Airborne LTA Nanozeolites Characterization during the Manufacturing Process and External Sources Interaction with the Workplace Background.

Engineered nanoscale amorphous silica nanomaterials are widespread and used in many industrial sectors. Currently, some types of silicon-based nanozeolites (NZs) have been synthesized, showing potential advantages compared to the analogous micro-forms; otherwise, few studies are yet available regarding their potential toxicity. In this respect, the aim of the present work is to investigate the potential exposure to airborne Linde Type A (LTA) NZs on which toxicological effects have been already assessed. Moreover, the contributions to the background related to the main emission sources coming from the outdoor environment (i.e., vehicular traffic and anthropogenic activities) were investigated as possible confounding factors. For this purpose, an LTA NZ production line in an industrial factory has been studied, according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines on multi-metric approach to investigate airborne nanoparticles at the workplace. The main emission sources of nanoparticulate matter within the working environment have been identified by real-time measurements (particle number concentration, size distribution, average diameter, and lung-deposited surface area). Events due to LTA NZ spillage in the air during the cleaning phases have been chemically and morphologically characterized by ICP-MS and SEM analysis, respectively.

Workers' Exposure to Nano-Objects with Different Dimensionalities in R&D Laboratories: Measurement Strategy and Field Studies.

With the increasing interest in the potential benefits of nanotechnologies, concern is still growing that they may present emerging risks for workers. Various strategies have been developed to assess the exposure to nano-objects and their agglomerates and aggregates (NOAA) in the workplace, integrating different aerosol measurement instruments and taking into account multiple parameters that may influence NOAA toxicity. The present study proposes a multi-metric approach for measuring and sampling NOAA in the workplace, applied to three case studies in laboratories each dedicated to materials with different shapes and dimensionalities: graphene, nanowires, and nanoparticles. The study is part of a larger project with the aim of improving risk management tools in nanomaterials research laboratories. The harmonized methodology proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has been applied, including information gathering about materials and processes, measurements with easy-to-use and hand-held real-time devices, air sampling with personal samplers, and off-line analysis using scanning electron microscopy. Significant values beyond which an emission can be attributed to the NOAA production process were identified by comparison of the particle number concentration (PNC) time series and the corresponding background levels in the three laboratories. We explored the relations between background PNC and microclimatic parameters. Morphological and elemental analysis of sampled filters was done to identify possible emission sources of NOAA during the production processes: rare particles, spherical, with average diameter similar to the produced NOAA were identified in the nanoparticles laboratory, so further investigation is recommended to confirm the potential for worker exposure. In conclusion, the information obtained should provide a valuable basis for improving risk management strategies in the laboratory at work.

[Outlook and problems of microbiological sampling in public catering establishments in light of the new European regulations]. / Ristorazione collettiva e controlli microbiologici: problematiche e prospettive alla luce delle nuova normativa europea.

Modern society is structured in such a way that more food is eaten outside the home and therefore the hygienic standards of food production and organoleptic characteristics of foods provided by catering establishments is of increasing importance. In order to obtain a complete view of the hygienic standards of the food production cycle, however, it is not sufficient to show that pathogenic microroganisms are absent, but it is also useful to measure the number of microroganisms which do not constitute a hazard to health but whose presence may alter the quality of food products or be an index of inadequate hygienic practices. Microbiological testing plays a fundamental role in the evaluation of the quality of a food product and according to the Codex Alimentarius, limits should be set based on absolute criteria, according to legislation requirements or on relative criteria based on contamination trends over time within the production process The new European food hygiene regulations CE 852/04 e 2073/05 promote a more advanced and correct view of microbiological controls, with respect to pre-existing national legislation, placing emphasis also on the production process of foodstuffs and not only on the final product. In addition, controls are explicitly considered as a tool to verify that food business operators comply with hygiene requirements. The aim of evaluating microbiological data should be to assess trends in the various analytical parameters and search for possible contamination indicators, in order to perform a thorough analysis based on inspections that evaluate the efficacy of food safety procedures put in place by food business operators, with sampling aimed at verifying quick simple and low cost index parameters Regarding the interpretation of collected data it should be underscored that the presence of a large variability points to presence of inadequate hygiene procedures, considering that the main obligation of each food business operator is to put in place, implement and maintain procedures based on the HACCP principles.