Environmental Health[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Integrated network toxicology suggests potential mechanisms involving environmental flame retardant TDCPP in ovarian cancer progression via "liver-to-ovary crosstalk.".
Shi Z, Li Z, Li Y … +1 more , Yang F
Environ Health · 2026 Mar · PMID 41772633 · Full text
BACKGROUND: The environmental flame retardant tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) is epidemiologically associated with several core risk factors for ovarian cancer (such as hormonal dysregulation and infertilit...
BACKGROUND: The environmental flame retardant tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP) is epidemiologically associated with several core risk factors for ovarian cancer (such as hormonal dysregulation and infertility); however, the molecular mechanisms linking these adverse health outcomes remain unclear. This knowledge gap limits the precision and specificity of risk assessment. This study aims to utilize bioinformatics methods to suggest potential molecular pathways through which TDCPP influences the development of ovarian cancer. METHODS: We employed an integrative analysis strategy combining computational toxicology and multi-omics data. Molecular docking simulations were utilized to evaluate potential molecular binding. Statistical analyses involved differential expression analysis, miRNA target prediction, and pathway enrichment to identify key regulatory networks. RESULTS: Our analysis identified potential associations between TDCPP (and its metabolite BDCPP) and three key ovarian cancer genes related to prognosis: MMP3 (invasion), and CYP3A4 and CYP3A43 (chemotherapy resistance). Multi-omics analysis identified an miRNA signature (miR-3677/3135/4436 family) associated with gene co-regulation. Given the liver-enriched characteristics of these miRNAs, we proposed a novel “liver-to-ovary crosstalk” hypothesis model of distal tumor progression. In this model, TDCPP exposure may involve the release of exosomes carrying dysregulated miRNAs from hepatocytes, thereby potentially remotely regulating ovarian gene expression. Furthermore, molecular docking simulations suggested that TDCPP and BDCPP could theoretically interact with the protein domains of MMP3 and CYP3A4, providing atomic-level clues for potential molecular binding effects. CONCLUSIONS: Starting from epidemiological associations, this study provides bioinformatics evidence regarding potential molecular mechanisms linking TDCPP to ovarian cancer risk. The proposal of miRNA-related regulatory pathways and a “liver-to-ovary crosstalk” hypothesis model offers a new perspective for understanding the systemic toxicity of the environmental pollutant TDCPP. Importantly, these findings provide testable hypotheses for future experimental validation and offer molecular-level clues for interpreting difficult-to-explain clinical cases, highlighting their significant public health and scientific value. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.
Attaining neurodevelopmental milestones and exposures to fine particulate matter and environmental green spaces.
Mbishi JV, Bijnens E, Holvoet K … +6 more , De Haes J, Lepe A, Ortibus E, Naulaers G, Nawrot TS, de Kroon M
Environ Health · 2026 Mar · PMID 41772576 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Early-life environmental exposures may influence infant neurodevelopment. We examined associations between perinatal air pollution, green space exposure, and milestone attainment during the first two years. M...
BACKGROUND: Early-life environmental exposures may influence infant neurodevelopment. We examined associations between perinatal air pollution, green space exposure, and milestone attainment during the first two years. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal population study of Flemish children born in 2018, using well-baby clinic data (n = 46,584). Outcomes were delay of six milestones within predefined windows assessed using the Dutch version of the Denver Developmental Screener, and the exact age at two milestones. Municipality-level PM2.5, PM10, and green space were assigned. Associations per interquartile-range (IQR) increase were estimated using multivariable logistic and linear regression with multiple imputation. RESULTS: PM2.5 was positively associated with delaying the milestone ‘Points at 6 body parts of a doll’ (OR = 1.13, 95% CI:1.04;1.22). PM10 was positively associated with delaying the milestones ‘Says sentences of 2 words’ (OR = 1.07, 95%CI:1.00;1.13), ‘Points at 6 body parts of a doll’ (OR = 1.11, 95%CI:1.05;1.18), and ‘Pulls up to standing position’ (OR = 1.11, 95%CI:1.02;1.22). Low green was significantly associated with a reduced odds of delaying the milestones ‘Says 2 sound-words with comprehension’ (OR = 0.89, 95%CI:0.85;0.93) and ‘Pulls up to standing position’ (OR = 0.87, 95%CI:0.81;0.94), and negatively associated with walking age in months (B=-0.094, 95%CI:-0.129;-0.059). High green was negatively associated with delaying the milestones ‘Says sentences of 2 words’ (OR = 0.96, 95%CI:0.94;0.99) and ‘Points at 6 body parts of a doll’ (OR = 0.93, 95%CI:0.89;0.96). Total green was negatively associated with delaying the milestones ‘Says 2 sound-words with comprehension’ (OR = 0.94, 95%CI:0.88;0.99) and ‘Points at 6 body parts of a doll’ (OR = 0.95, 95%CI:0.91;0.99), and also with walking age (B=-0.054, 95%CI:-0.089;-0.019). CONCLUSION: PM exposure was linked to delays, while green space exposure showed a protective association. These findings support reducing PM10/PM2.5) and promoting green space exposures for child development.
