| 1. |
- Andersson, Eva, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Cohort mortality study of Swedish pulp and paper mill workers-nonmalignant diseases
- 2007
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - : Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - 0355-3140 .- 1795-990X. ; 33:6, s. 470-478
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives The aim of this study was to determine mortality among pulp and paper mill workers according to the main mill pulping process, department, and gender, particular reference being given to diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems.Methods The cohort of 18 163 men and 2 291 women employed between 1939 and 1999 and with >1 year of employment was followed for mortality from 1952 to 2001 (acute myocardial infarction from 1969). Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated by comparing the observed number of deaths with the expected number for the entire Swedish population. Exposure was assessed from personnel files in the mills. Data from an exposure measurement database are also presented.Results There were 5898 deaths in the cohort. Total mortality had an SMR of 1.02 (95% CI 0.98–1.06) for the men in the sulfate mills and an SMR of 0.93 (95% CI 0.90–0.97) for the men in the sulfite mills. Mortality from acute myocardial infarction was increased among the men in both the sulfate and sulfite mills [SMR 1.22 (95% CI 1.12–1.32) and SMR 1.11 (95% CI 1.02–1.21), respectively] and by department in sulfate pulping (SMR 1.29, 95% CI 1.07–1.54), paper production (SMR 1.26, 95% CI 1.06–1.49), and maintenance (SMR 1.16, 95% CI 1.02–1.30). Mortality from cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and nonmalignant respiratory diseases was not increased.Conclusions Death from acute myocardial infarction, but not cerebrovascular diseases, was increased in this cohort and was probably related to a combination of different occupational exposures (eg, dust, sulfur compounds, shift work, and noise).
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| 2. |
- Andersson, Lennart, et al.
(författare)
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Cancerframkallande ämnen i tätortsluft Lindesberg 2005/2006
- 2006
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Rapport (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Den allmänna befolkningens exponering för bensen, butadien, formaldehyd,kvävedioxid samt partiklar PM 2,5 i Lindesberg har studerats från oktober 2005till och med januari 2006. Totalt ingick 40 personer och 60 personburna mätningar(exponeringsmätningar) av olika cancerframkallande ämnen genomfördes isjudygnsperioder. Ökat intresse för de partikulära luftföroreningarnas betydelsevid bland annat hjärt-kärlsjuklighet innebar att mätningar av partiklar PM 2,5genomfördes stationärt i hemmen under 2 dygn. Parallellt med exponeringsmätningarnagenomfördes även bakgrundsmätningar av samtliga ämnen vidbyggnaden där Bergslagens Miljö- och Byggförvaltning är inhysta (Kungsgatan)och vid trafikerad gata på Räddningstjänstens tak (Kristinavägen) av samtligaämnen med mätperiod totalt uppgående till fem veckor. Liknande studier i störretätorter har tidigare genomförts i Göteborg, Umeå, Stockholm och Malmö.Resultaten från undersökningarna i Lindesberg kan sammanfattas i följande tabell:Lufthalter för olika ämnen i Lindesbergs kommun hösten 2005Ämne Personburna mätningar Bakgrundsmätningarμg/m³Kristinavägenμg/m³Kungsgatanμg/m³Bensen1,6 0,4 0,4Butadien0,5 0,04 0,05Formaldehyd27 3 2Kvävedioxid6 10 7Partiklar PM 2,59,3 9 9,7Vi har inte kunnat konstatera någon säkerställd påverkan på lufthalter av enskildamiljöfaktorer eller levnadsmönster. För enskilda individer sågs god korrelationmellan lufthalter vid olika mätomgångar. Skillnader i exponering kunde intekonstateras då rökvanor eller boendeform jämfördes, för pendlare sågs dockskillnader i bensen-, butadien- och kvävedioxidexponering.Korrelationen mellan exponeringsmätningar och bakgrundsmätningar var låg församtliga ämnen utom för bensen, motsvarande samvariation mellan olika ämnen ienskilt prov erhölls endast för bensen och butadien.De uppmätta lufthalterna av olika ämnen i Lindesbergs kommun är väl i nivå medde olika nationella och internationella rikt- och gränsvärden som finns antagna.
