today announced the promotion of Alessandro Seveso to Chief Executive Officer for The Bloc office in Milan The promotion demonstrates The Bloc's ongoing commitment to growth and innovation in the European health communications market Seveso's promotion will strengthen its recent global partnerships and acquisitions execute excellence with its local clients while nurturing internal talent Seveso will spearhead expansion efforts in Italy and broader Europe with a focus on reinforcing The Bloc's unique position in health communications He will leverage the agency's behavioral science-based communication platform (BE-COMMS) and creative talent to deliver precision further solidifying the company's role as a leader in the healthcare communications industry "Alessandro's appointment to lead our Milan office marks a transformative phase in our global expansion," said Jennifer Matthews "His deep understanding of the health ecosystem and proven track record in driving value for our clients make him an ideal leader to expand our European presence." Seveso plans to address key industry challenges including pharmaceutical companies' evolving needs and the integration of data mining and technology in creative processes He aims to grow The Bloc's expertise in marketing and medical communications "The Bloc is poised to be a game-changer in Europe," Seveso stated powered by cutting-edge behavioral data analytics enables us to deliver strategic and creative solutions I'm honored to be part of a team that is a leader in creating the next generation of healthcare communication as we expand." will focus on strengthening its structure and nurturing talent to drive strategic thinking and operational excellence For more information about The Bloc and its services, visit www.thebloc.com Press Contact: Leigh Brandt | [email protected]  is proud to announce the addition of four dynamic leaders announced its strategic expansion in the Asia Pacific Advertising Health Care & Hospitals Medical Pharmaceuticals Computer & Electronics Do not sell or share my personal information: The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission ChemosphereCitation Excerpt :Exposure of humans to high levels of dioxins and related compounds may result in skin lesions altered liver function and sensory abilities and delayed cognitive development (Chen et al. (2014) reported that exposure of mothers to the chemicals in the early stages of pregnancy causes birth defects 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) is a cancer-causing agent and can disrupt multiple endocrine pathways (Son and Rozman All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. CHALLENGES THAT COMPANIES MUST FACE IN ORDER TO GROW The coming entry into force of European Directive Seveso III regarding the control of risks associated to major accidents increases the number of Spanish affected companies which will need to report the risks they may pose to the population with the collaboration of the authorities Seveso III specifies that the interested audience must have the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process in environmental affairs it allows citizens to be part of the decisions regarding industrial activities and their impact on health and environment at an early stage and while all options remain on the table this article written with the collaboration of Luis Serrano Rodríguez Press Officer of the Emergency Service 112 Madrid analyses how affected corporations will have to review and update their communication strategy to face the risks associated to their activity and manage emergency situations Luis Serrano Rodriguez Press Officer of the Emergency Response Service 112 Madrid Arturo Pinedo Managing Director of LLORENTE & CUENCA in Spain and Portugal customization and personalized advertising from third parties in order to analyze your browsing on the website and show you content tailored to the preferences known by this analysis of your browsing and behavior on the web Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns Here's what we learned from one of the worst industrial disasters in history Autumn is an independent journalist and educator who writes about climate "Major Accident Hazards." European Commission Eskenazi, Brenda, et al. "The Seveso Accident: A Look at 40 Years of Health Research and Beyond." Environment International "Learn About Dioxin." Environmental Protection Agency "Dioxins and Their Effects on Human Health." World Health Organization Nerin, C., et al. "Seveso Disaster and the European Seveso Directives." Encyclopedia of Toxicology (Third Edition) It will certainly be a very hot PalaPrealpi for what is shaping up to be one of the most balanced quarterfinals of the entire Regional Division 1. And it was to be expected considering the value demonstrated on the parquet by the two contenders. After Pob's victory in game-1, the home field advantage holds up even in Wednesday night's rematch with the home team winning 72-68 after an important comeback given that the first half is entirely dominated by the red and whites (26-35 at half time). After the break, the Canarins get back into the game (45-44 at 30'), the table is set for the most beautiful final 10 minutes and it is Giovanni Di Bari's baskets (top scorer with 14) that give the 1-1 point and postpone everything to game-3. Dipo Vimercate and Le Bocce also go to game 3. The home field advantage is once again lost after Dipo's blitz in Erba, in Burago the Erba boys win in a sprint (72-74) and the verdict is postponed to this evening with tip-off at 18. Team 86 Villasanta instead advances to the next round in two games and repeats in game 2 by beating Pall. Monteclarense 69-55. World Subscribers only Romania enters government crisis amid election World Subscribers only In Zurich the leaf blower war or the anti-'woke' backlash World Subscribers only Germany's Friedrich Merz is embracing pragmatism World Subscribers only Founder of Sant'Egidio community fears next pope could undo Francis's legacy Opinion Subscribers only 'Russian gas and Europe is an old story that ended badly Economy Subscribers only Europe's steel industry flattened by crisis World Subscribers only How European countries plan to fund defense efforts France Subscribers only Macron announces citizens' convention on school schedules France Subscribers only 21 charged over French prison attacks as investigation narrows in on drug traffickers France Subscribers only French mosque stabber was driven by 'morbid fascination,' prosecutor says France Subscribers only At the trial of Kim Kardashian's robbers Videos World expos: From Paris 1855 to Osaka 2025 Videos How the Trump administration is attacking scientific research in the US Videos Tesla cars set on fire in Las Vegas as calls to boycott Musk's company grow worldwide Videos Can France's nuclear deterrent protect Europe Opinion Subscribers only 'The American dream is dying' Editorial European call to aid foreign researchers is too modest Opinion Subscribers only John Bolton: 'The term chaos is commonly used to describe the top of the Defense Department' Magazine Subscribers only Tracking down the pianos taken from French Jews during the Nazi Occupation Magazine Subscribers only Eve Rodsky the American helping couples balance the mental load Magazine Subscribers only Desecration or more glory Joan Didion's private diaries are revealed Magazine Subscribers only For Jewish cartoonist Joann Sfar 2025."