Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence Analysis of Mine Waters from the Migori Gold Mining Belt in Southern Nyanza,Kenya

Analyses of water samples from Mikei, Osiri, Masara and Macalder (Makalda) gold mines of the Migori gold mining belt of Southwestern Kenya were done to determine the level of heavy metals using the Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence technique. The concentrations of the heavy metals were; copper (29.34 ± 5.01–14,975.59 ± 616.14 μg/L); zinc (33.69 ± 4.29–683.15 ± 32.93 μg/L); arsenic (958.16 ± 60.14–18,047.52 ± 175.00 μg/L) and lead (19.51 ± 5.5–214.53 ± 6.29 μg/L). High levels of arsenic and lead were noted. These heavy metals are not only dangerous to the lives of miners and the local inhabitants; they are also a threat to aquatic life since these waters finally find their way into Lake Victoria.     

Environmental distribution and risk of exposure of Heavy Metal Pollutants from Lolgorian Artisanal Gold Mining in Kenya

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology - The aim of the study was to assess the distribution of heavy metals in the environmental compartments from artisanal and small-scale gold...     

邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基己基)酯环境暴露与人群健康研究进展

邻苯二甲酸二(2-乙基己基)酯(DEHP)作为一种主要的聚氯乙烯增塑剂,广泛用在各种消费品,地板和墙壁材料,食品包装和医疗材料中.已经在水、土壤和大气中均已检出DEHP,且在人类尿样中普遍检测到DEHP的代谢产物,其在环境中已经是无处不在了,而人们可以通过水和食物等途径暴露.DEHP目前已经被列入了我国水中优先控制污染物黑名单中.大量研究表明,DEHP是一种公认的动物内分泌干扰物,具有致癌、致畸和致突变性.本文在对DEHP研究回顾的基础上,主要论述了DEHP的环境水平、代谢和生物标记以及人群健康研究的结果 及进展.     

职业接触正己烷引起周围神经损害的调查

[目的]了解正己烷对接触工人的职业危害情况。[方法]用碳管采集工作场所空气中正己烷样品，用气相色谱法测定其浓度，对121名正己烷接触工人和90名对照组工人进行职业健康检查。[结果]接触正已烷的部分工人具有头痛（23．1％）、头晕（32．2％）、乏力（43．8％）、四肢麻木（50．4％）等症状；部分工人出现肌力下降（7．4％）、膝反射减弱或消失（11．6％）、手震颤（4．1％）。测定尿2，5-己二酮含量，86接触者（17．1％）超过职业接触限值。工作场所检测正己烷浓度范围263～385mg／m^3，超过国家职业卫生标准。[结论]职业接触正己烷可引起四肢麻木、肌力下降等周围神经损害症状，并导致接触者尿2，5-己二酮含量升高；需要定期开展接触工人的职业健康检查和工作场所的正己烷浓度监测。     

多溴联苯醚的环境暴露及健康危害

多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)作为阻燃剂广泛用于家庭消费品中,是正在受到全球关注的新环境污染物。人类主要通过食物、室内空气污染等暴露PBDEs。过去30年,环境中与人体内的PBDEs水平不断增高。实验研究资料显示,PBDEs具有内分泌干扰作用,影响甲状腺激素和性激素。PBDEs具有肝脏毒性、神经毒性、生殖毒性、发育毒性,但毒作用机制不明确。人群研究资料非常匮乏。环境监测资料表明中国存在PBDEs环境暴露,而我国在PBDEs健康影响方面的研究几乎空白,应该引起重视。     

Occupational health in construction: report of a session organized by environmental management (now Sypol Environmental Management) at the British Occupational Hygiene Society annual conference, York 1990.

The papers presented by a practising hygienist, a senior HSE officer, a trades union official, a construction safety director and an epidemiologist surveyed the present state of the industry and speculated on likely future developments. This report, transcribed from tape recordings, summarizes them.     

