Urinary levels of metal elements in the non-smoking general population in Italy: SIVR study 2012-2015.

The purpose of this study of the Italian Society of Reference Values (SIVR) was to provide the reference values for metals in the urine of the Italian general population. Thirteen sampling centres situated in the north, centre and south of Italy took part in this project. Each sampling centre selected 20 adult subjects. The sample was made up of 120 male and 140 female non-smokers or smokers who had abandoned the habit at least 5 years previously, aged between 18 and 60 years. Urine samples were obtained from the same subjects in June and again in November of the same year. During collection of these two samples, we administered an ad hoc questionnaire designed to assess factors that might influence exposure and the results of the study such as personal characteristics, occupational or extra-occupational activities, dietary habits, the presence of dental fillings containing amalgam, the frequency and mode of exposure to passive smoking and exhaust gases of motor vehicles (traffic). Therefore, the urinary levels of thirteen trace elements (Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, In, Mn, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sb, Tl and V) were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The concentrations obtained (95th percentile) are in µg/L: 0.034, 0.900, 2.24, 0.600, 24.0, 0.013, 1.53, 4.44, 2.64, 0.022, 0.095, 0.759 and 0.855 for Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, In, Mn, Ni, Pb, Pt, Sb, Tl and V, respectively. Further studies with a larger number of subjects are needed in order to continue the biomonitoring of the Italian general population and to monitor the modified levels over time.

Biological monitoring of exposure to low concentrations of benzene in workers at a metallurgical coke production plant: new insights into S-phenylmercapturic acid and urinary benzene.

CONTEXT: Urinary S-phenylmercapturic acid (SPMA) and benzene (U-Ben) are usually measured at the end of the work shift (ES), although their kinetic of elimination is not clearly known. OBJECTIVE: To investigate SPMA and U-Ben elimination 16 h after the ES, in 93 coke production workers exposed to low benzene concentrations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Airborne benzene (A-Ben) was measured by passive samplings, while SPMA, U-Ben, methyl-tert-butyl ether (U-MTBE), cotinine (U-Cot) and creatinine were determined on urine samples collected at ES and before the beginning of the next work shift (next BS). RESULTS: Median A-Ben concentrations were 17.2 µg/m3 in the personal and 34.7 µg/m3 in the stationary samplings. SPMA was always detectable, whereas U-Ben was below the limit of quantification in 26.7% of the ES and 35.6% of the next BS samples, and U-MTBE in more than the 80.0% of the samples. At both the sampling times, SPMA and U-Ben showed a positive dependence on personal A-Ben, as well as on creatinine and U-Cot values. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: SPMA and U-Ben at the next BS were dependent on the exposure to low benzene concentrations suffered in the previous work shift, prompting a reconsideration of the urine sampling time recommended by the American Conference Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

Methodology to define biological reference values in the environmental and occupational fields: the contribution of the Italian Society for Reference Values (SIVR).

BACKGROUND: Biological reference values (RVs) explore the relationships between humans and their environment and habits. RVs are fundamental in the environmental field for assessing illnesses possibly associated with environmental pollution, and also in the occupational field, especially in the absence of established biological or environmental limits. OBJECTIVES: The Italian Society for Reference Values (SIVR) determined to test criteria and procedures for the definition of RVs to be used in the environmental and occupational fields. METHODS: The paper describes the SIVR methodology for defining RVs of xenobiotics and their metabolites. Aspects regarding the choice of population sample, the quality of analytical data, statistical analysis and control of variability factors are considered. The simultaneous interlaboratory circuits involved can be expected to increasingly improve the quality of the analytical data. RESULTS: Examples of RVs produced by SIVR are presented. In particular, levels of chromium, mercury, ethylenethiourea, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol, 2,5-hexanedione, 1-hydroxypyrene and t,t-muconic acid measured in urine and expressed in micrograms/g creatinine (µg/g creat) or micrograms/L (µg/L) are reported. CONCLUSIONS: With the proposed procedure, SIVR intends to make its activities known to the scientific community in order to increase the number of laboratories involved in the definition of RVs for the Italian population. More research is needed to obtain further RVs in different biological matrices, such as hair, nails and exhaled breath. It is also necessary to update and improve the present reference values and broaden the portfolio of chemicals for which RVs are available. In the near future, SIVR intends to expand its scientific activity by using a multivariate approach for xenobiotics that may have a common origin, and to define RVs separately for children who may be exposed more than adults and be more vulnerable.

[Study of possible urban environmental pollution by a steel plant through the biological monitoring of urine and hair in children]. / Studio del possibile inquinamento do metalli dell'ambiente generale di vita da parte di un' acciaieria elettrica condotto mediante il monitoraggio biologico di elementi metallici in urine e capelli e il dosaggio delle porfirine urinarie di bambini residenti nel comune di localizzazione dell'impianto.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis of an increased exposure to metallic elements through the biological monitoring (urine and hair) in a group of children living near an electric steel plant and in a control group. The concentrations were also compared with the reference values of the literature. The study included the measure of porphyrins in urine (total and homologue), by some authors considered as effect indicators of xenobiotics such as heavy metals and some persistent organochlorine compounds (polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzofurans, tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin). The comparison between the groups and with the reference values shows that the metallic elements in the hair and urine and urinary porphyrins does not indicates significant differences thus excluding specific health risk. In both groups the values of some metallic elements exceeded the upper limit of reference values. Following a control carried out two months later values returned in reference range probable due to different food intake and individual behavior. As a whole our survey demonstrated that there is no exposure to metallic elements representing a significant risk for this particular groups of general population possibly exposed to environmental pollution.

Evaluation of different methods to determine total serum lipids for normalization of circulating organochlorine compounds.

OBJECTIVES: Serum levels of persistent organochlorine compounds may be predictive of their body burden, if adjusted by total serum lipids. Their value may be predicted by three different formulae, requiring only values of serum cholesterol and triglycerides. The study was aimed at: (i) evaluating the validity of these formulae; (ii) evaluating the influence of different estimates on serum levels of lipid adjusted persistent organochlorine compounds. METHODS: We determined the levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids by enzymatic assays on serum samples from 121 subjects living in a polluted area of Northern Italy. On the same samples and on an additional set from 69 pregnant women of the same area, we determined also polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene. In women, analytes were determined also on adipose tissue samples. RESULTS: Formulae provided results comparable to those obtained as sum of cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids. In women, we found highly significant relationships among lipid adjusted pollutant levels in serum and adipose tissue, independently from the used formula. CONCLUSIONS: Formulae allow a valid adjustment of organochlorine compounds in serum. The algorithm proposed by Phillips et al. provides some slight advantage over the others, in terms of simplicity of use.