Acute health effect

An acute exposure may occur, for example, when we are exposed to ammonia while using another cleaning agent. Acute exposure may have both immediate and delayed effects on the body. Nitrogen dioxide poisoning can be followed by signs of brain impairment (such as confusion, lack of coordination, and behavioral changes) days or weeks after recovery. 

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT A PRACTICAL APPROACH 

In addition, chemicals can have acute effects on the brain. When inhaled, solvent vapors enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body, particularly the nervous system. Most solvents have a narcotic effect. This means they affect the nervous system by causing dizziness, headaches, feelings of drunkenness, and tiredness. One result of these symptoms may be poor coordination, which can contribute to falls and other accidents on a worksite. Exposure to some solvents may increase the effects of alcoholic beverages. 

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Azaroff LS, Neas LM. 1999. Acute health effects associated with nonoccupational pesticide exposure in mral El Salvador. Environ Res A80 158-164. 

In terms of toxicity, NIOSH recommends that endosulfan be recognized as a Group 1 Pesticide (NIOSH 1992). Pesticides in Group 1 pose a significant risk of adverse acute health effects at low concentrations or carcinogenic, teratogenic, neurotoxic, or reproductive effects (NIOSH 1992). 

Haahtela T, Marttila 0, Vilkka V, et al. 1992. The South Karelia air pollution study Acute health effects of mlodorous sulfur air pollutants released by a pulp mill. Am J Public Health 82 603-605... 

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection uses the TXDS method of consequence analysis to estimate potentially catastrophic quantities of toxic substances, as required by the New Jersey Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act (TCPA). An acute toxic concentration (ATC) is defined as the concentration of a gas or vapor of a toxic substance that will result in acute health effects in the affected population and 1 fatality out of 20 or less (5% or more) during a 1-hr exposure. ATC values, as proposed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, are estimated for 103 extraordinarily hazardous substances and are based on the lowest value of one of the following (1) the lowest reported lethal concentration (LCLO) value for animal test data, (2) the median lethal concentration (LC50) value from animal test data multiplied by 0.1, or (3) the IDLH value. 

Acute Health effect that occurs over a short term brief and severe as opposed to chronic. 

Assessments of these new chemicals are made by teams of multidisciplined scientists, and are based on limited firm data, comparisons to similar chemicals and estimations of exposure to humans and the environment. Generally, these PMNs contain some information on acute health effects but relatively scant information on chronic health and environmental effects. 

The Office of Toxic Substances has assembled a team of multi-disciplined scientists to review each of these PMNs and assess the potential risks to human health and the environment posed by commercial manufacture and sale. These assessments are based upon limited firm data on the specific chemical, comparison with structurally similar chemicals of known toxicity, plus estimates of exposure from calculations of the potential number of people involved in manufacturing and processing operations and in consumer use. Most PMNs contain elementary data on physical and chemical properties and obvious acute health effect such as skin... 

The human body is equipped to deal with nominal levels of radiation doses. Background (natural) radiation from radon gas, cosmic sources, soil, and water produces an average dose of about 0.3 rem (0.003 Sv) per year.4 However, large doses of radiation generated after a terrorist attack can overwhelm the body s ability to repair damage, leading to stochastic or acute health effects. 

Seaton A, MacNee W, Donaldson K, Godden D (1995) Particulate air pollution and acute health effects. Lancet 345 176-178... 

High tin concentrations in food may cause short-term acute health effects in some people, including stomach upsets, abdominal cramps, nausea and/or diarrhoea. These short-term effects may occur in some individuals at concentrations above 200 mg/kg.33 The UK Tin in Food Regulations 1992 limit the maximum amount of tin in food sold in the UK to 200 mg/kg.34 Fortunately, concentrations of tin in most foods are well below 10 mg/kg, although canned foods may contain higher concentrations as a result of slow dissolution of the tin coating used on some cans to protect the steel body of the can from corrosion. Tomato-based products tend to have high levels of tin as nitrate in the food accelerates corrosion of the tin. A survey of canned tomato products sold in the UK in 1998/1999 found that 98% of the products tested were below the 200 mg/kg limit.35... 

Eating or smoking marijuana has been shown to increase heart rate by 20 to 50 percent. This effect can occur within a few minutes to a quarter of an hour and can last for up to three hours. Because of the brain s tolerance to THC, it has been shown that these effects are temporary. However, marijuana users who do not know about or expect these acute health effects may find them unpleasant or even scary, resulting in panic or anxiety reactions. And, those with heart problems or other physical disorders may have disturbing or even harmful effects as a result of cannabis use. 

