Analyzing the land and labour productivity of farms producing renewable energy: the Italian case study.

The paper computes and analyses some relevant indicators of economic performance of Italian farms producing/not producing renewable energy, and compares the economic results of the two set of farms. The source of data is the European Farm Accountant Data Network; the farms belonging to this network are analysed in relation to their structural differences, type of farming, geographical areas, economic size, as well as the type of renewable energy produced. After an in-depth statistical investigation, the main economic ratios are computed and analysed using also multivariate regression models, with a special focus on the production of solar and biogas energy. In terms of land and labour productivity and fixed factor remuneration, the results show that farms producing renewable energy perform better than the other farms. This positive effect is particularly accentuated in large companies that produce biogas, followed by farms that produce solar energy. There are still many obstacles that limit the production of renewable energy in agriculture; among these, still insufficient research and information on best practices in agriculture and, in Italy, the complexity and dispersion of the institutional legislative framework and of the public support systems. However, the need to increase the production of renewable energy has become a priority for many European countries both in the short- and in the medium term, especially in light of recent events related to the war in Ukraine.

Applicability of the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire for Screening Contact Dermatological Disorders in Sea Fishers.

This survey aimed to evaluate the applicability of the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (NOSQ) as a preliminary screening tool to investigate the presence of contact dermatological disorders in sea fishermen. The Italian version of the NOSQ was administered to 143 male fishermen working at an Apulia (Southern Italy) Fisheries, and 136 male workers who had never worked as sea fishers (controls). A significantly higher rate of frequency of transient itchy wheals on the hands, wrists, and forearms was recorded in the fishermen as compared to the controls (49.6% vs. 8.1%; p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference in the frequency of eczema (8.4% vs. 6.6%). In 46.1% of the fishermen, the onset of transient itchy wheals was associated with contact with specific agents and the most common causes were algae and aquatic plants (49.3%) and seabed sludge (25.3%). In conclusion, the administration of the NOSQ can be useful in preliminary screening for dermatitis in fishermen, although it could show a possible overestimation of the prevalence of transient itchy wheals.

[Health and work in a gender perspective.] / Salute e lavoro in un'ottica di genere.

OBJECTIVES: A literature review was performed to highlight which work-related diseases express sex/gender differences in health outcomes and focus the main limits of studies in this field. METHODS: The research, carried out on PubMed by specific search string, identified 4828 articles (1997-2017 period) of which 381 are eligible for review (4-22%, depending on the disease). RESULTS: Among them, 68% reported sex/gender differences in health outcomes, which in most cases appear to be due to different exposure and/or work segregation rather than to biological differences. However, few studies place this assessment among the research goals and results are almost never discussed and hypothesis are seldom formulated about any observed differences. CONCLUSIONS: It seems necessary to use research methodologies and study design that can detect and explain the described complexity and useful in defining appropriate preventive strategies.

[Gender-sensitive risk assessment and health medical surveillance: some operative tools.] / Valutazione dei rischi e sorveglianza sanitaria in ottica di genere: proposta di strumenti operativi.

OBJECTIVES: A thorough and fully application of the principles of gender mainstreaming, in accordance with the European Community guidelines, to the health and safety at work, implies the systematic review of the whole prevention from the gendered point of view. This means that both biology- and gender-based differences between male and female workers should be conceived not only as determinants of health but also as factors affecting either positively or negatively the health and safety risk prevention. In this evolutionary cultural step the role of the occupational physician is particularly important. METHODS: In this paper we propose some operative tools that can concretely implement gender perspective in all the various areas of prevention, where the occupational physician has a leading, if not even exclusive, role such as risk assessment, training and health medical surveillance.

Biological accidents at work among resident physicians in specialist training at Bari University Hospital, Italy.

The phenomenon of accidents at work was investigated among the resident physicians of the School of Medicine, Bari University, by a self-administered anonymous questionnaire probing personal details and inquiring about any accidents at work experienced during the training period, and by a comparison with the accidents reported to the Hospital Accidents Registry. At least 1 biological accident was reported by 18.2% of the 450 participants, this percentage being significantly higher in the surgical area (33.3%), where biological accidents were much more rarely reported to either the Residency School Director or the Accidents Registry. In conclusion, despite an overall reduction compared with the past, the frequency both of biological accidents and of underreporting is still high among resident physicians, particularly in the surgical area.

[Protocols for the health surveillance of fisherman]. / Protocolli per la sorveglianza sanitaria dei lavoratori della pesca.

