Detecting the concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA) in air of workplaces with HPLC / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To establish the method of detecting the concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA)in air of workplaces with high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>According to standards of methods for determining the chemical substances in workplace air, BPA in the air was collected by glass fiber filter, then dissolved by acetonitrile and determined by high performance liquid chromatography with FLD.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was a linear relationship within the range of 0.01-10.0 pg /ml, and the detection limit was 0.005 pg/ml. The lowest detected concentration was 3.3x10-5 mg/m3. The relative standard deviation was 2.5-5.5%. The dissolution efficiencies were 95.0%-101.9% and the sampling efficiencies were 99.6%. The samples in glass fiber filter membrane could be stored for 7 days at room temperature.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The present method could meet with the requirements of Guide for establishing occupational health standards-Part 4 Determination methods of air chemicals in workplace and be feasible for determination of BPA in workplace air.</p>

Levels of environmental endocrine disruptors in umbilical cord blood and maternal blood of low-birth-weight infants / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To monitor the biological levels of environmental endocrine disruptors (EDs, phthalates and surfactants) in the umbilical cord blood and maternal blood of low-birth-weight infants.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>All 30 umbilical cord blood samples and 21 maternal blood samples were collected from low-birth-weight infants. The concentration of four kinds of phthalates (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, DEHP; mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, MEHP; di-ethyl phthalate, DEP; di-n-butyl phthalate, DBP) and two kinds of surfactants (4-nonylphenol, 4-NP; octylphenol, OP) in these blood samples were measured by using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean birth weight and birth length of low-birth-weight infants were (2158.48 +/- 125.06) g and (45.36 +/- 2.52) cm, respectively. The concentrations of DEP, MEHP, DBP, DEHP, 4-NP and OP were 18.90, 11.87, 7.67, 8.84, 1.51 and 2. 86 mg/L in maternal blood, and the detective rates were 86.7%, 63.3%, 60.0%, 63.3%, 56.7% and 66.7%, respectively. In umbilical cord blood, the concentrations of those EDs were 11.92, 9.94, 5.71, 5.20, 1.12 and 1.19 mg/L; the detective rates were 86.7%, 63.3%, 60.0%, 63.3%, 56.7% and 66.7%. No matter in maternal blood or in umbilical cord blood, the contents and detective rates of phthalates were higher than the surfactants. The concentration of MEHP was higher than its primer, DEHP. The contents of the target EDs in umbilical cord blood were less than those in the matched maternal blood. The percentages were 47.82% -84.05%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>People could be exposed to EDs from embryo period. And this should be paid attention by the related departments.</p>

Study on the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on migraine and influencing factors / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare therapeutic effects of electrical acupuncture (EA) at Qiuxu (GB 40) and Tianshu (ST 25), and to probe the factors of influencing the therapeutic effect.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Two hundred and seventy-five cases were randomly divided into the test group of 138 cases treated with EA at Qiuxu (GB 40) and the control group of 137 cases treated with EA at Tianshu (ST 25). Their therapeutic effects were observed and the factors influencing the therapeutic effect were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The transient effective rate was 70.3% in the test group and 58.4% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05), and there were very significant differences between the two groups in the therapeutic effects at treatment of 4 weeks, and following-up 3 and 6 months later (P<0.001), the transient analgesic effect of EA at Qiuxu (GB 40) being better. EA had better transient effect on migraine for the mental workers, or the patient with high pain score at treatment, or more frequent attack. The long-term analgesic effect of EA at Qiuxu (GB 40) was better than Tianshu (ST 25).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The analgesic effect of EA at Qiuxu (GB 40) is better than Tianshu (ST 25) and the profession and conditions of the patient are the factors influencing the therapeutic effect.</p>

Phthalate exposure and human semen quality in Shanghai: a cross-sectional study / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To monitor the level of phthalates in human semen samples and to analyze the relationship between phthalate levels and semen parameters.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Concentrations of three kinds of commonly used phthalates (di-ethyl phthalate, DEP; di-n-butyl phthalate, DBP; di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, DEHP) were measured using reversed-phase HPLC. Semen parameters were measured by computer aided sperm analysis (CASA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The three phthalates were detected in most of the biological samples, with median levels of 0.30 mg/L (0.08-1.32 mg/L) in semen specimens. There was a significant positive association between liquefied time of semen and phthalate concentrations of semen. The correlation coefficient was 0.456 for DEP, 0.475 for DBP, and 0.457 for DEHP, respectively. There was no significant difference between phthalate concentrations of semen and sperm density or livability, though the correlation coefficients were negative.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results suggest that people who reside in Shanghai are exposed to phthalates, especially to DBP and DEHP. Although the level of phthalates is relatively mild, an association of phthalate levels and reduced quality of human semen has been shown in the present study.</p>

