Indoor Air Quality Assessment in the Office of the Transformer Manufacturing Factory in Selangor, Malaysia

@#Introduction: As humans spend 90% of their time inside, indoor air quality (IAQ) is critical for occupant health. The primary concern associated with low IAQ is its impact on employees’ health, comfort, and productivity. In accordance with the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality 2010 (ICOP IAQ 2010), a ten-parameter assessment was conducted in the office of the transformer manufacturing factory in Selangor, Malaysia. Methods: The measured parameters are temperature, air movement, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2 ), carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde (CH2 O), particulate matter (PM10), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), total fungal count (TFC), and total bacterial count (TBC). This study employed both qualitative and quantitative approaches by distributing questionnaires (N = 42), and measuring the indoor air quality parameters with integrated equipment at selected stations and comparing them to the ICOP IAQ 2010 standard. Results: A majority of the measures, with the exception of air movement, CO2 , and TBC, complied with the ICOP IAQ 2010 standards. The one-way ANOVA test showed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) for the parameters of temperature, PM10, and TVOCs. The ChiSquare test revealed that sleepiness was a symptom of the sick building syndrome, affecting both male and female employees the most frequently and significantly. Conclusion: Air movement, CO2 , and TBC values that did not meet ICOP IAQ 2010 requirements revealed poor IAQ at the study site, which could have a negative influence on the employees’ health. To cut down on air pollution, the improvement on the ventilation system should be done to reduce the risks to the employees’ health.

Assessment Of Lung Function Status Of Workers At A Transformer Manufacturing Plant In Selangor, Malaysia

@#Transformer manufacturing industry uses volatile organic compounds (VOCs) containing materials such as varnish which can cause adverse health effects to human. Exposure to a high level of VOCs could disrupt the normal functions of a human lung.Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the status of lung functions of the workers exposed to VOCs at a transformer manufacturing plant in Selangor. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) concentration in the office and production area was measured using direct-reading method and 60 subjects were selected to undergo the lung function test. The FVC and FEV1 values showed significant difference (p<0.05) between the exposed group and the non-exposed group. The mean readings of FVC (69.07±12.58) and FEV₁ (72.90±10.46) of the exposed groups were lower than the non-exposed group, which were 81.47±9.78 and 84.23±9.07, respectively. In contrast to the FEV1/FVC parameters, the non-exposed group (102.93 ± 7.17) showed lower mean values than the exposed group (105.90±8.98). Besides that, the nasal symptoms showed significant differences (p<0.05) between the exposed and non-exposed group. The demographic data of the exposed group showed no association with the lung function status of the exposed group workers. However, the lung functions of the exposed group were influenced by the concentration of VOCs in the production area. High concentration of VOCs may cause detrimental effects on the lung functions. Therefore, management or employers in the industry should always be aware of the effects of VOCs, and take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and welfare of the employees.

Cytotoxicity evaluation and the mode of cell death of K562 cells induced by organotin (IV) (2-methoxyethyl) methyldithiocarbamate compounds

Two new organotin (IV) dithiocarbamate compounds, which are diphenyltin (IV) (2-methoxyethyl)methyldithiocarbamate (compound 1) and triphenyltin (IV) (2-methoxyethyl) methyldithiocarbamate (compound 2),were tested for their toxicity against human erythroleukemia cells (K562). The potential of both compounds to inducecytotoxicity against K562 cells was determined via MTT assay for 24 hours. The mode of K562 cells’ death inducedby both compounds was determined by Annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay for 24 hours using the IC50 values obtainedfrom the MTT assay for each compound. This study found that compound 1 and compound 2 were very toxic to K562cells, producing IC50 values of less than 5.0 μg/cm3. Compound 1 showed higher cytotoxicity against K562 cells withan IC50 value of 4.0 µM (2.41 μg/cm3) compared to compound 2 which has an IC50 value of 8.0 µM (4.52 μg/cm3). Inaddition to that, both compounds were found to induce about 43.0% of K562 cell death via apoptosis. In conclusion,the compounds showed good potential to be developed into anti-leukemic agents due to their strong cytotoxicityagainst K562 cells leading to induction of cell death via apoptosis. Further studies on their mechanisms of action arewarranted in order to explore their potential to be developed into anti-leukemic agents

