Environmental Public Health Journal 2014 | BCIT Institutional Repository

Environmental Public Health Journal 2014

The CO2 and PM2.5 levels in Downtown Vancouver at peak (5 p.m.) and off-peak (12 a.m.) hours
The effects of air pollution and global warming on human health have reached a dangerous level and this situation has become a critical environmental concern all over the world. The aim of the study was to explore levels of PM2.5 and CO2 emitted from the combustion engines of the road vehicles. The reason for choosing PM2.5 as one of the variables in this study is that it easily penetrates the lungs alveoli and is transmitted to other body organs by blood circulation. Exposure to PM2.5 from a few hours to a few weeks can cause serious cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including death. The longer the exposure, the higher the risk for cardiovascular mortality. On the other hand, decrease in PM2.5 levels reduces cardiovascular mortality. Studies also show that PM2.5 is associated with diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure. The reason for choosing CO2 was its being as one of the six greenhouse gases leading to the climate change or global warming that threatens human health all over the world. Traffic emissions are the major source for both PM2.5 and CO2. That is why to understand the extent of the PM2.5 and the CO2 emissions from fossil fuel burning and thus their impact on human life is important. Studies show that while air pollution is high during peak hours, it is lower during off-peak hours. Moving from this fact, the discrepancies between peak and off-peak hours readings of the PM2.5 and CO2 levels, which were measured in Vancouver Downtown during 30 consecutive days, were observed. Air particulates PM2.5 were measured with the Dust Trak aerosol monitor and CO2 levels with Q Trak monitor. Results showed a statistically significant difference in the median concentration of PM2.5 between 5 p.m. and 12 a.m. (p=0.018). However there was no statistically significant difference in the median concentration of CO2 between 5 p.m. and 12 a.m. (p=0.84). Measures to reduce air pollution, particularly through reducing PM2.5 and CO2 levels, especially in urban settings, can help reduce the risks of global warming (CO2 effect) and have positive effect on public health issues by preventing or reducing the risks of occurrence of many diseases, and their fatal consequences in some instances, caused or triggered by exposure to air pollution. Both national governments and international agencies should support the scientific research the results of which will inform the public health policies and regulations that will promote cleaner air and thus healthier societies by both implementing some enforcement measures and educating the public on the risks of air pollution and global warming and the relevant and available remedies. This study has been carried out to contribute to the efforts made to this end., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, PM2.5, CO2, Air pollution, Emissions, Greenhouse gases, Global warming, Traffic
Comparing the health risks of alfalfa sprouts and wheatgrass via detecting the presences of escherichia coli in their juices
Background: Past studies have analyzed the health risks associated with alfalfa sprout production and developed standard procedures to reduce foodborne illnesses. There have been no studies related to microgreen outbreaks, specifically wheatgrass. Wheatgrass has become a growing culinary trend and the potential health risks associated need to be evaluated. Alfalfa sprouts and wheatgrass both share the same initial growth production – pre-soak and germination. The only difference is the harvesting period. This paper evaluated the risks associated with alfalfa sprout production and compared it with wheatgrass production by contaminating both alfalfa sprouts and wheatgrass with E. coli The presences of E. coli in the plant’s juices were evaluated and compared. Method: Alfalfa sprouts and wheatgrass were grown in similar conditions, in hydroponic condition, with an additional wheatgrass in soil. The plants were grown and harvested according to its respective pre-soaking and harvesting period, as specified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The plants were inoculated with Escherichia coli during the germination period, and then juiced to examine the presences of E. coli within its internal structure. The Hygiena systemSURE II luminometer was used to detect the presences of E. coli via the MicroSnap™ Enrichment and E. coli detection swabs. Results: The result showed that E. coli was present in both wheatgrass and alfalfa sprouts juice. The root systems of the food products were independent of each other. The types of growth medium used for wheatgrass were also independent of each other. Conclusion: The study found that growing microgreens should be treated similarly to sprout productions. Food facilities with wheatgrass production need to be aware of safe handling, production, and storage of wheatgrass to prevent foodborne illnesses., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, wheatgrass, microgreens, sprouts, foodborne illness, E. coli, root system, contamination
Consumer preferences concerning potentially unsafe food
