Humans are exposed to environmental pollutants including metals and industrial chemicals from conception until the last days of life. Metals, atmospheric pollutants, and industrial chemicals are considered to be hazardous for human health and exposure to them is an issue of paramount importance. The research presented in the current Ph.D. thesis navigates through different stages of risk assessment by making use of state-of-the-art methodologies in order to strengthen the current research and act as a springboard for the establishment of new policy initiatives by European and International Health Organizations. Exposure of different population groups to metals and industrial chemicals has been the center of interest of this research study, including arc welding workers, pregnant women, infants, teenagers, and adults across Europe and in a small town in the Russian Federation. Advanced in silico toxicology methods were used for the implementation of hazard and risk assessment. Furthermore, the current research took a step forward by proposing new technologies for pollution remediation in urban environments, heavily burdened by atmospheric pollutants, with the development of a novel bioclimatic product in the form of a “green”, eco-friendly roof tile, with enhanced photocatalytic performance. In the first case study, a cement production industrial plant with high emissions of particulate matter, located in a town in the Russian Federation, was selected due to the reported high emissions of the plant all over the town and the increased morbidity rates of the general population. In the second case study, a workspace where arc welding operations are being held was selected for the evaluation of the exposure of welders to welding fume particles. The results of these case studies stressed the need for the control and mitigation of the risks posed to human health by arc welding procedures. The third study aimed at comprehensive risk characterization of Arsenic for countries across Europe, supported by an integrated exposure modeling framework, in order to build toxicokinetic models, based on the human model and estimate exposure via exposure reconstruction. The study revealed that Margin of Exposure (MoE) levels vary among age groups and countries. Among the outcomes of this study, particular emphasis should be given to the importance of considering geographical and demographic factors when assessing arsenic exposure and its health implications in Europe. The aim of the fourth study was the investigation of the impact of perinatal exposure to metals on child neurodevelopment, with the application of a combination of in silico and biostatistical methods for the evaluation of heavy metal prenatal and postnatal exposure. Results revealed the importance of several factors beyond diet, including the proximity to the pollution sources and the broader living environment, including socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Investigation of human exposure to industrial chemicals was also a focus area of this Ph.D. thesis which was based on the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) concept which constitutes a state-of-the-art methodology used towards the facilitation of the rapid hazard assessment for human health risks. Identification of biological areas and gaps within the AOP-Wiki for future research needs was conducted by mapping the biological knowledge and diseases described by the existing AOPs. The outcomes of this study can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the adverse effects associated with the molecular events in AOPs, and aid in refining risk assessment for stressors and mitigation strategies. The current research took a step forward aiming to give solutions to the heavily burdened by atmospheric pollutants in urban environments, by proposing new technologies for pollution remediation. A new bioclimatic product proved to be ideal for the enhancement of human health protection and the mitigation of air pollution.
Gli esseri umani sono esposti agli inquinanti ambientali, compresi i metalli e le sostanze chimiche industriali, dal concepimento fino agli ultimi giorni di vita. I metalli, gli inquinanti atmosferici e le sostanze chimiche industriali sono considerati pericolosi per la salute umana e l'esposizione ad essi è un problema di primaria importanza. La ricerca presentata nella presente tesi di dottorato attraversa le diverse fasi della valutazione del rischio facendo uso di metodologie all'avanguardia, al fine di rafforzare la ricerca attuale e fungere da trampolino di lancio per la definizione di nuove iniziative politiche da parte delle organizzazioni sanitarie europee e internazionali. L'esposizione di diversi gruppi di popolazione ai metalli e alle sostanze chimiche industriali è stata al centro dell'interesse di questo studio di ricerca, che ha incluso lavoratori della saldatura ad arco, donne in gravidanza, neonati, adolescenti e adulti in Europa e in una piccola città della Federazione Russa. Tra i risultati di questo studio, va sottolineata l'importanza di considerare i fattori geografici e demografici nella valutazione dell'esposizione all'arsenico e delle sue implicazioni per la salute in Europa. Lo scopo del quarto studio è stato quello di indagare l'impatto dell'esposizione perinatale ai metalli sul neurosviluppo infantile, con l'applicazione di una combinazione di metodi in silico e biostatistici per la valutazione dell'esposizione prenatale e postnatale ai metalli pesanti. I risultati hanno rivelato l'importanza di diversi fattori oltre alla dieta, tra cui la vicinanza alle fonti di inquinamento e l'ambiente di vita in generale, comprese le caratteristiche socioeconomiche e demografiche. L'indagine sull'esposizione umana alle sostanze chimiche industriali è stata anche un'area di interesse di questa tesi di dottorato, basata sul concetto di Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP), che costituisce una metodologia all'avanguardia utilizzata per facilitare la valutazione rapida dei rischi per la salute umana. L'identificazione delle aree biologiche e delle lacune all'interno dell'AOP-Wiki per le future esigenze di ricerca è stata condotta attraverso la mappatura delle conoscenze biologiche e delle malattie descritte dagli AOP esistenti. I risultati di questo studio possono contribuire a una comprensione più completa degli effetti avversi associati agli eventi molecolari nelle AOP e aiutare a perfezionare la valutazione del rischio per i fattori di stress e le strategie di mitigazione. La ricerca in corso ha compiuto un passo avanti con l'obiettivo di fornire soluzioni alle popolazioni fortemente gravate dagli inquinanti atmosferici negli ambienti urbani, proponendo nuove tecnologie per la bonifica dell'inquinamento. Un nuovo prodotto bioclimatico si è rivelato ideale per migliorare la protezione della salute umana e mitigare l'inquinamento atmosferico.
