Redox-activity and in vitro effects of regional atmospheric aerosol pollution: Seasonal differences and correlation between oxidative potential and in vitro toxicity of PM1.

Particulate Matter (PM) is a complex and heterogeneous mixture of atmospheric particles recognized as a threat to human health. Oxidative Potential (OP) measurement is a promising and integrative method for estimating PM-induced health impacts since it is recognized as more closely associated with adverse health effects than ordinarily used PM mass concentrations. OP measurements could be introduced in the air quality monitoring, along with the parameters currently evaluated. PM deposition in the lungs induces oxidative stress, inflammation, and DNA damage. The study aimed to compare the OP measurements with toxicological effects on BEAS-2B and THP-1 cells of winter and summer PM1 collected in the Po Valley (Italy) during 2021. PM1 was extracted in deionized water by mechanical agitation and tested for OP and, in parallel, used to treat cells. Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses were assessed by MTT test, DCFH-DA assay, micronucleus, γ-H2AX, comet assay modified with endonucleases, ELISA, and Real-Time PCR. The evaluation of OP was performed by applying three different assays: dithiothreitol (OPDTT), ascorbic acid (OPAA), and 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein (OPDCFH), in addition, the reducing potential was also analysed (RPDPPH). Seasonal differences were detected in all the parameters investigated. The amount of DNA damage detected with the Comet assay and ROS formation highlights the presence of oxidative damage both in winter and in summer samples, while DNA damage (micronucleus) and genes regulation were mainly detected in winter samples. A positive correlation with OPDCFH (Spearman's analysis, p < 0.05) was detected for IL-8 secretion and γ-H2AX. These results provide a biological support to the implementation in air quality monitoring of OP measurements as a useful proxy to estimate PM-induced cellular toxicological responses. In addition, these results provide new insights for the assessment of the ability of secondary aerosol in the background atmosphere to induce oxidative stress and health effects.

An Analytical Method for the Biomonitoring of Mercury in Bees and Beehive Products by Cold Vapor Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry.

Bees and their products are useful bioindicators of anthropogenic activities and could overcome the deficiencies of air quality networks. Among the environmental contaminants, mercury (Hg) is a toxic metal that can accumulate in living organisms. The first aim of this study was to develop a simple analytical method to determine Hg in small mass samples of bees and beehive products by cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. The proposed method was optimized for about 0.02 g bee, pollen, propolis, and royal jelly, 0.05 g beeswax and honey, or 0.1 g honeydew with 0.5 mL HCl, 0.2 mL HNO3, and 0.1 mL H2O2 in a water bath (95 °C, 30 min); samples were made up to a final volume of 5 mL deionized water. The method limits sample manipulation and the reagent mixture volume used. Detection limits were lower than 3 µg kg-1 for a sample mass of 0.02 g, and recoveries and precision were within 20% of the expected value and less than 10%, respectively, for many matrices. The second aim of the present study was to evaluate the proposed method's performances on real samples collected in six areas of the Lazio region in Italy.

Assessment of the effects of atmospheric pollutants using the animal model Caenorhabditis elegans.

Air pollution is recognized as the world's largest environmental health risk. In this work we evaluated in vivo the effects of three relevant components of atmospheric dusts (brake dust, wood pellet ash and Saharan dust) employing the animal model Caenorhabditis elegans. Main endpoints of C. elegans such as life span, brood size and oxidative stress were addressed by exposing the nematodes to different dust concentrations. Brake dust and pellet ash affected the life span and increased significantly the oxidative stress of exposed nematodes, while Saharan dust showed no effects. Water soluble and insoluble fractions of these dusts were used to investigate the impact of the single fraction on C. elegans. The two fractions of brake dust and pellet ash exerted different effects on C. elegans endpoints in terms of life span and oxidative stress response. These fractions acted in different ways on the worm susceptibility to infection of two human pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) affecting the sek-1 gene expression. In conclusion, our study showed that C. elegans is a valuable tool to investigate in vivo possible effects of atmospheric dusts.

Effectiveness of Different Sample Treatments for the Elemental Characterization of Bees and Beehive Products.

