An assessment of agricultural pesticide use in Iran, 2012-2014.

Background: This is the first published assessment on agricultural pesticide use in Iran with the aim to identify pesticide products with a potential of causing acute or chronic hazard to human health. It also establishes a baseline for future comparisons and for trend assessments.

Methods: The amounts of imported technical materials for formulation by local manufacturers as well as imported final product formulations were extracted from the registration data of the Plant Protection Organization of Iran in 2012-2014.

Occupational exposure to aluminum and its biomonitoring in perspective.

Exposure to aluminum at work is widespread, and people are exposed to several species of aluminum, which differ markedly as to the kinetics and toxicity. Especially welding of aluminum is widely applied and continuously expanding. Inhalation of fine particles of sparsely soluble aluminum results in the retention of deposited particles in the lungs.

Behavior of aluminum in aluminum welders and manufacturers of aluminum sulfate--impact on biological monitoring.

Objectives: The suitability of determining aluminum in serum or urine as a form of biological monitoring was critically assessed.

Methods: Airborne and internal aluminum exposure was assessed for 12 aluminum welders in a shipyard and 5 manufacturers of aluminum sulfate. Particles were characterized with X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.

Research needs for environmental health risk assessment.

Risk characterization comprises hazard characterization and exposure assessment. Hazard characterization may not be based on human data alone, as these data (1) are seldom available, (2) are quite insensitive in identifying the hazards, and (3) mostly lack reliable exposure-response information. Thus epidemiological information needs to be complemented with information from experimental animals and in vitro systems.

Toxicokinetics of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME) in humans, and implications to their biological monitoring.

Healthy male volunteers were exposed via inhalation to gasoline oxygenates methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) or tert-amyl methyl ether (TAME). The 4-hr exposures were carried out in a dynamic chamber at 25 and 75 ppm for MTBE and at 15 and 50 ppm for TAME. The overall mean pulmonary retention of MTBE was 43 +/- 2.

Zero exposure--a goal for environmental and occupational health?

Humans live on chemicals, and no exposure to any chemicals is incompatible with life. Chemicals produced by different organisms are in no basic way different from the man-made chemicals, and often chemicals are produced by both. Natural chemicals include the most potent acutely toxic chemicals known, and also include very potent mutagens and human carcinogens.