Detection of Airborne Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Inside and Downwind of a Swine Building,and in Animal Feed: Potential Occupational,Animal Health,and Environmental Implications

Aerosolized methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was sampled inside and downwind of a swine facility. Animal feed was sampled before and after entry into the swine facility. Aerosolized particles were detected using an optical particle counter for real-time measurement and with an Andersen sampler to detect viable MRSA. Molecular typing and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were performed on samples collected. Viable MRSA organisms isolated inside the swine facility were primarily associated with particles >5 µm, and those isolated downwind from the swine facility were associated with particles <5 µm. MRSA isolates included spa types t008, t034, and t5706 and were resistant to methicillin, tetracycline, clindamycin, and erythromycin. Animal feed both before and after entry into the swine facility tested positive for viable MRSA. These isolates were of similar spa types as the airborne MRSA organisms. Air samples collected after power washing with a biocide inside the swine facility resulted in no viable MRSA organisms detected. This pilot study showed that the ecology of MRSA is complex. Additional studies are warranted on the maximum distance that viable MRSA can be emitted outside the facility, and the possibility that animal feed may be a source of contamination.     

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM): a professional association in service to industry

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) is a professional association that represents the interests of its company-employed physician members. Fifty years ago the ACOEM began to assert itself in the legislative arena as an advocate of limited regulation and enforcement of occupational health and safety standards and laws, and environmental protection. Today the ACOEM provides a legitimizing professional association for company doctors, and continues to provide a vehicle to advance the agendas of their corporate sponsors. Company doctors in ACOEM recently blocked attempts to have the organization take a stand on global warming. Company doctors employed by the petrochemical industry even blocked the ACOEM from taking a position on particulate air pollution. Industry money and influence pervade every aspect of occupational and environmental medicine. The controlling influence of industry over the ACOEM physicians should cease. The conflict of interests inherent in the practice of occupational and environmental medicine is not resolved by the ineffectual efforts of the ACOEM to establish a pretentious code of conduct. The conflicted interests within the ACOEM have become too deeply embedded to be resolved by merely a self-governing code of conduct. The specialty practice of occupational and environmental medicine has the opportunity and obligation to join the public health movement. If it does, the ACOEM will have no further purpose as it exists, and specialists in occupational and environmental medicine will meet with and be represented by public health associations. This paper chronicles the history of occupational medicine and industry physicians as influenced and even controlled by corporate leaders.     

American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM): A Professional Association in Service to Industry

Abstract

The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) is a professional association that represents the interests of its companyemployed physician members. Fifty years ago the ACOEM began to assert itself in the legislative arena as an advocate of limited regulation and enforcement of occupational health and safety standards and laws, and environmental protection. Today the ACOEM provides a legitimizing professional association for company doctors, and continues to provide a vehicle to advance the agendas of their corporate sponsors. Company doctors in ACOEM recently blocked attempts to have the organization take a stand on global warming. Company doctors employed by the petrochemical industry even blocked the ACOEM from taking a position on particulate air pollution. Industry money and influence pervade every aspect of occupational and environmental medicine. The controlling influence of industry over the ACOEM physicians should cease. The conflict of interests inherent in the practice of occupational and environmental medicine is not resolved by the ineffectual efforts of the ACOEM to establish a pretentious code of conduct. The conflicted interests within the ACOEM have become too deeply embedded to be resolved by merely a self-governing code of conduct. The specialty practice of occupational and environmental medicine has the opportunity and obligation to join the public health movement. If it does, the ACOEM will have no further purpose as it exists, and specialists in occupational and environmental medicine will meet with and be represented by public health associations. This paper chronicles the history of occupational medicine and industry physicians as influenced and even controlled by corporate leaders.     

