ASSESSMENT OF TOTAL HUMAN EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS
Main researcher
: ŠARIĆ, MARKO (46073) Assistants
BLANUŠA, MAJA (3990)
DREVENKAR, VLASTA (10591)
KRAUTHACKER, BLANKA (23413)
LOKOBAUER, NEVENKA (82916)
FUGAŠ, MIRKA (12602)
ŠEGA, KREŠIMIR (46275)
HRŠAK, JANKO (76350)
SKENDER, LJILJANA (43516)
ŠIŠOVIĆ, ANICA (47153)
Type of research: applied Duration from: 01/01/91. to 12/31/94. Papers on project (total): 77
Papers on project quoted in Current Contents: 15
Institution name: Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, Zagreb (22) Department/Institute: Dep. of Environmental Hygiene; Lab. of the Physiology of Mineral Metabolism; Lab. of Organic Analytical Chemistry; Lab. of Bioch emistry; Clinical-toxicological Lab.; Dept. of Radiat. Protect. Address: Ksaverska c. 2 City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
Communication
Phone: 385 (0) 1 434 188
Phone: 385 (0) 1 273 132
Fax: 385 (0) 1 274 572
E-mail: ZFROBE@MIMI.IMI.HR
E-mail: MBLANUSA.@MIMI.IMI.HR
Summary: Concentrations of chlorophenols, organochlorine pesticides
and polychlorinated biphenyls in samples of rain and snow, in particles
isolated from these media, and in different surface, ground and drinking
waters collected in the Zagreb's urban and suburban areas, show that the
exposure to those persistent compounds should not be neglected. The types
and levels of chlorophenols in urine samples of general population are
comparable with those measured in population samples from developed
countries. The analyses of drinking water in Zagreb showed the presence
of trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene in water samples, but also a
marked difference between compared subareas. Based on measurement of
different indoor air pollutants in a number of microenvironments,
exposure was calculated for four population groups in Zagreb: pupils,
students, employees, retired people, and integrated exposure model was
developed. Levels of lead and cadmium in different environmental media as
well as the total human exposure to these metals were studied in a lead
smeltery area and compared with Zagreb area. The intake of essential
elements was also studied as well as the relationship between calcium
intake by food and human lead metabolism. The content of lead, cadmium
and mercury in samples of fish from the Adriatic as well as different
fish cans, of selenium in fish, human serum and plasma and of toxic
metals in soil and coniferous needles was analyzed. Based on the results
of the studies on contamination of food chain with 90Sr and 137Cs
effective annual dose for children and adult population of Croatia was
assessed. Using data obtained from studies performed earlier, risk
assessment for specific exposures (manganese and formaldehyde) was done.
In areas with asbestos processing plant and plant producing
asbestos-cement products the risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal
organs cancer was studied in populations living at different distances
from the contamination source.
Keywords: Exposure modelling, Direct measurement, Total exposure, Risk assessment, Metals, Organochlorine compounds, Gaseous irritants, Polycyclic aromatic Hydrocarbons, Radionuclides, Asbestos
Research goals: Exposure assessment based on traditional
environmental pollution monitoring, concerned primarily with the source of
the pollutants and their transport through the environment, provided
little information about how much of a pollutant actually comes in
contact with people. It has been realized that it is necessary to examine
the whole sequence of events from where a pollutant is emitted to how it
affects the environment and humans. Directly measuring human exposure is an
essential element in accurate risk assessment. In 1986 WHO/UNEP developed
an international project named: Human Exposure Assessment Locations
(HEALs) which concentrates on assessing total human exposure to different
pollutants in various countries. Due to the studies carried out earlier
the Institute joined from the very beginning HEALs project, and took part
in the pilot phase of the programme connected with the total human
exposure assessment to heavy metals - lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd); organic
chemicals - hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and 1,1,1 -
trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT); and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
After the completion of this phase of the HEALs project, a separate
research project was developed. The objectives of this project are to
provide comparable assessments of human exposures to environmental
pollutants and to identify trends; to improve, test, coordinate and
demonstrate methods for human exposure monitoring and modelling; to promote
human exposure assessment as a basis for environmental control strategies
to protect human health and to improve exposure monitoring capabilities.
The cooperation within the HEALs project was continued.
COOPERATION - PROJECTS
Name of project
: 3-01-138 Metali u čovjekovoj okolini i nihov
utjecaj na zdravlje Name of institution: Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu
rada City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
Name of project
: 3-01-132 Pesticidi: mehanizam djelovanja i
distribucija u biosferi Name of institution: Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu
rada City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
Name of project
: 3-01-135 Onečišćenje vanjske i unutarnje
atmosfere i zdravstveni učinci Name of institution: Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu
rada City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
Name of project
: 3-01-134 Ionizacijsko i neionizacijsko zračenje
i životna okolina Name of institution: Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu
rada City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
COOPERATION - INSTITUTIONS
Name of institution
: World Health Organization Type of institution: State administration Type of cooperation: Joint project City: Geneve, Švicarska
Name of institution
: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Type of institution: University/Faculty Type of cooperation: Joint project City: Washington D.C., SAD
Name of institution
: Karolinska Institute, Institute of
Environmental Medicine Type of institution: University/Faculty Type of cooperation: Joint project City: Stockholm, Švedska
Name of institution
: Swedish National Food Administration Type of institution: University/Faculty Type of cooperation: Joint project City: Uppsala, Švedska Other information about the project.