The trials on the influence of knapsack sprayer technical condition on operator exposure as an input to the risk assessment for human health

Operator exposure to spray applied with knapsack sprayers was measured in the open field during the spraying of the low, medium and high plants (strawberries, young apple orchard and bearing fruits one). The samples were attached to the protective clothes in 13 locations. The BSF fluorescent tracer was added to the spray. The operator exposure was expressed as the part of the dose applied (ppm). The data on operator exposure was used to predict the risk for operator. The risk for humans was done by computer modeling according to German BBA model, taking into account field data for different sprayer technical conditions and 15 different pesticides. The most important influence of the sprayer technical condition on the operator exposition and the human health risk was observed for high crops

Inter-population variations in concentrations, determinants of and correlations between 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE): a cross-sectional study of 3161 men and women from Inuit and European populations

BACKGROUND: The study is part of a collaborative project (Inuendo), aiming to assess the impact of dietary persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) on human fertility. The aims with the present study are to analyze inter-population variations in serum concentrations of 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE), to assess inter-population variations in biomarker correlations, and to evaluate the relative impact of different determinants for the inter-individual variations in POP-biomarkers. METHOD: In study populations of 3161 adults, comprising Greenlandic Inuits, Swedish fishermen and their wives, and inhabitants from Warsaw, Poland and Kharkiv, Ukraine, serum concentrations of CB-153 and p,p'-DDE, were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The median serum concentrations of CB-153 were for male and female Inuits 200 and 110, for Swedish fishermen 190 and their wives 84, for Kharkiv men and women 44 and 27, and for Warsaw men and women 17 and 11 ng/g lipids, respectively. The median serum concentrations of p,p'-DDE were for Kharkiv men and women 930 and 650, for male and female Inuits 560 and 300, for Warsaw men and women 530 and 380, and for Swedish fishermen 240 and their wives 140 ng/g lipids, respectively. The correlation coefficients between CB-153 and p,p'-DDE varied between 0.19 and 0.92, with the highest correlation among Inuits and the lowest among men from Warsaw. Men had averagely higher serum concentrations of CB-153 and p,p'-DDE, and there were positive associations between age and the POP-biomarkers, whereas the associations with BMI and smoking were inconsistent. Dietary seafood was of importance only in the Inuit and Swedish populations. CONCLUSION: CB-153 concentrations were much higher in Inuits and Swedish fishermen's populations than in the populations from Eastern Europe, whereas the pattern was different for p,p'-DDE showing highest concentrations in the Kharkiv population. The correlations between the POP-biomarkers varied considerably between the populations, underlining that exposure sources differ and that the choice of representative biomarkers of overall POP exposure has to be based on an analysis of the specific exposure situation for each population. Age and gender were consistent determinants of serum POPs; seafood was of importance only in the Inuit and Swedish populations

Association of maternal serum concentrations of 2,2', 4,4'5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE) levels with birth weight, gestational age and preterm births in Inuit and European populations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epidemiological studies on the association between maternal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and fetal growth alteration report inconsistent findings which weights in favor of additional studies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Blood samples were collected from interviewed pregnant women in Greenland (572), Kharkiv (611) and Warsaw (258) and were analyzed for CB-153 and p,p'-DDE by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Data on birth weight, gestational age and preterm birth were obtained for 1322 singleton live births. We examined the association between natural log-transformed serum POPs concentration and birth weight and gestational age using multiple linear regression and the association with prematurity using logistic regression controlling for potential confounding factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median serum concentrations of CB-153 and p,p'-DDE were for Inuit mothers 105.6 and 298.9, for Kharkiv mothers 27.0 and 645.4 and for Warsaw mothers 10.7 and 365.2 ng/g lipids, respectively. Increase in CB-153 concentration by one unit on the log scale in Inuit mothers serum was associated with significant decrease in infant birth weight of -59 g and gestational age by -0.2 week. Decreases observed in the cohorts in Kharkiv (-10 g and -0.1 week) and in Warsaw (-49 g and -0.2 week) were not statistically significant. Increase in p,p'-DDE concentration by one unit on the log scale was associated with a statistically significant decrease in infant birth weight of -39.4 g and -104.3 g and shortening of gestational age of -0.2 week and -0.6 week in the Inuit and Warsaw cohorts, respectively. In the Kharkiv cohort decrease in birth weight (-30.5 g) was not significant, however a shortening of gestational age of -0.2 week per increase in p,p'-DDE concentration by one unit on the log scale was of the borderline significance. There was no significant association between CB-153 and p,p'-DDE concentrations and risk of preterm birth however, in all cohorts the odds ratio was above 1.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>In utero </it>exposure to POPs may reduce birth weight and gestational age of newborns however, new insights as to why results vary across studies were not apparent.</p

