Occupational accidents among immigrant workers in the Fabriano areas.

BACKGROUND: The growing contribution of immigrant workers to the national economy particularly affects the trend of accidents at work. Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the trend of work accidents in the Local Health Area No. 6 - Fabriano (Marche Region), during the period 2000-2003; to define the frequency for each job sector, age, gender, type of work, severity, month, day and week and time of day; to calculate the incidence rate for each year taken into consideration. METHODS: The sources of information used were: 1) The "New Informative Flows" database set up by Italian National Institute of Insurance for Occupational Injury (INAIL), Italian Superior Institute for Work Prevention and Safety (ISPESL) and Regional Governments, and the "EPIWORK software", for the total number of occupational accidents among immigrant workers. 2) The local Jobs and Training Centre of Fabriano. We used three different correction indexes to evaluate the number of hired workers so as to estimate the rate of accident incidence among immigrant workers. RESULTS: The total number of occupational accidents reached its peak in 2001 as a result of the rise in the number of employed people. After this date, the trend started to reverse and in 2002 an increase in the number of employed people--although smaller compared to the previous year--was accompanied by a reduction in the overall number of accidents, a reduction that became even more evident in 2003. Occupational accidents among immigrant workers gradually rose and peaked in 2002. The sectors with high rates of accidents were the mechanical engineering and metallurgic sectors and the construction industry. Accidents occurred mainly among young people (18 to 34years old). As for gender, there was a marked prevalence of men (83.3%) over women (16.7%). Most accidents had a prognosis of 8 to 30 days. The number ofoccupational accidents with a prognosis of 8 to 30 days fell progressively for workers in general but gradually rose for immigrant workers with a peak in 2001. The overall number of occupational accidents that caused permanent invalidity fell by 52.3% for the workforce in general, and by 25% among immigrant workers. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that immigrant workers employed in the Fabriano area had a higher risk of accidents at work

Coupling of chemical and biological processes in 17alfa-ethinylestradiol removal from aqueous solutions: A critical evaluation of adsorption and catalysis contribution

The removal of 17alfa-ethinylestradiol (EE2) from synthetic aqueous solutions under adsorption process and enzyme catalysis mediated by immobilized laccase from Trametes versicolor was studied. Both processes were carried out in fluidized bed reactors filled with not activated or enzyme activated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) beads. Six EE2 concentrations (from 20 to 240 µM) were investigated and the enzyme contribution for each concentration was calculated by combining the time dependence of the two processes in the same experimental conditions. The results obtained after 90 min with laccase-activated PAN beads were compared with the ones due to adsorption alone. Results indicate that at concentrations lower than 145 μM the enzyme contribution is smaller than the one of adsorption, while at concentrations higher than 145 μM the enzyme contribution is greater

BPA, BPB, BPF, BADGE and BFDGE in canned beers from the Italian market

A survey of BPA, BPB, BPF, BADGE and BFDGE contamination in canned beers from the Italian market is reported. An analytical method for the determination of these five bisphenols down to 0.5 ng mL−1 using UPLC with fluorescence detection was developed and validated. A total of 40 canned beers were collected from the market in Southern Italy and analysed. The results showed that only 14 samples were contaminated at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 ng mL−1 by at least BPA, BPF and BADGE. No contamination by BPB and BFDGE was detected. This survey suggests that canned beers from the Italian market should represent neither a relevant source of intake of bisphenols nor a risk for consumer’s health

A method to determine BPA, BPB, and BPF levels in fruit juices by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

The monitoring of the contamination levels of bisphenol A (BPA) and its congeners bisphenol B (BPB) and bisphenol F (BPF) in foodstuffs is a necessary process for assessment of consumers' risk. After development and validation of a method using Strata® C18-E cartridge cleanup with detection by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, forty-six samples of fruit juices, sold on Italian markets, have been analysed to assess the concentration of BPA, BPB and BPF. BPB and BPF were not detected in any samples, BPA was found in 33 % of the samples. The observed levels ranged from 0.50 ng mL-1 to 2.85 ng mL-1. Potential Daily Intakes (PDI) of BPA for Italian populations were calculated by the budget method model. PDIs ranged from 0.012 to 0.285 μg kg-1 bw day-1. None of the calculated values exceeded the current temporary TDI of 4 μg kg-1 bw day-1

