Reflections and prospects on the health risks posed by heavy metals and their new materials

Abstract: Objectives: This study aimed to map the distribution of nephrolithiasis’ environmental risk factors (occupational heat and heavy metal exposure and ambient seasonal temperature) and to assess the correlations of these exposures with the best estimates of the reported nephrolithiasis incidence in Canada. Methods: The regional average heat burden was defined as the mean temperature in the hottest three months of the year for 2020, 2021, and 2022. The employment rates in the top five industries with occupational heavy metal (cadmium, lead, and arsenic) and heat exposure were obtained from the Statistics Canada 2021 database. Statistical significance was calculated based on the 95% confidence interval difference from the null hypothesis. Correlation analysis was performed between our rates of nephrolithiasis risk factors and previously published estimates of the stone incidence: kidney stone interventions and acute kidney stone event rates. Results: Lower-latitude provinces had higher overall mean temperatures in 2020 to 2022, with Ontario, Manitoba, and Prince Edward Island having the highest seasonal heat burdens, in this order. Nunavut had the lowest rate of occupational heat exposure, while the remaining regions had similar rates. Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Nunavut had significantly higher rates of occupational heavy metal exposure compared to the remaining regions. The ambient temperature and occupation heavy metal and heat exposure showed no significant correlation with the estimates of the stone incidence. Conclusions: The occupational heat exposure was relatively similar between regions. Northern Canada had higher occupational heavy metal exposure compared to other regions. Occupational exposures and temperature variations were not associated with the nephrolithiasis incidence in Canada.

Effect of RE elements on the structure and impact toughness of sand-cast Zn-12% Al alloy

Effects of rare earth elements on the distribution of mineral elements and heavy metals in horseradish

Effect of rare earth elements on the segregation behavior and microstructure of super austenitic stainless steel

Overview of the effects of impurities and rare earth elements in Al−Li alloys

The effect of rare earth elements on the kinetics of the isothermal coarsening of the globular solid phase in semisolid AZ91 alloy produced via SIMA process

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the US. Acute, high-dose exposures to some solvents, metals, and pesticides can be cardiotoxic, but little is known about the cardiovascular effects of chronic, low-level exposures. Thus, we evaluated cross-sectional associations of self-reported occupational exposures to solvents, metals, and pesticides with CVD prevalence among diverse Hispanics/Latinos in the US. Methods: The analyses included baseline data from 7,404 currently employed participants, ages 18-74 years, from the HCHS/SOL. CVD was defined as the presence of one or more of the following: coronary heart disease (self-reported angina, myocardial infarction, coronary bypass surgery, balloon angioplasty, or stent placement in coronary arteries, or electrocardiogram [ECG] evidence of major Q wave abnormalities or minor Q, QS waves with ST, T abnormalities); atrial fibrillation (self-reported or ECG evidence of atrial fibrillation or flutter); heart failure (self-reported); or cerebrovascular disease (self-reported stroke or transient ischemic attack). Survey-weighted Poisson regression models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each occupational exposure, adjusted for sociodemographic (age, gender, field center, Hispanic/Latino background, health insurance), acculturation (language, years of duration in the US), lifestyle (smoking, alcohol, physical activity, diet), and occupational (full- or part-time employment) characteristics. Results: Overall, 6.1% of participants had any prevalent CVD; coronary heart disease (4.3%) was most common, followed by cerebrovascular disease (1.0%), heart failure (0.8%), and atrial fibrillation (0.7%). Current occupational exposures to solvents, metals, and pesticides were reported by 6.5%, 8.5%, and 4.7% of participants, respectively. The prevalence of any CVD (PR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.34-3.55), coronary heart disease (PR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.31-3.71), and atrial fibrillation (PR: 5.92, 95% CI: 1.89-18.61) were significantly elevated for participants who reported current occupational pesticide exposure compared to no exposure. Current occupational metal exposure was associated with a greater prevalence of atrial fibrillation (PR: 3.78, 95% CI: 1.24-11.46). Further adjustment for hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, or body mass index did not appreciably change the results. Current occupational solvent exposure was not associated with CVD prevalence. Conclusions: Occupational exposure to pesticides and metals is associated with higher CVD prevalence at baseline. These cross-sectional associations do not appear to be attenuated by hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, or obesity. Further research is needed to examine other biologic mechanisms that may underlie these associations.

