Aluminium and iron air pollution near an iron casting and aluminium foundry in Turin district (Italy).

This work reports the results of an environmental survey carried out in an industrial area in the Province of Turin: its main aim is to assess the levels of iron and aluminium in the outside air during the period from July to September to assess the influence of industrial activity (a cast-iron and aluminium foundry) which is interrupted during the month of August, on the level of metals present in the air. Conducting the analysis during this period of time made it possible to avoid the confounding effect of pollution due to domestic central heating. The measurements were taken from nine areas at different distances from the foundry in the area and according to the direction of the prevailing winds, as deduced from the historical data. The results of this survey show a statistically significant difference in iron and aluminium levels in the outside air in the geographic areas between the two main periods examined: during August (no foundry activity) v/s July-September (foundry activity). The values recorded are: Aluminium 0.4+/-0.45 microg/m(3) v/s 1.12+/-1.29 microg/m(3) (p<0.0001); Iron 0.95+/-0.56 microg/m(3) v/s 1.6+/-1.0 microg/m(3) (p<0.0001). There were no statistically significant differences between the nine sampling points from the point of view of the sampling sites, climate conditions and wind directions. We found no correlation with car traffic, in terms of the number of vehicles, and metals. The values of iron tended to be higher in the areas farther away from the foundry site in the areas located along the path of the prevailing winds.

Occupational exposure to noise and hypertension in pilots.

The role of occupational exposure to noise as a hypertension risk factor has not been established sufficiently. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether chronic exposure to different levels of noise in two groups of pilots, operating with two types of aircraft, could be a risk for hypertension, what relevance the parameters (intensity, duration and type) of exposure can have and, lastly, whether there are any links between hearing impairment and hypertension. After excluding pilots with confounding factors, a study was made of 77 male pilots of turboprop planes (group A) and 224 male pilots of jet aircraft (group B), matched by age and working life. Blood pressure (supine and standing positions) and heart rate were measured. Electrocardiogram, stress tests on a cycle ergometer, sound-level measurement and audiometric tests were also done. Pilots of group A were exposed to Leq of 93 dBA while pilots of group B were exposed to the Leq of 79 dBA. Significant results in group A compared to group B were found between heart rate, blood pressure, drop in blood pressure, parameters (intensity, duration and type) of exposure to noise and between hearing damage and hypertension. The findings suggest that chronic exposure to noise is a risk factor for blood hypertension in pilots exposed to high noise levels, and that the drop in blood pressure may be a sign of more sensitive effect of noise on blood pressure, according to other studies in literature.

Occupational exposure to urban pollutants and plasma insulin.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether traffic police of a big city who are exposed to urban pollutants are at risk to alterations in plasma insulin concentrations compared with controls. METHODS: The class of workers examined in this study were employees of the municipal police in Rome, Italy. The study was carried out during the period March-April 2001. Traffic police were matched with a control group, where gender, age, working life and drinking habit were noted. A total of 246 traffic police (128 men and 118 women) with outdoor activity and exposure to urban pollutants and 242 subjects (128 men and 114 women) with indoor activity were included in the study. RESULTS: The levels of plasma insulin were significantly lower in traffic police compared to the control group of both gender. CONCLUSION: Plasma insulin level was altered in traffic police who are exposed to chemical and physical stressors.

Exposure to urban pollutants and serum levels of IgG anti Herpes Simplex virus type 1.

The aim of the study is to investigate whether traffic policemen exposed to urban pollutants and psycho-social stressors may be at risk of modifications in serum levels of immunoglobulins G antibodies (IgG Ab) against Herpes Simplex Virus (type1) (HSV-1) compared with controls. Traffic policemen were matched by sex, age, working life and drinking habits (less than two glasses of wine or beer per day) with controls, after excluding the subjects with the principal confounding factors (smoking habit, use of paints, solvents, pesticides and drinking habits). Were included in the study 125 traffic policemen (54 men and 71 women) with outdoor activity and 125 controls (54 men and 71 women) with indoor activity. Mean levels of IgG Ab against HSV-1 were significantly higher in traffic policemen of both sexes compared with controls. The frequency of workers with IgG Ab against HSV-1 levels higher than our normal laboratory values, was significant in traffic policemen compared with controls of both sexes. The distributions of IgG Ab against HSV-1 levels in traffic policemen compared with controls of both sexes were significant. The authors hypothesise an effect of the working activity in traffic policemen on serum levels of IgG Ab against HSV-1 compared to controls.