Investigation of sociodemographic, temporal, and meteorological heterogeneity in the short-term blood pressure response to air pollutants.
Maharjan D, Bista S, Teyton A … +6 more , Bruno RM, Montanari A, Zou D, Fancello G, Benmarhnia T, Chaix B
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41764531 · Full text
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A prospective study of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), stress, and birth size in a cohort of U.S. Black women.
Schildroth S, Claus Henn B, Lovett SM … +7 more , Wesselink AK, Nillni YI, Heiger-Bernays W, Harmon QE, Vines AI, Baird DD, Wise LA
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41761315 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and psychosocial stress can dysregulate hormonal processes underlying fetal growth. Less is known about the effect of co-exposure to PFAS and stress on birth size. O...
BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and psychosocial stress can dysregulate hormonal processes underlying fetal growth. Less is known about the effect of co-exposure to PFAS and stress on birth size. OBJECTIVE: We investigated associations of a preconception mixture of PFAS with birth size and assessed effect modification by perceived stress. METHODS: We used prospective data from 321 participants from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids, a cohort of 23-35-year-old women from Detroit, MI who identified as Black/African American. We quantified plasma concentrations of six PFAS in baseline blood samples using online solid-phase extraction-liquid chromatography-isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. We assessed experience of perceived stress at baseline using the Perceived Stress Scale-4. Participants reported intervening pregnancies at follow-up visits (at ~ 20, 40, and 60 months). We calculated sex-standardized birthweight-for-gestational-age (BW-for-GA) z-scores from reported birthweight and gestational age at delivery. We employed Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression to estimate associations (βs, with 95% credible intervals [CrI]) of the PFAS mixture with BW-for-GA z-scores and assess effect modification by stress scores, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: The 90th percentile of the mixture (vs. 50th percentile) was weakly associated with higher BW-for-GA z-scores (β = 0.37, 95% CrI=-0.20, 0.95), driven by perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) and stress scores. PFHxS was weakly associated with higher BW-for-GA z-scores, and this association was stronger at higher levels of perceived stress. CONCLUSION: A mixture of PFAS and stress scores was weakly associated with higher BW-for-GA z-scores in a cohort of Black women, with evidence of a PFHxS-stress score interaction.
Health impacts of micro- and nanoplastics in humans: systematic review of in vivo evidence.
Tran HAA, Ng JJ, Tang DH … +2 more , Yong CT, Ho AFW
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41761215 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are pervasive environmental contaminants with potential human health implications. Although laboratory models implicate MNPs in oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocr...
BACKGROUND: Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are pervasive environmental contaminants with potential human health implications. Although laboratory models implicate MNPs in oxidative stress, inflammation, and endocrine disruption, a comprehensive synthesis of direct in vivo human evidence is lacking. We aimed to systematically review studies measuring MNPs in living human subjects and summarise associated health findings. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane and Embase through 26 December 2024. Two investigators independently screened and selected original research articles that quantified MNPs in biological samples from living humans. We excluded animal, in vitro, cell-line, and injection-based studies, as well as reports on non-plastic micro- and nanoparticles. Data extraction, performed in duplicate, included study design, participant characteristics, detection methods, polymer types, and reported health outcomes. Methodological quality was appraised using Risk Of Bias in Non-Randomized Studies-of Exposures (ROBINS-E). The primary outcome was the presence and burden of MNPs; secondary outcomes were clinical or biomarker associations. No metaanalysis was performed due to heterogeneity. RESULTS: From 5 522 records, 25 studies met inclusion. Studies employed pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (n = 9), Raman spectroscopy (n = 8), infrared spectroscopy (n = 7), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (n = 3), often combined with microscopy for MNP detection. Predominant polymers were polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene. In cardiovascular research (5 studies; n = 454), higher thrombus and plasma MNP burdens correlated with inflammatory markers and adverse cardiac events. Reproductive research (seven studies; n = 327) linked semen and tissue MNPs to reduced sperm quality and accumulation in tumor and placental samples. Gastrointestinal research (9 studies; n = 537) associated fecal MNPs with liver enzyme elevations and gut dysbiosis. Respiratory (3 studies; n = 171) and ocular (1 study; n = 49) research detected MNPs in airway fluids and vitreous humor respectively, with links to airway inflammation and increased intraocular pressure. ROBINS-E assessments indicated moderate to high risk of confounding and exposure-measurement bias; consistency across detection modalities was limited. CONCLUSION: Human in vivo evidence confirms that MNPs accumulate in multiple organ systems and are associated with inflammation and functional impairment. Methodological heterogeneity and bias constrain causal inference. Prospective cohort studies with rigorous exposure assessment and confounder control are needed to advance understanding and guide policy.
CVD Environmental Health Disparities Tool: systematic evidence mapping of psychosocial stressors, environmental exposures, and cardiovascular diseases to inform disparities research and action.