> Pixels Subscribers only Golden Owl solution is revealed but leaves players of 31-year hunt disappointed Pixels Subscribers only Secrets of decades-long Golden Owl treasure hunt to be revealed Lifestyle Inside Chanel's French leather workshops Culture Subscribers only The marvelous bronzes of Angkor on display at the Musée Guimet in Paris 10 min read Lire en français an explosion at a chemical plant near Milan released a cloud of dioxin that durably contaminated the region and its inhabitants This disaster led Europe to adopt its first directive aimed at preventing the risks associated with hazardous industrial sites Alessia Borroni's election as mayor of Seveso in 2021 seemed predictable the center-right politician was backed by Matteo Salvini's far-right Lega party which has a strong presence in the Lombardy region where it was founded in 1989 under the name of the Northern League born in this former industrial town of 24,000 inhabitants and even though she was only two years old when it happened the first industrial disaster to jolt public opinion 1984) or Chernobyl in the Soviet Union (April 26 1986): the explosion of the Icmesa plant on July 10 which released a cloud of dioxin into the air While the accident did not cause any casualties the 800 people who were forced to move out the 220,000 people placed under medical surveillance and the homes razed to the ground Borroni's destiny seems to have been shaped by this catastrophe her hair slicked back and her polished nails typing away on her laptop "I studied physics and organization sciences and did my university thesis on the crisis in complex industries My aim was to understand where the mistake had been made Everything was missing at Icmesa: protocols The plant was drawing on the water table to cool the tank and the water was running out." She specified that she did not use her expertise as a campaign argument You have 88.21% of this article left to read Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur En cliquant sur « Continuer à lire ici » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez mais en les utilisant à des moments différents Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article merci de contacter notre service commercial an explosion occurred at a factory located on the Eurenco site in Bergerac (Dordogne) injuring eight people – one seriously – and leading to a fire requiring the deployment of 60 firefighters Read more: Explosion at Dordogne chemical factory: low pollution risk for locals The factory was a powder mill classed as a high-level Seveso site but what does this mean in terms of regulation and risk to local populations Seveso sites are named after a 1976 industrial accident which occurred near the town of Seveso The factory only had very rudimentary safety systems and environmental protection had not been considered when a valve broke at the factory and released a chemical cloud containing the toxic dioxin TCDD Land and vegetation surrounding the factory were contaminated and thousands of animals died The company which ran the plant only admitted to the accident nearly a week after it occurred cases of dioxin poisoning were already being reported and 600 people had to be evacuated from their homes Some 2,000 local residents were treated for dioxin poisoning It was later ranked as the eighth worst man-made environmental disaster by Time magazine in 2010 The accident triggered calls for greater safety regulations in the chemical industry and led the EU to introduce its Seveso directive in 1982 This legislation aims to prevent accidents in factories where there is a particular risk to human and to adequately respond to disasters that do occur Some 12,000 industrial sites across the EU where dangerous substances are used or stored – the majority of which are in the chemical industry – are concerned by the directive which also relates to fuel wholesale and storage sites There were 1,301 of these factories and warehouses in France by the end of 2020 split into ‘low level’ and ‘high level’ controls staff must record and declare the dangerous substances kept on site draft accident prevention plans and inform local people about the potential dangers A map of France’s Seveso sites can be found here. France also contains 500,000 industrial or agricultural settings whose activities could pose a risk to the environment and 50,000 of these are subject to specific security rules only the most dangerous are given the Seveso classification Although Seveso directive rules help to maintain safe practices in chemical factories several accidents have occurred since the legislation was introduced an explosion at the AZF factory in Toulouse caused the death of 31 people a fire at the Lubrizol factory in Rouen released a thick cloud of black smoke over the city Plans de prévention des risques technologiques (PPRTs) are put in place enabling authorities to take measures including the evacuation of local populations French city on alert after chemical plant blast Another French chemical factory shut in security alert Toulouse remembers 31 killed in AZF factory explosion 20 years ago It kills around 100 and affects 3,000 people every year in France A recent ranking found the city had dropped from 8th place in 2020 to 27th place in 2024 French lawyers lay out next steps if France’s 2021 forced heirship law is found to breach European regulations Colossal Do stories and artists like this matter to you? 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See our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy a serious accident occurred at a chemical plant in northern Italy near the town of Seveso In order to avoid such accidents as far as possible in the future and to minimise any damage the Member States of the European Union have adopted a common policy on the prevention of major industrial risks Seveso II (2003) and Seveso III (2012) directives which have been transposed into Luxembourg law The Seveso III Directive provides for the identification of industrial sites with a high risk of major accidents These "Seveso sites" must be listed and monitored more closely Luxembourg currently has 16 establishments classified as Seveso sites In the event of a major accident in such a facility Further information is available at www.seveso.lu.  Dow and Chemours - grouped on a 37 hectare Seveso site have very specific requirements in terms of utilities (pressure Their expectations also concern the implementation of new steam generation and waste treatment installations to reduce their energy bills and the environmental impact of their production ENGIE has taken up the challenge.   