Toxicology of aluminium

Omówiono zagadnienia związane z narażeniem środowiskowym na glin, zagrożeniami wynikającymi z ekspozycji populacji generalnej na ten metal oraz skutkami zawodowego i jatrogennego narażenia na glin i jego związki

Residues of organochlorine insecticides in foods in 1986-1990

Przedstawiono wyniki 5-letnich badań monitorowych pozostałości insektycydów chloroorganicznych w żywności, pochodzącej z 10 województw.During 1986-1990 4625 samples of food commodities were examined for residues of organo- chlorine (OC) insecticides in 10 voievodships in Poland. This monitoring included analysis of total DDT (DDT+DDE+DDD), α, β and y-HCH, HCB and Metoxychlor (DMDT) in milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils and baby foods. The median values for DDT in milk and milk products varied from undetectable to 0.23 mg/kg on fat basis, and the draft national tolerance (1,0 mg/kg) was exceeded in 2-5% of samples in 1986 only. In fruits and vegetables the median concentrations of the total DDT usually were below the limit of determination. Generally, during the five years period the downward tendency in DDT complex concentration was observed, but not in case of the total HCH. The residues of OC insecticides in baby foods were generally very low due to establishing of special „low-pesticide" areas for growing raw materials for these products

Violations of MRLs for pesticide residues in food reported for risk assessment according to RASFF procedures in Poland

Przedstawiono rezultaty oceny ryzyka dla potrzeb oceny potencjalnych zagrożeń ze strony produktów spożywczych pochodzenia roślinnego, w których stwierdzono przekroczenia najwyższych dopuszczalnych poziomów pozostałości pestycydów (NDP). Zgodnie z zasadami funkcjonowania systemu RASFF, każde przekroczenie ustalonego limitu zanieczyszczeń w żywności zostało poddane ocenie w celu ilościowego określenia stopnia zagrożenia dla konsumentów. Przedstawiono zasady oceny ryzyka stosowane dla potrzeb jego zarządzaniem w systemie urzędowej kontroli żywności. W przypadku przekroczeń najwyższych dopuszczalnych poziomów pozostałości pestycydów oceniono ryzyko dla populacji generalnej konsumentów jak również dla małych dzieci jako grupy najbardziej wrażliwej. Od początku funkcjonowania systemu RASFF w Polsce, tj. od połowy 2003 do końca 2007 roku dokonano oceny ryzyka w 148 przypadkach przekroczeń NDP, co stanowi 2,5% w stosunku do całkowitej liczby próbek poddanych kontroli. Jednak aż 0,39% przebadanych próbek stanowiło istotne zagrożenie dla zdrowia konsumentów, a dodatkowa ocena ryzyka pozwoliła wykazać szczególne zagrożenie dla małych dzieci.The results of risk assessment to evaluate the potential risk from food products of plant origin in cases of violations of maximum residue limits for pesticides (MRLs) have been presented. According to the rules set in the RASFF any violation of legally established limit should undergo the risk assessment to allow quantitative approach in hazard evaluation for consumers. The basis of risk assessment have been presented as tool for risk management in the official food control. In case of MRLs violations the risk was assessed for general population as well as for small children as the most vulnerable part of the population. Since beginning of the RASFF in Poland - since mid of 2003 till the end of 2007 - 148 notifications of MRLs violations underwent risk assessment procedures. This means 2.5% of the overall number of analyzed samples. However, as much as 0.39% of the samples taken for analysis posed a real, considerable risk for consumers health, and the small children seem to be the group at greatest risk

