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Ulanova A, Mansfeldt C. EcoGenoRisk: Developing a computational ecological risk assessment tool for synthetic biology. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123647. [PMID: 38402941 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
The expanding field of synthetic biology (synbio) supports new opportunities in the design of targeted bioproducts or modified microorganisms. However, this rapid development of synbio products raises concerns surrounding the potential risks of modified microorganisms contaminating unintended environments. These potential invasion risks require new bioinformatic tools to inform the design phase. EcoGenoRisk is a newly constructed computational risk assessment tool for invasiveness that aims to predict where synbio microorganisms may establish a population by screening for habitats of genetically similar microorganisms. The first module of the tool identifies genetically similar microorganisms and potential ecological relationships such as competition, mutualism, and inhibition. In total, 520 archaeal and 32,828 bacterial complete assembly genomes were analyzed to test the specificity and accuracy of the tool as well as to characterize the enzymatic profiles of different taxonomic lineages. Additionally, ecological relationships were analyzed to determine which would result in the greatest potential overlap between shared functional profiles. Notably, competition displayed the significantly highest overlap of shared functions between compared genomes. Overall, EcoGenoRisk is a flexible software pipeline that assists environmental risk assessors to query large databases of known microorganisms and prioritize follow-up bench scale studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ulanova
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, 1111 Engineering Drive, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA; University of Colorado Boulder, Environmental Engineering Program, 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Cresten Mansfeldt
- University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, 1111 Engineering Drive, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA; University of Colorado Boulder, Environmental Engineering Program, 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA.
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Chartres N, Joglekar R. Invited Perspective: Why Systematic Reviews, Scoping Reviews, and Evidence-to-Decision Frameworks Are Critical for Transparent, Consistent, Equitable, and Science-Based Decision-Making in Environmental Health. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:31304. [PMID: 38477608 PMCID: PMC10936216 DOI: 10.1289/ehp14346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Chartres
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rashmi Joglekar
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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3
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Yang Y, Zhong J, Shen S, Huang J, Hong Y, Qu X, Chen Q, Niu B. Application and Progress of Machine Learning in Pesticide Hazard and Risk Assessment. Med Chem 2024; 20:2-16. [PMID: 37038674 DOI: 10.2174/1573406419666230406091759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Long-term exposure to pesticides is associated with the incidence of cancer. With the exponential increase in the number of new pesticides being synthesized, it becomes more and more important to evaluate the toxicity of pesticides by means of simulated calculations. Based on existing data, machine learning methods can train and model the predictions of the effects of novel pesticides, which have limited available data. Combined with other technologies, this can aid the synthesis of new pesticides with specific active structures, detect pesticide residues, and identify their tolerable exposure levels. This article mainly discusses support vector machines, linear discriminant analysis, decision trees, partial least squares, and algorithms based on feedforward neural networks in machine learning. It is envisaged that this article will provide scientists and users with a better understanding of machine learning and its application prospects in pesticide toxicity assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfeng Yang
- School of life Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Junjie Zhong
- School of life Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Songyu Shen
- School of life Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Jiajun Huang
- School of life Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Yihan Hong
- School of life Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Xiaosheng Qu
- National Engineering Laboratory of Southwest Endangered Medicinal Resources Development, Guangxi Botanical Garden of Medicinal Plants, Goang Xi, China
| | - Qin Chen
- School of life Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Bing Niu
- School of life Science, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai, 200444, China
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4
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Petroulakis N, Mattsson MO, Chatziadam P, Simko M, Gavrielides A, Yiorkas AM, Zeni O, Scarfi MR, Soudah E, Otin R, Schettino F, Migliore MD, Miaoudakis A, Spanoudakis G, Bolte J, Korkmaz E, Theodorou V, Zarogianni E, Lagorio S, Biffoni M, Schiavoni A, Boldi MR, Feldman Y, Bilik I, Laromaine A, Gich M, Spirito M, Ledent M, Segers S, Vargas F, Colussi L, Pruppers M, Baaken D, Bogdanova A. NextGEM: Next-Generation Integrated Sensing and Analytical System for Monitoring and Assessing Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure and Health. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6085. [PMID: 37372672 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20126085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
The evolution of emerging technologies that use Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) has increased the interest of the scientific community and society regarding the possible adverse effects on human health and the environment. This article provides NextGEM's vision to assure safety for EU citizens when employing existing and future EMF-based telecommunication technologies. This is accomplished by generating relevant knowledge that ascertains appropriate prevention and control/actuation actions regarding RF-EMF exposure in residential, public, and occupational settings. Fulfilling this vision, NextGEM commits to the need for a healthy living and working environment under safe RF-EMF exposure conditions that can be trusted by people and be in line with the regulations and laws developed by public authorities. NextGEM provides a framework for generating health-relevant scientific knowledge and data on new scenarios of exposure to RF-EMF in multiple frequency bands and developing and validating tools for evidence-based risk assessment. Finally, NextGEM's Innovation and Knowledge Hub (NIKH) will offer a standardized way for European regulatory authorities and the scientific community to store and assess project outcomes and provide access to findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaos Petroulakis
- Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH-ICS), 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | | | - Panos Chatziadam
- Institute of Computer Science, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH-ICS), 70013 Heraklion, Greece
| | | | | | | | - Olga Zeni
- Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IREA), 80124 Napoli, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Scarfi
- Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-IREA), 80124 Napoli, Italy
| | - Eduardo Soudah
- International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ruben Otin
- International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fulvio Schettino
- Department of Electrical and Computer Science Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy
| | - Marco Donald Migliore
- Department of Electrical and Computer Science Engineering, University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino, Italy
| | | | | | - John Bolte
- Research Group Smart Sensor Systems, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, 2628 AL Delft, The Netherlands
- Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Erdal Korkmaz
- Research Group Smart Sensor Systems, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, 2628 AL Delft, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Mauro Biffoni
- Italian National Institute of Health, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Yuri Feldman
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Igal Bilik
- Department of Applied Physics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Anna Laromaine
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICMAB-CSIC), 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Martí Gich
- Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICMAB-CSIC), 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Spirito
- Department of Microelectronics, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CN Delft, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Loek Colussi
- Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure, 9700 AL Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mathieu Pruppers
- Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), 3720 BA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Dan Baaken
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Anna Bogdanova
- Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
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5
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Bajard L, Adamovsky O, Audouze K, Baken K, Barouki R, Beltman JB, Beronius A, Bonefeld-Jørgensen EC, Cano-Sancho G, de Baat ML, Di Tillio F, Fernández MF, FitzGerald RE, Gundacker C, Hernández AF, Hilscherova K, Karakitsios S, Kuchovska E, Long M, Luijten M, Majid S, Marx-Stoelting P, Mustieles V, Negi CK, Sarigiannis D, Scholz S, Sovadinova I, Stierum R, Tanabe S, Tollefsen KE, van den Brand AD, Vogs C, Wielsøe M, Wittwehr C, Blaha L. Application of AOPs to assist regulatory assessment of chemical risks - Case studies, needs and recommendations. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 217:114650. [PMID: 36309218 PMCID: PMC9850416 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
While human regulatory risk assessment (RA) still largely relies on animal studies, new approach methodologies (NAMs) based on in vitro, in silico or non-mammalian alternative models are increasingly used to evaluate chemical hazards. Moreover, human epidemiological studies with biomarkers of effect (BoE) also play an invaluable role in identifying health effects associated with chemical exposures. To move towards the next generation risk assessment (NGRA), it is therefore crucial to establish bridges between NAMs and standard approaches, and to establish processes for increasing mechanistically-based biological plausibility in human studies. The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework constitutes an important tool to address these needs but, despite a significant increase in knowledge and awareness, the use of AOPs in chemical RA remains limited. The objective of this paper is to address issues related to using AOPs in a regulatory context from various perspectives as it was discussed in a workshop organized within the European Union partnerships HBM4EU and PARC in spring 2022. The paper presents examples where the AOP framework has been proven useful for the human RA process, particularly in hazard prioritization and characterization, in integrated approaches to testing and assessment (IATA), and in the identification and validation of BoE in epidemiological studies. Nevertheless, several limitations were identified that hinder the optimal usability and acceptance of AOPs by the regulatory community including the lack of quantitative information on response-response relationships and of efficient ways to map chemical data (exposure and toxicity) onto AOPs. The paper summarizes suggestions, ongoing initiatives and third-party tools that may help to overcome these obstacles and thus assure better implementation of AOPs in the NGRA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola Bajard
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Adamovsky
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Karine Audouze
- Université Paris Cité, T3S, Inserm UMR S-1124, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Kirsten Baken
- Unit Health, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO NV), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Robert Barouki
- Université Paris Cité, T3S, Inserm UMR S-1124, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Joost B Beltman
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Anna Beronius
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 13, Solna, Sweden
| | - Eva Cecilie Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark; Greenland Centre for Health Research, University of Greenland, Manutooq 1, 3905 Nuussuaq, Greenland
| | | | - Milo L de Baat
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Filippo Di Tillio
- Division of Drug Discovery and Safety, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Mariana F Fernández
- Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM) & School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rex E FitzGerald
- Swiss Centre for Applied Human Toxicology SCAHT, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 64, CH-4055 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Gundacker
- Institute of Medical Genetics, Center for Pathobiochemistry and Genetics, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Antonio F Hernández
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Department of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Granada School of Medicine, Avda. de la Investigación, 11, 18016, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health, CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain
| | - Klara Hilscherova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Spyros Karakitsios
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; HERACLES Research Centre on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Eliska Kuchovska
- IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Manhai Long
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Mirjam Luijten
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Centre for Health Protection, Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Sanah Majid
- KWR Water Research Institute, Groningenhaven 7, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
| | - Philip Marx-Stoelting
- German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, Dept. Pesticides Safety, Berlin, Germany
| | - Vicente Mustieles
- Center for Biomedical Research (CIBM) & School of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria (ibs. GRANADA), 18012, Granada, Spain; Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Chander K Negi
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Dimosthenis Sarigiannis
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece; HERACLES Research Centre on the Exposome and Health, Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Stefan Scholz
- UFZ Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, Dept Bioanalyt Ecotoxicol, D-04318 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Iva Sovadinova
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Rob Stierum
- Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, Risk Analysis for Products in Development, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Shihori Tanabe
- Division of Risk Assessment, Center for Biological Safety and Research, National Institute of Health Sciences, Kawasaki, Japan
| | - Knut Erik Tollefsen
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Section of Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment, Gaustadalléen, Oslo, Norway; Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management (MINA), Norway
| | - Annick D van den Brand
- Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, 3720 BA Bilthoven, the Netherlands
| | - Carolina Vogs
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Nobels väg 13, Solna, Sweden; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maria Wielsøe
- Centre for Arctic Health & Molecular Epidemiology, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Ludek Blaha
- RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlarska 2, 611 37 Brno, Czech Republic.
