Giuseppe Rausa

Biological monitoring of workers exposed to styrene and acetone

SummaryTwenty-two workers exposed to styrene and acetone in two fiberglass industries were monitored on Monday and Thursday for 8 hours using passive dosimeters. Urine samples were collected at the end of the workshift and before the start of the work on the next morning (Tuesday and Friday). The charcoal disks of the passive dosimeters were analysed by gas-chromatography. Mandelic acid (MA) and phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA) were measured using a HPLC method; values were expressed in mg/g of creatinine. The 8-h TWA exposure values for styrene and acetone ranged respectively from 22 to 522 mg/m 3 and 40-1581 mg/m on Monday; 25–423 mg/m3 and 55–579 mg/m3 on Thursday. Styrene TWA exposure values significantly correlate with the sum of metabolites at the end of workday (r = 0.70 on Monday and r = 0.95 on Thursday) and also at the next morning (r = 0.86 on Tuesday and r = 0.85 on Friday). A styrene exposure level of 213 mg/m3 (ACGIH-TLV) was associated with an excretion of metabolites (MA+PGA) higher on Thursday (803 mg/g Great) than on Monday (570 mg/g creat). The same result was found on Friday (459 mg/g creat) compared with Tuesday (305 mg/g creat). Moreover our data show that the simultaneous exposure to acetone does not modify the excretion of MA. In conclusion the TLV of styrene is associated with different values of metabolites at the beginning and at the end of the work-week.

Environmental and Biological Monitoring of Exposure to Toluene, Styrene, and n-Hexane

Abstract Eighty-four workers exposed to toluene (printing industry), styrene (fiberglass industries), n-hexane, and other solvents (shoe industry) were monitored with a total of 248 sequential samples. Sampling times varied between a minimum of 2 hours and a maximum of 3.5 hours. Highly significant correlations were found between exposure levels to solvents (as daily time-weighted averages) and concentrations of the respective urinary metabolites (hippuric acid, mandelic acid, phenylglyoxylic acid 2,5-hexanedione), confirming that these metabolities are good indices for routine monitoring of subjects occupationally exposed to the above solvents. In view of their results, the authors believe that monitoring individual exposure with personal sequential samples covering the whole workshift can be viewed as the procedure which provides the best information (exact estimate of time-weighted average and evaluation of variable exposures during the workday) for improved understanding of the relations between envir...

Family resemblance in blood pressure measurements

The correlation for diastolic and systolic blood pressure was studied in two samples of quartets each consisting of two pairs. The first sample comprised pairs of sisters and their husbands, and the second sample was comprised of brothers and their wives. All siblings were between 30 and 55 years of age and had been married for at least 5 years. It was found that unrelated men married to sisters had a significant correlation in both diastolic (r = 0.28) and systolic (r = 0.41) pressure. For systolic blood pressure, the correlation between pairs of unrelated men married to sisters was significantly larger than the homologous correlation existing in pairs of brothers married to unrelated women. The correlations of systolic and diastolic pressure in sisters were significantly smaller than the same correlations measured in the wives of brothers. The correlations in height for men, used as an internal control to compare marital and genetic effects, were unaffected by marriage, as expected. The correlations in height for pairs of sisters, however, were no larger than those observed in pairs of unrelated women married to brothers. It was concluded that in adult married men and women of the Ferrara population, aged 30 to 55 years, the influence of genetic factors on blood pressure is less important than the influence of cultural factors.

Mortality for Tracheal, Bronchial and Lung Cancer: Possibilities and Limits in Data Quality-Control

Linkage of various archives (municipal, hospital, autopsy) has enabled the authors to reconstruct the flow of information regarding death due to tracheal, bronchial or lung cancer (TBL ca) for the population residing within the Municipality of Ferrara during the period 1983–1985. The authors subsequently attempted to verify the cause of death by performing quality controls on clinical charts, radiologic findings, cytohistologic examinations and autopsy findings. Analysis of the data obtained in this manner suggests that municipal records are more « accurate » than are hospital records. The authors likewise indicate the usefulness and importance of the autopsy for a correct diagnosis of cause of death.