AIM: To define protocols for health surveillance of workers in the marine fishing sector for specific occupational risk factors, considering the latest and most advanced scientific knowledge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The specific literature was analyzed to identify the occupational risk factors to which fishermen are exposed. Then, for each risk factor a protocol for the relative health checkups and their time schedule was defined. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The risk factors to which fishermen are exposed are essentially noise, vibrations, solar and ultraviolet radiation, climatic agents (heat, cold, wind, rain, damp), chemical agents, shifts, work rate, night work, physical strain, stress, manual handling of loads, upper limb repetitive tasks, incongruous postures. The health protocols stipulate the health screening investigations to be carried out in all workers of a homogeneous group, and in-depth diagnostic investigations to be carried out in symptomatic workers. Complementary health investigations must be focused on a functional exploration of the organs specifically exposed to the risk factor. For hearing impairments due to noise exposure, the medico-legal measures with which the occupational health physician must comply, in cases of occupational disease, are indicated.

[Monitoring of the occupational and environmental exposure to low doses of benzene]. / Il monitoraggio dell'esposizione occupazionale ed ambientale a basse dosi di benzene.

AIM: To verify which of the various biomarkers of internal dose of benzene can be considered reliable for biological monitoring of exposure to the low concentrations present nowadays in working and living environments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The specific literature was analyzed to assess the reliability of the different biomarkers of internal dose. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: T,t-muconic acid is a non specific biomarker for benzene, valid for exposure to concentrations up to one order of magnitude less than the threshold limit of 3250 microg/m3. S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) is a reliable marker even for exposure to concentrations up to two orders below the threshold value of 3250 microg/m3, and can be considered the biomarker of choice for biological monitoring of workers exposed to benzene. Urinary benzene does not seem to have any real advantages over SPMA for monitoring occupational exposure to benzene, but it does seem to be more reliable than SPMA to assess exposure to concentrations like those present in living environments. A smoking habit influences the urinary excretion of all the described biomarkers, and for the current low levels of occupational and environmental exposure to benzene, must be taken into account when interpreting the results of biological monitoring.

A pilot risk assessment study of strontium chromate among painters in the aeronautical industry.

OBJECTIVE: A method for risk assessment of occupational exposure to strontium chromate (SrCrO4) in painters employed in the aeronautical industry is described. METHODS: Assessment was made of 21 male workers of the painting division, potentially exposed to SrCrO4 (exposed), and 20 male workers of the tests and warehouse divisions (controls). All participants completed a questionnaire about work tasks, lifestyle habits, hobbies and diet. Personal active sampling for the determination of Cr and Sr was performed both during paint-spraying and during other operations in the painting division area. On the same day as environmental sampling, urine samples were collected at the beginning and end of the work shift in exposed workers to determine urinary chromium (CrU), and only at the end of the shift in controls. In the second half of the shift, a blood sample was taken in 10 exposed workers and 10 controls, to determine Cr in plasma (CrP) and in red blood cells (CrRBC). RESULTS: During paint-spraying, Cr concentrations ranged between 1.38 and 17.10 microg/m3, versus 0.02 to 0.07 microg/mi in the painting division area, while the Sr concentration was 22.90 microg/m3 in the paint-spray booth versus 0.07 microg/m3 in the painting division area. CrU at the end of the work shift, CrP and CrRBC, did not show significant differences between exposed workers and controls. Moreover, in exposed workers there were no differences between CrU measured at the beginning and at the end of the work shift. CONCLUSIONS: This approach, consisting of simultaneous environmental and biological monitoring, suggested no absorption of chromium in the painters thanks to the efficacy of the technical, organizational and personal protection measures adopted. However, the evident exposure to high levels of SrCrO4 during paint-spraying highlights how absolutely essential it is to ensure strict compliance with all the preventive measures foreseen by the EU and national regulations for occupational exposure to carcinogens.

