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New CLP guidance for transport of toxic goods

2010-07-30

German chemicals association VCI has issued updated guidance on the classification and labelling (CLP) of dangerous goods transported by roads, rail and inland waterways. The guidance takes into account recent developments in this area. The new guidance focuses on how new classification criteria in the third edition of the UN’s globally harmonised system (GHS) will apply to EU transport regulations for different modes. This latest version has not yet been implemented in Europe.

ENDS Europe Daily, 23 July 2010 http://www.endseuropedaily.com

EFSA lowers ADI on amaranth, completing its re-evaluation of azo dye food colours

2010-07-30

Recently, the European Food Safety Authority’s scientific Panel on additives, the ANS Panel, assessed the safety of the red food colour Amaranth (E123), completing the re-evaluation of all azo dyes authorised for use in the European Union. EFSA’s scientific advice will help to inform decisions of EU risk managers in relation to food additives. Amaranth is a red azo dye colour which can be used to colour foods such as aperitif drinks and fish roe. After reviewing all available toxicological data, the Panel concluded that the colour is not genotoxic (does not damage the genetic material of cells) nor carcinogenic. The Panel set an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)[3] for the substance of 0.15 mg per kg body weight per day, lowering the ADIs previously established in 1984 respectively by the Scientific Committee on Food (0-0.8 mg/kg bw/day) and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (0-0.5 mg/kg bw/day). The Panel notes that while the mean exposure of adults is far below the ADI, adults consuming regularly extremely high amounts of Americano (cocktail of vermouth and red aperitif mixer) and aperitif wine drinks containing the colour at the maximum permitted level might exceed the ADI 6 times. Children’s exposure was estimated to be around 30 times lower than the ADI. The Panel calculated exposure to Amaranth on the basis of the maximum levels of use permitted or reported by industry. In line with the European Commission’s request, EFSA started with the assessment of colours as part of its ongoing re-evaluation of the safety of all food additives authorised for use in the EU. In particular, the European Commission asked EFSA to prioritise the assessment of azo dyes colours following publication of a study (McCann et al in 2007[6] ), suggesting a possible link between certain mixtures of colours(including five azo dyes) and the preservative sodium benzoate and hyperactivity in children.

EFSA, 26 July 2010 http://www.efsa.europa.eu

Car industry urged to use HFC-free refrigerants

2010-07-30

Pro-CO2 refrigerant group BeyondHFCs has criticised a decision by US car maker General Motors to use HFC-1234yf, a HFC refrigerant with a lower climate impact, in mobile air conditioning systems, calling it a “very worrying” move. The group has repeatedly argued that the refrigerant is not safe. General Motors has said it will use it in its Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac models from 2013. In May, German trade body VDA said that it would also be using HFC-1234yf despite an earlier commitment to the CO2-based substance R744. In the EU, the MAC directive requires carmakers to stop using refrigerant HFC-134a from 2011. BeyondHFCs urges the car industry to consider the safety impacts of alternatives such as HFC-1234yf before replacing HFC-134a. Furthermore, a US study has raised environmental concerns over HFC-1234yf.

ENDS Europe Daily, 28 July 2010 http://www.endseuropedaily.com

REACH Update

IUCLID 5.2.2 is now available

2010-08-12

The new version of IUCLID- 5.2.2 is now available and replaces the previous version 5.2.1. The update has resolved the compatibility issue introduced in that version. The installation packages can be downloaded from the IUCLID website: http://iuclid.eu/index.php?fuseaction=home.menuNOTSignedUp&page=home.download52

IUCLD, 9 August 2010 http://iuclid.eu/index.php?fuseaction=home.news&type=public&id=41

European Parliament resolution on Annex XVII restriction draft published

2010-08-12

On 7 May 2009, the European Parliament reached a resolution in relation to a draft Commission regulation on REACH Annex XVII restrictions. This resolution has now been published in the Official Journal. The restrictions cover a number of substances, but mainly relate to asbestos-type materials. For full details go to: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2010:212E:0106:0108:EN:PDF