Lunn RM, Helmick KR, Cooney G … +5 more , Clemons M, Polansky M, Snow SJ, Tracy W, Dixon D
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41749214 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Globally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disproportionately affects the poor and certain races and ethnic groups. OBJECTIVES: Identify and map current knowledge on contributors...
BACKGROUND: Globally, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disproportionately affects the poor and certain races and ethnic groups. OBJECTIVES: Identify and map current knowledge on contributors, i.e., psychosocial stressors (PSS) and environmental exposures, to these disparities. PSS may work though the same mechanistic pathways and could also increase the susceptibility of an individual to environmental exposures. METHODS: We conducted systematic evidence mapping constructed from searches performed in PubMed. Study data was extracted for environmental exposures, PSS, CVD-related outcomes, disproportionately affected populations (DAPs), and other characteristics. Finally, we selected four exemplars two environmental exposures (noise, heat/cold), one PSS (discrimination), and one CVD (allostatic load) with varying databases to conduct a more in-depth review and illustrate the utility of the tool. RESULTS: We created the CVD Environmental Health Disparities Tool using data from over 8,000 relevant reviews and primary studies identified from over 53,000 unique references. The publicly available tool consists of six interactive systematic evidence maps (SEMs); three are specific for DAPs and three for all populations. Collectively, these SEMs include 35 environmental exposures, 13 PSS, and > 30 CVD outcomes in 9 populations. Each SEM allows users to visualize and filter the evidence by the extracted data, evaluate patterns, and identify research gaps and identify recommendations to meet those gaps. We found few studies on minority sexual orientation populations, household products, and green spaces. To illustrate the utility of the tool, for each exemplar, we identified recommendations for primary studies, e.g., the need to evaluate the interactions between PSS and environmental exposures (all exemplars), conduct studies in DAPs (e.g., noise, heat/cold for racial and ethnic groups), and determine which exposure-outcome pairs warranted a systemic review (e.g., discrimination and several CVDs) or intervention (e.g., allostatic load could be used to evaluate intervention efficacy). CONCLUSION: Our comprehensive systematic evidence mapping and tool is unique because it provides a comprehensive characterization of studies of environmental exposures and PSS across all CVD outcomes. It is a resource that can be leveraged to inform effective research leading to action and provide knowledge to affected communities and community-based organizations.
Seasonal viruses modify short-term air pollution effects on pediatric wheeze and asthma: a time-series study.
Louman S, van Stralen KJ, van Vlijmen S … +9 more , Wage K, Hendrix E, van der Aa L, Plötz FB, Hol J, Kooter-Bechan A, Tusscher GT, Hoek G, Boehmer ALM
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41736061 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Short-term exposure to air pollution is a known trigger for pediatric wheeze-associated disorders (WAD), such as acute asthma and virus-induced wheezing, yet few air pollution studies account for concurrent v...
BACKGROUND: Short-term exposure to air pollution is a known trigger for pediatric wheeze-associated disorders (WAD), such as acute asthma and virus-induced wheezing, yet few air pollution studies account for concurrent viral circulation, which may confound or modify the observed associations. This study aims to assess whether viral circulation confounds or modifies the association between daily levels of air pollution and pediatric WAD emergency department (ED) visits. METHODS: We conducted a time-series analysis of 12,603 WAD ED visits among children 2-18 years old across eight hospitals in the Netherlands (2016-2023). Quasi-Poisson models estimated associations between same-day nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), fine and coarse particulate matter (PM₂․₅, PM₁₀) and ozone (O₃) and daily WAD ED visits, and adjusted for seasonality, meteorology and pollen. Base models were compared with confounding and interaction models, which included weekly rhinovirus (RV) or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) positivity ratios as covariates or interaction terms. RESULTS: In the base models, 3-day lag exposure to NO₂ and PM2.5 was associated with an increase in WAD ED visits (NO: ER% 2.9, 95% CI 0.4-5.6; p = 0.025. PM: ER% 3.6, 95% CI 0.4 - 6.9; p = 0.026). Associations were similar after adjustment for viral activity. The interaction models revealed attenuated effect estimates for NO, PM and PM during relatively high RV activity. O₃ showed a negative association during low RV periods. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, circulating RV modifies, rather than confounds, the association between short-term air pollution and pediatric WAD ED visits. Considering viral activity improves the interpretation of pollution-health associations and may explain inconsistencies across studies.
Air pollution and lung cancer: an investigation of county-level residual incidence rates with smoking eliminated.
Myers D, Mainali S, Afrin S … +1 more , Kriebel D
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41731520 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and this can make it difficult to focus public attention on other preventable causes, like air pollution. To provide easily understandable quantitative information...
