Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement)
Changes in receptor function by oxidative stress in guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle
I.H.van Hoof, L.van Bree, Bast A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S3-S5 
We studied the effects of hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid and ozone on muscarinic and beta-adrenergic receptor responses in guinea pig tracheal tissue. Pretreatment of the tracheal strips with hydrogen peroxide (up to 10 mM) did not affect the muscarinic or beta-adrenergic receptor responses after stimulation with methacholine or (-)-isoprenaline respectively. In contrast to hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid (1 mM and 10 mM) decreased the maximal contraction and the pD2-value after stimulation with the muscarinic agonist methacholine. Comparable effects were observed after stimulation with the beta-adrenoceptor agonist (-)-isoprenaline but...
The use of isolated lung cells in in vitro pulmonary toxicology: studies of DNA damage, apoptosis and alteration of gene expression
Schwarze P.E., Johnsen N.M., Samuelsen J.T., Thrane E.V., Lund K., Låg M., Refsnes M., Kongerud J., Becher R., Boe J., Holme J.A., Wiger R.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S6-S10
Isolated lung cells constitute a valuable system for studying mechanisms involved in chemically induced toxicity in the lung. Different lung cells isolated from various species may be studied. Bronchiolar Clara and alveolar type 2 cells produce important lung-specific proteins, hold a major role in the metabolism of xenobiotics and serve as progenitor cells for other lung cell types. They are possible target cells in lung carcinogenesis. Alveolar macrophages play an important role in lung defence and in inflammatory responses. In the present study we have characterised chemically induced DNA damage, apoptosis, changes in cell cycle progression, transformation...
Respiratory tract lining fluid antioxidants: the first line of defence against gaseous pollutants
Kelly F.J., Cotgrove M., Mudway I.S.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S11-S14
All tissues are vulnerable to oxidant damage, but by virtue of its location, anatomy and function, the epithelial surface of the lung is one of the most vulnerable targets in the body. Recent studies have shown that epithelial lining fluid (ELF), a thin layer of fluid which covers the epithelial surface of the respiratory tract, contains an interesting complement of antioxidants, some of which, like glutathione, are present in concentrations much higher than those found in plasma. It is likely that ELF forms the first line of defence against inhaled toxins such as ozone and nitrogen dioxide. By employing an ex vivo exposure system we have demonstrated...
Mechanisms of action of some air pollutants on the airways
Visnovský P., Voprsalová M., Fendrich Z., Péc M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S15-S16
Common air pollutants (O3, SO2) exert their deleterious effects in several ways, mostly on the respiratory functions. Ozone causes formation of peroxides and aldehydes with subsequent release of inflammatory lipids and cytokines. Changes in the activity of neutral endopeptidase and release of neuropeptides may occur. As a result, bronchial hyperreactivity can be detected. In the mechanisms of the disturbances due to sulfur dioxide, cholinergic mechanisms and release of neuropeptides may be involved.
Air pollution and childrens' respiratory morbidity in the Tata area, Hungary
Pintér A., Rudnai P., Sárkány E., Góczán M., Páldy A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S17-S20
Air pollution represents one of the most important environmental health hazards in Hungary. Irritant gases, like SO2 and NO2 levels exceed national and international standards in many settlements. Tata, a small town, situated in a basin, is one of the most polluted areas in Hungary. Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies have been conducted in children in the winter period of 1993/1994, with respect to SO2 and NO2 concentration. Average SO2 levels exceeded the national standard levels and daily peaks as high as 450 micrograms/m were recorded. Excessive NO2 levels were also found but they were not as high as those of SO2. Acute respiratory morbidity,...
Crotonaldehyde: a carcinogenic and mutagenic air, water and food pollutant
Eder E., Budiawan, Schuler D.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S21-S22
Crotonaldehyde is mutagenic and carcinogenic and it is ubiquitous in our environment. The data base does, however, not allow an assessment of the carcinogenic risk. We have developed a sensitive 32P-postlabelling technique which allows the detection of specific DNA-adducts in animal tissues as markers for initiation of cancer cells. Adducts were found in several organs of F 344 rats after gavage and persisted to a certain extent. The determination of adduct levels in animal tissues after different exposure or even in human tissues can therefore be considered as an effect monitoring and would certainly improve the risk assessment.
