Increased oxidative stress in shoe industry workers with low-level exposure to a mixture of volatile organic compounds.

This study aimed to assess the redox status and trace metal levels in 49 shoe industry workers (11 men and 38 women) occupationally exposed to a mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which includes aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, esters, ethers, and carboxylic acids. All measured VOCs were below the permitted occupational exposure limits. The control group included 50 unexposed participants (25 men and 25 women). The following plasma parameters were analysed: superoxide anion (O2 •-), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), total oxidative status (TOS), prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB), oxidative stress index (OSI), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and paraoxonase-1 (PON1) enzyme activity, total SH group content (SHG), and total antioxidant status (TAS). Trace metal levels (copper, zinc, iron, magnesium, and manganese) were analysed in whole blood. All oxidative stress and antioxidative defence parameters were higher in the exposed workers than controls, except for PON1 activity. Higher Fe, Mg, and Zn, and lower Cu were observed in the exposed vs control men, while the exposed women had higher Fe and lower Mg, Zn, and Cu than their controls. Our findings confirm that combined exposure to a mixture of VOCs, even at permitted levels, may result in additive or synergistic adverse health effects and related disorders. This raises concern about current risk assessments, which mainly rely on the effects of individual chemicals, and calls for risk assessment approaches that can explain combined exposure to multiple chemicals.

Single and mixed effects of multiple volatile organic compounds exposure on hematological parameters in the U.S. adult population.

BACKGROUND: Most research exploring the correlation between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hematological parameters have focused on single VOCs. Our study aimed to explore the single and combined effects of VOCs on hematological parameters through three statistical models. METHODS: Data from 4 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used in this study. The correlations between single exposure to 16 VOCs and hematological parameters in the general population were assessed by weighted multiple linear regression. Weighted quantile sum (WQS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were used to explore the relationship between the combined important VOCs selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and hematological parameters, as well as the effects of smoking status on them. RESULTS: A total of 4089 adults were included in the study. We found that a variety of VOCs were significantly associated with hematological parameters. Among them, N-acetyl-S-(benzyl)-l-cysteine (BMA) was significantly negatively correlated with white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts. N-acetyl-S-(3-hydroxypropyl-1-methyl)-l-cysteine (HPMMA) was significantly positively correlated with WBC, monocyte, lymphocyte, and neutrophil counts. In the WQS analysis, the WQS index of the VOCs mixtures was positively correlated with WBC (ß: 0.031; P < 0.001), monocyte (0.023; P = 0.021), and neutrophil (0.040; P = 0.001) counts, while negatively associated with RBC (-0.013; P < 0.001) counts. The BKMR model revealed that combined exposure to VOCs levels ≥70th percentile was significantly associated with lower RBC counts, and BMA was identified as the dominant contributor. Smoking significantly influenced the relationship between VOCs and hematological parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicated the effects of single and overall VOCs exposure on hematological parameters and suggested the hematotoxicity as well as pro-inflammatory effects of VOCs, which had strong public health implications for reducing the potential health hazards of VOCs exposure to the hematologic system.

Association between volatile organic compounds and serum neurofilament light chain in US adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the associations between exposure to blood volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the level of serum neurofilament light chain (NfL) in adults. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), including 2008 participants aged 20 to 75 years old. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between 28 VOCs and NfL after adjusting for multiple potential confounders. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to examine the potential non-linear associations. RESULTS: The linear regression models showed that higher levels of 2,5-dimethylfuran (ß = 0.042, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.001, 0.096), ethyl acetate (ß = 0.118, 95 % CI = 0.008, 0.304), and m-/p-xylene (ß = 0.043, 95%CI = 0.012, 0.074) were associated with higher NfL levels. These estimates were largely consistent after adjusting for multiple confounders. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study suggest a potential association between certain volatile organic compounds (2,5-dimethylfuran, ethyl acetate, and m-/p-xylene) and blood NfL levels, implying that they may have a role in revealing neurodegeneration and influencing neurological health.

