scholarly journals Workers’ dermal and total exposure to metals in biomass-fired power plants

Biomonitoring ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Jumpponen ◽  
P. Heikkinen ◽  
H. Rönkkömäki ◽  
J. Laitinen
Keyword(s):  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Reference Values ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Dermal Exposure ◽  
Hand Washing ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Metal Exposure ◽  
Total Exposure ◽  
Exposed Population ◽  
Work Tasks

AbstractThe aim of this study was to measure ash removal and maintenance workers’ exposure to metals, and assess the suitability of different methods to evaluate metal exposure during these work tasks. Whole-body samples and hand-washing method were used in workers’ dermal exposure assessment, and biomonitoring methods of metals in total exposure assessment. The greatest levels of Al, Pb, Cd, Cu, S, and Zn on workers’ hands were measured in recycled fuel-fired power plants. The median concentrations of lead on workers’ whole-body samples were 4.5 ng/cm2, 17.0 ng/cm2, 11.3 ng/cm2, and 58.4 ng/cm2 in pellet-, peat-, wood- and recycled fuel-fired power plants, respectively. In recycled fuel-fired power plants, workers’ excretions of Al, Pb, and Mn exceeded the reference values of non-exposed population in 33%, 100%, and 50% of samples, respectively. The dermal exposure results clearly showed that power plant ash can significantly contaminate workers’ hands and bodies. The fact that the workers’ urinary excretions of metals exceeded the reference values proved intake of metals during these work tasks. Biomonitoring methods take into account exposures from different sources and, due to that, they are the most recommended approach for estimating the total metal exposure of workers. Hand-washing and whole body sampling were the most recommendable methods for assessing the protection efficiency of gloves and coveralls.

scholarly journals Preventive action with a population of excavator drivers exposed to whole-body vibration

Work ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 68 (2) ◽  
pp. 473-481
Author(s):  
P. Bossi ◽  
P. Meert
Keyword(s):  
Back Pain ◽  
Lower Back Pain ◽  
Whole Body Vibration ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Preventive Action ◽  
Body Vibration ◽  
Lower Back ◽  
Work Tasks ◽  
Determining Factors ◽  
Exposure Levels

BACKGROUND: Whole-body vibration is a major cause of lower back pain among employees, and the medical and preventive care teams of occupational health departments are often confronted with lower back pain problems among machine operators. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this research are to determine the number of excavator drivers exposed to whole-body vibration levels above 0.5m/s2, identify other exposure factors that may contribute to back pain, and propose corrective measures. METHODS: Vibration measurements were carried out on individual excavator drivers while they were observed carrying out working tasks, after which prevention advice is given. Factors which determine vibration levels are logged on to a database. RESULTS: The multivariate analysis of several determining factors shows vibration exposure levels vary depending on the varied work tasks being carried out. CONCLUSION: This study identifies exposed employees among excavator operators. For each workstation, the determining factors that could explain the high exposures to vibrations are identified. This work shows the important role of tasks on exposure levels. A better adaptation of the tools used to carry out work tasks would allow a decrease in the vibration level of this type of machine.

scholarly journals Potential Dermal Exposure Assessment of Farmers to Herbicide Imazapic in an Agriculture Area

2016 ◽  
Vol 234 ◽  
pp. 144-153
Author(s):  
Anis Zakiah Mazlan ◽  
Hazilia Hussain ◽  
Mohamed Azwan Mohamed Zawawi
Keyword(s):  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Dermal Exposure

scholarly journals Reference Values for Skeletal Muscle Mass – Current Concepts and Methodological Considerations

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 755 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carina O. Walowski ◽  
Wiebke Braun ◽  
Michael J. Maisch ◽  
Björn Jensen ◽  
Sven Peine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Reference Values ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Mass ◽  
Bioelectrical Impedance ◽  
Reference Population ◽  
Muscle Quality ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Whole Body Imaging ◽  
Cross Sectional

Assessment of a low skeletal muscle mass (SM) is important for diagnosis of ageing and disease-associated sarcopenia and is hindered by heterogeneous methods and terminologies that lead to differences in diagnostic criteria among studies and even among consensus definitions. The aim of this review was to analyze and summarize previously published cut-offs for SM applied in clinical and research settings and to facilitate comparison of results between studies. Multiple published reference values for discrepant parameters of SM were identified from 64 studies and the underlying methodological assumptions and limitations are compared including different concepts for normalization of SM for body size and fat mass (FM). Single computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging images and appendicular lean soft tissue by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) are taken as a valid substitute of total SM because they show a high correlation with results from whole body imaging in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. However, the random error of these methods limits the applicability of these substitutes in the assessment of individual cases and together with the systematic error limits the accurate detection of changes in SM. Adverse effects of obesity on muscle quality and function may lead to an underestimation of sarcopenia in obesity and may justify normalization of SM for FM. In conclusion, results for SM can only be compared with reference values using the same method, BIA- or DXA-device and an appropriate reference population. Limitations of proxies for total SM as well as normalization of SM for FM are important content-related issues that need to be considered in longitudinal studies, populations with obesity or older subjects.

scholarly journals Biomonitoring and whole body cotton dosimetry to estimate potential human dermal exposure to semivolatile chemicals

2000 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROBERT I KRIEGER ◽  
CRAIG E BERNARD ◽  
TRAVIS M DINOFF ◽  
LAURA FELL ◽  
THOMAS G OSIMITZ ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dermal Exposure ◽  
Whole Body

Receptor Modeling Assessment of Particle Total Exposure Assessment Methodology Data

1999 ◽  
Vol 33 (20) ◽  
pp. 3645-3652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elen Yakovleva ◽  
Philip K. Hopke ◽  
Lance Wallace
Keyword(s):  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Receptor Modeling ◽  
Assessment Methodology ◽  
Total Exposure

Natural Radioactivity in the Principal Constituents of French River Ecosystems

1988 ◽  
Vol 24 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 143-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Descamps ◽  
L. Foulquier
Keyword(s):  
Natural Radioactivity ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
The Other ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Counting Period ◽  
Small Stream ◽  
Zone Ii ◽  
Mining Complex

Abstract The study is based on data covering the water, sediments, plants and fish sampled over a 20-year period at 15 stations along French rivers. Three geographic zones were investigated: one containing a uranium mining complex (Zone 1), another including five major rivers along which nuclear power plants are sited (Zone II) and a third unaffected by nuclear activities (Zone III). Natural radioactivity basically involves 238U, 226Ra and 210Pb in the uranium series, 232Th from the thorium series, 40K and 7Be. The natural radioactivity in Zone II is not different from Zone III, and is thus unaffected by waste discharges from nuclear power plants. The most abundant radionuclide is 40K, while the other nuclides are often found in trace amounts near the detection threshold of the analysis method used (Ge gamma spectrometry with a 15-hour counting period). The 226Ra and 238U concentrations observed in Zone I are at least an order of magnitude higher than in the other two zones due to authorised waste discharges from the Lodève mining complex, but only a small stream is affected. The measured 226Ra concentrations would result in an annual whole body committed dose equivalent attributable to a 200 g weekly fish consumption from this stream of 4.4 x 10-5 Sv.y-1, or 0.86% of the maximum permissible dose (5 mSv).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document