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M Sarnico

Publications and source records attributed to M Sarnico.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Arsenic and porphyrins.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the possible effect of inorganic arsenic (iAs) and of its species on the urinary excretion of porphyrin homologues. METHODS: Total porphyrins and their homologues (copro, penta, hexa, hepta, uroporphyrins) and arsenic species (trivalent and pentavalent As; monomethyl arsonic acid; dimethyl arsenic acid; arsenobetaine) were measured respectively by HPLC and HPLC-ICP MS in urine from 86 art glass workers exposed to iAs and from 54 controls. RESULTS: A significant increase in the excretion of penta and uroporphyrins was demonstrated for workers exposed to As; As3 was the species best correlated with urinary porphyrin excretion. CONCLUSIONS: The increase of urinary excretion for some porphyrin homologues appears to be consistent with the inhibition by As of URO-decarboxylase in the heme biosynthesis pathway. The determination of urinary porphyrin homologues could be useful to assess, on a group basis, some early effects of arsenic and to demonstrate possible individual susceptibility to the element.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[New biomarkers of exposure].

In this paper we have defined the new biomarkers of exposure (NBE) as those biomarkers discovered in the last five years and, among previously validated biomarkers, also those applied in different ranges of doses or those determined in biological matrices which differ from matrices originally considered. We examined the results from the surveys carried out by the main Italian research units involved in biological monitoring, i.e. those from the Universities of Brescia, Milan, Naples, Padua, Parma, Pavia, Turin and Verona. The data were collected using a standardized model and included the following: type of element or organic compound, type of biomarker, analytical technique and method, their relationship with environmental monitoring data, their relationship with effect indicators or effects in general, improvement with respect to old biomarkers, reference values. Twenty two NBEs were identified: 14 elements and chemical compounds as such or as metabolites, 4 examples of mixtures, 3 of new matrices, one of speciation. Among the others, aspects such as interest in requiring NBE, quality assurance, availability, cost-benefit ratio were discussed. We conclude that development of this specific field of research appears to be a crucial point for future improvement in risk assessment and health surveillance procedures.

Animals↗