Environmental Health[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Impacts of COVID-19 lockdown on PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Hohhot, Northern China: characteristics, sources, and source-specific health risks.
Ji K, Sun B, Zhou H … +7 more , Sun W, Fu X, Sun Y, Ren H, Lv Y, Chun X, Wan Z
Environ Health · 2025 Feb · PMID 40011878 · Full text
Quantifying the impacts of reduction strategies on PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is essential for reducing the health risks of PM. The COVID-19 lockdown provided an opportunity to reveal the quantitati...
Quantifying the impacts of reduction strategies on PM-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is essential for reducing the health risks of PM. The COVID-19 lockdown provided an opportunity to reveal the quantitative relationship between lockdown measures and the health risks of PAHs. In this study, the characteristics, sources, and health risks of PAHs were investigated during the COVID-19 lockdown in Hohhot. The source-specific health risks of PAHs were assessed using a combination of incremental lifetime cancer risk models (ILCR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). Compared with the pre-LD period (pre-LD, 87.41 ± 5.98 ng·m), the total concentration of ∑PAHs during the lockdown period (LD, 32.52 ± 2.31 ng·m) decreased by 62.8% in Hohhot. Coal combustion (51.5%), gasoline emissions (21.9%), diesel emissions (12.9%), industrial emissions (9.3%), and biomass burning (4.7%) were the predominant sources of PAHs in Hohhot. Except for male children, the ILCR of all groups exceeded the threshold for high health risks (1 × 10). Dermal contact is the predominant exposure pathway for carcinogenic risk. Compared with the pre-LD period, the ILCR values decreased by 62.5-62.7% during the LD period. The PMF-ILCR results indicated that industrial emissions (29.1%), coal combustion (28.4%), and diesel emissions (18.5%) were the main sources of ∑ILCR. A Monte Carlo simulation revealed that the cumulative carcinogenic risks at the 95th percentile of the six groups were 1.5-6.3 times the threshold of high health risk (1 × 10). These results emphasize that regulating industrial emissions and coal combustion is effective in reducing carcinogenic risks in industrial cities with large coal consumption.
Short-term attributable risk and economic burden of hospital admissions for anxiety disorders due to air pollution: a multicity time-stratified case-crossover study.
Fu P, Jiang W, Tan X … +2 more , Shu Y, Yang L
Environ Health · 2025 Feb · PMID 39987110 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are a leading cause of severe quality of life impairment and are among the most common mental disorders globally. However, few studies have investigated the association between exposure to h...
BACKGROUND: Anxiety disorders are a leading cause of severe quality of life impairment and are among the most common mental disorders globally. However, few studies have investigated the association between exposure to high levels of air pollution and an increased risk of developing anxiety disorders. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between air pollutants and hospitalisation for anxiety disorders and the associated economic burden of these hospitalisations in Sichuan, China. METHODS: We collected 7,282 records of anxiety disorder hospitalisation from medical institutions across nine cities between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018. Concurrent meteorological and air pollution data, including temperature, humidity, PM, PM, SO, and CO, were obtained from 183 monitoring stations in Sichuan Province. After controlling for long-term trends, day of the week, and meteorological factors, we employed a time-stratified case-crossover design based on conditional logistic regression to assess the association between concentrations of the four pollutants (PM, PM, SO, and CO) and hospital admissions for anxiety disorders, with stratified analysis by age, sex, and season. The cost of hospitalisation was evaluated using the cost-of-illness method. RESULTS: The finding indicated a positive correlation between short-term exposure to air pollutants and hospitalization rates of anxiety disorders. The effect of each 10 µg/m increase in airborne particulate matter (PM) and SO on hospital admissions for people with anxiety disorders peaked with a lag of 5 days, and each 1 mg/m increase in CO had the greatest effect on the 0-7 day moving average lag, with OR values of PM:1.002 (95% CI: 1.001,1.004), PM:1.001 (95% CI: 1.000,1.002), SO:1.034 (95% CI: 1.020,1.047), and CO: 1.614 (95% CI: 1.247, 2.089). Air pollution increases the chances of anxiety disorders during the cold season. Furthermore, the elderly are particularly susceptible to these pollutants, which may contribute to an increased hospitalization rates of anxiety disorders (P < 0.05). The total economic cost of hospitalisation for anxiety disorders due to particulate matter pollution was ¥ 966,319 during the study period. CONCLUSION: Short-term exposure to PM, PM, SO and CO may increase the risk of hospital admissions for anxiety disorders and impose significant financial burdens.
