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Purpose: To assess changes in oxidative DNA damage and lung function amongst a group of foundry workers resulting from an engineering intervention to reduce air respirable dust in their working environment. Methods: We studied all 22 workers recruited from a typical small Taiwanese iron foundry plant before and 3 months after improvements to air exhaust control. The effectiveness of the air exhaust intervention in reducing respirable dust and SiO was determined by personal breathing-zone air sampling. Initial baseline biomarker measurements were taken of lung function and urinary 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in all of the workers, with follow-up measurements taken 3 months after the engineering control was put in place. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess the effect of the intervention on lung function and oxidative DNA damage. Results: Following the intervention, respirable dust density decreased from 2.87 ± 1.38 mg/m to 1.60 ± 0.70 mg/m ( p = 0.07), and SiO concentration decreased from 0.43 ± 0.25 mg/m to 0.18 ± 0.11 mg/m ( p < 0.05). Compared to initial baseline, significant improvements were found in lung function (FVC, FEV1, FVC%pred and FEV1%pred) amongst the workers after the engineering intervention. A significant increase in concentration of urinary 8-OHdG was observed after the engineering intervention in smokers, but not in non-smokers. Conclusions: These findings indicate that reductions in workplace respirable dust and SiO concentration can result in improved lung function amongst foundry workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Professional bus drivers are exposed to environments containing air pollution and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can induce cellular oxidative stress and DNA damage. This study investigated environmental factors associated with oxidative DNA damage in a cohort of long-distance bus drivers. In a comparison study, urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of DNA oxidative damage, was examined in 120 male long-distance bus drivers and 58 male office workers in Taiwan. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze association between urinary 8-OHdG levels and environmental factors. Bus drivers had higher urinary 8-OHdG levels (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=9.4, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.5–28.2) compared with office workers. Increased urinary 8-OHdG level was significantly related to cigarette smoking (aOR=18.0, 95% CI=7.1–52.1), consumption of energy drinks (aOR=5.0, 95% CI=2.1–12.6), and regular exercise (aOR=3.8, 95% CI=1.5–10.2). A strong exposure–response relationship was found between urinary 8-OHdG and urinary cotinine (p <0.0001). Among nonsmokers, bus drivers (aOR=3.9, 95% CI=1.0–17.7) had higher urinary 8-OHdG than office workers. Among both bus drivers and office workers, those who drank energy drinks (aOR=3.7, 95% CI=1.2–12.2) had higher 8-OHdG levels than those who did not drink energy drinks. Adjusted for smoking, levels of 8-OHdG were increased in long-distance bus drivers exposed to traffic exhaust and ingested energy drinks. Future studies should explore what aspects of energy drinks may contribute to increased urinary 8-OHdG. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Acrylamide is present in mainstream cigarette smoke and in some foods prepared at high temperatures. Animal studies have shown that acrylamide exposure increases oxidative stress; however, it is not known if this also occurs in humans. We recruited 800 subjects (mean age, 21.3 years, range, 12-30 years) from a population-based sample of Taiwanese adolescents and young adults to determine if urinary levels of the acrylamide metabolite N-acetyl-S-(propionamide)-cysteine (AAMA) and the oxidative stress product 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) are associated. The mean (SD) AAMA and 8-OHdG were 76.54 (76.42)μg/L and 3.48 (2.37)μg/L, respectively. In linear regression analyses, a 1-unit increase in natural log AAMA was significantly associated with an increase in natural log 8-OHdG (μg/g creatinine) (β=0.044, SE=0.019, P=0.020) after controlling for covariates. Subpopulation analyses showed AAMA and 8-OHdG were significantly associated with males, adolescents, non-current smokers, without alcohol consumption, subjects, body mass index ≥ 24, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance score ≥ 0.9. In conclusion, higher urinary AAMA concentrations were associated with increased levels of urinary 8-OHdG in this cohort. Further studies are warranted to determine if there is a causal relationship between acrylamide exposure and oxidative stress., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)