The aim of this study was to determine in an empirical manner whether the phenomenon of hearing loss due to the exposure to volatile organic solvents was present in the gasification plants of a petrochemical factory. The experimental groups included unexposed (N=20) workers, workers (N=20) exposed to noise and workers (N=19) exposed to noise and volatile organic solvents. The following assessments were made: diagnostic audiometry for the assessment of hearing thresholds; biological monitoring of ortho-cresol and hippuric acid for the biological markers of toluene; passive air sampling and noise measurements. Questionnaires were completed by the three groups to collect information about age, ethnicity, smoking habits, alcohol consumption and work history regarding the exposure to ototoxic substances as well as the period of employment. There were no statistically significant differences between the average ages of the three groups, but more of the workers in the noise group were from a higher age group. This age composition and the work history of the noise group were considered as possible influences on the results of this hearing study. The results of the passive air sampling show that the levels of volatile organic solvents were lower than the occupational exposure limits on the day of sampling. The biological monitoring shows that the markers, namely hippuric acid and o-cresol, were lower than the biological exposure indices. The noise group was exposed to sound pressure levels of 79-90 dB(A) and the noise + hydrocarbon group to levels of 85-88 dB(A). The average hearing thresholds of the noise group were at most of the frequencies (0.5-8 kHz) significantly higher (p≤0,05) than that of the noise + hydrocarbon group. The average hearing thresholds of the control group were overall lower than the noise group's hearing thresholds, but on average a little higher than the noise + hydrocarbon group's hearing thresholds. No relationship was found in this study between the exposure to volatile organic solvents (for example toluene that was used as marker in this study) and the elevation of hearing thresholds of workers at the gasification plants of the petrochemical factory. / Thesis (M.Sc.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

The aim of this study was to determine in an empirical manner whether the phenomenon of hearing loss due to the exposure to volatile organic solvents was present in the gasification plants of a petrochemical factory. The experimental groups included unexposed (N=20) workers, workers (N=20) exposed to noise and workers (N=19) exposed to noise and volatile organic solvents. The following assessments were made: diagnostic audiometry for the assessment of hearing thresholds; biological monitoring of ortho-cresol and hippuric acid for the biological markers of toluene; passive air sampling and noise measurements. Questionnaires were completed by the three groups to collect information about age, ethnicity, smoking habits, alcohol consumption and work history regarding the exposure to ototoxic substances as well as the period of employment. There were no statistically significant differences between the average ages of the three groups, but more of the workers in the noise group were from a higher age group. This age composition and the work history of the noise group were considered as possible influences on the results of this hearing study. The results of the passive air sampling show that the levels of volatile organic solvents were lower than the occupational exposure limits on the day of sampling. The biological monitoring shows that the markers, namely hippuric acid and o-cresol, were lower than the biological exposure indices. The noise group was exposed to sound pressure levels of 79-90 dB(A) and the noise + hydrocarbon group to levels of 85-88 dB(A). The average hearing thresholds of the noise group were at most of the frequencies (0.5-8 kHz) significantly higher (p≤0,05) than that of the noise + hydrocarbon group. The average hearing thresholds of the control group were overall lower than the noise group's hearing thresholds, but on average a little higher than the noise + hydrocarbon group's hearing thresholds. No relationship was found in this study between the exposure to volatile organic solvents (for example toluene that was used as marker in this study) and the elevation of hearing thresholds of workers at the gasification plants of the petrochemical factory. / Thesis (M.Sc.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2017-04-17T11:56:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 biancacarvalhodasilva.pdf: 1674027 bytes, checksum: c5eec1256778b071c02c01d37079c6bc (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2017-04-18T13:39:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 biancacarvalhodasilva.pdf: 1674027 bytes, checksum: c5eec1256778b071c02c01d37079c6bc (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-18T13:39:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 biancacarvalhodasilva.pdf: 1674027 bytes, checksum: c5eec1256778b071c02c01d37079c6bc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-24 / Musca domestica é um importante vetor mecânico de diversos patógenos para humanos e animais de criação, sendo essencial o estudo de novas alternativas de controle mais eficientes e seguras para este díptero. A busca por novas alternativas de inseticidas envolve experimentos que geralmente necessitam do uso de solventes que não interfiram nos resultados da substância testada. Assim, o presente estudo compreendeu duas etapas: investigar a sensibilidade de larvas e pupas de M. domestica aos solventes acetona, etanol, metanol e dimetilsulfóxido (DMSO) e ao surfactante Tween 80 em diferentes tempos de volatilização; e avaliar a toxicidade dos fenilpropanoides eugenol e (E)-cinamaldeído sobre os mesmo estágios deste díptero. Para ambos os experimentos utilizou-se o teste de contato, com 10 repetições (n=10) para cada solvente/surfactante e concentração das substâncias sobre cada estágio. No primeiro experimento foram testados acetona, etanol