Los acúfenos de Miguel Ángel y su relación con la toxicología / Miguel Ángel's tinnitus and its relation to toxicology

Resumen El Plomo ha tenido una estrecha relación con el mundo artístico pictórico a través de los pigmentos utilizados por los artistas durante milenios. El íntimo contacto con sustancias químicas potencialmente peligrosas para la salud, casi siempre sin medidas de higiene y seguridad laboral, ha desarrollado en muchos casos, enfermedades laborales en estos artistas, a veces sospechadas y en otros casos, más que confirmadas. En el presente trabajo se analiza la historia de vida laboral de Miguel Angel Buonarroti, de quien se tiene registro suficiente como para establecer un nexo causal con exposición laboral al Plomo.

Abstract Lead has shown a close relationship with the fine arts'world through the pigments used by artists for thousand of years. Close contact with potentially dangerous chemical substances for health, almost always without occupational hygiene and safety measures, has produced, in many cases, occupational illnesses in these artists, sometimes suspected and in other cases, more than confirmed. In the present work, the history of Miguel Angel Buonarroti's working life is analyzed, since there is sufficient record to establish a causal link with occupational exposure to Lead.

On Corporate Accountability: Lead, Asbestos, and Fossil Fuel Lawsuits.

This paper examines the use of lawsuits against three industries that were eventually found to be selling products damaging to human heath and the environment: lead paint, asbestos, and fossil fuels. These industries are similar in that some companies tried to hide or distort information showing their products were harmful. Common law claims were eventually filed to hold the corporations accountable and compensate the injured. This paper considers the important role the lawsuits played in helping establish some accountability for the industries while also noting the limitations of the lawsuits. It will be argued that the lawsuits helped create pressure for government regulation of the industries' products but were less successful at securing compensation for the injured. Thus, the common law claims strengthened and supported administrative regulation and the adoption of industry alternatives more than they provided a means of legal redress.

[Lead poisoning occurs among Danish workers].

Lead poisoning still occurs among Danish workers. The Danish Working Environment Authority guideline regulates working with lead, and in Denmark there is an occupational threshold blood lead concentration of 1.0 micromol/l. In this case daily window frame lead paint removal work and guideline neglect caused significant lead exposure. Three months work resulted in a peak blood lead concentration of 3.28 micromol/l and prolonged symptoms of mild to moderate lead poisoning. General practitioners must be aware of the continuous risk of lead poisoning and refer to an occupational and environmental department.

Primary prevention of lead poisoning in children: a cross-sectional study to evaluate state specific lead-based paint risk reduction laws in preventing lead poisoning in children.

BACKGROUND: Children younger than 72 months are most at risk of environmental exposure to lead from ingestion through normal mouthing behavior. Young children are more vulnerable to lead poisoning than adults because lead is absorbed more readily in a child's gastrointestinal tract. Our focus in this study was to determine the extent to which state mandated lead laws have helped decrease the number of new cases of elevated blood-lead levels (EBLL) in homes where an index case had been identified. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted to compare 682 residential addresses, identified between 2000 and 2009, in two states with and one state without laws to prevent childhood lead poisoning among children younger than 72 months, to determine whether the laws were effective in preventing subsequent cases of lead poisoning detected in residential addresses after the identification of an index case. In this study, childhood lead poisoning was defined as the blood lead level (BLL) that would have triggered an environmental investigation in the residence. The two states with lead laws, Massachusetts (MA) and Ohio (OH), had trigger levels of ≥25 µg/dL and ≥15 µg/dL respectively. In Mississippi (MS), the state without legislation, the trigger level was ≥15 µg/dL. RESULTS: The two states with lead laws, MA and OH, were 79% less likely than the one without legislation, MS, to have residential addresses with subsequent lead poisoning cases among children younger than 72 months, adjusted OR = 0.21, 95% CI (0.08-0.54). CONCLUSIONS: For the three states studied, the evidence suggests that lead laws such as those studied herein effectively reduced primary exposure to lead among young children living in residential addresses that may have had lead contaminants.

Exposure to household painting and floor treatments, and parental occupational paint exposure and risk of childhood brain tumors: results from an Australian case-control study.