Volatile organic compounds: A threat to the environment and health hazards to living organisms - A review.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are the organic compounds having a minimum vapor pressure of 0.13 kPa at standard temperature and pressure (293 K, 101 kPa). Being used as a solvent for organic and inorganic compounds, they have a wide range of applications. Most of the VOCs are non-biodegradable and very easily become component of the environment and deplete its purity. It also deteriorates the water quality index of the water bodies, impairs the physiology of living beings, enters the food chain by bio-magnification and degrades, decomposes and manipulates the physiology of living organisms. To unveil the adverse impacts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and their rapid eruption and interference in the living world, a review has been designed. This review presents an insight into the currently available VOCs, their sources, applications, sampling methods, analytic procedures, imposition on the health of aquatic and terrestrial communities and their contamination of the environment. Elaboration has been done on representation of toxicological effects of VOCs on vertebrates, invertebrates, and birds. Subsequently, the role of environmental agencies in the protection of environment has also been illustrated.

Screening and Evaluation of Children's Sensitively Toxic Chemicals in New Mosquito Repellent Products Based on a Nationwide Investigation.

New mosquito repellent products (NMRPs) are emerging popular repellents among children. There are increasing reports on children's sensitization reactions caused by NMRPs, while regulations on their productions, sales, or usage are still lacking. One of the reasons could be the missing comprehensive risk assessment. We first conducted a nationwide investigation on children's NMRP usage preferences. Then, we high-throughput screened volatile or semivolatile organic chemicals (VOCs/SVOCs) in five representative NMRPs by the headspace gas chromatography-orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry analytical method. After that, toxic compounds were recognized based on the toxicity forecaster (ToxCast) database. A total of 277 VOCs/SVOCs were recognized, and 70 of them were identified as toxic compounds. In a combination of concentrations, toxicities, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion characteristics in the body, 28 chemicals were finally proposed as priority-controlled compounds in NMRPs. Exposure risks of recognized toxic chemicals through NMRPs by inhalation and dermal intake for children across the country were also assessed. Average daily intakes were in the range of 0.20-7.31 mg/kg/day for children in different provinces, and the children in southeastern coastal provinces were found to face higher exposure risks. By controlling the high-priority chemicals, the risks were expected to be reduced by about 46.8% on average. Results of this study are therefore believed to evaluate exposure risks, encourage safe production, and promote reasonable management of NMRPs.

Exposure to volatile organic compounds induces cardiovascular toxicity that may involve DNA methylation.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are common air pollutants and water contaminants. We previously found maternal exposure to VOCs was associated with offspring congenital heart disease (CHD). However, little information is available about the effects of VOCs on cardiovascular development at embryonic stage and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of a mixture of six VOCs on cardiovascular development in zebrafish embryos. Embryos were exposed to different concentrations of VOCs mixture (32 mg/L, 64 mg/L and 128 mg/L) for 96 h, cardiovascular abnormalities including elongated heart shape, increased distance between sinus venosus and bulbus arteriosus, slowed circulation and altered heart rate were observed in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Meanwhile, VOCs exposure increased global DNA methylation levels in embryos. Analysis identified hundreds of differentially methylated sites and the enrichment of differentially methylated sites on cardiovascular development. Two differentially methylated-associated genes involved in MAPK pathway, hgfa and ntrk1, were identified to be the potential genes mediating the effects of VOCs. By enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, altered human serum hgf and ntrk1 levels were detected in abnormal pregnancies exposed to higher VOCs levels with fetal CHD. For the first time, our study revealed exposure to VOCs induced severe cardiovascular abnormalities in zebrafish embryos. The toxicity might result from alterations in DNA methylation and corresponding expression levels of genes involved in MAPK pathway. Our study provides important information for the risk of VOCs exposure on embryonic cardiovascular development.

Ozone exposure induces metabolic stress and olfactory memory disturbance in honey bees.