Effect of dimethoate on serum monoamines neurotransmitters in rats / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of dimethoate on the monoamine Neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), serotonin (5-HT), dopamine (DA) and its metabolite (3, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, DOPAC) in the serum of rats and furthermore to explore the non-cholinergic mechanism of organophosphate induced toxicity.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Groups of rats were treated with saline and 38.9, 83.7 and 180 mg/kg dimethoate respectively and were decapitated at the different time course from 0.5 to 24 hours after the administration. The monoamines neurotransmitters were determined by the reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with the electrochemical detection.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum concentrations of DA (8.42% - 248.42% of the control), DOPAC (17.22% - 68.21% of the control) increased, according with the DM dosage and the exposure time, while the levels of NE (9.65% - 38.26% of the control) and E (11.00% - 32.62% of the control) contents decreased at the same time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These findings indicate that dimethoate induced toxic effects can alter the monoamine levels at the different dosage and the time exposure in the serum of rats. It suggests that some non-cholinergic mechanisms may be involved in the dimethoate intoxication.</p>

Study on the level of environmental endocrine disruptors in serum of precocious puberty patients / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the role of environmental endocrine disruptors (EEDs) in causing the precocious puberty.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The blood samples were collected from 79 cases of precocious puberty patients and 42 cases of normal children. The concentrations of 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), 1, 1-dichloro-2, 2, bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethylene (p, p'-DDE) and di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) in blood serum samples were measured by using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The volume of uterus and ovary, the bone density, and the content of estradiol (E(2)) in serum were determined at the same time. The contents of EEDs in blood serums of precocious puberty and the indices of the target organs were analyzed by using of correlation and regression.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In normal control group, p, p'-DDE was detected in all the blood samples (14.93 - 40.39 ng/ml), but 4-NP and DEHP were detected in some samples (ND -6.77 ng/ml, ND -17.61 ng/ml). The levels of 4-NP, p, p'-DDE and DEHP in blood serum in precocious puberty group were notably increased than that in control group (P < 0.01). In precocious puberty group, there was a positive correlations between the 4-NP in volume of uterus and the volume of ovary and the density of bone (r = 0.394, 0.286, 0.237, P < 0.01); p, p'-DDE and volume of uterus also showed a the positive correlation (r = 0.306, P < 0.01). The influencing extent of 4-NP was 1.3 times to that of the p, p'-DDE.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The normal children and the children with precocious puberty should be all contaminated by EEDs, and the later be exposured to more EEDs. There might exist a close relationship between EEDs and the precocious puberty, and EEDs should be an important factor in causing the disease. Different kinds of EEDs might have different influencing extents to the target organs.</p>

Comparison on urinary 1-hydroxypyrene concentrations between coke oven workers and non-occupational exposed individuals / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) concentrations between coke oven workers and non-occupational exposed individuals and to investigate the possible impact factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Spot end-of-shift urine samples were collected in 265 coke oven workers and spot morning urine samples in 226 non-occupational exposed individuals. External exposure levels and possible confounding factors were assessed by environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) monitoring and uniform questionnaire, and the urinary 1-OHP concentrations determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), were used to compare the different urinary 1-OHP levels between different research populations and to explore the effects of several factors such as external exposure levels, smoking habits, alcohol consumptions, age and body mass index (BMI).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The urinary 1-OHP concentrations in coke oven workers were significantly higher than those in non-occupational exposed individuals (13.49, 6.56, 1.38 and 0.35 micromol/mol creatinine for topside workers, side-oven workers, bottom side workers and references, respectively, P < 0.001; the same trends for the percentage of the level over 2.3 micromol/mol creatinine: 94.81%, 84.73%, 35.09% and 0.88%, P < 0.001). The control individuals who smoked over 20 cigarettes per day possessed higher urinary 1-OHP concentrations than the non-smokers (adjusted geometric mean: 0.47 and 0.31 micromol/mol creatinine, respectively, P < 0.05). Alcohol drinking references possessed lower urinary 1-OHP levels than the non-drinkers (adjusted geometric mean: 0.33 and 0.47 micromol/mol creatinine, respectively, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Coke oven workers should be exposed to a high level of urinary 1-OHP, especially for topside workers and side-oven workers. Background urinary 1-OHP levels in non-occupational exposed individuals should be related to smoking habits and alcohol consumptions.</p>

Occupational exposure profiles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coke oven workers / 中华劳动卫生职业病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the characteristics of occupational exposure of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in coke oven workers.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Samples were collected individually and PAHs concentration in the ambient air were assayed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) were introduced to assess the carcinogenic potency.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of PAHs occupational exposure in oven workers at topside was higher than at side oven and bottom oven (P < 0.05). Non-carcinogenic PAHs were more than 70% of total PAHs and benzo[a]pyrene accounted for 65.5% approximately 72.4% of total benzo[a]pyrene equivalents. Total occupational exposure level of PAHs in coke oven workers was positively related to the content of benzo[a]pyrene and pyrene, respectively (r(2) = 0.84, r(2) = 0.94, P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Coke oven workers were exposed to a high level of PAHs which possessed some extent of carcinogenic potency, and benzo[a]pyrene is the chief carcinogenic substance.</p>