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| 3. |
- Andersson, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Quartz and dust exposure in Swedish iron foundries
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. - Philadelphia, PA : Taylor & Francis. - 1545-9624 .- 1545-9632. ; 6:1, s. 9-18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Exposure to respirable quartz continues to be a major concern in the Swedish iron foundry industry. Recommendations for reducing the European occupational exposure limit (EU-OEL) to 0.05 mg/m3 and the corresponding ACGIH® threshold limit value (ACGIH-TLV) to 0.025 mg/m3 prompted this exposure survey. Occupational exposure to respirable dust and respirable quartz were determined in 11 Swedish iron foundries, representing different sizes of industrial operation and different manufacturing techniques. In total, 436 respirable dust and 435 respirable quartz exposure measurements associated with all job titles were carried out and are presented as time-weighted averages. Our sampling strategy enabled us to evaluate the use of respirators in certain jobs, thus determining actual exposure. In addition, measurements using real-time dust monitors were made for high exposure jobs. For respirable quartz, 23% of all the measurements exceeded the EU-OEL, and 56% exceeded the ACGIH-TLV. The overall geometric mean (GM) for the quartz levels was 0.028 mg/m3, ranging from 0.003 to 2.1 mg/m3. Fettler and furnace and ladle repair operatives were exposed to the highest levels of both respirable dust (GM = 0.69 and 1.2 mg/m3; range 0.076-31 and 0.25-9.3 mg/m3 and respirable quartz (GM = 0.041 and 0.052 mg/m3; range 0.004-2.1 and 0.0098-0.83 mg/m3. Fettlers often used respirators and their actual quartz exposure was lower (range 0.003-0.21 mg/m3, but in some cases it still exceeded the Swedish OEL (0.1 mg/m3. For furnace and ladle repair operatives, the actual quartz exposure did not exceed the OEL (range 0.003-0.08 mg/m3, but most respirators provided insufficient protection, i.e., factors less than 200. In summary, measurements in Swedish iron foundries revealed high exposures to respirable quartz, in particular for fettlers and furnace and ladle repair workers. The suggested EU-OEL and the ACGIH-TLV were exceeded in, respectively, 23% and 56% of all measurements regardless of the type of foundry. Further work on elimination techniques to reduce quartz concentrations, along with control of personal protection equipment, is essential.
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| 4. |
- Arup, Ulf, et al.
(författare)
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Professor Ingvar Kärnfelt - a birthday tribute
- 2009
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Ingår i: The Lichenologist. - Cambridge : Cambridge University Press. - 0024-2829 .- 1096-1135. ; 41:5, s. 453-456
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- On 19 July 2009 Ingvar Kärnefelt celebrated his 65th birthday. This could have meant that we, his former students, would be celebrating him in his retirement from his position as head of the Biological Museums at Lund University. We are grateful that this is not the case, as Ingvar will carry on, probably for at least one or two more years. Instead, we celebrate Ingvar because he is the main reason for all of us having studied lichenology in Lund. This special issue of The Lichenologist is dedicated to him as a birthday tribute in honour of his long and fruitful lichenological career. The main authors of all the papers in this issue are former students of Ingvar. For several of us he has not only acted as supervisor but later also as the director of the Botanical Museum where we meet him in our daily work.
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| 5. |
- Hardell, Lennart, et al.
(författare)
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Use of cellular and cordless telephones and risk of testicular cancer
- 2007
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Ingår i: International Journal of Andrology. - : Wiley. - 0105-6263 .- 1365-2605. ; 30:2, s. 115-122
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A case-control study on testicular cancer included use of cellular and cordless telephones. The results were based on answers from 542 (92%) cases with seminoma, 346 (89%) with non-seminoma, and 870 (89%) controls. Regarding seminoma the use of analog cellular phones gave odds ratio (OR) = 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.9-1.6, digital phones OR = 1.3, CI = 0.9-1.8, and cordless phones OR = 1.1, CI = 0.8-1.5. The corresponding results for non-seminoma were OR = 0.7, CI = 0.5-1.1, OR = 0.9, CI = 0.6-1.4, and OR = 1.0, CI = 0.7-1.4, respectively. There was no dose-response effect and OR did not increase with latency time. No association was found with place of keeping the mobile phone during standby, such as trousers pocket. Cryptorchidism was associated both with seminoma (OR = 4.2, CI = 2.7-6.5) and non-seminoma (OR = 3.3, CI = 2.0-5.6), but no interaction was found with the use of cellular or cordless telephones.
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| 6. |
- Julander, Anneli, et al.
(författare)
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Distribution of brominated flame retardants in different dust fractions in air from an electronics recycling facility
- 2005
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 350:1-3, s. 151-160
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Twelve air samples were collected from an electronic recycling facility in Sweden representing three different dust fractions; respirable, total and inhalable dust. Four samples were collected from each fraction. The highest concentration of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) #209 (ten bromine atoms) was found in the samples from the inhalable dust fraction (ID), which was 10 times higher than for the "total dust" fraction (TD). The concentration ranges were 157.6-208.6; 13.9-16.7; and 2.8-3.3 ng/m3 for inhalable, total and respirable fractions, respectively. The second most abundant PBDE congener was PBDE #183 (seven bromine atoms), followed by the second most abundant substance 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) in all samples. In addition, decabromodiphenyl ethane (DeBDethane) was tentatively identified in five of the samples. Because of the large differences in air concentrations between the three fractions in ID, TD and RD, it is suggested that the inhalable instead of "total dust" fraction should be used to assess air concentrations, in particular for the larger and higher brominated flame retardants (BFRs).
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| 7. |
- Julander, Anneli, et al.
