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At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Abdominal symptoms among sewage workers.

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of abdominal symptoms and the abdominal medical history among sewage workers. 142 male sewage workers and 137 male referents in 11 Swedish municipalities were addressed with a questionnaire about abdominal symptoms, medical history, occupational history and life style factors. The sewage workers suffered less from nausea [adjusted odds ratio (adjOR) = 0.18, 95% confidence interval (Cl) 0.04-0.84] than the referents. There was no significant difference in the three months prevalence of diarrhoea (adjOR = 1.7, 95% Cl = 0.79-3.4), dyspepsia (adjOR = 0.85, 95% Cl = 0.49-1.5) or irritable bowel syndrome (adjOR = 1.4, 95% Cl = 0.53-3.5). The sewage workers were affected more often by peptic ulcers during their present jobs than the referents, although the increased risk was not significant (adjOR = 1.4, 95% Cl = 0.31-6.1). The odds ratios were adjusted for age, use of tobacco products and alcohol consumption. The conclusion of this study was that sewage workers are less affected by nausea than comparable referents.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1998

Persistent cognitive and motor deficits following acute hydrogen sulphide poisoning.

This case study describes the long-term after-effects of hydrogen sulphide exposure in a previously health 27-year-old male. Upon hospital admission the patient had a Glasgow Coma Score (CGS) of 3; with emergency treatment including hyperbaric oxygen treatments, he progressed to a GCS of 15 on day 7. Although both CT and MRI scans were unremarkable, PET using F-18 deoxyglucose administered 3 years after the accident showed abnormally decreased metabolism bilaterally in the temporal and inferior parietal lobes as well as the left thalamus. Uptake in the striatum was heterogeneous and abnormal. A cerebral perfusion study using SPECT performed 3.5 years after the accident revealed bilaterally decreased flow in the putamen but no cortical abnormalities. Neuropsychological and neurofunctional testing revealed the following impairments: microsmia, psychomotor slowing, extrapyramidal signs and deficits in memory and executive/planning functioning. These findings are discussed in the context of hydrogen sulphide's known mechanisms of toxicity and the functions of the basal ganglia.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Estimation of risk due to low doses of microorganisms: a comparison of alternative methodologies.

The log-normal, or log-probit, simple exponential and beta distributed effectiveness models were evaluated for their ability to describe experimental dose-response data for human exposure to waterborne bacteria and viruses. Each of the models was capable of describing at least some of the available data; however, the beta-distributed model appeared to be the most widely applicable. When used to extrapolate to extremely low exposure levels, divergent predictions are obtained for each of the three models. On the basis of this analysis, it is impossible to rule out the hypothesis that a single microorganism when ingested has the potential of inducing infection or disease.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1985

Treatment, waste management and cost for removal of radioactivity from drinking water.

The processes (costs, efficiencies and reliability) used in treating drinking water for removal of radioactive contaminants and the disposal of wastes generated by the treatment processes are analyzed and discussed. The study was limited to U, Ra and Rn. Initially concepts of water and waste treatment in terms of their applicability to the drinking water industry were established. The alternative processes for treatment of Ra, U, Rn, water and sludges were described and evaluated, in terms of cost, efficiency, reliability, process control and feasibility.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1997

60Co contamination in recycled steel resulting in elevated civilian radiation doses: causes and challenges.

Since late 1992, more than 100 building complexes containing public and private schools and nearly 1,000 apartments have been identified in Taiwan with elevated levels of gamma-radiation from construction steel contaminated with 60Co. Due to improper handling of 60Co contaminated scrap steel in late 1982 and 1983, contaminated construction materials have been widely distributed throughout the country. These contaminated construction materials have generated elevated radiation exposures to members of the public in Taiwan. As of early 1996, more than 4,000 people, including young students, have been identified as receiving more than 1 mSv y(-1) above the local background for up to 12 y. This report provides a detailed discussion of the sources of the 60Co contamination in construction steel, its discovery in the building complexes, and preliminary evaluation and remediation activities.

