No abstract available.
Hazardous Substances* ; Occupations* ; Skin*

The extensive and intensive use of pesticides in agricultural practices has exposed farmers to various hazards resulting in varying degrees of health outcomes. We conducted a cross-sectional study among paddy farmers in Sabak Bernam district, Malaysia. The objective of this study was to gather baseline information on chlorpyrifos blood level and its relationship with pesticides exposure symptoms. We detected chlorpyrifos in farmers’ blood in 7 percent of the respondents, with mean 7.29 nanogram per millilitre blood (sd 5.84 nanogram per millilitre). The percentage of farmers who experienced at least one pesticide exposure symptoms was 75 percent. However, we found no significant association between chlorpyrifos blood level and its exposure symptoms. The farmers had low scores on safe practice of pesticide use even though they have high marks on knowledge and attitude. We found no significant association between the scores on knowledge, attitude and practice on pesticide use and the chlorpyrifos blood level. The presence of pesticide exposure symptoms proved that most of the farmers were exposed to hazardous effects of pesticides. Specific trainings on safe use and handling of pesticides should be given on regular basis to these farmers to ensure they are protected from hazardous effects of pesticides exposure.
Chlorpyrifos ; Pesticides ; Hazardous Substances

Background: This was a preliminary study to test for the presence of multiple antibiotic-resistant extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria in Malaysian urban surface waters. Although the literature review revealed several published papers on clinical ESBL isolates in Malaysia, none were found on ESBL isolates obtained from local surface waters. Methods: Isolated bacterial species were tested for resistance to cefotaxime, amoxicillin/clavulanate and aztreonam, and susceptibility to imipenem and meropenem using antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) by disc diffusion. This served as a screening step to detect bacteria that could be potential ESBL species. 16S ribose ribonucleic acid (rRNA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with two clusters of bla (β-lactamase) gene primers was used to test for the bla genes CTX-M (Groups 1, 2, 9), OXA-1, SHV and TEM. Results: A total of 19 isolates were found, possessing at least one of the bla genes tested for. There was a relatively high occurrence of CTX-M genes (84.2%) among these, followed by TEM genes (47.4%). The isolates were identified as Enterobacteriaceae (89.5%), predominantly Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Conclusion: There appears to be a high occurrence of ESBL-bacteria in local surface waters, among these being opportunistic pathogens. The persistence and spread of these species in the environment poses a threat to exposed human populations.
Hazardous Substances ; Bacteria ; Water

Germany ; Hazardous Substances ; analysis ; Workplace

OBJECTIVES: Approximately 2000 phase-in substances are subject to registration according to the Act on the Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemical Substances (KREACH), and the expected testing cost is 2.06 trillion Korean won assuming all the test data required for registration are acquired. The extent to which these enormous test costs can be reduced depends on the availability of existing data that can be used to meet the requirements of the K-REACH we examined the current availability of test data that can be used for chemical substance registration. METHODS: We analyzed the possibility of utilizing the existing test data obtained from 16 reference databases for 369 of 518 kinds of phase-in substances subject to registration that were reported in last October 2014. RESULTS: The physical and chemical properties were available for 57.1% of substances, whereas data regarding human hazards and environmental hazards were available at considerably lower rates, 8.5% and 11.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Physical and chemical properties were available for a fairly high proportion, whereas human hazards and environmental hazards were reported for considerably fewer substances.
Chemical Safety ; Hazardous Substances ; Humans ; Safety Management

Hazardous Substances ; Risk Assessment ; methods ; Workplace

OBJECTIVETo analyze systematically the characteristics of occupational hazards in the foundry, and provide precise data for epidemiology studies and control of occupational hazards in the foundry.

METHODSData of airborne dust, chemical occupational hazards and physical occupational agents in environment in the foundry from 1978 to 2008 were dynamically collected. Mean concentration and intensity (geometric mean) of occupational hazards were calculated by job in different years.

