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This study was aimed to investigate the potential harmful element (PHE) concentrations in coal dust and evaluate the human risk assessment and health effects near coal mining areas. For this purpose, dust samples were collected near various coal mines in Cherat, Pakistan, and analyzed for the PHE concentrations. Determined PHE concentrations were evaluated for the health risk assessment. Results revealed that ingestion was the major pathway as compared to others for PHE exposure. Individual chronic daily intake (CDI) of PHEs was higher than their respective permissible exposure limits set for oral exposure routes by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Chronic risk or health index (HI) values were observed < 1 for all PHEs and in the order of Pb > Cr > Cd > Ni > Cu > Co > Zn. Higher HI values of Pb, Cr, and Cd could attribute to various chronic health problems as observed during the medical examination survey of this study. Cancer risk (CR) values for this study were observed within the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limits. However, if current practices continued, the PHEs will cross these limits in a near future. Therefore, this study strongly recommends the provision of safety measures, rules, and regulation to avoid health hazards in the future.

The study investigated the exposure of spray painters to organic solvents, toxic metals, and hexavalent chromium over 21 working days in 2017. The results found these concentrations of 12 VOCs to be below the short-term exposure limit (STEL) established by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The mass concentration of total particulate matter (PM) exposure to workers was 20.01 ± 10.78 mg/m 3 , which exceeds OSHA’s permissible exposure level of 15 mg/m 3 . The mean concentration of the total metals for all particle sizes was 109.1 ± 12.0 μg/m 3 , and those for lead (496,017.0 ng/m 3 ) and iron (252,123.8 ng/m 3 ) were the highest of metal elements. Significantly, the mean concentrations of Pb and As exceeded OSHA’s permissible exposure limits (PELs) of 0.05 and 0.01 mg/m 3 , respectively. The total hexavalent chromium concentration was 1163.01 ng/m 3 , and the individual particle sizes (PM 1−2.5 , PM 1 , and PM 0.25 ) were strongly and positively correlated with the Cr(VI) concentrations for PM 2.5 . The study determined that approximately 56.14% of the hexavalent chromium inhaled during the spray-painting process was deposited in the upper respiratory system of the head airway region, followed by the alveolar and tracheobronchial regions, with fractions of 11.93 and 0.05%, respectively. Although the mean ratio of hexavalent chromium to total chromium was only 3.6% for all particle sizes, the cancer risk of the total particles in Cr(VI) (1.6 × 10 −3 ) exceeded the acceptable risk value (10 −6 ). The cancer risks of As and Cr(VI) associated with quasi-ultrafine particles, PM 0.5–1 , PM 1–2.5 , and PM > 2.5 , also exceeded 10 −6 . Comparison of the carcinogenicity risk of VOCs and metals suggests that the adverse health effect of inhaled particles on spray-painting workers is more serious than that from VOC exposure.

Ethyl formate (EF) was evaluated as a potential alternative to methyl bromide (MB) for phytosanitary treatment of imported citrus fruit in the Republic of Korea. Planococcus citri (Risso) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), a mealybug with known tolerance against EF and MB, was used as a representative pest to test efficacy of the two fumigants against eggs. In nine commercial-scale refrigerated container (67.5 m3) trials using imported orange, lemon and grapefruit, EF applied at the currently approved dose for citrus (70 g·m-3 at 5°C for 4 h, developed for Aspidiotus excisus Green (Hemiptera: Diaspididae), a species less EF tolerant than P. citri) resulted in 76.9–98.3% mortality of P. citri eggs. The EF treatment did not affect the sugar content or the color of peel and pulp of the treated fruit. When oranges were treated according to the current MB (64 g·m-3 at >5°C for 2 h) or EF treatment guidelines, the concentration of fumigant around the fruit fluctuated between 9.4 and 185.1 ppm for EF and 9.5–203.0 ppm for MB during the 72-h post-fumigation processes (venting [0–2 h], transportation to storage [2–24 h], and storage periods [24–72 h]) with both EF and MB maintained between 10 and 100 ppm during the storage period. Considering the efficacy of EF, its apparent lack of phytotoxicity, and its more manageable threshold limit value for humans (100 ppm EF compared to 1 ppm MB for an 8-h time weighted average exposure), our results suggest that EF may be a promising alternative to MB for the phytosanitary treatment of imported citrus in Korea.