Ambulatory (24 hour) blood pressure monitoring in police officers.

The aim of the study is to evaluate, by ambulatory (24 h) blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), whether police officers exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors could be at risk of changes in ambulatory systolic blood pressure (SBP), and ambulatory diastolic blood pressure (DBP) compared to controls. After excluding the principal confounding factors, police officers and controls have been subdivided into non-smoker and smoker subjects. Police officers were compared by sex, age, length of service, family history of cardiovascular disease, serum total cholesterol, serum HDL cholesterol, serum LDL cholesterol, plasma triglyceride, body mass index (BMI kg/m (2)) and drinking habits with controls. Smoker police officers were compared with controls also by the smoking habit. In the non smoker group 77 police officers with outdoor activity (38 men and 39 women) and 87 controls with indoor activity (43 men and 44 women) were studied. In the smoker group 43 police officers (21 men and 22 women) and 29 controls (15 men and 14 women) were studied. In non smoker male police officers ambulatory SBP mean values during 24 h, during day-time and during night-time were significantly higher than controls. In the same group ambulatory DBP values during 24 h and between 6 AM and 11 AM and between 10 PM and 6 AM were significantly higher in police officers than controls. The results suggest that occupational exposure to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors could cause changes in ABPM values in male police officers compared to controls.

Occupational exposure to urban pollutants and plasma insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1).

The aim of present study is to evaluate whether traffic policemen exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors could be at risk of alterations on plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) levels compared to a control group. Out of a population of 395 Municipal Police employees, the subjects with principal confounding factors (cigarette smoking habits, drinking habits, oral contraceptives being taken, use of paints, solvents and pesticides) were excluded from the study. The remaining traffic policemen were matched with those not exposed by sex, age and length of service; 49 traffic policemen (22 men and 27 women) with outdoor activity exposed to urban pollutants and 49 not exposed subjects (22 men and 27 women) with indoor activity were included in the study. The plasma levels of IGF-1 resulted significantly higher in the male and female traffic policemen compared with control subjects (respectively P<0.001; P<0.001). The authors hypothesise that occupational exposure to chemical stressors, that may interact with possible psycho-social stressors, could cause an alteration on IGF-1 levels in traffic policemen.

Exposure to urban pollutants and plasma vasopressin in traffic policemen.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study is to investigate whether traffic policemen of a big city exposed to urban pollutants may be at risk of alterations on plasma vasopressin (VP) concentrations compared with a control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Out of a population of 395 Municipal Police employees, the subjects with the principal confounding factors were excluded from the study. Traffic policemen and control subjects were matched by sex, age and working life. Plasma VP levels were determined in 82 subjects: 41 traffic policemen (18 men, 23 women) and 41 control subjects (18 men, 23 women). RESULTS: Mean of VP values were found significantly lower in traffic policemen than in the control group both in men (P=0.010) and in women (P=0.015). We found high correlation between VP values and working life in traffic policemen of male and female sex (r=0.7; r=0.6). DISCUSSION: The authors hypothesise an effect on plasma VP levels in traffic policemen exposed to chemical and physical stressors, according to plasma VP levels modifications found by other authors in studies on animals and human subjects.

Occupational exposure to urban pollutants and urinary 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid.

According to the literature, various occupational and environmental stressors may cause alterations in serotonin (5-HT) turnover and in its principal metabolite, 5-hydroxy-3-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). The aim of this study is to evaluate whether traffic police exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors could be at risk of alterations in urinary 5-HIAA in 24 hours (5-HIAA[U]) compared with a control group. After the main non-occupational confounding factors were excluded, 5-HIAA(U) excretion was investigated in 140 employees of a municipal police force: 70 traffic police with outdoor activity that exposed them to urban pollutants and 70 administrative workers with indoor activity. Subjects were matched by sex, age, and length of working life. The mean 5-HIAA(U) levels were significantly lower in traffic police than in administrative workers, both males and females (p = .025, and p = .027, respectively), matching modifications in 5-HIAA(U) levels found by other authors in studies on animals and human subjects.

Urban pollution and nickel concentration in serum.

