Comparison of motorcycle taxi driver's respiratory health using an air quality standard for carbon monoxide in ambient air: a pilot survey in Benin.

IntroductionAmbient air quality standards are not designed to protect people occupationally exposed to outdoor air pollution on a routine basis. This study aimed to assess the effect of exceeding the US ambient air quality standard for carbon monoxide (CO) on motorcycle taxi drivers respiratory health.MethodsA cross-sectional study of 85 current motorcycle taxi drivers with at least 5 years of job tenure in Cotonou (Benin) was conducted. Personal CO was measured with a portable CO data logger for 8 hours per day during working hours. A questionnaire on respiratory symptoms was administered to participants and spirometry was performed. Participants were divided into two groups, those with exposure to CO >9 ppm and ≤9 ppm, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standard which is an 8-hour average of 9ppm. 8 and 10 ppm were also used an exposure limit. Analysis was done using these two groups.ResultsSocio-demographic characteristics were well balanced between the two study groups. The drivers with a CO exposure of more than 9ppm had non-significantly more respiratory symptoms (OR=1.67; 95%CI:0.26,10.74), lower FVC and FEV1 compared to the less exposed group but they have a significant lower PEF (-10%, p=0.02). When we used an exposure limit of 8 or 10 ppm the results were not statistically different.ConclusionDrivers with a CO exposure >9 ppm tend to have more respiratory problems. More research is needed to reinforce this result in order to improve air quality standards to protect workers occupationally exposed to outdoor air pollution

Identification and Characterization of the Antibacterial Activity of Fungal Metabolites on Contaminants Responsible for Foodborne Diseases

The emergence of new diseases due to recurrent food poisoning nowadays in the face of excessive use of conventional antibiotics leads to the search for new bioactive molecules. Thus, the objective of this work was to investigate the antibacterial activity of fungal metabolites on contaminants responsible for food poisoning. To do this, Eight (08) fungal strains belonging to the genera Aspergillus, Penicillium and Nigrospora were used and antibacterial tests were performed on 4 bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Shigella sp, Escherichia coli sp and Salmonella sp) using the agar cylinder method (antibiotic). The results showed that seven (07) fungal isolates have high antibacterial activity with inhibition diameters ranging from 18 to 29 mm on Staphylococcus Aureus ATCC 25923; Shigella sp; Salmonella sp and Escherichia coli. Synergistic tests have shown that the combination of 4 to 5 fungal strains could increase bacterial inhibition of Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Shigella and Escherichia coli which appear resistant to the action of a single fungal strain

Contamination Des Eaux De Puits Par Les Salmonelles Et Les Vibrions non-O1/non-O139 Dans Les Quartiers Précaires Du Sixième Arrondissement De Cotonou (Sud-Bénin)

The well waters are solicited for several uses in the households in the sixth district of Cotonou. In order to assess the contamination of these wells waters by some pathogenic germs, one hundred and twenty (120) samples were collected for four (4) seasonal campaigns (two rainy and two dry) at the rate of thirty (30) samples per season. The study has focused on the research of Salmonella and choleraic vibrios by using the referenced methods. The analysis results indicate the presence of salmonella sp. in 73.33 % (high rainy season) ; 56.67 % (high dry season) ; 43.33 % (small rainy season) and 40 % (small dry season) of well water samples. The strains of vibrios isolated do not agglutinate with serum anti-O1 and anti-O139. The burden in these nonO1/non-O139 vibrios in the waters varies from <1 to 10 CFU/100 ml. This pathogenic germ is identified in most of the well water (46.67 %) during the small dry season. These two pathogenic bacteria that are found out of standards in the water of the wells analyzed can cause minor or severe infections to the riparian population consumers

Technologie de production simultanée de purée et du jus de tomate

La tomate est un produit maraîcher très important dans l’alimentation humaine en Afrique et dans le monde. L’objectif de l’étude est d’évaluer une nouvelle méthode de transformation simultanée de la tomate en purée et en jus comestible. La durée de la production, la quantité d’énergie et les rendements de la purée et du jus ont été évalués. L’ancienne méthode permet d’avoir uniquement la purée par évaporation et concentration. Avec la nouvelle méthode, la purée, le jus: salé à 1% et non salé ont été produits puis caractérisés sur le plan organoleptique et nutritionnel surtout pour le jus le plus apprécié par les participants. Les résultats obtenus montrent que pour transformer 15 kg de tomate, la durée de cuisson et la consommation en énergie pour la méthode 1 et 2 sont respectivement de 1 heure et 4 heures de 3 kg et 8,5 kg de charbon. La nouvelle méthode a donné un rendement en purée de 22,66% contre 24,33% pour l’ancienne méthode. Le test sensoriel a révélé que 70% des participants ont apprécié le jus salé et 30% pour le jus non salé. Les teneurs en vitamines C et β carotènes sont presque les mêmes pour les deux jus.© 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Mots clés: Tomate, transformation, purée, jusEnglish Title: Technology of simultaneous production of tomato purée and juiceEnglish AbstractTomato is a very important gardening product in the human food in Africa and in the world. The aim of the study is to evaluate a new method of tomato process simultaneously tomato into purée and edible juice. The parameters evaluated were: production time, energy used and yields of purée and juice obtained. The former method allows only for the purée production through evaporation and concentration. With the new method, in addition to purée of tomato, two types of juice: 1% salted and unsalted were produced and characterized for sensory aspects and nutritional only for the juice mostly appreciated by panelists. The results indicated that to process 15 kg of tomatoes, the cooking time is one hour with low power consumption 3 kg of charcoal for the new method while for the former method, the duration is 4 hours and 8.5 kg of charcoal used. The new method gave 22.66% of purée yield against 24.33% for the old method. The sensory test revealed that 70% of participants liked the salted juice and 30% unsalted juice. The contents in vitamin C and β-carotenes are nearly the same for the two juices.© 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Tomato, processing, purée, juice