Association between annual concentration of air pollutants and incidence of metabolic syndrome among Korean adults: Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES).
Shin H, Song M, Bae S
Environ Health · 2025 Feb · PMID 39934787 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Air pollution is a global public health concern and incidence rates of metabolic syndrome (MetS) are increasing. To evaluate the effect of long-term air pollution exposure, we examined the association between...
BACKGROUND: Air pollution is a global public health concern and incidence rates of metabolic syndrome (MetS) are increasing. To evaluate the effect of long-term air pollution exposure, we examined the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and the incidences of MetS among Korean adults. METHODS: We used data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study's Cardiovascular Disease Association Study, a population-based cohort consisting of community-dwelling Korean adults between 2005 and 2011, who were followed up with until 2016 (n = 7,428). Air pollution exposure was estimated using the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality model based on the participants' addresses. The participants had a physical examination at every visit during follow-up, and MetS was defined based on the National Institute of Health's National Cholesterol Education Program-Adult Treatment Panel III. We used Cox proportional hazard model to analyze the association between long-term air pollution exposure and incidences of MetS per interquartile range (IQR) increment of the annual concentration after adjusting for potential confounders using single and two-pollutant analysis. RESULTS: The hazard ratios (HR) of MetS per IQR increment in PM, SO, NO, and CO were 1.19 (95% CI: 1.12-1.27), 1.57 (95% CI: 1.47-1.68), 1.11 (95% CI: 1.03-1.20), and 1.63 (95% CI: 1.48-1.78), respectively. The incidences of MetS components, which are high blood pressure, elevated fasting glucose, abdominal obesity, high fasting triglyceride (TG), and low fasting high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), were significantly associated with an IQR increment especially in SO and CO. In subgroup analysis, males had higher risk of MetS than females. The HR was the highest in the 60-69 year old age group for all pollutants. CONCLUSION: In the present study, we found that long-term ambient air pollution exposure increased the incidences of MetS and its components among Korean adults, especially in males and the elderly population.
Combined effects of global DNA methylation, blood lead and total urinary arsenic levels on developmental delay in preschool children.
Hsu YH, Wu CY, Lee HL … +6 more , Hsieh RL, Huang YL, Shiue HS, Lin YC, Chen MC, Hsueh YM
Environ Health · 2025 Jan · PMID 39819460 · Full text
DNA methylation is a critical step in brain development, 5-Methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5mdC) is one of the global DNA methylation markers. Arsenic and lead exposures have been associated with neurotoxicity, which may be lin...
DNA methylation is a critical step in brain development, 5-Methyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5mdC) is one of the global DNA methylation markers. Arsenic and lead exposures have been associated with neurotoxicity, which may be linked to epigenetic changes. Our research sought to investigate the correlation between 5mdC and developmental delay (DD) among preschoolers. Additionally, we assessed whether 5mdC modified the impacts of blood lead and total urinary arsenic levels on DD. We analyzed the concentrations of 5mdC, blood cadmium and lead, and total urinary arsenic in 174 children with DD and 88 healthy children. Global DNA methylation levels are expressed as the ratio 5mdC/2'-dexyguanosine (dG), called 5mdC (%). In our findings, elevated levels of blood lead and total urinary arsenic were significantly associated with DD risk among preschoolers. Furthermore, high 5mdC (%) was related with reduced risk of DD, with an odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.14 (0.06 - 0.32). A notable multiplicative interaction was observed between low 5mdC (%) and elevated blood lead levels to increase OR of DD, with OR and 95% CI was 9.51 (4.18 - 21.64). The findings provide evidence of the combined effects of reduced 5mdC (%) and high blood lead concentrations, increasing the OR of DD.
