Pesticide residues in drinking water treatment plants and human health risk assessment: a case study from Northern Iran.

These days, the presence of pesticide residues in drinking water sources is a serious concern. In drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), various methods have been proposed to remove pesticide residues. This study was designed with the objectives of monitoring the occurrence and seasonal variations of pesticides in the output of drinking water treatment plants in two Northern provinces of Iran, Gilan and Golestan, and identifying their human health risks. Seventeen pesticide residues from different chemical structures were determined by using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results showed that only Alachlor, Diazinon, Fenitrothion, Malathion, and Chlorpyrifos were detected. The pesticide concentrations ranged from ND to 405.3 ng/L and were higher in the first half-year period. The total non-carcinogenic human health risks was in safe range for infants, children, and adults (HI < 1). The carcinogenic human health risks of Alachlor for infants, children, and adults were in the range of 4.3 × 10-7 to 1.3 × 10-6, 2.0 × 10-7 to 9.6 × 10-7, and 1.1 × 10-7 to 5.5 × 10-7, respectively. These values do not pose health risks for adults and children, but may present a possible cancer risk for infants in two DWTPs of Golestan. In conclusion, considering the possibility of exposure to these pesticides through other routes, simultaneously, it is suggested to carry out a study that examines the level of risk by considering all exposure routes. We also propose stricter regulations for the sale and use of pesticides in Iran.

The therapeutic effect of larval saliva and hemolymph of Lucilia sericata on the treatment of Leishmania major lesion in BALB/c mice946.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) remains a major challenge for the public health and medical community. It has been claimed that natural compounds derived from fly larvae have anti-leishmania properties against some species of Leishmania. The present study aimed at assessing the in vitro effects of larval products of Lucilia sericata against the promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of Leishmania major. Also, the therapeutic effect of larval products on lesions induced by L. major infection was evaluated in BALB/c mice models. METHODS: Parasite specimens and macrophage cells were exposed to varying concentrations of larval products for 24-120 h. Lesion progression and parasite load were investigated in the models to assess the therapeutic effects of the products. RESULTS: The larval products displayed more potent cytotoxicity against L. major promastigotes. The IC50 values for larval saliva and hemolymph were 100.6 and 37.96 ug/ml, respectively. The IC50 of glucantime was 9.480 ug/ml. Also, the saliva and hemolymph of L. sericata exhibited higher cytotoxicity against the promastigotes of L. major but were less toxic to the macrophage cells. Treatment with leishmanicidal agents derived from larvae of L. sericata decreased the infection rate and the number of amastigotes per infected host cell at all concentrations. Lesion size was significantly (F (7, 38) = 8.54, P < 0.0001) smaller in the treated mice compared with the untreated control group. The average parasite burden in the treated mice groups (1.81 ± 0.74, 1.03 ± 0.45 and 3.37 ± 0.41) was similar to the group treated with a daily injection of glucantime (1.77 ± 0.99) and significantly lower (F (7, 16) = 66.39, P < 0.0001) than in the untreated control group (6.72 ± 2.37). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the larval products of L. sericata were effective against L. major parasites both in vivo and in vitro. However, more clinical trial studies are recommended to evaluate the effects of these larval products on human subjects.

Hemoglobin adducts as an important marker of chronic exposure to low concentration of 1, 3-butadiene.

BACKGROUND: 1, 3-Butadiene is a famous industrial compound which occurs in gasoline and diesel exhaust and in cigarette smoke. Based on little evidence of carcinogenicity in laboratory animals and humans, it was classified as a probable carcinogen. The potential of exposure to gasoline and diesel exhaust containing these chemical compounds is very considerable in urban areas. According to studies, in estimation of workers' chronic exposure with biological samples, analysis of the concentration of related hemoglobin adducts seems to give the most valid estimation of exposure. METHODS: This study designed to determine the level of chronic exposure in gas station workers and traffic policemen during routine work shift, by an appropriate biological marker. In this regards, 25 gas station workers, 25 policemen engaged in traffic control, and 25 occupationally non-exposed persons were studied. Blood samples were obtained after the work shift from each person. The level of selected hemoglobin adduct, 1- and 2-hydroxy-3-butenyl valine (MHBVal) was determined by using GC-MS after a modified Edman degradation and a further acetylation. RESULTS: There were significant differences among the mean concentrations of MHBVal in blood samples of gas station workers, policemen and occupationally non-exposed persons. The mean airborne levels of 1, 3-Butadiene over 60 days, differed significantly among different studied groups (ANOVA: p < 0.05 and Kruskal-Wallis test: p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference in MHBVal concentrations between job categories (p < 0.05 by ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test), and gas station workers and policemen were found to be probably the most exposed groups in this research.