Impacts sanitaires liés à l’usage des eaux de puits, à l’assainissement et à l’aménagement à Gbôdjê dans l’arrondissement de Godomey au Bénin

Cette étude a pour objectif de faire le point sur les ressources en eau utilisées, l’assainissement et l’estimation de l’impact sanitaire pour les populations riveraines de la ville de Cotonou au Bénin. Une enquête méthodologique basée sur des questionnaires a été réalisée du 21 septembre 2010 au 15 janvier 2011, dans l’arrondissement de Godomey au Bénin. Les résultats indiquent que la gestion des ressources en eau et de l’assainissement de l’environnement constituent un véritable problème dans les 2 quartiers déshérités de Gbôdjê/Womey et Rails, à cause d’une forte croissance démographique qui s’accompagne d’un développement spatial anarchique, échappant au contrôle des pouvoirs publics. Sur un échantillon de 122 concessions, 37,50% sont abonnés au réseau public mais la plupart (98,36%) utilise les eaux de puits à diverses fins. Les ouvrages d’assainissement pour les Water Closers (WC) modernes sont de 2,24% contre 97,76% de latrines ; 12,71% des concessions défèquent dans la nature. Pour le nettoyage, 15,57% des concessions sont malsaines. 82,50% des concessions déversent les eaux usées domestiques et ordures dans la nature. La santé de la population semble être menacée par les maladies hydriques avec 82,25%, 12,28% et 4,78%, respectivement pour le paludisme, maladies diarrhéiques et cutanées.Mots clés: Population riveraine, concessions, gestion des ressources, maladies hydrique

Hematological changes among Beninese motor-bike taxi drivers exposed to benzene by urban air pollution

Exposure to high-concentration of benzene in polluted air has been associated with bone marrow deficiency, aplastic anemia and leukemia. However, epidemiological studies have reported conflicting data following human exposure to benzene levels below 1 ppm (that is, 3.2 mg/m3). Therefore we investigated the influence of outdoor air benzene on peripheral blood cells among exposed motor-biketaxi drivers (MBTD) in which specific IgG antibodies against reactive benzene metabolites, such as hydroquinone (HQ) and para-benzoquinone (p-BQ) are identified and quantified for further use as biomarker of exposure. We compared 144 MBTD with 30 unexposed age and sex-matched controls. The mean age ± SD (95% CI) were: MBTD 39.5 ± 7.82 (38.2 - 40.7) and village residents 40.3 ± 10.56 (39.1-43.0). Personal benzene exposure was assessed using GABIE diffusive samplers. The levels of specific IgG antibodies to HQ and p-BQ were determined by ELISA. The peripheral blood cells were counted by an automated analyzer. Benzene, Toluene and Xylene levels were much higher in MBTD in comparison to the control group. Benzene exposure levels ranged from 0.012 to 0.550 ppm in MBTD. Their average exposure level per one week was 0.126±0.206 ppm. Accordingly, MBTD had significantly higher levels of specific IgG antibodies to HQ and p-BQ compared to the controls (p< 0.001). WBC, lymphocytes, eosinophils and platelets were significantly decreased in MBTD, whereas RBC and other blood cell numbers remained unchanged. Total WBC, lymphocytes and eosinophils counts were decreased among exposed MBTD compared to unexposed controls. We suggest the use of these blood parameters together with specific IgG antibodies to HQ and p-BQ as biomarkers in biological monitoring of low level benzene exposure. Larger studies are however required to validate this new approach of health survey in workers exposed to benzene.Key words: Benzene, motor-bike-taxi drivers, specific immune responses, peripheral blood cell count

Health Risks Associated with Occupational Exposure to Ambient Air Pollution in Commercial Drivers: a Systematic Review

