Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if exposure to volatile organic compounds can lead to DNA damage and impaired DNA repair capacity. Nail cosmetics is a fast growing industry around the world where employees and clients are subjected to various chemical substances which may be harmful to their health: such as formaldehyde, toluene, acetone, xylene, ethylmethacrylate, methylmethacrylate and n–buthyl acetate. These chemicals have the potential to be harmful to their health and exposure to these chemicals should be actively controlled. Formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen by the IARC, whereas, toluene and xylene are group three carcinogens, classified in 1999 (not classified as carcinogenic to humans), and various studies have linked DNA damage and impaired DNA repair to the above mentioned substances. Methods: Fifteen nail technicians were monitored by means of personal air sampling, measuring formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, acetone and ethylmethacrylate exposure. Fifteen unexposed subjects were chosen and matched for age and smoking habits with the exposed group. Heparinised blood samples were obtained from each test subject with which the Comet Assay was performed on lymphocytes to determine DNA damage and repair ability. Results: Exposure to ethylmethacrylates and methylmethacrylates leads to DNA damage. Methylmethacrylate causes DNA damage by specifically targeting pyrimidine (fpg) bases. N–buthyl acetate, xylene and acetone exposure impaired DNA repair capacity. The exposed group showed signs of Class III and Class IV DNA damage, whereas the control group had little Class III damage and no indication of Class IV damage. The overall DNA repair ability of the nail technicians was slightly impaired when compared to that of the control group, which is in concurrence with previous studies. Smoking habits and age did not show significant influences on the level of DNA damage and repair when compared with the control group. Conclusion: Exposure to volatile organic compounds such as ethylmethacryale and methylmethacrylate may lead to DNA damage and altered DNA repair in some individuals, although further studies are recommended. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Occupational Hygiene))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Στη παρούσα διατριβή μελετούμε την αλληλεπίδραση ατόμων αλκαλίων (νατρίου-Na και καλίου-K) με σύμφωνη πηγή ακτινοβολίας (laser). Συγκεκριμένα παρουσιάζουμε: i) Την επίδραση της καταστρεπτικής κβαντικής συμβολής (destructive quantum interference), η οποία εμφανίζεται στη διαδρομή-1, του ατομικού K υπό nsec διφωτονική διέγερση. Η καταστρεπτική κβαντική συμβολή οδηγεί στη γραμμική απόκριση των εσωτερικά παραγόμενων εντάσεων των ακτινοβολιών στις μεταβάσεις των παραγόμενων πεδίων της διαδρομής-1. Το φαινόμενο αυτό μελετάται για διάφορες τιμές των παραμέτρων: της μέγιστης έντασης της διεγείρουσας ακτινοβολίας του laser, του διφωτονικού αποσυντονισμού, της ατομικής πυκνότητας και του μήκους διάδοσης των ακτινοβολιών, όταν οι δύο από τις τρείς αυτές παραμέτρους παραμένουν σταθερές. Επίσης, μελετούμε τις προυποθέσεις του κορεσμού της διαδρομής-1 για ισχυρότερη ένταση του εξωτερικού πεδίου laser και κατόπιν δείχνουμε ότι η διαδρομή-2, εμφανίζεται, έχοντας πρώτα κορεσθεί η διαδρομή-1, στις μικρές ατομικές πυκνότητες. Επιπρόσθετα, παρουσιάζουμε τις προυποθέσεις επαγωγής ενός είδους ατομικής μνήμης (optical free induction memory) όταν ο παλμός laser υποστεί απότομη πτώση στο μέγιστο του (truncated pulse). ii) Τις συνθήκες εκείνες οι οποίες ευθύνονται για την εμφάνιση αξονικής ή/και κωνικής εκπομπής της διαδρομής-1, και διαδρομής-2, αντίστοιχα, για διάφορες ατομικές πυκνότητες, υπό fsec διφωτονική διέγερση του ατομικού K. iii) Την παραγωγή ακτινοβολιών από σύμφωνη παραμετρική μίξη (parametric four-wave mixing) ή και μερικώς σύμφωνο μηχανισμό όπως η ενισχυμένη αυθόρμητη εκπομπή (amplified spontaneous emission) ή υπέρ σκέδαση- Raman (stimulated hyper-Raman scattering), όταν το nsec πεδίο laser διεγείρει με δύο φωτόνια την μετάβαση 4S1/2-6S1/2, καθώς και την μετάβαση 4S1/2-7S1/2, αντίστοιχα. Εστιάζουμε κατά μείζονα λόγο τη μελέτη μας στη διαδρομή-2, στήν μονόδρομη (unidirectional) και