Synthesis and characterization of tetraethylene pentamine functionalized MIL-101(Cr) for removal of metals from water.

PURPOSE: Metal contamination in water is a worldwide persistent problem. We developed a nano-adsorbent, TEPA-MIL-101(Cr) that exhibits effective removal of heavy metals from real water samples. METHODS: MIL-101(Cr) was synthesized under solvo-thermal condition. Then MIL-101(Cr) was dehydrated and degassed at high temperature under vacuum to generate the coordinately unsaturated sites which are used for tetraethylene pentamine (TEPA) grafting. The structures, morphologies, and compositions of the sorbents have been characterized. Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models were applied for describing the adsorption process onto TEPA-MIL-101(Cr). RESULTS: The successful grafting of TEPA on MIL-101(Cr) was verified by Fourier transform infrared. The results of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and CHN analysis show that the structure of TEPA-MIL-101(Cr) retains the original structure of MIL-101(Cr). Thermogravimetric analysis indicates thermo-stability of the adsorbent up to 300 °C. Optimal conditions for adsorption were determined as pH = 6.5 and contact time = 1 h. The adsorption capacities of TEPA-MIL-101(Cr) for Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Co(II) from aqueous samples were 227.5, 217.7, 221.4, and 215.6 mg/g respectively, which is on average more than 8 times that of MIL-101(Cr). Analysis of Langmuir and Freundlich models for describing the adsorption isotherms of TEPA-MIL-101(Cr) reveals that the metal ions were absorbed onto TEPA-MIL-101(Cr) by a favorable physical absorption process. CONCLUSIONS: TEPA-MIL-101(Cr) was synthesized successfully by a simple, and cost-effective method. The removal efficiency of TEPA-MIL-101(Cr) for the metal ions achieved more than 95 % in real water samples, which in addition to its thermal stability character make it a promising candidate for water treatment purposes.

Impact of smoking on oxidant/antioxidant status and oxidative stress index levels in serum of the university students.

BACKGROUND: Despite frequent warnings of irreversible side effects of smoking in public media, the consumption of cigarette is increasing dramatically in both developed and developing countries. Cigarette smoke contains different kinds of chemicals, which all capable of inducing free radical production. There are studies supporting the idea that these free radicals have adverse effects in body and causing oxidative stress. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) is considered as the total effect of all antioxidants and total oxidant status (TOS) shows the total effect of all oxidants existing in body fluids. Therefore, this research focused on the measurement and comparison of these markers in the serum of university students. METHODS: This study designed to determine the total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status and oxidative stress index levels in the serum of active smokers, passive smokers and non-smokers in university students. A total of 150 participants were included in the study. The study population consisted of 50 smokers, 50 passive smokers and 50 nonsmokers. In serum samples, the levels of TAC and TOS were measured by spectrophotometric method using Rel Assay Diagnostics kit. Oxidative stress index was calculated through the TOS/TAC formula in three groups. RESULTS: The mean value TAC levels in serum samples of the three groups of smokers, passive smokers and nonsmokers were 1.096, 1.220 and 1.844 mmol Trolox equivalent/L, respectively, which were significantly greater in nonsmokers than smokers and passive smokers. The mean value TOS levels in serum samples of the three groups of smokers, passive smokers and nonsmokers were 13.747, 11.099 and 7.6510 µmol H2O2 equivalent/L, respectively, which were significantly lower in nonsmokers than two other groups. OSI values in smokers and passive smokers were significantly higher than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: According to our findings, the antioxidant capacity in all smokers (active and inactive) was less than the control group (non-smokers). The results of this study showed that smoking reduces the activity of the antioxidant defense system and activates the oxidative stress system in the body. Based on these findings, it can be clearly concluded that the decrease in antioxidant capacity in smokers is associated with increased production of oxidants and free radicals.

The leishmanicidal effect of Lucilia sericata larval saliva and hemolymph on in vitro Leishmania tropica.

