Spring

Carbon monoxide (CO) is the ultimate environmental health hazard. It is odorless, colorless, and lacks warning properties other than the insidious onset of non-specific symptoms such as headache and nausea. Many survivors of CO exposure brushed off symptoms because they thought they were getting the flu.

This study assessed the effect of work characteristics on dust exposures during concrete grinding activities, with and without local exhaust ventilation (LEV). Particular attention was paid to the differences between work on flat surfaces where the shroud of the LEV system made a good seal, and on the edge where the seal was in partial contact with the surface.

Passive monitors fulfill a valuable role in industrial hygiene sampling. Although operation of the monitors in mixed chemical environments has been reviewed, the effect of each additional chemical in the mixture on monitor accuracy has not been evaluated.

Introduction: The development of an asthma-like condition characterized by episodic cough, dyspnea, chest tightness, and variable airflow obstruction has been described among workers in aluminum smelter potrooms. No specific etiologic agent has been identified and the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved remain poorly understood.

In common daily exchanges, we often hear joking phrases such as: my mother is a hoarder!, my neighbor is a packrat!, or you should see my place! More often than not, they were uttered by people who had never been exposed to a behavioral phenomenon, hoarding, that carries important clinical implications and significant social consequences.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are associated with ergonomic factors present in the workplace. The enormous costs, high rate of incidence, and public awareness of WMSDs has drawn increased attention to the need for intervention.

This research measured exposure assessment and health effects in sixteen older adults in Seattle during the winter of 2002-2003.

The U.S. Army performed more than 1,575,000 examinations for medical fitness between 1995 and 2000 on individuals applying for enlisted active duty status and performed over 15,000 exams between 1999-2000 for individuals applying for active duty status as a commissioned officer.

Noise is a ubiquitous problem in the United States, particularly in the construction industry. Because over-exposure to noise does not usually have immediate adverse consequences, there has been little focus on exposure assessment and control of construction noise. Noise-related studies have been done in the construction industry, but the date are not comprehensive.

Pesticides are ubiquitous in our environment and exposure is common. However, fetuses, infants and children may be at an increased risk of toxicity. For example, widespread mercury poisoning in Iraq in the 1970's caused nervous system effects in children born to women exposed during pregnancy. However, many of the women showed no over toxicity.

This study assessed exposures to respirable dust and silica exposures during seven construction activities. One hundred and eleven personal breathing zone samples were collected. The samples were collected by either a standard nylon cyclone or real-time aerosol monitor, which also recorded one-minute respirable dust levels.

A cross-sectional study of dust exposure and health outcomes was conducted in a stone carving company in Thailand.  147 respirable dust samples were collected and 97 subjects participated in the study during November 1998 to October 1999.  Exposure indices were constructed and health outcomes of interest including respiratory symptoms, pulmonary functions, and chest radiographs were a

This study provides an estimate for the proportion of atmospheric fine particulate matter attributable to the combustion of wood. The 1997 addition of a fine (measuring less than 2.5 microns in aerodynamic diameter) particulate matter standard to the National Ambient Air Quality Standard requires determination of the sources of this particulate matter for the guidance of regulatory strategies.

The recent discovery of West Nile virus (WNV) in Washington State has heightened the concern about the disease and current knowledge of the mosquito vectors in our region is weak. Since the early 1970s, little work has been done on identifying mosquito populations either as nuisance species or possible vectors of disease in metropolitan King County.

Passive monitors have been popular since they were introduced to the field of industrial hygiene air sampling in the 1970s. The use of passive air monitors has historically included the assumption that the sorbent is 100 percent efficient and that reverse diffusion does not occur. However, several investigators have reported losses attributed to reverse diffusion.

Air pollutant monitoring is utilized for determining compliance with National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), detecting sources of pollutants, and investigating the health effects of air pollution through epidemiological studies. The effectiveness of monitoring depends on how representative monitoring sites are of overall ambient air concentrations to which a population is most exposed.

The objective of this study was to determine whether or not exposure to a low level of nitrogen dioxide could cause cardio-respiratory effects in health elderly people. Ten healthy subjects (67-85 years of age) were exposed to clean air and 300 ppb nitrogen dioxide for 30 minutes while at rest.

Foodborne disease from consumption of shellfish is a significant public health concern, especially since rates of consumption continue to increase worldwide (Potasman, Paz et al. 2002).

Exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) is associated with a variety of detrimental short-term and chronic health effects in humans. This includes increasing evidence from epidemiological studies and animal research that an association between diesel exhaust and lung cancer exists.

The Bacillus anthracis contamination of the Hart Senate Office Building on October 15th, 2001 highlighted the need for reliable detect-to-warn bioaerosol collection equipment. Most bacteria of concern have effective diameters of approximately 5 µm or less. Likewise, particles of 20 µm or more are of little concern because they tend to exceed the thoracic fraction of the human body.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent human hepatotoxin and hepatocarcinogen produced by the mold Aspergillus flavus. In human, it is bioactivated by cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes, primarily hCYP1A2, to genotoxic epoxide that forms N7-guanine DNA adducts.

Rapid development in Vietnam is increasing the need for construction materials, particularly for refractory brick. Silica is a major component in refractory brick production; however, exposures to high levels of silica dust may cause silicosis and other lung diseases.

Polymorphic enzymes involved in oxidative estrogen metabolism may influence endometrial cancer risk.

Protecting worker's health by insuring that the work conditions are safe from the chemical point of view is one of the main tasks of an industrial hygienist. To accomplish this goal, reliable methods of air contaminant measurement are essential.

Falls are one of the most serious risks in private industry today. In 2002, there were 272,988 reports of nonfatal injuries due to falls. That same year, they accounted fro 11% of workplace fatalities. Construction workers had a fatal fall rate almost ten times higher than any other industry. This is often attributed to the unpredictable, ever-changing nature of their work.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. It is characterized by a loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra and leads to decreased dopamine production in the brain. Such a loss can result in bradykinasia, tremor at rest, loss of postural reflex, and a shuffling gait.

Combustion of diesel fuel generates significant quantities of particulate matter, especially that with a diameter of less than one micron. Because of its size, diesel exhaust particulate matter is highly respirable and has a large surface area to volume ratio, making it an exceptional carrier of adsorbed organic and inorganic compounds into the lungs.

The nematocide 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP) was widely used in the United States and abroad during the late 1960's and 1970's. Today DBCP is known to cause sterility in mean and is classified as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Recently, results have been reported from human in vivo trials conducted to assess dermal absorption of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from aqueous solution (Gordon and Wallace, 1998; Corley et al., 2000; Gordon et al., 2002; Thrall et al., 2002).

Background: The American Lung Association reports that 55% of Americans live in areas were their health is threatened by air pollution (ALA, 2004). The individuals most at risk for the detrimental effects of air pollution are the elderly and people with preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD).