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PubMed2005

Long-term effects of elemental mercury on renal function in miners of the Idrija Mercury Mine.

BACKGROUND: The kidneys are one of the main target organs for elemental mercury (Hg(0)). The influence of Hg(0) on kidneys has been extensively studied but the long-term effects on this organ have not yet been determined with certainty. The basic aim of this research was to study the effects of a long-term exposure to Hg(0) vapours on the renal function in miners in the post-exposure period. METHODS: The population studied comprised 53 miners (33 active and 20 retired) from the Idrija Mercury Mine as the exposed miners group and 53 unexposed workers as the control group. On the basis of mine exposure records (air and biological monitoring), the environmental and biological indicators of the past exposure to Hg(0) were calculated for each miner. Kidney function was determined in both groups, i.e. in the exposed miners as well as in the controls. Glomerular kidney function was evaluated by a quantitative analysis of albumin and IgG in urine. Tubular kidney function, however, was determined by a quantitative analysis of alpha(1)-microglobulin in urine and by the enzymatic activity of N-acetyl-beta-d-glucosaminidase (NAG). RESULTS: The mean exposure time in miners was 15 years. The total number of cycles of exposure ranged from 13 to 119. The mean annual time-weighted exposure was 0.29 mg m(-3) and the mean integrated exposure intensity (IEI) was 1413 mg m(-3)-h. Throughout the period of exposure the average urine mercury concentration in miners was 68.24 microg l(-1) and the average sum of peak urine mercury concentrations was 3901 microg l(-1). Albumin, IgG and alpha(1)-microglobulin in urine were significantly elevated in the exposed miners compared with the unexposed controls (t = 2.17, P = 0.03; t = 2.81, P < 0.01; and t = 2.07, P = 0.04). No significant differences were found in the urine NAG activity when the exposed miners and the unexposed workers were compared. Among the indicators of renal function only alpha(1)-microglobulin in the urine correlated significantly with the IEI (r = 0.73; P <or= 0.01) and with the sum of peak mercury urine concentrations (r = 0.67; P <or= 0.01) in the group of miners who still worked, while no significant correlations were found between these parameters in the group of the retired miners. CONCLUSION: The results of the differences in albumin, IgG and alpha(1)-microglobulin concentrations in urine between the exposed miners and unexposed controls suggest that a long-term occupational exposure to Hg(0) could cause renal dysfunction. A high correlation between alpha(1)-microglobulin in urine and the IEI as well as between alpha(1)-microglobulin in urine and the sum of peak urine mercury concentrations in the group of active but no longer exposed miners indicates that a long-term occupational exposure to Hg(0) may cause a non-permanent tubular dysfunction.

Adult↗
PubMed2025

CAGEcleaner: reducing genomic redundancy in gene cluster mining.

SUMMARY: Mining homologous biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) typically involves searching colocalised genes against large genomic databases. However, the high degree of genomic redundancy in these databases often propagates into the resulting hit sets, complicating downstream analyses and visualization. To address this challenge, we present CAGEcleaner, a Python-based pipeline with auxiliary bash scripts designed to reduce redundancy in gene cluster hit sets by dereplicating the genomes that host these hits. CAGEcleaner integrates seamlessly with widely used gene cluster mining tools, such as cblaster and CAGECAT, enabling efficient filtering and streamlining BGC discovery workflows. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Source code and documentation is hosted at GitHub (https://github.com/LucoDevro/CAGEcleaner) and Zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14726119) under an MIT license. For accessibility, CAGEcleaner is installable from Bioconda (https://anaconda.org/bioconda/cagecleaner) and PyPi (https://pypi.org/project/cagecleaner/), and is also available as a Docker image from DockerHub (https://hub.docker.com/r/lucodevro/cagecleaner).

Software↗
PubMed2001

Prevalence of asthma and other respiratory symptoms in children living near and away from opencast coal mining sites.

