Illicit drugs seizures in 2013-2018 and characteristics of the illicit market within the Neapolitan area.

The study presents results of toxicological analysis performed on seized material in Neapolitan area in the period from 2013 to 2018. A constancy in THC and heroin percentages is evidenced (%THC ~10% and ~11.5% for marijuana and hashish; heroine: 20-24%), with mean values exceeding the European data. Data on cocaine revealed a constant increment of active principle percentage over the studied period (from 40% in 2013 to ~65% in 2018), with peak of 70% in 2017; also, number of samples exceeding the mean value increased over years. Active principles contents resulted higher than the ones reported in other Italian area ever the same period; marijuana was prevalent on hashish, confirming an Italian trend different from other European countries. A map of the Campania region evidenced two main "storage" districts, one corresponding to the city center and the second located in the northern part. If compared with literature data on the presence of local mafia, these areas are perfectly superimposable to those with the highest risk of homicides, thus confirming the degree of radicalization of local organizations and the relative weight of proceeds from drugs sale. Moreover, such radicalization within the territory seems to be the main reason of the absence of new psychoactive substances among the seized material.

Application of a chemiluminescence immunoassay system and GC/MS for toxicological investigations on skeletonized human remains.

Hair, larvae and cardiac muscle, the only biological samples present on a skeletonized human body found in a rural area, were used for forensic toxicological analyses in order to determine possible causes of death. Since no information about the victim or the circumstances of death was available (except for the place where the corpse was found, known to be a gathering place for drug addicts), the first approach for the analysis of non-conventional matrices involved the screening of different classes of active principles, using a chemiluminescence-based screening assay designed for whole blood. The immunoassay test results showed positivity to amphetamines, cocaine and opiates on water/methanol extract from cardiac tissue, larvae and hair samples. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analyses confirmed the immunoassay results, except for amphetamines. The minimal sample preparation (hydration and extraction in an ultrasonic bath), the reduced sample volume required for the analyses, together with the correctness of results as confirmed by GC/MS, showed the suitability of the screening test for forensic applications on non-conventional matrices. Quantitative analyses in GC/MS allowed the cause of death to be ascertained on the basis of the ratio between parent drugs and metabolites.

Evaluation by environmental monitoring of pesticide absorption in farm workers of 18 Italian tomato cultivations.

Tomato cultivation farms of Southern Italy were investigated in order to evaluate the general working conditions and the levels of exposure of farm workers to pesticides, during the mixing/loading and the application of pesticides on fields. Information on working modalities, personal protective equipment, etc. was collected using a questionnaire. Inhaling and cutaneous exposure levels were measured, and the estimated pesticide total absorbed dose was compared with Admissible Daily Intakes (ADIs). Field treatments were mainly carried out by using sprayers with open cab tractors, and, in 57.9 percent of cases, the pesticide mixture was manually prepared by mixing pesticides in a pail, often without using gloves (59.5 percent). The estimated pesticides absorbed doses varied in the range 0.56-2630.31 mg (mean value, 46.9 mg), and 20 percent of the measured absorbed doses exceeded ADIs. The findings obtained in the 18 examined farms show a worrying situation, suggesting the investigation of many more farms, so that a statistically significant picture of tomato cultivations in Southern Italy could be formed. Besides, the planning of training courses aimed to increase workers consciousness about health risks and how they can be prevented is advisable.

[Production cycles and risk agents]. / I cicli produttivi e di relativi fattori di rischio.

Agricultural working contexts are characterized by numerous and heterogeneous working activities, leading to a noteworthy variety of risks for workers' healthcare. Safety and health risks vary according to each specific working activity, following seasonal cycles and productive process's phases. In particular, here the attention has been focused on the main risks factors present in large farms for fruit crops production, greenhouses and silos. Preventive measures for risks management are indicated in relation to each working activity step. Together with injury risks, essentially due to work equipment and machinery, unfavourable microclimatic conditions and hazards related to the manual handling of loads are often present, as well as chemical and biological risk agents adopted during the sterilization, disinfection and fertilization of grounds, plants and storage places. The reported findings highlight the necessity of increasing the risk consciousness of agricultural operators in order to facilitate the adoption of indispensable preventive and protective measures.

