Percorrer por autor "Aimonen, K."
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- Assessing exposure and early biological effects in waste management workers using a harmonized occupational biomonitoring studyPublication . Tavares, Ana; Rosário, Rita; Aimonen, K.; Louro, Henriqueta; Martins, Carla; Viegas, Susana; Santonen, Tiina; Silva, Maria JoãoObjective: Human biomonitoring provides measurements of internal exposure to all chemicals by all routes of exposures and also addresses associated early biological effects. An occupational biomonitoring study requires a comprehensive and harmonised planning, including participants’ recruitment, sampling strategy, biomarkers definition and analysis, data collection, management, and reporting, in order to generate comparable and replicable data. In the framework of the European Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), a multi-centric biomonitoring campaign was planned to assess occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals from electronic and plastic waste management industries. We here present its design, comprising the assessment of external and internal exposure to several substances and characterization of early biological effects. Methods: Target participants are workers involved in e-waste and plastic recycling activities, and non-exposed individuals as controls. Besides industrial hygiene samples (e.g., air, settle dust) also biological samples (hair, blood, epithelial buccal cells and urine) are collected after informed consent, and a questionnaire is applied to all participants. Exposure biomarkers comprise measurements of heavy metals, flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), bisphenols, polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), and other plasticizers in hair, blood, or urine samples by qualified laboratories. Effect biomarkers are assessed in blood (genotoxicity – micronucleus and comet assay - inflammation, epigenetic and oxidative stress markers), buccal cells (micronucleus) and urine samples (metabolic changes). Occupational hygiene measurements and contextual information will facilitate the interpretation of biomarkers data and the identification of potential confounding variables. Expected Results: The findings are expected to provide valuable information on exposure and associated early (preclinical) effects, and also to uncover groups at increased risk, supporting the promotion of good work practices and/or the implementation of efficient risk management strategies further improving worker’s health protection.
- Effect biomarkers in e-waste management workersPublication . Silva, Maria João; Aimonen, K.; Louro, Henriqueta; Tavares, A.; Moreira, R.; Catalan, J.; Duca, R.C.; Godderis, L.; Mahiout, S.; Martins, C.; Martinsone, I.; Matisane, L.; Namorado, S.; Van Nieuwenhuyse, A.; Pinhal, H.; Porras, S.; Remes, J.; Scheepers, P.; Verdonck, J.; Viegas, S.; Santonen, T.; HBM4EU E-waste study teamDuring e-waste handling/processing, a broad range of toxic chemicals (metals and persistent organic compounds), are released and may affect workers’ health. This work intended to identify genotoxic effects in workers from European e-waste management companies. Micronuclei were analysed in peripheral blood lymphocytes (MNPBL) from 95 workers and 50 controls and in reticulocytes (MNRET) from 82 workers and 41 controls. No statistically significant differences were detected between the total exposed and control groups, for both MNPBL and MNRET frequencies. Stratification of workers in subgroups according to the main activities performed revealed that the subgroup involved in batteries recycling (n=23) presented a frequency of MNPBL significantly higher than that of controls. Significant differences in MNPBL frequencies were also found between battery workers and the subgroups handling/processing white goods, metals and plastics, and miscellaneous E-waste; no differences in MNRET frequencies among subgroups were detected. Worth to note, the subgroup dealing with brown goods (n=12) displayed the highest MNPBL and MNRET frequencies, although statistical significances were not observed when comparing with the other subgroups or controls. These preliminary results highlight the value of adding effect biomarkers to biomonitoring campaigns, to uncover groups of workers at enhanced risk and to prioritize risk management measures’ implementation.