PURPOSE: Childhood brain tumors (CBT) are the leading cause of cancer death in children, yet their etiology remains largely unknown. This study investigated whether household exposure to paints and floor treatments and parental occupational painting were associated with CBT risk in a population-based case-control study conducted between 2005 and 2010. METHODS: Cases were identified through all ten Australian pediatric oncology centers, and controls via nationwide random-digit dialing, frequency matched to cases on age, sex, and state of residence. Data were obtained from parents in mailed questionnaires and telephone interviews. Information on domestic painting and floor treatments, and parental occupational exposure to paint, in key periods relating to the index pregnancy and childhood was obtained for 306 cases and 950 controls. Data were analyzed using unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for frequency matching variables and potential confounders. RESULTS: Overall, we found little evidence that parental, fetal, or childhood exposure to home painting or floor treatments was associated with risk of CBT. There was, though, some evidence of a positive association between childhood exposure to indoor painting and risk of high-grade glioma [odds ratio (OR) 3.31, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.29, 8.52] based on very small numbers. The OR for the association between CBT and paternal occupational exposure to paint any time before the pregnancy was 1.32 (95 % CI 0.90, 1.92), which is consistent with the results of other studies. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, we found little evidence of associations between household exposure to paint and the risk of CBT in any of the time periods investigated.

Survival with 98% methemoglobin levels in a school-aged child during the "festival of colors".

Methemoglobin levels more than 70% have almost always been reported to have been fatal. The case of a 4-year-old boy who survived with methemoglobin levels of 98% is presented here. He was brought to the emergency department with complaints of vomiting, pain abdomen, and altered sensorium following accidental ingestion of paint thinner mixed with "Holi" colors. On examination, the child was in altered sensorium, cyanosed with saturations of 55%, who did not respond despite positive pressure ventilation with 100% oxygen. A possibility of toxic methemoglobinemia was considered and confirmed by finding of elevated methemoglobin levels of 98%. The child survived with definitive therapy with methylene blue and aggressive goal-directed approach.

Philadelphia's Lead Court is making a difference.

The Philadelphia Lead Court (PLC) was created as an innovative law enforcement strategy to compel property owners to comply with city health codes to remediate their properties of lead hazards, which had led to elevated blood lead levels and lead poisoning in resident children. This study presents a detailed account of and analyzes the opinions of fifteen key informants drawn from the Philadelphia health and law departments and judicial system that staff and run the PLC in response to a fifteen-question structured survey. Main themes reviewed include the effectiveness of the PLC as compared with precourt law enforcement strategies and within the context of a specialized court, the use of fines, the impact of grant funding for remediation work, the major advantages and disadvantages of the PLC, and suggested changes to improve court function, followed by key recommendations. The article concludes that our informants found that the PLC has been very effective and successful. This model could be replicated by other cities with similar health code enforcement challenges.

Are local laws the key to ending childhood lead poisoning?

Although lead paint was banned by federal law in 1978, it continues to poison children living in homes built before that time. The lifelong effects of childhood exposure to even small amounts of lead are well established by medical research. Federal and state laws have reduced rates of lead poisoning significantly in the past three decades. However, pockets of high rates of lead poisoning remain, primarily in low-income urban neighborhoods with older housing stock. Recently, several municipalities have passed local lead laws to reduce lead hazards in high-risk areas. There has been no systematic attempt to compare the design and effectiveness of these local policies. To address this gap, we conducted comparative case studies of eight innovative lead laws promulgated since 2000. The laws used a wide variety of legal structures and tools, although certain elements were common. The impact of the policies was intertwined with local housing, economic, and legal environments. While data do not yet exist to systematically evaluate the impact of these laws on lead poisoning rates, our analysis suggests that local laws hold great promise for reducing lead hazards in children's homes.

Parental occupational exposure to exhausts, solvents, glues and paints, and risk of childhood leukemia.

