Polish journal of occupational medicine and environmental health最新文献

Epidemiologic studies show a relative excess of respiratory symptoms in persons dwelling in farming communities. An association of respiratory health with work conditions in agriculture has been suggested by investigations into chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, extrinsic allergic alveolitis, organic dust toxic syndrome and airflow limitation. However, the occurrence and determinants of these diseases have been recognized for selected exposure categories. The evident lack of adequate information for a majority of agricultural respiratory hazards and respiratory responses invites further epidemiologic, experimental and clinical research into this major industry.

The effects of noise on information processing in perceptual and memory tasks, as well as time reaction to perceptual stimuli, were investigated in a laboratory experiment. Performance and heart rate in Information Processing Test, Simple and Choice Reaction Time tests and Stroop's test were evaluated at three levels of noise (silence, 75 dBA, 95 dBA). Individual noise sensitivity and noise-induced temporary threshold shift (NITTS) were also assessed. The results show that neither noise nor individual noise sensitivity, or NITTS, as separate factors have an influence on information processing and time reaction to perceptual stimuli. However, noise effects simple reaction time in interaction with individual noise sensitivity, and information processing--within experimental session duration. Experimental session duration was the one separate factor affecting information processing. Noise as a separate factor does not have an influence on task performance, however, it affects heart rate. The higher increase of noise-induced temporary threshold shift, the smaller the number of heart beats/minute was found.

The rubber industry, acknowledged by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) to be a cancer risk technology is, because of difficulty in identifying causal factors, the subject of intensive epidemiological studies in many countries. In the presented study, cancer risk in the rubber industry was evaluated on the basis of long-term observation (1945-1985) of a cohort of 6978 male workers employed in a rubber goods factory, predominantly engaged in producing rubber footwear. The reference group was the general male population of Poland. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs), calculated by means of the person-years method, were used in the evaluation of death risk. The observation of a whole cohort indicated an excess of cancer, in general (approx 12%), lung cancer (approx 40%) and gallbladder cancer (approx fourfold). In the subcohorts, distinguished according to peculiarities of individual production sections, cancer risk of the large intestine and larynx was significantly increased. The highest cancer risk was found in compounding, mixing, milling and vulcanizing sections. Hence, beta-naphthylamine, benzidine and solvents (benzene) were used in technological processes in the past, bladder cancer and leukemia were considered as most specific for the rubber industry. In the cohort observed, the risk of death from bladder cancer was significantly increased only in those who had been employed during the years 1945-1953, namely during the period when beta-naphthylamine was in use. No excess of deaths from leukemia was observed.

According to Sternberg's additive factors methodology two computer tests have been prepared in the Work Psychology Department of IOM. Several studies which allowed the assessment of effectiveness of experimental factors, manipulation and psychometric tests characteristics have been carried out. As well, effectiveness of experimental factors manipulation as reliability of both tests (IPT-Perception and IPT-Memory) appeared to be satisfactory. So these techniques are good enough to recommend using these tests in psychological examinations.

The dynamics of excretion of 14C in rat and dog after a single oral administration of 14C-bromfenvinphos was investigated. The level of radioactivity in urine, faeces and expired air in rats and in urine and faeces in dogs and the level of 14C in rat, depending on the dose and on the position of the labeling of the bromfenvinphos molecule (14C-vinyl) and (14C-ethyl), were determined. Also, the decay of 14C in blood and the retention degree of radioactivity in selected rat tissues were examined.

Chloroform was administered ip to Balb/c mice as a single dose ranging from 1/8 to 1 of the approximate lethal dose. At different time periods after administration, mice were sacrificed. Serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) as well as glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the liver were determined. Increased SGPT and SDH levels were found for all doses exceeding 1/8 of the approximate lethal dose. The depletion of GSH level was kept within 40% for all doses. A 2-4 fold increase of hepatic MDA level was found. The depletion of hepatic GSH and, to some extent the increase of serum SGPT and SDH, occurred in biphasic fashion. Dose-effect functions for these biochemical alterations could only be constructed for the second, delayed phase of action. It is postulated that the hepatotoxicity of chloroform is mainly dependent on radical formation in the course of biotransformation.

An environmental survey on exposure to EM fields covered over 300 radiotelephone operating in the range of 300-344 MHz with input power of 5 W, used by 574 radiooperators and 48 radiomechanics employed in sanitary transport, power engineering, municipal traffic and coal mining. The intensity of EM fields was measured and timing of effective radiotelephone transmitter work was done. According to the Polish standards, it was found that 3% of the population examined were subject to excessive exposure, 6%--to conditionally admissible only and 17%--to admissible. Exposure assessment, made for extreme conditions based on literature, theoretical and experimental data, showed that in radiomechanics' necks, eyes and wrists there may occur SAR values: 10-15 W/kg, 1-1.5 W/kg and 1.8 W/kg, respectively.

The awareness of resources scarcity in the occupational health care makes one analyze allocation in the selected institutions of occupational health service in Poland. The principal issue was to find out the differentiation in medical staff use and the costs involved. Such conclusions resulting from inputs and outputs evaluation are expected to be a basis for economic rationalization of resources allocation. An attempt to make such analysis has been made in Industrial Health Care Complexes (IHCCs) in Poland. Mainly, the costs of work of medical staff have been considered as an element of wider empirical study and comprehensive analysis of resources usage.

The dominant lethal test was performed on male Balb/c mice to examine three commercial forms of insecticide demeton, dichlorvos and endosulfan (Metasystox I forte, Nogos 50 EC and Thiodan 35, respectively). The assay was done by intraperitoneal treatment of animals both acutely (1 dose) and subacutely (5 daily administrations). The number of total implantations differed from the control value only after five-fold injection of dichlorvos. There was no statistically-significant decrease in the number of live implantations. The frequency of postimplantation lethality was no significantly increased over the control level.

The paper presents the most recent data, collected 1987-1989, on concentrations of 222Rn products in the air of all Polish underground non-uranium mines, and data on the exposure of the miners employed there. The concentrations and exposure of miners were evaluated by using 'passive' dosimeters, based on the track-etch solid state nuclear track detector, worn as small individual cassettes on helmets of representative groups in every mine for one month, four times a year (once in each season of the year). The paper contains the average annual exposure of miners in coal-, metal-ore-, and chemical raw materials oremines. The paper, also presents expected 'frequency' distributions of individual miners' exposure in particular types of mines, as well as the computer simulations of 'relative frequency' distributions of expected miner's exposure when the Annual Limit of Exposure would be adopted at the level 17, 12, 8.6, 6.9 and 3.4.10(-3) Jhm-3 (5.0, 3.5, 2.5, 2 and 1 WLM). The concept and criteria of classification of mines according to the radiation hazards are presented and discussed. According to that concept, all mines in Poland have been considered and classified into four classes of mines with a different level of radiation hazard. The appropriate radiological surveillance to the respective class of mine is proposed and discussed.