Chemical Watch, 6 August 2010 http://chemicalwatch.com/news

Industry issues modified guide on exposure assessment

2010-08-12

The European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) has published a modified version of its Practical guide on exposure assessment and communications in the supply chain. In the latest version, developments such as the classification, labelling and packaging (CLP) Regulation, new REACH Annex II requirements for safety data sheets, and updated ECHA guidelines on use descriptors and the exposure scenario format have been taken into account. Furthermore, the content has been structured in four parts, the readability improved and repetitions deleted. The guide, first published in 2009, was jointly prepared by the German Chemical Industry Federation (VCI) and Cefic. For more details go to:

Modification Highlights: http://cefic.be/Files/Publications/REACH-Practical-Guide-on-Exposure-Assessment-and-Communications-in-the-Supply-Chains.pdf

Part I Introduction to CSA: http://cefic.be/Files/Publications/Part-I-Introduction-Chemical-Safety-Assessment.pdf

Part II Exposure assessment and communication: http://cefic.be/Files/Publications/PartII-Exposure-Scenario-and-Communication-in-the-Supply-Chains.pdf

Part III Mixtures: http://cefic.be/Files/Publications/REACH_Practical_Guide_Part_III_Mixtures_FINAL_CEFIC.pdf

Part III case studies: http://www.cefic.org/files/publications/Examples-to-part-3-Case-Studies-Overview.xls

Part IV Exposure estimation: http://cefic.be/Files/Publications/PartIV-Supplement-Exposure-Estimation.pdf

Chemical Watch, 6 August 2010 http://chemicalwatch.com/news

ECHA rules French restriction proposals as admissible

2010-08-12

The French agency for food, environmental and occupational health safety (ANSES) has noted that the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has ruled the country’s proposed restrictions on certain uses of lead and dimethyl fumarate are admissible. The agency is seeking comments on the proposals by 21 September 2010, although the final closing date is 21 December. For further details go to: ANSES statement: http://www.afssa.fr/ and ECHA restrictions under consideration: http://echa.europa.eu/reach/restriction/restrictions_under_consideration_en.asp

Chemical Watch, 4 August 2010 http://chemicalwatch.com/news

Janet’s Corner – Not too seriously!

Three Engineers

There are three engineers in a car; an electrical engineer, a chemical engineer and a Microsoft engineer. Suddenly the car just stops by the side of the road, and the three engineers look at each other wondering what could be wrong. The electrical engineer suggests stripping down the electronics of the car and trying to trace where a fault might have occurred. The chemical engineer, not knowing much about cars, suggests that maybe the fuel is becoming emulsified and getting blocked somewhere. Then, the Microsoft engineer, not knowing much about anything, comes up with a suggestion, Why don`t we close all the windows, get out, get back in, open the windows again, and maybe it will work !?

Please note: articles for Janet’s Corner are not original, and come from various sources. Author’s credits are supplied when available.
Gossip

