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The study determined concentrations of and estimated human exposure to house dust-ingested phthalates from 99 homes in Bangkok, Thailand. Phthalates in dust collected using a handheld vacuum cleaner was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry revealing a median content of 3,477 µg g -1 , range 753-13,810 µg g -1 , with di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP) having the highest level (median = 1,739 µg g -1 , range 467-8,172 µg g -1 ) followed by di-iso-nonyl phthalate (DiNP) (median = 611 µg g -1 , range 15.2-11,052 µg g -1 ). DEHP in house dust from multi-family apartments with polyvinyl (PVC) floor material ( n  = 34), multi-family apartments without PVC floor material ( n  = 55) and single family houses without PVC floor material ( n  = 10) was median and range 3,009 and 568-6,898; 1,479 and range 467-8,172 and 1,207 µg g -1 and 611-3518 µg g -1 , respectively. At high-end house dust DEHP level, preschool children in all three types of homes were exposed above US Environment Protection Agency reference dose (20 µg g -1 ). The results suggest phthalate-containing house products constitute a likely major source of phthalates in indoor home environment and pose a potential health risk to residents, particularly preschool children, in Bangkok.

Background: Regular physical exercise may improve a variety of physiological and psychological factors in depressive persons. However, there is little experimental evidence to support this assumption for adolescent populations. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effect of physical exercise on depressive state, the excretions of stress hormones and physiological fitness variables in adolescent females with depressive symptoms., Methods: Forty-nine female volunteers (aged 18-20 years; mean 18.8 +/- 0.7 years) with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms, as measured by the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale, were randomly assigned to either an exercise regimen or usual daily activities for 8 weeks. The subjects were then crossed over to the alternate regimen for an additional 8-week period. The exercise program consisted of five 50-min sessions per week of a group jogging training at a mild intensity. The variables measured were CES-D rating scale, urinary cortisol and epinephrine levels, and cardiorespiratory factors at rest and during exercise endurance test., Results: After the sessions of exercise the CES-D total depressive score showed a significant decrease, whereas no effect was observed after the period of usual daily activities (ANOVA). Twenty-four hour excretions of cortisol and epinephrine in urine were reduced due to the exercise regimen. The training group had a significantly reduced resting heart rate and increased peak oxygen uptake and lung capacity., Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that a group jogging exercise may be effective in improving depressive state, hormonal response to stress and physiological fitness of adolescent females with depressive symptoms.

We provided occupational health education as training to all workers (N=31) and managers, and collaborated with them against reducing the risk of lead poisoning of workers at an assembly section in a battery manufacturing plant in Bangkok, Thailand in 2002. After occupational health education, many workers (80.6-100.0%) noticed and understood the toxicity of lead and the importance of protection against it. Many workers regularly wore long sleeved shirt and trousers, and used the appropriate mask all day long. They changed the attitude toward their work and improved personal hygiene, for example no smoking in the workplace, washing their hands by a detergent before drinking water or having lunch, and taking a bath after the work. They especially took off working clothes at an office outside the workplace and washed them everyday. The average blood lead level of the workers significantly (P=0.002) reduced from 32.7 microg/dl to 22.4 microg/dl, although airborne lead level in the workplace remained unchanged with before conditions. From these results occupational health education and collaboration between workers and managers were effective tools to reduce the risk of lead poisoning of workers in a battery manufacturing plant.

This study was conducted in a battery manufacturing plant where lead was used in the processes of production, to survey the working conditions and safety behaviors, and to measure the airborne lead level contaminated in the workplace and the blood lead level of workers. The survey of working conditions showed that the workers were directly exposed to lead in sections e.g. grid casting, spreading, forming and polishing, assembly and special battery production sections. Some workers in these sections used a cotton mask to protect dust exposure, but most workers did not use any masks. High airborne lead level more than 0.2 mg/m3 was frequently measured in these sections. Geometric average of blood lead level slightly increased from 17.9 microg/dl to 22.3 microg/dl during 1998 and 2001. However, the geometric average of blood lead level dropped to 17.4 microg/dl in 2002. No workers had blood lead level above 60 microg/dl. Workers with different age groups had no significantly different average blood lead level. Workers whose duration of work was between 20-29 years had average blood lead level of 21.5 microg/dl. This group of workers had slightly higher blood lead level than those whose duration of work was 19 years or less, but with no significant difference. 21 subjects underwent annual health examination and exposure monitoring in 2002. There was no significant relation between airborne lead level and blood lead level.