A study was carried out by the Factories and Machinery Department of Malaysia to assess the problem ofoccupational exposure to inorganic lead in Malaysian battery workers. The eight factories studied were divided into two categories: large, multinational subsidiaries with good industrial hygiene measures and small, locally-owned companies with poor hygiene features. A total of 251 workers (221 males and 30 females) were included in the study. Personal air sampling showed that 47% of the samples in the small factories had lead-in-air levels exceeding 150 ug/m3, compared unth. 29% in the larger establishments. The highest air lead levels were found in the cutting, pasting/mixing and battery assembly sections. 86.7% ofthe female workers and 62.2% of the male workers in the smaller factories had blood lead concentrations above the proposed limits of 70 ug/100 ml (males) and 40 ug/100 ml (females). In contrast, only 7.6% of the male workers in the larger factories had blood lead levels exceeding the proposed limits. Three workers also had positive signs or symptoms on clinical examination. Legislation of specific regulations to protect the health of lead-exposed workers in Malaysia is currently being drafted by the government.
Matched MeSH terms: Maximum Allowable Concentration
An HPLC method with ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry detection has been optimized and validated for the simultaneous determination of phenolic compounds, such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as antioxidants, and octyl methyl cinnamate (OMC) as UVB-filter in several personal care products. The dynamic range was between 1 to 250 mg/L with relative standard deviation less than 0.25% (n = 4). Limits of detection for BHA, BHT, and OMC were 0.196, 0.170, and 0.478 mg/L, respectively. While limits of quantification for BHA, BHT, and OMC were 0.593, 0.515, and 1.448 mg/L, respectively. The recovery for BHA, BHT, and OMC was ranged from 92.1-105.9%, 83.2-108.9%, and 87.3-103.7%, respectively. The concentration ranges of BHA, BHT, and OMC in 12 commercial personal care samples were 0.13-4.85, 0.16-2.30, and 0.12-65.5 mg/g, respectively. The concentrations of phenolic compounds in these personal care samples were below than maximum allowable concentration in personal care formulation, that is, 0.0004-10 mg/g, 0.002-5 mg/g, and up to 100 mg/g for BHA, BHT, and OMC, respectively.
Matched MeSH terms: Maximum Allowable Concentration
Muscle, stomach and gill from four dominant fish species, Mytus nemurus, Pristolepis fasciata, Ompok bimaculatus and Osteochilus hasseltii, caught from Bebar peat swamp forest river were analyzed for mercury (Hg). The concentration of Hg was measured with a fast and sensitive Flow Injector Mercury Spectrometer (FIMS). The average Hg concentration of all species caught was 0.169 microg g(-1) dry weights, lower than a limit for human consumption recommended by the World Health Organization, 0.5 microg g(-1) dry weights. The mean concentration of Hg was relatively high in stomach (0.28 +/- 0.12 microg g(-1) dry weights) followed by gill (0.17 +/- 0.06 microg g(-1) dry weights) and lowest in muscle (0.05 +/- 0.02 microg g(-1) dry weights). The positive relationship of Hg with fish length and weight suggesting that the accumulation of Hg were formed in the fish.
Matched MeSH terms: Maximum Allowable Concentration
Paddy fish (Trichogaster pectoralis Regan) were collected from five sampling locations in a major paddy-growing area of Malaysia and analysed for organochlorine residues. During the same period, ten farming families, chosen at random from each of the five sampling sites, were interviewed. Information was obtained about the quantity of paddy fish consumed, the amount and type of pesticide used on the paddy-field, and the frequency of application.The pesticide residues found in the fish samples were aldrin/dieldrin, chlordane, HCH, and DDT. Only the projected maximum intake level for aldrin/dieldrin approached the acceptable daily intake as recommended by FAO/WHO; other residue levels were relatively low. However, this study considered only fish; the total daily intake of pesticide residues by the Malaysian paddy farmer may be considerably increased by consumption of other contaminated food.
Matched MeSH terms: Maximum Allowable Concentration
Seawater may be contaminated by harmful substances, including toxic elements released by human activities. The present study evaluates the total mercury and methylmercury concentrations and their correlations to fish body size in longtail tuna and short-bodied mackerel from Chendring, Kuantan, at east coast and Kuala Perlis at west costs of Peninsular Malaysia during May to November 2007. Total mercury and methylmercury in muscle tissue of 69 samples of longtail tuna and short-bodied mackerel, ranged from 0.180 to 1.460 μg/g and 0.0.169-0.973 μg/g and 0.251-1.470 μg/g and 0.202-1.352, whereas the methylmercury to total mercury ratio ranged from 70% to 83%, respectively. Samples of both species from the east coast showed higher levels of mercury compared to those from west coast. In all of the locations, significant positive correlations were found between fish body weight and mercury content (R(2) > 0.470). The estimated weekly intake of total mercury and methylmercury from the consumption 66.33 g/week of short-bodied mackerel and 18.34 g/week of longtail tuna (based on local dietry survey) was found to be lower than the maximum limit of 5 and 1.5 μg/kg bodyweight established by FAO/WHO and codex, respectively.
Matched MeSH terms: Maximum Allowable Concentration
As, Cd, Pb and Hg were analysed in commonly consumed spices and herbs in Malaysia. The range of As, Cd, Pb and Hg content was 0.24-2.54, 0.23-8.07, 1.54-8.94 and 0.06-0.52 µg g(-1), respectively. The highest concentration of Cd, Pb and Hg in spices and herbs exceeded the maximum permitted proportion, which are 1, 2 and 0.05 µg g(-1), respectively. This study suggests further monitoring of Cd, Pb and Hg on daily consumption of spices and herbs and its toxicological implication for consumers since only the amount of As was lower than the permitted concentration.
Matched MeSH terms: Maximum Allowable Concentration