PTE EU WHO USEPA Acute health effect effects Carcinogenicity Notes... 

As a result of this review, the Panel has concluded that there has been no demonstration of acute health effects linked to exposure to hazardous wastes at the Love Canal site. 

The gains for society of improved chemicals control may be substantial, though not easy to quantify in monetary terms. They include, for example, reduced costs for health care as a result of fewer accidents with chemicals, fewer acute health effects caused by poisonings, skin corrosion or bums, reduced risk for chronic effects such as allergies, cancer, etc. Furthermore, improved chemicals control will lead to a reduction of costs for remediation of environmental damage and of other costs following from emissions, e.g. water and soil pollution due to accidents or misuse of chemicals. 

Campylohacteriosis is a widespread infection. It is caused by certain species of Campylobacter bacteria and in some countries, the reported number of cases surpasses the incidence of salmonellosis. Foodborne cases are mainly caused by foods such as raw milk, raw or undercooked poultry, and drinking water. Acute health effects of campylohacteriosis include severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and diarrhea. In 2% to 10% of cases the infection may lead to chronic health problems, including reactive arthritis and neurological disorders. 

The hazard classification should lead directly to labelling of acute health effects, environmental and physical hazards. The labelling approach that involves a risk assessment should only be applied to chronic health hazards, e.g. carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, or target organ systemic toxicity based on repeated exposure. The only chemicals it may be applied to are those in the consumer product setting where consumer exposures are generally limited in quantity and duration ... 

Acute health effects have also been identified as a result of exposure to NO2 and CO, but these effects were found only for exposure to NO2 above 250 ppb and CO above 10" ppb, amounts that were 10 times higher than ambient concentrations (Bascomb et al., 1996 Anderson, 1999). These species are primarily of concern as possible indoor air pollutants, because ambient mixing ratios are often significantly higher indoors (Jones et al., 1999). 

Ciguatera, caused by ingested ciguatoxins and maitotoxins, can reportedly be sexually transmitted. There are also reports of acute health effects of ciguatera toxin in the fetus and newborn child exposed through placental and breast milk transmission from the mother. 

In a workplace setting, the following acute health effects may occur immediately or shortly after exposure to EDTA contact may irritate the skin causing a rash or burning feeling contact with high concentrations may irritate the eyes and inhalation of EDTA dust may irritate the nose and throat. 

The concerns of the residents intensified in May, 1980 when the EPA announced that a study had found chromosome damage in 11 of 36 Love Canal residents tested. This study had serious scientific flaws but was widely publicized and became the focus of deep debate. The results of the chromosome study, as well as those from the studies of fetal outcomes, were evaluated by an expert panel which was established by the Governor of New York soon after the release of the chromosome damage reports. This expert group, known as the Thomas panel, came to the conclusion that no acute health effects related to exposure to the hazardous wastes had been established and that studies of chronic effects were inconclusive. Not surprisingly, the reactions to this report were mixed and reflected the positions staked out by the various actors in the Love Canal story, including a number of scientists. 

The sources just discussed primarily, but not exclusively, produce acute health effects. Some indoor pollutants that are not acutely associated with SBS produce only chronic effects. Two of the most notable of these are radon and asbestos. 

Quackenboss JJ, Lebowitz MD, Michaud JP, et al. 1989. Formaldehyde exposure and acute health effects study. Environ Int 15 169-176. 

Holden C Love Canal residents under stress. Science 208 1242-1244,1980 Hopwood DG, Guidotti TL Recall bias in exposed subjects following a toxic exposure incident. Arch Environ Health 43 234-237,1988 Kreutzer RA, Hewitt DJ, Sun R, et al A community-based epidemiologic study of acute health effects from a metam-sodium spill on California s Sacramento River. Toxicol Ind Health 12 267-275, 1996... 

Kreutzer RA, Hewitt DJ, Draper WM An epidemiological assessment of the Cantara metam sodium spill acute health effects and methyl isothiocyanate exposure, in Environmental Epidemiology Effects of Environmental Chemicals on Human Health. Edited by Draper WM. Washington, DC, American Chemical Society, 1994, pp 209-230... 

Amr M, Allam M, Osmaan AL, et al Neurobehavioral changes among workers in some chemical industries in Egypt. Environ Res 63 295-300,1993 Azaroff LS, Neas LM Acute health effects associated with nonoccupational pesticide exposure in rural El Salvador. Environ Res 80 158-164,1999 Barr AM Further experience in the treatment of severe organic phosphate poisoning. Med J Aust 1 490-492,1966... 

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