Un approccio olistico alla valutazione della sicurezza chimica e all'innovazione in materia di disinquinamento sostenibile / Stratidakis, Antonios. - (2024 May 23).
Un approccio olistico alla valutazione della sicurezza chimica e all'innovazione in materia di disinquinamento sostenibile
STRATIDAKIS, ANTONIOS
2024-05-23
Abstract
Humans are exposed to environmental pollutants including metals and industrial chemicals from conception until the last days of life. Metals, atmospheric pollutants, and industrial chemicals are considered to be hazardous for human health and exposure to them is an issue of paramount importance. The research presented in the current Ph.D. thesis navigates through different stages of risk assessment by making use of state-of-the-art methodologies in order to strengthen the current research and act as a springboard for the establishment of new policy initiatives by European and International Health Organizations. Exposure of different population groups to metals and industrial chemicals has been the center of interest of this research study, including arc welding workers, pregnant women, infants, teenagers, and adults across Europe and in a small town in the Russian Federation. Advanced in silico toxicology methods were used for the implementation of hazard and risk assessment. Furthermore, the current research took a step forward by proposing new technologies for pollution remediation in urban environments, heavily burdened by atmospheric pollutants, with the development of a novel bioclimatic product in the form of a “green”, eco-friendly roof tile, with enhanced photocatalytic performance. In the first case study, a cement production industrial plant with high emissions of particulate matter, located in a town in the Russian Federation, was selected due to the reported high emissions of the plant all over the town and the increased morbidity rates of the general population. In the second case study, a workspace where arc welding operations are being held was selected for the evaluation of the exposure of welders to welding fume particles. The results of these case studies stressed the need for the control and mitigation of the risks posed to human health by arc welding procedures. The third study aimed at comprehensive risk characterization of Arsenic for countries across Europe, supported by an integrated exposure modeling framework, in order to build toxicokinetic models, based on the human model and estimate exposure via exposure reconstruction. The study revealed that Margin of Exposure (MoE) levels vary among age groups and countries. Among the outcomes of this study, particular emphasis should be given to the importance of considering geographical and demographic factors when assessing arsenic exposure and its health implications in Europe. The aim of the fourth study was the investigation of the impact of perinatal exposure to metals on child neurodevelopment, with the application of a combination of in silico and biostatistical methods for the evaluation of heavy metal prenatal and postnatal exposure. Results revealed the importance of several factors beyond diet, including the proximity to the pollution sources and the broader living environment, including socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Investigation of human exposure to industrial chemicals was also a focus area of this Ph.D. thesis which was based on the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) concept which constitutes a state-of-the-art methodology used towards the facilitation of the rapid hazard assessment for human health risks. Identification of biological areas and gaps within the AOP-Wiki for future research needs was conducted by mapping the biological knowledge and diseases described by the existing AOPs. The outcomes of this study can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the adverse effects associated with the molecular events in AOPs, and aid in refining risk assessment for stressors and mitigation strategies. The current research took a step forward aiming to give solutions to the heavily burdened by atmospheric pollutants in urban environments, by proposing new technologies for pollution remediation. A new bioclimatic product proved to be ideal for the enhancement of human health protection and the mitigation of air pollution.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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