BACKGROUND: Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and this can make it difficult to focus public attention on other preventable causes, like air pollution. To provide easily understandable quantitative information on the relative importance of smoking and air pollution as contributors to lung cancer, we used a two-stage regression method to simulate what would happen to county-level lung cancer rates if smoking were completely eliminated. Residual lung cancer rates would vary substantially among counties after eliminating smoking; the objective of this paper was to identify air pollutants that drive high lung cancer rates post smoking elimination. METHODS: We used multilevel negative binomial regression to model 2019 lung cancer incidence data, provided by the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, at the county level (n = 1,078), to estimate incidence rates with observed smoking prevalence (lagged 20 years) and with smoking eliminated. In a second step, age-standardized county rates were dichotomized into those above and below the top 20th percentile; logistic regression was used to model the effects of specific air pollutants on the odds of having a high residual lung cancer rate after smoking was eliminated. Using 1999 U.S. EPA data on mean concentrations of carcinogenic air pollutants (lagged 20 years) we evaluated the contributions of: PM2.5, diesel exhaust particulate, benzene, polycyclic organic materials (POM), and radon (chosen a priori) to high county lung cancer rates. RESULTS: Consistent with previous literature, mean PM2.5 concentrations and radon were important contributors to high lung cancer rates after accounting for smoking. Additional lung cancer determinants were mean concentrations of diesel exhaust particulate, benzene, and POM. The contribution of PM2.5 to lung cancer appeared to be largely explained by the 3 more specific pollutants diesel exhaust, benzene, and POM. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests there are geographic inequities in focusing cancer prevention only on tobacco control because places with high concentrations of carcinogenic air pollutants would still have disproportionately high lung cancer rates, even if smoking could be completely eliminated. These results can be used to identify counties where control of carcinogenic air pollutants might have a particularly important impact on cancer prevention.
Exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and adult cardiometabolic health: a Canadian Health Measures Survey mixture analysis.
Hu JMY, Borghese MM, St-Amand A
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41673862 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by four cardiometabolic dimensions including central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia, which collectively increase the risk of developing cardi...
BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by four cardiometabolic dimensions including central obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and hyperglycemia, which collectively increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are a class of persistent chemicals used for their water and oil repelling properties, may also contribute to poor cardiometabolic health. We examined associations between exposure to mixture of PFAS and cardiometabolic health among a nationally representative sample of adults living in Canada. METHODS: We used cross-sectional data from 1071 adults aged 20 to 79 from the Canadian Health Measures Survey cycles 2, 5 and 6 (2009–2011, 2016–2019). We examined plasma concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA). We examined MetS, a derived cardiometabolic risk score (CMRS), and their individual cardiometabolic components. We used quantile g-computation (qgcomp) to examine joint associations between the PFAS mixture and cardiometabolic outcomes, and qgcomp weights to determine individual PFAS contributions to the overall mixture effect. Furthermore, we used modified Poisson and linear regression to estimate associations for individual PFAS plasma concentrations and compare with our qgcomp results. Analyses were stratified by sex. RESULTS: The prevalence of MetS is 27% in adults living in Canada. In qgcomp models, we observed null associations between the PFAS mixture and both MetS (prevalence ratio: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.74, 1.19) and CMRS (regression index: -0.10; 95% CI: -0.32, 0.12). Each one-quartile increase in the PFAS mixture was associated with 1.2% higher glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels among total population and 1.6% among females, with PFNA contributing most to the joint associations. The PFAS mixture showed null associations with other MetS components. Results from our linear regression models corroborated the findings from the mixture analysis with directions consistent with the qgcomp effect estimates and weights. CONCLUSION: Using cross-sectional data from a nationally representative sample of adults living in Canada, our findings suggest that a mixture of PFAS may adversely affect glucose metabolism. Further prospective studies are needed to corroborate these findings and establish temporality.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water and cancer prevalence in the United States.
Karasaki S, Iyer HS, Phipps AI … +1 more , VoPham T
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41668175 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Research concerning the adverse health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continues to grow. With the recent releases of nationwide data on PFAS in drinking water and public drinking water...
BACKGROUND: Research concerning the adverse health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continues to grow. With the recent releases of nationwide data on PFAS in drinking water and public drinking water system service boundaries, it is now possible to conduct nationwide geospatial analyses on the relationships between PFAS in drinking water and aspects of health. OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between PFAS in drinking water and cancer history prevalence in the United States. METHODS: We examined cancer history prevalence, at the census tract level, among adults aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with any cancer in or prior to 2022 using the United States Population Level Analysis and Community EStimates dataset. We obtained data for PFAS in public drinking water from the Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5, 2023-ongoing). We used geographic information systems to spatially join water system boundaries (n = 9,733) with census tracts applying population-weighted areal interpolation. We calculated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between PFAS in drinking water and prevalence of cancer history, adjusted for census tract-level sociodemographics, health conditions and behaviors, and environmental factors. RESULTS: This analysis included 76,606 census tracts with an average cancer history prevalence of 7.8%. We observed positive associations of cancer history prevalence with PFAS levels in drinking water for 6:2-FTS, PFBA, PFBS, PFHpA, PFHxA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFOA, PFPeA, and PFPeS (p < 0.01). For example, for 6:2-FTS, the adjusted PR comparing the highest quintile (0.0182-0.663 µg/L, population-weighted) to samples below the minimum reporting level (< 0.005 µg/L) was 1.04 (95% CI 1.02-1.07, p < 0.001). No associations were observed for HFPO-DA and PFOS. Models mutually adjusted for correlated PFAS showed generally similar results. SIGNIFICANCE: Higher levels of certain PFAS in drinking water were independently associated with higher cancer history prevalence. Future research should examine the relationships between individual-level cancer outcomes and individual-level exposure to PFAS in drinking water.