BACKGROUND: Public concern about respiratory conditions prompted the investigation of asthma and other respiratory diseases in children living near and away from opencast coal mining sites. METHODS: We selected all 4860 children aged 1--11 years from five socioeconomically matched pairs of communities close to (OC) and away from (CC) active opencast sites. A postal questionnaire collected data on health and lifestyle. Outcomes were the cumulative and period prevalence (2 and 12 months) of wheeze, asthma, bronchitis and other respiratory symptoms. RESULTS: The cumulative prevalence of wheeze varied from 30% to 40% across the ten communities, it was 36% in OC and 37% in CC. The cumulative prevalence of asthma was 22% in both OC and CC, varying between 12% and 24%. We found little evidence for associations between living near an opencast site and an increased prevalence of respiratory illnesses, or asthma severity. Some outcomes such as allergies, hayfever, or cough varied little across the study communities. Others, such as the use of asthma medication, the number of severe wheezing attacks in the past year or tonsillitis showed large variation. These similarities and variations were not explained by differences in lifestyle factors or differences in health services delivery and remain unexplained. CONCLUSIONS: There was little evidence of an association between residential proximity to opencast mining sites and cumulative or period prevalence of respiratory illness, or asthma severity. Some variations in health outcomes between communities remained unexplained.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed2004

A 4 year follow-up analysis of genotoxic damage in birds of the Doñana area (south west Spain) in the wake of the 1998 mining waste spill.

A total of 330 white storks (Ciconia ciconia) and 138 black kites (Milvus migrans) were blood sampled during four consecutive years in an area heavily contaminated as a consequence of a massive spillage of toxic acid mining waste rich in heavy metals that impacted on the Doñana National Park (south western Spain), in April 1998. The alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis (Comet) assay was performed as a genotoxicity test, in order to assess whether the high level of DNA damage first detected by us 1 year after the disaster was still present in birds in each of the successive 3 years. Our results clearly show that, when compared with control individuals from non-polluted areas, white storks and black kites born in the contaminated area for a period of up to 4 years after the toxic accident have suffered an increase of at least 2- to 10-fold in the level of their genetic damage through the study period. Taken as a whole, these observations seem to indicate that the toxic spill still appears to be affecting the wildlife 4 years after the mining disaster and that attempts at cleaning up the waste have proved ineffective based on DNA damage detection.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2000

The risk of heat exhaustion at a deep underground metalliferous mine in relation to surface temperatures.

The risk of heat exhaustion at a deep underground metalliferous mine was assessed in relation to thermal conditions prevailing on the surface. For each day of a 1-year prospective case series of heat exhaustion, surface 24-h mean wet and dry bulb temperatures were recorded. From this data, 24-h mean wet bulb globe temperatures were derived using certain assumptions. The three surface temperature variables were significantly higher on those days on which heat exhaustion occurred, compared to those days on which it did not occur (P < 0.001). The relative risk of heat exhaustion on days when the 24-h mean wet bulb globe temperature was in the range 26.0-28.0 degrees C was 4.82 (95% confidence interval 2.12-10.96). Surface temperature data could be used at this mine to warn miners about the risk of heat exhaustion.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2001

The design of hazard risk assessment matrices for ranking occupational health risks and their application in mining and minerals processing.

Two hazard risk assessment matrices for the ranking of occupational health risks are described. The qualitative matrix uses qualitative measures of probability and consequence to determine risk assessment codes for hazard-disease combinations. A walk-through survey of an underground metalliferous mine and concentrator is used to demonstrate how the qualitative matrix can be applied to determine priorities for the control of occupational health hazards. The semi-quantitative matrix uses attributable risk as a quantitative measure of probability and uses qualitative measures of consequence. A practical application of this matrix is the determination of occupational health priorities using existing epidemiological studies. Calculated attributable risks from epidemiological studies of hazard-disease combinations in mining and minerals processing are used as examples. These historic response data do not reflect the risks associated with current exposures. A method using current exposure data, known exposure-response relationships and the semi-quantitative matrix is proposed for more accurate and current risk rankings.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed2004

Occupational health hazards in mining: an overview.

This review article outlines the physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial occupational health hazards of mining and associated metallurgical processes. Mining remains an important industrial sector in many parts of the world and although substantial progress has been made in the control of occupational health hazards, there remains room for further risk reduction. This applies particularly to traumatic injury hazards, ergonomic hazards and noise. Vigilance is also required to ensure exposures to coal dust and crystalline silica remain effectively controlled.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2004

Noise-induced hearing loss and hearing conservation in mining.

BACKGROUND: Noise exposure is prevalent in mining, and as the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss has not changed much in the past two decades, hearing conservation is an important issue. OBJECTIVES: To review the literature and highlight important developments in the field. METHODS: A review of the literature using OVID as the primary search engine, using the search terms as: noise, occupational; hearing loss, noise induced; ear protective devices; and mining. RESULTS: A total of 66 articles were found, but only 11 were in the English language and few were published in the past 10 years. This is disappointing, because neither noise exposure nor the consequent risk of noise-induced hearing loss seems to have changed much in the past 20 years. Noise is, however, a generic hazard, and this article reviews current best practice in prevention.

Audiometry↗
PubMed2005

Radon concentration measurements in bituminous coal mines.

Radon measurements were carried out in Kozlu, Karadon and Uzülmez underground coal mines of Zonguldak bituminous coal basin in Turkey. Passive-time integrating method, which is the most widely used technique for the measurement of radon concentration in air, was applied by using nuclear etched track detectors (CR-39) in the study area. The radon concentration measurements were performed on a total of 42 points in those three mines. The annual exposure, the annual effective dose and lifetime fatality risk, which are the important parameters for the health of workers, were estimated based on chronic occupational exposure to the radon gas, which is calculated using UNCEAR-2000 and ICRP-65 models. The radon concentrations at several coal production faces are higher than the action level of 1000 Bq m(-3). It is suggested that the ventilation rates should be rearranged to reduce the radon concentration.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1984

The assessment of human exposure to radionuclides from a uranium mill tailings release and mine dewatering effluent.

This study provides an assessment of human exposure to radiation from a river system contaminated by radionuclides of the 238U decay series released through a dam break at a uranium mill tailings pond and by the continuous discharge of dewatering effluent from 2 uranium mines. The in vivo analyses of radionuclides in 6 Navajo Indians who lived near the river indicate no detectable elevations above background concentrations. Dose estimates for inhalation of suspended river sediment indicate a maximum annual 50-yr dose commitment of 204 mrem to the endosteum. Estimates of doses (50-yr dose commitments) from the ingestion of livestock range between 1 mrem (to liver) and 79 mrem (to bone) suggest that the major contribution to human exposure is from mine dewatering effluent that has been continuously released into the river system for many years. Although the estimated exposures do not exceed existing state or federal regulations, their magnitude justifies further measurement of radionuclides in animals and in the natural environment and the consideration of strategies to reduce radiation exposure to humans and animals.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1988

Implications of dose distribution on monitoring requirements in U mines and mills.

In U mines and mills, mean doses from gamma radiation and 222Rn daughters, respectively, range from 10-30% of the individual limits recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), while the mean exposure to long-lived dust can be as low as a few percent or as high as 30% of the ICRP recommended limit. In certain mines, 220Rn daughters are present and should also be measured and accounted for. When the doses (or dose equivalents) from all the components of the radiation sources are taken into account, according to the ICRP notions of effective dose equivalent and committed effective dose equivalent, the mean of the combined doses can reach 30-50% of the combined permissible limit of dose. It is generally observed that individual doses and exposure to radiation are log-normally distributed. Since individual exposures to each specific hazard are generally not correlated, there is a probability that a number of individuals belong to the upper part of each exposure distribution. Therefore, it can happen that non-negligible fractions of the populations are liable to be close to the combined dose limit or to be overexposed. Consequently, in view of the observed nature of the distributions and the need to account for all sources of radiation, it is essential that appropriate radiation monitoring techniques be used to measure and record all significant doses and exposures. The analysis of the results of appropriate monitoring practices will lead to improved engineering controls of radiation hazards and optimum use of preventive resources.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗
PubMed1991

Radon exposure, cigarette smoking, and other mining experience in the beaverlodge uranium miners cohort.

