIE). This study aimed to systematically investigate an exposure-health risk among these populations. One-hundred and twelve healthy residents living nearby MTPIE and 50 controls located approximately 40km from MTPIE were recruited. Both external and internal exposure doses to benzene and 1,3-butadiene, known to be associated with the types of cancer that are of concern, were measured because they represent exposure to industrial and/or traffic-related emissions. Health risk was assessed using the biomarkers of early biological effects for cancer and inflammatory responses, as well as biomarkers of exposure for benzene and 1,3-butadiene. The exposure levels of benzene and 1,3-butadiene were similar for both the exposed and control groups. This was confirmed by a non-significant difference in the levels of specific urinary metabolites for benzene (trans,trans-muconic acid, t,t-MA) and 1,3-butadiene (monohydroxy-butyl mercapturic acid, MHBMA). Levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and DNA strand breaks between the two groups were not statistically significantly different. However, functional biomarkers, interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression was significantly higher (p<0.01) and DNA repair capacity was lower (p<0.05) in the exposed residents compared to the control subjects. This suggests that the exposed residents may have a higher risk for development of diseases such as cancer compared to controls. However, the increased expression of IL-8 and lower DNA repair capacity were not associated with recent and excessive exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene, which were at the similar levels as those in the controls. The data would indicate that previous exposure to the two chemicals together with exposure to other toxic chemicals from the MTPIE may be responsible for the elevated functional biomarkers and health risk. Further studies are required to determine which other pollutants from the industrial complex could be causing these functional abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ormrat Kampeerawipakorn
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Panida Navasumrit
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand; Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology, CHE, Ministry of Education, Thailand
| | - Daam Settachan
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand; Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Jeerawan Promvijit
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Potchanee Hunsonti
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Varabhorn Parnlob
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Netnapa Nakngam
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Suppachai Choonvisase
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Samroeng Chanchaeamsai
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Mathuros Ruchirawat
- Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Lak Si, Bangkok, Thailand; Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology, CHE, Ministry of Education, Thailand.
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17
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Rich AL, Orimoloye HT. Elevated Atmospheric Levels of Benzene and Benzene-Related Compounds from Unconventional Shale Extraction and Processing: Human Health Concern for Residential Communities. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2016; 10:75-82. [PMID: 27199565 PMCID: PMC4869597 DOI: 10.4137/ehi.s33314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The advancement of natural gas (NG) extraction across the United States (U.S.) raises concern for potential exposure to hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). Benzene, a HAP and a primary chemical of concern due to its classification as a known human carcinogen, is present in petroleum-rich geologic formations and is formed during the combustion of bypass NG. It is a component in solvents, paraffin breakers, and fuels used in NG extraction and processing (E&P). OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study are to confirm the presence of benzene and benzene-related compounds (benzene[s]) in residential areas, where unconventional shale E&P is occurring, and to determine if benzene[s] exists in elevated atmospheric concentrations when compared to national background levels. METHODS Ambient air sampling was conducted in six counties in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex with passive samples collected in evacuated 6-L Summa canisters. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, with sampling performed at variable distances from the facility fence line. RESULTS Elevated concentrations of benzene[s] in the atmosphere were identified when compared to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Urban Air Toxics Monitoring Program. The 24-hour benzene concentrations ranged from 0.6 parts per billion by volume (ppbv) to 592 ppbv, with 1-hour concentrations from 2.94 ppbv to 2,900.20 ppbv. CONCLUSION Benzene is a known human carcinogen capable of multisystem health effects. Exposure to benzene is correlated with bone marrow and blood-forming organ damage and immune system depression. Sensitive populations (children, pregnant women, elderly, immunocompromised) and occupational workers are at increased risk for adverse health effects from elevated atmospheric levels of benzene[s] in residential areas with unconventional shale E&P.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa L. Rich
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Science, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
- WHO Chemical Risk Assessment Network, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Helen T. Orimoloye
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Science, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX, USA
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18