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6
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Woodruff TJ, Rayasam SDG, Axelrad DA, Koman PD, Chartres N, Bennett DH, Birnbaum LS, Brown P, Carignan CC, Cooper C, Cranor CF, Diamond ML, Franjevic S, Gartner EC, Hattis D, Hauser R, Heiger-Bernays W, Joglekar R, Lam J, Levy JI, MacRoy PM, Maffini MV, Marquez EC, Morello-Frosch R, Nachman KE, Nielsen GH, Oksas C, Abrahamsson DP, Patisaul HB, Patton S, Robinson JF, Rodgers KM, Rossi MS, Rudel RA, Sass JB, Sathyanarayana S, Schettler T, Shaffer RM, Shamasunder B, Shepard PM, Shrader-Frechette K, Solomon GM, Subra WA, Vandenberg LN, Varshavsky JR, White RF, Zarker K, Zeise L. A science-based agenda for health-protective chemical assessments and decisions: overview and consensus statement. Environ Health 2023; 21:132. [PMID: 36635734 PMCID: PMC9835243 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00930-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The manufacture and production of industrial chemicals continues to increase, with hundreds of thousands of chemicals and chemical mixtures used worldwide, leading to widespread population exposures and resultant health impacts. Low-wealth communities and communities of color often bear disproportionate burdens of exposure and impact; all compounded by regulatory delays to the detriment of public health. Multiple authoritative bodies and scientific consensus groups have called for actions to prevent harmful exposures via improved policy approaches. We worked across multiple disciplines to develop consensus recommendations for health-protective, scientific approaches to reduce harmful chemical exposures, which can be applied to current US policies governing industrial chemicals and environmental pollutants. This consensus identifies five principles and scientific recommendations for improving how agencies like the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approach and conduct hazard and risk assessment and risk management analyses: (1) the financial burden of data generation for any given chemical on (or to be introduced to) the market should be on the chemical producers that benefit from their production and use; (2) lack of data does not equate to lack of hazard, exposure, or risk; (3) populations at greater risk, including those that are more susceptible or more highly exposed, must be better identified and protected to account for their real-world risks; (4) hazard and risk assessments should not assume existence of a "safe" or "no-risk" level of chemical exposure in the diverse general population; and (5) hazard and risk assessments must evaluate and account for financial conflicts of interest in the body of evidence. While many of these recommendations focus specifically on the EPA, they are general principles for environmental health that could be adopted by any agency or entity engaged in exposure, hazard, and risk assessment. We also detail recommendations for four priority areas in companion papers (exposure assessment methods, human variability assessment, methods for quantifying non-cancer health outcomes, and a framework for defining chemical classes). These recommendations constitute key steps for improved evidence-based environmental health decision-making and public health protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey J Woodruff
- Program On Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 10, Box 0132, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Swati D G Rayasam
- Program On Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 10, Box 0132, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | | | - Patricia D Koman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nicholas Chartres
- Program On Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 10, Box 0132, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Deborah H Bennett
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Linda S Birnbaum
- National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
- Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Phil Brown
- Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Courtney C Carignan
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Courtney Cooper
- Program On Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 10, Box 0132, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Carl F Cranor
- Department of Philosophy, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Miriam L Diamond
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | | | - Dale Hattis
- The George Perkins Marsh Institute, Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Environmental Health, T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Wendy Heiger-Bernays
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Juleen Lam
- Department of Public Health, California State University, East Bay, Hayward, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan I Levy
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Rachel Morello-Frosch
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Keeve E Nachman
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Johns Hopkins Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Greylin H Nielsen
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Oksas
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Dimitri Panagopoulos Abrahamsson
- Program On Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 10, Box 0132, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Heather B Patisaul
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Human Health and the Environment, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | | | - Joshua F Robinson
- Program On Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 10, Box 0132, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ted Schettler
- Science and Environmental Health Network, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Rachel M Shaffer
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, USA
| | - Bhavna Shamasunder
- Department of Urban & Environmental Policy and Public Health, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Kristin Shrader-Frechette
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
- Department of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Gina M Solomon
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Public Health Institute, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Wilma A Subra
- Louisiana Environmental Action Network, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Julia R Varshavsky
- Department of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Roberta F White
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ken Zarker
- Washington State Department of Ecology, Olympia, WA, USA
| | - Lauren Zeise
- Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, California Environmental Protection Agency, Oakland, CA, USA
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7