Bee health and beehive products' quality are compromised by complex interactions between multiple stressors, among which toxic elements play an important role. The aim of this study is to optimize and validate sensible and reliable analytical methods for biomonitoring studies and the quality control of beehive products. Four digestion procedures, including two systems (microwave oven and water bath) and different mixture reagents, were evaluated for the determination of the total content of 40 elements in bees and five beehive products (beeswax, honey, pollen, propolis and royal jelly) by using inductively coupled plasma mass and optical emission spectrometry. Method validation was performed by measuring a standard reference material and the recoveries for each selected matrix. The water bath-assisted digestion of bees and beehive products is proposed as a fast alternative to microwave-assisted digestion for all elements in biomonitoring studies. The present study highlights the possible drawbacks that may be encountered during the elemental analysis of these biological matrices and aims to be a valuable aid for the analytical chemist. Total elemental concentrations, determined in commercially available beehive products, are presented.

"2 n Analytical Platform" To Update Procedures in Thanatochemistry: Estimation of Post Mortem Interval in Vitreous Humor.

In this work, a novel multiway approach by spectroscopy and thermogravimetry associated with chemometrics is developed, providing a multiparametric characterization of vitreous humor as a function of the time since death. Estimation of the precise time since death was performed on hospital deaths occurred in casualty, by medico-legal and post mortem examination, with no metabolic disorders. Micro and macro elements in vitreous specimens were determined by ICP-OES and were found to be diagnostic in predicting the post mortem interval (PMI). The percentage of bulk and bound water provided by thermal analysis investigation was correlated to spectroscopic analysis, and chemometric tools were used to compare results and to develop a model of prediction of PMI. The study reveals a significant role of P, S, and Mg in addition to the potassium concentration in determining the death interval and permits increased accuracy with respect to conventional procedures and allows the investigation of PMI to be extended to 15 days.

Indoor air quality in schools of a highly polluted south Mediterranean area.

This study aimed at surveying lower secondary schools in southern Italy, in a highly polluted area. A community close to an industrial area and three villages in rural areas was investigated. Indoor temperature, relative humidity (RH), gaseous pollutants (CO2 and NO2 ), selected biological pollutants in indoor dust, and the indoor/outdoor mass concentration and elemental composition of PM2.5 were ascertained. Temperature and RH were within, or close to, the comfort range, while CO2 frequently exceeded the threshold of 1000 ppm, indicating inadequate air exchange rate. In all the classrooms, median NO2 levels were above the WHO threshold value. Dermatophagoides p. allergen concentration was below the sensitizing threshold, while high endotoxin levels were detected in the classrooms, suggesting schools may produce significant risks of endotoxin exposure. Concentration and solubility of PM2.5 elements were used to identify the sources of indoor particles. Indoor concentration of most elements was higher than outdoors. Resuspension was responsible for the indoor increase in soil components. For elements from industrial emission (Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, Sb, Tl, V), the indoor concentration depended on penetration from the outside. For these elements, differences in rural vs industrial concentrations were found, suggesting industrial sources may influence indoor air quality nearby schools.

Relationship between domestic smoking and metals and rare earth elements concentration in indoor PM2.5.

Cigarette smoke is the main source of indoor chemical and toxic elements. Cadmium (Cd), Thallium (Tl), Lead (Pb) and Antimony (Sb) are important contributors to smoke-related health risks. Data on the association between Rare Earth Elements (REE) Cerium (Ce) and Lanthanum (La) and domestic smoking are scanty. To evaluate the relationship between cigarette smoke, indoor levels of PM2.5 and heavy metals, 73 children were investigated by parental questionnaire and skin prick tests. The houses of residence of 41 "cases" and 32 "controls" (children with and without respiratory symptoms, respectively) were evaluated by 48-h PM2.5 indoor/outdoor monitoring. PM2.5 mass concentration was determined by gravimetry; the extracted and mineralized fractions of elements (As, Cd, Ce, La, Mn, Pb, Sb, Sr, Tl) were evaluated by ICP-MS. PM2.5 and Ce, La, Cd, and Tl indoor concentrations were higher in smoker dwellings. When corrected for confounding factors, PM2.5, Ce, La, Cd, and Tl were associated with more likely presence of respiratory symptoms in adolescents. We found that: i) indoor smoking is associated with increased levels of PM2.5, Ce, La, Cd, and Tl and ii) the latter with increased presence of respiratory symptoms in children.