Coupling of chemical and biological processes in 17alfa-ethinylestradiol removal from aqueous solutions: a critical evaluation of adsorption and catalysis contribution

The removal of 17alfa-ethinylestradiol (EE2) from synthetic aqueous solutions under adsorption process and enzyme catalysis mediated by immobilized laccase from Trametes versicolor was studied. Both processes were carried out in fluidized bed reactors filled with not activated or enzyme activated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) beads. Six EE2 concentrations (from 20 to 240?M) were investigated and the enzyme contribution for each concentration was calculated by combining the time dependence of the two processes in the same experimental conditions. The results obtained after 90min with laccase-activated PAN beads were compared with the ones due to adsorption alone. Results indicate that at concentrations lower than 145 ?M the enzyme contribution is smaller than the one of adsorption, while at concentrations higher than 145 ?M the enzyme contribution is greater

Acute experimental exposure to noise and hormonal modification.

ABSTRAC

A developmental hepatotoxicity study of dietary bisphenol A in Sparus aurata juveniles

Previous studies in rats have indicated that a diet enriched with Bisphenol A adversely effects metabolism and reproductive success. In rats exposed to BPA by maternal gavage, alteration in the developmental programming, higher obesity rates and reproductive anomalies were induced. Starting with this evidence, the aim of this study was to provide important insights on the effects induced by a BPA enriched diet, on the reproductive physiology and metabolismof juvenile fish, simulating the scenario occurringwhenwild fish fed on prey contaminatedwith environmental BPA. Seabreamwas chosen asmodel, as it is one of the primary commercial species valued by consumers and these results could provide important findings on adverse effects that could be passed on to humans by eating contaminated fish. A novel method for measuring BPA in the food and water by affinity chromatography was developed. Analysis of signals involved in reproduction uncovered altered levels of vtg and Zp, clearly indicating the estrogenic effect of BPA. Similarly, BPA up-regulated catd and era gene expression. A noteworthy outcome from this study was the full length cloning of two vtg encoding proteins, namely vtgA and vtgB, which are differently modulated by BPA. Cyp1a1 and EROD activity were significantly downregulated, confirming the ability of estrogenic compounds to inhibit the detoxification process. GST activitywas unaffected by BPA contamination, while CAT activitywas down regulated. These results collectively confirmthe estrogenic effect of BPA and provide additional characterization of novel vtg genes in Sparus aurata

A developmental hepatotoxicity study of dietary bisphenol A in Sparus aurata juveniles

Previous studies in rats have indicated that a diet enriched with Bisphenol A adversely effects metabolism and reproductive success. In rats exposed to BPA by maternal gavage, alteration in the developmental programming, higher obesity rates and reproductive anomalies were induced. Starting with this evidence, the aim of this study was to provide important insights on the effects induced by a BPA enriched diet, on the reproductive physiology and metabolismof juvenile fish, simulating the scenario occurringwhenwild fish fed on prey contaminatedwith environmental BPA. Seabreamwas chosen asmodel, as it is one of the primary commercial species valued by consumers and these results could provide important findings on adverse effects that could be passed on to humans by eating contaminated fish. A novel method for measuring BPA in the food and water by affinity chromatography was developed. Analysis of signals involved in reproduction uncovered altered levels of vtg and Zp, clearly indicating the estrogenic effect of BPA. Similarly, BPA up-regulated catd and era gene expression. A noteworthy outcome from this study was the full length cloning of two vtg encoding proteins, namely vtgA and vtgB, which are differently modulated by BPA. Cyp1a1 and EROD activity were significantly downregulated, confirming the ability of estrogenic compounds to inhibit the detoxification process. GST activitywas unaffected by BPA contamination, while CAT activitywas down regulated. These results collectively confirmthe estrogenic effect of BPA and provide additional characterization of novel vtg genes in Sparus aurata