Arhiv Za Higijenu Rada I Toksikologiju-Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology最新文献

Even though accident rates in cement industry tend to be higher than in other manufacturing sectors and significantly contribute to overall worker disabilities and illnesses, they are reported poorly. The aim of our cross-sectional study was to assess occupational injuries and associated factors among cement factory workers in the city of Chlef, Algeria using a questionnaire distributed to 200 workers who agreed to participate in the study. We found that 53 participants working in a cement mill (26.5 %) reported having 64 occupational injuries, which mostly affected their hands (44 %) and feet (38 %). Machinery accounted for 39 % of all injuries, while falls accounted for 27 %. Multivariate analysis revealed that work in a quarry, lower education, and longer working years were significantly associated with higher injury rates. Long-term exposure to risks, rather than just inexperience, highlights the need for a reassessment of ongoing safety training and monitoring for experienced workers. Future research should also explore how organisational factors such as workload, work hours, job stress, and the state of machinery contribute to the risk of occupational injuries. An approach combining quantitative and qualitative data from workers and management across cement plants in Algeria and the region could provide an even more comprehensive view of occupational risks and safety practices and help contextualise these findings for policy improvements.

Recent data suggest that general practitioners (GPs) are insufficiently familiar with health risks associated with ionising radiation and radiation doses. The aim of our cross-sectional study was therefore to see if this holds true for Croatian GPs. To do that, we distributed a questionnaire about ionising radiation and doses used in various radiological procedures by email or by handing it out to participants at a national GP conference. We received responses from 120 participating GPs. Most were women (83.1 %), and the mean participant age was 44.2 years (range 26-65) with mean practice of 17.1 years (range 1-40). Most participants (97 %) believed patients should be informed about the procedures they were referred to. All respondents knew that radiological procedures irradiate the patient's body, but not everyone agreed that they could be harmful. Less than half (47 %) thought that exposure to a single irradiation dose was enough to increase cancer risk. Most participants (89.2 %) identified X-ray scans as the largest irradiation source, whereas three GPs replied that computed tomography (CT) and conventional X-ray procedures did not involve radiation. Some respondents did not know if ultrasound involved ionising radiation. Although most GPs were women, only 21.7 % correctly identified the radiation dose in mammography. Our findings confirm inadequate GPs' knowledge of radiation exposures and call for better training programmes as part of continuing professional development.

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in young adults worldwide. Given the vulnerability of this population, the aim of our retrospective cohort study was to examine the demographic and clinical profile of 193 young adult emergency ward patients at the Clinic for Emergency and Clinical Toxicology of the National Poison Control Centre (NPCC), Military Medical Academy (MMA) in Belgrade, Serbia who attempted suicide by poisoning in 2020-2023. More than half suffered from a mental disorder, and poisoning mainly involved marketed prescription drugs (most often benzodiazepines). Women attempted suicide by poisoning more often and had a history of previous attempts, while men had more ensuing complications and were older. Current mental disorders and current psychopharmacotherapy positively correlated with the number of suicide attempts by poisoning and with the history of previous poisoning with prescription drugs. The number of suicide attempts by poisoning also correlated positively with self-harm. Our results suggest that the experience of the pandemic has highlighted the need to strengthen mental healthcare. Developing the resilience of young people, establishing help centres, and improving public awareness of this important issue could help reduce the incidence of suicide attempts in young adult population.

Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide against broadleaf weeds and grasses, has been associated with various harmful effects. Our study examines the efficacy of chlorogenic acid (CGA) in alleviating the toxicity of a glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) in 42 Wistar rats across six groups of seven animals receiving either no treatment (control), CGA alone (50 mg/kg), GBH alone (800 mg/kg), or their combinations varying three CGA doses (12.5, 25, or 50 mg/kg) (CGA12.5+GBH, CGA25+GBH, and CGA50+GBH, respectively) by oral gavage over 49 days in a row. At the end of the experiment, samples of blood, brain, heart, liver, and kidney tissues were collected and analysed for oxidative stress indicators (MDA, GSH, SOD, CAT), oxidative DNA damage (8-OHdG), liver and kidney function markers (AST, ALT, ALP, urea, and creatinine) as well as for histopathological changes. As expected, GBH increased AST ALT, ALP, urea, creatinine, 8-OHdG, and MDA levels, and lowered GSH levels and SOD and CAT activities, leaving histopathological changes in the brain, heart, liver, and kidney tissues. CGA dose-dependently improved biochemical and oxidative stress parameters and reversed histopathological changes in GBH-treated albino rats. Our findings consistently confirm the potential of CGA as a promising natural agent against the adverse health effects associated with exposure to glyphosate. Future research should focus on long-term glyphosate exposure and CGA treatment using molecular methods and on the signalling pathways associated with oxidative stress.

Radiation processing has become an established and widely used technology in many countries. It is used for decontamination and sterilisation of various products, such as medical devices and accessories, pharmaceutical raw materials, packaging, food components and ingredients, with the aim to eliminate unwanted microorganisms. In Croatia, radiation technologies have been used for more than 40 years at the irradiation facility of the Ruđer Bošković Institute. Its Radiation Chemistry and Dosimetry Laboratory operates and maintains a ⁶⁰Co panoramic gamma irradiator used for research, development, and industrial services in various aspects of irradiation technologies. This article explains radiation decontamination and sterilisation methods to inform a wider audience of their advantages and challenges in light of food safety and public health and provides a brief overview of related activities in Croatia.