Dissolution of glass wool, rock wool and alkaline earth silicate wool: morphological and chemical changes in fibers.

The behavior of alkaline earth silicate (AES) wool and of other biosoluble wools in saline solution simulating physiological fluids was compared with that of a traditional wool belonging to synthetic vitreous fibers. Morphological and size changes of fibers were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The elements extracted from fibers were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. SEM analysis showed a larger reduction of length-weighted geometric mean fiber diameter at 4.5 pH than at 7.4 pH. At the 7.4 pH, AES wool showed a higher dissolution rate and a dissolution time less than a few days. Their dissolution was highly non-congruent with rapid leaching of calcium. Unlike rock wool, glass wool dissolved more rapidly at physiological pH than at acid pH. Dissolution of AES and biosoluble rock wool is accompanied by a noticeable change in morphology while by no change for glass wool. Biosoluble rock wool developed a leached surface with porous honeycomb structure. SEM analysis showed the dissolution for glass wool is mainly due to breakage transverse of fiber at pH 7.4. AES dissolution constant (Kdis) was the highest at pH 7.4, while at pH 4.5 only biosoluble rockwool 1 showed a higher Kdis.

In-vivo exposure of a plant model organism for the assessment of the ability of PM samples to induce oxidative stress.

This study aims to propose an innovative, simple, rapid, and cost-effective method to study oxidative stress induced by PM through in-vivo exposure of the plant model organism Arabidopsis thaliana. A. thaliana seedlings were exposed to urban dust certified for its elemental content and to PM2.5 samples collected in an urban-industrial area of Northern Italy. An innovative technique for the detachment and suspension in water of the whole intact dust from membrane filters was applied to expose the model organism to both the soluble and insoluble fractions of PM2.5, which were analyzed for 34 elements by ICP-MS. Oxidative stress induced by PM on A. thaliana was assessed by light microscopic localization and UV-Vis spectrophotometric determination of superoxide anion (O2-) content on the exposed seedlings by using the nitro blue tetrazole (NBT) assay. The results showed a good efficiency and sensitivity of the method for PM mass concentrations >20 µg m-3 and an increase in O2- content in all exposed seedlings, which mainly depends on the concentration, chemical composition, and sources of the PM administered to the model organism. Particles released by biomass burning appeared to contribute more to the overall toxicity of PM. This method was found to be cost-effective and easy to apply to PM collected on membrane filters in intensive monitoring campaigns in order to obtain valuable information on the ability of PM to generate oxidative stress in living organisms.

Landfill fire impact on bee health: beneficial effect of dietary supplementation with medicinal plants and probiotics in reducing oxidative stress and metal accumulation.

The honey bee is an important pollinator insect susceptible to environmental contaminants. We investigated the effects of a waste fire event on elemental content, oxidative stress, and metabolic response in bees fed different nutrients (probiotics, Quassia amara, and placebo). The level of the elements was also investigated in honey and beeswax. Our data show a general increase in elemental concentrations in all bee groups after the event; however, the administration of probiotics and Quassia amara help fight oxidative stress in bees. Significantly lower concentrations of Ni, S, and U for honey in the probiotic group and a general and significant decrease in elemental concentrations for beeswax in the probiotic group and Li in the Quassia amara group were observed after the fire waste event. The comparison of the metabolic profiles through pre- and post-event PCA analyses showed that bees treated with different feeds react differently to the environmental event. The greatest differences in metabolic profiles are observed between the placebo-fed bees compared to the others. This study can help to understand how some stress factors can affect the health of bees and to take measures to protect these precious insects.

Toxicological Profile of PM from Different Sources in the Bronchial Epithelial Cell Line BEAS-2B.