Environmental factors affecting the urinary excretion of inorganic arsenic in the general population.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the critical issues concerning the use of urinary inorganic arsenic (iAs), including As3, As5, monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), as biomarker of internal dose in order to monitor environmental and occupational exposure to inorganic As, considering the influence of diet and drinking water on excretion of iAs. METHODS: The design protocol stipulated collection of weekly urine samples from 6 male subjects for 5 consecutive months. In all the urine samples, iAs was determined by Hydride Generation-Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (HG-AAS). In the subjects with iAs higher than 35 microg/L, Biological Exposure Index (BEI) proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), urinary arsenic speciation was performed by HPLC-ICP-MS. Exposure to airborne As was evaluated monthly using personal environmental samplers worn for 8 hours. Throughout the study, the participants filled out a daily food diary, also detailing types of water drunk. RESULT: Exposure to airborne As was invariably below the limit of detection, equal to 1 ng/m3. A total of 77 urine samples were collected. iAs was always detectable and was higher in 7 urine samples, obtained from 5 of the 6 subjects examined, than the BEI. Among foods with a high As content, the intake of seafood and fish within 72 hours before providing the sample seems to be the principal source of the iAs concentrations, while the intake of rice or drinking water showed no influence on this biological marker. Instead, drinking wine within 24 hours before urine sample collection can cause a significant increase in the excretion of iAs. CONCLUSIONS: In populations that eat large amounts of fish and seafood, the use of iAs to monitor occupational and environmental exposure to inorganic As seems to present some problems, and urinary As speciation may be essential at least in cases with As measurements above the biological limit values. In any case, a diet sheet reporting all foods eaten within 3 days of urine collection seems to be an indispensable tool to ensure a correct interpretation of the results.

[Health risk assessment of exposure to metals in the workers of the steel foundry and in the general population of Taranto (Italy)]. / Valutazione del rischio per la salute do esposizione a elementi metallici nei lavoratori del siderurgico e nella popolazione generale di Taranto (Italia).

OBJECTIVE: To study the urinary excretion of As, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Sn, Ba, Hg, Pb, Sb in workers at the Taranto integrated-cycle steel foundry and in subjects from the general population of Taranto, to assess the health risk posed by occupational exposure and environmental exposure, respectively, to these metals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 49 steel foundry workers (exposed), working in the minerals and agglomerates pools, steel processing plants 1 and 2 and maritime plants, and 50 subjects belonging to the general population of Taranto resident at various distances from the factory (controls), randomly selected from the exposed subjects and controls enrolled in previous research conducted in 2005. A questionnaire was administered to all participants, enquiring into general characteristics, lifestyle, diet, and any medical conditions. Informed written consent to take part in the study was obtained from all subjects before enrolment. The results of environmental monitoring performed in 2005 in the workers' sectors, consisting of determining As, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb in the respirable dust, revealed by both samplers applied in fixed positions and personal samplers, were considered. Urine samples were obtained from all participants on a Friday, to determine As and Cr by AAS and all the other metal elements by a multielement technique with ICP-MS. Urinary creatinine was also determined to make any necessary adjustments. All urine analyses were performed in 2005 within one month of urine collection. RESULTS: In the respirable dust, As and Cd were always within the LOD, whereas Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu and Pb were 1-2 orders of magnitude below the respective TLV-TWA of the ACGIH. Mn was the only metal element that presented significantly higher urinary concentrations in exposed subjects as compared to controls, although the values in both groups were in any case within the Italian reference range. Co, Cu, Zn, Sn and Sb showed significantly higher urinary concentrations in controls than in the exposed subjects, while there were no differences in As, Cr, Cd, Ba, Hg and Pb between the two groups. Ni was within the LOD in the 60% of the subjects in the two groups. Multiple stepwise regression showed a dependence of Cr on age, of As on the number of days since the last meal of mollusks and crustaceans, of Zn on the consumption of mollusks, and of Cd and Pb on smoking expressed as the number of pack/year. DISCUSSION: The research did not reveal higher urinary excretion of the metal elements in the steelworkers than in the subjects from the general population of Taranto resident at different distances from the factory, except for Mn, that was anyway within the reference range. This allows us to consider that there is no relevant health risk posed by occupational exposure to metal elements in the steelworkers, nor by environmental exposure to the same elements in the residents of the city of Taranto. In particular, no pollution of the living environment by metal elements of industrial origin was demonstrated, whereas other non occupational factors seem to condition the intake of these metal elements.

The influence of diet on intra and inter-individual variability of urinary excretion of arsenic species in Italian healthy individuals.

