International archives of occupational and environmental health
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Oct 2001
Multicenter StudyOutdoor sulphur dioxide and respiratory symptoms in Czech and Polish school children: a small-area study (SAVIAH). Small-Area Variation in Air Pollution and Health.
Air pollution has been linked to respiratory outcomes but controversy persists about its long-term effects. We used a novel technique to estimate the outdoor concentrations of sulphur dioxide (SO2) at small-area level to study the long-term effects on respiratory symptoms and disease in children. ⋯ In these two Central European cities with relatively high levels of air pollution, small-area based indicators of long-term outdoor winter concentrations of SO2 were associated with wheezing/whistling and with asthma diagnosed by a doctor.
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Int Arch Occup Environ Health · Oct 2001
Biomonitoring of exposure to nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, isoflurane and halothane by automated GC/MS headspace urinalysis.
The goal of the present study was to develop an automated method to assess by biological monitoring, the volatile-anaesthetic exposure (nitrous oxide, sevoflurane, isoflurane and halothane) in operating theatre personnel. ⋯ The biological monitoring of post-shift unmodified urinary volatile anaesthetics was confirmed to be a useful tool for evaluating individual exposure to these chemicals. The urinary concentrations of N2O and of halogenated vapours might reflect, to a certain extent, the external exposure to these compounds, and respiratory air-monitoring data support the validity of biological monitoring. Furthermore, the good relationship between air and urinary concentration of anaesthetics in people working in closer contact with these chemicals may be a good indirect means of revealing the bad air conditions of operating rooms, and may contribute to the highlighting and correction of service defects in anaesthesiology equipment and of human errors.