e metanol em pureza analítica e DMSO e Tween 80 na concentração de 5%. Os tempos avaliados foram zero, cinco, 10 e 15 minutos (23±2°C e 60±10% UR). Os resultados mostraram que o tempo de volatilização produz diferença significativa na mortalidade larval (ML) para os três primeiros solventes testados, e acetona mostrou-se semelhante ao controle após cinco minutos de volatilização (p>0,05). Metanol e etanol mostraram-se semelhantes ao controle após 15 minutos de volatilização (p>0,05). DMSO não apresentou ML significativa (p>0,05), no entanto apresentou percenbtual de mortalidade acumulada (PMA) superiores a 14% (p<0,05). Tween 80 não apresentou diferença na toxicidade sobre as larvas relacionada ao tempo. Para o teste com pupas somente etanol produziu diferença significativa entre os tempos de volatilização, enquanto acetona e metanol diferiram do controle em todos os tratamentos (p<0,05). DMSO e Tween 80 não diferiram significativamente do controle em nenhum tempo (p˃0,05). O surfactante Tween 80 foi o único que não apresentou toxicidade para ambos os estágios na concentração testada, porém acetona foi o solvente que volatilizou mais rapidamente, mostrando menor toxicidade entre aqueles testados em pureza analítica. Para o segundo experimento, foram utilizadas oito concentrações de cada substância para a determinação das concentrações letais (CL50 e CL90). Eugenol apresentou os menores valores de CL50 e CL90, para a eficácia do tratamento larval (ETL) (1,5 e 3,75 mg/mL, respectivamente) enquanto (E)-cinamaldeido apresentou os menores valores de CL50 e CL90 para a eficácia do tratamento pupal (ETP) (18,08 e 78,83 mg/mL, respectivamente). Ambas as substâncias apresentaram atividade larvicida a partir de 2,5 mg/mL e ETL de 100% a partir de 5 mg/mL. Para o tratamento pupal (E)-cinamaldeído diferiu do controle a partir da 13 concentração de 10mg/mL (p<0,05) e ambos os fenilpropanoides causaram má formação em adultos a partir de 10 mg/mL, e maior ETP na concentração de 30 mg/mL, sendo 67,2% para (E)-cinamaldeído e 32% para eugenol. Os produtos testados nesse estudo apresentaram elevado potencial larvicida, além de ambos apresentarem efeitos pupicida e causarem má formação nos adultros provenientes de pupas tratadas. Ainda, é possível sugerir a utilização conjunta de ambas substância para um controle mais eficiente, visto que (E)-cinamaldeído apresentou melhor atividade larvicida, enquanto eugenol teve melhor atividade pupicida. Desta forma, esses fenilpropanoides mostrando-se promissores para o uso no desenvolvimento de formulações mais seguras para a saúde e meio ambiente, sendo possível sua utilização em estratégias de Manejo Integrado de Pragas. / Musca domestica is an important mechanical vector of several pathogens to humans and domestic animals, being essential to study new alternatives to eficiente and safe control against this Diptera. The search for new insecticides alternative involves experiments that generally require the use of solvents that should not interfere in the results of the test substance. Thus, this study involved two stages: to investigate the sensitivity of M. domestica larvae and pupae to the solvents acetone, ethanol, methanol and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and the surfactant Tween 80 at different times of volatilization; and evaluating toxicity of phenylpropanoid eugenol and (E)-cinnamaldehyde against the same stages of this Diptera. For both experiments were used the patch test with 10 repetitions (n=10) for each solvent/surfactant and concentration of substances against each stage. In the first experiment acetone, ethanol and methanol were tested in analytical purity while DMSO and Tween 80 at the concentration of 5%. The times evaluated were zero, five, 10 and 15 minutes (23±2°C and 60±10% RH). The results showed that the volatilization time produces significant difference in larval mortality (LM) for the first three solvents tested, and acetone was similar to the control after five minutes volatilization (p>0.05). Methanol and ethanol were similar to the control after 15 minutes of evaporation (p>0.05). DMSO showed no significant LM (p> 0.05), but its accumulated mortality percenbtual (AMP) was over 14% (p<0.05). Tween 80 showed no difference in toxicity againts larvae related to time. For the pupae test only ethanol produced significant difference between the evaporation time, while acetone and methanol differed from the control in all treatments (p<0.05). DMSO and Tween 80 did not differ significantly from control at any time (p>0.05). The surfactant Tween 80 was the only one that showed no toxicity for both stages at the concentration tested, however the solvent acetone was volatilized more quickly, showing lower toxicity among those tested in analytical purity. For the second experiment, we used eight concentrations of each substance for the determination of lethal doses (LC50 and LC90). Eugenol showed the lowest values of LC50 and LC90 for the effectiveness of larval treatment (ELT) (1.5 and 3.75 mg/mL, respectively) while (E)-cinnamaldehyde had the lowest values of LC50 and LC90 for effectiveness of pupal treatment (EPT) (18.08 and 78.83 mg/mL, respectively). Both substances exhibited larvicidal activity from 2.5 mg/mL and ELT of 100% from 5 mg/mL. For pupal treatment (E)cinnamaldehyde differed from the control from the concentration of 10mg/mL (p <0.05) and both phenylpropanoid caused malformation in adults from 10 mg/mL. The greater EPT was from concentration of 30 mg/mL, being 67.2% for (E)-cinnamaldehyde and 32% for eugenol. 15 The products tested in this study had high potential larvicide, and both present pupicida effects and cause malformation in adultros from treated pupae. Still, it is possible to suggest the combined use of both substance for more efficient control, as (E)-cinamaldeído showed better larvicidal activity, while eugenol had better pupicida activity. Thus, using these phenylpropanoids show promise in the development of safer formulations for health and the environment, and these could be used in Integrated Pest Management strategies.