Living near traffic pollution tied to heart deaths

2010-07-27

According to the results from a recent study, middle-aged and older adults who live near high-traffic roads may have a heightened risk of dying from heart disease -- but the odds seem to go down if they move to a less-travelled neighbourhood. Although according to the researchers, the findings did not prove that traffic pollution is the reason for the excess heart disease deaths. However, they do add to evidence tying vehicle-produced pollutants to the risk of dying from heart problems. In May, the American Heart Association (AHA) released a report stating that recent studies have “substantially strengthened” the evidence that air pollution from traffic, industry and power generation is a risk factor for heart attack, stroke and deaths from cardiovascular causes. The evidence most strongly points to particles known as fine particulate matter, which is produced from burning gasoline and other fossil fuels. The AHA recommends that people with established heart disease and other at-risk individuals -- including the elderly and people with risk factors for heart disease, like diabetes and high blood pressure -- try to limit their exposure to congested roadways and spend less time outside on days when air quality is poorer. During the new study, researcher Wen Qi Gan and colleagues at the University of British Columbia analysed data on more than 450,000 Vancouver-area residents between the ages of 45 and 85. They detected that over nine years, residents who consistently lived within roughly 500 feet of a highway or within 165 feet of a major road were more likely to die of heart disease than those who lived farther from high-traffic roadways. In addition, the researchers discovered “two new twists” to what’s been known about the relationship between traffic and heart disease deaths, explained senior researcher Dr. Michael Brauer, a professor of environmental health at the university. That is, the risk of heart disease death declined among residents who moved away from high-traffic roads during the study period, while it increased among those who moved closer to congested roads. “It’s sort of like what we see with smoking cessation,” Brauer said. “The associated disease risks are lower in former smokers,” compared with persistent smokers. The results are based on 450,283 middle-aged and older adults with no known heart disease at the outset. Approximately 53,000 persistently lived within 500 feet of a highway or 165 feet of a major road over the nine-year study.
In total, 607 -- or just over 1 percent -- died of heart disease during that period; that compared with 0.7 percent of the more than 328,000 people who persistently lived farther from traffic. The researchers were able to account for a number of other factors that could explain any connection between living near major roads and having a higher risk of dying from heart disease -- including residents’ age, neighbourhood income levels and any diagnoses of diabetes or major lung disease. The researchers found that living near a highway or major road was still linked to a 29 percent higher risk of heart disease death, versus living farther away. Among people who either moved away from or closer to a major road, the risk of heart disease death was also somewhat elevated -- but lower when compared with residents who persistently lived near busy roads. In addition, the researchers used air pollution data to show that people living close to highways and major roads would have been exposed to higher levels of particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and other traffic-related pollutants. The findings do not prove that air pollution was the reason for the higher risks. Brauer said that traffic noise, for example, might be involved. Furthermore, the researchers had no information on certain key factors in heart disease risk, including people’s smoking habits and weight. However, a body of research has now linked air pollution exposure to the risk of heart disease death, Brauer pointed out. He also added that the evidence suggests that traffic pollution may be a particular risk. A “big question,” Brauer said, is whether exposure to air pollution is linked to the initial development of heart disease -- or whether its association with heart disease death reflects an effect mainly on people with existing heart problems. Researchers believe that air pollutants may trigger heart attacks, strokes or other cardiovascular “events” in vulnerable people by causing inflammation in the blood vessels and irritating the nerves of the lungs. Brauer suggested that people view traffic pollution as one of the range of factors that may influence their heart disease risk -- which includes exercise and diet habits, smoking and the presence of any health conditions that contribute to heart disease, like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Living near major roads does not mean a person is destined for heart disease. Brauer noted, living in a low-traffic area does not mean a person can slack on following a healthy lifestyle.

Reuters Health, 15 July 2010 http://www.reuters.com/news/health

BADGE, made from BPA, reacts with food

2010-07-27

A new research report has suggested that leftover residues of a compound made from bisphenol A (BPA) for use in food can linings reacts with sugars, proteins and other parts of food to form new molecules. According to the new study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a main component of food can linings forms new chemicals when it reacts with different parts of food. BADGE, which is short for bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, is produced from bisphenol A and is a building block of certain types of resins that coat food and drink cans. Like its parent compound, BADGE has endocrine disrupting properties. The researchers from The Netherlands and Great Britain found that BADGE residue left over from manufacturing of the can coating can react with sugars, proteins and other small molecules – for example ethanol in beer. The findings demonstrate how critical it is to understand the extent of chemical migration from resin linings into the can’s contents and what happens to the compounds once they interact with the food and beverage. This is important because of the implications for food safety. The European Union bases its regulations for how much BADGE can migrate from food primarily on the reaction between BADGE and water. However, according to the findings from the latest study, BADGE-water reaction only accounted for as much as 26 percent of the “disappearing” BADGE the researchers added to samples of canned tuna, apple puree and beer. Some of the remaining BADGE could be detected as BADGE-glucose and BADGE-amino acid reaction products. Even when the additional BADGE products were considered, it was still not possible to account for all of the BADGE added to the food. The researchers believe that BADGE can form products with larger, high-molecular-weight carbohydrates, fibres and proteins that would be difficult to detect directly with the methods they used. This was the case for proteins. When the researcher mixed BADGE with insulin, a large protein, the BADGE was effectively invisible. However, when they broke down the protein into its component parts, then the BADGE products could be detected. Although large molecules like the insulin-BADGE product would probably be too large to be absorbed by the body at first, it is possible that after they break down into smaller molecules in the stomach, then exposure to BADGE would be likely. The BPA-like chemical backbone of BADGE was not changed by reactions with food molecules. During this study, the researchers did not investigate whether the structural similarity of these products to BADGE and BPA might lead to similar harmful effects attributed to BPA or if the BADGE products might be related to levels of BPA that have been detected in most of the U.S. population. For the study, BADGE was added to two types of canned food – tuna in sunflower oil and apple puree – and three drinks – an ale, a stout, and a lager. Spiked and nonspiked controls were recanned, homogenised and then analysed three weeks later using liquid chromatography.