Dioxins and food safety

Spośród wielu potencjalnych chemicznych zanieczyszczeń żywności, dioksyny, w tym: polichlorowane dibenzo-p-dioksyny i dibenzofurany oraz dioksynopodobne polichlorowane bifenyle są powszechnie uważane za jedne z najbardziej niebezpiecznych dla naszego zdrowia ze względu na ich właściwości toksykologiczne, trwałość i zdolność do biokoncentracji w łańcuchu żywnościowym. Wyniki badań epidemiologicznych sugerują, że środowiskowe narażenie na te związki może wpływać na wiele procesów fizjologicznych u człowieka, przede wszystkim na drodze zaburzania równowagi układu hormonalnego. Wśród niekorzystnych skutków zdrowotnych związanych z przewlekłym narażeniem na dioksyny wymienia się m.in.: wzrost ryzyka wystąpienia chorób nowotworowych, zaburzeń układu odpornościowego i rozrodczego czy zaburzeń neurobehawioralnych. Głównym źródłem narażenia człowieka na tę grupę zanieczyszczeń jest żywność – około 95% dziennej dawki dioksyn trafia do naszych organizmów z żywnością, przede wszystkim pochodzenia zwierzęcego. Z najnowszych badań wynika, że w wielu populacjach europejskich narażenie na dioksyny przekracza ustalone przez międzynarodowe instytucje dawki bezpieczne, tj. tolerowane dzienne czy tygodniowe pobranie. Szczególnie niepokojące jest, że odsetek ludzi, u których pobranie dioksyn przekracza ww. wartości odniesienia jest większy u dzieci niż u osób dorosłych. Od czasu tzw. „belgijskiej afery dioksynowej” w 1999 r., oszacowanie wielkości narażenia na te zanieczyszczenia i związana z tym ocena ryzyka dla zdrowia konsumentów stały się w Unii Europejskiej jednym z priorytetowych zagadnień w obszarze bezpieczeństwa żywności. w ramach realizacji wspólnotowej strategii wprowadzono do ustawodawstwa najwyższe dopuszczalne stężenia i poziomy reagowania dla dioksyn i dl-PCB w celu ich monitorowania w żywności w Państwach Członkowskich. Ustalono również wymagania dotyczące stosowanych metod i laboratoriów wykonujących analizy dla celów urzędowej kontroli żywności. Państwa członkowskie są zobligowane do stałego monitorowania poziomów dioksyn i dl-PCB w różnych grupach środków spożywczych i przesyłania rocznych raportów z tych badań do Komisji Europejskiej (od 2008 r. do Europejskiego Urzędu ds. Bezpieczeństwa Żywności). Wyniki monitoringu, obejmujące lata 1999-2008, opracowane ostatnio przez EFSA, stały się podstawą dla nowelizacji Rozporządzenia Komisji 1881/2006 w zakresie najwyższych dopuszczalnych stężeń dioksyn i dl-PCB. Przy opracowywaniu nowych limitów, w miejsce aktualnie obowiązujących współczynników toksyczności z 1998 r. (WHO1998-TEF) zostały wykorzystane nowe współczynniki opracowane w 2005 r. (WHO2005-TEF). Można oczekiwać, że nowe limity dla dioksyn i dl-PCB w żywności wejdą do ustawodawstwa nie później niż na początku 2012 r.Among numerous potential chemical food contaminants, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and dioxinlike polychlorinated biphenyls, collectively referred as dioxins, are commonly considered as bearing substantial risk for human health due to their toxicological properties, persistency and ability to bioaccumulate in food chains. The results of epidemiological studies suggest that environmental exposure to these compounds may affect multiple physiological processes in humans, mainly by the mechanism of endocrine disruption. Adverse health effects linked to the long-term exposure to dioxins include the increase of cancer risk, reproductive and developmental impairment as well as effects on immune functions. Exposure through food (mainly of animal origin) is the major source of dioxin exposure for humans, estimated to account for about 95% of the total intake for non-occupationally exposed persons. Recent studies showed that a consistent part of the European population has an intake exceeding internationally agreed „safe” doses as the Tolerable Daily or Weekly Intake (TDI, TWI). It is worthy to note that percentage of persons with estimated dioxin intake above tolerable limits is much higher among children than in adults. Since the „Belgian dioxin crisis” that occurred in 1999, the estimation of human exposure to these compounds and related consumer risk assessment has been recognized in the European Union as one of the priority activities in the field of food safety. Among activities undertaken by the European Commission during implementation of the Community Strategy for dioxins, furans and polychlorinated biphenyls the maximum and action levels have been established with random monitoring by Member States. The legislation on the requirements for sampling and methods of analysis used in the official control laboratories has been set up as well. Member States are obliged to measure background levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in defined food categories for the EU monitoring program on a yearly basis and to forward the results to the European Commission (since 2008 to the European Food Safety Authority). The monitoring results, covering samples collected from 1999 to 2008, evaluated and reported recently by EFSA, became the basis for updating maximum levels of dioxins and dl-PCBs as set up in Commission Regulation (EC) 1881/2006. The legislation will also be changed by replacing the current toxicity equivalency factors (TEFs) system from 1998 (WHO1998-TEFs) by a new TEFs proposed by the WHO in 2005 (WHO2005-TEFs). It is expected that new limits for dioxins and dl-PCBs in food will come into force not later than in the beginning of 2012