Bioaccumulation of PCB congeners in marine benthic infauna.

Field concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in sediment and nine marine soft bottom invertebrate species. Lipid- and organic carbon normalised biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) were determined for 29 nonplanar and 11 coplanar congeners. To investigate whether the bioaccumulation was in thermodynamic equilibrium with the sediment, the determined BSAFs were compared to theoretically calculated ones to obtain a BSAFdet./BSAFtheor-ratio. Large interspecific variations were found: one suspension feeding and one deposit feeding species of brittle stars (Amphiura filiformis and A. chiajei), and one predatory polychaete (Glycera rouxii) had ratios>1 for congeners with logKow>6.5. In these species there was also a linear relationship between logKow and BSAF, both for coplanar and for planar congeners but with lower values for coplanar ones. For other species the pattern was more scattered. Only the deposit feeding polychaete Melinna cristata had BSAFdet./BSAFtheor-ratios<1 for all congeners. Thus, the interspecific variations in bioaccumulation did not correlate with differences in feeding strategies, but may be caused by differences in biotransformation, and in age and size of the analysed specimens.

Effects of antifouling paint components (TBTO, copper and triazine) on the early development of embryos in cod (Gadus morhua L.).

To assess the risk of antifoulant use to the commercially important cod (Gadus morhua L.), fertilised cod eggs were exposed to triazine, copper and TBTO singly or combined in laboratory tests with running seawater. At the highest tested concentrations (11.5 microg Cu l(-1); 5 microg TBTO l(-1)) larval mortality was increased. The highest concentration of triazine (40 microg l(-1)) did not cause any significant mortality. Fertilised eggs that had been exposed to all the three chemicals singly for five days showed a higher buoyancy than the controls. No synergistic or antagonistic effects were indicated. Embryos/larvae exposed to 0.004-0.8 microg TBTO l(-1) did not show any changed respiration compared to the controls after hatching. It is concluded that existing known field concentrations of the three antifoulants are hardly expected to cause detectable effects on fish embryonic/larval development.

Occurrence and effects of organotins on adult common whelk (Buccinum undatum) (Mollusca, Gastropoda) in harbours and in a simulated dredging situation.

Transplanted common whelk (Buccinum undatum) (Mollusca, Gastropoda) accumulated fairly high levels of organotins (tributyltin (TBT) and triphenyltin (TPT)) during exposure in three harbours with different TBT contamination. This did not though lead to an increase in imposex frequency in the adult females studied. Simulating harbour dredging in an experiment using suspended sediment from one of the harbours only resulted in a low concentration of TBT in the tissues of the common whelk and subsequently no changes in the occurrence and degree of imposex. The common whelk seemed to receive the main part of TBT from the water column and the limited bioaccumulation in the experiment indicates that desorption of TBT from the suspended sediment was slow. After TBT has been totally banned, dredging of contaminated sediments will cause increased exposure of the biota to TBT. Due to slow desorption the increase may however, be slight and temporary to pelagic and epibenthic species unless the settled particles are resuspended.

Biodegradation of 4-nonylphenol in seawater and sediment.

Biodegradation of 14C-labelled nonylphenol at the concentration 11 microg litre (-1) in seawater has been estimated by collection and quantification of the formed labelled carbon dioxide. Initially degradation was very slow but when the microorganisms had become adapted, after four weeks at 11 degrees C, the degradation rate increased rapidly and after 58 days about 50% of 14C from NP was found in the CO2 fraction. In the presence of sediment the initial degradation rate was high and did not increase after longer incubation. Lack of oxygen reduced the degradation rate by half in the presence of sediment.

National survey of oral health care in Finnish municipal old people's homes.

As oral health is especially important for physically, mentally and socially handicapped old people, the aim of this study was to investigate the dental services provided for people living in municipal old people's homes in Finland. The study involved all the 431 municipal old people's homes in Finland in 1989. The directors of the old people's homes were asked to fill in a questionnaire. The response rate was 99.5%. The study showed that the dental services provided for the elderly vary greatly in different old people's homes. As a whole, however, dental care arrangements are inadequate: oral examinations on admission are performed always in 11% and never in 47% of the old people's homes, and oral examinations for residents are carried out annually in 23% and never in 21%. In 56% of the homes the need for treatment comes to light only when the old people themselves complain about a dental problem. Comprehensive dental care is available in 16% of the homes. One notable feature is that, although all the homes are publicly owned, the system of charging for the dental care of the elderly varies considerably between different homes. Comparing the results of this study with those from earlier investigations shows that, although there has been some progress in dental service arrangements in the 1980s, the oral care provided for these old people is still far from satisfactory. It is obvious that the value of oral health as an important component of human well-being is not yet widely recognized. To rectify the situation uniform regulations governing dental services for the elderly in institutions are required for the whole of the country.

Bioaccumulation of 4-nonylphenol in marine animals--a re-evaluation.

The bioaccumulation of 4-nonylphenol (NP) has been studied in shrimps (Crangon grangon L.), mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) and sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) exposed to (14)C-NP in running seawater. NP was extracted with high recovery from tissues which were pretreated with pancreatic enzymes. The bioconcentration factor determined of NP in fish was 1300 and in mussels, 3400. These values are 5 and 340 times higher, respectively, than values reported earlier.

The influence of advertising on tobacco consumption: some problems with Chetwynd et al.'s analysis.