Clinical studies of effects of nitrogen oxides in healthy and asthmatic subjects
Kjaergaard S.K., Rasmussen T.R.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S23-S26
Traffic and cooking and heating using unventilated gas appliances are the major sources for environmental exposures to nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxides of importance for health effects are nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and maybe the two derivatives nitric and nitrous acid (HNO3 and HNO2). Due to this, human exposure studies on NO2 have been performed intensively during the last decades. Nitric oxide (NO) is quantitatively the major pollutant, but is not very toxic and may even be used in treatment of certain conditions of respiratory insufficience. Major lung function effects shown in humans are a decrease in the forced expiratory volume in the first...
Impact of environmental pollution on chromosomes and DNA of inhabitants of Upper Silesia
Chorazy M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S27-S28
Highly industrialized and densely inhabited region of Upper Silesia, Poland, presents an area of ecological disaster. Air quality is bad, and does not meet any quality standards. In peripheral blood white cells, the level of chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges and DNA-adducts in adult, male individuals exposed to environmental pollution exceed values found for males in non-industrialized region.
Cellular effects of particles - impact of dissolution on toxicity of man-made mineral fibers
Luoto K., Holopainen M., Perander M., Karppinen K., Savolainen K.M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S29-S32
The use of man-made vitreous fibers (MMVF) has grown rapidly because exposure to natural fibers, mainly asbestos, has proved harmful to humans. Biological activity of MMVF made of glass, rock, slag, or other minerals does not depend only on their respirability, but also on their chemical durability and persistency. In the use of MMVF, the goal is to decrease harmful effects of fibers by increasing their dissolution and removal from the lungs. The dissolution of Fe and Al from MMVF is more marked by rat alveolar macrophages (AMs) in culture than by mere medium, whereas medium is more effective than AMs in dissoluting silicon (Si) from MMVF, Fe and Al...
Metabolism and excretion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in rat and in human
Jacob J., Grimmer G.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S33-S39
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons have shown to be an important class of environmental and occupational carcinogens. By balancing the carcinogenic potential PAH were found to predominantly contribute to the biological activity of environmental matter such as vehicle exhaust, used motor oil, and hard-coal combustion effluents. Due to the individual ratio of toxifying and detoxifying processes PAH-exposure measurements are not appropriate to be used for risk assessment without any further information on their metabolic fate. Accordingly, metabolite profiles of phenanthrene, pyrene, chrysene, benz(a)anthracene and fluoranthene have been recorded in both...
Dose response relationship between occupational PAH exposure and lung cancer - an overview
Bolm-Audorff U.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S40
Epidemiologic cohort and case-referent studies have shown an increased risk of lung cancer among various PAH-exposed occupations, such as coke, coal gas and aluminium production workers, road pavers, roofers and chimney sweeps. In different cohort studies, a positive dose response relationship between PAH exposure time and lung cancer have been described. On some workers, a relationship was found between coal for pitch volatiles (CTPV) and the risk of lung cancer. A doubling dose for lung cancer of > 20 [(mg CTPV/m3) years] or > 100 [micrograms BaP/m3) years] has been found among coke and aluminium production workers. Acknowledgement of lung...
Interactive effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and iron oxides particles. Epidemiological and fundamental aspects
Haguenoer J.M., Shirali P., Hannothiaux M.H., Nisse-Ramond C.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S41-S45
Iron oxides are present in many occupational atmospheres mainly in iron ore mines and in steel industry. Among these workers, epidemiological studies indicated an excess of lung cancer deaths. In mines, it was difficult to involve iron oxides exposure because there are other possible causes as radon, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) present in diesel exhausts, silicosis or siderosis. The contradictory results of these studies are due to the differences of exposure levels or to the presence or not of these cofactors or of a sufficient prevention. But generally the results agree with an interaction of iron oxide dusts and smoking habits. It is unclear...
Scientific basis for an air quality standard on benzene
Tordoir W.F.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S46-S47
The European Union is developing a comprehensive programme of air quality standards (AQS), including benzene. For that purpose, CONCAWE has reviewed the data to support a scientifically derived AQS for benzene and has concluded that 30 ppb (96 micrograms/m3) as an annual TWA could be used as a basis. The conclusion is based on the NOAEL of acute myelocytic and monocytic leukaemia (AMML), which is considered to be the critical effect, derived from an occupational epidemiological mortality study, to which adjustment factors were applied.
