Improving our understanding of the environmental persistence of chemicals.

Significant progress has been made in the scientific understanding of factors that influence the outcome of biodegradation tests used to assess the persistence (P) of chemicals. This needs to be evaluated to assess whether recently acquired knowledge could enhance existing regulations and environmental risk assessments. Biodegradation tests have limitations, which are accentuated for "difficult-to-test" substances, and failure to recognize these can potentially lead to inappropriate conclusions regarding a chemical's environmental persistence.

Evaluation of 2 self-administered questionnaires to ascertain dermatitis among metal workers and its relation with exposure to metalworking fluids.

We performed an exploratory study to evaluate 2 self-administered questionnaires assessing hand dermatitis and investigate a possible exposure-response relationship between dermal exposure to semi-synthetic metalworking fluids (SMWF) and dermatitis. In a cross-sectional survey on dermatitis, a symptom-based questionnaire and a picture-based skin screening list were applied in 80 SMWF-exposed workers and 67 referents. To evaluate the accuracy of the questionnaires, 47 subjects were examined by a dermatologist.

Evaluation of two self-administered questionnaires to ascertain dermatitis among metal workers and its relation with exposure to metal working fluids.

We performed an exploratory study to evaluate 2 self-administered questionnaires assessing hand dermatitis and to investigate a possible exposure-response relation between dermal exposure to semi-synthetic metal working fluids (SMWF) and dermatitis. In a cross-sectional survey on dermatitis, a symptom-based questionnaire and a picture-based skin-screening list were applied in 80 SMWF-exposed workers and 67 referents. To evaluate accuracy of the questionnaires, 47 subjects were examined by a dermatologist.