RESUMEN
Allergic diseases are on the rise in both prevalence and severity, especially in industrialized countries. The process of allergic sensitization needs an understanding of the role environmental factors play in its development. In addition to traditionally considered air pollutants, various persistent organochlorine pollutants, which accumulate in the human body over a lifetime via food intake, are toxic in humans. Placental contamination by chemicals may act as a biologic marker for the exposure of the mother or for the fetus via transplacental transfer. Placentas were collected from term deliveries in two Slovak regions. The samples were then analyzed for 21 selected organochlorine compounds. Specimens of cord blood from 2,050 neonates were gathered for the determination of levels of total immunoglobulin E (IgE). The regions were chosen according to their environmental characteristics: a city polluted with organic chemical industry versus a rural region devoid of industrial sources of pollution. In addition, data regarding the incidence rate of atopic eczema cases in the regions were considered. Comparisons between regions revealed that both the placental contamination with 16 of 21 organochlorine compounds and the cord serum IgE levels were significantly higher in the industrial region. The findings pointed to an association between organochlorine compounds and the higher levels of total IgE in newborns, signaling a higher allergic sensitization in the industrial region. This association was supported by the higher incidence rate of atopic eczema cases in the population registered in the industrial region.
Asunto(s)
Contaminantes Ambientales/inmunología , Sangre Fetal/inmunología , Hipersensibilidad/etiología , Inmunoglobulina E/sangre , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal , Biomarcadores/análisis , Eccema/etiología , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales , Contaminantes Ambientales/efectos adversos , Femenino , Humanos , Industrias , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Placenta/química , Bifenilos Policlorados/efectos adversos , EmbarazoRESUMEN
Within an open, non-randomized clinical study, the authors investigated the effect of a three-month therapy by a standard product of so-called essential phospholipids in a group of patients (31 men and 2 women, average age being 45.6 +/- 10.8 years) with toxic liver damage--steatosis and steatohepatitis which have developed after exposure to the polychlorinated phenols and cresols, or other potentially toxic chemical substances occurring in working environment and/or exposition to alcohol. The therapy included a recommended change in life routine with a decrease in alcohol consumption, or entire exclusion of alcohol abuse. Within the process of observation, the authors used non-invasive methods (clinical examinations, laboratory examinations, ultrasonographic examination). A special attention was paid to the evaluation of the biotransformation capacity the liver and the assessment of spartein-debrisoquin-dextromethorphan metabolic fenotype. The results of investigation indicated: (1) significant improvement of the subjective status of the treated patients associated with an improvement of ultrasonographic findings of liver steatosis, trend of withdrawal of biochemical activity indices and favourable development of the biotransformation capacity of the liver in a majority of the investigated patients. (2) A very good tolerance of the administered drug without adverse effects. The use of non-invasive surrogate markers in coincidence with clinical investigation of the effect of applied medicamentous therapy in patients with chronic liver diseases represents a methodic increase in current modest options of evaluation of effectively and safety of the new therapeutic procedures in clinical hepato-pharmacology. (Tab. 5, Ref. 42.)
Asunto(s)
Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/terapia , Hígado Graso/terapia , Enfermedades Profesionales/terapia , Fosfatidilcolinas/uso terapéutico , Templanza , Adulto , Anciano , Enfermedad Hepática Inducida por Sustancias y Drogas/etiología , Hígado Graso/inducido químicamente , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Enfermedades Profesionales/inducido químicamenteRESUMEN
The paper deals with the isolation of chlorinated phenols, benzenes and insecticides from water, soil and vegetable samples. A review of the current procedures is presented. Solid-phase extraction on Empore extraction discs was experimentally evaluated for isolation of the compounds from surface and ground waters. For the isolation of chlorophenols from soil and vegetable samples, a method of simultaneous steam distillation/extraction was elaborated which proved to be also applicable for waste waters and sludges. Chlorinated insecticides and benzenes were extracted from soil and vegetable samples with the Soxhlet procedure. Final determinations were carried out by GC-electron-capture detection. The recoveries of the methods were well over 70%, with relative standard deviations below 14%. Samples of surface and ground waters, soil and vegetables, mostly from the vicinity of chemical and municipal waste dumping sites, were analysed. The highest contamination levels were found for chlorinated phenols in surface water from the vicinity of a former chemical waste dumping place where the concentrations of 2,6-dichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol were 4.3 and 3.9 micrograms l-1, respectively.
Asunto(s)
Contaminantes Ambientales/análisis , Insecticidas/análisis , Benceno/análisis , Cromatografía de Gases/métodos , Fenoles/análisis , Eslovaquia , Contaminantes del Suelo/análisis , Verduras/química , Contaminantes del Agua/análisisRESUMEN
The aim of this study was to estimate the occurrence of the phenotype of poor metabolizers of sparteine (in the frame of sparteine-debrisoquine-dextromethorphane polymorphism) in Slovakia. The authors examined a group of 216 of healthy volunteers (73 women and 143 men, average age of the group 24, 9 +/- 0.4 years), university students coming from various regions of Slovakia. The test substance-sparteine (1 x 100 mg tbl.) was administered perorally to all probands, in the evening after fasting. A 12-hour gathering of urine was subsequently performed. A sample of urine was subdued to examination. Isolation, separation, identification and assessment of the concentration of sparteine and its metabolites (2- and 5-dehydrosparteine) were performed by the method of gas chromatography. The metabolic MR ratio calculated from the ratio of the detected concentrations of sparteine and (2- and 5-dehydrosparteine) served for the assessment of the phenotype of poor (MR > 20), or rapid (MR < 20) metabolizers of sparteine in 8 authors found the poor metabolizer phenotype of 216 examined probands (i.e. in 3.75%). Its prevalence of the presented phenotype was lower than that anticipated on the basis of epidemiologic studies performed in other European countries. Study represents the first data on the phenotype of poor sparteine metabolizers in Slovakia. (Tab. 4, Fig. 1, Ref. 24.)