Sailors have long been known to experience high rates of injury, disease, and premature death. Many studies have shown asbestos-related diseases among shipyard workers, but few have examined the epidemiology of asbestos-related disease and death among asbestos-exposed sailors serving on ships at sea. Chrysotile and amphibole asbestos were used extensively in ship construction for insulation, joiner bulkhead systems, pipe coverings, boilers, machinery parts, bulkhead panels, and many other uses, and asbestos-containing ships are still in service. Sailors are at high risk of exposure to shipboard asbestos, because unlike shipyard workers and other occupationally exposed groups, sailors both work and live at their worksite, making asbestos standards and permissible exposure limits (PELs). based on an 8-h workday inadequate to protect their health elevated risks of mesothelioma and other asbestos-related cancers have been observed among sailors through epidemiologic studies. We review these studies here.

This study evaluated the source apportionment and level of contamination with potential toxic elements (PTEs)—As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn—in a riparian zone of the Sava River by calculating the Enrichment Factor (EF) and the Geo-Accumulation Index (Igeo). The study analysed the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks to both adults and children in the local population. Soil and sediment samples collected during high and low water events from 12 sites along 945 km of the river were screened. Elevated soil contents of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, and Zn were observed along the middle and lower stretches from Županja (ZUP) to Belgrade (BEO), and an elevated Cu content was detected in the upper stretch Čatež (CAT), highlighting these elements as a potential risk for the human population. Elevated As, Cd Cr, Ni, and Zn levels in the sediment were also detected, with the Ni content three times higher than the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) values, indicating high contamination. The study established that As, Cr, and Ni primarily originate from geological sources; Cu, Pb, and Zn are predominantly from anthropogenic sources; and Cd originates from both geological and anthropogenic sources. Although the EF and Igeo varied along the entire river stretch, they were significantly higher for most elements in the lower stretch, indicating intensive anthropogenic contamination and potential health risks. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks associated with soils and sediments during high and low water events did not imply a potential risk for adults. However, As, Cd, Cr, and Pb potentially pose the greatest non-carcinogenic risk for children in both high and low water events, with ingestion as the main route of exposure. According to our findings, the elevated concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, and Pb in the Sava River basin (SRB) pose a significant potential health risk to the local population based on several factors: the high levels of these elements, their potential contamination risk as determined by the EF and Igeo, and their bioavailability and solubility. Although the cumulative Total Hazard Index (THI) and Total Carcinogenic Risk (TCR) values are low, particularly in the lower stretch of the Sava River, these elements still present a high potential health threat.

In 2012, the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency developed Chemical Hazard Risk Management (CHARM) as a risk assessment tool. This study aims to reorganize the CHARM technique by complementing its logical loopholes, while evaluating the risk to enterprises and verifying this technique by applying it to some enterprises in Korea. The optimized technique changed the method of quantitative assessment and evaluation criteria, matched the risk level with the required control level, and specified the use of control practice. For the target enterprises, for several assessment methods, risk levels, hazard bands, exposure bands, and the risk assessment results were derived, and the same types of options were compared. Fewer informational methods resulted in more conservative results of risk levels and hazard bands. Since the control status of the enterprises could not be confirmed and the substances handled at the target enterprises were limited in this study, a follow-up study should be performed with more target materials and additional information on the current control status of the enterprises.

In order to conveniently and efficiently determine the Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) of organic chemicals in the workplace, this study employed Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (QSAR) modeling to predict properties related to occupational health and safety. The predictive study was conducted by correlating the PELs of 75 hydrocarbons and their oxygen-containing derivatives with the molecular structures of the organic compounds. Meanwhile, this study conducted a comprehensive and in-depth comparative analysis of the four developed predictive models. The sample set was partitioned using the Affinity Propagation (AP) clustering algorithm. Four characteristic molecular descriptors were selected by integrating the Genetic Algorithm (GA) with the variance inflation factor (VIF) value. Subsequently, the Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) model and two nonlinear models, namely the Support Vector Machine (SVM) and the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), were developed and used for predictive comparison. Furthermore, the performance of the models was evaluated through both internal and external validation methods, and the Williams plots were constructed to define the model’s applicability domain. The results indicated that the XGBoost model achieved high performance, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9962 on the training set and 0.8892 on the testing set. The corresponding root mean square errors (RMSE) were 0.1012 and 0.6623 for the training and testing sets, respectively. The internal validation coefficient (Q2loo) was 0.8975, while the external validation coefficient (Q2ext) was 0.832. Moreover, the majority of the sample data (approximately 96%) fell within the application domain defined by ±3 times the standard residue-to-critical arm ratio, where h* = 0.2. This demonstrates that the XGBoost model exhibits excellent fitting capability, stability, and predictive power, thereby uncovering a significant nonlinear relationship between the molecular structure of compounds and the PELs. As outlined above, the utilization of the QSAR method for predicting the PELs of hydrocarbons and their oxygen-containing derivatives constitutes a highly effective approach.