Introduction: Ambient air pollution is major global health problem and commercial drivers are particularly exposed to it. No systematic assessment of the health risks associated with occupational exposure to ambient air pollution in this population has been carried out. Methods: We conducted a systematic review using a protocol-driven strategy. Papers published from inception to 20th April 2018 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, African journals online, Cochrane library, ISRCTN and WHO ICTRP databases were screened for inclusion by two independent reviewers. Original articles with at least an available abstract in English or French were included. Results: The initial search retrieved 1454 published articles of which 20 articles were included. 3 Studies reported a significant difference in white blood cells (106/L) among commercial motorcyclists compared to rural inhabitants (5.041±1.209 vs 5.900±1.213,p=0.001), an increased risk of lung cancer (RR=1.6, 95%CI 1.5-1.8) in bus drivers and an increased standardized mortality ratio (SMR) in bus drivers from Hodgkin’s lymphoma (SMR 2.17, 95%CI 1.19-3.87) compared to white collar workers. Other studies also found that drivers had more oxidative DNA damage and chromosome breaks. 4 papers failed to demonstrate that the drivers were more exposed to air pollution than the controls. 3 other studies also reported no significant difference in lung function parameters and respiratory symptoms. The genetic polymorphisms of detoxifying enzymes were not also homogeneously distributed compared to the controls. Conclusion: There is some evidence that occupational exposure to ambient air pollution among commercial drivers is associated with adverse health outcomes but the existing literature is limited with few studies of small sample size, methodological weaknesses and contradictory findings. Further research is recommended

Removal of PCR Error Products and Unincorporated Primers by Metal-Chelate Affinity Chromatography

Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography (IMAC) has been used for decades to purify proteins on the basis of amino acid content, especially surface-exposed histidines and “histidine tags” genetically added to recombinant proteins. We and others have extended the use of IMAC to purification of nucleic acids via interactions with the nucleotide bases, especially purines, of single-stranded RNA and DNA. We also have demonstrated the purification of plasmid DNA from contaminating genomic DNA by IMAC capture of selectively-denatured genomic DNA. Here we describe an efficient method of purifying PCR products by specifically removing error products, excess primers, and unincorporated dNTPs from PCR product mixtures using flow-through metal-chelate affinity adsorption. By flowing a PCR product mixture through a Cu2+-iminodiacetic acid (IDA) agarose spin column, 94–99% of the dNTPs and nearly all the primers can be removed. Many of the error products commonly formed by Taq polymerase also are removed. Sequencing of the IMAC-processed PCR product gave base-calling accuracy comparable to that obtained with a commercial PCR product purification method. The results show that IMAC matrices (specifically Cu2+-IDA agarose) can be used for the purification of PCR products. Due to the generality of the base-specific mechanism of adsorption, IMAC matrices may also be used in the purification of oligonucleotides, cDNA, mRNA and micro RNAs

Chaîne de l’eau du réseau public dans quelques quartiers précaires du sixième arrondissement de Cotonou-Bénin

La population des quartiers précaires de Cotonou aspire à l’eau potable de la Société Nationale des Eaux du Bénin (SONEB) à domicile ; mais les ressources nécessaires n’étant souvent pas disponibles pour y répondre, les opérations de collecte, de transport et de stockage de cette eau se multiplient dans les ménages. L’objectif de l’article est de mettre en évidence les risques de contamination de cette eau le long de la chaîne d’approvisionnement. Une enquête domiciliaire a été faite dans 190 concessions (2 ménages par concession) sur les conditions de collecte, de transport et de stockage de l’eau dans les quartiers précaires du sixième arrondissement de Cotonou. La méthode d’entretien direct suivie des observations a été faite. Les résultats montrent que 91,6 % des enquêtés pratiquent le stockage de l’eau du réseau public ; 82,6 % a recours aux abonnés-revendeurs privés ou aux points publics de vente (kiosque à eau). L’eau est prise au robinet ou à partir des barils sans couverture. À propos des mesures de protection, 68,9 % des récipients de transport sont non couverts alors qu’au niveau des ménages, 89,5 % est couvert durant le stockage. Les sceaux plastiques (70,0 %) et les bassines (2,1 %) sont plus entretenus que les bidons (20,5 %) et les jarres (1,6 %). S’agissant des conditions d’usage, la durée de stockage varie de un jour à sept jours, et les gobelets de consommation sont exposés à toute contamination extérieure. In fine, ces diverses manipulations de l’eau constituent autant de potentiels facteurs de sa contamination et des maladies hydriques.The population of shantytowns of Cotonou aspires to the drinking water from the public distribution network of “Société Nationale des Eaux du Benin (SONEB)” at home ; but the necessary resources are often not available to meet it, the collection, transport and storage operations of this water multiply in households. The objective of the article is to underline the risks of contamination of this water along the supply chain. A housing survey was carried out in 190 concessions (2 households per concession) about the conditions of collection, transport and storage of water in shantytowns of the sixth district of Cotonou. The method of direct interview with observations has been done. The results show that 91.6 % of the respondents practice the storage of water of the public network ; 82.6 % use private subscribers or public points of sale (water kiosk). Water is taken to the faucet or to the barrels without coverage. 68.9 % of transport containers are not covered while 89.5 % of storage containers are covered at the level of households. About types of containers used, seals plastic (70.0 %) basins (2.1 %) are more cleaned than the cans (20.5 %) and jars (1.6 %). The storage duration varies from one day to one week. Goblets of consumption are exposed to any external contamination. This various handlings of water constitute as many potential factors of its contamination and waters diseases