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

BACKGROUND: Management and workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often find it hard to comprehend the requirements related to controlling risks due to exposure to substances. An intervention study was set up in order to support 45 SMEs in improving the management of the risks of occupational exposure to chemicals, and in using the control banding tool and exposure model Stoffenmanager in this process. METHODS: A 2-year intervention study was carried out, in which a mix of individual and collective training and support was offered, and baseline and effect measurements were carried out by means of structured interviews, in order to measure progress made. A seven-phase implementation evolutionary ladder was used for this purpose. Success and failure factors were identified by means of company visits and structured interviews. RESULTS: Most companies clearly moved upwards on the implementation evolutionary ladder; 76% of the companies by at least one phase, and 62% by at least two phases. Success and failure factors were described. CONCLUSION: Active training and coaching helped the participating companies to improve their chemical risk management, and to avoid making mistakes when using and applying Stoffenmanager. The use of validated tools embedded in a community platform appears to support companies to organize and structure their chemical risk management in a business-wise manner, but much depends upon motivated occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals, management support, and willingness to invest time and means.
Hazardous Substances* ; Occupational Exposure ; Occupational Health ; Risk Management

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

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to estimate the exposure to benzene, one of the most serious health hazards, in four phases of a turnaround in a petrochemical company, and to evaluate the suitability of trans,trans-muconic acid (tt-MA) to act as a biomarker of exposure to low benzene levels. METHODS: tt-MA was determined in 152 urine samples collected in 4 phases ('before daily work', 'after daily work', 'purge', and 'inspection' of turnaround work) from 19 exposed workers involved in turnaround work and 19 clerical workers. The ambient benzene levels were monitored simultaneously during the 'purge' process of turnaround work in the exposed group. RESULTS: The median urinary tt-MA for the 4 phases was 0.046 mg/L, 0.082 mg/L, 0.507 mg/L, and 0.468 mg/L in the exposed group and 0.050 mg/L, 0.065 mg/L, 0.269 mg/L, and 0.331 mg/L in the clerical workers, respectively. The median urinary tt-MA for the exposed group was significantly higher than that of the clerical workers during the purge process (P<0.05). In the exposed group, median urinary tt-MA for the 'before daily work' phase was significantly lower than that of the other three phases (P<0.05). Even in the clerical workers, the urinary tt-MA level for the 'before daily work' phase was significantly lower than that of the turnaround (P<0.05). There was a very significant correlation between urinary tt-MA levels and ambient benzene levels (r(s) = 0.795, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The turnaround process increased the benzene exposure for all workers, even the clerical workers, in a petrochemical company handling benzene. Urinary tt-MA was found to be suitable as a biomarker for the exposure to low-level benzene.
Benzene ; Handling (Psychology) ; Hazardous Substances ; Plants ; Sorbic Acid