Analysis of human exposure to benzo(a)pyrene via inhalation and food ingestion in the Total Human Environmental Exposure Study (THEES)

The Total Human Environmental Exposure Study (THEES) focuses on benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) as an example of a combustion-generated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compound. Primary pathways for environmental exposures to BaP are inhalation and ingestion. This program of field studies was conducted in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, a small, industrial city in the Delaware River valley. The study protocols included direct monitoring of BaP exposures via inhalation and ingestion pathways during three separate periods, each lasting 14 days. BaP concentrations in air were sampled at outdoor and in-home locations, with personal air sampling added during the latter two phases. Cooked food samples from each household were acquired, using a constant portion "second plate" of each meal prepared at home. Ambient levels were 4-10 times higher during the cold months compared with the late summer study period. Space heating and regional aerosol were major contributors to community levels of BaP in the air during the wintertime. Penetration of outdoor air, cooking activities, combustion appliances, and cigarette smoke were important sources of indoor air exposures. Cooking activities, besides releasing BaP-enriched particles indoors, produced food imbued with BaP and added substantially to exposure via the ingestion route. Among the study subjects, the range and magnitude of dietary exposures (2 to 500 ng/d) were much greater than for inhalation (10 to 50 ng/d). Nevertheless, there were ample individual cases where inhalation of BaP was the predominant exposure route. Indoor air BaP levels were closely correlated with ambient levels in most of the homes. For some individuals, measured personal air BaP exposures were adequately predicted by time-weighting of microenvironmental (i.e., outdoor and in-home) concentrations. However, enormously high exposures for ingestion or inhalation were detected only by direct observation, not from microenvironmental data.     

Peer Reviewed: A Policy and Environmental Response to Overweight in Childhood: The Impact of Gold Medal Schools

Background

The prevalence of overweight among US children and adolescents has increased substantially since 1980. As a result, overweight in childhood and adolescence has become a substantial health problem that requires effective health promotion programs and interventions.

Context

Coinciding with the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) developed a pilot program called Gold Medal Schools (GMS) to promote healthy lifestyles among school-aged children.

Methods

The GMS program was designed to help schools develop policies and create healthy school environments to meet specific criteria at 5 levels: bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and platinum focus. Participating schools, mentored by the UDOH, earn incentives to create a healthy school environment.

Consequences

A total of 316 schools and approximately 166,600 students in 37 Utah school districts have participated in the GMS program. As a result, 1,029 medals have been awarded, 2,205 policies have been developed, and 2,121 environmental changes have been reported since program inception (2001-2002 school year).

Interpretation

Because of their participation in the GMS program, schools have developed and implemented a wide range of school-based policies and environmental changes. To improve the program, we recommend enhanced efforts in impact and outcome evaluation and increased participation in vigorous-intensity physical activity during the school day.     

Spatio-Temporal Distribution and Environmental Behavior of Dissolved Rare Earth Elements (REE) in the Zhujiang River,Southwest China

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology - Rare earth elements (REE) geochemistry can reveal the environmental information of solutes in river systems because REE is sensitive to...     

The Total Human Environmental Exposure Study (THEES) to benzo(a)pyrene: comparison of the inhalation and food pathways

The assessment of human exposure to an environmental contaminant requires the measurement of levels present in each pathway of possible contact. In this paper, the design considerations and Phase I results of a human exposure study focused on Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) are discussed. This study site, located in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, is a city that contains a metal pipe foundry, which is a suspected major source of BaP. Three outdoor PM-10 samplers (used to collect BaP-containing particles with an aerodynamic size of less than or equal to 10 micron) were located in residential areas surrounding the foundry. Ten homes were sampled indoors for PM-10. Some homes have indoor combustion sources, e.g., cigarette smoke or a coal burning stove. The indoor and outdoor samples were 24 hr in duration. The mean outdoor concentration of BaP was 0.9 ng/m3, and the indoor concentrations ranged from 0.1-8.1 ng/m3. Food samples were acquired from family meals each day. They represented a one-third portion of each meal eaten at home. The range of BaP per gram of wet weight of food was between 0.004 and 1.2 ng/g. Of the 20 wk of exposure (10 x 2 wk), 10 had higher food exposures and the other 10 had higher inhalation exposures. Of the two groups, the higher food exposures usually had a greater number of ng of BaP/wk. The dominance of one or the other pathway appeared to depend upon personal eating habits and indoor combustion source use. In some instances, outdoor air pollution led to a major portion of indoor air BaP exposures. Water appears to be a minor source of BaP exposures in the study area.     