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Andreoli R, Spatari G, Pigini D, Poli D, Banda I, Goldoni M, Riccelli MG, Petyx M, Protano C, Vitali M, Barbaro M, Mutti A. Urinary biomarkers of exposure and of oxidative damage in children exposed to low airborne concentrations of benzene. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 142:264-272. [PMID: 26186134 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2015] [Revised: 06/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this work was to evaluate the oxidative damage to nucleic acids in children (5-11 years) associated with exposure to environmental pollutants and tobacco smoke (ETS). For each subject, urinary sampling was done twice (evening and next morning) to measure by tandem LC-MS-MS such oxidated products of nucleic acids as 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo), 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo), and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua). Methyl tert-butyl ether (U-MTBE), benzene (U-Benz), and its metabolites (t,t-muconic and S-phenylmercapturic acids, t,t-MA and S-PMA, respectively) were determined as biomarkers of exposure to air pollution, and cotinine as a biomarker of exposure to ETS. Biomarkers of exposure (S-PMA and U-MTBE) and of DNA oxidation (8-oxodGuo) were dependent on the urbanization and industrialization levels and increased in the evening sample as compared to next morning (p<0.05). In both evening and next morning samples, 8-oxodGuo and 8-oxoGuo correlated with each other (r=0.596 and r=0.537, respectively, p<0.01) and with biomarkers of benzene exposure, particularly S-PMA (r=0.59 and r=0.45 for 8-oxodGuo and r=0.411 and r=0.383 for 8-oxoGuo, p<0.01). No such correlations were observed for U-MTBE and cotinine. Multiple linear regression analyses showed that 8-oxodGuo was positively associated with S-PMA at both sampling times (β=0.18 and β=0.14 for evening and next morning sampling, respectively; p<0.02) and weakly with U-MTBE (β=0.07, p=0.020) only in the evening urines. These results suggest that the selected biomarkers of exposure to benzene, particularly S-PMA, are good tracers of exposure to complex mixtures of oxidative pollutants and that the associated oxidative damage to nucleic acids is detectable even at very low levels of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Andreoli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
| | - G Spatari
- Department of Environmental Science, Security, Territory, Food and Health, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - D Pigini
- CERT, INAIL Research Center at the University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - D Poli
- CERT, INAIL Research Center at the University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - I Banda
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - M Goldoni
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - M G Riccelli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - M Petyx
- INAIL, DMLEL, Monteporzio Catone, Rome, Italy
| | - C Protano
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - M Vitali
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, La Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - M Barbaro
- Department of Environmental Science, Security, Territory, Food and Health, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - A Mutti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
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Agodi A, Oliveri Conti G, Barchitta M, Quattrocchi A, Lombardo BM, Montesanto G, Messina G, Fiore M, Ferrante M. Validation of Armadillo officinalis Dumèril, 1816 (Crustacea, Isopoda, Oniscidea) as a bioindicator: in vivo study of air benzene exposure. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2015; 114:171-178. [PMID: 25638523 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2014] [Revised: 12/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This study tests the potential for using Armadillo officinalis as a bioindicator of exposure to and activation of benzene metabolic pathways using an in vivo model. A. officinalis specimens collected in a natural reserve were divided into a control and three test groups exposed to 2.00, 5.32 or 9.09 µg/m(3) benzene for 24h. Three independent tests were performed to assess model reproducibility. Animals were dissected to obtain three pooled tissue samples per group: hepatopancreas (HEP), other organs and tissues (OOT), and exoskeleton (EXO). Muconic acid (MA), S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA), two human metabolites of benzene, and changes in mtDNA copy number, a human biomarker of benzene exposure, were determined in each sample; benzene was determined only in EXO. MA was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection, S-PMA by triple quadrupole mass spectrometer liquid chromatography with electro spray ionization (LC-MS-ESI-TQD), mtDNA by real-time quantitative PCR and end-point PCR, and benzene by quadrupole mass spectrometer head-space gas chromatography (HSGC-MS). MA and S-PMA levels rose both in HEP and OOT; EXO exhibited increasing benzene concentrations; and mtDNA copy number rose in HEP but not in OOT samples. Overall, our findings demonstrate that A. officinalis is a sensitive bioindicator of air benzene exposure and show for the first time its ability to reproduce human metabolic dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Agodi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - G Oliveri Conti
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy; Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA) of Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - M Barchitta
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - A Quattrocchi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - B M Lombardo
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Italy Via Androne 81, 95124, Catania, Italy.
| | - G Montesanto
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Italy Via Androne 81, 95124, Catania, Italy.
| | - G Messina
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Italy Via Androne 81, 95124, Catania, Italy.
| | - M Fiore
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy; Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA) of Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy.
| | - M Ferrante
- Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy; Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA) of Department of Medical Sciences, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Hygiene and Public Health, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy.