The toxicity of particulate matter (PM) is strictly associated with its physical-chemical characteristics, such as size or chemical composition. While these properties depend on the origin of the particles, the study of the toxicological profile of PM from single sources has rarely been highlighted. Hence, the focus of this research was to investigate the biological effects of PM from five relevant sources of atmospheric PM: diesel exhaust particles, coke dust, pellet ashes, incinerator ashes, and brake dust. Cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, oxidative, and inflammatory response were assessed in a bronchial cell line (BEAS-2B). BEAS-2B cells were exposed to different concentrations (25, 50, 100, and 150 µg/mL medium) of particles suspended in water. The exposure lasted 24 h for all the assays performed, except for reactive oxygen species, which were evaluated after 30 min, 1 h, and 4 h of treatment. The results showed a different action of the five types of PM. All the tested samples showed a genotoxic action on BEAS-2B, even in the absence of oxidative stress induction. Pellet ashes seemed to be the only ones able to induce oxidative stress by boosting the formation of reactive oxygen species, while brake dust resulted in the most cytotoxic. In conclusion, the study elucidated the differential response of bronchial cells to PM samples generated by different sources. The comparison could be a starting point for a regulatory intervention since it highlighted the toxic potential of each type of PM tested.

A multi-analytical approach to studying the chemical composition of typical carbon sink samples.

Peatlands in southern South America (Tierra del Fuego region, TdF) play a key role in the ecological dynamics of Patagonia. It is, therefore, necessary to increase our knowledge and awareness of their scientific and ecological value to ensure their conservation. This study aimed to assess the differences in the distribution and accumulation of elements in peat deposits and Sphagnum moss from the TdF. Chemical and morphological characterization of the samples was carried out using various analytical techniques, and total levels of 53 elements were determined. Furthermore, a chemometric differentiation based on the elemental content of peat and moss samples was performed. Some elements (Cs, Hf, K, Li, Mn, Na, Pb, Rb, Si, Sn, Ti and Zn) showed significantly higher contents in moss samples than in peat samples. In contrast, only Mo, S and Zr were significantly higher in peat samples than in moss samples. The results obtained highlight the ability of moss to accumulate elements and to act as a means to facilitate the entry of elements into peat samples. The valuable data obtained in this multi-methodological baseline survey can be used for more effective conservation of biodiversity and preservation of the ecosystem services of the TdF.

Exposure to urban nanoparticles at low PM[Formula: see text] concentrations as a source of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Exposures to fine particulate matter (PM[Formula: see text]) have been associated with health impacts, but the understanding of the PM[Formula: see text] concentration-response (PM[Formula: see text]-CR) relationships, especially at low PM[Formula: see text], remains incomplete. Here, we present novel data using a methodology to mimic lung exposure to ambient air (2[Formula: see text] 60 [Formula: see text]g m[Formula: see text]), with minimized sampling artifacts for nanoparticles. A reference model (Air Liquid Interface cultures of human bronchial epithelial cells, BEAS-2B) was used for aerosol exposure. Non-linearities observed in PM[Formula: see text]-CR curves are interpreted as a result of the interplay between the aerosol total oxidative potential (OP[Formula: see text]) and its distribution across particle size (d[Formula: see text]). A d[Formula: see text]-dependent condensation sink (CS) is assessed together with the distribution with d[Formula: see text] of reactive species . Urban ambient aerosol high in OP[Formula: see text], as indicated by the DTT assay, with (possibly copper-containing) nanoparticles, shows higher pro-inflammatory and oxidative responses, this occurring at lower PM[Formula: see text] concentrations (< 5 [Formula: see text]g m[Formula: see text]). Among the implications of this work, there are recommendations for global efforts to go toward the refinement of actual air quality standards with metrics considering the distribution of OP[Formula: see text] with d[Formula: see text] also at relatively low PM[Formula: see text].

Multiparametric approach for an exemplary study of laser printer emissions.

The aim of this work was the study, by a multiparametric approach, of emissions from a laser printer in an experimental box-chamber, with particular attention to nanoparticles release. The experimental design included number concentration measurements by Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS) and chemical characterizations (elements) of size segregated samples collected by Nanomoudi cascade impactor. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) were also sampled by charcoal sorbent tubes by personal sampling pumps. Monitoring of ozone, total volatile organic compounds concentrations and of temperature and humidity values inside the experimental box during the printing processes were also performed by automatic analyzers. The performed monitoring allowed to evidence different ways for particles emissions by laser printers, in particular showing that nanoparticles, characterised by high concentrations of Ba, Zn, B, K, Sr and Na, are set free at the beginning of the printing process. This emission seems to be directly ascribable to the use of toner powder, as all these elements are present in it. The emission of larger particles (ca. 100-320 nm) was observed in subsequent phases of the print process, probably due to the condensation of vapours released during the progressive heating of the fuser roller. This contribution was proved by both the FMPS measurements and the cascade impactor results. Also, a low emission of particles in higher size ranges was evidenced, mainly due to paper related particles. A very high concentration of VOCs was detected inside the chamber and the chemical speciation shows that the major contribution is associated to toner components, even if some species are released from other printer components. Although the formation of secondary species by reaction of VOCs with ozone cannot be excluded, these species were present inside the chamber at concentrations lower than the detection limit.