The role of housing instability in the association between ambient temperature and preterm birth.
Park J, Kim H, Lee H
Environ Health · 2026 Feb · PMID 41629954 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal death and long-term health issues. Both environmental and social stressors, such as heat exposure and housing stability, may contribute to adverse birth outcomes,...
BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal death and long-term health issues. Both environmental and social stressors, such as heat exposure and housing stability, may contribute to adverse birth outcomes, yet their joint effects are not well studied, especially in the Korean context. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the independent and joint associations of ambient temperature and housing instability with preterm birth. METHODS: This study analyzed eight years (2015–2022) of birth outcomes among women, derived from nationwide, register-based census data covering 100% of the population. The data included a cohort of individuals born in South Korea between 1983 and 1995 and their offspring. Logistic regression was performed using the average temperature during the month prior to delivery, housing instability, individual- and district-level covariates, and year and month. RESULTS: Among 1,579,033 singleton births, 79,399 (5.0%) were preterm. A higher ambient temperature during the month before delivery was significantly associated with increased risk of preterm birth (odds ratio for each 1ºC increase: 1.002 (95% confidence interval: 1.002, 1.003)). Housing instability, defined by poor housing quality, was also independently associated with a higher risk of preterm birth (odds ratio: 1.196 (95% confidence interval: 1.054, 1.358)). Both overcrowding and aging buildings also showed an increase in risk of preterm birth (odds ratio of 1.080 (1.019, 1.145) and 1.040 (1.013, 1.068), respectively). However, no significant interaction between heat exposure and unstable housing conditions was observed (odds ratio: 0.995 (95% confidence interval: 0.987, 1.003)). CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the compounded risks from both environmental and social stressors, highlighting the need for integrated public interventions that target both health and housing issues to help lower preterm birth rates.
The assumption of a threshold is false in risk assessments for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) when endogenous hormones being disrupted are already above any possible threshold: a policy failure by the US FDA.
Vom Saal FS, Welshons WV
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41606603 · Full text
The US FDA continues to assure the public that if they are exposed to an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), there is a threshold daily exposure level below which everyone is safe throughout the lifespan (the Acceptable...
The US FDA continues to assure the public that if they are exposed to an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), there is a threshold daily exposure level below which everyone is safe throughout the lifespan (the Acceptable or Tolerable Daily Dose). This assurance is false when the endogenous hormone systems being disrupted by EDCs are already above a threshold for producing adverse effects or there are cumulative effects of mixtures of similar chemicals. Decades of published experimental research, and multiple mathematical analyses, demonstrate the absence of a threshold (safe) dose for hormones, hormonal drugs or EDCs. However, this entire literature has been rejected in decision making by the US FDA food safety division. We review experiments directly falsifying the threshold hypothesis for hormones, drugs and EDCs. Our analysis includes application to hormone and EDC experimental data sets of the Michaelis–Menten (MM) equation, which explains mathematically hormone (or EDC)-receptor binding that mediates normal as well as adverse effects at extremely low exposures. The MM equation regresses to zero at zero hormone or EDC dose, i.e., there is no threshold dose. We derive the MM equation in Supplemental Materials for those interested in the math. We also identify that hormone and EDC potency is the consequence of a number of cell-specific mechanisms not included in the MM equation. We begin by reviewing the history of the now falsified assumption that a threshold exists for EDCs that are generally classified as systemic toxicants. In particular, the threshold hypothesis is problematic during fetus/infant/child development during which homeostatic defense systems have not yet fully developed, rendering them largely defenseless against the disruptive effects of EDCs. Published findings implicate EDC exposures at very low environmentally relevant doses with every non-communicable disease, which are all increasing in incidence on a global scale. We identify here the empirical and endocrinological evidence falsifying the determination by chemical regulatory agencies that there are safe daily exposure levels for EDCs below an estimated threshold that is not actually experimentally examined. These findings indicate that current human exposures to EDCs are harming the general population as well as causing widespread environmental harm.
Protective versus risky: the complex relationship between prenatal fluoride exposure and birth outcomes in a Chinese large-scale population study.
Yang L, Yan F, Peng X … +3 more , Meng Z, Geng X, Wei W
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41606581 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Previous studies on fluoride in drinking water and birth outcomes have yielded inconsistent findings. Furthermore, the association between fluoride exposure and gestational age (the duration of pregnancy), al...