Welding fume exposure at work is recognized as a known concern for public health. This study aims to assess the welding fumes produced during welding using two different extraction patterns and to compare their influences. A thorough assessment of domestic arc welders in the erode district of India was done to assess their exposure to welding gases. The survey results chose the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process for future investigation. The stainless-steel grade SS 316 L was used in this study. To weld 3-mm, 5-mm, and 6-mm-thick stainless-steel specimens, ER316 L filler wire and four shielding gas compositions were used. Two distinct, cost-effective welding hoods with a square duct section and a conical duct section were constructed to examine welding gases. The produced fume was collected on a 240 mm glass fibre filter and re-weighted during welding. Gas flow rates of 5, 10, and 15 LPM were investigated, with current intensities of 150A, 200A, and 275A. A novel attempt has been made to compare fume formation rates (FFR) obtained using two extraction patterns. According to this investigation, weld fume hoods with conical duct sections extract more welding gases than square duct sections. The extraction rate using two extraction patterns was compared. Furthermore, the addition of CO 2 to any shielding gas mixture results in a higher fume formation rate. The experimental FFR values were quite close to the American Welding Society (AWS) specifications. This finding also revealed that welders’ socio-demographic characteristics, such as age, marital status, level of education, and work experience, influenced their awareness of occupational hazards and personal protection equipment (PPEs). As a result, there should be a strong emphasis on hazard identification education and strict enforcement of proper PPEs use among small-scale welders in and around the erode district to protect welders from a variety of hazards.

The ambient gamma radiation around the Bellary thermal power plant was measured by Scintillometer of NaI (Tl) detector. The ambient gamma radiation level is mainly dependent upon the activity of primordial radionuclides present in soil and building materials. The activity of natural radionuclides presents in the soil and building materials of some villages around the Bellary thermal power plant is labelled by gamma-ray spectroscopy. The activity of natural radionuclides in soil such as 226Ra, 232Th and 40K varies from 24 to 86.2 Bq·kg−1, 45 to 115 Bq·kg−1 and 145 to 910 Bq·kg−1 with a mean value of 32.5, 79 and 640 Bq·kg−1, respectively. The total measured annual effective dose rate of gamma varies from 0.85 to 1.37 mSv·year−1 and the total calculated annual effective dose rate varies from 0.88 to 1.47 with a mean value of 1.18 mSv·year−1. The measured and calculated values of ambient gamma radiation are very nearer to each other and show positive correlation with a correlation coefficient of 0.44. All the measured radiological indices in soil and building materials are lower than the safe level limit except fly ash bricks, fly ash brick shows a value higher than the safe level limit. The fly ash emitted from the thermal power plant enhances the radiation level in nearby villages. The results are presented and analyzed in this paper.

Formaldehyde is extraordinarily effective for fixation of human corpses and is routinely used in embalming solutions in anatomical dissection courses all over the world. High concentrations in vapors emitted from corpses embalmed with formaldehyde make it necessary to reduce the emission from cadavers for fulfilling tightening permissible exposure limits (PEL) worldwide. The study provides possible solutions to a problem faced by many anatomy labs. The emission of 50 human corpses was examined using 240 active personal and stationary samples with sampling tubes placed in the breathing area of probands or directly above the corpses. For measuring formaldehyde exposures along the dissection course, air samples were collected during the progress of dissection. Best results were achieved by a combination of post-embalming treatment with InfuTrace™, a formaldehyde binding solution applied to corpses fixed with 3% formaldehyde, and a modified ventilation system consisting of three long throw nozzles mounted vertically at the ceiling above the longitudinal axis of each dissection table. In this scenario, the inhalative exposure for students and teachers did not exceed 0.1 ppm during muscle dissection and 0.041 ppm during organ dissection, which are both dissection steps linked to high emission rates. The data emphasizes the necessity to use a combination of different methods — chemical polymerization of formaldehyde combined with a modified ventilation system — to reduce formaldehyde air loads far below the German PEL (0.3 ppm) and even the Japanese PEL (0.1 ppm) when using a standard 3%-formaldehyde fixation.