- Genotoxicity in peripheral blood leukocytes and reticulocytes of e-waste management workersPublication . Aimonen, K.; Silva, Maria João; Tavares, Ana; Moreira, Rodrigo; Louro, Henriqueta; Catalán, J.; Duca, R.; Godderis, L.; Mahiout, S.; Martins, C.; Martinsone, I.; Matisane, L.; Namorado, S.; Van Nieuwenhuyse, A.; Pinhal, Hermínia; Porras, S.; Remes, J.; Verdonck, J.; Viegas, S.; Scheepers, P.; Santonen, T.The European Commission has recently adopted a new Circular Economy Action Plan, which recognizes the critical role of material circulation in achieving sustainable development. The waste management sector will play a pivotal role in this, and an increase in the number of workers involved in waste recycling is expected. However, a recent multi-centric study conducted as part of the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) highlights potential occupational health risks associated with e-waste management. This study reports the exposure of e-waste workers from six European countries to metals and the early genotoxic effects from exposure to a wide array of toxic chemicals (and their mixtures) in the occupational environment. The results showed that e-waste workers are exposed to higher levels of hazardous metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and chromium (Cr) than controls. Significantly higher levels were detected in the post-shift urine and blood samples of different subcategories of e-waste workers. Especially the level of Pb was elevated in urine and blood samples among all worker categories, and the highest values were detected in battery recycling workers. Genotoxic effects were assessed by the micronucleus frequencies in peripheral blood lymphocytes (MNPBL) and reticulocytes (MNRET). MNPBL were analyzed in 95 workers and 50 controls, and MNRET in 82 workers and 41 controls. While there were no statistically significant differences between all workers and controls, the subgroup of battery recycling workers showed significantly higher frequency of MNPBL than controls or other exposed subgroups such as workers handling white goods, metals and plastics or miscellaneous e-waste. The highest MNPBL and MNRET frequencies were observed in workers handling brown goods, but the difference to controls, or to the other worker categories, was not statistically significant. Post-shift urinary levels of studied metals did not show positive correlation with the micronucleus frequencies, which might be partially explained by the heterogeneity of activities considered and related exposure levels found. In addition to metals, the study also measured exposure to flame retardants, phthalates, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and, thereby, correlations between exposure to those compounds and effect biomarkers will be further explored. Overall, the study highlights the need to raise awareness of potential hazards and improve risk management measures in the e-waste management sector. The micronucleus results provide valuable new information on early biological effects from occupational exposures during e-waste management that also contribute to identifying worker groups that are at higher risk of adverse health effects.
- Interlaboratory Validation of the Cell Transformation Assay (CTA) for Carcinogenic Assessment of BPA AlternativesPublication . El Yamani, N.; Aimonen, K.; Dusinska, M.; Guichard, Y.; Honza, T.; Louro, H.; Pereira, M.J.; Rundén-Pran, E.; SenGupta, T.; Tavares, A.M.; Silva, M.J.Bisphenol A (BPA) has long been used in various plastic products, resins and coatings, making human exposure to this chemical inevitable. Due to its harmful health effects, including endocrine disruption, and immunotoxicity, BPA has been increasingly replaced by several alternative compounds. However, there are still significant gaps in research regarding the safety of these BPA alternatives, particularly concerning their potential carcinogenicity. One of the in vitro assays to assess carcinogenic potential of chemicals is the Bhas-42 cell transformation assay (CTA). The assay can detect both genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogens It is valuable in identifying potential cancer risks before widespread exposure occurs, contributing to the development of safer chemicals and products, as well as better regulatory standards while adhering to the 3R concept. The EU-Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) project is addressing these research gaps to enhance the risk assessment of BPA alternatives. BPA and some alternatives, including BPZ, BPE, BPAP, BPA-MAE, BPP, and TCBPA, were selected for evaluation of their carcinogenic potential using the in vitro 2-stage Bhas-42 CTA. A key objective of the project is to validate the CTA as a reliable in vitro method for assessing carcinogenicity. To ensure consistency and accuracy across participating labs, an interlaboratory comparison was initiated and a standardized SOP was developed, including concentration ranges for controls and BPA analogues, in alignment with OECD guidance document. The first results from the protocol harmonization, using the selected controls, were consistent across all participating labs. BPA and its analogues are being tested, and the results are under evaluation. The data generated will contribute to the overall weight of evidence on the hazards posed by these chemicals and, when combined with findings from other endpoints, will provide a solid basis for refining their regulation.