| 1. |
- Westberg, G, et al.
(author)
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Prediction of prognosis by echocardiography in patients with midgut carcinoid syndrome.
- 2001
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In: The British journal of surgery. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0007-1323 .- 1365-2168. ; 88:6, s. 865-72
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The association between malignant midgut carcinoid tumours and right-sided cardiac lesions is well known, but the pathogenetic link between tumour secretion and valvular disease is still obscure. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the morphological and functional changes of valvular heart disease in a large patient series and to correlate these findings with hormonal secretion and prognosis.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Pettersson-Julander, Anneli, et al.
(author)
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Personal air sampling and analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and other bromine containing compounds at an electronic recycling facility in Sweden
- 2004
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In: Journal of Environmental Monitoring. - 1464-0325 .- 1464-0333. ; 6:11, s. 874-880
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) have been used extensively and are considered ubiquitous contaminants. To evaluate exposure to brominated flame retardants within an electronic recycling facility personal air monitoring was done during a two year period. A total of 22 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and 2 other bromine containing organic compounds have been analysed and evaluated in 17 personal air samples. The most abundant congeners of PBDE was #209 (<0.7-61 ng m(-3)), #183 (<0.1-32 ng m(-3)) indicating the use of the commercial octaBDE mixture, followed by PBDE #99 and #47 (<1.3-25 and <0.9-16 ng m(-3), respectively). The second most abundant peak in the chromatogram from all samples was identified as 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenyxy)ethane (BTBPE) in the concentration range <0.6-39 ng m(-3) (semi-quantitatively calculated against PBDE #191). A second bromine containing compound was also detected, structurally similar to decabromodiphenyl ethane (DeBDethane), however no definite identification could be made. The air samples were also evaluated on a work exposure category basis. The workers represented three different categories: dismantlers, other workers and unexposed. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05 with the Mann-Whitney test) among the dismantlers and the unexposed categories for PBDE congeners #47, #100, #99, #154; #153, #183, #209 and BTBPE. Another observation was that the air concentrations of PBDEs and BTBPE in the breathing zone were negatively correlated (p < 0.05) to the amount of recycled material ( in kg). The present work shows that the exposure to brominated flame retardants varied within the electronic facility and that further research is needed to evaluate how the exposure differs with different products being dismantled as well as how the bioavailability of the different BFRs to humans is related to particle exposure.
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| 4. |
- Westberg, Håkan B., et al.
(author)
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Exposure to Chemical Agents in Swedish Aluminum Foundries and Aluminum Remelting Plants : A Comprehensive Survey
- 2001
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In: Applied Occupational and Environmantal Hygiene. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1047-322X .- 1521-0898. ; 16:1, s. 66-77
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Secondary aluminum melting is mainly performed in sand, die, and static die-casting foundries and remelting plants. In seven Swedish foundries and two remelting plants, the exposure and area concentrations of total dust, metals, organic gases, and vapors were determined mainly as daily, timeweighted averages (TWAs). For most combinations of jobs and agents, the exposure levels were well below the current threshold limits suggested by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®). However, high exposure levels of mineral oil mist (geometric mean [GM] = 0.6 mg/m3) were observed in the die-casting process, with a maximum of 4 mg/m3. The findings were similar for total dust (GM = 5.1 mg/m3) and crystalline quartz (GM = 0.05 mg/m3) during molding operations in the sand foundries, maximum air concentrations being 31 mg/m3 and 0.22 mg/m3, respectively. Other agents which occasionally reached high exposure levels included furfuryl alcohol (up to 23 mg/m3 during furan binder use in sand foundries), aniline (up to 2.6 mg/m3 during thermal degradation of cold-box binders), and dimethylethylamine (up to 9 mg/m3) in the cold-box process used in static die-casting and sand foundries. The average aluminum exposure levels (GM = 0.043 mg/m3) were low in all foundries, individual values not exceeding 0.94 mg/m3. The exposures to metals were below 10 percent of their threshold limits. Similarly low levels were detected of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, phenol, formaldehyde, methylenebisphenyl diisocyanate, and phenylisocyanate. In the aluminum remelting plants, a few high exposure levels of total dust (GM = 1.4 mg/m3) up to 8 mg/m3 were detected in furnace workers. Aluminum and other metals were well below 10 percent of their threshold limits, with the exception of a few high concentrations of manganese, up to 0.14 mg/m3. The between-worker variability (GSDB) in the foundries for total dust, aluminum, and oil mist were on the order of 3?4. The heterogenicity of secondary aluminum melting requires assessment of a wide variety of chemical agents. For certain exposures, technical and medical monitoring programs are still needed.
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| 5. |
- Westberg, Håkan
(author)
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Chemical exposures, biological monitoring and cancer risks in Swedish aluminium foundries and remelting plants
- 2001
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- In aluminium foundries and remelting plants, a wide range of chemical agents are formed and emitted, including some highly toxic organochlorine compounds. This thesis explores emissions and exposures, as well as worker risk of porphyria and cancer.During addition of hexachloroethane (HCE) for degassing of the melt, the major findings of organochlorine compounds were hexachlorobenzene (4,300 μg/g HCE) and octachlorostyrene (780 μg/g HCE).In sand, die- and static-die casting aluminium foundries, the total dust concentrations varied up to 93 mg/m3. The aluminium exposures were generally low (< 0.5 mg/m3). For crystalline quartz, 0.1 mg/m3 was exceeded only occasionally. The levels of minor alloy metals including lead, were low (<0.01 mg/m3). At different core production methods, high levels of dimethylethylarnine, aniline and furfuryl alcohol were observed. In die-casting, 33% of the mineral oil mist levels exceeded 1 mg/m3.For smelters, the use of HCE as degassing agent, caused increased plasma levels of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and octachlorostyrene (OCS) compared to controls. A difference in porphyrins, mainly attributed to enhanced concentrations of coproporphyrins, especially coproporphyrin III, was also noted.In a cohort study of 6,454 workers from seven aluminium foundries and three remelting plants, no overall increased risk for cancer among male and female workers was found. Elevated risks were however seen for lung cancer, anorectal and sinonasal cancer. For sand casting workers, a statistically significant increase in lung cancer morbidity was seen for the long-term employed workers.Based on a statistical model, cumulative total dust and crystalline quartz mg/m3 * years were assessed for 46 cases and 322 controls in a nested case-control study within the cohort. A non-significant increase in the relative risk was observed with increasing dose. The odds ratio for dust was 2.2 for the high exposure group (>29 mg/m3 * year). A similar trend was seen for crystalline quartz.
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