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a major parasitic disease worldwide, except in Australia and Antarctica, and it poses a significant public health problem. Due to the absence of safe and effective vaccines and drugs, researchers have begun an extensive search for new drugs. The aim of the current study was to investigate the in vitro leishmanicidal activity of larval saliva and hemolymph of Lucilia sericata on Leishmania tropica. METHODS: The effects of different concentrations of larval products on promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. tropica were investigated using the mouse cell line J774A.1 and peritoneal macrophages as host cells. The 3-(4.5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and direct observation and counting method were used to assess the inhibitory effects and cell cytotoxicity of the larval products. The effects of larval products on the amastigote form of L. tropica were quantitatively estimated by calculating the rate of macrophage infection, number of amastigotes per infected macrophage cell, parasite load and survival index. RESULTS: The 50% cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) value of both larval saliva and hemolymph was 750 µg/ml, and the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were 134 µg/ml and 60 µg/ml for larval saliva and larval hemolymph, respectively. The IC50 for Glucantime, used a positive control, was (11.65 µg/ml). Statistically significant differences in viability percentages of promastigotes were observed for different doses of both larval saliva and hemolymph when compared with the negative control (p ≤ 0.0001). Microscopic evaluation of the amastigote forms revealed that treatment with 150 µg/ml larval hemolymph and 450 µg/ml larval saliva significantly decreased the rate of macrophage infection and the number of amastigotes per infected macrophage cell. CONCLUSION: Larval saliva and hemolymph of L. sericata have acceptable leishmanicidal properties against L. tropica.

Evaluation of Susceptibility Status of Phlebotomus papatasi, the Main Vector of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, to Different WHO Recommended Insecticides in an Endemic Focus, Central Iran.

Background: Among neglected zoonotic diseases, leishmaniases caused by Leishmania parasite through infected female sand fly bite, are a group of diseases found in 98 countries and territories representing a critical burden of disease worldwide. Vector management plays a crucial role in reducing the burden of vector-borne diseases by WHO's global plan. The objective of the current study was to assess the susceptibility status of wild phlebotomine sand flies from Esfahan Province, central Iran, to the recommended insecticides by WHO. Methods: Sand flies were collected by mouth aspirator in Matin Abad desert Eco-resort and were tested using WHO adult mosquito test kit against Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) 4%, Deltamethrin 0.05%, Malathion 5% and Propoxur 0.1%. The number of knockdown sand flies were recorded during exposure time in ten minutes interval for DDT and Deltamethrin and they were allowed to recover for 24 hours. Knockdown Time50 (KD50) and KD90 were generated for them using Probit software. They were mounted and identified by valid keys. Results: Among the tested insecticides against female Phlebotomus papatasi, DDT, Deltamethrin, and Malathion recorded the highest mortality rate of 100%, followed by Propoxur with 92.2% mortality for a one-hour exposure. For DDT, KD50 and KD90 were calculated 21.87 and 42.93 and for Deltamethrin, they were 23.74 and 56.50 minutes respectively. Total sand flies exposed with DDT and Deltamethrin shed their leg(s). Conclusion: It is concluded that Ph. papatasi from central Iran is susceptible to DDT, Deltamethrin, Malathion, and Propoxur.

Application of biological monitoring for exposure assessment of 1.3 Butadiene.

BACKGROUND: 1, 3-Butadiene is an important industrial compound. Based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in laboratory animals and humans, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, in 1999, classified 1, 3-Butadiene as a probable carcinogen to humans (group 2A). The potential for exposure to vehicle exhaust containing these chemical compounds is very noticeable in urban locations. Exposure to incomplete combustion of gasoline has been a long time concern in many occupational fields, including policemen, service stations, and the petroleum industry but in Iran has rarely been studied. METHODS: This study designed to determine the exposure levels for traffic policemen and gas station workers during routine work shift, by biological monitoring. With this aim, 25 policemen engaged in traffic control, 25 gas station workers and 25 occupationally non-exposed persons were investigated. Spot urine samples were obtained prior to and at the end of the work shift from each subject. The urinary levels of selected urinary metabolites (MHBMA and DHBMA) were determined by using LC-MS/MS. RESULTS: There were significant differences among the mean urinary concentrations of DHBMA in pre-shift samples of policemen, gas station workers and occupationally non-exposed persons. The mean urinary concentrations of DHBMA differed significantly among post-shift samples of policemen and gas station (ANOVA: p < 0.05 and Kruskal-Wallis test: p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant difference in DHBMA concentrations between job categories (p < 0.05 by ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test), and policemen and gas station workers were found to be probably the most exposed groups in this study.

Erythrocytes polyunsaturated fatty acids mediate relationship between dietary patterns and depression.

