Chantal Dion

Effects of inhaled nano-TiO2 aerosols showing two distinct agglomeration states on rat lungs

Nano-aerosols composed of large agglomerates (LA) (>100nm) are more likely to promote pulmonary clearance via macrophages phagocytosis. Small agglomerates (SA) (<100nm) seem to escape this first defense mechanism and are more likely to interact directly with biological material. These different mechanisms can influence pulmonary toxicity. This hypothesis was evaluated by comparing the relative pulmonary toxicity induced by aerosolized nano-TiO(2) showing two different agglomeration states: SA (<100nm) and LA (>100nm) at mass concentrations of 2 or 7mg/m(3). Groups of Fisher 344 male rats were nose-only exposed for 6h. The median number aerodynamic diameters were 30 and 185nm at 2mg/m(3), and 31 and 194nm at 7mg/m(3). We found in rats bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) a significant 2.1-fold increase in the number of neutrophils (p<0.05) in the group exposed to the 7mg/m(3) LA nano-aerosol suggesting a mild inflammatory response. Rats exposed to the 7mg/m(3) SA nano-aerosol showed a 1.8-fold increase in LDH activity and 8-isoprostane concentration in BALF, providing evidence for cytotoxic and oxidative stress effects. Our results indicate that biological responses to nanoparticles (NP) might depend on the dimension and concentration of NP agglomerates.

Silica Exposure During Construction Activities: Statistical Modeling of Task-Based Measurements from the Literature

Many construction activities can put workers at risk of breathing silica containing dusts, and there is an important body of literature documenting exposure levels using a task-based strategy. In this study, statistical modeling was used to analyze a data set containing 1466 task-based, personal respirable crystalline silica (RCS) measurements gathered from 46 sources to estimate exposure levels during construction tasks and the effects of determinants of exposure. Monte-Carlo simulation was used to recreate individual exposures from summary parameters, and the statistical modeling involved multimodel inference with Tobit models containing combinations of the following exposure variables: sampling year, sampling duration, construction sector, project type, workspace, ventilation, and controls. Exposure levels by task were predicted based on the median reported duration by activity, the year 1998, absence of source control methods, and an equal distribution of the other determinants of exposure. The model containing all the variables explained 60% of the variability and was identified as the best approximating model. Of the 27 tasks contained in the data set, abrasive blasting, masonry chipping, scabbling concrete, tuck pointing, and tunnel boring had estimated geometric means above 0.1mg m(-3) based on the exposure scenario developed. Water-fed tools and local exhaust ventilation were associated with a reduction of 71 and 69% in exposure levels compared with no controls, respectively. The predictive model developed can be used to estimate RCS concentrations for many construction activities in a wide range of circumstances.

Characterization of Airborne Dust from Two Nonferrous Foundries by Physico-chemical Methods and Multivariate Statistical Analyses

Airborne particulate matter was sampled at a copper smelter and at an aluminum casting plant. Size, shape, quantity, and microlocalization of chemical species in the particulates were measured using closed cassettes, cascade impactors, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, infrared and atomic absorption spectrophotometries, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and photoelectron spectroscopy. Cluster and principal components analyses were used in interpreting results. Aerosol chemistry varies as a function of size, and composition becomes more complex as the aerosol size drops into the respirable fraction and lower. Surface chemical properties are evidenced where, generally, volatile species are enriched. A few site-specific elements and characteristics were identified. The formation of particulates may often be related to process and practices, yet the actual distribution of species in the air remains an intricate matter.

Pulmonary Retention of of Ceramic Fibers in Silicon Carbide (SiC) Workers

The fibrous inorganic content of post-mortem lung material obtained from 15 men who worked in the primary silicon carbide (SiC) industry was evaluated. Five men had neither lung fibrosis nor lung cancer (NFNC), six had lung fibrosis (LF), and four had lung fibrosis and lung cancer (LFLC). The workers had 23 to 32 years of exposure. Mean duration of exposure was 23.4 (SD 6.9) years in the NFNC group, 28.8 (SD 5.5) in the LF, and 32.3 (SD 9.0) in the LFLC group. Concentrations of SiC ceramic fibers and other fibrous minerals and angular particles were determined by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The geometric mean and geometric standard deviation lung concentrations of SiC ceramic fibers < 5 microns were not statistically different for the three groups (Mann-Whitney, p > 0.1). Pulmonary retention of SiC fibers > or = 5 microns showed an excess in LF and LFLC cases combined versus NFNC that approached statistical significance (Mann-Whitney, p = 0.06). There was a somewhat greater difference for lung retention of ferruginous bodies between NFNC and either LF or LFLC cases (Mann-Whitney, p = 0.02). SiC fibers > or = 5 microns and angular particles containing Si and especially ferruginous bodies were found at higher concentrations in LF and LFLC than in NFNC cases.

