[Assessment of exposure to BTEX in vehicle filling stations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and risks to workers' health].

Gasoline is a complex mixture of substances, including aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX). These compounds are emitted into the air, with the special relevance of benzene since it is provenly carcinogenic. The study aimed to assess BTEX concentrations in filling stations in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and to calculate the cancer risk associated with such exposures.

Effects of sub-lethal and chronic lead concentrations on blood and liver ALA-D activity and hematological parameters in Nile tilapia.

Liver and blood δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) inhibition by exposure to sub-lethal lead concentrations over time in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were investigated. All three lead concentrations (1mgkg(-1), 10mgkg(-1) and 100mgkg(-1)) significantly inhibited ALA-D activity in blood (319±29.2; 180±14.

[Indicators for Occupational Health Reference Centers: proposal of a system for monitoring health services].

This research proposes a framework of indicators to monitor the activities of the Occupational Health Reference Centers (CEREST). CEREST are structural elements of the National Network of Comprehensive Attention to Workers' Health (RENAST) and are coordinated by the General Coordination of Occupational Health of the Ministry of Health (CGSAT). In order to build this framework, we first elaborated a list of indicators based on the norms that govern CEREST's responsibilities.

[Evaluation of risk factors related to lead exposure in children and adolescents from Rio de Janeiro].

The importance of atmospheric lead in environmental global contamination is receiving increasing scientific attention. The main exposure monitoring approach is biological, but the environmental one has a key role, since the environment is the major source of exposure. The study aimed to identify the contamination sources and potential risk factors of the exposure in a 64 subject group formed by 0-16 years-old children from an economically deprived community in Rio de Janeiro.

Evaluation of calcium excretion in Brazilian infantile and young population environmentally exposed to lead.

Lead exposure is an important issue in the research of several toxic effects resulting from the biochemical interaction between this metal and the organism. Calcium is a fundamental mineral for the maintenance of the organism homeostasis where there is interaction between lead and calcium in metabolic pathways. Environmental lead exposure by verifying the usefulness and applicability of urinary calcium/creatinine ratio (UCa/Cr) in this context was evaluated.