B. McGuinness, G. Buck, P. Mendola, L. Sever, J. Vena
{"title":"Infecundity and Consumption of Polychlorinated Biphenyl-Contaminated Fish","authors":"B. McGuinness, G. Buck, P. Mendola, L. Sever, J. Vena","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604449","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604449","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Biologic capacity for reproduction, or fecundity, may be threatened by environmental contaminants, especially compounds capable of disrupting endocrine pathways. Telephone interviews that focused on reproductive events were conducted with female members of the New York State Angler Cohort Study who became pregnant between 1991 and 1993 and who reported known time to pregnancy (N = 895; 73%). Consumption of polychlorinated biphenyl-contaminated Lake Ontario sportfish and other factors were ascertained in 1991. The authors classified the women as follows: (a) fecund (time to pregnancy < 12 cycles; n = 723); (b) having resolved infecundity (time to pregnancy > 12 cycles; n = 81); or (c) having unresolved infecundity (time to pregnancy > 12 cycles without pregnancy; n = 94). Adjusted odds ratios for duration of fish consumption for both resolved and unresolved infecundity were elevated (1.46 and 1.19, respectively), although confidence intervals included unity. Frequency of recent fish consumption was associated with an increased risk for select categories, although confidence intervals included one.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"50 1","pages":"250 - 253"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84867740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lead and Cadmium Exposure from Contaminated Soil among Residents of a Farm Area near an Industrial Site","authors":"E. Alonso, K. Cambra, Teresa Martínez","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604454","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604454","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In this study, the authors determined the degree of lead and cadmium exposure in a population that resided in an area with contaminated soil. The extent of exposure from soil pollution was also assessed. Lead and cadmium concentrations in blood of children and adults who resided in the contaminated area were measured, and cadmium concentration in urine of adults was also determined. An adult control group was recruited from a non-polluted area. The mean blood lead level in adults who resided in the polluted area was 9.8 μg/dl, compared with a mean level of 6.8 μg/dl in controls (p = .004). Urinary cadmium levels were well below the level associated with onset of symptoms, but the differences between levels in residents of the contaminated area (0.54 μg/gm creatinine) and levels in the controls (0.37 μg/gm creatinine) indicated that life-long cadmium exposure had been higher among the residents of the contaminated area (p = .086). The mean blood lead level and mean blood cadmium level in children were 5.2 μg/dl (maximum = 7.90 μg/dl) and 0.10 μg/l, respectively. Lead in soil accounted in large part for the differences in blood lead levels in children; however, blood cadmium levels were not associated with soil cadmium levels, but, rather, with consumption of home-grown vegetables.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"41 1","pages":"278 - 282"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73571921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Urinary Platinum Levels Associated with Dental Gold Alloys","authors":"R. Schierl","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604455","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604455","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Platinum concentrations were determined in 50 urine and 20 saliva samples obtained from 50 subjects who had gold dental restorations. In addition, 42 urine and 35 saliva samples were collected from subjects who did not have gold dental restorations. Subjects with gold alloys had significantly (p < .001) higher urinary platinum excretion (mean = 11.9 ± 8.5 ng/gm creatinine, range = 1.9–45.8 ng/gm creatinine) than controls (mean = 6.2 ± 3.2 ng/gm, range = 1.9–14.4 ng/gm creatinine). Mean saliva concentrations were significantly higher in subjects with dental gold alloys (526 pg/gm vs. 8.5 pg/gm; p < .001). A laboratory test with 5 commercially available dental gold/platinum alloys showed that 0.1 % sodium chloride mobilized platinum within 1 hr (i.e., 1–18 pg/ml) of its introduction. In conclusion, dental gold/platinum alloys appear to be the main source for urinary platinum excretion from the occupationally unexposed population.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"239 1","pages":"283 - 286"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75844273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
C. Baldwin, F. Houston, M. Podgornik, R. Young, C. Barnes, M. Witten
{"title":"Effects of Aerosol-Vapor JP-8 Jet Fuel on the Functional Observational Battery, and Learning and Memory in the Rat","authors":"C. Baldwin, F. Houston, M. Podgornik, R. Young, C. Barnes, M. Witten","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604445","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604445","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract To determine whether JP-8 jet fuel affects parameters of the Functional Observational Battery (FOB), visual discrimination, or spatial learning and memory, the authors exposed groups of male Fischer Brown Norway hybrid rats for 28 d to aerosol/vapor-delivered JP-8, or to JP-8 followed by 15 min of aerosolized substance P analogue, or to sham-confined fresh room air. Behavioral testing was accomplished with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Functional Observational Battery. The authors used the Morris swim task to test visual and spatial learning and memory testing. The spatial test included examination of memory for the original target location following 15 d of JP-8 exposure, as well as a 3-d new target location learning paradigm implemented the day that followed