Effects of Occupational Metal Exposure on the Auditory System

The effect of rare earth (RE) elements, including Ce and La, on the sorption properties of Zr-Co getters was investigated in this work. The nanocrystalline Zr3Co intermetallic compound has been produced by mechanical alloying of the elemental powder. In all mechanical alloying experiments, the ball-to-powder weight ratio was 15:1. The phase evolution and microstructral change of powders during mechanical alloying and activation process were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that after an optimum mechanical alloying time of 16 h, the amorphous phase was produced. After the activation process, the studies revealed that Zr-Co-RE can be activated at lower temperature than Zr-Co getters and show better sorption properties.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) results from a complex interaction between genes and the environment, and occupational exposures are an underappreciated risk factor. Until now, little research attention has been paid to the potential impact of occupational risk factor exposure on the COPD in China. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the role of occupational risk factor exposure on the severity and progression of COPD for exploring new prevention strategies for this disease. This study adopted a random cluster-sampling method. Five grade-A tertiary hospitals that met the inclusion criteria were selected as the survey sites, and patients with COPD hospitalized in these hospitals from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019, were selected as the research subjects. Data of the patients diagnosed with COPD met the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (2019) criteria and were collected from the computerized medical record databases. Among 4082 investigated COPD patients, 1063 (26%) were found to have occupational risk factor exposure history. The top 3 industries with a large COPD case number and a history of occupational risk factor exposure ranked in the order of agriculture (including farming, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery), manufacturing, and mining. Further multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that when setting a low exposure level as a reference, medium and high exposure levels were correlated with the severity of COPD (odds ratio values were 2.837 and 6.201, respectively, P < .05). Linear regression analysis showed that cumulative exposure to occupational risk factors was negatively correlated with the forced expiratory volume in 1-second percentage of COPD patients, with a correlation coefficient of 0.68. Our results indicated that occupational risk factor exposure levels were related to the severity of COPD significantly. The incubation period of COPD in the exposure group was significantly shorter than that in the non-exposure group. To prevent worked-related COPD, special attention and control efforts should be taken to reduce the level of occupational risk factors such as organic dust, irritating chemicals, etc in the work environments, especially in the industries of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, manufacturing, and mining.

Objective: To review the history of rare earths and their practical applications, as well as to identify the effects of some rare earths on crops. Design/methodology/approach: We performed an exhaustive review of the scientific literature related to the history of rare earth elements (REE), their chemical characteristics, composition in the Earth’s crust, and uses in industry, as well as of the effects of the light rare earth elements (LREE) on higher plants. The most relevant articles on the aforementioned topics of interest were then selected, analyzed, and discussed. Results: In recent years, the industrial and technological use of REE has increased significantly. Their use in the automotive, aeronautical, and space industries, in medicine, in renewable energies, and in electronic and military technology is resulting in the accumulation of these elements in the environment and their bioavailability for crops. Importantly, REE have been reported to have both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on biological systems, including plants. Limitations on study/implications: While some REE like lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) have been extensively studied, others have been scarcely explored and, therefore, little information has been published on them in the international literature. Findings/conclusions: The use of REE in technology, combined with poor waste management and recycling, cause contamination in soil and water, allowing REE bioavailability in plants. Further studies are needed to identify beneficial effects of REE in the face of biotic or abiotic stress factors.

Effect of rare earth elements on microstructure and mechanical properties of bainite/martensite bearing steel