Human activities, urbanization, and industrialization contribute to pollution that affects climate and air quality. A main atmospheric pollutant, the tropospheric ozone (O3), can damage living organisms by generating oxidative radicals, causing respiratory problems in humans and reducing yields and growth in plants. Exposure to high concentrations of O3 can result in oxidative stress in plants and animals, eventually leading to substantial ecological consequences. Plants produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted in the environment and detected by pollinators (mainly by their antennae), foraging for nutritious resources. Several pollinators, including honey bees, recognize and discriminate flowers through olfactory cues and memory. Exposure to different concentrations of O3 was shown to alter the emission of floral VOCs by plants as well as their lifetime in the atmosphere, potentially impacting plant-pollinator interactions. In this report, we assessed the impacts of exposure to field-realistic concentrations of O3 on honey bees' antennal response to floral VOCs, on their olfactory recall and discriminative capacity and on their antioxidant responses. Antennal activity is altered depending on VOCs structure and O3 concentrations. During the behavioral tests, we first check consistency between olfactory learning rates and memory scores after 15 min. Then bees exposed to 120 and 200 ppb of ozone do not exert specific recall responses with rewarded VOCs 90 min after learning, compared to controls whose specific recall responses were consistent between time points. We also report for the first time in honey bees how the superoxide dismutase enzyme, an antioxidant defense against oxidative stress, saw its enzymatic activity rate decreases after exposure to 80 ppb of ozone. This work tends to demonstrate how hurtful can be the impact of air pollutants upon pollinators themselves and how this type of pollution needs to be addressed in future studies aiming at characterizing plant-insect interactions more accurately.

Non-target screening of volatile organic compounds in spray-type consumer products and their potential health risks.

Widespread use of spray-type consumer products can raise significant concerns regarding their effects on indoor air quality and human health. In this study, we conducted non-target screening using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to analyze VOCs in 48 different spray-type consumer products. Using this approach, we tentatively identified a total of 254 VOCs from the spray-type products. Notably, more VOCs were detected in propellant-type products which are mostly solvent-based than in trigger-type ones which are mostly water-based. The VOCs identified encompass various chemical classes including alkanes, cycloalkanes, monoterpenoids, carboxylic acid derivatives, and carbonyl compounds, some of which arouse concerns due to their potential health effects. Alkanes and cycloalkanes are frequently detected in propellant-type products, whereas perfumed monoterpenoids are ubiquitous across all product categories. Among the identified VOCs, 12 compounds were classified into high-risk groups according to detection frequency and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio, and their concentrations were confirmed using reference standards. Among the identified VOCs, D-limonene was the most frequently detected compound (freq. 21/48), with the highest concentration of 1.80 mg/g. The risk assessment was performed to evaluate the potential health risks associated with exposure to these VOCs. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks associated with the assessed VOC compounds were relatively low. However, it is important not to overlook the risk faced by occupational exposure to these VOCs, and the risk from simultaneous exposure to various VOCs contained in the products. This study serves as a valuable resource for the identification of unknown compounds in the consumer products, facilitating the evaluation of potential health risks to consumers.

Adult-Onset Transcriptomic Effects of Developmental Exposure to Benzene in Zebrafish (Danio rerio): Evaluating a Volatile Organic Compound of Concern.

Urban environments are afflicted by mixtures of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOC sources that drive human exposure include vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and oil spillage. The highly volatile VOC benzene has been linked to adverse health outcomes. However, few studies have focused on the later-in-life effects of low-level benzene exposure during the susceptible window of early development. Transcriptomic responses during embryogenesis have potential long-term consequences at levels equal to or lower than 1 ppm, therefore justifying the analysis of adult zebrafish that were exposed during early development. Previously, we identified transcriptomic alteration following controlled VOC exposures to 0.1 or 1 ppm benzene during the first five days of embryogenesis using a zebrafish model. In this study, we evaluated the adult-onset transcriptomic responses to this low-level benzene embryogenesis exposure (n = 20/treatment). We identified key genes, including col1a2 and evi5b, that were differentially expressed in adult zebrafish in both concentrations. Some DEGs overlapped at the larval and adult stages, specifically nfkbiaa, mecr, and reep1. The observed transcriptomic results suggest dose- and sex-dependent changes, with the highest impact of benzene exposure to be on cancer outcomes, endocrine system disorders, reproductive success, neurodevelopment, neurological disease, and associated pathways. Due to molecular pathways being highly conserved between zebrafish and mammals, developmentally exposed adult zebrafish transcriptomics is an important endpoint for providing insight into the long term-effects of VOCs on human health and disease.