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Zhang S, Han Y, Peng J, Chen Y, Zhan L, Li J. Human health risk assessment for contaminated sites: A retrospective review. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 171:107700. [PMID: 36527872 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Soil contamination is a serious global hazard as contaminants can migrate to the human body through the soil, water, air, and food, threatening human health. Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) is a commonly used method for estimating the magnitude and probability of adverse health effects in humans that may be exposed to contaminants in contaminated environmental media in the present or future. Such estimations have improved for decades with various risk assessment frameworks and well-established models. However, the existing literature does not provide a comprehensive overview of the methods and models of HHRA that are needed to grasp the current status of HHRA and future research directions. Thus, this paper aims to systematically review the HHRA approaches and models, particularly those related to contaminated sites from peer-reviewed literature and guidelines. The approaches and models focus on methods used in hazard identification, toxicity databases in dose-response assessment, approaches and fate and transport models in exposure assessment, risk characterization, and uncertainty characterization. The features and applicability of the most commonly used HHRA tools are also described. The future research trend for HHRA for contaminated sites is also forecasted. The transition from animal experiments to new methods in risk identification, the integration and update and sharing of existing toxicity databases, the integration of human biomonitoring into the risk assessment process, and the integration of migration and transformation models and risk assessment are the way forward for risk assessment in the future. This review provides readers with an overall understanding of HHRA and a grasp of its developmental direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Zhang
- Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Soft Soils and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yingyue Han
- Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jingyu Peng
- Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yunmin Chen
- Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Soft Soils and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Liangtong Zhan
- Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Soft Soils and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jinlong Li
- Department of Civil Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Soft Soils and Geoenvironmental Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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8
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Chartres N, Sass JB, Gee D, Bălan SA, Birnbaum L, Cogliano VJ, Cooper C, Fedinick KP, Harrison RM, Kolossa-Gehring M, Mandrioli D, Mitchell MA, Norris SL, Portier CJ, Straif K, Vermeire T. Conducting evaluations of evidence that are transparent, timely and can lead to health-protective actions. Environ Health 2022; 21:123. [PMID: 36471342 PMCID: PMC9720912 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00926-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In February 2021, over one hundred scientists and policy experts participated in a web-based Workshop to discuss the ways that divergent evaluations of evidence and scientific uncertainties are used to delay timely protection of human health and the environment from exposures to hazardous agents. The Workshop arose from a previous workshop organized by the European Environment Agency (EEA) in 2008 and which also drew on case studies from the EEA reports on 'Late Lessons from Early Warnings' (2001, 2013). These reports documented dozens of hazardous agents including many chemicals, for which risk reduction measures were delayed for decades after scientists and others had issued early and later warnings about the harm likely to be caused by those agents. RESULTS Workshop participants used recent case studies including Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Extremely Low Frequency - Electrical Magnetic Fields (ELF-EMF fields), glyphosate, and Bisphenol A (BPA) to explore myriad reasons for divergent outcomes of evaluations, which has led to delayed and inadequate protection of the public's health. Strategies to overcome these barriers must, therefore, at a minimum include approaches that 1) Make better use of existing data and information, 2) Ensure timeliness, 3) Increase transparency, consistency and minimize bias in evidence evaluations, and 4) Minimize the influence of financial conflicts of interest. CONCLUSION The recommendations should enhance the production of "actionable evidence," that is, reliable evaluations of the scientific evidence to support timely actions to protect health and environments from exposures to hazardous agents. The recommendations are applicable to policy and regulatory settings at the local, state, federal and international levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Chartres
- Program On Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 10, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Jennifer B Sass
- Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC, USA
- George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Simona A Bălan
- California Department of Toxic Substances Control, Berkeley, CA, USA
- University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Linda Birnbaum
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Courtney Cooper
- Program On Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, Floor 10, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | | | - Roy M Harrison
- School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Department of Environmental Sciences/Centre of Excellence in Environmental Studies, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Marike Kolossa-Gehring
- Department of Environmental Hygiene, Section Toxicology, Health Related Environmental Monitoring, German Federal Environmental Agency, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Daniele Mandrioli
- Cesare Maltoni Cancer Research Center, Ramazzini Institute, Bologna, Italy
| | - Mark A Mitchell
- George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA
- Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice, Hartford, CT, USA
| | - Susan L Norris
- Department of Family Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Christopher J Portier
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Toxicogenomics, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- CJP Consulting, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Kurt Straif
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Boston College, Newton, MA, USA
| | - Theo Vermeire
- Retired, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Utrecht, The Netherlands
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9
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Lee SH, Kim J, Kim J, Park J, Park S, Kim KB, Lee BM, Kwon S. Current trends in read-across applications for chemical risk assessments and chemical registrations in the Republic of Korea. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2022; 25:393-404. [PMID: 36250612 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2022.2133033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Read-across, an alternative approach for hazard assessment, has been widely adopted when in vivo data are unavailable for chemicals of interest. Read-across is enabled via in silico tools such as quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) modeling. In this study, the current status of structure activity relationship (SAR)-based read-across applications in the Republic of Korea (ROK) was examined considering both chemical risk assessments and chemical registrations from different sectors, including regulatory agencies, industry, and academia. From the regulatory perspective, the Ministry of Environment (MOE) established the Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (AREC) in 2019 to enable registrants to submit alternative data such as information from read-across instead of in vivo data to support hazard assessment and determine chemical-specific risks. Further, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) began to consider read-across approaches for establishing acceptable intake (AI) limits of impurities occurring during pharmaceutical manufacturing processes under the ICH M7 guideline. Although read-across has its advantages, this approach also has limitations including (1) lack of standardized criteria for regulatory acceptance, (2) inconsistencies in the robustness of scientific evidence, and (3) deficiencies in the objective reliability of read-across data. The application and acceptance rate of read-across may vary among regulatory agencies. Therefore, sufficient data need to be prepared to verify the hypothesis that structural similarities might lead to similarities in properties of substances (between source and target chemicals) prior to adopting a read-across approach. In some cases, additional tests may be required during the registration process to clarify long-term effects on human health or the environment for certain substances that are data deficient. To improve the quality of read-across data for regulatory acceptance, cooperative efforts from regulatory agencies, academia, and industry are needed to minimize limitations of read-across applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hee Lee
- Chemicals Registration & Evaluation Team, Risk Assessment Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research, Ministry of Environment, Inchon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongwoon Kim
- Chemical Safety Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinyong Kim
- Environment, Safety and Health DepartmentChemical Products and Biocides Safety Center, Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute (KEITI), Inchon, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaehyun Park
- Pharmaceutical Standardization Division, Drug Evaluation Department, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Osong Health Technology Administration Complex, Cheongju, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Kyu-Bong Kim
- College of Pharmacy, Dankook University, Chungnam 31116, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Mu Lee
- Division of Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Seobu-ro 2066, Suwon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Kwon
- Global Product Stewardship, Research & Development, Singapore Innovation Center, Procter & Gamble (P&G) International Operationsr, Singapore
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10
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Fatemi F, Dehdashti A, Jannati M. Implementation of Chemical Health, Safety, and Environmental Risk Assessment in Laboratories: A Case-Series Study. Front Public Health 2022; 10:898826. [PMID: 35774572 PMCID: PMC9237427 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.898826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Characterizing risks associated with laboratory activities in universities may improve health, safety, and environmental management and reduce work-related diseases and accidents. This study aimed to develop and implement a chemical risk assessment method to determine and prioritize more hazardous chemicals in the academic laboratories. Methods A case-series study was conducted at five academic laboratories and research facilities of an Iranian medical sciences university in 2021. A risk assessment was developed and implemented in three phases to identify, evaluate, and classify potential risks and hazards. The approach provided an innovative tool for evaluating and prioritizing risks in chemical laboratories. Hazards were classified on a five-level scale. The technique reviewed both quantitative and qualitative data and pieces of evidence using Laboratory Safety Guidance (OSHA), Occupational Hazard Datasheet (ILO), the standards of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) codes. Results Overall, the frequency of risks rated from “moderate” to “very high” levels was determined for the health hazards (9.3%), environmental hazards (35.2%), and safety hazards (20.4%). Hydrochloric acid had a high consumption rate in laboratory operations and received the highest risk levels in terms of potential hazards to employees' health and the environment. Nitric acid, Sulfuric acid, Formaldehyde, and Sodium hydroxide were assessed as potential health hazards. Moreover, Ethanol and Sulfuric acid were recognized as safety hazards. We observed adequate security provisions and procedures in academic laboratory operations. However, the lack of awareness concerning health, safety, environmental chemical hazards, and inappropriate sewage disposal systems contributed to the increasing levels of laboratory risk. Conclusions Chemicals used in laboratory activities generate workplace and environmental hazards that must be assessed, managed, and risk mitigated. Developing a method of rating health, safety, and environmental risks related to laboratory chemicals may assist in defining and understanding potential hazards. Our assessment suggested the need for improving the risk perception of individuals involved in handling chemicals to prevent exposure from workplace duties and environmental pollution hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farin Fatemi
- Department of Occupational Health, Research Center of Health Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Alireza Dehdashti
- Department of Occupational Health, Research Center of Health Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- *Correspondence: Alireza Dehdashti ;
| | - Mohammadreza Jannati
- Student Research Committee, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
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11
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Assessing the Risk of Hazards with Multidimensional Consequences for Industrial Processes. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10061145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Risk assessment plays an important role in process safety. The result of the assessment is used to determine risk priorities and then develop preventions to reduce risks. A hazard may have multidimensional consequences, including loss of health and safety, asset loss, and environmental damage. Traditionally, these multidimensional consequences are often measured disjointedly. A comprehensive risk assessment would be conducted by many professionals from multiple areas. Each of these professionals uses different indicators to evaluate risks. The poor integration among risk indicators further confuses managers in the risk resilience and prevention development. In addition, this lacks a solid method for assessing the risk of hazards that with multidimensional consequences. The aim of the work is to develop a risk-measuring instrument using a newly proposed approach, the Risk Assessment for Hazards with Multidimensional Consequences (RAMC), which is developed based on the theory of quality of life (QOL), a theory from health management. RAMC uses the ‘diminished quality of life in organization safety’ (DQLOS) as a risk indicator to represent the level of risk exposure. The main results of the work show that the method of RAMC and the indicator ‘DQLOS’ are able to support practitioners to assess the risk of a hazard with multidimensional consequences and could be used to deliver reasonable risk control priorities. A case study associated with the coal-to-methanol gasification process is discussed for RAMC’s application and validation. The case study result also indicates that the DQLOS has the potential to assist the industry to design safe process systems and develop ongoing improvements in safety.