BACKGROUND: Previous studies on fluoride in drinking water and birth outcomes have yielded inconsistent findings. Furthermore, the association between fluoride exposure and gestational age (the duration of pregnancy), along with offspring characteristics at birth, has not been thoroughly explored. Given the widespread occurrence of drinking water fluorosis in China, this large-scale study aims to explore the associations between fluoride and birth outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a database study involving 352,973 participants in China from 2016 to 2022. Generalized linear models and restricted cubic spline curves were employed for the analysis, and the mediating effects on gestational age were systematically evaluated. RESULTS: The average fluoride concentration was 0.41 ± 0.16 mg/L. Each unit increase in fluoride was associated with a 0.36-week (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.34, 0.39) increase in gestational age and a 43.56 g (95% CI: 33.56, 53.57) increase in birth weight. Fluoride exposure exhibited dual effects: it was protective against preterm birth (odds ratio [OR] = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.82) and low birth weight (OR = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.78), while simultaneously elevating the risks of macrosomia (OR = 2.56; 95% CI: 2.40, 2.74), small-for-gestational age (OR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.58, 1.88), and large-for-gestational age (OR = 1.27; 95% CI: 1.20, 1.34). Nonlinear exposure-response relationships were observed for all outcomes except low birth weight. Mediation analysis indicated that gestational age served as a significant mediator in the associations between fluoride and birth weight, as well as low birth weight and macrosomia—suggesting that fluoride may increase birth weight and reduce the risk of low birth weight through prolonged pregnancy. Notably, gestational age was not analyzed as a mediator for small-for-gestational age and large-for-gestational age due to its distinct growth deviation nature. However, its paradoxical associations with both fetal growth restriction and overgrowth (macrosomia/large-for-gestational age) warrant clinical attention, although these observational links do not establish definitive causality. CONCLUSION: Prenatal fluoride exposure exhibits dual effects in China: prolonging gestational age and reducing preterm birth and low birth weight risks, while increasing risks of abnormal fetal growth. These findings underscore the necessity for region-specific fluoride monitoring and prenatal counseling.
Our journal in the era of artificial intelligence.
Etzel R, Grandjean P
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41588501 · Full text
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Associations between prenatal exposure to ambient air pollutants and preterm birth in the Atlanta African American maternal-child cohort.
Tan Y, Li Z, Dunlop AL … +10 more , Ren M, Chang HH, Jin Z, Sarnat JA, Huels A, Eick SM, Ekenga CC, Russell A, Marsit C, Liang D
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41588495 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Substantial differences in preterm birth (PTB) persist across populations, with African Americans facing the highest rate. While air pollution contributes to PTB, its role in these uneven health burdens remai...
BACKGROUND: Substantial differences in preterm birth (PTB) persist across populations, with African Americans facing the highest rate. While air pollution contributes to PTB, its role in these uneven health burdens remains poorly understood. Studies of PTB subtypes might uncover racial variation in etiology, yet the impact of air pollution is largely understudied. We assessed the associations of prenatal exposures to ambient fine particulate matters (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen oxides (NOx) with PTB and its subtypes using data from the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort. METHODS: We conducted a prospective analysis among 567 African Americans with singleton pregnancies and without chronic medical conditions. Live births were divided into three categories: PTB, early term birth (ETB), and full-term birth, and PTB was further classified into: spontaneous (i.e., sPTB) and medically indicated (i.e., miPTB). Additionally, a composite category combining PTB and ETB was analyzed. We estimated residential air pollution exposures during five critical windows: 1 month prior to conception, entire pregnancy, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters. We performed logistic models and discrete-time survival models for individual air pollutants and quantile g-computation models to evaluate the overall effect, with adjustment of selected covariates. We further evaluated whether infant sex modified the associations between gestational air pollution exposure and PTB risk. RESULTS: PM2.5 exposure during the 1st trimester showed a non-significant trend toward increased PTB risk (OR: 1.50, 95% CI: 0.96–2.35). PM2.5 exposure showed significant associations with miPTB during the 2nd trimester (OR: 1.90, 95%CI: 1.03–3.43). Air pollution mixture models showed similar trends, particularly for miPTB. Also, PM2.5 exposure had stronger effects on early birth (PETB, PTB + ETB), with the largest effect observed across the entire pregnancy (OR: 1.44, 95%CI: 0.90–2.10). Air pollution mixture was significantly associated with increased odds of PETB (OR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.03–1.72) during the 2nd trimester. We found no evidence that the associations between air pollution exposure and PTB differed by infant sex. DISCUSSION: Our findings suggested that prenatal air pollution exposure, particularly to PM2.5 during early gestational periods, could elevate miPTB risk and early birth among African Americans.
Temporal clustering of neuroblastic tumours in children and young adults from Scotland.
Basta N, Li M, Hayes L … +3 more , Muirhead CR, Tweddle DA, McNally RJQ
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41580800 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Neuroblastic tumours (neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroblastoma) are the most common childhood solid tumours outside the central nervous system, with a median age of diagnosis of 2 years. Temporal clustering of...
