Occupational asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer: updated systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The association between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer has been questioned given the possible misdiagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma as ovarian cancer. AIMS: To update a systematic review on ovarian cancer risk in women occupationally exposed to asbestos, exploring the association with the time since first exposure and the duration of exposure. METHODS: We searched PubMed from 2008 onwards, screened previous systematic reviews, combined standardized mortality ratios (SMR) using random effect models and quantified heterogeneity using the I2 statistic. To assess tumour misclassification, we compared the distribution of observed excess ovarian cancers (OEOC) to that expected (EEOC) from the distribution of peritoneal cancers in strata of latency and exposure duration. RESULTS: Eighteen publications (20 populations), including a pooled analysis of 21 cohorts, were included. The pooled SMR was 1.79 (95% confidence interval 1.38-2.31), with moderate heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 42%), based on 144 ovarian cancer deaths/cases. The risk was increased for women with indirect indicators of higher exposure, longer duration and latency, and lower for chrysotile than for crocidolite exposure. The effect of duration and latency could not be completely disentangled, since no multivariate analysis was available for time-related variables. The dissimilarity index between OEOC and EEOC for the time since first exposure was small suggesting a similar pattern of risk. CONCLUSIONS: While some misclassification between ovarian and peritoneal cancers cannot be excluded, the observed excess risk of ovarian cancer should be added to the overall disease burden of asbestos.

Temporal variation of size-fractionated particulate matter and carbon monoxide in selected microenvironments of the Milan urban area.

This article focuses on air pollution in specific urban microenvironments and conditions characterized by high relative concentration levels and by possible risk to human health. For this reason, monitoring of particle number concentration (PNC) with a wide, size-resolved particle-size range, and CO (an indicator of combustion sources, e.g., traffic), was performed in a variety of microenvironments. Concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs), size-fractionated particulate matter (PM), and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured in the central area of Milan over three-week-long periods, one each during summer, autumn, and winter, with three monitoring sessions per day. Experimental data were collected continuously during each monitoring period along an established urban pathway. To assess the relevance of time and spatial factors affecting atmospheric concentrations of UFPs, PM, and CO data were collected while walking or moving by different private and public means of transport. Measurements were divided on the basis of different microenvironments (MEs), seasons, days of the week, and periods of the day. Data analysis shows statistically significant differences across MEs and monitoring periods. The highest measured median concentrations and data variability were observed for busy streets, walking or moving by motorized vehicle (CO, UFP) and in metro trains (PM); the lowest concentrations were observed in park areas and in indoor environments. The highest concentrations were measured during working day morning monitoring sessions. Regarding seasonal variation, UFP, PM, and CO showed different patterns: the highest median concentrations were observed in summer for CO, and in autumn and winter for the UFP and PM. Appreciable differences among all MEs and monitoring periods were observed: concentration patterns and variations appear related to typical sources of urban pollutants (traffic), proximity to sources, and time of day. [Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene for the following free supplemental resource: a file containing Table VI: Tau b (Kendall) index for non-parametric correlation tau test.].

[Environmental and biological monitoring in the plating industry]. / Monitoraggio ambientale e biologico nell'industria galvanica.

The work environment in the electroplating industry is characterized by a large amount of chemical substances used in the production process. The present work is a brief review of the time evolution of methods and strategies for the assessment of exposures to chromium and nickel by means of environmental and biological monitoring.

Airborne particulate matter and gaseous air pollutants in residential structures in Lodi province, Italy.

UNLABELLED: The province of Lodi is located in northern Italy on the Po River plain, where high background levels of air pollutants are prevalent. Lodi province is characterized by intensive agriculture, notably animal husbandry. This paper assesses indoor levels of selected airborne pollutants in 60 homes in the province, with special attention to size-fractionated particulate matter (PM). Indoor PM2.5 concentrations are frequently higher than current guidelines. PM10 and nitrogen dioxide also exceed the respective guideline recommendations in some cases, noting that 24-h nitrogen dioxide levels were compared with an annual limit value. All other studied pollutant levels are below current international guidelines. Among indoor PM size fractions, PM0.5 is predominant in terms of mass concentrations corresponding to 57% of PM10 in summer and 71% in winter. A strong seasonal trend is observed for all studied pollutants, with higher levels in winter corresponding to changes in ambient concentrations. The seasonal variation in PM10 is largely due to PM0.5 increase from summer to winter. Summer indoor PM levels are mainly from indoor-generated particles, while particles of outdoor origin represent the main contribution to winter indoor PM levels. On average, indoor concentrations of coarse PM are mostly constituted by indoor-generated particles. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This study presents a comparison between measured indoor concentrations in the study area and indoor air quality guideline criteria. Accordingly, particulate matter (PM) and NO2 are identified as key pollutants that may pose health concerns. It is also found that indoor PM in residential units is mainly constituted by particles with aerodynamic diameters <0.5 µm, especially in winter. Risk mitigation strategies should be focused on the reduction in indoor levels of NO2 and ultrafine and fine particles, both infiltrated from outdoors and generated by indoor sources.