While Arkema used to supply companies at the chemical platform with general facilities and all utility services such as the generation and distribution of utilities as well as water treatment the speciality materials manufacturer has now decided to concentrate on its core business It has chosen ENGIE as its sole partner for the roll out of its comprehensive modernisation and sustainability project for the platform while taking on board environmental concerns including the reduction of its energy consumption.To meet the needs of its customers who work hand-in-hand with the customers on the chemical platform These specialists ensure the generation and distribution of utilities (steam etc.) as well as various services such as logistics and security The ENGIE team has also designed and installed a new boiler room which is 10% more efficient than the previous one and has optimised the existing wastewater treatment station to comply with environmental requirements steam generation from the nearby household waste incineration plant makes it possible to reduce the volume of CO2 emissions by 16,000 tonnes per year You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience At 8:40 the Lambro began flooding in via Rilke and the Lambro Park is also starting to flood The Seveso suddenly rose “and at 8:15 we activated the tank We are trying to use it only in emergencies and storing as little water as possible to avoid having it full and no longer being able to block the flooding in Milan This was communicated by the Milanese security councilor Marco Granelli on his Facebook page underlining that “Unfortunately it is still the only tank in operation The councilor also communicates that "the Lambro is still rising and in Milan it is at 2,50 and in Brugherio it is almost 3 meters In Ponte Lambro we have been present with MM and Civil Protection since 4 tonight and we are monitoring the sewer system and the river trying to reduce the flooding as much as possible and defend houses Unfortunately the Lambro is very high and will rise further and the sewer system is collecting a lot of water from the heavy rains even if it should decrease or stop in the second morning" Read also other news on Nova News Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram Metrics details The Seveso Women’s Health Study (SWHS) is a historical cohort study of the female population residing near Seveso when a chemical explosion resulted in the highest known residential exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) Individual TCDD concentration was measured in serum collected near the time of the explosion we collected adequate blood for TCDD and total dioxin toxic equivalent (TEQ) measurement and biphenyls were measured in 1996 serum for a sample (n=225 23%) of the SWHS cohort and WHO 2005 TEQs were calculated We examined characteristics that predict 1996 TCDD concentrations and estimated TCDD elimination half-life over the 20-year period since the explosion Median lipid-adjusted TCDD and total TEQ concentrations in 1996 serum were 7.3 and 26.2 p.p.t. Initial 1976 TCDD and age at explosion were the strongest predictors of 1996 TCDD The TCDD elimination half-life was 7.1 years for women older than 10 years in 1976 These data add to the limited data available on TCDD elimination half-life in children Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout Persistent organic pollutants: an overview Polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum 1997; 69: 33–342 A review of human carcinogens-Part F: chemical agents and related occupations Developmental effects of dioxins and related endocrine disrupting chemicals The mechanism of dioxin toxicity: relationship to risk assessment Environ Health Perspect 1994; 102 (Suppl 9): 157–167 Non-carcinogenic effects of TCDD in animals An overview of the effects of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds on vertebrates as documented in human and ecological epidemiology J Environ Science Health Environ Carcinog Ecotoxicol Rev 2009; 27: 197–211 Reproductive and developmental toxicity of dioxin in fish Preliminary report: 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin exposure to humans—Seveso Accidental release of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) at Seveso TCDD distribution in the soil surface layer Follow-up of subjects who developed chloracne following TCDD exposure at Seveso High-resolution gas chromatographic/high-resolution mass spectrometric analysis of human serum on a whole-weight and lipid basis for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Pilot study (Phase II) for determining polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) levels in serum of Seveso Italy residents collected at the time of exposure: future plans Seveso Women’s Health Study: a study of the effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on reproductive health Relationship of serum TCDD concentrations and age at exposure of female residents of Seveso Elimination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in occupationally exposed persons J Toxicol Environ Health 1996; 47: 363–378 Pharmacokinetics of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in Seveso adults and veterans of operation Ranch Hand J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 2002; 12: 44–53 Dioxin exposure and cancer risk in the Seveso Women’s Health Study Environ Health Perspect 2011; 119: 1700–1705 The estimation of total serum lipids by a completely enzymatic ‘summation’ method and Coplanar PCBs in Serum by HRGC/ID-HRMS Method 28: Measurement of PCBs and Persistent Pesticides in Serum by HRGC/ID-HRMS Estimation of average concentration in the presence of non-detectable values The 2005 World Health Organization reevaluation of human and Mammalian toxic equivalency factors for dioxins and dioxin-like compounds J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 2005; 15: 310–318 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin plasma levels in Seveso 20 years after the accident Environ Health Perspect 1998; 106: 273–277 mono-PCBs) for the US population 2001-2002 Levels in the US population of those persistent organic pollutants (2003-2004) included in the Stockholm convention or in other long-range transboundary air pollution agreements and polychlorinated biphenyls as a function of age Environ Health Perspect 2009; 117: 417–425 Comparison of the use of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model and a classical pharmacokinetic model for dioxin exposure assessments Environ Health Perspect 2005; 113: 1666–1668 Age- and concentration-dependent elimination half-life of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in Seveso children Environ Health Perspect 2006; 114: 1596–1602 Concentration-dependent TCDD elimination kinetics in humans: toxicokinetic modeling for moderately to highly exposed adults from Seveso and impact on dose estimates for the NIOSH cohort J Expo Anal Environ Epidemiol 2005; 15: 51–65 Download references We gratefully acknowledge Aliza Parigi for coordinating data collection at Hospital of Desio and Larry L Needham for the significant contributions he made to the Seveso Women’s Health Study This study was supported by grant numbers R01 ES07171 and F06 TW02075-01 from the National Institutes of Health R82471 from the US Environmental Protection Agency 2P30-ESO01896-17 from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and #2896 from Regione Lombardia and Fondazione Lombardia Ambiente Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH) Division of Environmental Health Laboratory