engleski

Laboratory services of the Institute for Medical Research ans Occupational Health for assessing contamination of the biosphere due to chemical accidents or eco-terrorism

The main research activity of the Institute (since its foundation in the year 1948) is to study adverse effects of chemical and physical agents upon human health. Specific methods and techniques have therefore been developed to detect a given compound in biological and environmental specimens. The same methods have been applied (in war- and peace-time) to detect contamination of the biosphere due to chemical accident or eco-terrorism. Inhibition of blood cholinesterases in humans is measured to assess absorption of organophosphates (OP) and carbamates. Contamination of drinking water by OP and carbamates is detected by a field method based on inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase. The shelf-life of indicator tubes for detection of OP in the air is tested. Acute toxicity of cholinesterase inhibitors, and of unknown suspected contaminats, is tested on standardized experimental animals (mice and rats). Gas-chormatographic and mass-spectrometric methods are applied to detect the distribution of pesticides (organochlorine, triazine and OP) and related compounds (chlorophenols, PCB, PCDD and PCDF) in the environment (water, air, soil and leaves) and in humans (blood, urine and milk). Atomic absoption spectrometric methods are applied to monitor the presence of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg and As) in environmental and biological speciments. Monitoring of ambient and indoor air is performed to assess human exposure to selected contaminants (PAH, SO2, NO2, particulate matter and its heavy metal contents).

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