World Congress on Environmental Toxicology and Health July 11-12, 2018 Sydney, Australia

Biography:

Ewa Cukrowska is a Professor of Environmental Analytical Chemistry at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. She has received her MSc and PhD degrees from the Maria Curie-Skodowska University in Poland in 1982. Her research interests is in speciation of heavy metals in industrial, environmental and biomedical samples with development and application of different analytical techniques and remediation methods; metals transport, fate, seasonal changes, biological uptake with chemometric evaluation and modeling of solution equilibria. She has over 200 publications to her credit.

 

Abstract:

Risk assessment and bioavailability of mercury from dust in gold mining areas in Johannesburg, South Africa

Ingestion and inhalation have been identified as major pathways for exposure to many dust contaminants. Particle size affects dust deposition efficiency in the human respiratory system upon inhalation. The natural mechanisms are simulated by the use of different reagents having an increasing extractability power. The results obtained are operationally defined. Mercury bioavailability/bio-accessibility was assessed by determining the metal fraction leached out using simulated gastric and lung fluids together with chemical sequential extraction. Total mercury (Hg_TOT) concentration was determined in road dust. The results showed that Hg_TOT ranged from 323 to 1349 µg kg^-1 for PM₂₅ particle size fraction. The finer fraction (PM₂₅) had the highest Hg concentration and distribution in the samples was as follows: Hg_INDUSTRIAL>Hg_CBD>Hg_RESIDENTIAL. In order to assess the mobility and bioavailability of mercury, Artificial Lung Fluid (ALF) representing the upper parts of the lung and Artificial Gastric Juice (AGJ) representing the stomach juice were used. ALF extracted 1.7% Hg_TOT while the AGJ leached out 0.5% Hg. Sequential extraction procedure demonstrated the predominance of non-soluble Hg species (90-98%) in studied dust samples. The most bioavailable Hg fraction (water, acid soluble fraction) averaged 2.0% of Hg_TOT. The results showed that gold mining and its related activities around Johannesburg are the major sources of mercury in the area.

Biography:

Yon Rojanasakul is a Professor and Leader of the Sara and James Allen Comprehensive Lung Cancer Program at West Virginia University Cancer Institute, USA. He is also a Guest Scientist at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. He has received his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1989 and has since worked as a full-time Faculty Member at West Virginia University. His research is in the areas of environmental toxicology, nanotechnology and molecular carcinogenesis. His research focus is on cellular and molecular mechanisms of lung carcinogenesis induced by environmental agents including nanomaterials and heavy metals and on nanomedicine and anticancer drug discovery. He has published over 250 peer-reviewed original research articles in reputable journals and has served as a Grant Reviewer for the NIH and NSF and as an Editorial Board Member for many scientific journals.

Abstract:

Nanomaterial carcinogenicity: Role of cancer stem cells and tumor microenvironment

Tumor Microenvironment (TME) has been recognized as a key determinant of tumorigenesis and metastasis, but how TME is affected by nanomaterials is largely unknown. We demonstrated that certain nanomaterials including Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) can affect TME by activating Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) to promote tumor growth and metastasis of human lung cancer cells. This effect of CNTs is dependent on the physicochemical characteristics of CNTs such as tube wall number and surface reactivity and functionalization. Single-walled CNTs and to a lesser extent multi-walled CNTs and their COOH-functionalized forms strongly induce CAFs, which was shown to promote tumor formation of preexisting human lung cancer cells and CNT-transformed lung epithelial cells. The mechanism by which CNT-induced CAFs promote tumor growth involves acquisition of Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) in the TME, which drives tumor growth and metastasis. Gene knockdown experiments showed that an expression of podoplanin on CAFs is essential for the tumor-promoting and CSC-inducing effects of CNTs. Together our findings indicate a novel role of TME in promoting CNT-induced carcinogenesis through the activation of podoplanin-associated CAFs that support CSC expansion and tumor growth. Our results also suggest the potential utility of podoplanin as a mechanism-based biomarker for CNT-induced malignancies.

Biography:

Aizman Roman Idelevich is Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Honored Worker of Science of Russia, Head of the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Safety, Director of the Institute of Health and Safety. He is a Member of 3 dissertation councils for doctoral theses, a Foreign Member of the American Physiological Society, a valid Member of the European Society of Pediatric Nephrology and an Associate Editor of two scientific journals. He is author of over 500 scientific and methodical works, including 28 monographs, 90 manuals, 367 articles in refereed journals and 16 proposals, patents and registration certificates. He was awarded Diplomas of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Administration of the City and Region (Novosibirsk) the Medal Property of Siberia, K. D. Ushinsky Medal, etc.