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Barata-Silva C, Mitri S, Pavesi T, Saggioro E, Moreira JC. Benzeno: reflexos sobre a saúde pública, presença ambiental e indicadores biológicos utilizados para a determinação da exposição. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1590/1414-462x201400040006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
O uso indiscriminado de um número cada vez maior de substâncias químicas vem aumentando e a contaminação ambiental associada tem trazido sérias consequências para o sistema público de saúde devido à elevação de danos para a saúde humana. Uma das substâncias que desperta grande interesse devido à contaminação contemporânea é o benzeno, composto aromático classificado pela International Agency for Research on Cancer como reconhecidamente carcinogênico para humanos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi elaborar e discutir um panorama sobre a contaminação por benzeno, seu metabolismo, consequências para a saúde e sua determinação ambiental e biológica a partir de informações existentes na literatura científica. O levantamento de dados possibilitou o acesso a mais de 200 artigos científicos tanto de âmbito nacional quanto internacional, demonstrando a atualidade do tema e a necessidade de minimização da exposição humana a essa substância. A maioria preocupa-se em explorar o metabolismo e investigar indicadores de exposição, muitos já amplamente estudados e com sérias limitações. Contudo, um crescente número de pesquisadores estão empenhados em elucidar fatores relacionados à suscetibilidade e à interferência da exposição no material genético e proteico. Indicadores de exposição inovadores têm sido propostos com o objetivo de complementar as lacunas de informações anteriormente obtidas, contribuindo para o delineamento da estrutura da biologia de sistemas orgânicos frente à exposição ao benzeno.
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21
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Borgie M, Garat A, Cazier F, Delbende A, Allorge D, Ledoux F, Courcot D, Shirali P, Dagher Z. Traffic-related air pollution. A pilot exposure assessment in Beirut, Lebanon. CHEMOSPHERE 2014; 96:122-128. [PMID: 24184043 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2013] [Revised: 07/28/2013] [Accepted: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Traffic-related volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pollution has frequently been demonstrated to be a serious problem in the developing countries. Benzene and 1,3-butadiene (BD) have been classified as a human carcinogen based on evidence for an increased genotoxic and epigenotoxic effects in both occupational exposure assessment and in vivo/in vitro studies. We have undertaken a biomonitoring of 25 traffic policemen and 23 office policemen in Beirut, through personal air monitoring, assessed by diffusive samplers, as well as through the use of biomarkers of exposure to benzene and BD. Personal benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) exposure were quantified by GC-MS/MS, urinary trans, trans-muconic acid (t,t-MA) by HPLC/UV, S-phenyl mercapturic acid (S-PMA), monohydroxy-butenyl mercapturic acid (MHBMA) and dihydroxybutyl mercapturic acid (DHBMA) by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI(-)-MS/MS) in MRM (Multiple Reaction Monitoring) mode. We found that individual exposure to benzene in the traffic policemen was higher than that measured in traffic policemen in Prague, in Bologna, in Ioannina and in Bangkok. t,t-MA levels could distinguish between office and traffic policemen. However, median MHBMA levels in traffic policemen were slightly elevated, though not significantly higher than in office policemen. Alternatively, DHBMA concentrations could significantly distinguish between office and traffic policemen and showed a better correlation with personal total BTEX exposure. DHMBA, measured in the post-shift urine samples, correlated with both pre-shift MHMBA and pre-shift DHMBA. Moreover, there was not a marked effect of smoking habits on DHBMA. Taken together, these findings suggested that DHBMA is more suitable than MHBMA as biomarker of exposure to BD in humans. Traffic policemen, who are exposed to benzene and BD at the roadside in central Beirut, are potentially at a higher risk for development of diseases such as cancer than office policemen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mireille Borgie
- Unit of Environmental Chemistry and Interactions on Living, EA 4492, University of Littoral-Côte d'Opale (ULCO), Dunkerque, France; University of Lille North of France, Lille, France; Bioactive Molecules Research Group, Doctoral School of Sciences and Technologies, Lebanese University, Lebanon
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22
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Campagna M, Satta G, Campo L, Flore V, Ibba A, Meloni M, Tocco MG, Avataneo G, Flore C, Fustinoni S, Cocco P. Analysis of potential influence factors on background urinary benzene concentration among a non-smoking, non-occupationally exposed general population sample. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2013; 87:793-9. [DOI: 10.1007/s00420-013-0925-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2013] [Accepted: 12/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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23