PURPOSE: It is unknown whether parental occupational exposure to chemicals before during and after pregnancy increases the risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in the offspring. Few studies on this topic have assessed maternal exposures. METHODS: In an Australian case-control study of ALL in children aged <15 years, parents were asked about tasks they undertook in each job using a set of job-specific modules (JSMs). An expert reviewed the likelihood of exposure to exhausts, solvents, glues, and paints. Exposure was examined in each job 2 years, 1 year and anytime before birth of the child, and up to 1 year after birth of child. RESULTS: Solvent exposure was similar for case and control mothers in all time periods. More case mothers had moderate/high exposure to exhausts than control mothers anytime before the birth of the child (p = 0.010). Exposure to moderate or substantial levels of exhausts by mothers (OR = 1.97 95% CI 0.99-3.90) or fathers (OR = 1.37 95% CI 1.01-1.86) before the birth increased the risk of ALL in their offspring. Exposure to paints, pigments, glues, and resins was similar in case and control parents. CONCLUSION: We found little evidence that parental occupational exposure to solvents, glues, and paints was associated with childhood ALL. There was some evidence ALL was associated with exhaust exposure.

Nanomaterials in humans: identification, characteristics, and potential damage.

Nanomaterials are increasingly being used for commercial purposes. However, concerns about the potential risks of exposure to humans have been raised. We previously reported unusual pulmonary disease and death in a group of patients with occupational exposure to spray paint. However, the nanoparticle and chemical composition of the exposure was not fully described. The present study aimed to isolate and identify the nanoparticles observed in the patients' biopsies and report the potential deleterious effects to human lungs using electron microscopy. Using electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray analysis, silica nanoparticles were identified and characterized mainly in macrophages, pulmonary microvessels, vascular endothelial cells, microlymphatic vessels, pleural effusions, and a few in alveolar epithelial cells and pulmonary interstitial tissue (with no microscale particles present). Notably, damage to alveolar epithelial cells, macrophages, vascular endothelial cells, and the blood-gas barrier was observed. Given the well-documented toxicity of microscale silica, it is possible that these silica nanoparticles may have contributed in part to the illness reported in these workers. Such a possibility supports the adoption of controls and prevention strategies to minimize inhalation of nanoparticles by workers, and it highlights the urgent need and the importance of the nanosafety study in humans.

Biological monitoring of blood naphthalene levels as a marker of occupational exposure to PAHs among auto-mechanics and spray painters in Rawalpindi.

BACKGROUND: Routine exposure to chemical contaminants in workplace is a cause for concern over potential health risks to workers. In Pakistan, reports on occupational exposure and related health risks are almost non-existent, which reflects the scarce availability of survey data and criteria for determining whether an unsafe exposure has occurred. The current study was designed to evaluate blood naphthalene (NAPH) levels as an indicator of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among automobile workshop mechanics (MCs) and car-spray painters (PNs). We further determined the relationship between blood NAPH levels and personal behavioural, job related parameters and various environmental factors that may further be associated with elevated risks of occupational exposures to PAHs. METHODS: Sixty blood samples (n = 20 for each group i.e. MC, PN and control group) were collected to compare their blood NAPH levels among exposed (MCs and PNs) and un-exposed (control) groups. Samples were analyzed using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Data regarding demographic aspects of the subjects and their socioeconomic features were collected using a questionnaire. Subjects were also asked to report environmental hygiene conditions of their occupational environment. RESULTS: We identified automobile work areas as potential sites for PAHs exposure, which was reflected by higher blood NAPH levels among MCs. Blood NAPH levels ranged from 53.7 to 1980.6 µgL(-1) and 54.1 to 892.9 µgL(-1) among MCs and PNs respectively. Comparison within each group showed that smoking enhanced exposure risks several fold and both active and passive smoking were among personal parameters that were significantly correlated with log-transformed blood NAPH levels. For exposed groups, work hours and work experience were job related parameters that showed strong associations with the increase in blood NAPH levels. Poor workplace hygiene and ventilation were recognized as most significant predictors related to differences among workplaces that may enhance the extent of exposure to chemical contaminants. CONCLUSIONS: It appeared that chemical exposure at the workplace may be influenced by multiple environmental factors, but poor workplace hygiene and duration of exposure (long work hours) were the most important factors. Smoking and negligence of workers regarding self protection were among some of the important personal behaviours than can be addressed with better training. There is also a need to improve workplaces hygiene and to rationalize work hours to minimize health risks. Since smoking was an important confounding factor that supplemented most of the actual occupational exposure, a study based on non-smoker subjects is needed to separate out the effects of smoking and other confounding factors that may obscure measurements of actual extent of occupational exposure.

Telomere length in myelodysplastic syndromes.