青海高职医学生艾滋病职业暴露知识、信念、行为的调查

[目的]了解青海高职医学生艾滋病职业暴露知识、信念、行为现况,为在高职医学生中开展艾滋病职业暴露及职业防护健康教育提供科学依据。[方法]以教学班级为单位按年级分层随机整群抽样,在青海卫生职业技术学院1～3年级学生中随机抽取750人,对艾滋病职业暴露知识、职业防护知识及教育需求状况、毕业后从业意愿等进行问卷调查。[结果]高职医学生职业暴露知识回答正确率最高的问题是职业暴露后的正确处理流程,为32.5%;回答正确率最低的问题是职业暴露级别的评估,仅为2.72%。各年级暴露知识得分差别有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,三年级得分较高,一年级得分最低;不同专业间职业暴露知识得分有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,临床专业得分最高,检验和影像专业得分最低。在被调查的医学生中,仅有7.8%接触过艾滋病病人;21.0%没有接触过艾滋病有关知识的教育;仅有8.4%接受过艾滋病职业暴露、职业防护知识的教育,10.5%的高职医学生接受过,但印象不深;78.0%的高职医学生有需求进一步接受艾滋病职业暴露及专业防护有关知识的教育。仅有25.6%的高职医学生毕业后愿意从事艾滋病防治相关工作。[结论]青海高职医学生艾滋病职业暴露及职业防护知识掌握不够全面,不能正确对待艾滋病病人或感染者,存在明显的歧视倾向;不乐于从事艾滋病防治工作的学生较多。     

A Bibliometric Analysis of Highly Cited and High Impact Occupational Therapy Publications by American Authors

A bibliometric analysis was completed of peer-reviewed literature from 1991–2015, written by American occupational therapists, to examine US high impact scholarship with “occupational therapy” and “occupational therapist(s)” used as keywords to search journal articles' publication title, abstract, author details, and keywords. Results included 1,889 journal articles from 1991–2015 published by American occupational therapists as first or corresponding author. Sixty-nine articles attained a TotalCitation₂₀₁₅ ≥ 50 and 151 attained a Citation₂₀₁₅ ≥ 5 indicating that they were the most highly cited literature produced in this period. Although the majority (58%) of this literature was published in occupational therapy-specific journals, 41% was published in interdisciplinary journals. Results illustrate that the volume of highly cited American occupational therapy peer-reviewed literature has grown over the last two decades. There is need for the profession to strategize methods to enhance the publication metrics of occupational therapy-specific journals to reduce the loss of high quality publications to external periodicals.     

Environmental and Occupational Exposures to Mercury Among Indigenous People in Dunkwa-On-Offin, a Small Scale Gold Mining Area in The South-West of Ghana

Total mercury concentrations in human hair and urine samples were determined to ascertain the extent of environmental and occupational mercury exposure in Dunkwa-On-Offin, a small scale gold mining area of the central-west region of Ghana. In all ninety-four (94) hair and urine samples comprising of forty (40) small scale miners and fifty-four (54) farmers were collected and analyzed for their total mercury levels using the cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry. The hair total mercury concentrations ranged from 0.63 to 7.19 ug/g with a mean of 2.35 ± 1.58 ug/g for the farmers and 0.57–6.07 ug/g with a mean of 2.14 ± 1.53 ug/g for the small scale gold miners. There was no significant correlation between the total mercury concentration and the average weekly fish diet. The total mercury concentrations in urine of the miners were higher than those of the farmers and ranged from 0.32 to 3.62 ug/L with a mean of 1.23 ± 0.86 ug/L. The urine concentrations of farmers ranged from 0.075 to 2.31 ug/L with a mean of 0.69 ± 0.39 ug/L. Although the results indicate elevated internal dose of mercury the current levels of exposures do not appear to pose a significant health threat to the people.