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Hazardous high concentrations of cadmium found in inexpensive children's jewelry

Young children who mouth or swallow jewelry containing cadmium may be exposed to as much as 100 times the recommended maximum exposure limit for the toxic metal, according to research published online March 4 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). The study measured bioavailability, or how much cadmium leached out of the jewelry. The research also found that damaged pieces of jewelry in some cases leached up to 30 times more cadmium than undamaged pieces.

4 Mar 2011

Scientists use pioneering technology to create safer drinking water in the U.S.

Pioneering technology by scientists at Queen's University Belfast, which is transforming the lives of millions of people in Asia, is now being used to create safer drinking water in the United States.

2 Mar 2011

Existing plans for drug use during flu pandemic can reduce wastewater treatment efficiency

Existing plans for antiviral and antibiotic use during a severe influenza pandemic could reduce wastewater treatment efficiency prior to discharge into receiving rivers, resulting in water quality deterioration at drinking water abstraction points.

2 Mar 2011

Scientists discover lead contamination in ceramic cookware sold in Philadelphia's Chinatown

Recently, a research team from the Department of Emergency Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University discovered an alarming amount of lead contamination in ceramic cooking and eating utensils sold in Philadelphia's Chinatown.

1 Mar 2011

Next-generation sequencing provides important clues to traceback foodborne illness outbreak

FDA scientists successfully used a new genome sequencing test to retrospectively examine a 2009-10 foodborne illness outbreak to help trace the source of the infection.

25 Feb 2011

FDA allows marketing of Ridascreen Norovirus 3rd Generation EIA assay in the US

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed marketing of the first test for the preliminary identification of norovirus.

24 Feb 2011

Novo Nordisk submits rFXIII BLA to FDA for treatment of inherited bleeding disorder

Novo Nordisk announced today that a Biologic License Application has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requesting the approval of a recombinant factor XIII compound for the vast majority of patients with congenital factor XIII deficiency, an inherited bleeding disorder.

From Novo Nordisk 23 Feb 2011

Toxic contamination of groundwater: South Australia residents warned

Australia’s Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has announced fears of groundwater contamination beneath up to 2000 homes. The EPA said that industrial activity at the former Hills Industries site in Edwardstown, south of Adelaide, caused dangerous materials - including a chemical known to cause cancer - to seep into the groundwater.

23 Feb 2011

MWV announces availability of preservative pharmaceutical spray pumps for sampling

MeadWestvaco Corp. announced today the availability of its Preservative Free Pump Topical for sampling. This product, specifically engineered for topical applications, is the most recent innovation in its portfolio of preservative free pharmaceutical spray pumps. The new pump will be featured at Pharmapack 2011, in Paris, France from February 23-24.

23 Feb 2011

Early appendectomy appears to reduce time away from normal activities in children with appendicitis

For children with a perforated appendix, early appendectomy appears to reduce the time away from normal activities and has fewer adverse events as compared to another common option, the interval appendectomy, which is performed several weeks after diagnosis, according to a report published online first in the Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

22 Feb 2011

Flu vaccine update

This new vaccine which could become available in the United States in the next few years, is made by growing the influenza virus in cultures of animal cells rather than in the chicken eggs that have been used for more than five decades. This shortens the process by six months. Using animal cells, which are grown in enclosed steel tanks, also reduces the risk of bacterial contamination, which has led to shortages of seasonal vaccines in some years. The study was reported in The Lancet this Tuesday.

16 Feb 2011

Contaminated alcohol prep pad may have caused sudden death of two year old

A lawsuit filed in Federal court claims that a contaminated alcohol prep pad manufactured by Triad Group, Inc. caused the sudden death of a two year old boy. The lawsuit claims Bacillus cereus bacteria from a contaminated alcohol prep pad caused a deadly meningitis infection.

14 Feb 2011

Americans willing to pay more, but up to a limit, for safer food

Government regulators could more realistically assess the value of improving food safety if they considered the fact that consumers typically want to avoid getting sick - even if it means they have to pay a little extra for safer food, researchers say.

10 Feb 2011

New study: No difference in contamination between physicians' long-, short-sleeved workwear

Governmental agencies in the United Kingdom recently instituted guidelines banning physicians' white coats and the wearing of long-sleeved garments to decrease the transmission of bacteria within hospitals due to the belief that cuffs of long-sleeved shirts carry more bacteria. However, a new study published today in the Journal of Hospital Medicine shows that after an eight-hour day, there is no difference in contamination of long- and short-sleeved shirts, or on the skin at the wearers' wrists.

10 Feb 2011

TOMI announces joint venture agreement with Zera Investments

TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc., a global green leader in infectious disease control and surface and air remediation, announced today a joint venture agreement with Zera Investments PTE. LTD, a Singapore private investment company.

7 Feb 2011

Study: Air at petrol stations, immediate surroundings are affected by emissions from vehicle fuels

In Spain it is relatively common to come across petrol stations surrounded by houses, particularly in urban areas. Researchers from the University of Murcia have studied the effects of contamination at petrol stations that is potentially harmful to health, which can be noted in buildings less than 100 metres from the service stations.

5 Feb 2011

FDA issues reminder about safe use of non-sterile alcohol prep pads

Following a recent recall of potentially contaminated non-sterile alcohol prep pads, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today reminded health care professionals about the safe use of non-sterile alcohol prep pads to clean and disinfect the surface of the skin.

2 Feb 2011

Silicon dioxide coated rust nanoparticles to fight cervical cancer

The next big thing in medical diagnostics could be minutes particles of rust, iron oxide, coated with the material from which sand is formed, silicon dioxide. These magnetic nanoparticles, a mere 29 to 230 nanometers across, can be used to trap antibodies to the virus that causes cervical cancer and to the bacteria that causes potentially lethal diarrhea.

1 Feb 2011

Water contamination warnings after floods

The public has been warned to stay out of some southeast Queensland waterways containing high levels of sewage contamination from floodwaters. Moreton Bay itself has avoided major sewage contamination says the Queensland Government.

31 Jan 2011

Scientist examines tungsten contamination in drinking water

A Kansas State University scientist is digging deep to solidify information about potential tungsten contamination in the nation's groundwater and aquifers.

28 Jan 2011