Integrating human biomonitoring exposure data into a primary care morbidity database: a feasibility study.
Jansen P, Den Hond E, De Brouwere K … +4 more , Ali EA, Hassen HY, Gabaret I, Van Pottelbergh G
Environ Health · 2025 Jan · PMID 39755621 · Full text
BACKGROUND: The detection of a local per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution hotspot in Zwijndrecht (Belgium) necessitated immediate action to address health concerns of the local community. Several human bi...
BACKGROUND: The detection of a local per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution hotspot in Zwijndrecht (Belgium) necessitated immediate action to address health concerns of the local community. Several human biomonitoring (HBM) studies were initiated, gathering cross-sectional exposure data from more than 10,000 participants. The linkage of these HBM data with primary care health registries might be a useful new tool in environmental health analysis. AIM: We assessed the feasibility of linking exposure data from HBM programs to health outcomes from the Intego registry, which collects data from general practitioners' electronic health records. This feasibility study uses exposure data from one of the completed PFAS HBM studies, which included 796 individuals. We describe the separate datasets, the process of integrating the HBM data into Intego, the analysis plan and the advantages and challenges of using this method. RESULTS: We established the integration of HBM data into the Intego primary care morbidity database, adhering to stringent privacy regulations and quality standards to ensure result integrity. Because of the modest sample size used in this feasibility study, no conclusions about the impact of PFAS on health endpoints can be drawn. However, with PFAS data from more than 10,000 residents available soon, more robust studies will be possible with this new method. INTERPRETATION: We introduce a novel approach for assessing the impact of environmental health hazards within primary care settings. The methods outlined here not only pave the way for larger-scale projects but also offer a promising avenue for long-term environmental health monitoring.
The association between different timeframes of air pollution exposure and COVID-19 incidence, morbidity and mortality in German counties in 2020.
Hermanns S, von Schneidemesser E, Caseiro A … +1 more , Koch S
Environ Health · 2024 Dec · PMID 39725968 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution is a known risk factor for several chronic health conditions, including pulmonary dysfunction. In recent years, studies have shown a positive association between exposure to air pollutan...
BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution is a known risk factor for several chronic health conditions, including pulmonary dysfunction. In recent years, studies have shown a positive association between exposure to air pollutants and the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of a COVID-19 infection, however the time period for which air pollution exposure is most relevant for the COVID-19 outcome is still not defined. The aim of this study was to analyze the difference in association when varying the time period of air pollution exposure considered on COVID-19 infection within the same cohort during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study analyzing the association between long- (10- and 2-years) and short-term (28 days, 7 days, and 2 days) exposure to NO and PM on SARS-CoV-2 incidence, morbidity, and mortality at the level of county during the first outbreak of the pandemic in spring 2020. Health data were extracted from the German national public health institute (Robert-Koch-Institute) and from the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine. Air pollution data were taken from the APExpose dataset (version 2.0). We used negative binomial models, including adjustment for risk factors (age, sex, days since first COVID-19 case, population density, socio-economic and health parameters). RESULTS: We found that PM and NO exposure 28 days before COVID-19 infection had the highest association with infection, morbidity as well as mortality, as compared to long-term or short-term (2 or 7 days) air pollutant exposure. A 1 μg/m increase in PM was associated with a 31.7% increase in incidence, a 20.6% need for ICU treatment, a 23.1% need for mechanical ventilation, and a 55.3% increase in mortality; an increase of 1 μg/m of NO was associated with an increase for all outcomes by 25.2 - 29.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show a positive association between PM and NO exposure and the clinical course of a SARS-CoV2 infection, with the strongest association to 28 days of exposure to air pollution. This finding provides an indication as to the primary underlying pathophysiology, and can therefore help to improve the resilience of societies by implementing adequate measures to reduce the air pollutant impact on health outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.
Maternal multivitamin supplementation mitigates the risk of fetal congenital heart disease associated with high indoor total volatile organic compounds exposure in east china: a case-control study.
