Ameliorative effects of morel mushroom (Morchella esculenta) against Cadmium-induced reproductive toxicity in adult male rats

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the major toxicants, which affects human health through occupational and environmental exposure. In the current study, we evaluated the protective effects of morel mushrooms against Cd-induced reproductive damages in rats. For this purpose, 30 male rats were divided into 6 groups (n=5/group), the first group served as the control group, second group was treated with an intraperitoneal (i.p) injection of 1 mg/kg/day of Cd. Third and fourth groups were co-treated with 1 mg/kg/day of Cd (i.p) and 10 and 20 mg/kg/day of morel mushroom extract (orally) respectively. The final 2 groups received oral gavage of 10 and 20 mg/kg/day of morel mushroom extract alone. After treatment for 17 days, the animals were euthanized, and testes and epididymis were dissected out. One testis and epididymis of each animal were processed for histology, while the other testis and epididymis were used for daily sperm production (DSP) and comet assay. Our results showed that Cd and morel mushrooms have no effect on animal weight, but Cd significantly decreases the DSP count and damages the heritable DNA which is reversed in co-treatment groups. Similarly, the histopathological results of testes and epididymis show that morel mushrooms control the damage to these tissues. Whereas the morel mushroom extract alone could enhance the production of testosterone. These results conclude that morel mushrooms not only control the damage done by Cd, but it could also be used as a protection mechanism for heritable DNA damage.

Analytical Approaches and Trends in the Determination of Psychoactive Drugs in Air

Understanding of the levels of psychoactive drugs in air is important for assessing both occupational and environmental exposure. Intelligence on the usage and manufacture of illegal drugs can also be gained. Environmental analysis and determination of air quality has recently expanded from its traditional focus to new pollutant categories that include illicit and psychoactive drugs. This is attributed to a greater part on the development of new, advanced techniques, such as liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS), allowing for the trace determination of such compounds down to the parts-per-trillion (ng/L) levels generally reported in air. Studies have also investigated the effects of firsthand and secondhand smoking of drugs, such as cocaine, cannabis and opium. Generally, these have shown secondhand smoke effects to be limited, apart from in the case of opium. Some studies have highlighted ill effects resulting through the exposure of vapors and dusts from the storage of drugs, but this has been shown to result from mould and other fungal contaminates. Investigations into the possible occupational exposures resulting from the use of anesthetic drugs in surgery and accident and emergency have focused on nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, methoxyflurane, isoflurane, propofol and fentanyl. This review focuses on developments and applications for the determination of psychoactive drugs in air.

Environmental/Occupational Exposure to Radon and Non-Pulmonary Neoplasm Risk: A Review of Epidemiologic Evidence

Although Radon (Rn) is a known agent for lung cancer, the link between Rn exposure and other non-pulmonary neoplasms remains unclear. The aim of this review is to investigate the role of Rn in the development of tumors other than lung cancer in both occupational and environmental exposure. Particularly, our attention has been focused on leukemia and tumors related to brain and central nervous system (CNS), skin, stomach, kidney, and breast. The epidemiologic literature has been systematically reviewed focusing on workers, general population, and pediatric population. A weak increase in leukemia risk due to Rn exposure was found, but bias and confounding factors cannot be ruled out. The results of studies conducted on stomach cancer are mixed, although with some prevalence for a positive association with Rn exposure. In the case of brain and CNS cancer and skin cancer, results are inconclusive, while no association was found for breast and kidney cancers. Overall, the available evidence does not support a conclusion that a causal association has been established between Rn exposure and the risk of other non-pulmonary neoplasms mainly due to the limited number and heterogeneity of existing studies. To confirm this result, a statistical analysis should be necessary, even if it is now not applicable for the few studies available.

Measuring the exposure of Black, Asian and other ethnic groups to COVID-infected neighbourhoods in English towns and cities

Drawing on the work of The Doreen Lawrence Review—a report on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities in the UK—this paper develops an index of exposure, measuring which ethnic groups have been most exposed to COVID-19 infected residential neighbourhoods during the first and second waves of the pandemic in England. The index is based on a Bayesian Poisson model with a random intercept in the linear predictor, allowing for extra-Poisson variation at neighbourhood and town/city scales. This permits within-city differences to be decoupled from broader regional trends in the disease. The research finds that members of ethnic minority groups can be living in areas with higher infection rates but also that the risk of exposure is distributed unevenly across these groups. Initially, in the first wave, the disease disproportionately affected Black residents but, as the pandemic has progressed, especially the Pakistani but also the Bangladeshi and Indian groups have had the highest exposure. This higher exposure of the Pakistani group is not straightforwardly a function of neighbourhood deprivation because it is present across a range of average house prices. We find evidence to support the view, expressed in The Doreen Lawrence Review, that it is linked to occupational and environmental exposure, particularly residential density but, having allowed for these factors, differences between the towns and cities remain.