Science Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The authors declare no conflict of interest Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology website Download citation Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2016) Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2015) Photographer Alberto Seveso (previously) continues his high-speed captures of ink as it disperses in water The Reef is a collection that spotlights vivid plumes in shades of greens and oranges digitally altered to evoke coral-like forms The series was born out of a holiday spent in a remote largely uninhabited region in the Andaman Sea where Seveso encountered a lush jungle and wide The island’s fauna is rich with exotic species It’s not uncommon to spot colorful hornbills it was within its coral reef that I became utterly captivated…I was mesmerized by the beauty and diversity of shapes and colours—a world teeming with life a glimpse of rare beauty constantly threatened by human activities Seveso collaged several images of suspended ink and added texture and shape to the specimens sinuous bodies of the invertebrates through lively color Seveso is currently living in Bangkok, and you can find more of his work on Behance and Instagram France has more than 1,300 chemical plants known as ‘Seveso’ meaning that they pose a high risk to the surrounding environment and must comply with strict protection legislation There are also Seveso sites in France’s overseas regions The others (including Guadeloupe and La Réunion) have between three and seven each Seveso sites are named after a 1976 industrial accident that happened near the town of Seveso The factory only had very rudimentary safety systems and environmental protection had not been considered it released a chemical cloud containing the toxic dioxin TCDD and 2,000 residents were later treated for dioxin poisoning The site’s owners only admitted to the accident nearly a week after it occurred Time Magazine rated the incident as the eighth worst man-made environmental disaster The accident led the EU to introduce its Seveso directive in 1982 (later updated in 1996 The legislation aims to prevent accidents at storage sites and factories that pose a particular risk to human The rules also provide direction in case of an accident They are the 12,000 industrial sites across the EU in which dangerous substances are used or stored – the majority of which are in the chemical industry It also relates to fuel wholesale and storage sites there were 1,301 of these factories and warehouses in France They are classed as ‘low level’ and ‘high level’ risks Only the most dangerous sites are given the Seveso classification Owners of the sites must secure the premises and reduce the risks posed and inform local people about the potential dangers There are also 500,000 industrial or agricultural sites in France that are considered to pose a risk to the environment 50,000 are subject to specific security rules Read more: Toulouse remembers 31 killed in AZF factory explosion 20 years ago a fire at the Lubrizol factory in Rouen released a thick cloud of black smoke over the city and posed a risk to the local environment and food Read more: Farm food ban in areas near French chemical plant fire Sites must have a plan de prévention des risques technologiques in place which enables authorities to take swift measures in the event of an accident such as the evacuation of local residents and protection of the nearby environment Precautionary measures taken after French factory fire The group compared two popular EV models and considered six specialist EV offers The prefectural ban is set to remain in place until at least December 31 The geographical spread of Canadian nationals follows a similar pattern to Americans Metrics details A Corrigendum to this article was published on 24 April 2002 A combined analysis of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) elimination in Seveso adults and Ranch Hand veterans found a period of fast elimination within the first 0.27 years after exposure in Seveso followed by a period of slower elimination between 3 and 16.35 years from exposure The mean TCDD elimination rate within the first 0.27 years after exposure among six adult males in the Seveso cohort was 2.0646 year−1 (half-life=0.34 years) The mean rate from 3 to 16.35 years was 0.1011 year−1 (half-life=6.9 years) measured between 9 and 33 years after exposure was significantly less than the Seveso mean in the first 0.27 years after exposure but not significantly different from the Seveso mean between 3 and 16.35 years after exposure The fast elimination within the first 0.27 years followed by a slower rate after 3 years is consistent with the expected pattern in a two-compartment open model with a distribution phase of rapid elimination followed by a slower elimination phase Assenato G Cervino D Emmett EA Longo G Merlo F Bertazzi PA Consonni D Bachetti S Rubagotti M Baccarelli A Zocchetti C Pesatori AC Health effects of dioxin exposure: a 20-year mortality study Bertazzi PA Pesatori AC Landi BI Consonni D Dioxin exposure and human leukemias and lymphomas Lessons learned from the Seveso accident and studies on industrial workers Health impact of the accidental release of TCDD at Seveso In: Coulston F. Accidental Exposure to Dioxins: Human Health Aspects Academic Press chloracne and acne in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand Caramaschi F del Corno G Favaretti C Giambelluca SE Montesarchi E Fara GM Chloracne following environmental contamination by TCDD in Seveso Modeling of the toxicokinetics of polychlorinated dibenzo- p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in mammalians Distribution of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin in the tissues of a person exposed to the toxic cloud at Seveso Henriksen GL Ketchum NS Michalek JE Swaby JA Serum dioxin and diabetes mellitus in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand Institute of Medicine 1994 Veterans and Agent Orange Serum dioxin and cancer in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand Kreuzer PE Gy A Baur C Kessler W Papke O Greim H Filser JG 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD) and congeners in infants A toxicokinetic model of human lifetime body burden by TCDD with special emphasis on its uptake by nutrition Landi MT Needham LL Lucier G Mocarelli P Bertazzi PA Caporaso N Concentrations of dioxin 20 years after Seveso Pharmacokinetics of TCDD in Veterans of Operation Ranch Hand: 15-year follow-up fasting glucose and sex hormone binding globulin in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand Post-service mortality of Air Force veterans occupationally exposed to herbicides: 15 year follow up Serum dioxin and immunologic response in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand intrauterine growth retardation and infant death Michalek JE Rahe AJ Kulkarni PM Tripathi RC Concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorobidenzo- p-dioxin in 1,302 unexposed Air Force Vietnam-era veterans Michalek JE Tripathi RC Kulkarni PM Gupta PL Selvavel K Correction for bias introduced by truncation in pharmacokinetic studies of environmental contaminants