Determination of crystalline silica in respirable dust upon occupational exposure for Egyptian workers.

Crystalline free silica is considered as a lung carcinogen and the occupational exposure to its dust is a health hazard to workers employed in industries that involve ores of mineral dust. In Egypt, thousands of people work under conditions of silica dust exposure exceeding the occupational exposure limit, as a result the monitoring of this occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust is required by government legislation. The assessment of the later is a multi-phase process, depend on workplace measurements, quantitative analyses of samples, and comparison of results with the permissible limits. This study aims to investigate occupational exposure to crystalline silica dust at 22 factories in Egypt with different industrial activities like stone cutting, glass making, ceramic, and sand blasting. Dust samples were collected from work sites at the breathing zone using a personal sampling pump and a size-selective cyclone and analyzed using FTIR. The sampling period was 60-120 min. The results show that the exposure at each of the industrial sectors is very much higher than the current national and international limits, and that lead to a great risk of lung cancer and mortality to workers.

Microplate assay for screening the antibacterial activity of Schiff bases derived from substituted benzopyran-4-one.

Schiff bases (SB(1)-SB(3)) were synthesized from the condensation of 6-formyl-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-2-methylbenzopyran-4-one with 2-aminopyridine (SB(1)), p-phenylenediamine (SB(2)) and o-phenylenediamine (SB(3)), while Schiff bases (SB(4)-SB(6)) were synthesized by condensation of 5,7-dihydroxy-6-formyl-2-methylbenzopyran-4-one with 2-aminopyridine (SB(4)), p-phenylenediamine (SB(5)) and o-phenylenediamine (SB(6)). Schiff bases were characterized using elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and mass spectroscopy. These compounds were screened for antibacterial activities by micro-plate assay technique. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus capitis were exposed to different concentrations of the Schiff bases. Results showed that the antibacterial effect of these Schiff bases on Gram-negative bacteria were higher than that on Gram-positive bacteria moreover, the Schiff bases containing substituent OCH(3) on position five have higher antibacterial activity than that containing hydroxy group on the same position.

Synthesis, spectral, thermal and magnetic studies of Mn(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with some benzopyran-4-one Schiff bases.

The Schiff bases of N(2)O(2) dibasic ligands, H(2)La and H(2)Lb are prepared by the condensation of ethylenediamine (a) and trimethylenediamine (b) with 6-formyl-7-hydroxy-5-methoxy-2-methylbenzopyran-4-one. Also tetra basic ligands, H(4)La and H(4)Lb are prepared by the condensation of aliphatic amines (a) and (b) with 6-formyl-5,7-dihydroxy-2-methylbenzopyran-4-one. New complexes of H(4)La and H(4)Lb with metal ions Mn(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) are synthesized, in addition Mn(II) complexes with ligands H(2)La and H(2)Lb are also synthesized. Elemental and thermal analyses, infrared, ultraviolet-visible as well as conductivity and magnetic susceptibility measurements are used to elucidate the structure of the newly prepared metal complexes. The structures of copper(II) complexes are also assigned based upon ESR spectra study. All the complexes separated with the stoichiometric ratio (1:1) (M:L) except Mn-H(4)La and Mn-H(4)Lb with (2:1) (M:L) molar ratio. In metal chelates of the type 1:1 (M:L), the Schiff bases behave as a dinegative N(2)O(2) tetradentate ligands. Moreover in 2:1 (M:L) complexes, the Schiff base molecules act as mono negative bidentate ligand and binuclear complex is then formed. The Schiff bases were assayed by the disc diffusion method for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The antifungal activity of the Schiff bases was also evaluated against the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans.