Simultaneous quantification of pyrethroid metabolites in urine of non-toilet-trained children in Japan

BACKGROUND@#Pyrethroid (PYR) insecticides are widely used for controlling various pests. There are two types that differ in terms of usage: agricultural-purpose PYR (agriculture-PYR) and hygiene purpose PYR (hygiene-PYRs). Few studies exist on the exposure to these chemicals in small children. In this study, we conducted biomonitoring of urinary pyrethroid metabolites in 1.5-year-old children throughout the year.@*METHODS@#Study subjects were 1075 children participating in an Aichi regional sub-cohort of the Japan Environment and Children's Study as of 18-month health check-up. The concentrations of four specific hygiene-PYR metabolites including 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-1,4-benzenedimethanol (HOCH2-FB-Al), and five common metabolites of hygiene- and agriculture-PYRs including 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3PBA) and cis- and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (DCCA), were measured in urine samples extracted from soiled diapers using a triple quadrupole gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer.@*RESULTS@#The highest detection frequencies were for 3PBA, followed by DCCA, 1R-trans-chrysanthemum dicarboxylic acid, and HOCH2-FB-Al. Among the six metabolites, urinary concentrations were seasonally varied. However, this variation was not observed in the most studied PYR metabolite, 3PBA. Spearman's correlation analysis demonstrated a significant positive correlation between FB-Al and DCCA (r = 0.56) and HOCH2-FB-Al and 4-methoxymethyl-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzyl alcohol (r = 0.60).@*CONCLUSIONS@#This biomonitoring survey found widespread and seasonally specific exposure to multiple hygiene- and agriculture-PYRs in 1.5-year-old Japanese children.

Exposição a metais em população adulta residente em áreas industriais: revisão sistemática da literatura / Exposure to metals in the adult population living in industrial areas: a systematic review of the literature

Resumo Este artigo objetivou revisar os estudos de biomonitoramento humano (BMH) que avaliaram a exposição a chumbo (Pb), cádmio (Cd), mercúrio (Hg), níquel (Ni), arsênio (As) e manganês (Mn) em adultos residentes próximo a áreas industriais. Realizou-se uma revisão sistemática, sem limite de data inicial até dezembro de 2017, utilizando a base de dados da MEDLINE e a BVS. Foram incluídos estudos originais em inglês, português ou espanhol, com uso de sangue e/ou urina como biomarcador. Os artigos foram avaliados pelos critérios metodológicos, incluindo-se estudos com grupo de comparação e/ou amostragem probabilística. Dos 28 estudos incluídos, 54% foram realizados na Europa, 36% na Ásia, 7% na América do Norte e 4% na África. Fundições, metalúrgicas e siderúrgicas foram as indústrias mais estudadas. Urina e sangue foram usados em 82% e 50% dos estudos, respectivamente. Os elementos mais investigados foram Cd, Pb e As. Embora com metodologias heterogêneas, em geral, os estudos observaram maiores concentrações de metais em expostos, especialmente As e Hg, do que nos grupos de comparação. Esta revisão evidencia a necessidade de estudos de BMH com maior rigor metodológico, reforçando a importância da vigilância em saúde de populações expostas a metais tóxicos, sobretudo nos países em desenvolvimento.

Abstract This study aimed to review studies of human biomonitoring (HBM) that evaluated exposure to lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), arsenic (As) and manganese (Mn) in adults living close to industrial areas. A systematic review of studies was selected, without initial date limit through to December 2017, from the MEDLINE and BVS databases. Original studies in English, Portuguese or Spanish conducted among the adult population using blood and/or urine as biomarkers were included. The articles were evaluated according to methodological criteria, including studies with comparison groups and/or probabilistic sampling. Of the 28 studies selected, 54% were conducted in Europe, 36% in Asia, 7% in North America and 4% in Africa. Foundries, metal works and steel mills were the most frequently studied. Urine and blood were used in 82% and 50% of studies, respectively. The elements most investigated were Cd, Pb and As. Despite using heterogeneous methodologies, the results revealed higher metal concentrations, especially from As and Hg in general, than in the comparison group. This review highlights the need for more rigorous methodological studies of HBM, stressing the importance of public health vigilance among populations exposed to toxic metals, especially in developing countries.

Sampling methods and errors appearing in the China National Human Biomonitoring Program / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To explore the sampling method in China National Human Biomonitoring Program (HBP) and the related errors,so as to calculate and evaluate the study design in sampling.Methods The sampling method of HBP is of multistage nature.Taking the results of sampling method from Guizhou province as an example,results related to sampling error and variation coefficient were calculated,using the multistage unequal probability sampling error method.Results The HBP covered 152 monitoring sites in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and with 21 888 residents selected.The replacement rates at various stages were 5.26％,6.35％ and 40.6％ respectively.The sampling error in Guizhou province was 3 207 594,and the coefficient of variation was 0.097.Conclusions According to the multi-stage unequal probability sampling method,the sampling coefficient variability appeared small with high precision,in Guizhou province.However,this method did not consider the weight adjustment of non-sampling errors such as population missing rate and response rate.Methods related to the calculation on multi-stage sampling error among large-scale public health monitoring projects need to be further studied.

Sampling methods and errors appearing in the China National Human Biomonitoring Program / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To explore the sampling method in China National Human Biomonitoring Program (HBP) and the related errors,so as to calculate and evaluate the study design in sampling.Methods The sampling method of HBP is of multistage nature.Taking the results of sampling method from Guizhou province as an example,results related to sampling error and variation coefficient were calculated,using the multistage unequal probability sampling error method.Results The HBP covered 152 monitoring sites in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) and with 21 888 residents selected.The replacement rates at various stages were 5.26％,6.35％ and 40.6％ respectively.The sampling error in Guizhou province was 3 207 594,and the coefficient of variation was 0.097.Conclusions According to the multi-stage unequal probability sampling method,the sampling coefficient variability appeared small with high precision,in Guizhou province.However,this method did not consider the weight adjustment of non-sampling errors such as population missing rate and response rate.Methods related to the calculation on multi-stage sampling error among large-scale public health monitoring projects need to be further studied.

Human Biomonitoring of Environmental Contaminants - Examples Offering Tools Towards Safe Food in Sweden.

Introduction: Humans are constantly exposed to a wide variety of environmental contaminants from different sources. The risk assessment of exposure to chemical compounds includes hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment and risk characterization. Human biomonitoring (HBM), as a method to measure the chemicals or their metabolites in human body fluids and/or tissues, might be used at any stage of risk assessment. However, the most used role of HBM in this process is in the exposure assessment. In order to estimate the body burden of the varied exposure, the Swedish National Food Agency (NFA) applies HBM to complement the traditional calculations based on chemical analyses of the food content and consumers' selfreported food intake, or food purchase statistics. Aim: To summarize the two main HBM studies performed by the Swedish NFA over the last two decades, i.e. POPUP (Persistent Organic Pollutants in Uppsala Primiparas) and RIKSMATEN (national food survey), and to show how they can give complementary information to improve risk assessment of environmental contaminants. Results: Levels of a wide range of compounds, including environmental contaminants, have been measured in human samples collected from these studies. These results, collected over a number of years, make it possible to study the general temporal trends for the measured environmental contaminants. Additionally, the identification of exposure determinants and exposure pathways has been conducted by aid of collected data on food consumption and life-style factors, and possible associations have been reported. Conclusion: Overall, the gained results demonstrate how HBM studies provide important information both on the current state and the temporal trends of human exposure to environmental contaminants. Combined with other imperative data collected, HBM is an important complementary tool for risk assessment of environmental contaminants, which in many cases have diet as main source. Consequently, HBM is important in risk management of these contaminants to implement and follow-up risk reducing or preventive actions within the food sector, as well as to provide an early warning on potential threats to public health.