Occupational and environmental exposure to SARS-CoV-2 in and around infected mink farms

ObjectiveUnprecedented SARS-CoV-2 infections in farmed minks raised immediate concerns regarding transmission to humans and initiated intensive environmental investigations to assess occupational and environmental exposure.MethodsAir sampling was performed at infected Dutch mink farms, at farm premises and at nearby residential sites. A range of other environmental samples were collected from minks’ housing units, including bedding materials. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was analysed in all samples by quantitative PCR.ResultsInside the farms, considerable levels of SARS-CoV-2 RNA were found in airborne dust, especially in personal inhalable dust samples (approximately 1000–10 000 copies/m3). Most of the settling dust samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA (82%, 75 of 92). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in outdoor air samples, except for those collected near the entrance of the most recently infected farm. Many samples of minks’ housing units and surfaces contained SARS-CoV-2 RNA.ConclusionsInfected mink farms can be highly contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 RNA. This warns of occupational exposure, which was substantiated by considerable SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations in personal air samples. Dispersion of SARS-CoV-2 to outdoor air was found to be limited and SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in air samples collected beyond farm premises, implying a negligible risk of environmental exposure to nearby communities. Our occupational and environmental risk assessment is in line with whole genome sequencing analyses showing mink-to-human transmission among farm workers, but no indications of direct zoonotic transmission events to nearby communities.

Evaluation and determination of occupational and environmental exposure of lead in workplace air and human workers based dispersive ionic liquid solid phase micro extraction in battery manufacturing factories from Iran

The exposure of lead in workplace air and human workers of battery manufacturing factory was evaluated determined by nanotechnology since 2019-2020. Human whole blood (HWB) for subject and healthy peoples (25-55, Men, 40 N) and workplace air (40N) was prepared based on NIOSH sampling. 10 mL of HWB samples added to 20 mg of mixture ionic liquid/ ligand ([HMIM][PF6]/APDC) modified on graphene oxide nanostructures(GONs) at pH=6. After sonication, the lead ions separated/extracted by dispersive ionic liquid solid phase micro extraction (DIL-SPME) and determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (F-AAS). All air samples in workplace were analyzed based on NIOSH process. The results showed us the negative correlation between Pb concentration in human blood subject and healthy peoples (r=0.24). The range concentrations of lead in human subject, healthy peoples and workplace air were obtained 193.4-543.7 µg L-1, 85.6-175.9 µgL-1 and 44.7-81.5 µgm-3, respectively. The LOD, linear rang, enrichment factor(EF) and RSD% were achieved 1.25 µg L-1, 5.0- 310 µg L-1, 19.6 and less than 5% by procedure. The method was validated by standard reference material (SRM), the electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ET-AAS) and ICP-MS analyzer for human samples.

Reproductive Health Risks Associated with Occupational and Environmental Exposure to Pesticides

A marked reduction in fertility and an increase in adverse reproductive outcomes during the last few decades have been associated with occupational and environmental chemical exposures. Exposure to different types of pesticides may increase the risks of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease, but also of reduced fertility and birth defects. Both occupational and environmental exposures to pesticides are important, as many are endocrine disruptors, which means that even very low-dose exposure levels may have measurable biological effects. The aim of this review was to summarize the knowledge collected between 2000 and 2020, to highlight new findings, and to further interpret the mechanisms that may associate pesticides with infertility, abnormal sexual maturation, and pregnancy complications associated with occupational, environmental and transplacental exposures. A summary of current pesticide production and usage legislation is also included in order to elucidate the potential impact on exposure profile differences between countries, which may inform prevention measures. Recommendations for the medical surveillance of occupationally exposed populations, which should be facilitated by the biomonitoring of reduced fertility, is also discussed.

Acute and Cumulative Effects of Repeated Exposure to Chlorpyrifos on the Liver and Kidney Function among Egyptian Adolescents

Background: There is a paucity of research that tracks changes in liver and kidney function among pesticide applicators. The aim of the current study was to investigate the role of repeated seasonal exposure to the organophosphorus pesticide, chlorpyrifos, on serum measures of liver and kidney function. Methods: Pesticide exposure was assessed by measuring the urinary concentrations of 3,5,6-trichloro-2 pyridinol (TCPy), a specific biomarker for chlorpyrifos. Chlorpyrifos exposure and 8 serum markers of liver and kidney function were measured at 15 timepoints over 3 years prior to, during, and following the end of seasonal pesticide application among adolescent applicators and non-applicators from 4 field stations in Menoufia, Egypt. Results: Urinary TCPy levels showed increases during the application cycles and recovery at the end of each application season. Altered serum markers of liver and kidney function were associated with chlorpyrifos exposure, with some markers recovering 3 months after the end of exposure each year, while other measures demonstrated progressive increase up to 300% the baseline levels at the end of 3 years. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that frequent assessment of liver and kidney function is a sound practice to evaluate cellular injury following chronic repeated occupational and environmental exposure to chlorpyrifos.