Forty years has passed since the first issue of the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health. Over these four decades of rapid change in scientific publishing, the Journal has stabilized its position as the top international periodical in Occupational and Environmental Health. Our latest (2014) impact factor is 3.454, with a 5-year impact factor of 4.060. The journal now ranks 21st of 160 journals in the Public, Environmental and Occupational Health category of the Journal Citation Report - and the best among more than a dozen occupational health journals on the list.Authors refer to that are important for their own new research. But what makes an important publication in occupational health research? At the very least, it should be an innovative and high-quality publication. One paper alone is rarely responsible for societal impact, but a good one can further catalyze, support, or enhance our understanding of the elements of good practical solutions and cost-effective interventions. The aim of Scand J Work Environ Health has always been to promote good and impactful research in the field of occupational and environmental health and safety and increase knowledge through scientific publication.Over the years, although the goals of the Journal have remained unchanged, scientific focus, research methods, and academic publishing itself have undergone a monumental change.Looking back, the first paper published in the Journal in 1975 was a review by Anna Maria Seppalainen (1) on the applications of neurophysiological methods in occupational medicine. At that time, neurophysiological methods were recommended for the research and diagnosis of vibration and exposure to, for example, insecticides, carbon monoxide, acrylamide, and lead. The first issues of the Journal were rich in exposure assessment methodology and toxicology. Likewise, there were many papers related to occupational medicine. In the third issue from the same year, however, a paper did emerge on sleep length and adaption to shift work among Swedish railroad workers (2), varying the content. A study of the distribution of the research topics of 85 (ie, papers with >100 citations) from 1950 to 1997 in five major occupational medicine journals (including Scand J Work Environ Health) revealed some interesting findings. While a few citations classics dealing with toxicology were published during each decade, classics concerning solvents appeared only during the 1970s and 1980s, and those dealing with work-related musculoskeletal disorders emerged in the 1980s and increased significantly in the decades thereafter (3).During the last ten years, the most popular topics in the Journal have been occupational epidemiology, musculoskeletal disorders, and psychosocial factors. These papers also performed better than average with respect to citations (especially psychosocial factors), while papers on, eg, toxicology and respiratory disorders have appeared less frequently and have also been less frequently cited (4). During the last two years (see the top-cited articles www.sjweh.fi/list_top_cited.php) , many well-cited papers have investigated key issues relating to present working life, factors predicting return-to-work (5, 6), decreased sickness absence (7, 8), longer work careers (9, 10), and higher productivity (7, 11) at work. The solutions studied were often practical interventions related to work modifications and working hours, but also changes in individual, social or lifestyle factors. The evolution of the Journal's contents seems to reflect the current trends in general occupational safety and health (OSH) research policies (see eg, http://www.perosh.eu/research-priorities/). The Journal has come a long way in updating its expertise and focus areas but is still open to all relevant topics in the area of occupational and environmental health. Also toxicology, which the Journal initially targeted, is still an issue in today's working life. …

The effect of various rare earth elements added in various forms, i.e. metallic addition, dispersion of oxide and superficial application of oxide particles, on the high temperature oxidation resistance of Ni-Cr and Fe-Cr alloys was investigated.Rare earth elements exhibited two excellent improving effects in reducing the oxidation rate and in suppressing the spalling of the scale. The effects of rare earth elements were much stronger than those of the other reactive elements in all additional forms.In order to understand the mechanism by which the rare earth elements improved the oxidation resistance of the alloys, the oxygen pressure dependence of the electrical conductivity of the Cr2O3 doped with NiO and rare earths was measured. It was found that the simultaneous doping of NiO and rare earth elements changed the defect structure of Cr2O3 from p-type to n-type semiconductor at very low oxygen pressure, Po2≅10-9Pa. This result suggested that the formation of an n-type region in the scale adjacent to the alloy might act to improve the oxidation resistance by reducing the diffusion rate of cations in the scale.