A nested case-control study within the Beaverlodge Uranium Miners Cohort was undertaken to assess any possible contribution of confounding by smoking and other mining experience to the risk estimate derived from the original cohort study. Next of kin have been interviewed for 46 lung cancer cases and 95 controls enrolled in the Beaverlodge Uranium Miners Cohort Study who died between 1950 and 1980. Confounding by cigarette smoking and other mining experience appears unlikely to have contributed to the relative risk coefficient for exposure to Rn decay products derived in the parent study. Data for smoking and exposure to Rn decay products are consistent with a multiplicative model, although considerable caution must be applied to this interpretation.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed1991

Investigation of aerial dispersion of radioactive dust from an open-pit uranium mine by passive vinyl collectors.

Detailed investigations of the aerial dispersion of radioactive dust from the biggest open-pit U mining and milling operation in Australia were carried out. Spatial distributions of the long-lived radionuclides of 238U series and their origin, i.e., mining and milling operations vs. natural background radiation, have been studied. Horizontal flux, dry deposition, and ground resuspension of the radionuclides were investigated along a 50-km transect in the direction of the prevailing monsoonal winds in the region. The study was performed by means of unconventional "sticky vinyl" passive dust collectors, occasionally supported by high-volume air filter samplers. The data from the flux measurements show an inverse square to inverse cubic dependence, and the dry deposition exhibits an inverse square dependence, of radionuclide load vs. distance. The pit has been the predominant contributor of long-lived U series radionuclides to the environment within the radius of several kilometers from the operations. An aerial dispersion computer code (LUCIFER), based on a Gaussian plume model, was developed for the project. Experimental data were used as the code input data. Good agreement between the measured data and the normalized computed results was obtained.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗
PubMed2001

Alkaliphilus transvaalensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an extremely alkaliphilic bacterium isolated from a deep South African gold mine.

A novel extreme alkaliphile was isolated from a mine water containment dam at 3.2 km below land surface in an ultra-deep gold mine near Carletonville, South Africa. The cells of this bacterium were straight to slightly curved rods, motile by flagella and formed endospores. Growth was observed over the temperature range 20-50 degrees C (optimum 40 degrees C; 45 min doubling time) and pH range 8.5-12.5 (optimum pH 10.0). The novel isolate, one of the most alkaliphilic micro-organisms yet described, was a strictly anaerobic chemo-organotroph capable of utilizing proteinaceous substrates such as yeast extract, peptone, tryptone and casein. Elemental sulfur, thiosulfate or fumarate, when included as accessory electron acceptors, improved growth. The G+C content of genomic DNA was 36.4 mol %. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rDNA sequence indicated that the isolate is a member of cluster XI within the low G+C gram-positive bacteria, but only distantly related to previously described members. On the basis of physiological and molecular properties, the isolate represents a novel species, for which the name Alkaliphilus transvaalensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed (type strain SAGM1T = JCM 10712T = ATCC 700919T). The mechanism of generation of the highly alkaline microbial habitat and the possible source of the alkaliphile are discussed.

Bacillaceae↗
PubMed2006

Is there a risk to safety when working in the New South Wales underground coal-mining industry while having binaural noise-induced hearing loss?

BACKGROUND: Underground coal-mine workers suffer noise-induced hearing loss and continue working in the industry while having varying degrees of deafness. Few studies have researched the risk to safety arising from the loss of hearing. AIMS: This study is designed to investigate the possible association between hearing loss and accidents in the New South Wales underground coal-mining industry. METHODS: A study was conducted, gathering data over a 10-year period from 1994 to 2003, which identified 97 cases that have had accidents and 983 controls that have had no accidents. Hearing loss levels were noted and compared in the cases and controls. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine whether the variables were significant risk factors in the occurrence of accidents. RESULTS: Hearing loss levels in the total cohort varied from 0 to 54%. The proportion of cases with hearing loss appeared to be significantly higher in the young age group of <29 years than in the controls, but was not significantly different in the older age groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that workers who have lost up to 54% binaural high tone hearing and are older than 29 years do not appear to have an increased risk to safety when compared with workers who do not have hearing loss. However, workers in the young age group of <29 years who have high tone hearing loss may be at an increased risk of accident.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2005

Nickel mine spoils revegetation attempts: effect of pioneer plants on two functional bacterial communities involved in the N-cycle.