The relationship between telomere length (TL) and predisposition to myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) remains unclear. We compared peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) TL among cases of histologically confirmed MDS (n = 65) who were treatment-naive with no prior cancer history to age-matched controls (n = 63). Relative TL was measured in PBLs and saliva by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in CD15+ and CD19+ cells by flow cytometry-fluorescence in situ hybridization (flow-FISH). Human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (hTERT) mutations were assessed by PCR. After adjustment for age and sex, relative TLs were reduced in PBLs (p = 0.02), CD15+ (p = 0.01), CD19+ (p = 0.25), and saliva (p = 0.13) in MDS cases versus controls, although only the PBL and CD15+ results were statistically significant. Among MDS cases, CD15+ and CD19+ cell TLs were positively correlated (p = 0.03). PBL TL was reduced among those occupationally exposed to paints and pesticides, but was not associated with hTERT genotype. Future studies are needed to further investigate constitutional telomere attrition as a possible predisposing factor for MDS.

Genotoxic damage in auto body shop workers.

Some studies have shown increased DNA damage among car painters, but other professionals working in auto body and paint shops have not been extensively assessed. The aim of this study was to assess DNA damage in different types of auto body shop workers by measuring micronucleus (MN) levels in exfoliated buccal cells. The mean number of cells with MN per 2000 exfoliated buccal cells was analyzed in three groups of male workers: auto body repair technicians, painters, and office workers (control group). All participants answered a questionnaire inquiring about age, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, work practices, occupational exposure time, job activities, and use of protective equipment. The mean number of cells with MN was 3.50 ± 1.50 in auto body painters, 3.91 ± 2.10 in auto body repair technicians, and 0.80 ± 0.78 in office workers, with a significant difference between the control group and the two other groups (p = 0.0001). Age, occupational exposure time, use of protective masks, alcohol consumption, and smoking habit did not affect MN results. The findings indicate that technicians and painters working in auto body shops are at risk for genotoxic damage, while office workers seem to be protected.

The dark side of sniffing: paint colour affects intoxication experiences among adolescent inhalant users.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Inhalant abuse among adolescents is a significant health concern in many countries; however, limited research has explored whether the intoxication experience differs between commonly used inhalants. The aim of the present study was to examine how exposure to different types of paints (chrome vs. non-chrome) were experienced by adolescent users. DESIGN AND METHODS: Sixteen adolescent (aged 15-19 years) regular inhalant users completed a semistructured questionnaire enquiring about their inhalant use. Participants were divided into two groups based on paint colour preference [chrome paints (n = 10) and non-chrome paints (n = 6)] and were compared using appropriate statistical tests. RESULTS: Relative to non-chrome users, the chrome-using group were more likely to report deliberately inhaling to experience altered perceptions (such as visual and auditory hallucinations). In addition, a significantly greater proportion of chrome users reported that the perceptual alterations they experienced after sniffing paint differed between paint colours, with chrome colours being associated with more vivid hallucinations. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: While both chrome and non-chrome users reported a comparable level of pleasure from paint sniffing, chrome paint users were more likely to be motivated by the potential to hallucinate. Our findings suggest that the type of inhalant used is an important consideration that may have relevance to clinical treatment.

Evaluation of DNA damage in construction-site workers occupationally exposed to welding fumes and solvent-based paints in Turkey.

In this study, the comet assay was used to evaluate whether welding fume and solvent base paint exposure led to DNA damage in construction-site workers in Turkey. The workers (n = 52) were selected according to their exposure in the construction site and controls (n = 26) from the general population, with no history of occupational exposure. The alkaline comet assay, a standard method for assessing genotoxicity, has been applied in peripheral lymphocytes of all subjects. The mean percentages of DNA in tail (%DNA(T)) of each group were evaluated, including the comparisons between smokers in each different group and the duration of exposure. Significant increase in the mean %DNA(T) (p < 0.01) was observed in all exposed subjects (12.34 ± 2.05) when compared with controls (6.64 ± 1.43). Also %DNA(T) was significantly high (p < 0.01) in welders (13.59 ± 1.89) compared with painters (11.10 ± 1.35). There was a statistical meaningful difference in % DNA(T) between control and exposed smokers. Our findings indicate that exposure to welding fumes and paints induce genotoxic effect in peripheral lymphocytes, indicating a potential health risk for workers. Therefore, to ensure maximum occupational safety, biomonitoring is of great value for assessing the risk for construction workers.