Ruan X, Shang W, Lu J … +6 more , Li Z, Yang J, Cheng J, Wu Y, Sun K, Sun J
Environ Health · 2024 Dec · PMID 39707304 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a common birth defect. Our previous studies suggest that indoor air pollution, especially total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), may increase fetal CHD risk, whereas vitam...
BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a common birth defect. Our previous studies suggest that indoor air pollution, especially total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), may increase fetal CHD risk, whereas vitamin and folic acid (FA) supplements in early pregnancy might offer protection against CHD. However, limited research has explored whether FA or multivitamin supplementation can mitigate the effects of TVOCs exposure on CHD. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study to investigate the association between maternal nutrient supplementation, household indoor air pollutant exposure during pregnancy, and CHD in offspring. Pregnant women with 22-30 gestational weeks were recruited from two hospitals in East China between January 2016 and March 2022. A comprehensive approach was used, incorporating questionnaires to collect nutrient supplement information, blood sample analysis to detect serum folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine (HCY) concentrations, and field investigations to assess indoor benzene, toluene, xylene, formaldehyde, and TVOCs exposures. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify CHD risk factors, and stratified analysis was used to evaluate the combined effects of nutrient supplementation and TVOCs on CHD. RESULTS: The study included 53 cases and 77 controls. Logistic regression analysis identified high maternal serum HCY (> 6.125 µmol/L) and high household TVOCs exposure (> 0.0165 mg/m³) as risk factors for CHD in offspring, with adjusted odds ratios of 2.98 (95% CI: 1.31-6.36) and 9.23 (95% CI: 3.78-22.53), respectively. Regular multivitamin supplementation mitigated the risk of high TVOCs exposure on fetal CHD, while the adverse effect of high serum HCY-related CHD risk was attenuated in the group with regular FA supplementation. CONCLUSION: Exposure to high indoor TVOCs concentrations increases the risk of fetal CHD. Regular multivitamin supplementation may reduce the adverse effects of high TVOCs exposure on fetal CHD.
Air pollution is linked to cognitive decline independent of hypersensitive C-reactive protein: insights from middle-aged and older Chinese.
Huang L, Hu X, Liu J … +5 more , Wang J, Zhou Y, Li G, Dong G, Dong H
Environ Health · 2024 Dec · PMID 39707297 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Long-term air pollution exposure and inflammation are considered to be associated with cognitive decline. However, whether air pollution exposure related cognitive decline is dependent on inflammation remains...
BACKGROUND: Long-term air pollution exposure and inflammation are considered to be associated with cognitive decline. However, whether air pollution exposure related cognitive decline is dependent on inflammation remains uncertain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study collected data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) at baseline in 2011, with a follow up period in 2015. Concentration of air pollutants (particles with diameters ≤ 1.0 μm [PM], ≤ 2.5 μm [PM], ≤ 10 μm [PM], nitrogen dioxide [NO] and ozone [O]) were obtained from China High Air Pollutants (CHAP) dataset. Hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), a systemic inflammation marker, was measured in blood of subjects and cognitive function was assessed by standardized questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 6434 participants were included in the study. Lower exposure to PM, PM, PM and NO were associated with mitigated cognitive decline. The odds ratios (ORs) for air pollutants changes and cognitive decline and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were as follows: PM-0.934(0.925, 0.943), PM- 0.945 (0.935,0.955), PM-0.977(0.972,0.982) and NO-0.962(0.950,0.975), respectively. Hs-CRP showed no significant correlation with cognitive decline or change in levels of air pollution. The interaction regression analyses, both unadjusted and adjusted, did not uncover any significant correlation between hs-CRP and air pollution with respect to cognitive decline. Bootstrap test exhibited no significant mediating effect of hs-CRP on the relationship between any air pollutants and cognitive decline, the indirect effects of hs-CRP in conjunction with exposure to different air pollutants were all found to be non-significant, with the following bootstrap CIs and p-values: PM-1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.480),PM-1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.230),PM-1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.650), O-1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.470), ΔNO-1.000([1.000,1.000], P = 0.830) . CONCLUSION: Ambient air pollution exposure was linked to cognitive decline independent of hs-CRP level.