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12
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Yang J, Liu Y, Tan X, Xu C, Lin A. Safety assessment of drinking water sources along Yangtze River using vulnerability and risk analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:27294-27310. [PMID: 34981399 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18297-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the safety of drinking water sources along Yangtze River Basin is received much attention. But few works have carried out large-scale and all-round safety assessment of drinking water sources on the main stream of the whole Yangtze River Basin. In this work, 97 drinking water sources in 8 provinces of the main stream of the Yangtze River were selected as the objects to clarify the spatial distribution of the safety risk levels of drinking water sources in the whole basin and analyze the causes of drinking water source risks. The results showed that 13.4%, 55.7%, 25.8%, 5.1%, and 0% of the 97 drinking water sources were classified as low, moderate, considerate, high, and very high respectively, according to the safety risk level. This indicated that the safety risk of drinking water sources in the mainstream of Yangtze River is generally low, but there are also a number of high safety risk drinking water sources. And the safety risk degree of the lower and upper reaches in the mainstream of Yangtze River is generally higher than that of the middle reaches. The current situation of drinking water sources along the mainstream of Yangtze River could be attributed to the superposition of human activities and natural background factors. This study could contribute to the government's targeted management and control of safety risk sources for drinking water sources along the Yangtze River Basin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Yang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
- Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, People's Republic of China
| | - Yaxiu Liu
- Hangzhou Huanyan Technology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 310015, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao Tan
- College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China
| | - Congbon Xu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China.
- College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People's Republic of China.
| | - Aijun Lin
- College of Chemical Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Zhao Y, Tian S. Hazard identification and early warning system based on stochastic forest algorithm in underground coal mine. JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT & FUZZY SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3233/jifs-210105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Aiming at the problem of large error and long time of early warning response in the traditional system, this paper designs a hazard identification early warning system based on random forest algorithm in underground coal mine. By random classification decision forest created dangerous content in different areas of the downhole information input into the decision tree as a test sample, according to the result of the output of the leaf node determine the risk level of decision trees, and USES the high precision of decision forest classification ability the threat level assessment test sample, radically reducing hazards identification error. Then, based on the evaluation results, combined with the threshold value of warning criteria to identify the gas exceeding limit area, and determine the fire source warning level, so as to realize the hazard source identification and warning. The simulation results show that the average hazard location identification error of the system is only 4.1%, and the warning response time can be controlled within 9 s.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhao
- College of Safety Science and Engineering, Xi’anUniversity of Science and Technology, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Safety and Emergency Management, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, China
| | - Shuicheng Tian
- College of Safety Science and Engineering, Xi’anUniversity of Science and Technology, Xi’an, China
- Institute of Safety and Emergency Management, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an, China
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14
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Petit P, Maître A, Bicout DJ. A consensus approach for estimating health risk: Application to inhalation cancer risks. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 196:110436. [PMID: 33166535 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Conducting a risk assessment is challenging because various and contrasting risk indicators are available, which can lead to discrepancies and, sometimes, conflicting conclusions. Constructing and using a consensus risk indicator (CRI) could provide a reliable alternative that is consistent and supports direct comparisons. The goal of this study is to propose a structured and pragmatic approach for constructing a CRI distribution and demonstrate its feasibility and easy implementation when conducting risk assessments. A CRI distribution is constructed as a weighted combination of existing indicators where the weights are obtained by using the overlapping areas of an individual indicator's distribution and an aggregated reference distribution. The approach is illustrated through an assessment of human cancer risk following inhalation exposure. The CRI is constructed using eight risk indicators. The CRI distribution parameters for 199 human carcinogenic chemicals associated with inhalation exposure were determined and are presented in an interactive table. To aid the wider implementation of the CRI approach, a user-friendly and interactive web application, named InCaRisk, was created to facilitate the cancer risk estimation following inhalation exposure. Our approach could be useful for enhancing the quality of regulatory decisions and protecting human health from environmental pollutants; our approach can be applied for a given health outcome, route of exposure and exposure setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Petit
- Grenoble Alpes University, CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG (UMR 5525 CNRS - UGA), EPSP Team (Environment and Health Prediction of Populations), F-38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Anne Maître
- Grenoble Alpes University, CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG (UMR 5525 CNRS - UGA), EPSP Team (Environment and Health Prediction of Populations), F-38000, Grenoble, France; Grenoble Alpes Teaching Hospital, Occupational and Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, Biochemistry Molecular Biology and Environmental Toxicology Department, Biology and Pathology Institute, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Dominique J Bicout
- Grenoble Alpes University, CNRS, Grenoble INP, TIMC-IMAG (UMR 5525 CNRS - UGA), EPSP Team (Environment and Health Prediction of Populations), F-38000, Grenoble, France; Biomathematics and Epidemiology EPSP-TIMC, VetAgro Sup, Veterinary Campus of Lyon, Marcy L'Etoile, France; Laue - Langevin Institute, Theory Group, Grenoble, France.