 

Abstract:

Physical development and renal functions in adolescents consuming drinking water with high content of vital cations

The problem of population supply with drinking water of adequate quality is one of the determinants for the majority of subjects. In 2016, the 52 regions of the Russian Federation were unfavorable in respect of the mineralized drinking water that was not balanced by macro and microelement composition. It can be considered as potential risk factors in the population. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate the level of physical development and health as well as kidney functions in pupils of 10-12 years in long-term consumption of drinking water with high content vs. control of sodium (224.6±22.5 vs. 61.2±6.1 mg/L), calcium (80.8±5.2 vs. 65.9±4.3 mg/L) and magnesium (55.1±3.4 vs. 37.5±2.2 mg/L). Evaluation of physical health of pupils and morphological parameters (Ketle index, strength of muscles, heart rate, blood pressure, reaction of the cardiovascular system to physical activity, lung capacity and vital index) showed a lower level of physical development, health and functional possibilities of the cardiorespiratory system of children consuming drinking water with high content of ions. In these pupils it has been found an increasing diuresis already in the morning background samples. After the water load (1% of body mass) in the examinees the reactivity of the renal response also increased compare to control group (it was observed a more pronounced elevation in diuresis and excretion of sodium, calcium and especially urea), which may indicate the high reactivity of osmo and ionoregulatory mechanisms. It also cannot be excluded that increased ion excretion was due to the higher their intake with drinking water and/or a decrease in the concentration of corticosteroids. The findings suggest an adverse effect of high concentrations of cations in drinking water on morphofunctional development and health of children, despite the adaptive changes of renal functions and hormonal mechanisms of their regulation.

Biography:

Abstract:

Biography:

Md Bayzidur Rahman was trained as an Environmental Scientist in Bangladesh before completing his PhD in Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Sydney on environmental exposures and the risk of cancer. He has started working as a Lecturer in Biostatistics at the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW in January 2010 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2014. His research interests include multivariable methods, systematic review and meta-analysis, environmental exposure modeling and the epidemiology of cancer and environmental factors, advanced analysis of count data and analysis of data from clustered randomized trials. Since 2007, he has been working as a Consultant Biostatistician and Research Collaborator with many institutions including St Vincent’s Hospital, Prince of Wales Royal Hospital for Women, The Cancer Council NSW, University of Newcastle, United Arab Emirates University and the University of Chicago.

 

Abstract:

Assessment of blood lead (Pb) concentration among working women of reproductive age and children living in the vicinity of Pb battery industries in Bangladesh: A pilot study

The use of Lead Acid Batteries (LAB) has sharply risen because of enhanced demand in the transport sector in Bangladesh. About 97% LABs in Bangladesh are manufactured by recycling LABs. There are ~12,207 battery recycling/recharging establishments in Bangladesh engaging ~22,480 workers including 24.6% children. Workers in these industries are exposed to lead mainly through dermal absorption and inhalation. Absorbed lead can be stored in a person’s bones for years and for pregnant women it passes into to the baby through blood. Lead can also be in breast milk. The pilot study examined the Blood Lead Level (BLL) among the reproductive aged women and the children under 5 to assess the level of exposure. Because the proportion of women is rapidly increasing the LAB industries in small city like Khulna (our study area) it is important to assess their current level of exposure to protect their health and the health of their babies. We recruited 62 women, 4 men and 9 children from different LAB industries including 2 controls. Our lab couldn’t detect blood lead concentration >65 µg/dl. BLL data are available for 37 women, two men and 9 children. All the women working in the LAB handling shops and LAB manufacturing industry had BLL >65 µg/dl (range: 208-278) whereas the control woman had only 8.9 µg/dl. All but one child living in the vicinity of the LAB industries had BLL >55 (range: 55.2 to 240) and the control child had 20.5 µg/dl who were exposed to lead through sucking lead painted grill. Result of two men working in the LAB was available and they were >65 µg/dl. The exposure level is alarmingly high among all the exposed participants and according to CDC guidelines they should be pulled out from the work for rehabilitation.

Biography:

Md Atikul Islam has research experience in the field of environmental pollution and public health. He has completed his Doctor of Engineering in Systems Design and Engineering from Yamaguchi University, Japan. He has worked as a Visiting Scientist in Department of Soil Amelioration, University of Zagreb, Croatia. He had several national and international collaborative research projects which mainly focus on environmental pollution assessment and management. Presently he is working as a Professor under Environmental Science Discipline in Khulna University, Bangladesh.

 

Abstract:

Assessment of potential ecological and health risk for inhabitants living near a former secondary lead smelter

Bangladesh is the most densely populated countries in the world. High demand in the transport sector has triggered the use of Lead Acid Battery (LAB) driven vehicles. Thousands of exhausted LABs are recycled in the local markets to recover lead (Pb) by crude smelting process to manufacture new batteries. Smelting is a major source of environmental metal pollution and the effect of lead smelter on the surrounding environment and people living in the affected area were rarely studied. This study assessed the concentration of Pb, As, Cd and Zn in agricultural soils and in rice grains produced in the surrounding farmlands of a former secondary lead smelter in Khulna, Bangladesh. A total of 29 surface soil and rice samples were collected within 500 m of the smelter. The contamination factor (C_f) and total hazard quotient (THQ) was used to assess the ecological and human health risk. The mean concentrations of Pb, As and Zn in soils were 231, 6.4 and 503 mg/kg, respectively. Cd was not detected in any sample. The concentration of Pb in the surface soils near the Pb smelter was very high. Mean concentrations of Pb, As and Zn in rice grain were 7.48, 1.4 and 25 mg/kg fw, respectively. The mean concentrations of Pb and As were higher than the tolerance limits of 0.4 and 0.7 respectively, indicating a potential risk to human health. The mean value of C_f were 11.6, 2.1 and 7.4 for Pb, As and Zn, respectively. For Pb samples, 41% of the samples had C_f>6, which means very strong contamination. In relation to health risk, THQ values for Pb and As were greater than 1.0 demonstrating high health hazards of these metals. Measures should be taken to combat metal pollution from Pb smelter in the study area.