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that the reasons behind consumers’ preferences towards certain food products are extremely dynamic. Organic foods, raw milk products and bottled water are a few products discussed in this paper that have gone under debate regarding their safety versus their perceived health benefits. METHODS: Over 100 people participated in an exclusively online self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was publicized through both email and social media. Participants responded to questions regarding their food preferences of a variety of food types. RESULTS: It was found that there was a statistically significant association between education and preferences towards both milk products and organic/non-organic food products. No other demographic (setting, gender, age) were found to be associated with food preferences. It was also found that all food preferences were associated with the reasoning for that specific food preference, with the exception of cut/whole fruit. CONCLUSION: The association between food preferences and its reasoning concludes that consumers who prefer opposing products do so for extremely different reasons. Consumers that prefer the more risky food products mainly do so for taste and potential health benefits. Public health officials need to ensure that consumers that prefer riskier products thoroughly understand the risks, so that they themselves can then truly compare the benefits of taste or perceived “healthiness” with the consequences of potential contamination and illness., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, survey, food preferences, consumers, food choice, food safety
Determining the time required to disinfect a sponge contaminated with Escherichia coli, using a commercial microwave
Background: Disinfection and sanitation are important in areas where food is involved. Thorough cleaning is a necessity to prevent growth of harmful pathogens that could affect human health. Sponges used for cleaning can serve as a vehicle for cross-contamination on food preparation surfaces. There are various methods that could be used to disinfect contaminated sponges. The usage of a microwave is one suggested method. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if the Scotch-BriteTM Brand, cellulose sponges contaminated with E.coli (105 cfu/ml) could be disinfected using a microwave set at three timings (30 seconds, 1 minute, and 2 minutes). Methods: The Hygiena MicroSnap was used to detect the presence (or absence) of E.coli in sponges after microwave heating. The relative light units (RLU) indicated in the monitor determined whether there were any remaining coliforms in the sample after microwaving. Results: Statistical analysis was conducted using Microsoft Excel and NCSS. After heating sponges for 30 seconds, 100% of the samples detected no E.coli. After heating for 1 minute, 70% of the samples had no E.coli present. After heating for 2 minutes, 100% of the samples detected no E.coli. The p-value of 0.03567 concludes that the results were statistically significant at the 5% significance level. Discussion: The results of this study indicate that sponges contaminated with E.coli can be disinfected using microwave heating. EHOs, food establishment operators, and the general public can use this knowledge to re-use their old sponges and avoid further cross-contamination. Conclusions: The results indicate that microwave time is associated with the presence or absence of E.coli in a sponge. However, E.coli was present in 3 samples microwaved at 1 minute. This suggests further studies are required to confirm the findings of this study. In addition, further studies are required to determine what specific time is sufficient to completely eliminate the E.coli in a contaminated sponge., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Peer reviewed, E.coli, sponge, disinfection, microwave, MicroSnap, cross-contamination, EHO
The effectiveness of Metro Vancouver’s green bin program
Background and Aims Metro Vancouver is implementing a disposal ban on all food scraps from entering the landfills and incinerators by the year 2015. In order to prepare the city’s residents, a food scraps recycling program, known as the Green Bin Program, was initiated in 2013 for all single family households. The aim of this research project was to measure public knowledge and awareness of the program across various demographics and collect data on the general opinion of it. Methods An online survey was created using SurveyMonkey, a survey generating website, and distributed online via Facebook and e-mail. The results from these surveys were analyzed using NCSS software to determine statistical significance via a chi-squared analysis with alpha (a) = 0.05. Results There were a total of 70 respondents. Of these, 68% of the respondents indicated that the Green Bin Program should stay the way it currently is without any further changes. 8% of the respondents were in favour of stopping the program and the remaining 24% indicated that the program needed some modifications such as more education/promotional material, implementing the program into apartment complexes and more garbage pickup days to prevent pest and odor problems. Age category, location of residence, and educational background were analyzed against other variables in the survey that tested the knowledge and usefulness of the Green Bin Program. Looking at these 3 variables in relation to knowledge: there was no association between location of residence, age, and educational background, with knowledge of what could go into the green bin (p= 0.76, p= 0.53, p= 0.33, respectively). These same 3 demographic variables were also analyzed against frequency of food scraps recycling and there was a positive association between age and frequency (p= 0.037), indicating that respondents aged 19-29 were recycled food scraps more than respondents over the age of 29. However, there was no association between location/education and frequency (p= 0.32 and p= 0.10, respectively). Non demographic variables were also analyzed, such as determining if household size and garbage bin size had an effect on frequency of food scraps recycling: household size did not have a significant association (p=0.70) while garbage bin size did have a positive association (p= 0.025), showing that residences with smaller garbage bins were more likely to recycle their food scraps. Conclusion These results indicated limited knowledge of the Green Bin program and pinpointed deterrents (mostly pests and odors) from participating in it. Environmental Health Officers’ involvement would be important as educators to emphasize that certain organic wastes (like pet fecal matter) should not go into the green bin as they create health hazards. EHOs can also collaborate with the municipality to promote the program. Several participants reported recycling their food scraps; as a result, the Metro Vancouver Green Bin Program has achieved some of its aims in creating a greener and more sustainable city., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Puiblished., Peer reviewed, Food scraps, Recycling, Green bin, Metro Vancouver, Garbage