Assessing volatile organic compounds exposure and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in US adults.

Background: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a large group of chemicals widely used in People's Daily life. There is increasing evidence of the cumulative toxicity of VOCs. However, the association between VOCs and the risk of COPD has not been reported. Objective: We comprehensively evaluated the association between VOCs and COPD. Methods: Our study included a total of 1,477 subjects from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, including VOCs, COPD, and other variables in the average US population. Multiple regression models and smooth-curve fitting (penalty splines) were constructed to examine potential associations, and stratified analyses were used to identify high-risk groups. Results: We found a positive association between blood benzene and blood o-xylene concentrations and COPD risk and identified a concentration relationship between the two. That is, when the blood benzene and O-xylene concentrations reached 0.28 ng/mL and 0.08 ng/mL, respectively, the risk of COPD was the highest. In addition, we found that gender, age, and MET influence the relationship, especially in women, young people, and people with low MET. Significance: This study revealed that blood benzene and blood o-xylene were independently and positively correlated with COPD risk, suggesting that long-term exposure to benzene and O-xylene may cause pulmonary diseases, and providing a new standard of related blood VOCs concentration for the prevention of COPD.

Exposure to volatile organic compounds is a risk factor for diabetes: A cross-sectional study.

Currently, more studies showed that environmental chemicals were associated with the development of diabetes. However, the effect of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on diabetes remained uncertain and needed to be studied. This cross-sectional study examined whether exposure to low levels of VOCs was associated with diabetes, insulin resistance (TyG index) and glucose-related indicators (FPG,HbA1c, insulin) in the general population by using the NHANES dataset (2013-2014 and 2015-2016). We analyzed the association between urinary VOC metabolism (mVOCs) and these indicators in 1409 adults by multiple linear regression models or logistic regression models, further Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models were performed for mixture exposure analysis. The results showed positive associations between multiple mVOCs and diabetes, TyG index, FPG, HbA1c and insulin, respectively. Among them, HPMMA concentration in urine was significantly positively correlated with diabetes and related indicators (TyG index, FPG and HbA1c), and the concentration of CEMA was significantly positively correlated with insulin. The positive association of mVOCs with diabetes and its related indicators was more significant in the female group and in the 40-59 years group. Thus, our study suggested that exposure to VOCs affected insulin resistance and glucose homeostasis, further affecting diabetes levels, which had important public health implications.

Volatile organic compounds and metals/metalloids exposure in children after e-waste control: Implications for priority control pollutants and exposure mitigation measures.

The decade-long effort to control e-waste in China has made significant progress from haphazard disposal to organized recycling, but environmental research suggests that exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and metals/metalloids (MeTs) still poses plausible health risks. To investigate the exposure risk faced by children and identify corresponding priority control chemicals, we evaluated the carcinogenic risk (CR), non-CR, and oxidative DNA damage risks of VOCs and MeTs exposure in 673 children from an e-waste recycling area (ER) by measuring urinary exposure biomarker levels. The ER children were generally exposed to high levels of VOCs and MeTs. We observed distinctive VOCs exposure profiles in ER children. In particular, the 1,2-dichloroethane/ethylbenzene ratio and 1,2-dichloroethane were promising diagnostic indexes for identifying e-waste pollution due to their high accuracy (91.4%) in predicting e-waste exposure. Exposure to acrolein, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, 1,2-dichloroethane, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, arsenic, vanadium, copper, and lead posed considerable CR or/and non-CR and oxidative DNA damage risks to children, while changing personal lifestyles, especially enhancing daily physical exercise, may facilitate mitigating these chemical exposure risks. These findings highlight that the exposure risk of some VOCs and MeTs is still non-negligible in regulated ER, and these hazardous chemicals should be controlled as priorities.

