Background: Styrene is a widely used industrial chemical. Immune and hematological parameters were examined in 29 hand laminators and sprayers exposed to styrene for an average of 14 years and in 19 in-factory unexposed controls. The workers performed hand lamination procedures in a production area with an average area airborne styrene level of 139.5 mg/m(3). Mean concentration of styrene in the blood of exposed workers was 945.7 microg/L and the mean styrene in exhaled air was 38.8 microg/L.
Methods: Parameters of internal and external exposure, immune function assays, immunoglobulins, acute phase reactants and hematology were evaluated in exposed and non-exposed populations.
Results: Using multifactorial analysis of variance we found a significant decrease in proliferation of lymphocytes stimulated by Concanavalin A but not by pokeweed mitogen (PWM) in workers occupationally exposed to styrene. Proliferative response to PWM was significantly correlated with the levels of styrene in blood. Phagocytic activity of monocytes, levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE and alpha-2-macroglobulin in serum were indistinguishable in the two groups. The population exposed to styrene had increased levels of C4-component of complement. Levels of C3-component of complement were positively correlated with duration of exposure. A significant elevation in the percentage and number of monocytes and a significantly decreased number of lymphocytes were seen in exposed workers. Styrene concentrations in both blood and exhaled air were associated with decreased percentage of large granular lymphocytes.
Conclusions: These results suggest immune alterations of cell-mediated immune response of T-lymphocytes and imbalance in leucocyte subsets in peripheral blood of workers exposed to styrene.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/1097-0274(200011)38:5<576::aid-ajim10>3.0.co;2-f | DOI Listing |
Int J Mol Sci
December 2024
College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, China.
The rising concentration of microplastics (MPs) in aquatic environments poses increasing ecological risks, yet their impacts on biological communities remain largely unrevealed. This study investigated how aminopolystyrene microplastics (PS-NH) affect physiology and gene expression using the freshwater alga sp. as the test species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Environ Manage
January 2025
College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Organic Farming, Beijing, 100193, China; State Key Laboratory of Nutrient Use and Management, Beijing, 100193, China; Key Laboratory of Plant-Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, Beijing, 100193, China. Electronic address:
The high global production combined with low recycling rates of polystyrene (PS) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) contributes to the abundance of these commonly used plastics in soil, including as microplastics (MPs). However, the combined effects of MPs and heavy metals, such as arsenic (As) on earthworms are poorly understood. Here, we show that neither PS nor LDPE altered the effects of As on the survival, growth, and reproduction of the earthworm Eisenia fetida.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiosens Bioelectron
March 2025
Department of Life Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 103, Modena, 41125, Italy; Center for Translational Neurophysiology of Speech and Communication, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (CTNSC), Via Fossato di Mortara 17-19, Ferrara, 44121, Italy.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) more than 14% of the world's food production is lost every year before reaching retail, and another 17% is lost during the retail stage. The use of the expiration date as the main estimator of the life-end of food products creates unjustified food waste. Sensors capable of quantifying the effective food freshness and quality could substantially reduce food waste and enable more effective management of the food chain.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Hazard Mater
December 2024
College of Environmental Science and Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China. Electronic address:
This study aimed to investigate the differences in the mechanisms of microscopic hepatotoxicity, developmental toxicity, and neurotoxicity in aquatic organisms co-exposed to styrene-butadiene rubber tire microplastics (SBR TMPs) and fluoroquinolone antibiotics (FQs). We found that hepatotoxicity in zebrafish induced by SBR TMPs and FQs was significantly higher than developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity. Furthermore, the main effects of the FQs primarily manifested as synergistic toxicity, whereas the low- and high-order interactions of the FQs mainly exhibited synergistic and antagonistic effects, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Total Environ
January 2025
CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China. Electronic address:
Polystyrene microplastics (PS-MPs) are widespread pollutants in aquatic environments that accumulate in various organs, including the brain, raising concerns about their neurotoxic effects. This study exposed zebrafish to environmentally relevant concentrations (25 and 250 μg/L) of PS-MPs for 40 days to investigate their impact on neurobehavior and underlying mechanisms. Results revealed that PS-MPs induced depression-like behaviors in zebrafish, characterized by reduced exploration, decreased locomotor activity, and altered social interaction.
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