Human contamination

Laboratory procedures can require the use of potentially hazardous materials. Laboratory robots can minimize human exposure to hazards. Conversely, human contamination of biologically sensitive materials can also be minimized by laboratory robots. 

In 2003, the FDA approved Prussian blue for the treatment of contamination with radioactive cesium (137Cs) and intoxication with thallium salts. Approval was prompted by concern over potential widespread human contamination with radioactive cesium caused by terrorist use of a radioactive dispersal device ("dirty bomb"). The drug is part of the Strategic National Stockpile of pharmaceuticals and medical material maintained by the CDC... 

Fe4[Fe(CN)6] can bind caesium therefore iron blue pigments are used in clinical practice as an antidote for the treatment of humans contaminated with radioactive caesium (see also Section 3.6.4). Clinical use of iron(III) ferrocyanide in doses up to 20 g/d for decontaminations of persons exposed to radio caesium has not been associated with any reported toxicity [3.209]. 

Bardonnet, K., Benchikh-Elfegoun, M.C., Bart, J.M., Harraga, S., Hannache, N., Haddad, S., Dumon, H., Vuitton, D.A. and Piarroux R. (2003) Cystic echinococcosis in Algeria cattle act as reservoirs of a sheep strain and may contribute to human contamination. Veterinary Parasitology 11 6, 35M4. 

Considering the variety of sources for organic material, a great diversity in the concentration of particulate organic matter occurs however, it is usually less than a few percent of the total particulate matter, except in areas of excessive human contamination. A typical value for estuarine waters would be 5 mg/liter of particulate organic matter (18) The organic material has the functional groups -COOH, -OH and -NH2, which may complex metals at its surface. 

D eon, J. C., Mabury, S. A. Production of perfiuorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) from the biotransformation of polyfiuoroalkyl phosphate surfactants (PAPS) exploring routes of human contamination. Environ. Sci. TechnoL, 41 4799-4805 (2007). 

Economics of Chemical Incidents Examples exist where large outbreaks of animal to human contamination not linked to terror can have a distinct economic impact (Kojima and Fujita, 1973 Kay, 1977 Fries, 1985 Dorea, 2006 Bums, 2007). These incidents have long-term impacts on human health (Kojima and Fujita, 1973 Sweeney and Symanski, 2007). Chemical-induced illness at the local level can have a significant impact on the health system and government agencies (Kojima and Fujita, 1973 Green et al, 1987). 

M. C. Kennicutt II, S. McDonald, J. Sericano, P. Boothe, J. Oliver, S. Safe, B.J. Presley, H. Liu, D. Wolfe, T. L. Wade, A. Crockett, D. Bockus, Human contamination of the marine environment -Arthur Harbor and McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, Environ. Sci. Technol., 29 (1995), 1279-1287. 

Source Cattle, deer, human-contaminated water... 

In humans, contamination of the skin usually results in erythema, but the precise effects depend on concentration, formulation and environmental temperature. At higher ambient temperature and relative humidity the cutaneous irritant effects are more prominent, possibly because of excessive diaphoresis (Salem et al., 2005e). 

PESTIDOC has been designed and created as a quick and easy retrieval of documentation on pesticides. The relational database allows the user to find information on the various issues on pesticides and commercial products, to get data needed for the human and environmental risk assessment. So, the database could provide operational guidance and problem solving in case of response and recovery from environmental, human contamination episodes. Furthermore the flexibility of the software allows the implementation of country-specific information and knowledge, such as pesticide commercial names, national MRLs, producers and so on. So the information currently spread in different data repositories could be unified under one ontology, managed by proper content management workflows and published for user-friendly query purposes. 

This first stage is as important as or even more so than the other two inasmuch as (a) they are a major source of a variety of errors —some of them so large as to decisively influence the final result—, (b) they are time-consuming, (c) they are complex and expensive and (d) the system is subject to human contamination, which is a high risk in trace analysis, for instance. 