BACKGROUND: Neuroblastic tumours (neuroblastoma and ganglioneuroblastoma) are the most common childhood solid tumours outside the central nervous system, with a median age of diagnosis of 2 years. Temporal clustering of neuroblastic tumours in northern England and Ontario, Canada has been previously reported. METHODS: We extracted data from the Scottish Cancer Registry to determine whether there was evidence of temporal clustering of neuroblastic tumours. Cases diagnosed in children and young adults aged 0-24 years between 2000 and 2020 were analysed. A modified version of the Potthoff-Whittinghill method was used to test for temporal clustering. Estimates of extra-Poisson variation (EPV) and standard errors (SE) were derived. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-one cases of neuroblastic tumours, aged 0-24 years, were diagnosed during the study period. Overall, there was statistically significant temporal clustering between years within the full study period (EPV = 9.13, SE = 0.22, P < 0.001). In addition, for cases aged < 18 months, there was significant temporal clustering between months within quarters (EPV = 0.77, SE = 0.41, P = 0.044). For cases aged 18 months - 24 years, there was significant temporal clustering between fortnights within months (EPV = 1.00, SE = 0.47, P = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: The finding of temporal clustering is consistent with the involvement of one or more, as yet unknown, transient environmental agents in the aetiology of neuroblastic tumours.
Associations of arsenic exposure and folate in maternal leukocyte DNA methylation: a case-control study of mothers with spina-bifida affected children.
Inkster AM, Bozack AK, Lemos B … +10 more , Lumour-Mensah T, Mukherjee SK, Ekramullah SM, Arman DM, Islam J, Wang X, Liang L, Finnell RH, Mazumdar M, Cardenas A
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41546076 · Full text
BACKGROUND: In Bangladesh, more than a quarter of drinking water tubewells are contaminated with arsenic above the national standard (50 µg/l), while nearly half exceed the World Health Organization guideline (10 µg/l)....
BACKGROUND: In Bangladesh, more than a quarter of drinking water tubewells are contaminated with arsenic above the national standard (50 µg/l), while nearly half exceed the World Health Organization guideline (10 µg/l). Among other negative health consequences, arsenic is a suspected environmental risk factor for neural tube defects (NTDs), including spina bifida. Maternal folate status protects against NTDs, though recent evidence suggests arsenic attenuates folate’s protective effects. Arsenic is methylated prior to excretion with methyl groups produced in one-carbon metabolism, for which folate is a cofactor. We thus hypothesized that DNA methylation (DNAme) may provide insight into the interactions between arsenic, maternal folate levels, and offspring spina bifida. METHODS: Here we analyzed leukocyte DNAme using the Illumina MethylationEPIC v2.0 array in 374 women from Bangladesh, 246 with a previous spina-bifida affected birth and 128 controls. Chronic arsenic exposure was evaluated in maternal toenail; fasting plasma folate was measured at blood draw. Linear models evaluated DNAme associated with offspring spina bifida, arsenic, folate, and their interaction terms. RESULTS: Maternal DNAme was associated with spina bifida at 71 CpGs, arsenic at 6 CpGs, and folate at 33 CpGs (all FDR < 0.05). The spina bifida*arsenic and arsenic*folate interactions were associated with 11 and 28 CpGs, respectively, while spina bifida*folate returned no significant associations. We observed lower DNAme in mothers of spina bifida cases at significant loci, including in developmental genes such as HOXB3 and HOXB4. Arsenic’s influence on DNAme was more pronounced in individuals with low folate. CONCLUSIONS: Our work suggests that postnatal maternal leukocyte DNAme is associated with offspring spina bifida status and is modified by arsenic exposure but not plasma folate.
Residential proximity to active and abandoned oil and gas development and risk of childhood Ewing sarcoma in California.
Clark CJ, Johnson N, Wang R … +6 more , Stewart EC, Spector LG, Wiemels JL, Metayer C, Deziel NC, Ma X
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41535920 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Oil and gas development (OGD) has been linked to increased pediatric cancer risk, but the literature to date is focused on hematologic malignancies and active wells. The emergence of suspected clusters of can...
BACKGROUND: Oil and gas development (OGD) has been linked to increased pediatric cancer risk, but the literature to date is focused on hematologic malignancies and active wells. The emergence of suspected clusters of cancers such as Ewing sarcoma in children living near OGD and widespread presence of abandoned wells warrants investigation. METHODS: This study included 558 children born in California (1982–2015) reported to the California Cancer Registry with a diagnosis of Ewing sarcoma at 0–19 years (1988–2015), and 27,800 cancer-free controls frequency-matched to cases on birth-year (50:1 ratio). We used birth address to assign prenatal OGD exposure to active (drilled or producing) and plugged/abandoned wells separately with inverse distance-squared weighted well counts at 5 and 10 km buffer sizes from three months before conception to birth. We evaluated potential exposure disparities and estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between prenatal OGD exposure and Ewing sarcoma risk using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Hispanic children were significantly more likely to be exposed to both active and abandoned OGD within 10 km than non-Hispanics (40% vs. 23% and 14% vs. 6%, respectively). There were no associations between prenatal exposure to active OGD within 10 km and Ewing sarcoma risk (OR: 0.88 [95% CI: 0.72–1.08]). However, children within 10 km of abandoned wells were 1.27 [0.96–1.66] times as likely to develop Ewing sarcoma as unexposed children; when stratified by ethnicity, this association appeared in Hispanic children only (1.33 [0.95–1.88]). CONCLUSION: We did not identify an association between exposure to active OGD and pediatric Ewing sarcoma risk in California. Abandoned wells were associated with a suggestive increase in risk among Hispanic children, who were also more likely to be exposed to any OGD activity than non-Hispanic children. This disparity could have implications for other health outcomes including childhood cancers.