RESULTSMain occupational hazards in the foundry were silica, metal fume, noise and heat stress. Silica existed in all of main jobs. The mean concentration of silica before 1986 was an extremely high level of 8.6 mg/m(3), and then remarkably dropped after 1986, with the level of 2.4 mg/m(3) from 1986 to 1989, 2.7 mg/m(3) from 1990 to 2002 and 2.7 mg/m(3) from 2003 to 2008. The trend of silica concentrations by job was consistent with that in general. Silica concentrations among jobs were significantly different, with highest level in melting (4.4 mg/m(3)), followed by cast shakeout and finishing (3.4 mg/m(3)), pouring (3.4 mg/m(3)), sand preparation (2.4 mg/m(3)), moulding (2.1 mg/m(3)) and core-making (1.7 mg/m(3)). Concentration of respirable dust in pouring was highest (2.76 mg/m(3)), followed by cast shakeout and finishing (1.14 mg/m(3)). Mean concentration of asbestos dust in melting was a relative high level of 2.0 mg/m(3). In core-making and sand preparation, there existed emission production of adhesive, with mean concentrations as followed, ammonia (5.84 mg/m(3)), formaldehyde (0.60 mg/m(3)), phenol (1.73 mg/m(3)) and phenol formaldehyde resin (1.3 mg/m(3)) also existed. Benzene and its homologues existed in cast shakeout and finishing, and the level of benzene, toluene, xylene was 0.2 mg/m(3), 0.1 mg/m(3) and 1.3 mg/m(3), respectively. In pouring and melting, there existed chemical occupational hazards, including benzo(a) pyrene, metal fume (lead, cadmium, manganese, nickel, chromium) and gas(hydrogen sulfide, phosphine, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide). Mean concentration of benzo(a) pyrene was a low level of 1.80 x 10(-4) microg/m(3). Physical occupational agents in the foundry were noise, heat stress and vibration. Intensity of heat stress was high in melting, pouring and cast shakeout and finishing, with the level of 30 degrees C, 29 degrees C and 26 degrees C, respectively. Noise was high in cast shakeout and finishing and core-making, with the level of 93.1 dB(A) and 89.5 dB(A), respectively. Vibration existed in core-making and cast shakeout and finishing. Compulsory postures included long standing, seating and bowing.

CONCLUSIONOccupational hazards in environment of the foundry are diversified and their concentrations exceed permissible exposure limits stipulated by the national occupational hygienic standards. High-concentrations of dust, metal fume, low-concentrations of variety of chemicals, high-intensity of noise and vibration, heat stress, and harmful compulsory posture, and so on all co-exist in the foundry. Control and protective measures should be strengthened.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a mercury database for food commonly consumed by Koreans. METHODS: Target foods for a mercury database were selected from dietary survey data of the 2007-2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Data for mercury contents of foods were collected through literature review. Among 702 food items reported by 24 hr dietary recall method, the contents of mercury for 300 food items were selected with systematic evaluation from the literature, which provided analytical values, and those of 56 food items were imputed by using a conversion factor. RESULTS: The mercury database developed in this study covered 50.7% of all kinds of consumed foods and 95.1% of total amount of food intake reported by 2007-2009 KNHANES. In the database, the geometric mean of mercury contents in food items was the highest in the fishes and shellfishes group (41.13 microg/kg, n = 101) followed by mushrooms (18.93 microg/kg, n = 12) and seaweeds (5.92 microg/kg, n = 14), and the lowest in the meats group (0.15 microg/kg, n = 17). CONCLUSION: The developed mercury database can be used to estimate the dietary mercury exposure of Korean people, and the method for development of a mercury database would be helpful to researchers in development of a new database for other food borne hazardous substances.
Agaricales ; Eating ; Fishes ; Hazardous Substances ; Meat ; Nutrition Surveys ; Shellfish

The Dutch construction industry has introduced a compulsory preemployment medical examination (PE-ME). Best-evidence contents related to specific job demands are, however, lacking and need to be gathered. After the identification of job demands and health problems in the construction industry (systematic literature search and expert meeting), specific job demands and related requirements were defined and instruments proposed. Finally, a work ability assessment was linked to the instruments' outcomes, resulting in the modular character of the developed PE-ME. Twenty-two specific job demands for all Dutch construction jobs were identified, including kneeling/squatting, working under time pressure, and exposure to hazardous substances. The next step was proposing self-report questions, screening questionnaires, clinical tests, and/or performance-based tests, leading to a work ability judgment. "Lifting/carrying" is described as an example. The new modular PE-ME enables a job-specific assessment of work ability to be made for more than 100 jobs in the Dutch construction industry.
Construction Industry* ; Hazardous Substances ; Judgment ; Mass Screening ; Surveys and Questionnaires

Benzene ; poisoning ; Hazardous Substances ; Humans ; Occupational Exposure ; prevention & control