Background: This study aimed to examine the association between depression and dietary patterns via the intermediary role of erythrocytes polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Methods: In this individually matched case-control study, the dietary patterns were extracted for 330 individuals using factor analysis. Furthermore, erythrocyte PUFAs including n-3 and n-6 were assessed using a GC-Mass spectrometry analytical method for 84 people. Depression was diagnosed using the criteria mentioned in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The dietary patterns were also extracted using a valid and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Results: The findings showed that healthy dietary patterns were related to the risk of depression (P = 0.01, odds ratio (OR) = 0.31, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14-0.68) by the increase of ratio n-3 /n-6 PUFA (p ≤ 0.03) and decrease of ratio n-6 /n-3 PUFA (p ≤ 0.005). Moreover, the unhealthy dietary patterns were associated with the risk of depression (P = 0.02, OR = 2.7, 95%CI: 1.25-5.9) by the decrease of ratio n-3/n-6 PUFA (p ≤ 0.03) and increase of ratio n-6/n-3 PUFA (p ≤ 0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results, the type of dietary pattern is related to the risk of depression considering the changes in n-3 and n-6 PUFA as well as the ratio of n-3 to n-6 as the mediator variables. Of course, further studies are required in this area.

Effect of sunlight exposure on phthalates migration from plastic containers to packaged juices.

BACKGROUND: Acidic juices such as lemon juice, vinegar and Verjuice are popular beverages regularly consumed by both children and adults. Various brands of different acidic juices in Iran markets are packaged in disposable plastic bottles. Some evidence suggests that phthalates may immigrate from plastic bottles. METHODS: In this research the influence of sunlight, type of container and storage time on the leaching of phthalates from packaging materials into selected juices was investigated, by analyzing the samples kept in different conditions, before and throughout 2, 4 and 6 months storage time. RESULTS: The mean phthalate concentrations of the examined samples were determined to be between

Development and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatography method for determination of lisinopril in human plasma by magnetic solid-phase extraction and pre-column derivatization.

A sensitive, reliable and simple HPLC method was developed for the determination of lisinopril in human plasma. The method consists of extraction and clean-up steps based on magnetic solid-phase extraction and pre-column derivatization with a fluorescent reagent. The mobile phase consisted of a mixture of methanol-sodium dihydrogen phosphate (pH 3.0; 0.005 m; 75:25, v/v). The flow rate was set at 0.7 mL/min. Fluorescence detection was performed at 470nm excitation and 530nm emission wavelengths. Total chromatography run time was 5 min. The average extraction recovery of lisinopril and fluvoxamine (internal standard) was ≥82.8%. The limits of detection and quantification were determined as 1 and 3 ng/mL respectively. The method exhibited a linear calibration line over the concentration range of 3-1000 ng/mL with coefficient of determination (r2 ) of ≥0.98. The within-run and between-run precisions were satisfactory with values of CV of 1.8-12.8% (accuracy from 99.2 to 94.7%) and 2.4-13.7% (accuracy from 99.5 to 92.2%), respectively. These developments led to considerable improvement in method sensitivity and reliability. The method was validated according to the US Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Therefore, it can be considered as a suitable method for determination of lisinopril in plasma samples.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) residues in commercial pasteurized cows' milk in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: To date, despite the facts that pasteurized milk is the most consumed dairy product in Iran and its consumption has increased almost two fold during the last 10 years, no data are available concerning the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in commercial cow milk in Iran market. METHODS: This study designed to determine the levels of PCBs in these products and to assess population exposure to PCBs by estimating the daily intakes. Pasteurized cows' milk samples (10 brands) were collected from local markets at two different seasons and analyzed using sensitive and reliable methods. RESULTS: Based on the results all the indicator PCBs were detected and quantified in all of the samples, the mean ± SD concentration for the sum of the six congeners was 18.92 ± 14.36 ng g-1 fat. None of the samples surpassed the provisional value established by the EU of 40 ng g-1 fat. The sum of dioxin-like congeners, expressed as WHO-TEQ was 0.492 pg/g of fat which was considerably lower than the defined limit 3 pg/g fat, set for cow's milk. Furthermore, a similar DL-PCBs profile as other studies was found for analyzed samples. The results indicated that concentrations of DL-PCBs were very low, and all of milk samples were compliant with EC legislation. In addition, seasonal variations were not observed for DL- and NDL-PCBs levels (p values >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The estimated dietary intake for target population was 0.06 pg TEQ/kg of body weight/day, much smaller than the amounts declared by the World Health Organization as tolerable daily intake.