California↗
PubMed1998

Temporal and spatial variation of waterborne point-of-use 222Rn in three water distribution systems.

Three water supply systems in Iowa were studied to examine temporal variation of 222Rn at the point of entry and the point of use. For the three towns, 71, 9, and 0% of the maximum point-of-use 222Rn concentrations were significantly higher than the point-of-entry 222Rn concentrations. Homes connected to older water mains in two of the towns had higher 222Rn concentrations than those connected to newer water mains. In one town, the waterborne 222Rn concentrations in the home were related to the home's location along an old water main. The increase in 222Rn concentrations, after the water leaves the water plant, were attributed to radium deposits in the water distribution system. In addition, the water plant's radium laden iron filters contributed 7 Bq L-1 and 60 Bq L-1 of 222Rn to the finished water in What Cheer, Iowa, and Wellman, Iowa, respectively. Backwashing schedules in the water treatment systems greatly affected point-of-entry 222Rn concentrations. The results of this study have important implications for 222Rn sampling, required for regulatory compliance.

Fresh Water↗
PubMed1998

Cutaneous burns caused by sulfuric acid drain cleaner.

BACKGROUND: Highly concentrated solutions of sulfuric acid are available to unclog drains. We have noted a substantial number of both accidental and intentional cutaneous burns caused by these agents. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of children and adults who sustained sulfuric acid burns over a 13-year period ending in May 1996. Reports of injuries related to drain cleaners filed with the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission between 1991 and 1995 were also reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (13 children, 8 adults) sustained cutaneous burns caused by concentrated sulfuric acid solutions. In 8 instances, the burn was accidental, whereas in 13 cases, sulfuric acid was used as a weapon. Median total body surface area burned was 5% (range, 1-25%). Approximately 50% of burns involved the face and neck. Skin grafting was required in 14 patients (66%). It is estimated that nationwide approximately 3,000 injuries per year are related to drain cleaners and that one-third of these involve cutaneous burns. CONCLUSION: Highly concentrated sulfuric acid drain cleaner can produce full-thickness cutaneous burns that require skin grafting in the majority of cases. Proper use of these agents and sequestering them from children may reduce accidental contact; however, their abuse as agents of assault remains a source of significant morbidity.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Adult respiratory distress syndrome from sulfuric acid fume inhalation.

A 23-year-old man had adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) caused by acute exposure to sulfuric acid fumes. The patient survived the initial hospitalization to be readmitted later with a lung abscess. After therapy, his chest roentgenogram and pulmonary function tests revealed no abnormalities except a marginally decreased DLCO, and he was without functional deficit. Noncardiogenic pulmonary edema probably resulted from direct alveolar injury caused by sulfuric acid.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Water sanitation practices on the Texas-Mexico border: implications for physicians on both sides.

With the epidemic of cholera in South and Central America and reports of cholera in the Northern Hemisphere in Mexico, increasing concern focuses on sanitation problems along the border between the United States and Mexico. It is feared that binationally shared water supplies are threatened or contaminated by sewage and other wastes. Although much anecdotal information exists, surprisingly few hard data are available in the United States (or in Mexico, for that matter) regarding water quality on the Mexican side of the border. This shortage of data is felt most acutely in the semiarid portions of the border, where water is extraordinarily scarce. In 1987, researchers at the University of Texas School of Public Health (UTSPH) began gathering data on the availability, accessibility, and bacteriologic and chemical safety of raw and finished drinking water in Mexico at its border with Texas. In view of their timely significance, we wish to share pertinent data. This particular study was carried out in Ciudad Juarez, a city of more than 1 million people, situated just across the Rio Grande from the Texas city of El Paso. The investigation was conducted at the invitation and with the assistance of municipal authorities of Cd. Juarez. As far as we know, this was the first time the water in Cd. Juarez had been tested for indicator fecal bacteria and other selected contaminants.

Enterobacteriaceae↗