Public health preparedness for chemical incidents in Europe.

In response to the attack of 11 September 2001 on the USA, World Health Organization (WHO), Regional Office for Europe took immediate steps in order to be able to assist countries in case of a terrorist attack. Among other things, WHO organised a series of different consultations with international organisations, government representatives and experts in order to assess the state of preparedness at the national and international levels, to identify the main problems and to make recommendations. The problems were addressed in the context of possible public health consequences, regardless of whether such an incident derived from a deliberate act or a naturally occurring event.

Epidemiological aspects in food safety.

The rapid growth of international trade in food products has resulted in increased hazards from trans-boundary foodborne infections and intoxication. Therefore, the development of multinational surveillance and registration of foodborne diseases or food contamination, of both biological and chemical origin, is of utmost importance for their prevention and control. Recognizing the importance of accurate and adequate epidemiological data for decision making with respect to priorities, resources and management, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched in 1976 the Joint UNEP/FAO/WHO Food Contamination Monitoring Programme (GEMS/Food) and in 1980 the surveillance programme for control of foodborne infections and intoxications in Europe.

Effect of a metal mixture in diet on the toxicokinetics and toxicity of cadmium, mercury and manganese in rats.

The purpose of this work was to determine whether a metal mixture added to diet influences the toxicokinetics and toxicity of some elements. The metal mixture (MM) used in these experiments was ash (slag) from a coal gasification plant. The effect of this mixture (5 percent in diet) on the toxicokinetic and on the acute or subchronic toxicity of Cd, Hg, Mn was determined in rats of different ages.

WHO drinking water quality guidelines for selected herbicides.

Following the successful introduction of its Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality in 1984, the WHO Regional Office for Europe was approached by the Government of Italy to develop, as a matter of urgency, recommendations for guidelines levels of certain herbicides found in drinking water supplies. Realizing the extent of the problem, the Regional Office for Europe organized two consultations to develop drinking water quality guidelines for the following 11 herbicides most commonly used in Italy: alachlor, metolachlor, pyridate, atrazine, molinate, simazine, bentazon, pendimethalin, trifluralin, MCPA and propanil. The presence of these and other herbicides in ground and surface water has been reported in several countries.

Chronic and reproduction studies in rats exposed to gasifier ash leachates.

Ash from the coal gasification process contains a broad spectrum of elements which through leaching (gasifier ash leachates) may enter into the environment. The health effect of such leachates i.e.

Chronic studies in rats exposed to liquid effluent from coal gasification process.

The health effects of the E-effluent (water for quenching ash) from a coal gasification plant were assayed in a chronic experiment (16 month exposure) and a three generation reproduction study. Animals exposed to 100% E-effluent had an increased daily intake of various inorganic elements (Fe, Cu, K, I, Se, Cd, Hg, Pb, As, F and Cr). In spite of that, the exposed and control animals had the same mortality rate, haematological findings, urinary protein excretion, trace element concentrations in kidneys, liver and femur, bone composition and morphometry, and histological findings.

Toxicologic studies of emissions from coal gasification process. I. Subchronic feeding studies.

The increasing use of new sources of energy may result in additional contamination of the human environment with inorganic and organic pollutants which are not yet adequately investigated with regard to their potential impact on human health. However, some evidence exists that several trace inorganic and organic contaminants found in coal processing residues may constitute potential health problems. Therefore, the comparative biological hazards of solid wastes and effluents from a Lurgi coal gasification plant were initially evaluated using acute and chronic feeding experiments in male and female rats.

Human health hazards associated with chemical contamination of aquatic environment.

Given the finite supply of water available for human use, continued chemical contamination of the aquatic environment may pose a significant human health hazard. Consequently, an effort must be made to develop ambient water quality criteria to protect human health and preserve the integrity of the aquatic environment. In developing water quality criteria based on human health effects, information on sources of exposure, pharmacokinetics, and adverse effects must be carefully evaluated.

On the role of metallothionein in cadmium absorption by rat jejunum in situ.

The role of metallothionein (MT) in the mechanism of cadmium absorption from the jejunum was studied in 7--9 week-old-male rats exposed to 50 ppm of cadmium in drinking water for 9 days. Exposed animals contained an average of 144 micrograms MT/g of mucosal tissue, compared to 40 micrograms in control anaimls. During jejunal perfusion in situ with 5 mM glucose-saline containing 10--20 nM CdCl2 the increased MT content of mucosa exerted no effect either on cadmium absorption from the lumen (step I), or on its further transport into the body (step II).

Influence of some factors on cadmium pharmacokinetics and toxicity.

Cadmium metabolism in the young and in conditions of dietary contamination with ash from coal gasification were investigated. The experiments were performed in adult rats which received ash in the diet (5%) and/or cadmium in drinking water (100 ppm) over a period of five weeks and in sucklings whose mothers were given the same treatment throughout pregnancy and lactation. In pharmacokinetic studies, (115m)Cd was administered orally or intraperitoneally to determine the intestinal absorption, retention, and distribution.

Bioavailability of lead in rats fed "human" diets.

The bioavailability of lead was studied in rats fed various baby foods (Babymix-turkey, Babymix-vegetables, Frutolino-fruit, Frutamix-bananas, Babyron-S-26, Truefood), cow's milk, bread, liver and standard rat diet. Lead absorption was determined by measuring the whole body retention of 203Pb 6 days after a single oral application. Highest absorption values ranging from 17 to 20% were obtained in animals fed cow's milk and fruit foods.

Influence of sex and dietary calcium on intestinal cadmium absorption in rats.

The influence of sex and dietary calcium on whole-body retention of orally administered 115mCdCl2 has a half-life of 43 days, distinguishing it from 115Cd of half-life 2.3 days was studied in one-year-old control and gonadectomized male and female rats. Gonadectomy was performed at the age of four months.

Lead and cadmium in hair as an indicator of body burden in rats of different age.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate whether hair values of lead and cadmium can be used as an indicator of the body burden of these metals in different age groups. The experiments were performed on rats aged 2 and 18 weeks, which received 203Pb and 115mCd by intraperitoneal injection. The whole body retention and the retention of these radioisotopes in the hair (including the skin) was determined 7 days later.

Influence of age on metal metabolism and toxicity.

The metabolism and toxicity of lead, cadmium, mercury, and manganese in the postnatal period was studied in rats. Absorption, whole body retention, and organ distribution of 203Pb, 115mCd, 203Hg, and 54Mn were determined after oral and parenteral administration of these radioisotopes. The acute oral toxicity (LD50) was determined after a single application of metal chlorides.