Induction of nitric oxide synthase by chlorinated pesticides (p,p'-DDT, chlordane, endosulfan) in rat liver
Dhouib M., Lugnier A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S48
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of certain polychlorinated pesticides on the induction of rat liver Ca(2+)-independent nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and compare it with the effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Our results show that endosulfan and p, p'-DDT treatment significantly increases the NOS activity while no significant induction by any route of administration was observed in the case of chlordane. Our results show therefore that a wide variety of chlorinated pesticides, which are considered as hepatic tumor promotors, can stimulate the expression of NO synthase in vivo.
Study of mercury content in edible mushrooms
Revel S., Livardjani F., Jaeger A., Lugnier A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S49-S50
The influence of time and temperature of mineralisation of mushrooms was studied for mercury determination by cold vapor atomic absorption. Optimal conditions for a complete mercury recuperation were obtained using a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acid (6 ml HNO3, 4 ml H2SO4) in presence of KMnO4 (3 ml of a 0.44 M solution) at 95 degrees C for 4 h, with 1 g wet sample. The detection limit of method was 3.2 ng/g. These conditions have shown high reproductibility and accuracy.
Rapid method for analysis of chloroacetanilide and chloronitrophenoxyaniline herbicides by gas chromatography
Dhouib M., Malbranque E., Bindler F., Lugnier A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S51-S52
The herbicides Alachlor and Alclonifen are recently used in France for pre-emergent weed control in corn, essentially in association. For this reason, an improved method has been developed by gas chromatography for simultaneously characterising and quantifying the two herbicides. The best conditions were obtained by using a gas chromatograph equipped with an ion trap detector, and a 30 m x 0.25 mm DB-1701 fused silica capillary column. Retention times of Alachlor and Aclonifen were 12.8 and 23.2 min respectively. The limit of detection was of 2.0 ppb for each herbicide.
Determination of total mercury in estuary, lake and river sediments
Livardjani F., Heimburger R., Leroy M., Jaeger A., Lugnier A.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S53
In order to improve the quality of the results in sediment analysis, the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR) of the European Communities has developed 3 sediment reference materials (CRM) from estuarine, lake and river origins. Certification of mercury content in these materials was achieved by 3 methods (cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry, plasma emission spectrometry, neutron activation analysis with radiochemical separation). The values finally certified in the CRM estuarine, lake and river sediments are 1.77 +/- 0.06, 0.67 +/- 0.02, 1.03 +/- 0.13 mg/kg respectively.
Effects of irritants on airways reactivity
Strapková A., Nosál'óvá G., Hanácek J.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S54-S55
The authors observed reactivity changes of airways smooth muscles after exposure of experimental animals to toluene and hyperoxia. The pretreatment with antioxidants did not prevent these changes.
Toxicity of ferric oxide and benzo[a]pyrene alone or in combination in respiratory tract of Sprague Dawley rats
Gosset P., Shirali P., Marez T., Boutin A.C., Balduyck M., Huet G., Venembre P., Haguenoer J.M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S56-S57
The association of small quantities of ferric oxide with Benzo[a]Pyrene (BaP) appears to increase in vivo the toxic effect of BaP. The effect of Fe2O3 may be mediated by the recruitment of alveolar macrophages. These cells would contribute to the production of toxic and carcinogenic BaP metabolites and would stimulate development of tumors by producing cellular mediators of inflammation. In order to understand the mechanism of the synergic effect, we have instillated male Sprague Dawley rats 3 weeks of age with a single dose: Fe2O3 (3 mg) or BaP (3 mg)/combination Fe2O3-BaP (3 mg-3 mg) in 200 microliters of physiological saline solution. Control group...
Toxicity of iron oxides and metabolites of benzo[a]pyrene alone or in combination in cells culture and identification by laser microprobe mass spectrometry
Boutin A.C., Shirali P., Marez T., Gosset P., Maunit B., Hachimi A., Muller J.F., Haguenoer J.M.
Cent Eur J Public Health 1996, 4(Supplement):S58-S59
The goal of the gas-phase studies of well-characterized transition-metal systems is to enhance our understanding of the chemistry and sometimes of the toxic, carcinogenic effects of transition metal oxide clusters and compounds. The analysis of inorganic solids by time of flight laser microprobe mass spectrometry (TOF-LMMS) shows the formation of clusters in the mass spectra which can be used for the identification of inorganic particles. First, we have applied non-resonance ionization (delta = 226 nm) or resonant ionization (delta = 293.7 nm) of iron to study the non stoichiometric Fe1-xO, Fe3O4, Fe2O3 compounds in positive mode by TOF-LMMS. The positive...