Plant secondary metabolites as potential bioinsecticides? Study of the effects of plant-derived volatile organic compounds on the reproduction and behaviour of the pest beetle Tenebrio molitor.

Modern agriculture has many environmental consequences, such as soil contamination, accumulation of toxic compounds in the environment or risk of adverse effects on nontarget organisms and for these reasons, scientists are seeking a more environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic insecticides. This study investigated the effects of four plant secondary metabolites classified as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which have potential as bioinsecticides, (E)-2-decenal, furfural, 2-undecanone and (E,E)-2-4-decadienal, in concentrations 10-5 and 10-7 M, on female reproductive processes and larval hatchability of the Tenebrio molitor beetle. Our study indicates proper development of ovaries after application of compounds however the volume of terminal oocytes was significantly reduced, with the strongest effect of (E)- 2-decenal which reduced the volume approximately three times. The relative vitellogenin expression level was reduced, with the strongest effect observed after application of furfural, (E,E)- 2-4-decadienal and (E)- 2-decenal in concentration 10-7 M, at the same time patency index was significantly reduced up to 2-times after application of furfural at 10-7 M. What is more important morphological changes translated into physiological ones. The number of laid eggs was affected, with the strongest inhibition after application of furfural (∼43% reduction), (E,E)- 2-4-decadienal (∼33%) and (E)- 2-decenal at concentration 10-7 M (∼33%). Moreover, we observed up to 13% (in case of 2-undecanone) decrease in larval hatchability. Tested compounds exhibited a repellent effect and caused 60% reduction of insect survivability after (E)- 2-decenal at concentration 10-5 M. Altogether, VOCs seems like potential bioactive compounds in plant protection.

Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds Is Associated with Hypertension in Black Adults: The Jackson Heart Study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of hypertension is higher among Black adults than among White and Hispanic adults. Nevertheless, reasons underlying the higher rates of hypertension in the Black population remain unclear but may relate to exposure to environmental chemicals such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). METHODS: We evaluated the associations of blood pressure (BP) and hypertension with VOC exposure in non-smokers and smokers in a subgroup of the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), consisting of 778 never smokers and 416 age- and sex-matched current smokers. We measured urinary metabolites of 17 VOCs by mass spectrometry. RESULTS: After adjusting for covariates, we found that amoong non-smokers, metabolites of acrolein and crotonaldehyde were associated with a 1.6 mm Hg (95%CI: 0.4, 2.7; p = 0.007) and a 0.8 mm Hg (95%CI: 0.01, 1.6; p = 0.049) higher systolic BP, and the styrene metabolite was associated with a 0.4 mm Hg (95%CI: 0.09, 0.8, p = 0.02) higher diastolic BP. Current smokers had 2.8 mm Hg (95% CI 0.5, 5.1) higher systolic BP. They were at higher risk of hypertension (relative risk = 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1, 1.4), and had higher urinary levels of several VOC metabolites. Individuals who smoke had higher levels of the urinary metabolites of acrolein, 1,3-butadiene, and crotonaldehyde and were associated with higher systolic BP. The associations were stronger among participants who were <60 years of age and male. Using Bayesian kernel machine regression to assess the effects of multiple VOC exposures, we found that the relationship between VOCs and hypertension among non-smokers was driven primarily by acrolein and styrene in non-smokers, and crotonaldehyde in smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension in Black individuals may be attributed, in part, to VOC exposure from the environment or tobacco smoke.