Identification of suspected hazardous chemical contaminants in recycled pastry packaging.

BACKGROUND: The safe use of recycled paper and cardboard material for food packaging applications is     an important area of investigation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine which hazardous chemi- cal pollutants were found in paper and cardboard samples used for pastry packaging, and to measure the migration of pollutants over time into the pastries. METHODS: In this study, the presence of some organic pollutants in common confectionery packaging, and the effects of storage time and type of pastry on pollutant migration, were investigated. RESULTS: The results of the study indicate that harmful compounds such as benzophenone, pentachlorophenol, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and dibutyl phthalate are present at high concentrations in most recycled boxes used for pastry packaging. CONCLUSIONS: Since the migration of some of the hazardous compounds from the packaging materials into the pastries under normal conditions was indicated, it is recommended that the procedure for preparing pastry packaging materials should be reconsidered and improved.

The Effect of Storage Time, Temperature and Type of Packaging on the Release of Phthalate Esters into PackedAcidic Liquids.

Acidic liquids such as verjuice, lemon juice and vinegar are frequently consumed in Iran. Different kinds of acidic liquids are packaged in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles. There is evidence indicating that phthalates can leach from PET and HDPE bottles into their contents. In this work the effect of storage time, temperature and bottle type on the migration of phthalates from packaging materials into acidic liquids is studied by analyzing the samples stored under different conditions, before storage and after 2, 4 and 6 months of storage. The determined mean phthalate concentrations in µg/L were: <0.04 to 0.501 in verjuice, <0.04 to 0.231 in lemon juice and <0.04 to 0.586 in vinegar. The highest concentrations of diethyl phthalate (DEP) and diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) were found in PET and HDPE bottles, respectively. Results of analyses before and after storage indicate that under some storage conditions, the concentrations of DEP, DEHP and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) increased in acidic liquids. The possible migration of phthalic acid esters from plastic packaging materials into the contents was indicated by the results of the present study.

Biomonitoring of tobacco smoke exposure and self-reported smoking status among general population of Tehran, Iran.

The present study aimed to find a correlation between the self-reported smoking status of the residents of Tehran, Iran, and the urine cotinine as a biomarker of exposure to tobacco smoke. The self-reported data was collected from 222 participants who were living in the urban area of Tehran. The urine samples of participants were collected for cotinine analysis. Urine cotinine was measured by an enzymatic immunoassay technique. Tobacco smoking was reported by 76 (34.23 %) participants as the self-reported data, and the number of males in this report was higher than of females (p < 0.001). By adding the number of the self-reported non-smokers with cotinine levels above the cutoff value of >100 ng/ml to self-reported smokers, the smoking prevalence increased from 34.23 % (95 % CI 28.01-40.88 %) to 36.48 % (95 % CI 30.14-43.19 %). Using the cutoff value, sensitivity and specificity of the self-reported smoking status were respectively 90.12 % (95 % CI 81.46-95.64 %) and 98 % (95 % CI 93.91-99.55 %). The levels of agreement between self-reported tobacco smoking and urinary cotinine concentrations was 95.1 % (k = 0.89, p < 0.001, 95 % CI = 0.81-0.95). Based on the results, self-reported smoking can be a valid marker for assessing the tobacco exposure, and it can be of use in large epidemiological studies.

The association between bisphenol A exposure and type-2 diabetes: a world systematic review.

The present study was conducted to systematically review, analyze, and interpret all the relevant evidence in the literature on the possible link between exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and the risk of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We developed a comprehensive search strategy and used it to search Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar up to March 31, 2016, producing 3108 hits, of which 13 original papers were included. Findings of these studies were quite controversial; few studies indicated a significant positive association between BPA exposure and T2DM, while some other failed to detect such a relationship. Overall, it can be suggested that chance is unlikely the plausible explanation for the observed association between BPA exposure and T2DM. This was mainly because even in the negative studies some clues could be found in favor of a statistically significant relationship between BPA and T2DM. Additionally, some of the studies had shortcomings in defining the exposure and outcome measures, which, if present, might have led to underestimating the relationship between BPA exposure and T2DM. The theoretical plausibility of such a relationship found earlier in animal studies also supports this point. However, more definitive answer requires the conduct of future longitudinal studies, in which the possible association between BPA exposure and T2DM is assessed over much longer periods of time with more temporally robust BPA measurements. In addition, it would be quite beneficial if future studies be conducted in areas where data is still lacking (e.g., South America, Australia/Oceania, and Europe). Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Endocrine disruptor phthalates in bottled water: daily exposure and health risk assessment in pregnant and lactating women.