A healthy working life is fundamental for individuals and society. To date, increasingly research connects the earlier, pre-working life to later working life experiences and beyond, recognizing that a worker’s health and exposure starts before the working life begins. The research, however, often lacks a fundamental understanding of (i) the underlying mechanisms and pathways accounting for differences in different life stages and (ii) the role of the social environment in shaping working life experiences. By integrating a life course perspective in our research and crossing disciplinary borders in rigorous, collaborative research, we may get a better understanding of the complex and dynamic interplay between work, environment and health. A life course perspective for work environment and health research A life course perspective in work environment and health research emphasizes the importance of prior life experiences, including the environments in which individuals were raised and exposed, their familial and educational backgrounds, and their physical and mental health status before entering the workforce (1, 2). Life course research in different disciplines has been instrumental in developing more robust causal models (3, 4), particularly for understanding developmental health trajectories and socioeconomic health inequalities (eg, 5–7). Adopting an interdisciplinary life course perspective in work environment and health research helps researchers answering questions as to whether and how the timing, duration, intensity, and context of past and present exposures (ie, pre-working, working, and non-working exposures) are associated with later life work and health outcomes. For instance, the ‘exposome paradigm’ is a concept used to describe the sum of occupational and environmental exposures an individual encounters throughout life, and how these exposures impact biology and health (8). In exposome research, a broad range of genetic, biological, chemical, physical, social and lifestyle factors is examined throughout the life course to provide a comprehensive picture of potential risk factors impacting working life health (9). In exposome research and beyond, it is important to examine how the exposure-outcome relationships are shaped by specific social, cultural and historical contexts (2). The conceptual framework of the ‘Social Exposome’ may help to integrate the social environment in conjunction with the physical environment into the exposome concept (10). Moreover, focusing on both historical and contemporary contexts is essential not only for advancing research but also for informing policy and practice, for example by identifying entry points for interventions. Exposures during the life course During the individual’s life course, several vulnerable time windows for the impact of a multitude of exposures that potentially harm, protect or promote health, eg, occupational, environmental and social, can be distinguished. The (combinations of) exposures may operate in different life stages and contexts and – directly or indirectly via intergenerational transmission – contribute to health (figure 1). The individual may be particulary sensitive to harmful exposures or adverse experiences during developmental life stages, ie, pre/perinatal, childhood, adolescence, pregnancy and menopause/andropause. Other life stages may reflect vulnerable time windows due to a clustering of exposures, eg, work and family demands during parenthood, or an accumulation of exposures during the (working) life course at retirement and post-retirement age. As illustrated in figure 1, occupational exposure(s) can be divided in exposure through the parents’ exposure (early in life) and an individuals’ own exposure (later in life). Already in the pre/perinatal life stage, occupational exposure starts through the intergenerational transmission of the parents’ occupational exposures. Current and bioaccumulated occupational exposure of chemicals and particles in the father at the time of conception can affect sperm quality. Together with the mother’s exposure to occupational exposures of chemicals and particles prior to conception – or chemicals, particles, physical factors, ergonomic load, organizational and (psycho-)social conditions at work during pregnancy – this may affect fetal development and later disease development during the child’s life course (11–15). During childhood, the growing child is exposed to parental occupational exposure(s), directly through chemicals and particles in the work clothes and skin or indirectly through organizational and psychosocial factors in the work environment that may increase the risk for mental and physical health problems in parents, which in turn may affect their parental rearing quality (16, 17). During adolescence and early adulthood, individuals usually encounter their first direct occupational exposures through their first (student) job or jobs. Already from this life stage, occupational exposures may accumulate during the (working) life course and may affect not only the active working life but also the post working life. Also important to note is that brain plasticity is not limited to childhood, adolescence or young adulthood as it persists throughout life. Some studies indicate that high physical and chemical exposure during this life stage, can increase the risk of disease later in life (18). A poor psychosocial school or work environment in younger years may also increase the risk of adverse labour market outcomes and mental health problems later in life (19, 20). In adulthood, men and women often start with (the planning of) family formation. Some occupational exposures affect fecundability, others can increase the risk of pregnancy-related disease, such as preeclampsia, hypertension or diabetes, or affect the offspring (21, 22). Chemicals, heat and stress-related exposures affect the ability to conceive. During pregnancy, the bodily and mental systems are vulnerable with changes in the endocrine and inflammation response that can dysregulate the HPA-axis, resulting in a prolonged stress response. The placenta can filter out many hazards, but not all toxicants, such as methylmercury and arsenic (23, 24). Physical exposure, such as noise and vibration, but also shift and night work can affect the womb and cause fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and hearing impairment (eg, 12, 13, 25–27). During parenthood, occupational exposures may affect the parents’ (mental) health and work-family balance (28, 29). Many chemical and physical exposures have now manifested in disease, eg, allergy, asthma and musculoskeletal diseases (28). During menopause in women, with a drastic decrease in oestrogen, and the slow testosterone decline in men (sometimes referred to as andropause), dysregulations of the hormone system may disrupt and affect the individual’s susceptibility for occupational exposures in a way similar to environmental exposures (30). Towards retirement, the total cumulative occupational exposure burden over the working life course and the current exposure will affect the ability to stay at work and in the labor market. Post retirement, most direct occupational exposures have ceased, but others may have (bio-) accumulated over time and may cause health problems that manifest after retirement (31, 32). Along with occupational exposures, a multitude of other exposures are present during the entire life course that may operate across different contexts to contribute to health (see figure 1). For instance, chemical, physical and social stressors during the life course leave traces (‘memories’) on the molecular and tissue levels that may affect later life health (33). Epigenetic marks act as heritable memories in the cell as they respond to different endogenous and exogenous signals and can be propagated from one generation of cells to the next generation of cells (33). Next to the epigenetic marks, the social environment and social determinants of health during the life course, eg, socio-economic and lifestyle factors, social relationships, social cohesion and support, are known to impact health and add to the multitude of exposures to be examined, among others in conjunction with the environmental exposome (eg, 34). In residential, family and school contexts, exposures such as air pollution, drinking water pollution, noise, artificial light at night, limited access to green space and crowding may play a role, as can adverse childhood experiences (eg, 35, 36). Moreover, on the overarching societal context, legislations, labor market conditions, norms, values and cultural aspects may affect worker health (2, 37). Main knowledge gaps and challenges Both conceptual and empirical challenges have to be tackled when conducting work environment and health research with an interdisciplinary life course perspective. On the conceptual level, different paradigms and nomenclature still exist in the various disciplines examining the impact of (occupational) exposures on later life health outcomes, which contributes to fragmented research and publication thereof in specialized journals. On the empirical level, questions arise such as: Is it feasible to examine mechanisms and pathways across different exposure levels considering a life course perspective? Is the follow-up duration of existing birth and other cohorts sufficient to address the dynamic interplay between the work environment and health? Are the multifaceted, constantly changing contexts captured? Effect sizes are often small on an individual level and statistical power decreases when several rare assumptions have to be fulfilled to examine clusters or combinations of exposures and contexts in relation to health outcomes. Big data, interdisciplinary research protocols and innovative, advanced statistical models to capture the life course perspective are needed to proceed beyond the exposome studies that are currently being finalized within the EU Horizon 2020 exposome call (https://www.humanexposome.eu). Moreover, a better understanding is needed of how occupational, environmental and social exposures affect individuals (i) in vulnerable time windows, eg, do exposures contribute to health advantages and/or disadvantages, and (ii) while transitioning between and within different life stages (38). Studies in different disciplines have focused on the childhood and retirement life stages, see eg, the research on the school-to-work transition or the work-to-retirement transition (39–41), but little is known about the menopause or andropause life stage. Last, rigorous examinations of different lifecourse models (eg, sensitive periods) and exposure models (eg, current, first, last, peak, single, chronic or accumulated), and their impact on health are needed within and across the different vulnerable time windows and life stages as exposure-outcome relationships may differ and thus call for targeted (preventive) policies and practices (42–44). Interdisciplinary research opportunities The challenges towards a better understanding of the complex and dynamic interplay between the work environment and health provide ample opportunities for rigorous, collaborative quantitative and in-depth qualitative life course research across different research strands. Researchers from different disciplines, such as occupational and environmental medicine, epidemiology, toxicology, health science, sociology, psychology, demography, public (mental) health, and genetics to name a few, should not shy away from the complexity, but embrace the opportunity to use their knowledge and skills to collectively address relevant research questions. Interdisciplinary research opportunities are already present today and will emerge even more in the years to come as more cohorts designed as birth cohorts or multi-generational cohorts mature (eg, LifelinesNext, 45). Researchers have or get access to (national) registers, databases with individual-level internal and external exposure information and neighbourhood-level exposure information or linkages of all these exposure and health data, allowing them to examine the impact of exposures in advanced causal models on later life health. To illustrate the value of and research opportunities with existing data, Ubalde-Lopez and colleagues (46) recently argued that parental work-related data collected in birth cohorts is a valuable yet underutilized resource that could be exploited more fruitfully in the collaboration between birth cohort research, occupational epidemiology and sociology. Having said that, the authors also refer to the possible constraints of eg, cross-national comparative research in terms of technical (ie, harmonization) and ethical challenges (46). In conclusion, to move research on the work environment and health forward, we call for a more integrated, interdisciplinary approach that considers the timing and accumulation of occupational, environmental and social exposures over the life course.