Environmental and human health impacts of volatile organic compounds: A perspective review.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are synthetic chemicals that are broadly used in the production of numerous day-to-day products for residential and commercial-based applications. VOCs are naturally occurring in the environment; however, average annual emissions of man-made volatile organic compounds may have increased dramatically in recent decades. Although many factors were attributed to influencing volatile compounds' emission, only mankind's activities are mainly proclaimed. Since vehicle and industrial pollution are mounting for years and years, urban areas are highly prone to the impacts of VOCs. Generally, volatile compounds are highly spontaneous and readily react with the particles of ambiance and produce a polluted atmosphere through several physical and chemical reactions. Though the volatile compounds play an indispensable role in the manufacture and maintaining the stability of many products, the health impacts associated with their prolonged exposure are gaining attention as recent research reports underline the influence of a wide range of diseases and disorders. Likewise, since the modern way of life applies a lot of day-to-day chemicals, it is imperative to spread a wide knowledge and safety aspects about these chemicals so that people of a wide category can implement preventive measures according to their exposure and living style. In this context, the review article attempts to shed light on past and current updates concerning the relationship between VOCs exposure and environmental and human health impacts.

Exposure to Crude Oil-Related Volatile Organic Compounds Associated with Lung Function Decline in a Longitudinal Panel of Children.

BACKGROUND: Children in the affected area were exposed to large amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the Hebei Spirit oil spill accident. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the lung function loss from the exposure to VOCs in a longitudinal panel of 224 children 1, 3, and 5 years after the VOC exposure event. METHODS: Atmospheric estimated concentration of total VOCs (TVOCs), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene for 4 days immediately after the accident were calculated for each village (n = 83) using a modeling technique. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) as an indicator of airway status was measured 1, 3, and 5 years after the exposure in 224 children 4~9 years of age at the exposure to the oil spill. Multiple linear regression and linear mixed models were used to evaluate the associations, with adjustment for smoking and second-hand smoke at home. RESULTS: Among the TVOCs (geometric mean: 1319.5 mg/m3·4 d), xylene (9.4), toluene (8.5), ethylbenzene (5.2), and benzene (2.0) were dominant in the order of air concentration level. In 224 children, percent predicted FEV1 (ppFEV1), adjusted for smoking and second-hand smoke at home, was 100.7% after 1 year, 96.2% after 3 years, and 94.6% after 5 years, and the loss over the period was significant (p < 0.0001). After 1 and 3 years, TVOCs, xylene, toluene, and ethylbenzene were significantly associated with ppFEV1. After 5 years, the associations were not significant. Throughout the 5 years' repeated measurements in the panel, TVOCs, xylene, toluene, and ethylbenzene were significantly associated with ppFEV1. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to VOCs from the oil spill resulted in lung function loss among children, which remained significant up to 5 years after the exposure.

A wide range of toxic VOCs measured by dual-sorbent passive sampling with validation by field online measurements.

This study modified a passive sampling technique similar to the US EPA Method 325 A/B method but extended to include more toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under varied climate conditions to enhance field applicability. A mixing chamber was built to determine uptake rates (Us) for the target compounds. It was found that the Us of 27 air toxics previously reported in the literature agreed reasonably well with our findings within 18%, thus proving the chamber's integrity. To broaden the compound coverage, both Carbopack X and Carboxen 569 were studied for a suite of toxic VOCs to meet stringent quality control (QC) criteria of correlation coefficients (R-square), method detection limits (MDL), back diffusion (BD), storage stability, as well as a wide range of climate conditions in temperature and humidity. After excluding the species that failed to pass any of the QC criteria, Carbopack X was found to fit 50 air toxics, whereas Carboxen 569 held 37. After excluding the overlapped species, 61 toxic VOCs can be determined with robust Us for a broad range of climate conditions when the two sorbents are used in pairs. A one-week field measurement was conducted to compare with the online thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) with hourly data resolution. The field passive sampling showed comparable results to the means of the online hourly measurements, despite the high variability of selected target compounds, such as toluene from 0.3 ppbv as the 5th percentile to the maximum of about 80 ppbv. Passive sampling clearly demonstrated the ability to smooth out concentration variability and thus the time-averaging strength of toxic VOCs, revealing its ideal role as an exposure monitor over time. The passive sampling method can be more desired than active sampling or online methods when the aim is simply the knowledge of prolonged time-averaged concentrations.

