Evaluation of potential toxic effects of occupational inhalation exposure to licorice root dust

Licorice, a plant indigenous to southern Europe, the Middle East, and northern China, exhibits several pharmacological properties, including estrogenic, anti-tumoral, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergenic, and anti-tussive activities. Prolonged use of licorice is known to produce headaches, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, edema, lethargy, dyspnea, sodium retention and loss of potassium in humans. However, to date, the potential adverse health effects due to occupational inhalation exposure of licorice root dust remains unknown. This study was, therefore, undertaken to address this issue. In this cross-sectional study, individuals (30 workers) occupationally exposed to licorice root dust at a licorice producing plant in Shiraz, Iran were recruited. Similarly, 30 healthy male unexposed employees at a telecommunications industry, with identical demographic and socioeconomic status, without any past or current exposure to licorice dust or habitual ingestion of this compound, served as the referent group. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured. Further, individuals underwent electrocardiography, clinical examination and blood chemistry tests. To assess the extent to which subjects were exposed to licorice root dust, atmospheric concentrations of this compound were also measured in the plant. There were no differences in age, weight, height and duration of exposure to licorice dust or length of employment between exposed and referent groups. Atmospheric measurement of licorice dust showed that concentration exceeded the permissible limit of 5 mg m^?3. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures of exposed subjects were significantly higher than those of the referent group. Similarly, blood analysis revealed that serum concentrations of potassium and platelet counts were significantly lower in exposed subjects than in referent individuals. Questionnaire data demonstrated that symptoms such as headaches, lethargy, and vertigo were more common in exposed subjects. No abnormal changes were noted in the electrocardiographs of exposed or referent subjects. Our findings provide evidence that inhalation exposure to high concentrations of licorice dust is associated with an increased prevalence of headache, lethargy, and vertigo, as well as hypertension and hypokalemia. None of these changes resulted in increased morbidity and mortality in exposed workers.     

施用沼渣和接种丛枝菌根真菌对甘草生长及矿质营养的影响

沼渣是厌氧发酵的残余物,可作为肥料施用,但因其含有一定量的重金属等有害物质可能导致环境污染风险.丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhiza,AM)真菌作为植物共生真菌,可以促进植物对矿质养分的吸收,同时能够通过不同途径减轻重金属对植物的毒害.本文采用甘草(Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.)为供试植物开展盆栽试验,考察施用沼渣结合接种AM真菌对甘草生长和矿质营养的影响.试验结果表明,施用沼渣显著促进了植物生长,提高了植物生物量、磷含量和叶片叶绿素含量,与此同时提高了土壤有机质和磷、铬、铜、铅含量,并导致植物重金属含量显著升高.另一方面,AM真菌能够和甘草根系形成良好共生关系,但施用沼渣对菌根侵染表现出显著抑制作用.接种AM真菌促进了甘草生长、提高了根系磷含量及叶片叶绿素含量,同时显著降低了植株重金属含量至安全阈值以内.本试验表明,施用沼渣同时接种AM真菌可在促进甘草生长的同时阻控重金属污染风险,因而可作为沼渣安全利用的一种可行技术途径.     

我国干旱地区甘草草地资源的利用与保护

全世界有甘草13种,我国有8种,沙漠地区常见有5种。我国沙漠地区的甘草种类为甘草(Glycyrrhiza uralensis)、胀果甘草(Glycyrrhiza inflata)等5种,它们构成各种甘草草地,分布在多种多样的生态环境中,以甘草草地分布最广。 甘草草地可供放牧、割草、采药、农垦、营林等多目标利用,目前它已被广泛进行利用。其中以放牧和采药利用最为广泛。 甘草草地的利用存在着严重的问题,例如:滥挖甘草已使大面积的甘草草地遭到了严重破坏,不适当的农垦已使不少甘草草地成了荒滩和沙化土地,生境旱化已使一些甘草草地明显退化,土壤盐渍化已使得一些甘草草地发育不良以至已被盐生植被所演替。 要使甘草草地这一多目标利用的自然资源能得到水续利用,必须重视土壤和环境的保护,防止土壤风蚀和水蚀,防治土壤盐渍化,预防生态环境旱化,大力种草种树等。