Nickel mine spoils in New Caledonia represent an extreme environment, rich in nickel and strongly deficient in elementary elements such as carbon and nitrogen. To rehabilitate these sites, revegetation attempts are performed with endemic plant species establishing dinitrogen-fixation symbiosis (Gymnostoma webbianum and Serianthes calycina). As this biological fixation process provides the major source of available nitrogen in this extreme environment, it could be expected that nitrogen cycling would be stimulated. To study the revegetation effect on mine spoils, the effect of the two pioneer plants on the structure and activity of two functional bacterial communities involved in the N-cycle was investigated. nifH and narG genes were used as molecular markers for dinitrogen-fixers and dissimilatory nitrate reducers respectively. In order to assess the influence of the plants on both communities, nine clone libraries were constructed for each targeted gene. Libraries containing 602 and 513 nifH and narG clones, respectively, were screened by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. One hundred and forty-one and 78 representative clones from at least all RFLP families containing more than one clone were sequenced from nifH and narG clone libraries respectively. Both pioneer plants modified the diversity and activity of the two functional communities. However, distinct effects were observed depending on the plant species and the community considered. Serianthes calycina strongly selected a diazotroph phylotype and restored the potential activity of both communities. In contrast, G. webbianum selected no particular phylotype and only restored a fixing activity.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2007

Microbial communities in a porphyry copper tailings impoundment and their impact on the geochemical dynamics of the mine waste.

The distribution and diversity of acidophilic bacteria of a tailings impoundment at the La Andina copper mine, Chile, was examined. The tailings have low sulfide (1.7% pyrite equivalent) and carbonate (1.4% calcite equivalent) contents and are stratified into three distinct zones: a surface (0-70-80 cm) 'oxidation zone' characterized by low-pH (2.5-4), a 'neutralization zone' (70-80 to 300-400 cm) and an unaltered 'primary zone' below 400 cm. A combined cultivation-dependent and biomolecular approach (terminal restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphism and 16S rRNA clone library analysis) was used to characterize the indigenous prokaryotic communities in the mine tailings. Total cell counts showed that the microbial biomass was greatest in the top 125 cm of the tailings. The largest numbers of bacteria (10(9) g(-1) dry weight of tailings) were found at the oxidation front (the junction between the oxidation and neutralization zones), where sulfide minerals and oxygen were both present. The dominant iron-/sulfur-oxidizing bacteria identified at the oxidation front included bacteria of the genus Leptospirillum (detected by molecular methods), and Gram-positive iron-oxidizing acidophiles related to Sulfobacillus (identified both by molecular and cultivation methods). Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was also detected, albeit in relatively small numbers. Heterotrophic acidophiles related to Acidobacterium capsulatum were found by molecular methods, while another Acidobacterium-like bacterium and an Acidiphilium sp. were isolated from oxidation zone samples. A conceptual model was developed, based on microbiological and geochemical data derived from the tailings, to account for the biogeochemical evolution of the Piuquenes tailings impoundment.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1990

Occupational health and the rural worker: agriculture, mining, and logging.

More than 50 million Americans live in rural areas. These rural residents often work for small businesses or in the extraction industries (farming, mining, and logging). Because of the size of the businesses, the mandate of the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not cover these workers and they are seldom afforded the same protection as urban workers. This review focuses on the special health problems facing farm workers, farmers, miners, and loggers. Farm workers are often ill and are affected by psychological illness, injuries, parasites, skin diseases, and the dangers of agrichemicals. Farm owners also face the hazards of stress and have very high rates of suicide. In addition, they are often injured on the job and suffer the highest rate of job related fatality of any work group. The complex farm environment presents a continuous threat to the lungs. This danger has worsened with the increased use of confinement buildings for poultry, hogs, and cattle. As farming has changed with increased mechanization, attendant medical problems have arisen. These "illnesses of innovation" are important. Mining and logging also are dangerous occupations with acute and chronic problems including respiratory illness, vascular problems, and malignancy. The decade of the 1990s must be one of increased attention to rural occupational health care and research.

Agriculture↗