Molecular Alterations and Severe Abnormalities in Spermatozoa of Young Men Living in the "Valley of Sacco River" (Latium, Italy): A Preliminary Study.

The Valley of Sacco River (VSR) (Latium, Italy) is an area with large-scale industrial chemical production that has led over time to significant contamination of soil and groundwater with various industrial pollutants, such as organic pesticides, dioxins, organic solvents, heavy metals, and particularly, volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In the present study, we investigated the potential impact of VOCs on the spermatozoa of healthy young males living in the VSR, given the prevalent presence of several VOCs in the semen of these individuals. To accomplish this, spermiograms were conducted followed by molecular analyses to assess the content of sperm nuclear basic proteins (SNBPs) in addition to the protamine-histone ratio and DNA binding of these proteins. We found drastic alterations in the spermatozoa of these young males living in the VSR. Alterations were seen in sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm count, and protamine/histone ratios, and included significant reductions in SNBP-DNA binding capacity. Our results provide preliminary indications of a possible correlation between the observed alterations and the presence of specific VOCs.

Development of an Integrated Platform to Assess the Physicochemical and Toxicological Properties of Wood Combustion Particulate Matter.

Wood burning contributes to indoor and ambient particulate matter (PM) pollution and has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Here, we present an integrated methodology that allows to generate, sample, and characterize wood smoke derived from different moisture contents and representative combustion conditions using pine wood as a model. Flaming, smoldering, and incomplete combustion were assessed for low-moisture pine, whereas both low-moisture pine and high-moisture pine were investigated under flaming conditions. Real-time monitoring of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and aerosol number concentration/size in wood smoke was performed. The PM was size-fractionated, sampled, and characterized for elemental/organic carbon, organic functional groups, and inorganic elements. Bioactivity of PM was assessed by measuring the sterile alpha motif (SAM) pointed domain containing ETS (E-twenty-six) transcription factor (SPDEF) gene promoter activity in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293T) cells, a biomarker for mucin gene expression. Findings showed that moisture content and combustion condition significantly affected the organic and inorganic elemental composition of PM0.1 as well as its bioactivity. Also, for a given moisture and combustion scenario, PM chemistry and bioactivity differed considerably with PM size. Importantly, PM0.1 from flaming combustion of low-moisture pine contained the highest abundance of the oxygenated saturated aliphatic functional group [H-C-O] and was also biologically most potent in stimulating SPDEF promoter activity, suggesting the role of organic compounds such as carbohydrates and sugar alcohols (that contain [H-C-O]) in driving mucus-related respiratory outcomes. Our platform enables further well-controlled parametric studies using a combination of in vitro and in vivo approaches to link wood burning parameters with acute and chronic inhalation health effects of wood smoke.

Automated crude oil vapor inhalation exposure system.

Objective: Inhalation exposure systems are tools for delivering compounds (particles, vapors, and gases) under well-controlled conditions for toxicological testing. The objective of this project was to develop an automated computer-controlled system to expose small laboratory animals to precise concentrations of crude oil vapor (COV).Materials and Methods: Vapor from heated Deepwater Horizon surrogate oil was atomized into a fine mist then diluted with filtered air, then the air/droplet mixture was routed into an evaporation column with an high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter on its exit port. The HEPA filter was used to remove oil particles, thus ensuring only vapor would pass. The vapor was then introduced into a custom-built exposure chamber housing rats. A calibrated flame ionization detector was used to read the total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) in real time, and custom software was developed to automatically adjust the amount of oil entering the atomizer with a syringe pump. The software also controlled relative humidity and pressure inside the exposure chamber. Other exposure chamber environmental parameters, e.g. temperature and CO2 levels, were monitored. Four specific components within the COV were monitored during each exposure: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes.Results: The TVOC vapor concentration control algorithm maintained median concentrations to within ±2 ppm of the target concentration (300 ppm) of TVOC during exposures lasting 6 h. The system could reach 90% of the desired target in less than 15 min, and repeat exposures were consistent and reproducible.Conclusion: This exposure system provided a highly automated tool for conducting COV inhalation toxicology studies.