Over the last decade, the consumption of water bottled in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has considerably increased, raising concerns over water quality and packaged materials. This study aims to investigate the levels of the anti-androgenic phthalates including bis-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), in bottled water and its corresponding health risks in pregnant and lactating women. The phthalate levels were measured in six different brands of bottled water exposed to temperatures ranging between -18 and 40 °C and sunlight for 45 days. The phthalate was quantified using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, the non-carcinogenic effects were assessed using hazard quotient (HQ) approach, and cumulative health risk assessment was performed on the basis of hazard index (HI) calculation. In order to assess the carcinogenic risk due to the possible carcinogen DEHP (group 2B), the excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) was used. DEHP and DBP contaminants were detected at different storage conditions in all of the bottled water samples during the storage time. BBP was only detected at high temperature (≥25 °C) and outdoor conditions. The maximum concentrations of all phthalates were observed when water samples were kept at 40 °C. In contrast, storage at freezing conditions had no significant effect on the concentration level of all phthalates. The estimated intake by women was between 0.0021 µg/kg/day for BBP and 0.07 µg/kg/day for DEHP. The highest HQ for phthalate intake via bottled water consumption was much lower than 1 (HQ < 0.004), which implies that adverse effects are very unlikely to occur. The execution of a cumulative risk assessment for combined phthalate exposure demonstrated that the HIs for anti-androgenic effect were lower than 1 in all of the conditions. Furthermore, ELCR for DEHP based on the highest detected level was found to be less than 10(-6), which is considered acceptable. Our results prove that the levels of phthalates in bottled water are not a health concern for pregnant and lactating women. Consequently, PET-bottled water is not a major contributor to phthalate intake for most individuals.

Characterization and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in urban atmospheric Particulate of Tehran, Iran.

In this study, atmospheric concentrations of particulate-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Tehran megacity were determined to investigate the concentration, distribution, and sources of PAHs in PM10. The health risk from exposure to airborne BaPeq through inhalation pathway was also assessed. Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) approach was used for quantitative risk estimate, and incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) was calculated. PM10 samples were collected at ten sampling locations during the summer 2013 and winter 2014 by using two independent methods of field sampling. The PM10 concentration in winter (89.55 ± 15.56 µg m(-3)) was 1.19 times higher than that in summer (75.42 ± 14.93 µg m(-3)). Sixteen PAHs were measured with the total average concentrations of PAHs ranged from 56.98 ± 15.91 to 110.35 ± 57.31 ng m(-3) in summer and from 125.87 ± 79.02 to 171.25 ± 73.94 ng m(-3) in winter which were much higher than concentrations measured in most similar studies conducted around the world. Molecular diagnostic ratios were used to identify PAH emission sources. The results indicated that gasoline-driven vehicles are the major sources of PAHs in the study area. Risk analysis showed that the mean and 90 % probability estimated inhalation ILCRs were 7.85 × 10(-6) and 16.78 × 10(-6), respectively. Results of a sensitivity analysis indicated that BaP concentration and cancer slope factor (CSF) contributed most to effect on ILCR mean.

Personal Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Newsagents in Tehran, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Vehicle exhaust is a major source of exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in the urban atmosphere. Newsagents usually work close to heavy traffic flow. The purpose of this study was to assess the breathing zone exposure of newsagents to PAHs found in the urban atmosphere of Tehran City during summer and autumn seasons and comparing the levels of exposure in both seasons. METHODS: Fifteen non-smoking newsagents were randomly selected from north, south, east, west, and center of Tehran. Particle and gas phases PAHs were collected on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filter and XAD-2 adsorbent. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to determine PAHs concentrations in newsagent's breathing zone samples. RESULTS: The highest and lowest values of exposures during summer and autumn in all sampling stations were recorded for benzo[a]anthracene and benzo[ghi]perylene, respectively. Mann-Whitney test results showed that seasonal variation had significant influence on concentrations of all studied PAHs (P= 0.001) except benzo[ghi]perylene (P= 0.089). An increase in concentrations of PAHs was observed in autumn. CONCLUSION: The workers of the newsstands in the south area of Tehran City were experiencing higher levels of exposures to PAHs. Newsagents' breathing zone exposures to PAHs during the cold period were two to three folds higher than those during the warm period were. The levels of exposures in all sampling stations were below the OSHA and NIOSH's recommended exposure limits.