scholarly journals THE IMPACT OF PHTHALATE ESTERS IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN HEALTH – ARE THESE COMPOUNDS, A NECESSARY EVIL?

2011 ◽  
Vol 08 (16) ◽  
pp. 52-59
Author(s):  
Marcel Silveira DOS SANTOS

Phthalates are a group of diesters of phthalic acid (dialkyl or alkyl aryl esters of 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid) and they are primarily used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility). As the phthalates are not chemically bonded to the polymer, these compounds can migrate from the plastic material to the environment and, consequently, they are found in food, water, soil, air and in the human body. This article discusses the problem of using those compounds, their toxicity and impact on humans and environment. Comments about the four phthalates currently most discussed, measured values and current legislations are presented.

2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Mettang ◽  
Christiane Pauli–Magnus ◽  
Dominik Mark Alscher ◽  
Judith Kirchgessner ◽  
Roman Wodarz ◽  
...  

Objectives To evaluate the impact of a plasticizer-free device on exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and its major metabolites in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). DEHP is the most commonly used plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products; it is added to CAPD bags in order to improve the flexibility of the material. Since DEHP leaches out of the plastic matrix, patients on CAPD are exposed to considerable amounts of DEHP and its metabolites. Design A prospective cross-over study. Setting Department of nephrology in a teaching hospital. Participants Six patients (4 female, 2 male) stable on peritoneal dialysis (PD) for at least 6 months. Interventions Patients were switched from a plasticizer-containing PVC CAPD system (A.N.D.Y. Plus, Fresenius Medical Care, Bad Homburg, Germany) to a polyolefine-made plasticizer-free system (stay-safe, Fresenius). Main Outcome Measures Prior to and 42 days after the switch, 24-hour effluent dialysate and urine collections were performed and 10 mL blood was drawn. Concentrations of DEHP, mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), phthalic acid (PA), and 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) in urine, dialysate, and serum were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results Complete data were obtained from 5 patients. Serum levels of PA decreased significantly during the study period (0.137 ± 0.078 mg/L vs 0.124 ± 0.049 mg/L, p = 0.04), and the respective levels of DEHP decreased insignificantly (0.097 ± 0.076 mg/L vs 0.069 ± 0.046 mg/L, p = 0.07), whereas the concentrations of MEHP and 2-EH remained unchanged. Urine concentrations of PA were high (0.81 ± 0.69 mg/L) but did not change substantially (0.70 ± 0.50 mg/L). Effluent dialysate concentrations of MEHP and PA decreased significantly (0.0176 ± 0.004 mg/L vs 0.0040 ± 0.0007 mg/L, p = 0.043 and 0.158 ± 0.056 mg/L vs 0.111 ± 0.051 mg/L, p = 0.043, respectively). Conclusions Although PD patients seem to be exposed to other sources of phthalates in addition to dialysis, use of plasticizer-free devices may help to reduce potentially immunosuppressive exposure to phthalate esters.


2021 ◽  
Vol 631 (1) ◽  
pp. 012023
Author(s):  
Yongjun Zhao ◽  
Teng Ma

Abstract Air pollution has a significant impact on human health and fitness; long-term air pollution will cause human physical fitness to be declined. In order to alleviate the impact of air pollution on human health and fitness, this paper analyzes the sources of air pollution, different air pollution extents have gradient effect on the human body, thereby affecting the body's physical performance indicators. This paper investigates and studies the impact of air pollution on human health and fitness through the survey of students in a school, and provides countermeasures.


2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitalii M. Pashkov, ◽  
Maryna V. Trotska

Introduction: Human health depends on various factors that have a different physical origin, degree of influence on the human body, methods of manifestation and other characteristics. Within public health, their research is carried out implementing an integrated approach and understanding the causation of the factors that influence each other as well as their effects on the human body. The natural environment, namely its state in general and individual natural objects, in particular, is one of the elements having both direct and indirect effects on human health. The aim: To analyze the legal basis for the regulation of the impact of the natural environment as a component of public health. Materials and methods: The study examines provisions of international documents and scientists’ attitudes. The article analyzes generalized information from scientific journals by means of scientific methods from a medical and legal point of view. This article is based on dialectical, comparative, analytic, synthetic and comprehensive research methods. Within the framework of the system approach, as well as analysis and synthesis, the concepts of public health, health and influence of the natural environment on them are researched. Review: As a result of the study of a particular range of problems, it may be noted that human health depends on a number of factors that allow it to be adequately addressed. The environmental component, namely, the state of the natural environment affecting the human body both directly and indirectly, is not the least of them. Proper legal settlement of the above-mentioned range of problems will allow a comprehensive approach to understanding the causation of human health and the natural environment. Conclusions: when researching the impact of the natural environment within public health, it can be noted that the legal basis for the multidimensional regulation of the notion of health in general, as well as its individual components, in particular, has been formed and reflected in a number of regulatory legal acts. In turn, inadequate implementation of the systematic approach with an in-depth understanding of the real and potential factors that affect human condition in one way or another does not allow the fullest possible determination of their causation both on the positive and negative sides.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-145
Author(s):  
Sheena Chhabra ◽  
Apurva Bakshi ◽  
Ravineet Kaur

