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A recent report from Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi in Florence, Italy discusses the identification of bufotoxin intoxication in a child who ingested toad eggs. Bufadienolide poisoning is rare in humans in Central Europe, making identification difficult. The researchers used liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to identify the toxin, and concluded that this method could be applied to other poisoning cases. This study highlights the importance of identifying toxins of animal origin in cases of poisoning. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted at Careggi University Hospital in Florence, Italy, examined the impact of formaldehyde (FA) in anatomical pathology laboratories. The study found that short-term exposure to peak concentrations of FA is of high concern, even though the 8-hour Time Weight Average (TWA) occupational limit was not exceeded. The researchers recommend using a 15-minute peak exposure assessment in addition to the 8-hour TWA metric to better manage the risk. They suggest an Action Value of 23.1 g/m3 for FA, above which the 15-minute measurements are strongly recommended. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Florence in Italy has developed a fast and automated method for evaluating the urinary levels of cyclophosphamide and iphosphamide, which are commonly used in antineoplastic drug therapy. The method involves a miniaturized solid phase extraction (SPE) followed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis. The researchers successfully applied this method to urine samples from compounding wards in four Italian hospitals, detecting contaminations ranging from 27 to 182 pg/mL. This research highlights the importance of monitoring and minimizing the occupational exposure to these mutagenic drugs in healthcare settings. [Extracted from the article]

A recent study conducted at Careggi University Hospital in Florence, Italy, examined the impact of formaldehyde (FA) exposure in anatomical pathology laboratories. Formaldehyde is commonly used as a tissue preservative and has been linked to cancer. The study found that pathologists and technicians in the laboratory were exposed to levels of formaldehyde below the EU occupational exposure limit. However, the study also revealed that the risk assessment for both carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic effects of formaldehyde exposure was higher than observed in similar scenarios. This research highlights the need for careful occupational exposure assessment and risk evaluation in order to protect the health of workers in the healthcare field. [Extracted from the article]