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15
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Canavez ADPM, de Oliveira Prado Corrêa G, Isaac VLB, Schuck DC, Lorencini M. Integrated approaches to testing and assessment as a tool for the hazard assessment and risk characterization of cosmetic preservatives. J Appl Toxicol 2021; 41:1687-1699. [PMID: 33624850 DOI: 10.1002/jat.4156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The safety assessment of cosmetic products is based on the safety of the ingredients, which requires information on chemical structures, toxicological profiles, and exposure data. Approximately 6% of the population is sensitized to cosmetic ingredients, especially preservatives and fragrances. In this context, the aim of this study was to perform a hazard assessment and risk characterization of benzalkonium chloride (BAC), benzyl alcohol (BA), caprylyl glycol (CG), ethylhexylglycerin (EG), chlorphenesin (CP), dehydroacetic acid (DHA), sodium dehydroacetate (SDH), iodopropynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC), methylchloroisothiazolinone and methylisothiazolinone (MCI/MIT), methylisothiazolinone (MIT), phenoxyethanol (PE), potassium sorbate (PS), and sodium benzoate (SB). Considering the integrated approaches to testing and assessment (IATA) and weight of evidence (WoE) as a decision tree, based on published safety reports. The hazard assessment was composed of a toxicological matrix correlating the toxicity level, defined as low (L), moderate (M), or high (H) and local or systemic exposure, considering the endpoints of skin sensitization, skin irritation, eye irritation, phototoxicity, acute oral toxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity/genotoxicity, and endocrine activity. In a risk assessment approach, most preservatives had a margin of safety (MoS) above 100, except for DHA, SDH, and EG, considering the worst-case scenario (100% dermal absorption). However, isolated data do not set up a safety assessment. It is necessary to carry out a rational risk characterization considering hazard and exposure assessment to estimate the level of risk of an adverse health outcome, based on the concentration in a product, frequency of use, type of product, route of exposure, body surface location, and target population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Marcio Lorencini
- Department of Safety Assessment, Grupo Boticário, São José dos Pinhais, PR, Brazil
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16
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AlShammari W, Alhussain H, Rizk NM. Risk Management Assessments and Recommendations Among Students, Staffs, and Health Care Workers in Educational Biomedical Laboratories. Risk Manag Healthc Policy 2021; 14:185-198. [PMID: 33488131 PMCID: PMC7816217 DOI: 10.2147/rmhp.s278162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Safety in laboratories is one of the most crucial topics for all educational institutes. All-hazards need to be identified, evaluated, and controlled whenever possible, following the risk management (RM) process. This study evaluates two academic laboratories' risks and safety in the Department of Biomedical Science (BMS) at Qatar University (QU). The goal is to eliminate or reduce any risks to the students, teaching assistants, laboratory technicians, faculties, and other related workers, following an RM process. METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed from January to March 2020 in the BMS at QU. The study sample comprised of microbiology and hematology laboratories. Checklists and data collection sheets were used for data collection. Hazard evaluation failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) was used. The risk priority number (RPN) was calculated for all the identified hazards. For hazard control, the hierarchy of controls was followed. RESULTS The number of identified hazards was thirteen (n=13) in the hematology laboratory and sixteen (n=16) in the microbiology laboratory. Chemical and ergonomic hazards had the highest percentages in both laboratories, with 25% in the microbiology laboratory and 31% in the hematology laboratory. Both laboratories were free from radiation hazards. There is a significant difference between adopted and recommended control measures in each laboratory in terms of likelihood, severity, and risk priority number (RPN). CONCLUSION Both chemical and ergonomic hazards account for almost a quarter of the hazards in both laboratories. The recommended control measure can decrease the severity and likelihood of identified hazards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wasaif AlShammari
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, QU-Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Nasser M Rizk
- Biomedical Sciences Department, College of Health Sciences, QU-Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Biomedical Research Center (BRC), Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
- Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research Unit, QU- Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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17
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Zhang X, Zhao W, Nie L, Shao X, Dang H, Zhang W, Wang D. A new classification approach to enhance future VOCs emission policies: Taking solvent-consuming industry as an example. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115868. [PMID: 33139094 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has consistently been linked to ozone (O3) and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation, and ongoing emission policies are primarily focusing on total VOCs without addressing the association between regulation measures and secondary pollution characteristic. For enhancing VOCs emission policy, we investigated potential formation of O3 and SOA based on analyses of node-specific VOCs concentration and species distribution in solvent-consuming industry. Although aromatics were found to contribute most to O3 and SOA formation averagely (2.57 ± 2.14 g O3/g VOCs, 1.91 ± 1.67 g SOA/g VOCs), however, large disparity concerning emission and secondary pollution profile were identified among different emission nodes which demonstrated that regulation policy should be formulated based on comprehensive pollution characteristic. Therefore, emission nodes were classified into four clusters through data normalization, formatting and classification process, including aromatics dominated (7 emission nodes), aromatics-alkene dominated (4 emission nodes), aromatics-alcohols dominated (4 emission nodes) and alcohols dominated (4 emission nodes). And different dominating VOCs species were further obtained in each cluster. Subsequently, focusing regulation measures of reducing O3 and SOA for different emission source clusters were proposed to guide pollution prevention and enhance future VOCs emission policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Wenjuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Lei Nie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Atmospheric Volatile Organic Compounds Pollution Control and Application, Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environment Protection, Beijing, 100037, China
| | - Xia Shao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Atmospheric Volatile Organic Compounds Pollution Control and Application, Beijing Municipal Research Institute of Environment Protection, Beijing, 100037, China
| | - Hongyan Dang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Weiqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Di Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
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Effects of Occupational Hazards on Job Stress and Mental Health of Factory Workers and Miners: A Propensity Score Analysis. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 2020:1754897. [PMID: 32904478 PMCID: PMC7456464 DOI: 10.1155/2020/1754897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
This study is to evaluate the effects of different occupational hazards on job stress and mental health of factory workers and miners. A total of 6120 workers from factories and mining enterprises in seven districts and one district of Urumqi were determined using the stratified cluster random sampling method. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) were used to evaluate the effects of occupational hazard factors on job stress and mental health of workers. The propensity score analysis was used to control the confounding factors. The occupational hazards affecting job stress of workers were asbestos dust (OR = 1.3, 95% CI: 1.09-1.55), benzene (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.10-1.41), and noise (OR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.22-1.59). The occupational hazards affecting the mental health of workers were coal dust (OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.02-1.38), asbestos dust (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.32-1.92), benzene (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.13-1.47), and noise (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.07-1.42). Different occupational hazards have certain influence on job stress and mental health of factory workers and miners. The enhancements in occupational hazard and risk assessment, occupational health examination, and occupational protection should be taken to relieve job stress and enhance the mental health of factory workers and miners.
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19
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Lee JY, Mushtaq S, Park JE, Shin HS, Lee SY, Jeon J. Radioanalytical Techniques to Quantitatively Assess the Biological Uptake and In Vivo Behavior of Hazardous Substances. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25173985. [PMID: 32882977 PMCID: PMC7504758 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25173985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Concern about environmental exposure to hazardous substances has grown over the past several decades, because these substances have adverse effects on human health. Methods used to monitor the biological uptake of hazardous substances and their spatiotemporal behavior in vivo must be accurate and reliable. Recent advances in radiolabeling chemistry and radioanalytical methodologies have facilitated the quantitative analysis of toxic substances, and whole-body imaging can be achieved using nuclear imaging instruments. Herein, we review recent literature on the radioanalytical methods used to study the biological distribution, changes in the uptake and accumulation of hazardous substances, including industrial chemicals, nanomaterials, and microorganisms. We begin with an overview of the radioisotopes used to prepare radiotracers for in vivo experiments. We then summarize the results of molecular imaging studies involving radiolabeled toxins and their quantitative assessment. We conclude the review with perspectives on the use of radioanalytical methods for future environmental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Young Lee
- Department of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea;
| | - Sajid Mushtaq
- Department of Nuclear Engineering, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad 45650, Pakistan;
| | - Jung Eun Park
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Applied Chemical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea;
| | - Hee Soon Shin
- Division of Functional Food Research, Korea Food Research Institute, 245, Nongsaengmyeong-ro, Iseo-myeon, Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do 55365, Korea; (H.S.S.); (S.-Y.L.)
- Food Biotechnology Program, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Korea
| | - So-Young Lee
- Division of Functional Food Research, Korea Food Research Institute, 245, Nongsaengmyeong-ro, Iseo-myeon, Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do 55365, Korea; (H.S.S.); (S.-Y.L.)
- Food Biotechnology Program, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Korea
| | - Jongho Jeon
- Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Applied Chemical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-53-950-5584
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Environmental Hazards and Women’s Health: A Neglected Need. WOMEN’S HEALTH BULLETIN 2018. [DOI: 10.5812/whb.87612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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