Concentration and potential health risk of heavy metals in market vegetables in Chongqing, China.

Concentration and daily intake (DI) of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Mn, Cu, Cd and Cr) in market vegetables in Chongqing of China are investigated and their potential health risk for local consumers is simultaneously evaluated by calculating the target hazard quotient (THQ). The results showed that the measured Pb and Cd concentrations exceeded the safety limits given by FAO/WHO and Chinese regulations, indicating serious contamination of market vegetables by these metals. As respective DI values for Pb, Mn and Cd were also above the international guideline bases, health risk to the consumers is obvious. The individual THQ for Pb and Cd in pakchoi and Cd in mustard, and the combined THQ for all metals in each vegetable species excluding cos lettuce were above the threshold 1.0, implying the obviously adverse effect on health. Therefore, attention should be paid particularly to the potential hazardous exposure to vegetable heavy metals, especially for Pb and Cd, over a lifetime for people in Chongqing.

[The surface biomarkers of sputum cells in coal mine workers and patients with pneumoconiosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the significance of intercellular adhesion molecule -1 (CD54 or ICAM-1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and platelet-derived factor (PDGF) in sputum cells of workers exposed to dust and patients with pneumoconiosis for the early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis. METHODS: The subjects included 62 workers exposed to dusts, 51 workers not exposed to dusts, 22 patients with pneumoconiosis and 10 healthy controls. The respiratory sputum technique was used to collect the sputum samples and the biomarkers (ICAM-1, EGFR and PDGF) of the sputum samples were detected with the sputum samples. RESULTS: When the exposure group was compared with non-exposure group, there were no significant differences of surface biomarkers (ICAM-1, EGFR and PDGF) in sputum cells (neutrophil leucocytes, macrophages, lymphocytes and acidophilic/basophil leucocytes). As compared with other workers exposed to dusts, the surface CD54 and EGFR expression levels increased significantly and the surface PDGF expression level decreased significantly in workers exposed to dusts for 10 years (P<0.05). As compared with controls, the CD54 and EGFR expression levels of sputum cells increased significantly and the PDGF expression level of sputum cells decreased significantly in patients with pneumoconiosis at the stages of I and II + mI (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression levels of the surface CD54, EGFR and PDGF of sputum cells in workers exposed to dusts and patients with pneumoconiosis changed, which may be useful for early detecting pneumoconiosis.and patients is changed, which may be meaningful for early detection of pneumoconiosis.