Michalek JE Tripathi RC Kulkarni PM Pirkle JL The reliability of the serum dioxin measurement in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand Health status of Air Force veterans occupationally exposed to herbicides in Vietnam Mocarelli P Gerthoux PM Ferrari E Patterson DG Jr Kieszak SM Brambilla P Vincoli N Signorini S Tramacere P Carreri V Sampson EJ Turner WE Paternal concentrations of dioxin and sex ratio offspring Mocarelli P Marocchi A Brambilla P Gerthoux P Young DS Mantel N Clinical laboratory manifestations of exposure to dioxin in children Mocarelli P Needham LL Marochi A Patterson DG Jr Brambilla P Gerthoux PM Meazza L Carreri V Serum concentrations of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin and test results from selected residents of Seveso Brambilla P Pirkle JL Tramacere PL Turner WE Beretha C Sampson EJ Mocarelli P Half-life of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin in serum of Seveso adults: interim report Brambilla P Turner WE Beretta C Pirkle JL Colombo L Sampson EJ Tramacere PL Signorini S Meazza L Carreri V Jackson RJ Mocarelli P Pelser WT Green V Alexander L Needham LL High resolution gas chromatographic/high resolution mass spectrometer analysis of human serum on a whole-weight and lipid basis for 2,3,7,8-tatrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin Pesatori AC Consonni D Tironi A Zocchetti C Fini A Pertazzi PA Cancer in a young population in a dioxin-contaminated area Roegner RH Grubbs WD Lustik MB Brockman AS Henderson SC Williams DE Wolfe WH Michalek JE Miner JC 1991 The Air Force Health Study: an epidemiologic investigation of health effects following exposure to herbicides Serum TCDD analysis of 1987 follow-up examination results (NTIS accession numbers: AD A-237-516 through AD-A237-524.) 1985 Applied Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics Wolfe WH Michalek JE Miner JC Rahe A Silva J Thomas WF Grubbs WD Lustik MB Karrison TG Roegner RH Williams DE Health status of Air Force veterans occupationally exposed to herbicides in Vietnam: I Wolfe WH Michalek JE Miner JC Rahe AJ Moore CA Needham LL Patterson DG Jr Paternal serum dioxin and reproductive outcomes among veterans of Operation Ranch Hand Download references The authors thank the staff at the Human Systems Center Professor Mocarelli was partially supported by Grant No 2896 from Regione Lombardia and by a grant from Fondazione Lombardia Ambiente DONALD G PATTERSON JR & SAMUEL P CAUDILL Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500201 Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology (2014) Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology (2006) International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health (2006) Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology (2005) Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Create your free account to receive personalised content alerts and Re:action our weekly newsletter of the top chemical science stories handpicked from a range of magazines journals and websites alongside insight and analysis from our expert editorial team Tell us what you think. Take part in our reader survey By 2017-01-11T16:49:00+00:00 Matt Gunther has a particularly grim story The Seveso Oak Forest Park in northern Italy looks like any other park with its lush greenery and babbling brooks But it sits above the remnants of one of the largest environmental disasters in European history part of a chemical manufacturing plant near Seveso in the small city of Meda exploded an error in the plant’s shutdown procedure led to steam building up within a reaction vessel used to produce 2 5-trichlorophenol – an intermediate in disinfectant manufacturing thermal runaway took hold and the vessel’s contents quickly decomposed Once the reactor’s emergency relief valve opened 1kg of white vapour escaped from the plant and spread over the surrounding countryside The white vapour was 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) authorities didn’t really know how the chemical a contaminant also found in the infamous wartime defoliant ‘Agent Orange’ Seveso’s farmlands were littered with scores of dead poultry and plants were covered in white spots Farmers were quickly instructed to cull their livestock in a bid to stop dioxin from entering the local food chain with thousands of animals eventually being slaughtered nearly 500 people were suffering from chloracne – a debilitating condition where the skin breaks out into hundreds of pustules and lesions The gravity of the situation was exemplified in a short Time magazine report: When authorities dug the cat up for examination two days later Authorities were slow to react to the incident – only evacuating the area surrounding Meda almost a month after the plant explosion Health centres were set up to monitor and give advice to local residents on the possible long term health effects of TCDD even though little was known about its toxicity at the time the Italian government even waived its own anti-abortion laws during the crisis a small group of Italian doctors collected blood samples from affected residents Their foresight has enabled researchers to understand dioxin’s effect on the human body TCDD targets the aryl hydrocarbon receptor responsible for expressing genes that code for enzymes which break down foreign chemicals allowing foreign agents to pass through the bloodstream unimpeded or increase its activity and damage natural regulatory functions There is still some debate on TCDD’s mechanism of action but its effects are all too clear to the naked eye was taken ill during an election before suffering a severe case of chloracne For those studying TCDD’s toxicity through events such as the Seveso tragedy it was self-evident Yushchenko had been poisoned with dioxin Yushchenko would go on to make a full recovery but the scars of Seveso did not heal for many years with a tumultuous atmosphere hanging over the community the town’s chief medical officer was shot in a spate of attacks that would later include the assassination of a former manager at the Meda plant Residents were eventually allowed to return to Seveso along with dioxin-contaminated soil and debris these tombs now lie below a leafy woodland area called Bosco delle Querce and the horrifying story of the Seveso disaster Tubocurarine was effective at producing complete muscle paralysis but it dangerously lowered patients’ blood pressure … In the 1950s scientists started to look for alternatives their efforts produced pancuronium bromide and proved to be about ten times as potent as tubocurarine with only minimal side-effects Join Kat next week to learn more about pancuronium bromide and its role in surgery. Until then, get in touch with any comments or compound suggestions – email chemistryworld@rsc.org or tweet @chemistryworld Site powered by Webvision Cloud Photographer Alberto Seveso (previously) just released a new series of ink plumes photographed underwater against a black background titled Blackground The Italian photographer and illustrator now lives and works in Bristol UK where he does commercial work for digital brands Seveso was also kind enough to let us use an image from Blackground as part of a small Colossal design refresh for the next few months A train derailed and flooded a town with cancer-causing chemicals Earlier this month, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in eastern Ohio exploding into flames and unleashing a spume of chemical smoke on the small town of East Palestine The train’s freight included vinyl chloride a chemical known to cause liver cancer and other sicknesses government and railway officials decided to “burn off” the vinyl chloride – effectively dumping 1.1m lbs of the chemical into the local community Officials said that they did so to avert the vinyl chloride from exploding; in contrast an attorney for the lawsuit has said that the decision was cheap and more interested in restoring train service and appeasing railway shareholders than protecting local residents East Palestine residents are reporting headaches, sore throats, and burning eyes; dead pets and chickens; and thousands of fish corpses in nearby waterways. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has said that approximately 3,500 fish Norfolk Southern’s “controlled burn” may have caused a mushroom cloud of poison to spread over eastern Ohio The situation demands immediate action from President Biden thousands of people – including children and the elderly – and animals will be at continued risk of premature death Biden must declare a state of emergency and create an independent taskforce to take over the remediation of this eco-catastrophe Norfolk Southern “basically nuked a town with chemicals” to “get a railroad open”, a former hazmat technician told a local news outlet It certainly seems like a company with a $55bn market cap chose to sacrifice the health of thousands of people to keep its profits flowing We need to try to understand how this happened In terms of the sheer quantity of carcinogenic chemicals being released over an area of hundreds of miles Biden must publicly recognize it as such and act to protect the people who live in the affected area all-of-government response overseen not by the EPA but by independent scientists and taskmasters who will be immune to pressure from industry This sort of taskforce must be willing to threaten the suspension or even nationalization of Norfolk Southern if it does not cooperate and has refused to face residents to answer questions But it is also a function of the fact that industry does not respect the power of government to regulate it Government is supposed to protect us from the excesses of industry; instead it often acts like its partner But I know a fair amount about toxicology and how the world’s polluters use a playbook invented by law firms and consultants to downplay the impact of major disasters and lower their legal liability Local and state officials – who may be under enormous pressure from these industries in the form of campaign donations – often work alongside polluters to “manage” disasters’ political fallout It’s a one-two punch of disaster mismanagement that is playing out now with awful consequences for people and the planet Here are three takeaways about what is really happening and what needs to be done: Be skeptical of claims by authorities that it is “safe” to return to the area The EPA and state environmental officials have been opaque about what chemicals are being tested for and by what methods and news reports haven’t indicated any plans so far for any sort of environmental restoration We also do not know what new chemical compounds the so-called “controlled” burn may have created and whether tests have been run for those chemicals test results have not even been released publicly Bottom line: there is no transparent scientific or public health basis for declaring the area safe I wouldn’t go near the site of the disaster Corporate lobbying in recent years has undermined the ability of the EPA to regulate industry chemical lobbyists took over important jobs on the inside and the agency is severely understaffed the EPA is required by Congress to “balance” industry needs with public safety It is not focused solely on protecting the community It sent a letter to Norfolk pleading with it to pay for a cleanup; a real government would have sent a disaster management team to Ohio to take over which include some of the largest hedge funds on Wall Street Our government institutions as currently constituted are unable or unwilling to respond effectively to industrial disasters It is preposterous for any ostensibly advanced country to let a massive chemical polluter clean up a mess like this on its own terms and without effective oversight President Biden: the ball is in your court Steven Donziger is a human rights and environmental lawyer, a Guardian US columnist, and the creator of the Substack newsletter Donziger on Justice The term "Seveso” refers to a town in northern Italy which suffered the consequences of an industrial accident that took place in 1976 at the Icmesa chemical plant in the municipality of Meda The accident was caused by the lack of an emergency plan and resulted in the release of toxic products (caustic soda and dioxin) that contaminated the surrounding municipalities This had major ecological and health consequences and let to the hospitalization of children and death of farm animals With the dual aim of preventing any risk of a major accident on an industrial site with a known potential risk and of avoiding harmful effects of such an accident to the extent possible the European Union has had a prevention policy on major industrial risks since 1982 EU legislation has since undergone many changes in order to adapt to the new requirements in terms of safety and risk management The European provisions that have been transposed into national law stipulate which establishments are to be classified as "Seveso" further subdividing them according to the substances with which they are working: lower-tier and upper-tier establishments Luxembourg has 8 lower-tier establishments and 8 upper-tier establishments "Seveso"-establishments must implement a prevention policy and submit documents to the competent authorities certifying that they are doing everything possible to limit risks The Inspectorate of Labour and Mines (ITM) respectively the Environment Agency or the Health Directorate is responsible for technical tasks such as gathering information coordinating and liaising with the operators of the establishments the authorities of Luxembourg's neighboring countries and the European authorities This is all the more important when possible accidents are likely to have cross-border repercussions In addition to the prevention requirements imposed on establishments and state authorities the latter are also required to implement an information and awareness-raising policy so that the population is able to appreciate potential risks and react appropriately to protect itself As part of the information and alerting of the population the Minister for Home Affairs and the Minister of Labour Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy launched a sustainable information campaign to make citizens aware of the behavior to adopt in case of an emergency Georges Engel took advantage of the launch of the campaign to underline the importance of the