Innovative experimental approach for spatial mapping of source-specific risk contributions of potentially toxic trace elements in PM10.

Exposure to potentially toxic trace elements (PTTEs) in inhalable particulate matter (PM10) is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiorespiratory diseases. Therefore, in multi-source polluted urban contexts, a spatially-resolved evaluation of health risks associated with exposure to PTTEs in PM is essential to identify critical risk areas. In this study, a very-low volume device for high spatial resolution sampling and analysis of PM10 was employed in Terni (Central Italy) in a wide and dense network (23 sampling sites, about 1 km between each other) during a 15-month monitoring campaign. The soluble and insoluble fraction of 33 elements in PM10 was analysed through a chemical fractionation procedure that increased the selectivity of the elements as source tracers. Total carcinogenic risk (CR) and non-carcinogenic risk (NCR) for adults and children due to concentrations of PTTEs in PM10 were calculated and quantitative source-specific risk apportionment was carried out by applying Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) to the spatially-resolved concentrations of the chemically fractionated elements. PMF analysis identified 5 factors: steel plant, biomass burning, brake dust, soil dust and road dust. Steel plant showed the greatest risk contribution. Total CR and NCR, and source-specific risk contributions at the 23 sites were interpolated using the ordinary kriging (OK) method and mapped to geo-reference the health risks of the identified sources in the whole study area. This also allowed risk estimation in areas not directly measured and the assessment of the risk contribution of individual sources at each point of the study area. This innovative experimental approach is an effective tool to localize the health risks of spatially disaggregated sources of PTTEs and it may allow for better planning of control strategies and mitigation measures to reduce airborne pollutant concentrations in urban settings polluted by multiple sources.

Biomonitoring of element contamination in bees and beehive products in the Rome province (Italy).

In this study, we determined the levels of elements (i.e. As, Be, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, U, and Zn) in bees and edible beehive products (honey, wax, pollen, and propolis) sampled from five selected sites in the Rome province (Italy). RATIONALE: to increase the information variety endowment, the monitoring breakdown structure (MBS) conceptual model was used (nine elements, 429 samples, and approximately thirteen thousand determinations over a 1-year survey). Thus, we employed Johnson's probabilistic method to build the control charts. Then, we measured the element concentration overlap ranges and the overlap bioaccumulation index (OBI). Subsequently, we evaluated the estimated daily intake (EDI) of the analysed elements and matched them with acceptable reference doses. The human health risk caused by the intake of individual elements found in edible beehive products and their risk summation were evaluated through the target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) methods. FINDINGS: excluding honey, this study confirms the capacity of wax, pollen, propolis, and bees to accumulate high levels of toxic and potentially toxic elements from the surrounding environment (with high OBI-U, i.e. OBI-Upper values, i.e. the common upper concentration limit of the overlap concentration range). Bees and pollen showed a high bioaccumulation Cd surplus (OBI-U = 44.0 and 22.3, respectively). On the contrary, honey had high OBI-L values (i.e. honey concentrates metals several times less than the common lower concentration limit of the overlap concentration range). This finding implies that honey is useless as an environmental indicator compared with the other biomonitor/indicators. The EDI values for the edible beehive products were lower than the health and safety reference doses for all the considered elements. Our data show that honey, wax, propolis, and pollen are safe for consumption by both adults and children (THQ < 1; HI < 1), even considering the sporadic possibility of consuming them simultaneously. ORIGINALITY: This study has been conducted for the first time in the Rome province and demonstrates that edible indicators are safe for consumption for the considered elements in bees and edible beehive products. Depending on the ecosystem/pollutants studied, the OBI consents to make a correct choice for environmental biomonitoring studies and to focus the attention on the most sensitive biomonitors/indicators when required at the project level.