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Ranzi A, Fustinoni S, Erspamer L, Campo L, Gatti MG, Bechtold P, Bonassi S, Trenti T, Goldoni CA, Bertazzi PA, Lauriola P. Biomonitoring of the general population living near a modern solid waste incinerator: a pilot study in Modena, Italy. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2013; 61:88-97. [PMID: 24103350 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2013.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2013] [Revised: 09/05/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND GOALS As part of the authorization process for the solid waste incinerator (SWI) in Modena, Italy, a human biomonitoring cross-sectional pilot study was conducted to investigate the degree to which people living and working in the proximity of the plant were exposed to SWI emissions. METHODS Between May and June 2010, 65 subjects living and working within 4km of the incinerator (exposed) and 103 subjects living and working outside this area (unexposed) were enrolled in the study. Blood, serum and urinary metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Hg, Mn, Ni), urinary benzene, toluene, xylene (BTEX), S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA), and urinary polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analysed. Information about lifestyle, anthropometric characteristics, residence, and health status was collected by a self-administered questionnaire. Exposure to particulate matter (PM) emitted from the SWI was estimated using fall-out maps from a quasi-Gaussian dispersion model. A multiple linear regression analysis investigated the relationship between biomarkers and the distance of a subject's place of residence from the SWI plant or the exposure to PM. RESULTS Urinary BTEX and SPMA and blood, serum and urinary metals showed no differences between exposed and unexposed subjects. PAHs were higher in exposed than in unexposed subjects for phenanthrene, anthracene, and pyrene (median levels: 9.5 vs. 7.2ng/L, 0.8 vs. <0.5ng/L and 1.6 vs. 1.3ng/L, respectively, p<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that blood Cd and Hg and urinary Mn, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene and pyrene were inversely correlated to the distance of a subject's residence from the SWI. Urinary Mn, fluorene and phenanthrene were directly correlated to PM exposure. CONCLUSIONS This study, although not representative of the general population, suggests that specific biomarkers may provide information about the degree of exposure the subjects working and living in the proximity of the SWI plant may have to emissions from that facility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ranzi
- Environmental Health Reference Centre, Regional Agency for Environmental Prevention of Emilia-Romagna, Modena, Italy
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Bernhard M, Evans M, Kent S, Johnson E, Threadgill S, Tyson S, Becker S, Gohlke J. Identifying environmental health priorities in underserved populations: a study of rural versus urban communities. Public Health 2013; 127:994-1004. [PMID: 24239281 PMCID: PMC3851598 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2013.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2013] [Revised: 07/24/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Understanding and effectively addressing persistent health disparities in minority communities requires a clear picture of members' concerns and priorities. This study was intended to engage residents in urban and rural communities in order to identify environmental health priorities. Specific emphasis was placed on how the communities: defined the term environment; their perceptions of environmental exposures as affecting their health; specific priorities in their communities; and differences in urban versus rural populations. STUDY DESIGN A community-engaged approach was used to develop and implement focus groups and compare environmental health priorities in urban versus rural communities. METHODS A total of eight focus groups were conducted: four in rural and four in urban communities. Topics included: defining the term environment; how the environment may affect health; and environmental priorities within their communities, using both open discussion and a predefined list. Data were analysed both qualitatively and quantitatively to identify patterns and trends. RESULTS There were important areas of overlap in priorities between urban and rural communities; both emphasized the importance of the social environment and shared a concern over air pollution from industrial sources. In contrast, for urban focus groups, abandoned houses and their social and physical sequelae were a high priority while concerns about adequate sewer and water services and road maintenance were high priorities in rural communities. CONCLUSIONS This study was able to identify environmental health priorities in urban versus rural minority communities. In contrast to some previous risk perception research, the results of this study suggest prioritization of tangible, known risks in everyday life instead of rare, disaster-related events, even in communities that have recently experienced devastating damage from tornadoes. The findings can help inform future efforts to study, understand and effectively address environmental issues, and are particularly relevant to developing effective community-based strategies in vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M.C. Bernhard