[Improvement of a sedimentation method for measuring dispersion of fibres from asbestos cement roofs]. / Il metodo deposimetrico per la misura della dispersione di fibre di asbesto dalle coperture in cemento amianto: revisione e perfezionamento.

BACKGROUND: The present article is a follow-up of previous research, in which a sedimentation method was proposed to measure the dispersion of fibre bundles (primary pollution) from asbestos-cement roofs. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to improve and standardize a screening method to evaluate asbestos bundle release from asbestos-containing materials. METHODS: An appropriate instrument (deposimetro) was used to passively sample asbestos on microscope slides by direct sedimentation. The microscopic analysis of samples was improved by the dispersion staining method, combined with the calculation of weight concentrations of asbestos per surface and time unit. The sampling efficiency was improved by introducing a new adhesive treatment of the microscope slides (85% stearyl alcohol, 15% octyldodecan) and a size cut-off restricting the counting method only to fibre bundles with diameters larger than 2 pm. RESULTS: The optimal sampling time was defined as 25-30 days without rain, extending the sampling time established in the previous investigation, and the optimal instrument position was defined at distances of 50 cm (vertical) and 0 cm (horizontal) from the roof edge. The effect of wind direction and velocity on asbestos release was also assessed, showing that wind gusts with a velocity of more than 10 m/s are mostly associated with dispersion peaks. CONCLUSIONS: A simple algorithm was proposed on the basis of field data (n=32) and 5 hazard classes were defined as a function of weight concentrations and asbestos type. The passive sampler is low in cost and is intended for use in large-scale surveys to identifY removal priorities.

[Plastic industry and exposure to carcinogenic chemical agents: an Italian Multicentric Study in Lombardy]. / Stampaggio della plastica ed agenti chimici cancerogeni: l'esperienza dello studio PPTP-Plastica.

The potential carcinogenic risk at the workplaces is a primary interest of occupational health, but some questions are also controversially discussed. Particularly, in the plastic forming industry a great attention was directed to the hot processing and their possible exposure to monomers, some of which were classified as carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and/or the European Union (EU). In Lombardy, a study on occupational exposure to chemical carcinogens in the plastic forming industry was planned during last years. The aim was to recognize and promote preventive technical and medical solutions, basing on efficacy. By an investigation at workplace supported with standardized questionnaires, the presence of chemical carcinogens was registered in 59% of a representative sample of firms; but an effective possibility of exposure was found only for 34% of cases. The evaluation of exposure to monomers by air monitoring (acrylonitrile, 1,3-butadiene, styrene, formaldehyde), involving a representative sample of factory with ABS and formaldehydic resins processing, showed low level exposure, because the common hygienic prevention measures were applied; some particular occupation shoved greater exposure to formaldehyde.

[Indoor air quality: suggestions for risk assessment and medical surveillance]. / Qualità dell'aria degli ambienti confinati non industriali: indicazioni per la valutazione del rischio e la sorveglianza sanitaria.

This paper presents indications for investigations and health surveillance in indoor environments. The study of the indoor air quality consists of the following phases: acquisition of the necessary information about the indoor environment; sampling strategy and techniques; qualitative and quantitative analysis of contaminants such as particulate, CO2 and CO, NOx, volatile organic compounds, biological agents. The proposed health surveillance is articulated on four lines: periodical health surveillance, when already performed for other risks (e.g. VDT); specific clinical examinations in occasion of particular events; use of a questionnaire for the evaluation of comfort of the workers; health promotion. A team approach, with cooperation between technical and medical experts, is recommended both for periodical risk assessment and when it is necessary to solve specific indoor problems.