Health concerns

Because of the risk of lead poisoning, the exposure of children to lead-based paint is a significant public health concern. The first step in the quantitative analysis of lead in dried paint chips is to dissolve the sample. Corl evaluated several dissolution techniques. " In this study, samples of paint were collected and pulverized with a Pyrex mortar and pestle. Replicate portions of the powdered paint were then taken for analysis. Results for an unknown paint sample and for a standard reference material, in which dissolution was accomplished by a 4-6-h digestion with HNO3 on a hot plate, are shown in the following table. 

Radon-222 [14859-67-7] Rn, is a naturally occuriing, iaert, radioactive gas formed from the decay of radium-226 [13982-63-3] Ra. Because Ra is a ubiquitous, water-soluble component of the earth s cmst, its daughter product, Rn, is found everywhere. A major health concern is radon s radioactive decay products. Radon has a half-life of 4 days, decayiag to polonium-218 [15422-74-9] Po, with the emission of an a particle. It is Po, an a-emitter having a half-life of 3 min, and polonium-214 [15735-67-8] Po, an a-emitter having a half-life of 1.6 x lO " s, that are of most concern. Polonium-218 decays to lead-214 [15067-28A] a p-emitter haviag = 27 min, which decays to bismuth-214 [14733-03-0], a p-emitter haviag... 

Lead Azide. The azides belong to a class of very few useflil explosive compounds that do not contain oxygen. Lead azide is the primary explosive used in military detonators in the United States, and has been intensively studied (see also Lead compounds). However, lead azide is being phased out as an ignition compound in commercial detonators by substances such as diazodinitrophenol (DDNP) or PETN-based mixtures because of health concerns over the lead content in the fumes and the explosion risks and environmental impact of the manufacturing process. 

Human and environmental welfare for lubricants and their use is addressed in Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS). These MSDS address toxicology and health concerns based on the components in the lubricant as well as indicating the proper response in case of a spik. Environmental ha2ards of the lubricant are covered on European and Japanese MSDS as shown in Table 5. 

Magnesium oxide is a typical acid scavenger for chlorinated mbbers. Compounds containing zinc oxide or magnesium oxide may tend to swell upon immersion in water. These inorganic salts have some water solubiHty and osmotic pressure causes the vulcanizates to imbibe water to equalize pressure (8,9). As such, vulcanizates tend to sweU more in fresh (distilled) water than in salt water. To minimize water sweU, insoluble salts such as lead oxides can be substituted. Because of the health concerns associated with lead, there is much mbber industry interest in other acid acceptors, such as synthetic... 

Loose asbestos fibers, or formulations containing asbestos fibers for spray coatings, have been widely used in the building industry for fire protection and heat or sound insulation. Such applications used mainly chrysotile or amosite but, because of health concerns, this practice has been discontinued. 

Considerable effort has been devoted to finding alternative fibers or minerals to replace asbestos fibers ia their appHcations. Such efforts have been motivated by various reasons, typically, avadabihty and cost, and more recendy, health concerns. During Wodd War I, some countries lost access to asbestos fiber suppHes and had to develop substitute materials. Also, ia the production of fiber reiaforced cement products, many developiug countries focused on alternatives to asbestos fibers, ia particular on cellulose fibers readily available locally at minimal cost. Siace the 1980s however, systematic research has been pursued ia several iudustrialized countries to replace asbestos fibers ia all of their current appHcations because of perceived health risks. 

The relationship between workplace exposure to airborne asbestos fibers and respiratory diseases is one of the most widely studied subjects of modern epidemiology (37—39). Asbestos-related health concerns were first raised at the beginning of the century in the UK and the latter appears to have been the first country to regulate the asbestos-user industry (40). However, at that time, infectious respiratory diseases were a much greater concern than those arising from poor industrial hygiene practices. 

Care must be exercised in handling carbon disulfide because of both health concerns and the danger of fire or explosions. Occupational exposure potentially may involve as many as 20,000 workers in the United States (136). Ingestion is rare, but a 10 mL dose can prove fatal (137). Contact usually occurs by inhalation of vapor. However, vapor and Hquid can be absorbed through intact skin and poisoning may occur by the dermal route (138). 

Trichloroethylene use has declined as a result of environmental concerns. However, trichloroethylene may replace some 1,1,1-trichloroethane appHcations. Perchloroethylene used in small businesses for dry cleaning will be regulated for emissions under the same guidelines as those that govern the large chemical producers. This will cause replacement of perchloroethylene for those appHcations where recovery is uneconomical. Methylene chloride has been classified as a suspected carcinogen and its use will decline in aerosol and paint stripping appHcations because of health concerns. 