Evaluating the health and safety knowledge of body waxing providers in British Columbia
BACKGROUND: Since the deregulation of the BC Cosmetology Act in 2003, esthetics has become a voluntary-certified trade. Considering the rising popularity of more intimate body waxing services and the potential for infections and injuries associated with these services, there is concern that BC waxing service providers have varying levels of health and safety knowledge. METHODS: The health and safety knowledge of BC estheticians was analyzed by conducting a knowledge assessment survey of body waxing providers from random clusters of 50 beauty salons in Vancouver and Surrey, BC. To evaluate which parameters affected the estheticians’ knowledge scores, ANOVA, t-tests and regression analyses were used. Chi square analyses were used to determine factors associated with the level of esthetics training. RESULTS: Health and safety knowledge scores widely varied (mean = 18.8 ± 5.5 out of 36 points). Estheticians’ qualifications were not significantly associated with whether the esthetician started practicing before or after the BC Cosmetology Act deregulation. 84% held a traditional esthetics certification and 30% had BeautySafe certification; however they did not necessarily score significantly higher on the health and safety knowledge assessment. Estheticians scored higher in Vancouver than in Surrey (p=0.046). The cost of waxing (p=0.0011) and estheticians’ perceptions (p=0.020) of their own knowledge level are also positively related to their knowledge score. Age, alma mater, years of experience, and ethnicity did not show any significant relationship with an esthetician’s qualifications or knowledge scores. CONCLUSIONS: Cost of wax treatment, esthetician’s perception of health and safety knowledge and location were indicators of an esthetician’s health and safety knowledge competency. Consumers should ask the esthetician to rate their own knowledge competency, opt for the more expensive treatment and if they have the option, choose a Vancouver salon over a Surrey salon. The wide range of knowledge scores indicate a gap in health and safety standards and thus, an opportunity for health authorities and the esthetic industry to collaborate to establish such standards., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, body waxing, esthetician, health, safety
Fitness lunch bag
Background: Improper storage of food is one of the top ten food handling practices that cause a foodborne illness. This study assessed whether the Fitness Lunch Bag was able to keep precooked chicken breast cold at below 4°C (40°F) for 8 hours and to determine if the layers of the bag kept food consistent at the same temperature. Methods: Three SmartButtons, continuous temperature data logging devices, were inserted into three precooked and chilled chicken breasts. The three chicken breasts were placed within three trays inside the Fitness Lunch Bag that remained at room temperature for 8 hours. The internal temperatures were logged at one hour intervals. A total of 30 samples were collected. NCSS was used for statistical analysis of the data by regression/correlation and ANOVA. Results: The Fitness Lunch Bag was unable to hold cold food safely, at 4°C (40°F) and below for 8 hours. All three layers were found to exceed 4°C (40°F) within the first hour (p-value of 0.000 by 1 sample t-test). In addition, all three layers of the Fitness Lunch Bag were found to not be equivalent in retaining a consistent temperature throughout the bag (p-value of 0.000000 < 0.05 by regression analysis at the 8 hour mark). Layer 2 was the best at retaining the lowest temperature for the chicken breasts, followed by layer 1. Moreover, layer 3 was found to display the warmest temperatures out of the three layers. Conclusion: The results of the study show that the Fitness Lunch Bag does not have the ability to keep cold foods out of the danger zone, 4-60°C (40 – 140°F), for 8 hours. In addition, the bag was not capable of keeping cold foods safe at the 1 hour mark. Caution should be used with any type of lunch bag, insulated and/or frozen gel packed, especially with the potentially hazardous foods., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Published., Peer reviewed, Peer-reviewed article, lunch bag, foodborne illness, temperature, temperature abuse, fitness
Investigating the effectiveness of washing cantaloupe melon rind in preventing the transference of surface E. coli into melon flesh
Cantaloupe melon was the source of a lethal outbreak of Listeria in 2011. This research investigated whether washing a contaminated cantaloupe rind was sufficient in preventing the transferring of Escherichia coli. Hence, the null hypothesis for this study was that there is no association between washing a contaminated cantaloupe melon and the presence of the contamination in the flesh. In this study, 10 cantaloupes were used to produce a sample size of 20 per washed and unwashed treatments. Each of the samples was transferred to EC broth to determine the presence and absence of Escherichia coli (E. coli), the indicator organism that acted as the “outbreak contaminant.” The results showed 100% of the unwashed melons and 80% of the washed melons to have E. coli transferred into the flesh. A Chi Square analysis produced a p-value of 0.035. The study determined that there was a statistically significant association between washing a melon and the presence of E. coli in the melon flesh. The author recommends washing melon rind as a means to prevent foodborne illness caused by surface contaminants., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Cantaloupe, melon, rind, flesh, outbreak, Escherichia coli, foodborne illness
The risk of consuming MTGase-restructured steaks like intact steaks