The Effectiveness of Diphenyltin(IV) and Triphenyltin(IV) Alkylphenyldithiocarbamate Compounds as Insecticide Against Aedes aegypti LINN.(Diptera: Culicidae) in Laboratory / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

The development of using insecticide of organotin(IV) compound against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes have been explored and test the effectiveness of compound to prevent resistance insecticide. The aim of this research was to examine the insecticidal effect which is larvisidal and adulticidal effect two series of diphenyltin(IV) and triphenyltin(IV) alkylphenyldithiocarbamate compounds against Ae. aegypti in laboratory. Four compounds which diphenyltin(IV) ethylphenylditiocarbamate (DFEF), triphenyltin(IV) ethylphenylditiocarbamate (TFEF), diphenyltin(IV) butylphenylditiocarbamate (DFBF) and triphenyltin(IV) butylphenylditiocarbamate(DFBF) were carried out larvicidal bioassay testing against third instar larvae of Aedes aegypti. Based on activity of larvicidal testing, further study was continued to compound WHO showed the best activity larvicidal to test adulticide effect against female mosquito adults of Aedes aegypti. The results showed that TFEF compound showed the best larvicidal effect with LC50 and LC90 values of 0.082 ppm and 0.184 ppm, respectively. Therefore, TFBF compound showed a good larvicide effect with LC50 and LC90 values of 0.108 ppm and 0.273 ppm respectively. However, both of two compounds DFEF and DFBF were not a good of larvicide effect. Based on adultisial testing, TFEF compound not showed good activity of adulticidal effect with high LC50 and LC90 values which is 31,556.03 ppm and 98,427.05 ppm respectively. TFEF compound not show the good adulticide effect but it has potential to develop as larvicide. In conclusion, further study was needed to elucidate and ensure this compound will be used safely as larvicide

Cytotoxic Effect of Diphenyltin (IV) Alkylphenyldithiocarbamate Compounds on Erythtroleukemia Cell, K562) / Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia

Cytotoxicity of organotin (IV) compounds towards various types of cancerous cells have been extensively studied by researchers worldwide. In this study,two new organotin (IV) compounds; diphenyltin (IV) ethylphenyldithiocarbamate (DFEF) and diphenyltin (IV) butylphenyldithiocarbamate (DFBF) were used to evaluate their cytotoxic effect against erythroleukemia cells, K562. K562 cell was used as target cell whereas Chang liver and V79 fibroblast cells were used to evaluate the effects of both compounds on non-cancerous cells. The cytotoxic effects of both compounds were assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay at 24, 48 and 72 hours using different concentrations. Observations on the morphological changes were carried out with IC50 value for times of exposure similar to the MTT assay test. The cytotoxicity test showed that, DFEF and DFBF compounds were very toxic toward K562 cells with the IC50 values obtained less than 10 μM at all times of exposure. The selectivity index have proven that both compounds exhibited selective cytotoxic effect against K562 cells at 48 and 72 hours, meanwhile at 24 hours, these compounds showed general toxicity towards K562 and non-cancerous cells. We found that both compounds were toxic to non-cancerous cells, Chang liver and V79 cells where the IC50 values were less than 5 μM. Both compounds also showed selectivity to target cell at 48 and 72 hours of exposure. However for 24 hours, these compounds showed general toxicity and non-selective cytotoxic effect towards K562 cells and non-cancerous cells. The morphological changes match with characteristic of apoptosis such as cell shrinkage and formation of apoptotic bodies, also necrosis such as lysis of cells. In conclusion, diphenyltin (IV) alkylphenyldithiocarbamate showed great potential to be a good anti-leukemic agent. However, its specific mechanism of action in K562 cells should be further studied to elucidate its potential as a new anticancer drug