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#0136 Quantification of bromide ion in biological samples using headspace gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Quick and Easy Detection of Methyl Bromide Exposure  Methyl bromide is used as a fumigant to control a wide range of pests in agriculture and shipping. It is also used to treat commodities like cereals, fruits, and wood to prevent pest infestation. However, methyl bromide is a toxic substance. Since it evaporates quickly, it causes the most harm at the fumigation site. Therefore, fumigant workers who handle it often suffer from acute or chronic poisoning.In addition, methyl bromide has been designated as an ozone-depleting compound, and its use in soil fumigation has been forbidden since 2013. Although its overall consumption has decreased, its use as a pesticide has remained rather high. This makes it necessary to monitor occupational exposure of workers to this chemical. Determining the concentration of bromide ions (Br–) in the blood and urine is a means to  identify whether workers have been exposed to methyl bromide. Many techniques have been developed to achieve this goal. However, the majority of these techniques need a large number of samples for analysis. Moreover, these methods are difficult and time-consuming, rendering them unsuitable for emergency diagnostics.Fortunately, in a recent study, a group of researchers from Japan have devised a simple and rapid method for determining Br–  concentration in blood and urine samples. The method essentially employs a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS) with a headspace sampler that characterizes the composition of complex volatile components. The accuracy of estimation was validated using SeronormTM Trace Elements Whole Blood L-1 RUO, which helps in determining the approximate levels of Br– and other trace elements in whole blood.Applying this method, the researchers analyzed the Br– content in eight urine and serum samples from workers. The outcomes were comparable to previously established techniques. The method demonstrated high recovery rates and negligible variations in accuracy values. It also displayed superior quantification in the Br– concentration range of 0.1−20.0 mg/L. The entire process took less than 20 minutes, making it ideal for the rapid diagnosis of acute poisoning cases. The researchers attest this to be a sensitive method that may be less affected by interference components, potentially leading to a more accurate analysis.Although the proportion of the workforce exposed to methyl bromide is unlikely to rise in the future, it is critical to develop a convenient method for determining the concentration of Br– in biological samples. This study offers a valuable method for quick, easy, and efficient biological monitoring of occupational exposure to methyl bromide.

#0135 Know Pain for No Pain! Pain Neuroscience Education Can Improve Work Productivity in Medical Workers

#0134 Don’t Let Them Fail: Work Pressure Bringing You One Step Closer to Chronic Kidney Disease

#0133 All pain and no gain: How physical and mental work stresses cause muscle pain

#0132 Non-Communicable Diseases in Lower Income Groups: Dealing with Risky Business

#0131 Which Factors Dictate an Employee’s Return to Work After Getting Injured on Duty?

#0130 Exposing the Silent Killer: New AI-based Method for Detecting Toxic Airborne Asbestos Fibers

#0129 Don’t Sit on It: Sedentary Work Linked to Breast Cancer Risk

#0128 Hacks for Improved Productivity: Work from Home Edition

#0127 Sleep Can Help Mitigate Burnout in Healthcare Workers

#0126 Korea’s Soaring Suicide Rates: Gender Inequality and Work Stress to Be Blamed

#0125 Don’t Sit This One Out: The Health Concerns of Working from Home

#0124 High Risk of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Food and Beverage Industry Workers

#0123 ‘Exposing’ Environmental Chemicals in Biologic Specimens: A New Approach

#0122 Indium concentration in serum is an excellent predictor for assessing accumulated indium concentration in the lungs

#0121 Type and timing of exercise during lunch breaks for suppressing postprandial increases in blood glucose levels in workers

#0120 Work-related musculoskeletal disorders and associated risk factors among urban metropolitan hairdressers in India

#0119 Association of organizational factors with knowledge of effectiveness indicators and participation in corporate health and productivity management programs

#0118 The combined effect of long working hours and individual risk factors on cardiovascular disease: An interaction analysis

#0117 The mediating effect of exhaustion in the relationship between effort-reward imbalance and turnover intentions: A 4year longitudinal study from Sweden

#0116 Reassessment of the threshold of the blood lead level to increase urinary δ-aminolevulinic acid based on their relationship in recent lead workers in Japan

#0115 Association between comprehensive workstation and neck and upper-limb pain among office worker

#0114 Elbow tendinopathy and occupational biomechanical overload: A systematic review with best-evidence synthesis

#0113 Fitting the task to a person with disabilities: A case of return-to-work support for a patient due to left-sided poststroke hemiplegia using tailor-made jigs-and-tools

#0112 Anticipated health effects and proposed countermeasures following the immediate introduction of telework in response to the spread of COVID-19: The findings of a rapid health impact assessment in Japan

#0111 Association between maternity harassment and depression during pregnancy amid the COVID-19 state of emergency

#0110 Burnout and metabolic syndrome among different departments of medical center nurses in Taiwan-Cross-sectional study and biomarker research

#0109 Emergency physician attitudes towards illness verification (sick notes)

#0108 The potential of using hair cortisol to measure chronic stress in occupational healthcare; a scoping review

#0107 The importance of organizational climate for psychosocial safety in the prevention of sexual harassment at work