Introduction: The use of transglutaminase to restructure loose pieces of meat into a fully intact piece of steak has been a concern for the public because of the potential internalization of contaminated surfaces into the aseptic center. The aim of this study was to examine if restructured steaks are safe to consume when cooked to medium rare, a common option with whole cut steaks Methods: Strips of beef were inoculated with E.coli to induce surface contamination. Steaks were restructured with transglutaminase and the altered meat. These steaks were then cooked alongside fully intact whole-cut steak samples. Each sample was then churned in a stomacher, and the resulting solution was used to detect for potential E.coli bacteria. Samples were then enriched and finally placed into the Hygiena Micro-snap Rapid Coliform and E.coli detection test to look for the presence of E.coli. Results: The Hygiena system showed that all transglutaminase restructured steaks possessed detectable levels of E.coli even after cooking to 55 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, no whole-cut steaks had traces of E.coli even when cooked to this same temperature. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that there is a substantial risk with restructured steaks and they should not be consumed undercooked. As well, proper labelling and guidelines should be developed to enable consumers to be better equipped in making decisions to consume properly consumed altered steaks., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Transglutaminase, Meat glue, Steaks, Food safety, Escherichia coli
Safety of Chinese roast pork as determined by the water activity of the skin and cavity
Objectives: The increase in unfamiliar ethnic foods and the lack of guidelines available to evaluate their safety makes it increasingly challenging for Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) to ensure food safety. Chinese barbecued meats, for example, frequently undergo improper temperature control, causing health concerns for public health authorities. However, due to the limited studies conducted, the health implications associated with temperature abuse of this ethnic food is currently unclear. Hence, the following study assessed the safety of Chinese barbecued meats, specifically roast pork, at ambient temperature (21°C). Methods: The temperature and water activity (aw) of 30 samples of roast pork skin and cavity were measured. A one sample t-test was conducted to assess whether or not the aw of roast pork surfaces are below 0.85, a standard for safe display of food at room temperature. In addition, the paired-sample t-test was conducted to determine whether a difference exists between the aw of roast pork skin and cavity. Results: The mean temperature that roast pork was displayed at in retailers was 30.7°C and the mean skin and cavity aw were 0.70±0.013 and 0.81±0.009, respectively. The aw of the roast pork skin and cavity were found to be statistically lower than the standard, 0.85 (p-value < 0.00001 and at 0.001338, respectively). In addition, statistically significant difference was found between the mean aw of the roast pork skin and cavity (p-value < 0.00001). Conclusion: These results indicate that the whole roast pork can be safely displayed at ambient temperature provided that it adheres to specific food safety and sanitation criteria. These results can aid health authorities with guidelines development to assist PHIs with inspections and educate operators to ensure food safety., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Peer-reviewed article, Published., Peer reviewed, Chinese roast pork, water activity, temperature abuse, public health, skin, cavity
UV transmittance in market place sunglasses and their adherence to established standards.
Background: Sunglasses are used to shade and protect the public’s eyes every day. However some improperly made sunglasses offer inadequate UV protection that shade the eyes and dilate pupils, while letting in a high dose of UV radiation into sensitive ocular tissues. This UV exposure can have acute and chronic effects such as temporary blindness and clouding of the eye. This study investigated the prevalence of sunglasses with poor UV protection and examined any relationships or associations between such sunglasses and their retail price or declared protective standards. Methods: 35 unused sunglasses available in the Metro Vancouver area were tested using an Agilent 8453 UV-visible Spectroscopy System for UV transmittance rates in the UVA, UVB, and UVC wavelengths. Results were statistically analyzed for any potential relationships or associations between price, price categories, total number of wavelengths failed, transmittance test results, decal presence, and types of decals present. Results: Sample sunglasses were distributed to be 51% budget sunglasses, 23% standard sunglasses, and 26% premium sunglasses. Of these 35 sunglasses, 11% failed the 4% permitted transmittance test, and 89% of the sunglasses had some form of UV protection claim adhered or printed on the product. Statistically significant associations, using Chi-squared analysis, could not be found between transmittance test results and price category, UV protection claims, or the type of UV protection claim; p-values were found to be 0.43643, 0.44525, and 0.58402, respectively. A statistically significant relationship, using linear regression, could not be found between price and total wavelengths failed; p-value was found to be 0.2272 with a slope of -0.1334 Conclusion: Though no statistically significant relationships or associations could not be found, the study did find sunglasses that offered inadequate UV protection, leading to the conclusion that there are sunglasses in the Metro Vancouver market that are inappropriate for standard UV protection., Project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Environmental Health, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2014., Published., Peer reviewed, UV protection, Sunglasses, Sunglass, UVR, UV, Photoprotection, Vancouver, Ocular health, Vision