Residential proximity to transport facilities as urban determinants of individual-level per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposures: Analysis of two longitudinal cohorts in Singapore.
Shen L, Raj S, Oulhote Y … +6 more , Valvi D, Ng S, Loy SL, Chan SY, Benmarhnia T, Huang JY
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41514348 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Policy-relevant spatial determinants of human exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a broad class of persistent environmental contaminants affecting pregnancy and child development, remain poorly unde...
BACKGROUND: Policy-relevant spatial determinants of human exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a broad class of persistent environmental contaminants affecting pregnancy and child development, remain poorly understood because of the diversity of exposure sources. This is especially true for modern, dense urban settings, which contain less well-studied built environment-related sources, including transportation-related ground and airborne contamination. METHODS: We link high-resolution spatiotemporal urban land use data to longitudinal residential histories to assess determinants of individual-level blood plasma PFAS exposures in two geographically- and demographically- diverse cohorts of pregnant women in urban Singapore (n = 784 in 2009–2011; n = 384 in 2015–2017). Longitudinal repeated measures allow us to rule out socio-behavioral factors (e.g., residential segregation) as alternative explanations. Actual land use occupancies were ground-truthed through automated extraction of Google Street View data. FINDINGS: Adjusting for known predictors and within-neighborhood unobserved spatial heterogeneity, a standard deviation (SD) increase (∼10,000m[Formula: see text]) in transport facility exposure was linked to 0.11 (1.78 ng/mL), 0.16, 0.11 SD increases in residents’ perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) concentrations, respectively, in the 2009 cohort. Dose-response analyses suggested that associations strengthened when transport facilities exceeded 10,000 m[Formula: see text], with residents living near ≥12,000 m[Formula: see text] exhibiting 7.3 ng/mL higher plasma PFBS (p = 0.04), consistent with footprints from large bus depots rather than smaller petrol kiosks. Associations with different PFAS congeners were replicated in the 2015 cohort. No other land use type showed similarly consistent findings. INTERPRETATIONS: Transport facilities are prevalent near residences in urban settings and may be potential sources of PFAS emissions from automotive-related lubricants, parts, and materials. Our findings that exposure was robustly associated with individual-level concentration, over and above behavioral and other factors, highlight the importance of monitoring these and other urban sources of exposure.
Prenatal exposure to essential and toxic elements in relation to infant growth trajectories.
Yim G, Heggeseth BC, Gilbert-Diamond D … +9 more , Peacock JL, Margetaki K, Baker ER, Palys TJ, Jackson BP, Madan JC, Romano ME, Karagas MR, Howe CG
Environ Health · 2026 Jan · PMID 41514328 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Metal exposures have been associated with adverse growth in utero, but impacts on postnatal growth are not well-understood. OBJECTIVES: To examine relationships between prenatal metal exposures and infant gro...
BACKGROUND: Metal exposures have been associated with adverse growth in utero, but impacts on postnatal growth are not well-understood. OBJECTIVES: To examine relationships between prenatal metal exposures and infant growth trajectories in a rural U.S. pregnancy cohort. METHODS: Participants included 783 mother-infant pairs in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study, a rural cohort of pregnant people and their children in northern New England with homes served by private unregulated drinking water. Essential and toxic element concentrations were measured in maternal toenail clippings collected at 3 weeks postpartum, reflecting exposures during pregnancy. Weight and length measures were abstracted from medical records between birth and 18 months. Weight-for-length growth trajectories were identified separately for male and female infants using growth mixture modeling. Relative risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated to evaluate associations between each element and growth trajectory assignments. RESULTS: Four weight-for-length trajectories were identified for male and female infants: Stable-slow, Late-moderate, Stable-moderate, and Rapid growth. The Stable-slow trajectory aligned most closely with the median World Health Organization infant growth curve and was selected as the reference. Among male infants, higher maternal mercury and lead were each associated with a higher likelihood of following a growth pattern that deviated from the reference. Additionally, male infants whose mothers fell in the lowest tertile for manganese, compared with the middle tertile, were more likely to follow the Stable-moderate growth trajectory, rather than the reference. No statistically significant associations were identified for female infants. DISCUSSION: Growth during the first 18 months of life may be accelerated in male infants exposed to higher levels of mercury or lead or to lower levels of manganese in utero. Given that accelerated growth during infancy increases risk for obesity, male infants who experience these element exposure patterns may be more susceptible to obesity later in life.
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