Liquid-air partition coefficients of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC152a), 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (HFC143a), 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC134a), 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane (HFC125) and 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC245fa).

Blood-air and tissue-blood coefficients (lambda) are essential to characterize the uptake and disposition of volatile substances, e.g. by physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling. Highly volatile chemicals, including many hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) have low solubility in liquid media. These characteristics pose challenges for determining lambda values. A modified head-space vial equilibrium method was used to determine lambda values for five widely used HFCs. The method is based on automated head-space gas chromatography and injection of equal amount of chemical in two head-space vials with identical air phase volumes but different volumes of the liquid phase. The liquids used were water (physiological saline), fresh human blood, and olive oil. The average lambda values (n = 8) were as follows: 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC152a) - 1.08 (blood-air), 1.11 (water-air) and 5.6 (oil-air); 1,1,1-trifluoroethane (HFC143a) - 0.15, 0.15 and 1.90; 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFC134a) - 0.36, 0.35 and 3.5; 1,1,1,2,2-pentafluoroethane (HFC125) - 0.083, 0.074 and 1.71; and 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC245fa) - 0.62, 0.58 and 12.1. The lambda values appeared to be concentration-independent in the investigated range (2-200 ppm). In spite of the low lambda values, the method errors were modest, with coefficients of variation of 9, 11 and 10% for water, blood and oil, respectively.

Acute effects of exposure to vapours of standard and dearomatized white spirits in humans. 1. Dose-finding study.

A move from 'standard' white spirit (stdWS, 15-20% aromatics) to low-aromatic or dearomatized white spirit (deWS) has been seen, as the latter are considered to carry a smaller risk of health effects. However, data on health risks of deWS on humans are sparse. The aim of this dose-finding study was to identify thresholds of irritation and central nervous system (CNS) effects of the two types of white spirit, as a basis for more detailed studies. Four female and four male healthy volunteers rated symptoms related to irritation, smell and CNS effects on a 0-100 mm visual analogue scale while exposed to increasing levels of deWS or stdWS in eight 10 min steps from 0.5 to 600 mg m(-3). Combined ratings of questions related to irritation revealed statistically significant increases compared with pre-exposure ratings at 50 mg m(-3) and higher exposures. The ratings increased in a dose-dependent fashion, the medians reaching 'somewhat' for stdWS and 'hardly at all' for deWS. Higher ratings of irritation were found during exposure to stdWS compared with deWS, reaching significance only at 500 mg m(-3). The combined ratings of CNS effects reached 'hardly at all', and were significantly increased only for stdWS at 500 and 600 mg m(-3).

Mercury in human brain, blood, muscle and toenails in relation to exposure: an autopsy study.

BACKGROUND: The main forms of mercury (Hg) exposure in the general population are methylmercury (MeHg) from seafood, inorganic mercury (I-Hg) from food, and mercury vapor (Hg0) from dental amalgam restorations. While the distribution of MeHg in the body is described by a one compartment model, the distribution of I-Hg after exposure to elemental mercury is more complex, and there is no biomarker for I-Hg in the brain. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationships between on the one hand MeHg and I-Hg in human brain and other tissues, including blood, and on the other Hg exposure via dental amalgam in a fish-eating population. In addition, the use of blood and toenails as biological indicator media for inorganic and organic mercury (MeHg) in the tissues was evaluated. METHODS: Samples of blood, brain (occipital lobe cortex), pituitary, thyroid, abdominal muscle and toenails were collected at autopsy of 30 deceased individuals, age from 47 to 91 years of age. Concentrations of total-Hg and I-Hg in blood and brain cortex were determined by cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry and total-Hg in other tissues by sector field inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS). RESULTS: The median concentrations of MeHg (total-Hg minus I-Hg) and I-Hg in blood were 2.2 and 1.0 microg/L, and in occipital lobe cortex 4 and 5 microg/kg, respectively. There was a significant correlation between MeHg in blood and occipital cortex. Also, total-Hg in toenails correlated with MeHg in both blood and occipital lobe. I-Hg in both blood and occipital cortex, as well as total-Hg in pituitary and thyroid were strongly associated with the number of dental amalgam surfaces at the time of death. CONCLUSION: In a fish-eating population, intake of MeHg via the diet has a marked impact on the MeHg concentration in the brain, while exposure to dental amalgam restorations increases the I-Hg concentrations in the brain. Discrimination between mercury species is necessary to evaluate the impact on Hg in the brain of various sources of exposure, in particular, dental amalgam exposure.

Assessment of skin exposure to nickel, chromium and cobalt by acid wipe sampling and ICP-MS.

There is a great need to accurately assess skin exposure to contact allergens. We have developed a technique for assessment of skin exposure to nickel, chromium and cobalt using acid wipe sampling by cellulose wipes with 1% nitric acid. Chemical analysis was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The recovery of nickel, chromium and cobalt from arms and palms was 93%. The analytical result is expressed in terms of mass per unit area (microg/cm(2)). The developed acid wipe sampling technique is suitable for determination of nickel, chromium and cobalt deposited on the skin. The technique may be used in workplace studies, in studies of individuals in the general population, in dermatitis patients, in identification of risk groups, as well as in developing preventive strategies and in follow-up after intervention.

Inter-individual variations of human mercury exposure biomarkers: a cross-sectional assessment.

BACKGROUND: Biomarkers for mercury (Hg) exposure have frequently been used to assess exposure and risk in various groups of the general population. We have evaluated the most frequently used biomarkers and the physiology on which they are based, to explore the inter-individual variations and their suitability for exposure assessment. METHODS: Concentrations of total Hg (THg), inorganic Hg (IHg) and organic Hg (OHg, assumed to be methylmercury; MeHg) were determined in whole blood, red blood cells, plasma, hair and urine from Swedish men and women. An automated multiple injection cold vapour atomic fluorescence spectrophotometry analytical system for Hg analysis was developed, which provided high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision. The distribution of the various mercury forms in the different biological media was explored. RESULTS: About 90% of the mercury found in the red blood cells was in the form of MeHg with small inter-individual variations, and part of the IHg found in the red blood cells could be attributed to demethylated MeHg. THg in plasma was associated with both IHg and MeHg, with large inter-individual variations in the distribution between red blood cells and plasma. THg in hair reflects MeHg exposure at all exposure levels, and not IHg exposure. The small fraction of IHg in hair is most probably emanating from demethylated MeHg. The inter-individual variation in the blood to hair ratio was very large. The variability seemed to decrease with increasing OHg in blood, most probably due to more frequent fish consumption and thereby blood concentrations approaching steady state. THg in urine reflected IHg exposure, also at very low IHg exposure levels. CONCLUSION: The use of THg concentration in whole blood as a proxy for MeHg exposure will give rise to an overestimation of the MeHg exposure depending on the degree of IHg exposure, why speciation of mercury forms is needed. THg in RBC and hair are suitable proxies for MeHg exposure. Using THg concentration in plasma as a measure of IHg exposure can lead to significant exposure misclassification. THg in urine is a suitable proxy for IHg exposure.