To study the effect of eating foods with a high arsenic (As) content on the intra and inter-individual variability of urinary concentrations of the As species, daily urine samples were collected for 10 consecutive days from 12 healthy male subjects. A daily food diary was kept throughout the study period. Personal exposure to airborne As was measured once during the study. As(3), As(5), monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and arsenobetaine were determined in all urine samples by inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the sum of As(3)+As(5)+MMA+DMA (iAs) by hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Exposure to airborne As was below the limit of detection in all samplings. As(3) was found in only 19.2% and As(5) in only 3.3% of the urine samples, whereas high urinary concentrations of arsenobetaine were observed. With the exception of arsenobetaine, expressed as a percentage, a significant inter-individual variability was observed for all species of As, for iAs and for the MMA/DMA ratio (p<0.001). Instead, the intra-individual variability was significant only for the MMA/DMA ratio (p<0.001). Among foods with a high As content, only a heavy consumption of seafood was shown to influence inter-individual variability of DMA%, arsenobetaine expressed as µg g(-1) creatinine and iAs. In conclusion, even in populations with a high intake of organic As through foods, the finding of a significant inter-individual but no significant intra-individual variability of urinary species confirms the usefulness of urinary As speciation for biological monitoring of exposure to As.

Validity of new biomarkers of internal dose for use in the biological monitoring of occupational and environmental exposure to low concentrations of benzene and toluene.

OBJECTIVES: This study analyzes the validity of new, more sensitive and specific urinary biomarkers of internal dose, namely, urinary benzene for benzene and urinary toluene and S-benzylmercapturic acid (SBMA) for toluene, to assess their efficacy when compared to traditional biomarkers for biological monitoring of occupational exposure to low concentrations of these two toxic substances. METHODS: Assessment was made of 41 workers occupationally exposed to benzene and toluene, 18 fuel tanker drivers and 23 filling-station attendants, as well as 31 subjects with no occupational exposure to these toxic substances (controls). Exposure to airborne benzene and toluene was measured using passive Radiello personal samplers worn throughout the work shift. In urine samples collected from all subjects at the end of the workday, both the traditional and the new internal dose biomarkers of benzene and toluene were assessed, as well as creatinine so as to apply suitable adjustments. RESULTS: Occupational exposure to benzene and toluene resulted significantly higher in the fuel tanker drivers than the filling-station attendants, and higher in the latter than in controls. Significantly higher concentrations of t,t-muconic acid (t,t-MA), S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA), urinary benzene, SBMA and urinary toluene were found in the drivers than the filling-station attendants or the controls. Instead, urinary phenol and hippuric acid were not different in the three groups. In the entire sample, airborne benzene and toluene values were significantly correlated, as were the respective urinary biomarkers, showing coefficients ranging from 0.36 to 0.98. Subdividing the subjects by smoking habit, higher coefficients were evident in non-smokers than in smokers; at multiple regression analysis t,t-MA, SPMA and urinary benzene and toluene were dependent on the number of cigarettes smoked daily and on airborne benzene and toluene, respectively. Instead, SBMA was dependent only on airborne toluene. CONCLUSIONS: Our research confirmed the validity of t,t-MA and SPMA for use in the biological monitoring of exposure to low concentrations of benzene. Urinary benzene showed comparable validity to SPMA; both parameters are affected by smoking cigarettes in the hours before urine collection, so it is best to ask subjects to refrain from smoking for 2 h before urine collection. Urinary toluene was found to be a more specific biomarker than SBMA.

Significance of urinary arsenic speciation in assessment of seafood ingestion as the main source of organic and inorganic arsenic in a population resident near a coastal area.

In order to characterize the different sources of exposure to arsenic (As), urinary excretion of total As, the sum of inorganic As+MMA+DMA determined by the hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrophotometry technique, and the species As3, As5, monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and arsenobetaine were determined in 49 workers at a steel foundry, with presumed occupational exposure to As, and 50 subjects from the general population, all males. No evidence of occupational exposure to As resulted from environmental monitoring performed in the foundry, although the analysis of minerals used as raw materials showed the presence of As, particularly in fossils and fine ores. The urinary concentrations of As3, MMA, DMA, the sum of inorganic As+MMA+DMA and total As were not different in the two groups, while arsenobetaine appeared significantly higher in the controls than in the workers. The different species of urinary As were all significantly correlated. Urinary excretion of As3 was associated with the consumption of mineral water and with residence in an industrial zone, while MMA, DMA, arsenobetaine, the sum of inorganic As+MMA+DMA and total As urinary excretion were associated with the consumption of crustaceans and/or shellfish 3 days or less before urine collection. Multiple regression analysis confirmed these results. In conclusion, in populations with a high consumption of seafood, living in areas characterized by coastal/marine As pollution, only speciation of As can identify a prevalent role of environmental sources, like the consumption of seafood contaminated by As, in determining urinary As excretion, and exclude an occupational origin of the exposure.