The study's objective has been to evaluate whether urban pollution, here nickel compounds and metallic nickel (Ni) are present, could determine serum concentrations of the above mentioned metal. Out of a population of 394 Municipal Police employees, subjects with main confounding factors were eliminated. The remaining subjects were made comparable for sex, age, and length of employment. Thus, 160 subjects were included in the study: 80 traffic policemen (42 men and 38 women) with outdoor activity exposed to urban pollutants in a direct way, and 80 administrative workers (42 men and 38 women) with indoor unexposed activity. The results obtained in the studied population demonstrate that in traffic policemen the serum levels of Ni are more elevated than those in administrative workers; both in male and female workers. The authors hypothesise that the presence of Ni as fuel additive in lead free fuels and as catalyser in catalytic exhausts, which have been obligatory in Italy in new cars for the last 10 years, could be one of the causes for the increased serum levels of the above mentioned metal in traffic policemen.

Response of lympho-monocytes to phytohemagglutinin in urban workers.

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether traffic police exposed to urban pollutants could be at risk of changes on proliferative response of blood lympho-monocytes to the mitogen phytohemagglutinin (PHA) compared to a control group. Traffic police were matched with controls by sex, age, length of service, drinking habits and smoking habits after excluding main confounding factors. So, 77 traffic police exposed to urban pollutants (43 men and 34 women) and 77 controls with indoor activity (43 men and 34 women) were included in the study. The proliferative response of blood lympho-monocytes to the mitogen PHA was significantly lower in male and female traffic police compared to controls (respectively, P=0.000 and 0.014). The possibility of an effect on immune system and therefore on the blood lympho-monocytes proliferative answer in traffic police exposed to urban pollutants, can be assumed.

Work exposure to urban pollutants and urinary homovanillic acid.

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether traffic policemen exposed to urban pollutants could be at risk of alterations on urinary homovanillic acid in 24h HVA(U) excretion levels, an end product of dopamine catabolism, compared with a control group. Traffic policemen were matched by sex, age, and working life with control group after excluding principal confounding factors; 50 traffic policemen (29 men and 21 women) with outdoor activity exposed to urban pollutants and 50 not exposed subjects (29 men and 21 women) with indoor activity were included in the study. The HVA(U) excretion levels were significantly higher in male and female traffic policemen compared to not exposed subjects (respectively P=0.003; P=0.023). The authors hypothesize an effect on the excretion of HVA(U) in traffic policemen exposed to chemical and physical stressors, according to HVA(U) modifications found by other authors in workers exposed in factories.

Plasma concentration of adrenocorticotropic hormone in traffic policemen.

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether traffic policemen exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors could be at risk of changes on plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone [ACTH(P)] levels compared to a control group. Traffic policemen were matched by sex, age, length of service and drinking habit (<50 g of wine or beer per day) with a control group after excluding principal confounding factors; 62 traffic policemen with outdoor activity (34 men and 28 women) and 62 control subjects with indoor activity (34 men and 28 women) were included in the study. The levels of ACTH(P) were significantly higher in male and female traffic policemen than in the control subjects (respectively P=0.040, P=0.043). The authors hypothesise that occupational exposure to chemical and physical stressors, that may interact with possible psycho-social stressors, could cause a change in ACTH(P) levels in traffic policemen.

Plasma cortisol levels and workers exposed to urban pollutants.

Studies on animals and human subjects have proposed that urban pollutants may cause alterations of cortisol levels. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether police officers exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors could be at risk for alterations on plasma cortisol levels compared to a control group. Plasma cortisol levels were determined in 302 police officers with outdoor activity and administrative workers with indoor activity. The subjects were subdivided into three groups: "A" (non-smokers and non-drinkers), "B" (smokers), and "C" group (drinkers). In male and female subjects of "A" and "C" groups and in female subjects of "B" group the mean cortisol values were significantly higher in police officers compared to controls. The authors hypothesise an effect on plasma cortisol levels in police officers exposed to chemical, physical and possible psycho-social stressors.

Occupational exposure to urban pollutants and plasma growth hormone (GH).

The aim of present study was to evaluate whether traffic policemen exposed to urban pollutants and possible psycho-social stressors are at risk of alterations on plasma growth hormone (GH) levels compared with a control group. Out of a population of 395 Municipal Police employees, the subjects with principal confounding factors were excluded from the study. The remaining traffic policemen were matched with those not exposed by sex, age, working life, and habitual consumption of alcohol; 71 traffic policemen (40 men and 31 women) with outdoor activity exposed to urban pollutants and 71 not exposed subjects (40 men and 31 women) with indoor activity were included in the study. The plasma levels of GH were significantly lower in the exposed traffic policemen compared with those not exposed (P = 0.000); similarly in male (P = 0.011) and female subjects (P = 0.000). The authors hypothesize the possibility of an effect of the specific working activity in traffic policemen on the plasma GH concentrations.