the final day of exposure. Only JP-8 exposed animals had significant weight loss by the 2nd week of exposure compared with JP-8 with substance P and control rats; this finding compares with those of prior studies of JP-8 jet fuel. Rats exposed to JP-8 with or without substance P exhibited significantly greater rearing and less grooming behavior over time than did controls during Functional Observational Battery open-field testing. Exposed rats also swam significantly faster than controls during the new target location training and testing, thus supporting the increased activity noted during Functional Observational Battery testing. There were no significant differences between the exposed and control groups' performances during acquisition, retention, or learning of the new platform location in either the visual discrimination or spatial version of the Morris swim task. The data suggest that although visual discrimination and spatial learning and memory were not disrupted by JP-8 exposure, arousal indices and activity measures were distinctly different in these animals.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"106 1","pages":"216 - 226"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81097697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Puzzling Elevation of Blood Lead Levels among Consumers of Freshwater Sportfish","authors":"T. Kosatsky, R. Przybysz, J. Weber, J. Kearney","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604061","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The authors evaluated lead exposure of Canadians (Montreal) who fished the nearby St. Lawrence River. From screening interviews conducted with 1,118 fishers on-site during the winter and fall of 1996, the authors selected 60 Montrealers who consumed at least one sportfish meal per week and 72 who consumed less than one sportfish meal per week. Fishers at the higher level of sportfish consumption had elevated blood lead concentrations, compared with fishers who ate little sportfish (geometric mean = 57.4 μg/l vs. 48.2 μg/l, respectively; p < .05). This result was surprising inasmuch as fish is not considered a significant source of lead. In addition to sportfish consumption, age, sex, occupation, smoking, and waterfowl consumption also showed independent associations with blood lead levels. Among frequent (i.e., > 1 meal/wk) consumers of sportfish, ingestion of waterfowl was associated with higher blood lead levels (geometric mean = 69.4 μg/l vs. 51.8 μg/l, respectively; p < .05); this association was not present for infrequent consumers. In multivariate analysis, the association of higher blood lead levels with sportfish consumption could be accounted for in large part by waterfowl consumption among frequent consumers of sportfish.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"57 1","pages":"111 - 116"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"80230267","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
T. Fortoul, M. L. Mendoza, Maria del Carman Avila, Alma Quan Torres, L. S. Osorio, G. Espejel, G. O. Fernandez
{"title":"Manganese in Lung Tissue: Study of Mexico City Residents' Autopsy Records from the 1960s and 1990s","authors":"T. Fortoul, M. L. Mendoza, Maria del Carman Avila, Alma Quan Torres, L. S. Osorio, G. Espejel, G. O. Fernandez","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604072","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract During the conduct of autopsies performed on residents of Mexico City during the 1960s (20 males, 19 females) and 1990s (30 males and 18 females), concentrations of manganese in lung were studied with atomic absorption spectrometry. Concentrations of manganese were not significantly greater in the samples obtained in the 1990s (1.87 ± 0.8 μg/gm [mean ± standard deviation]) than in samples from the 1960s (1.72 ± 1.2 μg/gm). Concentrations were not correlated with gender, smoking habit, age, or cause of death; however, there was a correlation with occupation. The findings suggest that manganese exposure via air does not represent a health hazard to residents of Mexico City, given that lung concentrations of manganese remained stable during the 30-y period studied. Investigators should monitor concentrations of manganese in suspended particles to follow-up on these findings.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"24 1","pages":"187 - 190"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81518206","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Function Testing for Chemical Brain Damage: A Review","authors":"K. Kilburn","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604064","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Testing of neurobehavioral functions for evaluation of the effects of chemicals on the human brain from community (i.e., environmental) exposures is logical and may be a preferred initial step. Sensitivity is improved (1) by adjusting individual tests for influential factors, found by regression modeling and by retaining significant coefficients; and (2) by the calculation of predicted values for each test for each subject. This two-part approach allows for adjustments in age, sex, educational level, and other factors before comparisons are made. Visual fields, color discrimination, reaction time, balance, and digit symbol are the most sensitive tests, followed by 6 sensitive psychological tests and less-discriminating physiological measurements. Hydrogen sulfide, polychlorinated biphenyls, and arsenic are the most toxic chemicals, followed by chlorine, chlorpyrifos, formaldehyde, nickel carbonyl, and ammonia. The least toxic chemicals, which are hydrochloric acid and chlorine, were determined 7 wk following a community spill. The least toxic chemical among those identified herein is methyl ter butyl ether.