ITM "The ITM is an indispensable player in this field Its role is to accompany companies while at the same time monitoring them But the ITM is also the contact point for the authorities in neighboring and European countries." Taina Bofferding adds that the resilience of the population can only be achieved by consistently providing clear understandable and accessible information: "This campaign is the starting point for regular information on safety measures and what to do in case of a major accident The aim is to inform citizens about "Seveso”-establishments but above all about the behavior to adopt in the event of an accident: enter listen - the precepts to remember for a more resilient population." the ministers pointed out that citizens are the first link in their own protection through their actions More information on these steps can be found in the flyer that will be sent to the whole population as well as on the website dedicated to the "Seveso"-establishments, seveso.lu Press release by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Labour Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy The cyclist from Brianza, with her Milanese colleague Martina Alzini (formerly Cesano Maderno Servetto), achieved a masterpiece in the Madison pairs race reserved for the elite women category. Point after point, the two Italians climb to the top of the general classification and finally get their hands on victory. Fiorin and Alzini close the account with 42 points and distance themselves by three points (39) from the home favorites Sevcikova and Kohoutkova of the Dukla Praga team, while in third place are the Colombians Gomez and Zapata in turn ahead of the Czech Republic tandem Bartova -Bartonikova. A success that has catapulted Sara Fiorin among the most prominent young pistards on the international female scene. Born in 2003 in Seveso and graduated from the High School of Human Sciences at Itis Versari in Cesano Maderno, Sara never ceases to amaze. A loose cannon in all specialties from track to cyclocross to road. This year the girl joined the development team of the UAE Development Team of the United Arab Emirates and her growth was immediately visible. Before now, the young girl from Brianza had won the first stage of the Tour of the Mediterranean and then went on to take the Italian track title in the Team Pursuit, as well as silver in the Madison and Team Speed. Portugal also gave her the European bronze in the Team Pursuit, and now this new triumph away from home and with the blue jersey on her shoulders. Seveso has been creating his unique work with only ink the artist says that he enjoys experimenting with his technique because “It makes me think about the possibility to stop time in a click.” If you like this style, you'll just love Seveso's other projects including Ink Riders, in which LEGO toys surf along blue ink waves, and Beibeees where expressive abstract faces come alive in the swirls of color Want to advertise with us? Visit My Modern Met Media Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening Metrics details Serial measurements of serum lipid 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) concentrations in 36 adults from Seveso with initial serum lipid TCDD concentrations ranging from 130 to 144,000 ppt were modeled using a modified version of a previously published toxicokinetic model for the distribution and elimination of dioxins The original model structure accounted for a concentration-dependent increase in overall elimination rate for TCDD due to nonlinear distribution of TCDD to the liver (secondary to induction of the binding protein CYP1A2) from which elimination takes place via a first-order process The original model structure was modified to include elimination due to lipid partitioning of TCDD from circulation into the large intestine We optimized the fit of the modified model to the data by varying the hepatic elimination rate parameter for each of the 39 people The model fits indicate that there is significant interindividual variability of TCDD elimination efficiency in humans and also demonstrate faster elimination in men compared to women the mean apparent half-life for TCDD (as reflected in changes in predicted serum lipid TCDD level) ranges from less than 3 years at serum lipid levels above 10,000 ppt to over 10 years at serum lipid levels below 50 ppt Application of the model to serum sampling data from the cohort of US herbicide-manufacturing workers assembled by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) indicates that previous estimates of peak serum lipid TCDD concentrations in dioxin-exposed manufacturing workers based on first-order back-extrapolations with half-lives of 7–9 years may have underestimated the maximum concentrations in these workers and other occupational cohorts by several-fold to an order of magnitude or more based on a single sampling point decades after last exposure are highly variable and dependent on a variety of assumptions and factors that cannot be fully determined including interindividual variations in elimination efficiency Dose estimates for these cohorts should be re-evaluated in light of the demonstration of concentration-dependent elimination kinetics for TCDD and the large degree of uncertainty in back-calculated dose estimates should be explicitly incorporated in quantitative estimates of TCDD's carcinogenic potency based on such data Severe 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) intoxication: insights into the measurement of hepatic cytochrome P450 1A2 induction Temporal trends in human TCDD body burden: decreases over three decades and implications for exposure levels J Expos Anal Environ Epidemiol 2002: 12: 319–328 Relative susceptibility of animals and humans to the cancer hazard posed by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin using internal measures of dose Environ Sci Technol 1996: 30(12): 3534–3543 Quantitative cancer risk assessment for dioxins using an occupational cohort Environ Health Perspect 1998: 106(2): 663–670 Modeling of the toxicokinetics of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in mammalians Nonlinear distribution of PCDD/PCDF body burden between liver and adipose tissues Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1995a: 131(2): 253–266 Kinetics of absorption and disposition of PCDDs/PCDFs Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1995b: 131(2): 267–276 Meta-analysis of dioxin cancer dose response for three occupational cohorts Environ Health Perspect 2003: 111(5): 681–687 The validity of predicted body fat percentage from body mass index and from impedance in samples of five European populations Body mass index as a measure of body fatness: age- and sex-specific prediction formulas Cancer mortality in workers exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (see comments) J Toxicol Environ Health 1996: 47(4): 363–378 Estimation of the cumulated exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans and standardized mortality ratio analysis of cancer mortality by dose in an occupationally exposed cohort Environ Health Perspect 1998: 106(Suppl 2): 655–662 Severe 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) intoxication: kinetics and trials to enhance elimination in two patients Olestra increases faecal excretion of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Metabolism of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and related dioxin-like compounds J Toxicol Environ Health Part B 1999: 2: 183–210 and pharmacologic agents on the biliary elimination of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in F344 rats Balance of intake and excretion of 20 congeners of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin polychlorinated dibenzofuran and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyl in healthy Japanese men Dioxins in bile in relation to those in the human liver and blood Environ Health Perspect 1998: 106(5): 273–277 J Expos Anal Environ Epidemiol 2002: 12(1): 44–53 Pharmacokinetics of TCDD in veterans of Operation Ranch Hand: 15-year follow-up J Toxicol Environ Health A 1999: 57(6): 369–378 A non-absorbable dietary fat substitute enhances elimination of persistent lipophilic contaminants in humans The influence of dietary concentration on the absorption and excretion of persistent lipophilic organic pollutants in the human intestinal tract Modeling digestive tract absorption and desorption of lipophilic organic contaminants in humans Environ Sci Technol 2002: 36(15): 3318–3325 Half-life of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in serum of Seveso adults: interim report Teratogon Carcinogen Mutagen 1997/98: 17: 225–240 Hepatic uptake and metabolism of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran Cause specific mortality and cancer incidence among employees exposed to 2,3,7,8-TCDD after a 1953 reactor accident A retrospective job exposure matrix for estimating exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Clearance of PCDD/Fs via the gastrointestinal tract in occupationally exposed persons Elimination of polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from human blood in the Yusho and Yu-Cheng rice oil poisonings Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 1993: 24(4): 504–512 Data on kinetics of PCDDs and PCDFs as a prerequisite for human risk assessment Biological Basis for Risk Assessment of Dioxins and Related Compounds Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press: Plainview and HCB in humans: mass balances and mechanistic considerations Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1998: 152(1): 128–137 Significant shortcomings of the US Environmental Protection Agency's latest draft risk characterization for dioxin-like compounds Risk assessment for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) based on an epidemiologic study United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) “Exposure and Human Health Reassessment of 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-Dioxin and Related Compounds.” Draft Final National Center for Environmental Assessment US Environmental Protection Agency: Washington Decrease of PCDD/F levels in human blood — trend analysis for the German population Download references We thank Alex Exuzides for assistance with statistical analyses and Joel Michalek for assistance with data This research was supported in part by Grant 2896 from Regione Lombardia and by funding from the Chlorine Chemistry Council and Tierra Solutions Some serum TCDD analyses for female Seveso residents were funded by grants (P.I Eskenazi) from the National Institutes of Health (R01 ES07171) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (R82471) Paolo Brambilla and Paolo Mocarelli: Participation limited to modeling and analysis of Seveso data Département de Mathématiques et de Statistique and Centre de Recherches Mathématiques Département de Santé Environnementale et Santé au Travail Larry L Needham & Donald G Patterson Jr Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jea.7500370 Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine (2019) International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health (2016) Milan found itself grappling with the aftermath of heavy rainfall as multiple districts were inundated due to adverse weather conditions on Tuesday A persistent downpour throughout the night coupled with an early morning storm led to the Seveso River overflowing and provoking a blackout One of the iconic locations affected by the deluge was the Garibaldi train station a crucial transportation hub in the metropolis prompting the Milan Municipality to take precautionary measures by temporarily closing certain streets Milan's councilor for security and civil protection Marco Granelli said they had not seen such flooding since 2014 Firefighters had to rescue a woman and her two children after she got trapped in her car because of a tree that was blown over by the winds at Mediglia The series Dropping continues down the same ink-inspired road Seveso eschewed the water he typically uses and used oil instead Seveso dropped ink mixtures into a container of oil photographing them at high-speed and flipping the resulting photographs upside down What you get in the end is a set of ethereal ink droplets seemingly defying gravity and reaching towards the sky If you like this, you’ll definitely want to check out our previous coverage and head over to Seveso’s website and see more of what he has to offer Just make sure you carve out enough time… he’s got enough impressive work on his site to keep you browsing for days (via Gizmodo) Image credits: Photographs by Alberto Seveso and used with permission Become a PetaPixel Member and access our content ad-free On the north-west area of Milan and Brianza a strong storm is passing from the south-west 31 millimeters of rain fell and a lightning storm also broke out during the night In Niguarda the flooding is underway Seveso river The Negrotto and Rubicone underpasses are also flooded the community of Don Mazzi in Lambro Park was evacuated due to the flooding of the Seveso and the bad weather changes to the service have become necessary tram 5 does not operate between Viale Lunigiana and the Ospedale Maggiore; Tram 7 does not operate from Viale Fulvio Testi/Santa Monica to Piazzale Lagosta; Bus 42 deviates between Piazza Farina and via Fulvio Testi/via Santa Marcellina; the circulation of trolleybuses 90 91 and 92 is slowed down due to damaged trees along the line; Buses 727 and 728 do not pass through Viale Sarca they deviate onto Via Fulvio Testi; Bus 729 towards Comasina deviates between via Monte Grappa/via Picardi and via Gorki in Cinisello Balsamo Gorla and Sesto Marelli stations of the M1 are also closed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister Matteo Salvini follows the repercussions of bad weather on infrastructure and transport with the utmost attention In particular - we read in a note from the MIT - in these hours there are problems in Lombardy (with repercussions on railway traffic) and flooding has been reported at the Milan-Fiorenza depot managed by Trenord Salvini recommended those responsible to promptly inform travelers of any slowdowns and hoped for a return to normality as soon as possible The deputy prime minister and minister and his offices are also monitoring the most critical situations in the provinces of Piacenza and Parma