Environmental Health News, 19 July 2010 http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Finds PM and Black Carbon in Air near Gulf Spill

2010-07-27

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists said their data on air quality measurements taken in June in the vicinity of the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill area are consistent with those of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety & Healthy Administration. The new NOAA report provides a summary of the levels of nearly 100 air pollutants measured with sophisticated air sampling instruments onboard a WP-3D research aircraft. During the analysis, the researchers detected common air pollutants including ozone, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide, in amounts typical of urban areas in U.S. cities. However, 15 to 70 kilometres downwind from the oil spill, concentrations of certain hydrocarbons were much higher than found in typical polluted air. Particulate matter downwind of the oil slick was comparable to concentrations in moderately polluted urban air, but the particles were almost entirely organic material, as opposed to those typically found in urban particulate matter. In addition, the researchers measured large amounts of black carbon in smoke from a controlled burn of crude oil on the water. “Data from the NOAA flights are providing an important detailed and independent set of air quality data to assess air quality risks of workers at sea and the public ashore,” said A. R. Ravishankara, director of the Chemical Sciences Division of NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory, who led the study. NOAA scientists measured the air pollutants in four areas, including in the immediate vicinity of the spill, downwind from the spill, and along the Mississippi, Alabama and Florida coastlines. In addition, they measured “background” air in an area far from the spill to serve as a control sample. In analysing the levels of the pollutants, scientists compared them to typical concentrations of a polluted U.S. urban area. The near-shore measurements, 30 to 40 kilometres from shore, demonstrated pollution concentrations generally lower than those typically found in urban areas. The background air was relatively free of pollution from the oil spill. The report offers a highly detailed snapshot of the concentrations of hydrocarbons and other organic chemicals, particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, peroxyacetyl nitrate and a host of other air pollutants in the Gulf in early June. Measurements were taken from as low as 60 meters above sea level and up to 1,000 meters above sea level, with most flight tracks being about 150 meters above the Gulf.

Environmental Protection News, 22 July 2010 http://www.eponline.com

Flame retardants in house dust match residents’ blood levels

2010-07-27

A new study has reported that people living in houses with higher levels of flame retardant chemicals in the dust have themselves higher levels of the chemicals in their blood. This finding implicates dust as a major exposure source for the compounds. The mystery of why some people have higher levels of certain flame retardants in their bodies than others may hinge on simple house dust, according to the new study by a team of U.S. researchers. Previous research indicates that dust and food are major sources of exposure to PBDE chemicals yet questions remained regarding the importance of dust as a source. In the new study, the role of dust is clarified because it is the first research to compare levels of flame retardants in house dust with levels in the people who live in the same house. The researchers report that while some foods do harbour PBDEs, eating and breathing dust seems to be the main source of exposure in the United States. Dust, then, may provide an easy and accurate way to predict exposures in the people who live in the home, the researchers explain. This is in contrast to some European countries. PBDE levels are remarkably lower in dust samples collected in Europe compared to the United States, possibly because many PBDEs were banned there years ago. For example, in Belgium and Germany, no associations are found between PBDE levels in dust and in people’s blood. Furthermore, levels vary across the United States. The highest levels of PBDEs are measured in Californians. The state has the strictest fire safety standards in the nation, and therefore, flame retardant use is high. Many consumer products contain PBDEs. During fires, the chemicals slow down burning of the electronics, carpeting, textiles, mattresses and upholstered foam furniture that contain them.
In the United States, several PBDEs have been phased out of use because of concerns for the toxic and hormonal effects of these chemicals. However, older products such as carpets and furniture that contain these types continue to release them as they age. In addition, products with these chemicals can still be imported and sold. In rodents, certain PBDEs can affect brain development and thyroid hormone levels as well as having endocrine disruptor activities. That is, they can act like or prevent the normal action of hormones in those animals. Additional studies in humans suggest that higher levels of some PBDEs in the body can lead to altered hormone levels. During the new study, the researchers collected used vacuum cleaner bags from 50 households in Massachusetts and examined the contents for the presence of over 30 PBDEs. At the same time, blood samples from 12 adult couples were collected and tested for several of the PBDE types found in the majority of the house dust samples. The levels and types measured show that PBDEs are a large component of indoor dust. Total PBDE concentrations averaged 4,742 nanograms per gram (ng/g) and ranged from 980 to 44,546 ng/g. Of those measured, six were not detected in any house, three were found in a small number of houses – less than 30 percent – and the rest were found in the majority of the dust samples. Thirteen PBDEs were detected in every house sampled. Three of those – BDE 47, 99 and 100 – had related levels in dust and in blood. That is, houses with high levels of these chemicals in dust samples were likely to have occupants with high levels of the chemicals in their blood. Gender had a similar strong association; men with high levels in their blood were likely to live with women who also had high levels in their blood.