Short, fine and WHO asbestos fibers in the lungs of quebec workers with an asbestos‐related disease

BACKGROUND The possible role of short asbestos fibers in the development of asbestos-related diseases and availability of lung fiber burden data prompted this study on the relationships between fiber characteristics and asbestos-related diseases among compensated workers. METHODS Data collected between 1988 and 2007 for compensation purposes were used; lung asbestos fibers content of 123 Quebec workers are described according to socio-demographic characteristics, job histories and diseases (asbestosis, mesothelioma, lung cancer). RESULTS Most workers (85%) presented chrysotile fibers in their lungs, and respectively 76%, 64%, and 43% had tremolite, amosite, and crocidolite. Half of the total fibers were short, 30% were thin fibers and 20% corresponded to the World Health Organization definition of fibers (length ≥ 5 μm, diameter ≥ 0.2 and <3 μm). Chrysotile fibers were still observed in the lungs of workers 30 years or more after last exposure. CONCLUSION Our findings stress the relevance of considering several dimensional criteria to characterize health risks associated with asbestos inhalation.

Generating Nano-Aerosols from TiO2 (5 nm) Nanoparticles Showing Different Agglomeration States. Application to Toxicological Studies

Agglomeration of nanoparticles (NP) is a key factor in the generation of aerosols from nano-powders and may represent an important parameter to consider in toxicological studies. For this reason, the characterization of NP aerosols (e.g., concentration, size, and structure of agglomerates) is a critical step in the determination of the relationship between exposure and effects. The aim of this study was to generate and characterize aerosols composed of TiO2 (5 nm) NP showing different agglomeration states. Two concentrations were tested: 2 and 7 mg/m3. Stable mass concentrations over 6 hr were successfully generated by a wet method using Collison and Delavan nebulizers that resulted in aerosols composed of smaller agglomerates (<100 nm), while aerosols composed of larger agglomerates (>100 nm) were obtained by dry generation techniques using either a Palas dust feeder or a Fluidized Bed. Particle size distributions in the aerosols were determined by an electrical low pressure impactor. Median number aerodynamic diameters corresponding to the aerosol with smaller and larger agglomerates were 30 and 185 nm, respectively, for the 2 mg/m3 concentration, and 31 and 194 nm for the 7 mg/m3 experiment. Image analysis by transmission electron microscopy showed the presence of compact or agglomerates with void spaces in the different nano-aerosols. These characterized nano-aerosols will be used in further experiments to study the influence of agglomerate size on NP toxicity.

Physical and Chemical Characterization of Beryllium Particles from Several Workplaces in Québec, Canada—Part B: Time-of-flight Secondary-ion Mass Spectroscopy

The problems associated with detecting and characterizing beryllium (Be) particles in industrial samples from Québec were addressed in the companion article (Rouleau et al., 2005). The present study is a continuation of the work aimed at redefining the current occupational exposure level for beryllium. The goals were to determine the principal chemical forms and the principal physical characteristics of Be particles sampled in four Québec industries. Bulk particle chemistry was determined using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS). Time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectroscopy (TOF-SIMS) was used to characterize particle surface chemistry and physical particle size. The dust samples collected had Be concentrations varying from 58 to 146 µg/g. Results showed that numerous fine Be particles or aggregates were evenly dispersed throughout the samples. Thus, Be does not appear to be concentrated in large particles. However, it was not possible to confirm if these fine particles were combined to specific compounds, chemically or physically, or independent Be particles. Most of the particles containing Be were fine, with diameters less than 10 µm, which is important from an occupational health and safety standpoint. TOF-SIMS should be considered as an appropriate technique for qualitative characterization of Be particles, and a valuable complement to the recognized quantitative methods ICP-MS and FAAS. Funding for this research was provided by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail.