Visible slicks of surface-active material may occur on both marine and freshwater. Hutchinson (1957) noted that lakes sometimes develop oily patches ( taches d huile ) where there has been no history of human contamination. Circulation of water masses by the wind (Eisenreich et al., 1978) or by thermal gradients (Lewis,... 

The strong opposition between the honeys with or without sulfur clearly reveals that this element has to be viewed as a contaminant. It is difficult to explain the origin of this contamination. It is assumed that environmental pollutions mainly explain the fairly high concentrations found in the honeys but direct human contamination cannot be excluded for some samples. Thus, for example, honey sample number 20 with 35.90 mg/kg of sulfur was collected near a highway, as were samples number 27 (S = 60.11 mg/kg), number 85 (S = 18.66mg/kg), number 86 (S = 26.05mg/kg), and others. In the same way, the honey sample number... 

Human contamination might emanate from towns on the islands or ships passing the area. Near-coast contamination has been studied in many parts of the world. No such evidence has been found in the present study. The low concentrations of PAH and the absence of an UCM means that the sampling localities, even at the sea floor, have not been subject to human input of... 

General Management of Human Contamination—Basic Principles... 

Second, almost all of the low-molecular-weight sulfur compounds have objectionable (to humans) odors. Thus, in defense, the skunk sprays offenders with a mixture of thiols (and other compounds) containing the disulfide, (E)-2-buten-l-yl methyl disulfide, and the thiols 1-butane thiol, 3-methylbutane-l-thiol, and ( )-2-butene-l-thiol. Additionally, although the mixture of low-molecular-weight hydrocarbons used as natural gas is essentially odorless (to humans), contamination of that material with only a few parts per billion (ppb) of a mixture of low-molecular-weight (mostly Cs-isomers) thiols is sufficient to allow humans to smell a gas leak. ... 

Barltrop D (1966) The prevalence of pica. Am J Dis Child 112 116-123 Barltxop D, Strehlow CD, Thorton I, Webb JS (1974) Significance of high soil lead concentrations for childhood lead burden. Environ Health Perspect 7 75-82 Beloian A (1982) Use of a food consumption model to estimate human contaminant intake. Environ Monitor Assess (in press)... 

Absorption of dusts and vapors by inhalation and through the skin are the main routes of human contamination in the industrial use of additives. That is why additive manufacturers must supply additives in low-dusting forms. Sometimes even a microencapsulation technique is used. 

Monitor hands, clothing, shoes, and work area after completion of work with radioiodine. The recommended instrument for I is a thin sodium iodide crystal probe and for I a pancake G-M probe. The unit must be at the workstation and turned on during all use of radioiodine. If any significant contamination is detected during contamination surveys, clean the area with sodium thiosulfate solution. Contact the radiation safety office for any instance of human contamination. 

D Eon JC, Mabury SA (2007) Production of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PECAs) from the biotransformation of polyfluoroalkyl phosphate surfactants (PAPS) Exploring routes of human contamination. Environ Sci Technol 41(13) 4799-4805 Denenberg VH, Zarrow MX, Grota LJ (1963) Maternal behaviour in rat analysis of cross-fostering. J Reprod Feitil 5(2) 133-141... 

A number of veterinary vaccines contain components that are pathogenic in humans and which could conceivably cause disease, although the vast majority are specific to the animals they infect. An example of a disease that infects both animals and humans is rabies, and rabies vaccines are commercially and widely available. However, the problem is overcome by inactivation of the virus to produce a product that is safe for both the vaccinated animal and for those who administer it. However, as Table 14.1 indicates, some products are available that may cause disease in humans if used improperly or should accidental injection or a needle stick injury occur. Clearly, the results of human contamination and infection are microbiological and not toxicological. Nevertheless, it is worth examining these briefly for the sake of completeness and to emphasise that user safety is not the sole domain of pharmaceutical products. 

---