MONITORING OF HEALTH CONDITION PARAMETERS ON THE HUMAN ORGANISM BY ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS J. ONDREJKA, I. KAJABA, J. UHNAK and V. SIGMUNDOVA National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
1. Introduction The aim of this project, by monitoring of the indicators given of exposure to humans and the degree of pollution of the environment, is to compile first, the data obtained and second, information about the real exposure of inhabitants from their surrounding environment (Ondrejka et aL, 1992). On the basis of the information received the proposals for prevention measures are prepared and presented in a form scientifically approved for the forming of health economic and ecological strategies in order to protect and support the health of the inhabitants. The data obtained from the monitoring will at the same time be used to determine the degree of human exposure to foreign substancies (WHO, 1983). The basis of monitoring will be a complex observation of quality versus amount of risk to the environment health condition parmeters/demographical, statistical, clinical, biochemical, physical and other indicators including the prevalence of some diseases of mass occurrence which are at the same time indicators of the exposure of the human organism to stress, and the subsequent reaction, which determines the degree and prediction of any further development (Kajaba, 1989; Rosival et al., 1971). The monitoring program consists of the following three components: 1.1. BIOLOGICALMONITORING The basic biological monitoring indicators of the exposure of inhabitants to the environmental factors are those recommended by WHO (1983) and are reproduced in Table I. 1.2. EVALUATIONOF HEALTHCONDITIONS(ROSIVALAND ZIKMUND, 1992) These are as follows: • demographic data about the population assorted according to age and sex; • mortality and morbidity data; Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 34:115-119, 1995. (~) 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.
116
ONDREJKAET AL. TABLE I Selected load factors on the human in biological samples (WHO, 1983). Pollutant Biological material Lipid tissue Blood Bone Brain Hair Nails Kidneys Liver Placenta Teeth Umbilicial blood Urine
As Cd Cr F Pb Hg Ni A1 Nitrate
Polychlo- Polynuclear rinated aromatic biphenyls hydrocarbons +
+ 0
+
+ 0 + +
+
+ 0 0
+ +
+ + + +
0
+
+
+
+
+ + + + + + +
+
0 + +
+
+
+
+
+ Harmful substances and samples for which biological monitoring could be used. 0 biological monitoring has not, up to now, been recommended.
• screening examination data concerning biological factors, e.g. s o m a t o m e t r i c and clinical examination, b i o c h e m i c a l analyses and factors affecting lifestyle, e.g. nutrition, sports activity, smoking, drinking; • others. 1.3. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING T h e following observations are put forward for evaluating the influence to the e n v i r o n m e n t on h u m a n exposure (Bencko et al., 1984) • A s s e s s m e n t of the e c o s y s t e m by environmental monitoring and m e d i c o geographical methods which will be available f r o m geographic information systems. • To note the h u m a n reactivity within a given exposure location, taking into account the environmental contaminants present and health status o f the group. Thus the presence of foreign substances/heavy metals, organic-toxic substances in the biological material m a y be suggestive o f the risk factors associated with present-day illnesses such as n o n - c o m m u n i c a b l e diseases, e.g. as i m m u n o l o g i c a l reactivity and general level of health.
117
MONITORING OF HEALTH CONDITION PARAMETERS
S
\,=.:.
J i~,_L,~-~
1. Introduction The aim of this project, by monitoring of the indicators given of exposure to humans and the degree of pollution of the environment, is to compile first, the data obtained and second, information about the real exposure of inhabitants from their surrounding environment (Ondrejka et aL, 1992). On the basis of the information received the proposals for prevention measures are prepared and presented in a form scientifically approved for the forming of health economic and ecological strategies in order to protect and support the health of the inhabitants. The data obtained from the monitoring will at the same time be used to determine the degree of human exposure to foreign substancies (WHO, 1983). The basis of monitoring will be a complex observation of quality versus amount of risk to the environment health condition parmeters/demographical, statistical, clinical, biochemical, physical and other indicators including the prevalence of some diseases of mass occurrence which are at the same time indicators of the exposure of the human organism to stress, and the subsequent reaction, which determines the degree and prediction of any further development (Kajaba, 1989; Rosival et al., 1971). The monitoring program consists of the following three components: 1.1. BIOLOGICALMONITORING The basic biological monitoring indicators of the exposure of inhabitants to the environmental factors are those recommended by WHO (1983) and are reproduced in Table I. 1.2. EVALUATIONOF HEALTHCONDITIONS(ROSIVALAND ZIKMUND, 1992) These are as follows: • demographic data about the population assorted according to age and sex; • mortality and morbidity data; Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 34:115-119, 1995. (~) 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.
116
ONDREJKAET AL. TABLE I Selected load factors on the human in biological samples (WHO, 1983). Pollutant Biological material Lipid tissue Blood Bone Brain Hair Nails Kidneys Liver Placenta Teeth Umbilicial blood Urine
As Cd Cr F Pb Hg Ni A1 Nitrate
Polychlo- Polynuclear rinated aromatic biphenyls hydrocarbons +
+ 0
+
+ 0 + +
+
+ 0 0
+ +
+ + + +
0
+
+
+
+
+ + + + + + +
+
0 + +
+
+
+
+
+ Harmful substances and samples for which biological monitoring could be used. 0 biological monitoring has not, up to now, been recommended.
• screening examination data concerning biological factors, e.g. s o m a t o m e t r i c and clinical examination, b i o c h e m i c a l analyses and factors affecting lifestyle, e.g. nutrition, sports activity, smoking, drinking; • others. 1.3. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING T h e following observations are put forward for evaluating the influence to the e n v i r o n m e n t on h u m a n exposure (Bencko et al., 1984) • A s s e s s m e n t of the e c o s y s t e m by environmental monitoring and m e d i c o geographical methods which will be available f r o m geographic information systems. • To note the h u m a n reactivity within a given exposure location, taking into account the environmental contaminants present and health status o f the group. Thus the presence of foreign substances/heavy metals, organic-toxic substances in the biological material m a y be suggestive o f the risk factors associated with present-day illnesses such as n o n - c o m m u n i c a b l e diseases, e.g. as i m m u n o l o g i c a l reactivity and general level of health.
117
MONITORING OF HEALTH CONDITION PARAMETERS
S
\,=.:.
J i~,_L,~-~