Environmental Health News, 23 July 2010 http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/

Heart risk factors less common in fish lovers

2010-07-27

The results from a new study have suggested that middle-aged and older men who eat fish every day are less likely than infrequent fish eaters to develop a collection of risk factors for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. At this stage it is unclear whether it is the fishy diet itself that is contributing to the health benefits. But, the researchers say, the results are in line with studies showing that omega-3 fatty acids -- found most abundantly in oily fish like salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna -- may have heart benefits. Clinical trials have demonstrated that omega-3s can lower triglycerides (a type of blood fat), and a prescription medication containing the fats -- sold as Lovaza -- is sometimes used to treat very high triglyceride levels. In addition, the researchers have suggested that fish oil supplements can help lower blood pressure and may reduce the risk of death among people with established heart disease, according to the National Institutes of Health. During the new study, of 3,500 Korean adults ages 40 to 69, the researchers found that men who had a serving of fish each day were 57 percent less likely than those who dined on fish less than once per week to develop metabolic syndrome over three years. Metabolic syndrome refers to a collection of risk factors for diabetes, heart disease and stroke -- including abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides. The syndrome is typically diagnosed when a person has three or more of those traits, and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a major study, found that it can double the risk of heart attack and stroke. Previous studies have detected an association between higher fish intake and a lower risk of some individual components of metabolic syndrome. However, the current study is the first to demonstrate an association with the collection of risk factors, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Inkyung Baik of Kookmin University in Seoul. The researchers found that of 232 men who said they ate fish every day at the study’s outset, 29 -- or about 12 percent -- developed metabolic syndrome over the next three years. Of the 190 men who said they ate fish less than weekly, 16 percent developed metabolic syndrome. When Baik’s team considered other factors -- including the men’s income and education, body weight and lifestyle habits such as smoking and exercise -- daily fish consumption was linked to a 57 percent lower risk of metabolic syndrome versus less-than-weekly consumption. However, there was no such association seen among women. The reason for the gender discrepancy is not clear.
The researchers speculate that, as a group, women may not have gotten enough omega-3 fatty acids from fish to show a reduction in the risk of metabolic syndrome. Men in the top 10 percent for omega-3 intake from fish typically got 786 milligrams (mg) per day, while their female counterparts got 563 mg. In addition, men in that top omega-3 group showed a lower risk of metabolic syndrome than those in the bottom 10 percent -- which, according to Baik’s team, supports the theory that it is the fats that explain the connection between fish and the risk of metabolic syndrome. However, this type of study cannot by itself prove cause-and-effect. “Our findings need to be confirmed by other investigators,” Dr. Chol Shin, one of the researchers on the study and a professor at Korea University Ansan Hospital, said. And in general, it is not yet clear what the optimal daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids might be, Shin noted. In the U.S., there is no recommended daily allowance set for EPA and DHA, the two major omega-3 fatty acids, writes registered dietitian Gretchen K. Vannice, in an editorial published with the study. However, she adds, the American Dietetic Association and other groups have suggested a daily allowance of anywhere from 250 to 500 mg of EPA and DHA, based on the overall body of research into omega-3s and heart health. Two servings of fatty fish per week would be enough to achieve those levels, Vannice notes. Furthermore, that fits in with the current advice from the American Heart Association that adults strive to eat two servings of fish, preferably fatty varieties, each week. However, even if eating fish regularly does help reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome or its components, it would be only one of many factors involved. A healthy weight, not smoking, regular exercise, and a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, high-fibre foods and “good” unsaturated fats are all considered important.

Reuters Health, 20 July 2010 http://www.reuters.com