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Biomedical subjects

L Alessio

Publications and source records attributed to L Alessio.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Behaviour of urinary beryllium in general population and in subjects with low-level occupational exposure.

Occupational exposure to beryllium (Be) is nowadays much lower than in the past. While the classic Be diseases, such as berylliosis, are clearly on the decline, attention is currently being focussed on the immunological and carcinogenic effects of Be, which suggest that subjects with low-level occupational exposure should also be accurately controlled. Urinary Be (BeU) values were determined in a sample of the general population and in a group of dental technicians exposed to environmental Be concentrations ranging from 0.04 to 1.7 micrograms/m3. The mean BeU values of these workers (0.34 micrograms/l) were higher than those of the general population (0.26 micrograms/l) and the subgroup of dental technicians exposed to higher Be air concentration showed higher BeU levels. Although at present the relationships between external and internal dose and between internal dose and early effects, are not known, we believe that biological monitoring supplies useful information on occupational Be exposure.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Behaviour of urinary nickel in low-level occupational exposure.

The study tested the feasibility of using urinary nickel (Ni-U) as a biological indicator to assess exposure to soluble nickel compounds in electroplating departments at concentrations well below the current TLV-TWA. Two groups of workers were studied: Group A, consisting of 13 subjects and Group B consisting of 10 subjects, with an average weekly nickel exposure of nickel in air (Ni-A) greater than or equal to 10 micrograms/m3 (Group A) and less than 10 micrograms/m3 (Group B). Air samples and urine specimens were taken on 4 consecutive days from Monday to Thursday. The mean Ni-U levels in both groups were significantly higher than in the reference group. The Ni-U levels in end-of-shift spot samples showed a tendency to increase over the week; this trend was more marked in Group A. Closer correlations between Ni-A and Ni-U were found using the postshift Ni-U values of Thursday: the test was well correlated both with the Ni-A levels of the same day and with the mean levels of the previous days. The results suggest that Ni-U is a sufficiently sensitive indicator for use in monitoring low-level occupational exposure, especially if Ni-A concentrations are above 10 micrograms/m3.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Health surveillance of workers].

The paper deals with the concepts of environmental monitoring and health surveillance, which include the following tasks: biological monitoring, health information, pre-employment and periodical medical examinations. Biological monitoring permits evaluation of the degree of exposure and its early effects. The early effects can be detected with specific tests exploring initial biological alterations while the organism is still capable of compensating such changes. Application of biological monitoring requires a profound knowledge of toxicology and health surveillance in general terms requires a solid basis of occupational medicine in order to set objectives and make judgements concerning fitness for specific jobs. Details are given of the measures the occupational health physician must take and when he must take them in the case of development of an occupational disease. Particular attention is given to the removal of the subject from exposure, the first certificate of occupational disease, the notification to the Local Health Unit and the diagnosis.

Arsenic↗