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Chromosome damage and drinking water nitrate levels
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48-hour covered patch tests) to be the cause of the severe dermatitis affecting the trunk, back, legs and arms of a 30-year-old French woman. She also reacted to p-aminophenol. The symptoms disappeared within 2 weeks of her avoiding wearing clothes containing synthetic fibres (usually coloured with this group of dyes). The investigators warned that the increasing use of dyed synthetic fibres could result in more frequent textile sensitization (Mathelier-Fusade P. et aL, American Journal of Contact Dermatitis 1996, 7, 224).
A threshold for formaldehyde-sensitive individuals Formaldehyde is a common allergen and its widespread presence in cosmetics and other consumer products makes it difficult to avoid. An attempt has been made to define the concentrations that a group of 20 formadehyde-sensitive Danish patients are able to tolerate. The patients were selected because they had in the past been shown to give positive reactions to 10,000 ppm formaldehyde in 48-hour closed patch tests. Two were found to react to formaldehyde when the patch test concentration was reduced to 500 ppm, and one of these individuals also reacted to 250 ppm. There were no responses to 25 ppm. No positive reactions were detected when the uncovered skin of the formaldehyde-sensitive patients was in contact with up to 10,000 ppm formaldehyde (Flyvholm M.-A. et al., Contact Dermatitis 1997, 36, 26). Formaldehyde is currently permitted at 2000 ppm (0.2%) in cosmetic products in the EU, and must be declared on the label when present at 500 ppm or above.
Arsenic genotoxiclty in m a n Investigators from the US have reported increased chromosomal damage (micronuclei) in bladder cells isolated from the urine of Chilean men with a high
exposure to arsenic in their drinking water. The prevelance of micronuclei was about twice as high in 21 men with urinary arsenic in the range 50-140 ~tg/litre, rising to around three times higher in 21 men with a urinary arsenic concentration in the range 400-700 ~g/litre (the fourth quintile) compared in each case with the 21 with urinary arsenic of less than about 50 ,g/litre. The results "suggest that arsenic induces genetic damage to bladder cells at drinking water levels close to the current United States Maximum Contaminant Level of 50 i~g/liter" (a similar level applies throughout the European Union) (Moore L.E. et al., Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 1997, 6, 31).
Chromosome damage and drinking water nitrate levels Children living in areas of Greece with high nitrate concentrations in the drinking water (greater than 70.5 mg/litre) have been found to have significantly higher than expected levels of chromosome damage in their blood cells (Tsezou A. et aL, A rchives of EnvironmentalHealth 1996, 51,458).
Patch testing procedures A group of dermatologists from Germany has highlighted the potential for false judgments if covered skin patch tests, used to detect the sensitized state, are read only at day 2. Patch test data, from almost 10,000 patients (identified from around 21,000 attending dermatology clinics) with at least one positive reaction at day 2 or later and readings at both days 2 and 3, were analysed. Over one-third (34.5%) of all positive reactions appeared at day 3 only, whereas 8.3% initially judged (weakly) positive were not considered allergic by day 3. The investigators called for the abandonment of tests with readings only up to day 2 (Uter W.J.C. et al., American Journal of Contact Dermatitis 1996, 7, 231).
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48-hour covered patch tests) to be the cause of the severe dermatitis affecting the trunk, back, legs and arms of a 30-year-old French woman. She also reacted to p-aminophenol. The symptoms disappeared within 2 weeks of her avoiding wearing clothes containing synthetic fibres (usually coloured with this group of dyes). The investigators warned that the increasing use of dyed synthetic fibres could result in more frequent textile sensitization (Mathelier-Fusade P. et aL, American Journal of Contact Dermatitis 1996, 7, 224).
A threshold for formaldehyde-sensitive individuals Formaldehyde is a common allergen and its widespread presence in cosmetics and other consumer products makes it difficult to avoid. An attempt has been made to define the concentrations that a group of 20 formadehyde-sensitive Danish patients are able to tolerate. The patients were selected because they had in the past been shown to give positive reactions to 10,000 ppm formaldehyde in 48-hour closed patch tests. Two were found to react to formaldehyde when the patch test concentration was reduced to 500 ppm, and one of these individuals also reacted to 250 ppm. There were no responses to 25 ppm. No positive reactions were detected when the uncovered skin of the formaldehyde-sensitive patients was in contact with up to 10,000 ppm formaldehyde (Flyvholm M.-A. et al., Contact Dermatitis 1997, 36, 26). Formaldehyde is currently permitted at 2000 ppm (0.2%) in cosmetic products in the EU, and must be declared on the label when present at 500 ppm or above.
Arsenic genotoxiclty in m a n Investigators from the US have reported increased chromosomal damage (micronuclei) in bladder cells isolated from the urine of Chilean men with a high
exposure to arsenic in their drinking water. The prevelance of micronuclei was about twice as high in 21 men with urinary arsenic in the range 50-140 ~tg/litre, rising to around three times higher in 21 men with a urinary arsenic concentration in the range 400-700 ~g/litre (the fourth quintile) compared in each case with the 21 with urinary arsenic of less than about 50 ,g/litre. The results "suggest that arsenic induces genetic damage to bladder cells at drinking water levels close to the current United States Maximum Contaminant Level of 50 i~g/liter" (a similar level applies throughout the European Union) (Moore L.E. et al., Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 1997, 6, 31).
Chromosome damage and drinking water nitrate levels Children living in areas of Greece with high nitrate concentrations in the drinking water (greater than 70.5 mg/litre) have been found to have significantly higher than expected levels of chromosome damage in their blood cells (Tsezou A. et aL, A rchives of EnvironmentalHealth 1996, 51,458).
Patch testing procedures A group of dermatologists from Germany has highlighted the potential for false judgments if covered skin patch tests, used to detect the sensitized state, are read only at day 2. Patch test data, from almost 10,000 patients (identified from around 21,000 attending dermatology clinics) with at least one positive reaction at day 2 or later and readings at both days 2 and 3, were analysed. Over one-third (34.5%) of all positive reactions appeared at day 3 only, whereas 8.3% initially judged (weakly) positive were not considered allergic by day 3. The investigators called for the abandonment of tests with readings only up to day 2 (Uter W.J.C. et al., American Journal of Contact Dermatitis 1996, 7, 231).