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), RPHB 530, 1720 2nd Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Department, Ryals Public Health Building 530, 1720 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
| | - M.B. Evans
- Center for the Study of Community Health, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), RPHB 530, 1720 2nd Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Department, Ryals Public Health Building 530, 1720 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
| | - S.T. Kent
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), RPHB 530, 1720 2nd Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Department, Ryals Public Health Building 530, 1720 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
| | - E. Johnson
- West Central Alabama Community Health Improvement League, Camden, AL, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), RPHB 530, 1720 2nd Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Department, Ryals Public Health Building 530, 1720 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
| | - S.L. Threadgill
- West Central Alabama Community Health Improvement League, Camden, AL, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), RPHB 530, 1720 2nd Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Department, Ryals Public Health Building 530, 1720 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
| | - S. Tyson
- Friends of West End, Birmingham, AL, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), RPHB 530, 1720 2nd Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Department, Ryals Public Health Building 530, 1720 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
| | - S.M. Becker
- School of Community and Environmental Health, College of Health Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, USA
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), RPHB 530, 1720 2nd Ave. S, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Department, Ryals Public Health Building 530, 1720 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
| | - J.M. Gohlke
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Department, Ryals Public Health Building 530, 1720 Second Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0022, USA
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Protano C, Andreoli R, Manini P, Vitali M. Urinary trans, trans-muconic acid and S-phenylmercapturic acid are indicative of exposure to urban benzene pollution during childhood. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 435-436:115-123. [PMID: 22846771 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Revised: 07/02/2012] [Accepted: 07/02/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The aims of the study were to evaluate the feasibility of urinary trans, trans-muconic acid (u-t,t-MA) and urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (u-SPMA) as markers of exposure to urban benzene pollution for biomonitoring studies performed on children and to investigate the impact that creatinine correction may have on the classification of children exposure status. U-t,t-MA, u-SPMA, u-cotinine, and u-creatinine levels were measured in urine samples of 396 Italian children (5-11 years) living in three areas with different degrees of urbanisation (very, fairly and non-urban). The median u-SPMA levels significantly increased with increased urbanisation: non-urban (0.19 μg/L; 0.22 μg/g creatinine)<fairly urban (0.28 μg/L; 0.28 μg/g creatinine)<very urban group (0.92 μg/L; 0.90 μg/g creatinine). Differences in the levels of u-t,t-MA excretion related to the degree of urbanisation were revealed only by multivariate analyses. Neither u-SPMA nor u-t,t-MA levels were influenced by environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure. Athletic activity during the sampling day was negatively associated with u-SPMA in the model built with u-SPMA adjusted for creatinine, but not in the model where unadjusted u-SPMA was used. This finding demonstrates that u-creatinine correction may alter the results when an independent variable is unrelated to the chemical concentration itself but is related to the u-creatinine levels. These results suggest that both u-SPMA and u-t,t-MA are indicative for assessing environmental benzene exposure in children (exposed and unexposed to ETS) when urine sample is collected at the end of the day. However, u-SPMA is more reliable because u-t,t-MA, also a metabolite of sorbic acid, is less specific for exposure to low levels of benzene. To avoid the possible confounding effect of creatinine correction, it is better to use u-creatinine as additional independent variable in multiple linear regression analyses for evaluating the independent role of the covariates on the variability of u-t,t-MA and u-SPMA levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Protano
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
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