Effects on wildlife are important in their own right, but are also of significance to human health concerns because of the information that may be conveyed regarding possible parallel changes in humans. The adverse effects that have been identified and the compounds that have been implicated, with at least some degree of certainty, are summarized below. 

We believe that the explanation of results is very important. Getting results that are below the detection limit or far below any PELs or action levels will sometimes go unreported or be given very little attention. We believe that any number, even zero, is well worth discussing with anyone voicing a health concern. Posting numbers and not discussing results that are below PELs may be a compliant practice, but we believe that getting to a personal level is a much better practice [2]. 

By focusing on concentration of ozone, the new standard w ill do more Uian merely designate high-pollution areas as out of compliimce - for the first time, it w ill also respond to health concerns based on how much an area is out of compliance... 

Dermal exposure to methyl parathion is not likely to be a health concern to the general population, with the possible exception of individuals in the immediate vicinity of a field during application of the pesticide. Dermal exposure, however, is a major source of exposure for workers directly involved in the manufacture, application, and cleanup of the chemical, and for field workers. Laundry workers cleaning the clothing of such workers may also be exposed. 

Globally, undernutrition is widespread, leading to impaired growth, defective immune systems, and reduced work capacity. By contrast, in developed countries, there is often excessive food consumption (especially of fat), leading to obesity and to the development of cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer. Deficiencies of vitamin A, iron, and iodine pose major health concerns in many countries, and deficiencies of other vitamins and minerals are a major cause of iU health. In developed countries, nutrient deficiency is rare, though there are vulnerable sections of the population at risk. Intakes of minerals and vitamins that are adequate to prevent deficiency may be inadequate to promote optimum health and longevity. 

YELLAYI S, NAAZ A, SZEWCZYKOWSKI M A, SATO T, WOODS J A, CHANG J, SEGRE M, ALLRED C D, HELFERicH w G, COOKE p s (2002) The ph)Toestrogen genistein induces thymic and immune changes a human health concern Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 99 7616-21. 

Risk characterization is the last step in the risk assessment procedure. It is the quantitative or semi-quantitative estimation, including uncertainties, of frequency and severity of known or potential adverse health effects in a given population based on the previous steps. Risk characterization is the step that integrates information on hazard and exposure to estimate the magnitude of a risk. Comparison of the numerical output of hazard characterization with the estimated intake will give an indication of whether the estimated intake is a health concern. ... 

At neither site is there evidence of absorption of lead to the degree usually associated with clinical symptoms of lead poisoning, and the reported blood-lead levels are not high enough to make this likely. However, a public health concern exists, particularly in the RSR area, since 5 percent of these black children were found to have lead toxicity. 

Consumption of food with sterols and their oxides is a health concern. Oxidation products of phytosterol, including epimers of 7-ketositosterol and 7-hydroxycampes-terol, 7-ketocampesterol, epimers of 5,6-epoxy-sitosterol, 5,6-epoxycamposterol, 24 a-ethylcholestane-3(3,5,6 (3-triol, and 24 a-methylcholestane-3(3,5,6 (3-triol, in deep-fried potato chips in palm oil, sunflower oil, and high oleic sunflower oil were quanhtahvely analyzed by PTLC followed by GC and GC-MS [73]. 

The different toxicity and bioavailability of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) are a public health concern and therefore require strict control. Cr(VI) is considered to be toxic and carcinogenic, especially for the respiratory tract. In occupational health, the OEL (Occupational Exposure Limits) for water soluble and certain water insoluble compounds in indoor air is set at 0.5 mg/m for Cr, 0.5 mg/m for Cr(III), and 0.05 mg/m for Cr(VI), reflecting the different toxicities of both species. 

Bowen, A., Fry, A., Richards, G., and Beuchat, L. (2006). Infections associated with cantaloupe consumption A public health concern. Epidemiol. Infect. 134, 675-685. 

When pushed to the limit by overriding human health concerns, residue chemists have achieved detection limits of Ippt (Ingkg ) or even into the low ppqr (1 pg kg ) range. An example at the 1 ppt level is provided by methods for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) in milk and TCDD in adipose tissue. Eor relatively clean matrices such as water and air, preconcentration on solid-phase adsorbents followed by GC or gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) can provide detection limits of 1 ng m and less for air (examples in Majewski and Capel ) and 1 ngL and less for water (examples in Larson et A summary of units of weight and concentration used to express residue data is given in Table 1. 

The prevalence of overweight and obesity continues to increase, keeping this disease a major public health concern. Results from the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) reflect an increased combined prevalence for overweight and obesity among adults... 

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