Legionellosis is a generic term describing the pneumonic (Legionnaires' disease, LD) and non-pneumonic (Pontiac fever, PF) forms of infection with bacteria belonging to the genus . Currently, the techniques used to detect spp. in water samples have certain limitations and drawbacks, and thus, there is a need to identify new tools to carry out low-cost and rapid analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale: An unconventional and innovative approach for the quantitative determination of 11 ototoxic and narcoleptic drugs in whole blood is described. The multiclass method allows the inclusion of the most widespread drugs on the market (antihistamines, antidepressants, antihypertensives, anxiolytics, opioids, Z-drugs) responsible for 10% of occupational accidents.
Methods: The developed procedure involved the use of the desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) interface for the direct analysis of dried blood spots (DBS).
Drugs able to affect the auditory and nervous systems and consumed by workers to treatdifferent pathologies can represent a possible source of risk in the work environment. All the target compounds involved in the presented project show ototoxic and/or narcoleptic side effects and, for these reasons, occupational safety organizations have recognized them as potential causes of work injuries. A multiclass method for the analysis of 15 drugs among the most widespread worldwide (belonging to nine different classes including antihistamines, beta-blockers, antidepressants, Z-drugs and opioids), was developed and validated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFew-Layers Graphene (FLG) are able to improve the performance of materials, due to their chemical-physical properties. Engineered amorphous silica nanoparticles (SiONPs) are among the most widespread nanomaterials (NMs) in the world. Such nanomaterials are two case studies of the research project 'NanoKey' that integrated the exposure assessment through personal measurements and sampling in the workplace, as described in the present work (part I), with the biomonitoring of exposed workers (reported in part II).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVolatile organic compounds (VOCs) are present in several working activities. This work is aimed at comparing oxidative stress and DNA damage biomarkers to specific VOCs in the occupational exposure of painters. Dose-response relationships between biomarkers of oxidative stress and of dose were studied.
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