Nutraceuticals have been around for quite some time. As the nomenclature suggests, they are placed somewhere between food (nutra-) and medicine (-ceuticals) in terms of their impact on human health. Researches have focused on the impact of various types of nutraceuticals on health, their efficacy in health promotion and disease prevention, and often on suitable uses of certain categories of nutraceuticals for specific health issues. However, we are still far from utilizing the immense potential of nutraceuticals for benefiting human health in a substantial manner. We review the available scholarly literature regarding the role of nutraceuticals in health promotion, their efficacy in disease prevention and the perception of nutraceuticals' health benefits by consumers. Thereafter we analyze the need for regulation of nutraceuticals and various provisions regarding the same.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramazan Akçan ◽  
Halit Canberk Aydogan ◽  
Mahmut Şerif Yıldırım ◽  
Burak Taştekin ◽  
Necdet Sağlam

Background/aim: Use of nanomaterials in the healthcare applications increases in parallel to technological developments. It is frequently utilized in diagnostic procedures, medications and in therapeutic implementations. Nanomaterials take place among key components of medical implants, which might be responsible for certain toxic effects on human health at nano-level. In this review, nanotoxicological effects, toxicity determination of nanobiomaterials used in human body and their effects on human health are discussed. Material and Method: A detailed review of related literature was performed and evaluated as per nanomaterials and medical implants. Results and Conclusion: The nanotoxic effects of the materials applied to human body and the determination of its toxicity are important. Determination of toxicity for each nanomaterial requires a detailed and multifactorial assessment considering the properties of these materials. There are limited studies in the literature regarding the toxic effects of nanomaterials used in medical implants. Although these implants are potentially biocompatible and biodegradable, it is highly important to discuss nanotoxicological characteristics of medical implant.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-84
Author(s):  
Vaishali V. Shahare ◽  
Rajni Grover ◽  
Suman Meena

Background: The persistent dioxins/furans has caused a worldwide concern as they influence the human health. Recent research indicates that nonmaterial may prove effective in the degradation of Dioxins/furans. The nanomaterials are very reactive owing to their large surface area to volume ratio and large number of reactive sites. However, nanotechnology applications face both the challenges and the opportunities to influence the area of environmental protection. Objective: i) To study the impact of oil mediated UV-irradiations on the removal of 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 2,3,7,8-TCDF, OCDD and OCDF in simulated soil samples. ii) To compare the conventional treatment methods with the modern available nanotechniques for the removal of selected Dioxins/furans from soil samples. Methods: The present work has investigated an opportunity of the degradation of tetra and octachlorinated dioxins and furans by using oil mediated UV radiations with subsequent extraction of respective dioxins/furans from soils. The results have been compared with the available nanotechniques. Results: The dioxin congeners in the simulated soil sample showed decrease in concentration with the increase in the exposure time and intensity of UV radiations. The dechlorination of PCDD/Fs using palladized iron has been found to be effective. Conclusion: Both the conventional methods and nanotechnology have a dramatic impact on the removal of Dioxins/furans in contaminated soil. However, the nanotechniques are comparatively costlier and despite the relatively high rates of PCDDs dechlorination by Pd/nFe, small fraction of the dioxins are recalcitrant to degradation over considerable exposure times.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinxi Cao ◽  
Yangyang Cheng ◽  
Chenjie Xu ◽  
Yabing Hou ◽  
Hongxi Yang ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Cell phone use brought convenience to people, but using phones for a long period of time or in the wrong way and with a wrong posture might cause damage to the human body. OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of improper cell phone use on transport and chronic injuries. METHODS Studies were systematically searched in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science up to April 4, 2019 and relevant reviews were searched to identify additional studies. A random-effects model was used to estimate the overall pooled estimates. RESULTS Cell phone users were at a higher risk for transport injuries (RR: 1.37, 95%CI: 1.221.55), long-term use of cell phones increased the transport injury risk to non-use or short-term use (RR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.632.70). Neoplasm risk caused by cell phone use was 1.07 times that of non-use (95% CI: 1.011.14); Compared with non-use, cell phone use had a higher risk of eye disease, with a risk of 2.03 (95% CI: 1.273.23), the risk of mental disease was 1.26 (95% CI: 1.171.35), the risk of neurological disorder was 1.16 (95% CI: 1.021.32), and a pooled risk of other chronic injuries was 1.20 (95% CI: 0.981.59). CONCLUSIONS Cell phone use at inappropriate situations has a negative impact on the human body. Therefore, it is necessary to use cell phones correctly and reasonably.


Author(s):  
Tony Allan

The first purpose of this chapter is to highlight the impact of the food system on environmental and human health. The delivery of secure affordable food is a political imperative. Unfortunately, the food system that delivers it is environmentally blind. Food prices do not effectively reflect the value of food and often seriously mislead on the costs and impacts of food production. For example, actual food production takes place in a failed market—the value of environmental services such as water and the supporting ecosystems are not taken into account. The second purpose is to summarize and expose the political economy of the different ‘market’ modes of the food system. It is shown that there are weak players such as underrewarded and undervalued farmers who support society by producing food and stewarding our unvalued environment. The inadequacies of accounting systems are also critiqued.


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