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"26 1","pages":"132 - 137"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79274497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Ultrafine Particles in Human Lung Macrophages","authors":"R. Hauser, J. Godleski, V. Hatch, D. Christiani","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604067","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract As knowledge about size dependency of particle toxicity continues to grow, attention has been focused on ultrafine particles (i.e., < 0.1 μm in diameter). In recent studies with rats, investigators learned that ultrafine particles likely have greater pulmonary toxicity than larger particles, and it is possible that exposure to, and accumulation of, these particles in the human lung may be associated with adverse respiratory health effects. As part of an ongoing study, the authors performed bronchoalveolar lavage in 14 healthy current nonsmokers to investigate the extent to which ultrafine particles were present in lung macrophages. In addition, 10 of the 14 subjects performed pulmonary function tests. Eleven of the 14 subjects were utility workers, and 3 were nonmaintenance employees of a university. The authors used a Zeiss CEM902 electron microscope to study macrophages isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Morphometric quantification revealed ultrafine particles in lung macrophages of all 14 volunteers; the average number of ultrafine particles/μm3 cytoplasm per cell (UFavg) ranged from 34 to 231 (mean = 95, standard deviation = 54). Regression analysis showed that the UFavg was associated inversely with percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1.0) (β = -1.2 percent predicted FEV1.0/10 ultrafine particles μm3 cytoplasm per cell [standard error = 0.45, p = .03]). The demonstration of ultrafine particles in all 14 subjects, independent of occupational exposure, suggests that there is environmental exposure to ultrafine particles. The negative association between the number of ultrafine particles and ventilatory function demonstrates a need for further investigation into the pulmonary health effects of ultrafine particles.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"83 1","pages":"150 - 156"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72668561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Steinhauer, L. Morrow, R. Condray, Allene Scott
{"title":"Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Persons with Organic Solvent Exposure: Comparisons with Anxiety Patients and Controls","authors":"S. Steinhauer, L. Morrow, R. Condray, Allene Scott","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604070","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604070","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Persons exposed to organic solvents have psychiatric symptomatology and cognitive impairments. The results of several studies have suggested that some psychiatric symptoms in these patients reflect similar reactions observed in patients with anxiety disorders. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia provides an indication of impaired autonomic functioning. Whereas decreased respiratory sinus arrhythmia has been reported in anxiety patients, investigators have also noted that higher respiratory rates in these patients obscure differentiation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia from normal values. In this study, the authors recorded multiple parameters of respiratory sinus arrhythmia under a paced-breathing condition in 28 patients with solvent exposure, in 18 patients with anxiety disorder, and in 31 controls. The authors observed a high 1 -y retest reliability for a subset of the subjects. Significantly reduced respiratory sinus arrhythmia was observed in both anxiety and solvent-exposed patients, compared with controls. Maximum mean heart rates/cycle did not differ among groups, but minimum heart rates were significantly lower for controls than for the two patient groups. The findings suggested that reduced respiratory sinus arrhythmia among patients is not related to higher maximum rates but, rather, to a decrease in vagally mediated alteration associated with respiratory changes observed in both patient groups.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"1 1","pages":"175 - 180"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88156551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Hagmar, J. Björk, A. Sjödin, Å. Bergman, E. Erfurth
{"title":"Plasma Levels of Persistent Organohalogens and Hormone Levels in Adult Male Humans","authors":"L. Hagmar, J. Björk, A. Sjödin, Å. Bergman, E. Erfurth","doi":"10.1080/00039890109604065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/00039890109604065","url":null,"abstract":"Abstract In this study the authors assessed the possible relationship between high dietary exposure to persistent organohalogens (OHS) through fatty fish from the Baltic Sea and hormone levels in adult men. Blood samples were drawn from 110 men who consumed varying amounts of fish (i.e., 0-32 meals per month) for analysis of plasma levels of 18 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, 5 hydroxy-PCBs, 1,1,1 -trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-ethane (p,p'-DDT), 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-ethene (p,p'-DDE), hexachlorobenzene, and 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabromodiphenyl ether. In addition, plasma levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, prolactin, plasma thyrotropin, free and total T3, free and total T4, and free testosterone were analyzed. The authors adjusted for age, and the only significant associations that remained were negative correlations between 2,2′,4,4′-tetrabro-modiphenyl ether and plasma thyrotropin (p < .001), and between pentachlorophenol and follicle-stimulating hormone (p = .04). The authors expected that there would be some significant correlations that resulted from pure chance. High consumption of organohalogen-polluted fish did not appear to affect plasma concentrations of pituitary, thyroid, or testosterone hormone levels in male adults.","PeriodicalId":8276,"journal":{"name":"Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal","volume":"134 1","pages":"138 - 143"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79329027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}