INTRODUCTION: The exposures to hazardous antineoplastic drugs (AD) represent serious risks for health care personnel but the exposure limits are not commonly established because of the no-threshold effects (genotoxic action, carcinogenicity) of many ADs. In this study, we discussed and derived practically applicable technical guidance values (TGV) suitable for management of AD risks. METHODS: The long-term monitoring of surface contamination by eight ADs was performed in pharmacies and hospitals in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic in 2008-2021; in total 2,223 unique samples were collected repeatedly in 48 facilities. AD contamination was studied by LC-MS/MS for cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, methotrexate, irinotecan, paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil and gemcitabine and by ICP-MS for total Pt as a marker of platinum-based ADs. RESULTS: The study highlighted importance of exposure biomarkers like 5-fluorouracil and especially carcinogenic and persistent cyclophosphamide, which should be by default included in monitoring along with other ADs. Highly contaminated spots like interiors of laminar biological safety cabinets represent a specific issue, where monitoring of contamination does not bring much added value, and prevention of staff and separated cleaning procedures should be priority. Rooms and surfaces in health care facilities that should be virtually free of ADs (e.g., offices, kitchenettes, daily rooms) were contaminated with lower frequency and concentrations but any contamination in these areas should be carefully examined. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: For all other working places, i.e., majority of areas in pharmacies and hospitals, where ADs are being prepared, packaged, stored, transported, or administered to patients, the study proposes a generic TGV of 100 pg/cm2. The analysis of long-term monitoring data of multiple ADs showed that the exceedance of one TGV can serve as an indicator and trigger for improvement of working practices contributing thus to minimizing of unintended exposures and creating a safe work environment.
- MeSH
- chromatografie kapalinová MeSH
- cyklofosfamid analýza MeSH
- fluoruracil analýza MeSH
- lékárny * MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nemocnice MeSH
- pracovní expozice * analýza MeSH
- protinádorové látky * MeSH
- tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Slovenská republika MeSH
In this study, representative urban and peri-urban Indian food baskets have been studied for the presence of toxic and essential elements. The concentration of target toxic and essential elements was used to estimate dietary intakes (EDIs) and health risks. Across all food matrices, toxic elements like Cd and Pb were dominant. The highest concentrations of the target elements were found in vegetables, with Cd, Pb, and Ni being beyond permissible limits of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the World Health organization (0.05 mg/kg, 0.1 mg/kg, and 1.5 mg/kg, respectively) in okra, spinach, and cauliflower. The sum of concentrations of the toxic elements (As, Ni, Hg, Cr, Cd, Pb) in vegetables had a range of 0.54-12.08 mg/kg, the highest sum was found in spinach (median 12.08 mg/kg), followed by okra (median 1.68 mg/kg). The EDI was observed for vegetables with a contribution as high as 92% for Cd. Dairy products were found with the highest loading for Ni with a dietary intake of 3.1 mg/kg/day for adults and twice as much for children. Carcinogenic risk for Ni was the highest and found above the threshold for all food categories, as was the case with As. Cumulative carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks were mostly contributed by milk and vegetables, in particular, spinach.
- MeSH
- dietární expozice analýza MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- hodnocení rizik MeSH
- kadmium analýza MeSH
- karcinogeny MeSH
- kontaminace potravin analýza MeSH
- látky znečišťující půdu * analýza MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí MeSH
- olovo MeSH
- těžké kovy * analýza MeSH
- zelenina MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
As the consumption of implants increases, so do the requirements for individual types of implants, for example, improved biocompatibility or longevity. Therefore, the nano-modification of the titanium surface is often chosen. The aim was to characterize the modified surface with a focus on medical applications. The titanium surface was modified by the anodic oxidation method to form nanotubes. Subsequently, the material was characterized and analyzed for medical applications-surface morphology, surface wettability, chemical composition, and release of ions into biological fluids. A human gingival fibroblasts (HGFb) cell line was used in the viability study. A homogeneous layer of nanotubes of defined dimensions was formed on the titanium surface, ensuring the material's biocompatibility-the preparation conditions influence the resulting properties of the nanostructured surface. Nanostructured titanium exhibited more suitable characteristics (e.g., wettability, roughness, ion release) for biological applications than compared to pure titanium. It was possible to understand the behavior of the modified layer on the titanium surface and its effect on cell behavior. Another contribution of this work is the combination of material characterization (ion release) with the study of cytocompatibility (direct contact of cells with metals).
- MeSH
- fibroblasty MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nanostruktury * MeSH
- povrchové vlastnosti MeSH
- smáčivost MeSH
- titan * farmakologie chemie MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
BACKGROUND: Acquired calcified aortic valve stenosis is the most common valve disease in adulthood. In the etiopathogenesis of this complex pathology, the importance of inflammation is mentioned, in which non-infectious influences represented by the biological effects of metal pollutants may participate. The main goal of the study was to determine the concentration of 21 metals and trace elements-aluminium (Al), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), calcium (Ca), chrome (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), gold (Au), lead (Pb), magnesium (Mg), mercury (Hg), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), phosphorus (P), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), sulfur (S), tin (Sn), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn)-in the tissue of calcified aortic valves and to compare them with the concentrations of the same elements in the tissue of healthy aortic valves in the control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 49 patients (25 men, mean age: 74) with acquired, severe, calcified aortic valve stenosis with indicated heart surgery. The control group included 34 deceased (20 men, median age: 53) with no evidence of heart disease. Calcified valves were explanted during cardiac surgery and deep frozen. Similarly, the valves of the control group were removed. All valves were lyophilized and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The concentrations of selected elements were compared by means of standard statistical methods. RESULTS: Calcified aortic valves contained significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Mg, P, Pb, Se, Sn, Sr and Zn and-in contrast-lower concentrations of Cd, Cu, Mo, S and V than valves of the control group. Significant positive correlations of concentrations between the pairs Ca-P, Cu-S and Se-S and strong negative correlations between the elements Mg-Se, P-S and Ca-S were found in the affected valves. CONCLUSION: Aortic valve calcification is associated with increased tissue accumulation of the majority of the analyzed elements, including metal pollutants. Some exposure factors may increase their accumulation in the valve tissue. A relationship between exposure to environmental burden and the aortic valve calcification process cannot be ruled out. Advances in histochemical and imaging techniques allowing imaging of metal pollutants directly in valve tissue may represent an important future perspective.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
The consumption of hazardous antineoplastic drugs (ADs) used in anticancer chemotherapies is steadily increasing representing thus risks to both human health and the environment. Hospitals may serve as a contamination source, and pharmacists preparing the antineoplastic drugs (ADs) as well as nurses administering chemotherapy and caring for oncology patients are among the healthcare professionals being highly exposed. Here, we present the results of systematic monitoring (2018-2020) of surface contamination by 13 ADs in the pharmacies and hospitals in the Czech Republic (CZ; large-scale monitoring, 20 workplaces) and Slovak Republic (SK; pilot study at 4 workplaces). The study evaluated contamination by three commonly monitored ADs, i.e., 5-fluorouracil (FU), cyclophosphamide (CP), and platinum (total Pt representing cis-, carbo-, and oxaliplatin) together with ten less explored ADs, i.e., gemcitabine (GEM), ifosfamide (IF), paclitaxel (PX), irinotecan (IRI), docetaxel (DOC), methotrexate (MET), etoposide (ETOP), capecitabine (CAP), imatinib (IMAT), and doxorubicin (DOX). Floors and desktop surfaces in hospitals (chemotherapy application rooms, nurse working areas) were found to be more contaminated, namely with CP and Pt, in both countries when compared to pharmacies. Comparison between the countries showed that hospital surfaces in SK are generally more contaminated (e.g., CP median was 20 times higher in SK), while some pharmacy areas in the CZ were more contamined in comparison with SK. The newly studied ADs were detected at lower concentrations in comparison to FU, CP, and Pt, but some markers (GEM, IF, PX, and IRI) were frequently observed, and adding these compounds to routine monitoring is recommended.
- MeSH
- cyklofosfamid analýza MeSH
- fluoruracil analýza MeSH
- ifosfamid analýza MeSH
- kontaminace zdravotnického vybavení MeSH
- lékárny * MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- monitorování životního prostředí metody MeSH
- nemocnice MeSH
- pilotní projekty MeSH
- pracovní expozice * analýza MeSH
- protinádorové látky * analýza MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Geografické názvy
- Česká republika MeSH
- Slovenská republika MeSH
Cíle: Cytotoxická léčiva (CL) představují riziko pro zdravotnický personál. Povrchové dezinfekční prostředky jsou používány v nemocnicích k prevenci mikrobiální kontaminace. Není mnoho informací o jejich vlivu na povrchovou kontaminaci CL. Naše studie zkoumala účinnost vybraných dezinfekčních prostředků na odstranění kontaminace CL na podlahách v nemocnicích. Metody: Dle průzkumu ve 43 nemocnicích bylo vybráno devět nejčastěji používaných dezinfekcí, které byly testovány na účinnost odstranění devíti CL - cyklofosfamid (CP), ifosfamid (IF), kapecitabin (CAP), sunitinib (SUN), metotrexát (MET), doxorubicin (DOX), irinotecan (IRI), paklitaxel (PX) a 5-fluorouracil (FU). Výsledky: Mezi nejčastěji používané dezinfekce v nemocnicích patří činidla na bázi peroxidu vodíku, chlornanu sodného, glukoprotaminu, glutaraldehydu a také prostředky obsahující alkoholy. Podlahovou kontaminaci CL odstraňuje nejúčinněji aktivní chlór (při použití však uvolňuje dráždivé toxické látky) a peroxid vodíku. Problematické se jeví odstranění karcinogenního CP. Prostředky na bázi alkoholu mohou mobilizovat kontaminaci CL z hlubších vrstev podlahového materiálu. Závěry: Pro každodenní použití lze ve smyslu dezinfekce i dekontaminace CL doporučit zejména prostředky s oxidačními účinky. Další přípravky mají variabilní účinky vůči různým CL. V případě rizika vysoké kontaminace by měl být úklidový proces doplněn o používání prostředků například na bázi aktivního chloru, který je účinný také proti karcinogennímu a perzistentnímu CP.
Objectives: Cytotoxic therapeutics (CT) pose a risk to healthcare professionals. Surface disinfectants are used in hospitals to prevent microbial contamination. Information about their effects on removing CT is incomplete. Our study has examined the effectiveness of selected disinfectants on CT floor contamination. Methods: According to a survey in 43 hospitals, the nine most commonly used disinfectants were selected and tested for the presence of nine CTs - cyclophosphamide (CP), ifosfamide (IF), capecitabine (CAP), sunitinib (SUN), methotrexate (MET), doxorubicin (DOX), irinotecan (IRI), paclitaxel (PX) and 5-fluorouracil (FU). Results: The most commonly used disinfectants in hospitals include agents based on hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, glucoprotamine, glutaraldehyde and alcohol. The most effective way to remove floor contamination is chlorine (which however releases irritating compounds) and hydrogen peroxide. The removal of carcinogenic CP was problematic. Alcohol-based agents can mobilize CL contamination from deeper layers of flooring material. Conclusions: For everyday disinfection and decontamination of CT it is possible to recommend products based on oxidizing agents. Other agents have variable efficiency against CT. Cleaning processes should be complemented by the regular use of strong chlorine-based disinfectants, which are also effective against carcinogenic and persistent CP.
OBJECTIVES: Overweight and obesity are risk factors for many diseases, nutrition leading to these phenomena is not only a question of disbalance between energy intake and expenditure, but also the presence of micronutrients. In our study, we focused on measuring residues of chromium, zinc and iron in the hair of men with different BMI. METHODS: Hair samples and anthropometric questionnaires were collected from 45 males. Numbers of subjects and age structure were comparable between the three BMI groups. The determination of metal levels was performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after mineralization of the hair. RESULTS: The hair of obese men contained significantly higher chromium (0.096 μg/g vs. 0.045 μg/g, p = 0.0039) and iron (9.42 μg/g vs. 5.84 μg/g, p = 0.0009) concentrations than that of overweight men, but no significant difference between the normal-weight group and the obese group were found. The concentration of zinc was lower in obese subjects compared to overweight subjects (183.5 μg/g vs. 206.2 μg/g, p = 0.038). Also, statistically significant correlations between chromium and iron concentrations in hair and BMI were found (r = 0.307, p = 0.040, r = 0.360, p = 0.015, respectively). According to our results, age did not significantly affect chromium, iron and zinc concentrations in hair. CONCLUSION: Consistent with some published studies, we have found that obese men have higher chromium and iron concentrations and lower zinc concentrations in hair.
- MeSH
- chrom MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- nadváha * MeSH
- obezita epidemiologie MeSH
- vlasy, chlupy * MeSH
- zinek MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