Motivated by emerging concerns about health hazards associated with various industrial chemicals, this study investigated the disruption of endocrine system using well established in vitro assays. Due to the lack of scientific data on adverse effects of chemicals used in personal care products (PCPs), the focus was placed on oestrogenic and androgenic action of photostabiliser oxybenzone and preservative methylparaben. To this end we relied on in vitro assays for oestrogen and androgen receptor activation based on HeLa-9903 and AREcoScreen GR KO M1 cell lines to determine dose response according to respective OECD Test Guidelines 455 and 458. Our findings clearly demonstrate that both chemicals act as oestrogen receptor agonists and androgen receptor antagonists, raising additional concerns about health risks for humans posed by excessive and widespread use of such chemicals in PCPs.

Opiates such as morphine and codeine are substances often misused to improve the performance of racing horses during competitions and are therefore on the International Federation for Equestrian Sports' list of prohibited substances. However, a positive antidoping test may be due to the consumption of feed (mainly lucerne or oats) contaminated by opium poppy containing the alkaloids morphine and codeine. In order to determine whether a positive antidoping test is the result of an intentional abuse of opiates or consumption of feed contaminated by poppies, we optimised conditions for the extraction of morphine and codeine from dehydrated lucerne and developed and validated a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method for the simultaneous determination of both analytes. The most efficient extraction of morphine and codeine from dehydrated lucerne was achieved using a citrate buffer pH4 followed by solid phase extraction. The method showed satisfactory linearity (R²>0.9980) in the tested concentration range (85-1600 ng/g), as well as good precision (RSD<4 %), accuracy (>95 %), and sensitivity (limit of detection 22 and 25 ng/g for morphine and codeine, respectively). The proposed method was used for analysing a sample of dehydrated lucerne having measurable content of morphine (1510 ng/g) and codeine (327 ng/g) that can cause positive results of opiate blood or urine testing up to 4 hours after feeding the horse with less than 500 g of dehydrated lucerne. The use of this analytical method should enable the exclusion of horse feed as the cause of positive antidoping tests.

This case report presents a 43-year-old worker (welder in the locksmith trade) from Bosnia and Herzegovina who was diagnosed with advanced hydatidosis during a preventive medical examination. The patient had a history of frequent close contact with dogs at home and at work and reported a long-standing sensation of heaviness in the left side of his abdomen. As part of his routine occupational health examination, he had a complete laboratory testing, abdominal ultrasound, multislice computed tomography (MSCT), and a consultation with an infectious disease specialist and abdominal surgeon. Imaging revealed multiple cystic formations in the left hemiabdomen and a cyst in segment VIII of the liver, confirming the diagnosis of multivisceral echinococcosis. The patient was promptly treated with preoperative (and postoperative) albendazole to reduce the cyst size and prevent complications. This case highlights the critical role of ultrasound in the diagnosis of hydatidosis, especially in an occupational medicine context. As part of preventive screening, ultrasound is a valuable tool for the early detection of echinococcosis in workers in high-risk environments. Early diagnosis allows for timely intervention, reducing the risk of disease progression to an advanced stage. This case underscores the importance of implementing effective epidemiological strategies, including regular screenings and awareness campaigns, in order to control the spread of echinococcosis in endemic regions.

In this study we monitored exposure to airborne dust in workers performing various tasks at two biomass-fuelled thermal power plants (27 and 46 MW) over six years. The plants are mainly fuelled by forest wood chips and, to a lesser extent, by agro-food products, with annual consumption of about 300 and 450 kt. We focused on inhalable wood dust because of its potential carcinogenicity to humans. Worker exposure was assessed with personal samplers, drawing ambient air in their breathing zone to determine the real external dose of dust inhaled by the workers and the associated occupational risk. With but a few exceptions, exposure to inhalable wood dust complies to the limit of 2 mg/m³ given by the European Directives 2019/130 and 2017/2398. Further investigations will be necessary to obtain a larger number of measurements that allow for a more robust statistical investigation of the results.

Caffeine is a natural stimulant of plant origin found in many products such as coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks. It is also often used as an active substance in over-the-counter drugs such as painkillers and preparations for the treatment of colds and allergies. While caffeine is generally considered safe when moderately consumed, excessive intake in a single dose or through repeated small doses over time can lead to caffeine intoxication. Symptoms of caffeine intoxication can vary depending on the amount of caffeine consumed and can include restlessness, rapid heart rate, muscle tremors, nausea, vomiting, and confusion. In severe cases, caffeine intoxication can lead to convulsions, coma, and even death. This mini-review presents an overview of caffeine's characteristics and intoxication including symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment. It addresses risk factors associated with caffeine intoxication and presents current recommendations for safe caffeine consumption. The studies we have reviewed suggest that in cases of fatal caffeine intoxications, intentional intoxication is more common than unintentional.