Occupational exposure to nanomaterials and biomarkers in exhaled air and urine: Insights from the NanoExplore international cohort.

The current evidence on nanomaterial toxicity is mostly derived from experimental studies making it challenging to translate it into human health risks. We established an international cohort (N = 141 workers) within the EU-LIFE project "NanoExplore" to address possible health effects from occupational exposures to nanomaterials. We used a handheld direct-reading optical particle counter to measure airborne nanoparticle number concentrations (PNC) and lung-deposited surface areas (LDSAs). Airborne particles were characterized by TEM and SEM-EDAX. We assessed oxidative/nitrosative stress with a panel of biomarkers in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) (8-isoprostane, malondialdehyde, nitrotyrosine), inflammation (high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-10) and KL-6 (considered as biomarker of interstitial lung fibrosis) and urine (total antioxidant power (TAP), 8-isoprostane, and malondialdehyde). Exhaled breath sampled in gas-sampling bags were assessed for oxidative potential. These biomarkers were quantified pre-shift at the beginning of the workweek and post-shift the 4th day. Relationships between airborne nanoparticle concentration and biomarkers were assessed by multiple linear regression with log-transformed exposure and biomarker concentrations adjusted for potential confounders. We found a positive dose-response relationship for three inflammation biomarkers (IL-10, IL-1ß and TNF-α) in EBC with both PNC and LDSA. A negative dose-response relationship was observed between PNC and TAP. This study suggests that occupational exposures to nanoparticles can affect the oxidative balance and the innate immunity in occupationally exposed workers. However, owing to the intrinsic variability of biomarkers, the observed changes along with their health significance should be assessed in a long-term perspective study.

A harmonized protocol for an international multicenter prospective study of nanotechnology workers: the NanoExplore cohort.

Nanotechnology applications are fast-growing in many industrial fields. Consequently, health effects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) should be investigated. Within the EU-Life project NanoExplore, we developed a harmonized protocol of an international multicenter prospective cohort study of workers in ENM-producing companies. This article describes the development of the protocol, sample size calculation, data collection and management procedures and discusses its relevance with respect to research needs. Within this protocol, workers' ENM exposure will be assessed over four consecutive working days during the initial recruitment campaign and the subsequent follow-up campaigns. Biomonitoring using noninvasive sampling of exhaled breath condensate (EBC), exhaled air, and urine will be collected before and after 4-day exposure monitoring. Both exposure and effect biomarkers, will be quantified along with pulmonary function tests and diagnosed diseases reported using a standardized epidemiological questionnaire available in four languages. Until now, this protocol was implemented at seven companies in Switzerland, Spain and Italy. The protocol is well standardized, though sufficiently flexible to include company-specific conditions and occupational hygiene measures. The recruitment, to date, of 140 participants and collection of all data and samples, enabled us launching the first international cohort of nanotechnology workers. All companies dealing with ENMs could join the NanoExplore Consortium, apply this harmonized protocol and enter in the cohort, concieved as an open cohort. Its protocol meets all requirements of a hypotheses-driven prospective study, which will assess and reassess effects of ENM exposure on workers' health by updating the follow-up of the cohort. New hypothesis could be also considered.

Producers of Engineered Nanomaterials-What Motivates Company and Worker Participation in Biomonitoring Programs?

Production and handling of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) can yield worker exposure to these materials with the potential for unforeseen negative health effects. Biomonitoring enables regular exposure and health assessment and an effective risk management. We aimed to identify factors influencing biomonitoring acceptance according to hierarchical positions of ENM producers. Managers and workers were invited to complete an online questionnaire. Forty-three companies producing or handling ENMs such as titanium dioxide (61%) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (44%) participated. The majority of managers (72%) and all workers responded positively to participating in biomonitoring studies. The main reasons for refusing participation included concerns about data confidentiality and sufficient knowledge about ENM health and safety. Acquisitions of individual study results, improvement of workers' safety, and help to the development of ENM-specific health and safety practice were among the most valuable reasons for positively considering participation. All workers indicated feeling comfortable with biomonitoring procedures of exhaled air sampling-about half were similarly comfortable with exhaled breath condensate, urine, and buccal cell sampling. The majority of both workers and managers stated that participation in a biomonitoring program should take place during working hours. Although our survey only had limited participation, our results are useful in designing appropriate biomonitoring programs for workers exposed to ENMs.

Predicting annual average particulate concentration in urban areas.

Particulate matter concentrations are in most cities a major environmental problem. This is also the case in Greece where, despite the various measures taken in the past, the problem still persists. In this aspect, a cost efficient, comprehensive method was developed in order to help decision makers to take the most appropriate measures towards particulates pollution abatement. The method is based on the source apportionment estimation from the application of 3D meteorological and dispersion modeling and is validated with the use of 10 years (2002-2012) PM10 monitoring data, in Athens, Greece, as well as using PM10 emission data for the same area and time period. It appears that the methodology can be used for estimating yearly average PM10 concentrations in a quite realistic manner, giving thus the decision makers the possibility to evaluate ex ante the effectiveness of specific abatement measures.

Road traffic emissions impact on air quality of the Greater Athens Area based on a 20 year emissions inventory.

During the last decades, the Greater Athens Area (GAA), among many other urban agglomerations, faces atmospheric pollution problems mainly associated with high levels of particulates, nitrogen dioxide and ozone. The major pollution source for the GAA is road transportation. In this sense, the aim of this work was to investigate the existence of a direct relationship linking air pollutant concentration levels and road traffic emissions. To this aim, air pollutant emissions from road traffic were calculated for the period 1990-2009 and then the relationship with the corresponding air pollutant concentrations was investigated. The calculated results have revealed that all pollutants examined show a strong decreasing trend whereas the age of the vehicles and the corresponding engine technology determine the amount of the pollutants emitted. In addition, the NO(2)/NO(x) emission ratio presents a constant increase in the course of the years, according to the respective NO(2)/NO(x) concentration ratio. Furthermore, the comparison between emission calculations and the corresponding measured concentrations shows a highly significant correlation providing therefore evidence to policy makers that all pollution abatement measures can be defined and assessed with regard to their anticipated effect on air pollutant emissions. Detailed analysis of the 2009 emissions shows that, in general, passenger cars are the major polluters for CO, NMVOCs and CH(4), whereas PM(10) and NO(x) are mostly associated with heavy duty vehicles (HDVs). Finally, it appears that vehicles aged more than 15 years are responsible for the major part of the air pollutants emitted.

Land-use planning in the vicinity of major accident hazard installations in Greece.

Land-use planning, as concerns the prevention and limitation of the consequences of possible major accidents from industrial installations, is an essential mechanism for dealing with actual or potential conflicts between sources of risk, such as potentially hazardous industrial developments, and surrounding land-uses. The objective of this paper is to present a decision making methodology that is suitable for assisting urban and spatial planning in the vicinity of hazardous installations and therefore covers the directions of Article 12 of the European Council Directive 96/82/EC (the so-called SEVESO II directive). The proposed methodology was designed to address the particularities of the Greek case, regarding the type and availability of risk and spatial data. It incorporates a broad set of multiple and conflicting criteria that arise in land-use planning decisions, through the application of a well known multi-criteria decision analysis method (ELECTRE TRI). Additionally, it is easy to use (comprised of simple steps) and can be readily incorporated into Geographical Information System based platforms.