Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of glutathione (GSH) and glutathione s-transferases in metabolism of chemical carcinogens and other electrophilic agents. GSH is a tripeptide (I) that is present in nearly all living cells and is the most abundant sulfhydryl compound present in animal tissues, mainly in the cytosol. The chapter illustrates the wide range of electrophilic agents, including several known mutagens and carcinogens, which conjugate with GSH, a process usually catalyzed by the GSH S-transferases. This conjugation is probably a protective mechanism and is the initial stage in mercapturic acid biosynthesis for the elimination of foreign compounds from the body. GSH S-transferases provide protection not only by catalyzing the conjugation of a potential toxicant with GSH, but also by preferentially binding, even covalently, that toxicant. The reactive electrophiles that conjugate with GSH also bind to DNA, RNA, and protein and identification of GSH conjugates provide information on the nature of these biologically active intermediates or even their immediate precursors. Thus, the knowledge of the way in which mutagens and carcinogens are metabolized is essential to a better understanding of their mode of action and of the processes for their detoxication.

The role of glutathione and glutathione S-transferases in the metabolism of chemical carcinogens and other electrophilic agents.

https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/15831115/polymeric.pdf

Polymeric materials based on silk proteins

Summary
Soil can affect human health in several ways leading either to specific diseases or to more general ill health. Some illnesses are caused by people's eating soil (geophagia), or by their inhaling it which can lead to malignancy if the soil contains asbestiform minerals; pathogens in the soil can lead to tetanus and infestations of hookworm, and particles may enter the body through abrasions and cause a form of elephantiasis. Radon from the soil is implicated in some cancers, and poorly drained soil has been linked recently with infant mortality. Most examples of ill health associated with the soil are caused by concentrations of elements in food or water that are either deficient or toxic. These elements include aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, copper, fluorine, iodine, lead, selenium, thallium and zinc. Their concentrations might reflect the natural condition of the soil, or the effects of people's actions, such as pollution. In isolated subsistence communities that grow their own food, distinct relations between elements and the aetiology of diseases can be identified. Examples include Keshan disease caused by selenium deficiency, and itai-itai disease caused by excess cadmium. Some of the relations between soil and health are uncertain and the causes putative, and they require further research to validate them. They include the association of heart disease with poor acid soil, as in the glaciated regions of northern Europe and the coastal plain of the eastern United States of America. Even for well-defined relations it is evident that many are more complex than was originally thought, however, and greater understanding will require multidisciplinary investigation.

Soil and human health: a review

s, 61: 4784 (1964). 5. MONIER-WILLIAMS, G. W. A/umimum in food. London, Ministry of Health, 1935 (Reports on Public Health and Medical Subjects). 6. SYLVESTER, R. 0. ET AL. Factors involved in the locatiOn and operation of an aluminium reduction plant. Proceedings of the 22nd Industrial Waste Conference. Lafayette, IN, Purdue University, 1967, pp. 441-454. 7. RIDGWAY, J. ET AL. Water quality changes-chemical and microbiological studies. In: Water distrzbution systems. Medmenham, England, Water Research Centre, 1979. 8. AINSWORTH, R. G. ET AL. Deposits, corrosion products and corrosion mechanisms in iron mains. In: Water distribution systems. Medmenham, England, Water Research Centre, 1979. 9. AINSWORTH, R. G. ET AL. The introduction of new water mto old distribution systems. Medmenham, England, Water Research Centre, 1980 (TR 146). 10. VozAR, L. Content of aluminium in the diet and its biological action. Voprosy pitanija, 21: 28 (1962). II. ZooK, E. G. & LEHMANN, J. Total diet study: content of ten minerals-aluminium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, boron, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Journal of the AssociatiOn of Official Agricultural Chemists, 48: 850 (1965). 12. GABOVICH, R. D.

https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jhs1956/35/5/35_5_307/_pdf

WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality.

The incidence of arsenic contamination of ground water used for both irrigation as well as for human consumption or industrial activities has taken the dimension of an epidemiological problem. It has been established that inorganic arsenic is extremely toxic, both acute and chronic. Initially, it enters into the human body through ingestion, inhalation, or skin absorption. After entering into the body it is distributed in a large number of organs, including the lungs, liver, kidney, and skin. The clinical manifestations of arsenic poisoning are myriad, and the correct diagnosis depends largely on awareness of the problem. It is very difficult to diagnose early symptoms of arsenicosis because such nonspecific symptoms may also be present in many other diseases. Medicine used for the remedy of arsenicosis has been found to be unsatisfactory by repeated application and experience. Melanosis may disappear but keratosis is not altered, although it can prevent further complication. Once the complication (malign...

A Review of Arsenic Poisoning and its Effects on Human Health

An overview of environmental and toxicological aspects of aromatic hydrocarbons. I. Benzene.

The halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons represent one of the most important categories of industrial chemicals from a consideration of volume, use categories, environmental and toxicological considerations and hence most importantly, potential population risk. The major halocarbons reviewed, primarily in terms of their occurrence, utility, stability, distribution, and levels of exposure as well as their metabolism, carcinogenicity and mutagenicity included: vinylchloride, vinylidene chloride, trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene, ethylene dichloride, ethylene dibromide, chloroprene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, fluorocarbons (trichlorofluoromethane and dichlorodifluoromethane), epichlorohydrin, halohydrins (2-chloro- and 2-bromoethanol) and haloethers ( bis (chloromethyl); chloromethyl'-methyl; bis (2-chloroethyl)- and bis (2-chloroisopropyl)ether. In many instances, data were not available to assess world production, populations at risk and degrees of exposure. With the exception of vinylchloride, vinylidene chloride, epichlorohydrin and 2-halo ethanols, there is an acknowledged paucity of definitive mutagenicity data concerning the majority of halogenated hydrocarbons. Their ubiquitous distribution, and in a number of cases, their carcinogenicity both in man and animals, dictates the urgent need to more exhaustively investigate their potential mutagenicity.

Industrial mutagens and potential mutagens I. Halogenated aliphatic derivatives.

A variety of dithiocarbamate fungicides, as well as their principal trace impurities, and metabolic or chemical degradation products are reviewed. Major focus is on their chemical and toxicological features (primarily carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic), use patterns, and residues. The compounds discussed include (1) ethylane bis(dithiocarbamates) (maneb, zineb, nabam), (2) dithiocarbamates (ferbam, ziram), and (3) thiuram disulfate (thiram) and ethylene thiourea.

Environmental health aspects of fungicides. I. Dithiocarbamtes.

Exposure levels of the principal carcinogenic and potential carcinogenic metal and metalloid pollutants in the environment (e.g., arsenic, beryllium, chromium, nickel, cadmium, and lead) are primarily reviewed with emphasis on their environmental sources both natural and manmade. There is a general paucity of definitive information concerning aspects of material balance and chemical transformations of these elements in various chemical forms in the environment, primarily the atmosphere. Estimates of both exposure levels and risk to populations other than industrial workers of the above metals have been in most instances quite difficult to obtain and generally speculative. The trend for the immediate future appears to be of greater exposure to these metals not only as a result of generally increased usage patterns, but also because of prospective enhanced use of fossil fuels for space heating and electricity generation.

Lawrence Fishbein

Papers

An overview of environmental and toxicological aspects of aromatic hydrocarbons. I. Benzene.

Industrial mutagens and potential mutagens I. Halogenated aliphatic derivatives.

Environmental health aspects of fungicides. I. Dithiocarbamtes.

Environmental metallic carcinogens: an overview of exposure levels.

Chromatographic and biological aspects of DDT and its metabolites.