Asunto(s)
Polimorfismo Genético , Esparteína/metabolismo , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Oxidación-Reducción , Farmacogenética , Fenotipo , Valores de ReferenciaRESUMEN
The paper deals with the contamination of human milk with chlorinated phenols. The average and median concentrations of the chlorophenols investigated ranged from 0.75 to 9.74 micrograms.kg-1 and from being not detectable to 5.62 micrograms.kg-1, respectively, for the different compounds. The highest average and median levels were found for pentachlorophenol and 2,4,5-trichlorophenol. The concentrations determined were below the permissible levels.
Asunto(s)
Clorofenoles/análisis , Leche Humana/química , Agricultura , Cromatografía de Gases/métodos , Femenino , Humanos , Industrias , Sensibilidad y EspecificidadRESUMEN
A method has been developed for the isolation, separation and determination of chlorinated phenols in total diet. The isolation takes place following acid hydrolysis of the conjugates and is performed by simultaneous extraction and distillation with water vapour and toluene. The isolated chlorophenols are removed by clean-up on a Florisil column using a mixture of 15% dichloromethane in toluene for elution. The separation and determination is carried out by capillary gas chromatography with electron capture detection. The recovery of the method ranged between 70.1 +/- 5 and 96.8 +/- 4.9% for the individual chlorophenols. The determination limits were 0.5 to 1.0 microgram.kg-1. The method was applied in a study aimed at estimating the chlorophenol burden in two population groups (children up to the age of 6 years and students up to the age of 18 years). In two successive years, 80 total diet samples were analysed. Average contents of the individual chlorophenols were from 0.7 to 33.5 micrograms.kg-1 and were higher for the dichlorophenol isomers. The calculated average daily intake ranged from 0.04 to 1.69 micrograms.kg-1 body weight for the individual phenols.
Asunto(s)
Clorofenoles/análisis , Contaminación de Alimentos/análisis , Residuos de Plaguicidas/análisis , Calibración , Clorofenoles/aislamiento & purificación , Cromatografía de Gases , Contaminación Ambiental , Humanos , Estaciones del AñoRESUMEN
In the present study, 50 samples of mother milk and 20 samples of adapted cow's milk produced for bottle feeding supplied from the lactarium of the Pediatric Hospital were examined for presence of 6 indicator congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (IUPAC No. 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, and 180). Congeners No. 138, 153, and 180 were predominant in all samples, the highest mean as well as the maximum level was found for No. 138 for both type of samples. The average daily intake based on the sum of indicator congeners was found to be 2.56 micrograms. (kgb.w..day)-1 for mother milk, and 0.85 microgram.(kgb.w..day)-1 for adapted cow's milk.
Asunto(s)
Alimentos Infantiles/análisis , Leche Humana/química , Leche/química , Bifenilos Policlorados/análisis , Adulto , Animales , Alimentación con Biberón , Lactancia Materna , Cromatografía de Gases , Conducta Alimentaria , Femenino , Humanos , Recién NacidoRESUMEN
A method is described for the isolation, derivatization, separation and determination of chlorinated phenols and cresols in urine. After acid hydrolysis, solid-phase extraction on Separcol SI C18 was used. Quantification was based on the internal standard method using 2,6-dibromophenol. Before GC determination the isolated compounds were derivatized with pentafluorobenzyl bromide. The separation of interfering substances followed on a Ekosorb column using elution with dichloromethane-toluene (15:85). The recovery of the method ranged from 72.3 +/- 9.9 to 109.9 +/- 6.3% and the limit of determination varied from 0.0005 to 0.002 micrograms ml-1. Using this method, 52 persons from occupationally and non-occupationally exposed groups were examined for the presence of chlorinated compounds in urine. The levels of chlorinated phenols and cresols were several times higher in the group of occupationally exposed workers, especially for 2,4-dichlorophenol.
Asunto(s)
Clorofenoles/orina , Cromatografía de Gases/métodos , Cresoles/orina , Industria Química , Diazometano , Fluorobencenos , Humanos , Metilación , Cloruro de Metileno , Exposición Profesional , ToluenoRESUMEN
A method is presented for the isolation, separation and determination of sparteine and its metabolites in urine. The isolation is based on rapid extraction with dichloromethane and pentane in a glass separator. For the separation and determination, capillary gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorus detection was used. The recovery of the method ranged from 81.6% to 94.8%, and the limit of determination varied between 0.2 and 0.5 microgram ml-1. For quantification, 17-ethylsparteine was used as the internal standard.
Asunto(s)
Esparteína/orina , Adulto , Cromatografía de Gases , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Oxidación-Reducción , Fenotipo , Eslovaquia , Esparteína/análogos & derivadosRESUMEN
Breast milk samples from professionally unexposed mothers who gave their milk to the lactarium of the Pediatric Hospital in Bratislava were analysed for polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides and chlorinated benzenes; the method used was a capillary gas chromatography with 63Ni electron capture detection; the capillary column was an HP PONA.