Biomonitoring of Exposure to Urban Pollutants and Oxidative Stress during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Rome Residents.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of traffic on human health comparing biomonitoring data measured during the COVID-19 lockdown, when restrictions led to a 40% reduction in airborne benzene in Rome and a 36% reduction in road traffic, to the same parameters measured in 2021. METHODS: Biomonitoring was performed on 49 volunteers, determining the urinary metabolites of the most abundant traffic pollutants, such as benzene and PAHs, and oxidative stress biomarkers by HPLC/MS-MS, 28 elements by ICP/MS and metabolic phenotypes by NMR. RESULTS: Means of s-phenylmercaputric acid (SPMA), metabolites of naphthalene and nitropyrene in 2020 are 20% lower than in 2021, while 1-OH-pyrene was 30% lower. A reduction of 40% for 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo) and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) and 60% for 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua) were found in 2020 compared to 2021. The concentrations of B, Co, Cu and Sb in 2021 are significantly higher than in the 2020. NMR untargeted metabolomic analysis identified 35 urinary metabolites. Results show in 2021 a decrease in succinic acid, a product of the Krebs cycle promoting inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: Urban pollution due to traffic is partly responsible for oxidative stress of nucleic acids, but other factors also have a role, enhancing the importance of communication about a healthy lifestyle in the prevention of cancer diseases.

Multielement Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Italian Extra-Virgin Olive Oils.

Food product safety and quality are closely related to the elemental composition of food. This study combined multielement analysis and chemometric tools to characterize 237 extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) samples from 15 regions of Italy, and to verify the possibility of discriminating them according to different quality factors, such as varietal or geographical origin or whether they were organically or traditionally produced. Some elements have antioxidant properties, while others are toxic to humans or can promote oxidative degradation of EVOO samples. In particular, the antioxidant activity of oils' hydrophilic fraction was estimated and the concentrations of 45 elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). At first, univariate and multivariate analyses of variance were used to compare the element concentrations, and statistically significant differences were found among samples from different regions. Successively, discriminant classification approaches were used to build a model for EVOO authentication, considering, in turn, various possible categorizations. The results have indicated that chemometric methods coupled with ICP-MS have the potential to discriminate and characterize the different types of EVOO, and to provide "typical" elemental fingerprints of the various categories of samples.

Determination of 40 Elements in Powdered Infant Formulas and Related Risk Assessment.

The aim of the study was to analyze all powdered infant formulas authorized and commercialized in Italy at the time of the study to measure the concentrations of 40 elements, and to estimate the infants' intake of some toxic heavy metals for assessing possible related health risks. For this purpose, an optimized multi-element method was used through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Be, B, Al, Zr, Nb, Sb, Te, W, V, Cr and As concentrations were

Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Urine of Metal Carpentry Workers Can Be Diagnostic for Occupational Exposure to Low Level of Welding Fumes from Associated Metals.

Urinary concentrations of 16 different exposure biomarkers to metals were determined at the beginning and at the end of a working shift on a group of workers in the metal carpentry industry. Five different oxidative stress biomarkers were also measured, such as the oxidation products of RNA and DNA metabolized and excreted in the urine. The results of workers exposed to metals were compared to those of a control group. The metal concentrations found in these workers were well below the occupational exposure limit values and exceeded the mean concentrations of the same metals in the urine of the control group by a factor of four at maximum. Barium (Ba), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and strontium (Sr) were correlated with the RNA oxidative stress biomarker, 8-oxo-7, 8-dihydroguanosine (8-oxoGuo), which was found able to discriminate exposed workers from controls with a high level of specificity and sensitivity. The power of this early diagnostic technique was assessed by means of the ROC curve. Ba, rubidium (Rb), Sr, tellurium (Te), and vanadium (V) were correlated with the level of the protein oxidation biomarker 3-Nitrotyrosine (3-NO2Tyr), and Ba, beryllium (Be), copper (Cu), and Rb with 5-methylcytidine (5-MeCyt), an epigenetic marker of RNA damage. These effect biomarkers can help in identifying those workers that can be defined as "occupationally exposed" even at low exposure levels, and they can provide information about the impact that such doses have on their health.