Physical and Chemical Characterization of Beryllium Particles from Several Workplaces in Québec, Canada—Part A: Determining Methods for the Analysis of Low Levels of Beryllium

Chemical and physical characterizations of beryllium (Be) particles found in settled dust samples from four industries based in Québec were attempted using a variety of analytical methods. Bulk particle chemistry was determined using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS), and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), electron energy loss spectrometry (EELS), and Auger microscopy were used to characterize physicochemical properties of particles. These analyses were deemed important based on the hypotheses that (1) different chemical forms of Be do not present the same risks, and (2) different morphologies lead to different risks. Standards were used to prove the adequacy of XRD, EELS, and Auger microscopy prior to the analyses of industrial samples. However, low concentrations of Be in samples were a limiting factor for most methods; few detected Be in industrial samples. Only ICP-MS, GFAAS, and TOF-SIMS were able to detect Be in industrial samples analyzed in this study. Characterization of settled dust samples showed high number of Be particles, even for Be concentrations below 100 ppm. Furthermore, Be seems to be present as fine particles of Be metal, possibly mechanically agglomerated or aggregated to larger particles or compounds such as cryolite. Other major elements detected with INAA present in the samples were limited to Na, Al, Ca, and F. It was concluded that TOF-SIMS is a valid method for characterizing particles containing approximately 0.01% Be. Funding for this research was provided by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST).

Assessment of the Contribution of Electron Microscopy to Nanoparticle Characterization Sampled with Two Cascade Impactors

This study assessed the contribution of electron microscopy to the characterization of nanoparticles and compared the degree of variability in sizes observed within each stage when sampled by two cascade impactors: an Electrical Low Pressure Impactor (ELPI) and a Micro-Orifice Uniform Deposit Impactor (MOUDI). A TiO2 nanoparticle (5 nm) suspension was aerosolized in an inhalation chamber. Nanoparticles sampled by the impactors were collected on aluminum substrates or TEM carbon-coated copper grids using templates, specifically designed in our laboratories, for scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) analysis, respectively. Nanoparticles were characterized using both SEM and TEM. Three different types of diameters (inner, outer, and circular) were measured by image analysis based on count and volume, for each impactor stage. Electron microscopy, especially TEM, is well suited for the characterization of nanoparticles. The MOUDI, probably because of the rotation of its collection stages, which can minimize the resuspension of particles, gave more stable results and smaller geometric standard deviations per stage. Our data suggest that the best approach to estimate particle size by electron microscopy would rely on geometric means of measured circular diameters. Overall, the most reliable data were provided by the MOUDI and the TEM sampling technique on carbon-coated copper grids for this specific experiment. This study indicates interesting findings related to the assessment of impactors combined with electron microscopy for nanoparticle characterization. For future research, since cascade impactors are extensively used to characterize nano-aerosol exposure scenarios, high-performance field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) should also be considered.

Beryllium aerosol characteristics in the magnesium and aluminum transformation industry in Quebec: a comparison of four different sampling methodologies.

To examine the influence of the sampling method on beryllium (Be) exposure assessment, a study was conducted in foundries and smelters to contrast the performance of five different dust sampling devices. Six sampling surveys were conducted in four different settings, and both personal and fixed station samples were collected using the following sampling heads: IOM samplers (inhalable dust), 35-mm plastic cassettes (total dust), aluminum SKC cyclones (respirable dust), 8-stage Sierra cascade impactors, and 12-stage MOUDI impactors. In total, beryllium concentrations were determined for 66/68 inhalable dust samples, 62/62 total dust samples, 56/57 respirable dust samples, 54/64 8-stage Sierra samples, and 19/25 12-stage MOUDI samples. In the magnesium foundry and aluminum smelters, the concentrations obtained during specific tasks could exceed the actual permissible exposure limit of the province of Québec (0.15 μg/m 3 ) or of the ACGIH threshold limit value (TLV) (0.05 μg/m 3 ). The median of median dust concentration ratios computed from the sampling heads at the fixed station decreased as follows: IOM (1.00) > Sierra (0.76) > 37-mm cassette (0.61) > MOUDI (0.48) > respirable (0.12). The same trends were observed with the ratios of the median of median Be concentrations at the fixed station but with a larger scattering within sampling heads as follows: IOM (1.00) > Sierra (0.69) > 37-mm cassette (0.64) > MOUDI (0.54) > respirable (0.19). The median of median ratios of dust (IOM (1.00) > Sierra (0.56) > 37-mm cassette (0.35) > respirable (0.06)) and Be (IOM (1.00) > Sierra (0.66) > 37-mm cassette (0.48) > respirable (0.11)) in dust were lower, and there was less scattering for the 37-mm cassette and SKC cyclone used during breathing zone sampling than for the same sampling heads at the fixed station. Inhalable aerosol measurements should remain the tool for estimating the risk of exposure to beryllium in these settings until a clear dose response is established for these sampling heads.