Effect of kerosene and biomass fuel as cooking medium on pulmonary function of adult nontobacco addict homemaker women residing in slums of Ahmedabad City, Gujarat.

BACKGROUND: Combustion of kerosene and biomass fuel in the kitchen as cooking medium is one of the major sources of indoor air pollution. Such contaminated indoor air quality adversely affects the respiratory health of exposed individuals over a period of time. Homemaker women especially residing in slum areas are always vulnerable to indoor air-pollution-related health hazards. OBJECTIVES: The objective is to assess the relationship between various socio-demographic factors and usage patterns of cooking fuel; and to determine the effect of cooking medium namely biomass, kerosene on pulmonary function parameters. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was carried out during April 2012 - April 2016 among 531 nontobacco addicted adult primary homemaker women residing in slums of Ahmedabad city of Gujarat. Basic information-related socio-demographic parameters were collected on a pretested questionnaire. Pulmonary function test (PFT) parameters were evaluated with standard techniques. The statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS software (version 17.0). Statistical tests of significance between groups and mean along with multivariate linear regression analysis were applied. RESULTS: Predominant cooking medium for nearly 40% of slum households were kerosene and biomass. Mean value of forced expiratory volume in the 1st s (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) were significantly lower among Kerosene and biomass users compared to LPG users. Multivariate regression analysis with involvement of PFT parameters, cooking medium, and environmental tobacco smoke exposure (ETS) shows, deprivation of both FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were significantly related with the usage of kerosene and biomass; whereas no relation found with ETS. CONCLUSION: Reduction of pulmonary function parameters among the study participants were related with kerosene and biomass fuel usage in the kitchen.

Occupational exposure of vehicular emissions and cardiorespiratory risk among urban metropolitan bus drivers: A cross-sectional comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Vehicular emissions on long-term exposure predispose metropolitan bus drivers to cardiorespiratory ailments. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the cardiorespiratory risk of urban metropolitan bus drivers related to vehicular emission exposure. METHODS: Bus drivers (with service >5 years, n = 254) and their administrative controls (primarily engaged in indoor white collared jobs, n = 73) were recruited. Demographic, occupational and clinical details were collected through pre-validated standardized format. Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) and lipid profile were carried out with standard protocol. Risk for cardiovascular events for preceding 10-years was estimated with WHO/ISH risk prediction chart and QRISK3 score. Exposure assessments for particulate matter (PM) were performed for both groups while duty hours. RESULTS: Exposure of drivers to PM2.5 six times and PM10 five times higher in comparison to administration staff (PM2.5- 970.9 v/s 145.0µg/m3 TWA and PM10- 1111.7 v/s 233.8µg/m3 TWA). Bus drivers exhibited significantly higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms (dyspnea-25% v/s 6.8% and cough-20.1% v/s 9.8%) and compromised PFT (obstructive-21% v/s 5.7% and restrictive-4.2% v/s 2.9%) in comparison to controls. Multivariate regression statistics reveal a significant decline for FEV1/FVC and FEV25-75 % among bus drivers compared to controls, controlling the influence of physiological and environmental factors. The difference between predicted cardiac age and their respective chronological age was twice higher (8.3 v/s 4.3 years) among drivers compared to their administration staff. CONCLUSION: Bus drivers were exposed to high levels of outdoor air pollutants. Further, the drivers exhibited higher risk for ischemic attack and obstructive airway diseases as compared to administration staff.

Effect of endosulfan on male reproductive development.

There is experimental evidence of adverse effects of endosulfan on the male reproductive system, but there are no human data. Therefore, we undertook a study to examine the relationship between environmental endosulfan exposure and reproductive development in male children and adolescents. The study population was composed of 117 male schoolchildren (10-19 years of age) of a village situated at the foothills of cashew plantations, where endosulfan had been aerially sprayed for more than 20 years, and 90 comparable controls with no such exposure history. The study parameters included recording of clinical history, physical examination, sexual maturity rating (SMR) according to Tanner stages, and estimation of serum levels of testosterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone, and endosulfan residues (70 study and 47 control subjects). Mean +/- SE serum endosulfan levels in the study group (7.47 +/- 1.19 ppb) were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than in controls (1.37 +/- 0.40 ppb). Multiple regression analysis showed that SMR scoring for development of pubic hair, testes, penis, and serum testosterone level was positively related to age and negatively related to aerial exposure to endosulfan (AEE; p < 0.01). Serum LH levels were significantly positively related to AEE after controlling for age (p < 0.01). The prevalence of congenital abnormalities related to testicular descent (congenital hydrocele, undescended testis, and congenital inguinal hernia) among study and controls subjects was 5.1% and 1.1%, respectively, but the differences were statistically nonsignificant. Our study results suggest that endosulfan exposure in male children may delay sexual maturity and interfere with sex hormone synthesis. Our study is limited by small sample size and nonparticipation.