στήν αμφίδρομη (bidirectional) διάδοση της ακτινοβολίας του πεδίου laser. iv) Την γέννεση της κωνικής τρίτης αρμονικής (conical third harmonic generation-THG) σε μεταλλικούς ατμούς Na και K υπό fsec διέγερση. Στη περίπτωση του Na (μέσο με κανονική διασπορά) βρίσκουμε ότι η χαρακτηριστική δακτυλοειδή δομή του κώνου της τρίτης αρμονικής οφείλεται στήν επίδραση κυρίως του τανυστικού όρου πέμπτης τάξης ο οποίος σχετίζεται με την μίξη έξι κυμάτων. Ακόμα, δείχνουμε, ότι στη περίπτωση του K (μέσο με αρνητική διασπορά) η εκπομπή μακρινού πεδίου (far field emission) της κωνικής τρίτης αρμονικής, παρουσιάζει ορισμένες διαφοροποιήσεις σε σχέση με αυτή του Na. Το όλο φαινόμενο αντιμετωπίζεται φαινομενολογικά. / In the doctorate dissertation is studied the effect of the wave mixing of laser light with the internally generated fields of the alkali vapors, such as the sodium (Na) and the potassium (K) respectively. Specifically it was studied: ι) The numerical simulation of the four-level system, when a two-photon nsec field excites the transition 4S1/2-6S1/2 of potassium atom. It is shown that the destructive quantum interference is responsible for the reduction of the non-linearity of path-1, in which, the parameters of the system, such as the two-photon detuning, the atomic density and the laser maximum intensity, play an important role. Moreover the saturation of the path-1 has as a consequence the passage of the energy to the atomic path-2, which activates later than the path-1, in low atomic density of atomic K. A truncated excitation pulse is able to induced phenomena of atomic memory in which the providing excitation intensity is able to be stored in the system. The optical free induction memory (OFIM) is observed in the truncated nsec excitation of the transition 4S1/2-6S1/2. This type of atomic memory is studied via the evolution of the density matrix element s12, for specific selection of the two-photon detuning. ii) The conditions which are responsible for the axial or/and conical emission of radiation of path-1 and of path-2, respectively under the fsec two-photon excitation respectively. iii) The production of coherent (parametric four-wave mixing) or/and partially coherent (amplified spontaneous emission or stimulated hyper-Raman scattering) radiation when the nsec laser field excites with two-photons the transition 4S1/2-6S1/2, and the transition 4S1/2-7S1/2, of atomic potassium respectively. It is also studied the emissions of the path-2 in the unidirectional and the bidirectional propagation (counter-propagation) of the laser field in the nsec 4S1/2-6S1/2 two-photon excitation. iv) The conical third harmonic generation (THG) in Na and K vapor under the fsec excitation. It is proved that the third harmonic generation of Na, (normally dispersive medium), in the laser wavelength range of 1770-2200 nm, is mainly a result of six-wave mixing. The fifth order tensor term dominates against the third order term, (which is connected with the four-wave mixing process), as it is shown theoretically. In the case of Κ vapor (negative dispersion medium), in the laser wavelength range of 1200-2180 nm, the observed conical emission appears similarities and dissimilarities with the Na one respectively. The THG generation of Κ interpreted in a phenomenological way.

Um dos primeiros requisitos para utilização de lasers de diodo em espectroscopia é sua estabilização térmica. Neste trabalho desenvolvemos um sistema de controle de temperatura para laser de diodo que permite estabilização melhor que 0.01&#176C. O controle é feito através de um sistema sensor e um elemento Peltier como atuador. Lasers somente estabilizados em temperatura (estabilização primária) foram utilizados para realização de espectroscopia de vapores atômicos de Rb e Cs. / One of the first requisites for utilization of diode lasers in spectroscopy is its thermal stabilization. In this work, we develop a diode laser temperature controlling system, which yields stabilization better than 0.01&#176C. The controlling is obtained by means of a sensor system and a Peltier element as actuator. Lasers stabilized in temperature only (primary stabilizations) were utilized in the spectroscopy of atomic vapors of Rb and Cs.