In a recent study of the relationship between cigarette advertising and the aggregate consumption of cigarettes in New Zealand between 1973 and 1985, Chetwynd et al. (1988) argue that quarterly data suggest that advertising affects overall consumption of cigarettes with an elasticity of +0.07. In addition, they argue that advertising has a 'carry over' effect of about four quarters on current consumption. These results are potentially important for two reasons. Although the evidence is mixed, the conventional view is that cigarette advertising affects brand choice among smokers but not aggregate demand for cigarettes. Chetwynd et al.'s results, (hereafter, Chetwynd) contradict this traditional view. Secondly, if advertising does increase the aggregate demand for cigarettes, then a public policy banning cigarette advertising might reduce aggregate demand for cigarettes. Unfortunately, the Chetwynd, study is sufficiently flawed with conceptual and econometric problems that their inference that advertising increases cigarette demand is questionable. Certainly cigarette advertising may increase or decrease cigarette consumption. The point we wish to make is that, any inference one way or the other based on the results of Chetwynd, cannot be viewed as well-grounded in either scientific methodology or statistical principles.

National survey of oral health care in Finnish private old people's homes.

As oral health status depends greatly on the dental care arrangements available, the aim of this study was to investigate the dental services provided for elderly people living in private old people's homes in Finland. The study involved all 94 old people's homes that offered private care in 1987. The directors of the old people's homes were asked to fill in a questionnaire. The response rate was 100%. The study showed that the dental care arrangements were inadequate: regular oral examinations and comprehensive dental treatment were infrequent. In 96% of the homes the need for treatment normally came to light only when the residents themselves complained about a dental problem. In 60% of the homes the residents had to pay the full cost of their dental treatment. These must be considered the two greatest weaknesses in the dental service for the elderly in the old people's homes studied. The ignorance among the directors of the importance of oral health was alarming: only one fifth considered dental care of the elderly more important than services such as hairdressing. It is obvious that uniform regulations are needed for the whole country concerning dental services for the elderly in institutions.

Dental state and subjective chewing ability of institutionalized elderly people.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the dental state of the elderly, to provide a subjective appraisal of their chewing ability and their inability to eat certain foods because of their poor dental state. The subjects were 480 residents of 24 municipal old people's homes in different parts of Finland. Of the subjects, 153 were men and 327 women, and their ages ranged from 65 to 100 years. The methods used were clinical examination and interview. The clinical examination revealed that 68% of the subjects had no natural teeth, and 22% had neither natural nor artificial teeth. The number of teeth in dentate subjects was small (average 7.6), and the condition mostly poor. Only 2% had any serviceable counterparts. 51% of the subjects wore dentures: 57 subjects in the maxilla alone, three in the mandible alone and 186 in both maxilla and mandible. 41% said that because of their teeth they were unable to eat some foods they would have liked to eat, crisp bread being mentioned most often as such a food (85% of those with chewing difficulties). Edentulous subjects and dentate subjects wearing both maxillary and mandibular dentures said more often than those without dentures that they could eat everything; those without any teeth had most often (59%) to avoid some foods. More attention should be given to the dental condition and the masticatory function of the elderly, especially of those living in institutions, to ensure that they are comfortable physically, psychologically, and socially for the rest of their lives.

Lethal and sublethal toxicity of 4-nonylphenol to the common mussel (Mytilus edulis L.).

The toxicity of nonylphenol to the common mussel (Mytilus edulis L.) has been determined in both semistatic and continuous flow test systems. The LC50 values obtained were for 96 h, 30 mg litre(-1); 360 h, 0.5 mg litre(-1); and 850 h, 0.14 mg litre(-1). Sublethal effects, manifested as decreased byssus strength and change of scope for growth, were obtained at a concentration as low as 0.056 mg litre(-1). Fertilization and early developmental success were not affected at the highest concentration tested (0.2 mg litre(-1)).

General diseases and dental treatability of the institutionalized elderly Finnish population.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between such general diseases and dental treatability of the elderly living in municipal old people's homes in Finland. The sampling methods used were PPS sampling (probabilities proportionate to size), and non-randomized and randomized sampling. The subjects were 480 residents of 24 municipal old people's homes in different parts of Finland. Of the subjects 153 were men and 327 women, and their ages ranged from 65 to 100 yr. Data on the general diseases was obtained from the subjects' medical histories. The assessment of dental treatability was based on the subjects' communicative ability and cooperation during interview, on a clinical oral examination, and on the subjects' ability to cope with the stress of an interview and examination. Eleven percent of the subjects had no diagnosed diseases, whereas 28% had three or more. The most common diseases in both men and women were cardiovascular diseases followed by respiratory disorders in men and endocrine disorders in women. The dental treatability was considered very poor or poor in 29% and good in 26% of cases. No clear statistical correlation was found between dental treatability and the number of diseases suffered by the subject. However, cardiovascular diseases and neurologic and mental disorders were found to reduce dental treatability more than other disorders.

Oral mucosal disorders in institutionalized elderly people.

The aim of the study was to investigate the type and incidence of oral mucosal disorders in the elderly, any relationship between these disorders and the wearing of dentures, and the associated subjective symptoms of pain. The subjects were 480 residents of 24 municipal old people's homes in different parts of Finland: 153 males and 327 females, age range 65-100 years. The methods used were clinical examination and interview. Clinical examination showed about 60% of the elderly to have one or more oral mucosal disorders. Altogether, 431 pathological conditions were recorded, with changes of the surface of the tongue the most frequent. Hyperplasia and/or denture-related ulcerations and press-points were found in 43% of denture wearers. The interviews revealed that only 17% of those with oral mucosal disorders had symptoms of pain, most frequently caused by press-points and ulcerations. The absence of subjective symptoms emphasizes the importance of frequent oral examinations, especially of the oral mucosa.