[Algorithm validation for pesticide exposure risk evaluation by environmental monitoring data]. / Validazione di un algoritmo per la valutazione dei rischi da esposizione a pesticidi mediante dati di monitoraggio ambientale.

The risk evaluation related to the occupational exposure to hazardous substances can be performed either by analytical data coming from environmental and/or biological monitoring or by using models and mathematical algorithms. Models are often considered economically more advantageous, nevertheless, in order to assure their reliability, they need to be validated by objective monitoring data. A predictive model for the evaluation of risks due to the exposure to pesticides in agriculture was elaborated, and, for model validations, 20 tomato farms were examined. For each farm, information necessary to the risk evaluation by using the elaborated algorithm were collected and, simultaneously, an environmental monitoring for the evaluation of inhaling and cutaneous exposure was carried out. The potential risk was estimated by comparing analytical data from environmental monitoring with respect to ADI (Admissible Daily Intake) values, for each investigated pesticide. Then, the accordance between the potential risk and the risk given by the elaborated model was evaluated and an agreement of 85.6% was found, showing a substantial reliability of the proposed model.

[Risk evaluation of contact with pesticides in Naples municipality gardeners]. / Programma di valutazione del rischio da contatto con antiparassitari nei giardinieri del comune di Napoli.

Pesticide use still now is a remarkable risk for all cultivation operators, including farmers and flower-growing workers. Recently, pesticides use on ornamental plant has been demonstrated to be able to determine a risk extension to general population. Aim of the project was to elaborate and to apply a method for pesticides risk evaluation in ornamental plant cultivations, as to define workers exposure and its possible diffusion to not occupationally exposed populations. Main features of method will be sampling and analysis approach. The first will estimate air dispersion of pesticides in garden centre, skin and garment smarminess in nurserymen and leaf adhered amounts, in concomitance with treatment and periodically to estimate natural decay. The latter will characterize pesticides by means of different methods (liquid and gaseous chromatography, spectrophotometry and spectrometry). Final aim will also be to identify the most reliable analytic method, as concerns accuracy, sensitivity and specificity.

Mono- and diiodocyclophosphamide as possible internal standards for cyclophosphamide quantification: characterization by ion trap multi-stage mass spectrometry and effects of iodine-chlorine substitution on the fragmentation pattern.

Hospital personnel involved in antineoplastic drug preparation and administration to patients are exposed to large amounts of these drugs. Labour legislation indicates the necessity of planning monitoring strategies aimed at prevention and/or reduction of drug exposure. Monitoring strategies consist of quantitative determinations of indicators, present in environmental and biological matrices. Among the antineoplastic drugs widely used, cyclophosphamide (CP) has been identified as a suitable indicator of potential exposure to mixtures of antineoplastic drugs. Many literature methods for quantitative analysis of CP involve either liquid (LC) or gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectrometry (MS), both of which require use of a suitable internal standard. The present work focuses on the synthesis of mono- and diiodocyclophosphamide (CPI and CPI(2)) to be used as internal standard. These compounds were analyzed by GC/EI-MS/MS and LC/ESI-MS(n) using ion trap mass spectrometry. The product ion mass spectra are interpreted in terms of proposed structures of fragment ions. Iodine-chlorine substitution resulted in a weakening of the carbon-halogen bond with a noteworthy influence on the ion fragmentation processes. The proposed suitability of CPI and CPI(2) as internal standards was based on similarities to CP as regards ionization and fragmentation processes. The results obtained suggest that CPI could be used as internal standard for CP quantification by LC/ESI-MS/MS, and CPI(2) for GC/EI-MS/MS analyses.