(författare)
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Polybrominated diphenyl ethers : plasma levels and thyroid status of workers at an electronic recycling facility
- 2005
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Ingår i: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 78:7, s. 584-592
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: Personnel working with electronic dismantling are exposed to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which in animal studies have been shown to alter thyroid homeostasis. The aim of this longitudinal study was to measure plasma level of PBDEs in workers at an electronic recycling facility and to relate these to the workers’ thyroid status. Methods: PBDEs and three thyroid hormones: triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) were repeatedly analysed in plasma from 11 workers during a period of 1.5 years.Results: Plasma levels of PBDEs at start of employment were <0.5–9.1 pmol/g lipid weight (l.w.). The most common congener was PBDE #47 (median 2.8 pmol/g l.w.), followed by PBDE #153 (median 1.7 pmol/g l.w.), and PBDE #183 had a median value of <0.19 pmol/g l.w. After dismantling the corresponding median concentrations were: 3.7, 1.7 and 1.2 pmol/g l.w., respectively. These differences in PBDE levels were not statistically significant. PBDE #28 showed a statistically significantly higher concentration after dismantling than at start of employment (P=0.016), although at low concentrations (start 0.11 pmol/g l.w. and dismantling 0.26 pmol/g l.w.). All measured levels of thyroid hormones (T3, T4 and TSH) were within the normal physiological range. Statistically significant positive correlations were found between T3 and #183 in a worker, between T4 and both #28 and #100 in another worker and also between TSH and #99 and #154 in two workers. Conclusions: The workers’ plasma levels of PBDEs fluctuated during the study period. Due to small changes in thyroid hormone levels it was concluded that no relevant changes were present in relation to PBDE exposure within the workers participating in this study.
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| 8. |
- Westberg, Håkan BT, et al.
(författare)
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On the use of different measures of exposure - experiences from a case-control study on testicular cancer and PVC exposure.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1545-9624 .- 1545-9632. ; 2:7, s. 351-356
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Associations between exposure to PVC plastics and testicular cancer have been reported. To improve the exposure-response analysis in a matched case-control study on testicular cancer and occupational exposures, a self-administered exposure questionnaire and expert assessment was applied and different exposure measures were developed. The questionnaires regarding work histories and employment in PVC production, manufacturing, and handling of PVC products were completed by 1582 subjects (90%). By expert assessment, 360 subjects were considered exposed, and the exposure intensity to PVC plastics for different working periods was determined. Different exposure measures to PVC plastics were then developed, such as ever/never exposed, duration, maximum intensity, median intensity, and cumulative median intensity. The correlation between the different measures of exposure was high for exposure duration and the cumulative median exposure intensity (Spearman rank coefficient rs = 0.94), as was the correlation between the maximum intensity and the median intensity (rs = 0.94). The agreement between the answers in the questionnaire and the expert assessments was moderate, Kappa value 0.56. The odds ratio for “ever” exposed based on the exposure as reported in the questionnaire was 1.1 (95%, CI 0.82-1.56), and as determined by expert assessment 1.3 (CI 1.05-1.69). The odds ratios for all four different categories of exposure measures varied between 0.86 and 2.6 but decreased by increasing exposure. An overall excess of testicular cancer for the PVC exposed vs. the unexposed was not supported by the pattern seen in a standard exposure-response analysis based on several exposure measures. The findings stress the importance of using several exposure measures as dose surrogates when the underlying toxic mechanisms are unknown and when there are indications of an overall effect.
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| 9. |
- Westberg, Håkan, et al.
(författare)
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Exposure to nitrous oxide in delivery suites at six Swedish hospitals
- 2008
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Ingår i: International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. - Berlin : Springer. - 0340-0131 .- 1432-1246. ; 81:7, s. 829-836
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: This study presents occupational peak and average exposures to nitrous oxide in delivery suites in six Swedish hospitals and evaluates different scavenging techniques. METHODS: Exposure measurements based on four consecutive 2-h samples (n = 111) were used to calculate 8-h time-weighted averages (8-h TWAs) for 36 midwives and assistant midwives. Short-term (15 min) samples to study peak exposure were also included in the monitoring program. Diffusive samplers were used for monitoring, and analyzed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The effect on exposure of different types of scavenging systems was studied by mixed model analysis. RESULTS: The 8-h TWA (n = 36) nitrous oxide concentrations varied between 2.5 and 260 mg/m3, and the geometric means for all the 8-h TWAs was 17 mg/m3 for the midwives and 42 mg/m3 for the assistant midwives. Around 25% of all the 8-h TWAs exceeded the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) threshold limit value (TLV-TWA) of 90 mg/m3 (50 ppm). For the short-term samples (n = 29) the nitrous oxide levels varied between 19 and 4,200 mg/m3, and 14% exceeded the Swedish occupational exposure ceiling limit value of 900 mg/m3. The 8-h TWAs were four times higher when the non-ventilated and ventilated simple masks were compared to the double mask (P = 0.02). This trend, although not statistically significant, was also seen for the short-term samples. CONCLUSION: A diffusive sampling method and a GC-MS analytical technique was used for long- and short-term sampling of nitrous oxide. A large number of TWAs exceeded the ACGIH-TLV. Mask connected to scavenging systems significantly reduced the exposures. Furthermore, using a forced general air ventilation system in addition to improved work and delivery routines for the staff and the mother-to-be substantially improved the air quality in the delivery suites.
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