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PubMed · 4045708

Does exposure to environmental pollutants increase the need for vitamin C?

E J Calabrese
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Abstract

Using ascorbic acid as a model, this paper proposes that the concept of the RDA should be broadened to take into account the effects of ubiquitous pollutants on human health, a factor not specifically incorporated in RDA derivations. It is now widely accepted that ascorbic acid nutritional status markedly affects the toxicity and/or carcinogenicity of greater than 50 pollutants, many of which are ubiquitous in the air, water, and food environments. At the present time, the data do not warrant changing the ascorbic acid RDA in light of the knowledge of pollutant interactions.

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Air Pollutants, OccupationalAnimalsAscorbic AcidCarcinogens, EnvironmentalDietEnvironmental HealthEnvironmental PollutantsFemaleGuinea PigsHumansMaleMiceModels, TheoreticalNitrosaminesNutritional Physiological PhenomenaNutritional RequirementsOccupational DiseasesOccupational Health ServicesRatsSmokingSodium NitriteUrinary Bladder NeoplasmsJournal Article

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E J Calabrese. 1985. Does exposure to environmental pollutants increase the need for vitamin C?. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4045708/

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PubMed2000

Evaluation of half-mask respirator protection in styrene-exposed workers.

OBJECTIVE: The protection afforded by respirators to styrene (St)-exposed workers varies considerably. Our objective was to study the effective 'in the field' reduction in St exposure obtained by negative-pressure half-mask respirators worn by a group of fiberglass-reinforced plastics (FRP) workers. Protection was evaluated by measuring the reduction in urinary St (StU) excretion. METHODS: Seven FRP workers not using respiratory protection devices were studied for a week. External exposure to St was evaluated by personal passive sampling, and the internal dose by StU measurement. Then workers were asked to use a half-mask respirator for a week for the entire morning half-shift, and St exposure and internal dose were re-assessed. RESULTS: Mean environmental levels of St during the morning half-shift were 230-280 mg/m3, i.e., about three times the current limit proposed by ACGIH; the difference among days was not significant. Using respirators was accompanied by a large inter-individual and also intra-individual variability: the estimated reduction of StU values ranged from 30% to 90% (mean 60%). Mean StU values increased by 50% from Monday to Friday, while environmental St concentrations remained steady. Furthermore, the proportion of workers exceeding the biological equivalent exposure limit (BEEL) was 14% on Monday, double (33%) on Thursday, and triple (43%) on Friday. These data suggest a decrease of protection during the week. CONCLUSIONS: The protection afforded by negative-pressure half-mask respirators varies widely, which stresses the need to assess the effective reduction of exposure whenever these devices are introduced for St-exposed workers. If respirators are to be re-used for several days, their performance must be evaluated during the last shift of use. Measurement of urinary excretion of unmodified St proved a useful tool for the evaluation of respirator effectiveness in exposed workers.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