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Biomedical subjects

H A Hattemer-Frey

Publications and source records attributed to H A Hattemer-Frey.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Human exposure to dioxin.

Because 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is the most potent chemical carcinogen evaluated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), many people fear that exposure to even small amounts of TCDD could lead to serious health effects. Ambient measurements confirm that environmental TCDD contamination is widespread. The public is concerned about TCDD exposure from such diverse sources as municipal solid waste incinerators, pulp and paper mills, and contaminated fish and soil. This paper evaluates several critical issues including: (i) the extent of background contamination; (ii) accumulation in the food chain and the potential for human exposure from ingesting contaminated food items; (iii) the magnitude of TCDD emissions into the U.S. environment, and the relative contribution of various known TCDD sources to the total TCDD load; and (iv) setting environmental standards for TCDD.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Benzo-a-pyrene: environmental partitioning and human exposure.

A multimedia transport model was used to evaluate the environmental partitioning of benzo-a-pyrene (BaP). Measured and predicted environmental concentrations were used to estimate the accumulation of BaP in the food chain and the subsequent extent of human exposure from inhalation and ingestion. Results show that BaP partitions mainly into soil (82%) and sediment (17%) and that the food chain is the dominant pathway of human exposure, accounting for about 97% of the total daily intake of BaP. Inhalation and consumption of contaminated water are only minor pathways of human exposure. The long-term average daily intake of BaP by the general population of the U.S. is estimated to be 2.2 micrograms (micrograms) per day. Cigarette smoking and indoor activities do not substantially increase human exposure to BaP relative to exposures to background levels of BaP present in the environment. Since the increased lifetime risk associated with human exposure to background levels of BaP is 3.5 x 10(-4), we conclude that ingestion of food items contaminated with BaP may pose a serious health threat to the U.S. population.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Small-scale field test of the genetically engineered lacZY marker.

Commercial genetic engineering is advancing into areas that require the small-scale introduction of genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) to better quantify variables that affect microorganism distribution and survival and to document potential long-term consequences. A recombinant DNA marker system, the lacZY marker, developed by the Monsanto Agricultural Co., enables the distribution and fate of marked fluorescent pseudomonad organisms to be monitored under actual field conditions. Critical evaluation of GEMs under field conditions is imperative if plant-beneficial effects are to be correlated with organism release. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of this marker system and its ability to facilitate the assessment of risks associated with deliberate environmental introductions of genetically engineered microorganisms. Results of prerelease contained growth chamber and field experiments demonstrated that: (1) the scientific risk assessment methodology adopted by Monsanto and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was appropriate and comprehensive; (2) the deliberate introduction of a GEM did not pose unacceptable or unforeseen risks to human health or the environment; (3) the lacZY marker is an effective environmental tracking tool; and (4) regulatory oversight should reflect the expected risk and not be excessively burdensome for all GEMs.

DNA, Recombinant↗
PubMed1990

Benzene: environmental partitioning and human exposure.

A multimedia transport model was used to evaluate the environmental partitioning of benzene. Measured and predicted environmental concentrations were used to estimate the accumulation of benzene in the food chain and the subsequent extent of human exposure from inhalation and ingestion. Results show that benzene partitions mainly into air (99.9%) and that inhalation is the dominant pathway of human exposure, accounting for more than 99% of the total daily intake of benzene. Ingestion of contaminated food items represents only a minor pathway of human exposure. The long-term average daily intake of benzene by the general population of the U.S. was estimated using three independent methods. Intake estimates based on measured personal air exposures, measured exhaled air concentrations, and a pharmacokinetically derived adipose tissue concentration (73, 63, and 72 micrograms/day, respectively) are in good agreement. Although inhalation is the primary route of human exposure to background levels of benzene in the environment, smoking was found to be the largest anthropogenic source of background human exposure to benzene.

Air↗
PubMed1989

A perspective on dioxin emissions from municipal solid waste incinerators.

This paper discusses the following key issues concerning human exposure to dioxins and furans emitted from typical, modern MSW incinerators: (1) Are MSW incinerators the major source of PCDD/PCDF input into the environment? (2) Are environmental concentrations around MSW incinerators substantially elevated relative to background levels? And (3) are MSW incinerators the major source of human exposure to PCDDs and PCDFs? Current scientific evidence indicates that (1) combustion sources in general (including steel mills, copper smelting plants, motor vehicles, pulp and paper mills, and MSW incinerators) are major sources of PCDD/PCDF input in the environment; (2) environmental concentrations of PCDDs and PCDFs around operating MSW incinerators are not substantially elevated; and (3) 99% of human exposure to PCDDs and PCDFs is from background contamination, even for individuals living near a modern MSW incinerator.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pentachlorophenol: environmental partitioning and human exposure.

This paper uses a six compartment environmental partitioning model to explore the transport and accumulation of pentachlorophenol (PCP) within and between various environmental media. Environmental concentrations were then used to estimate the amount of PCP entering the food chain and the long-term, average daily intake of PCP by the general population of the U.S. Results show that PCP partitions mainly into soil (96.5%) and that the food chain, especially fruits, vegetables, and grains, accounts for 99.9% of human exposure to PCP. The long-term, average daily intake of PCP is estimated to be 16 micrograms/day, which agrees well with a previous estimate of 19 micrograms/day (Geyer et al. 1987).

Chlorophenols↗