Integrated pest management and residue levels of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in water samples from rural areas in Gujarat State, India.

The authors identified 2 rural areas for study in Gujarat State, India, on the basis of pesticide use in agriculture and vector-control programs. In rural area 1, pesticides were used in both agriculture and vector-control programs, whereas in rural area 2, they were used in agriculture only. Water samples were collected from both areas, and they were analyzed for total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) residues. The mean residue levels of total DDT in rural areas 1 and 2 were 7.56 ng/l and 4.27 ng/l, respectively. The corresponding values for HCH were 6.96 ng/l and 5.53 ng/l, respectively. Residue levels of both pesticides were significantly lower in rural area 2 than in area 1.

Residues of dioxin in egg samples collected from west zone of India.

The residues of the congeners of dioxin and furan have been identified in the egg samples collected from the western zone of the India. The samples were collected from the chicken grown in sites where Municipal Corporation incinerates the municipal and hazardous wastes. All the samples showed the presence of the residues of PCDDs/Fs. The mean TEQ of dioxin and furan were 7.10 pg/g and 0.39 pg/g respectively.

Hemoglobin adducts in workers exposed to benzidine and azo dyes.

Benzidine (Bz) is a known human carcinogen. Several azo dyes have been synthesized with Bz. Bz can be metabolically released from azo dyes. In a group of Indian workers producing Bz and azo dyes the presence of hemoglobin (Hb) adducts was investigated. The following Hb adducts were identified and quantified by GC-MS: Bz, N-acetylbenzidine (AcBz), 4-aminobiphenyl (4ABP), aniline. 4ABP and aniline were quantitatively the major adducts. In the exposed workers (n = 33) all correlations between 4ABP, Bz and AcBz were r = 0.89 (P < 0.01) or greater. The group of workers exposed to Bz (Bz workers, n = 15) had 10-17-fold higher adduct levels than the workers exposed to dyes (dye workers, n = 18). 4ABP can be metabolically released from Bz and azo dyes. Aniline can be metabolically released from azo dyes. Therefore, the presence of 4ABP and aniline as Hb adducts is a consequence of exposure to the parent compounds or to the exposure of Bz and azo dyes and a consequent metabolical release of the arylamine moiety. The mean adduct ratios of 4ABP/(AcBz + Bz) varied up to 4-fold across all seven factories. Therefore, it is possible that 4ABP may have derived from general contamination in the work environment or endogenous metabolism, or a combination of the two. Since 4ABP is also a known human carcinogen, tumors observed in workers exposed to Bz or Bz dyes might be caused by both compounds. Further, these results suggest that understanding the role that genetic variants in NAT1 and NAT2 play in modifying the impact of Bz on bladder cancer risk may be complicated, as N-acetylation detoxifies 4ABP and activates Bz.

Repeated episodes of endosulfan poisoning.

INTRODUCTION: A number of families in a rural area of Jabalpur District (Madhya Pradesh), India, were affected by repeated episodes of convulsive illness over a period of three weeks. The aim of this investigation was to determine the cause of the illness. METHODS: The investigation included a house-to-house survey, interviews of affected families, discussions with treating physicians, and examination of hospital records. Endosulfan poisoning was suspected as many villagers were using empty pesticide containers for food storage. To confirm this, our team collected blood and food samples, which were transported to the laboratory and analyzed with GC-ECD. RESULTS: Thirty-six persons of all age groups had illness of varying severity over a period of three weeks. In the first week, due to superstitions and lack of treatment, three children died. In the second week, symptomatic treatment of affected persons in a district hospital led to recovery but recurrence of convulsive episodes occurred after the return home. In the third week, 10 people were again hospitalized in a teaching hospital. Investigations carried out in this hospital ruled out infective etiology but no facilities were available for chemical analysis. All persons responded to symptomatic treatment. The blood and food samples analyzed by our team showed presence of endosulfan, which was confirmed by GCMS. One of the food items (Laddu) prepared from wheat flour was found to contain 676 ppm of alpha-endosulfan. CONCLUSIONS: Contamination of wheat grains or flour with endosulfan and its consumption over a period of time was the most likely cause of repeated episodes of convulsions, but the exact reason for this contamination could not be determined. This report highlights the unsafe disposal of pesticide containers by illiterate farm workers, superstitions leading to delay in treatment, and susceptibility of children to endosulfan.