Correction: Epidemiologic and clinical features of cyanobacteria harmful algal bloom exposures reported to the National Poison Data System, United States, 2010-2022: a descriptive analysis.
Bloch RA, Beuhler MC, Hilborn ED … +2 more , Faulkner G, Rhea S
Environ Health · 2024 Dec · PMID 39681843 · Full text
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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, apolipoproteins and the risk of coronary heart disease in US men and women.
Zhu L, Liu B, Hu Y … +5 more , Wang M, Furtado JD, Rimm EB, Grandjean P, Sun Q
Environ Health · 2024 Dec · PMID 39627728 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Existing evidence for associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) with blood lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins (apo), and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk is limited and inconsistent....
BACKGROUND: Existing evidence for associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) with blood lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins (apo), and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk is limited and inconsistent. This study aims to explore associations between plasma PFASs, blood lipoprotein subspecies defined by apolipoproteins, and CHD risk. METHODS: A case-control study of CHD was conducted in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) and Nurses' Health Study (NHS). Among participants initially free of cardiovascular disease at blood collection in 1994 (HPFS) or 1990 (NHS), 101 participants who developed non-fatal myocardial infarction or fatal CHD were identified and confirmed. A healthy control was matched to each case for age, smoking status, and date of blood draw. Plasma levels of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), total perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), branched PFOS (brPFOS), linear PFOS (nPFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were measured. Conditional logistic regression and cubic spline regression models were used to examine associations between baseline PFASs and CHD risk. Linear regression models were applied to study PFAS associations with lipids and their subfractions. RESULTS: After multivariate adjustments, total PFOS, brPFOS and nPFOS were significantly associated with increased risk of developing CHD, and HRs (95% CIs) per log(ng/mL) increment of PFASs were 3.66 (1.36-9.89), 3.68 (1.55-8.76), and 3.01 (1.16-7.86), respectively. Significant positive dose-response relationships were identified for these PFASs (P = 0.01, 0.002, 0.02, respectively). Other PFASs were not associated with CHD risk. PFNA and PFDA were positively associated with total apoE levels among HDL particles with or without apoC-III. No associations were observed for other PFASs with blood lipid subspecies. Blood lipid subfractions did not explain the association between PFOS and CHD risk. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma PFOS and its isomers were positively associated with CHD risk. These findings suggest that PFOS exposure causes public health risks that are greater than hitherto believed.
Association between acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and short-term exposure to ambient air pollutants in France.
Basille D, Soriot L, Weppe F … +7 more , Desmettres P, Henriques P, Benoit N, Devaux S, Diouf M, Jounieaux V, Andrejak C
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39614356 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution is recognized as a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is the third leading cause of death worldwide. We examined whether variations in daily outdoor...
BACKGROUND: Ambient air pollution is recognized as a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is the third leading cause of death worldwide. We examined whether variations in daily outdoor air pollutants levels were associated with excess hospital emergency room visits (ERV) for acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). METHODS: This two-center ecological cohort study was conducted in Amiens, France. We collected all consecutive ERV for AECOPD throughout 2017 and developed single pollutant models to assess the association between AECOPD and nitrogen dioxide (NO), ozone (O), or particulate matter (PM and PM) levels, while adjusting for temperature, hygrometry, influenza circulation and pollen allergy risk. For a subgroup of patients, we also applied geographical modeling to analyze annual exposure to outdoor air pollutants. RESULTS: We recorded 240 ERV among 168 COPD patients in 2017 and identified 9 peaks of ERV. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the daily ERV for AECOPD and the daily average concentrations of PM (RR = 1.06 (95%CI = [1.00-1.11]), p = 0.049), but no correlation with NO, O or PM (p = 0.073, p = 0.114 and p = 0.119, respectively). Our geographical modeling study revealed that long-term exposure to any of the four outdoor air pollutants was not associated with more frequent AECOPD. CONCLUSION: Even though the pollution levels measured generally remained below or near the 2021 short-term air quality guidelines issued by the World Health Organization, significant aggregate-level associations were found between severe AECOPD leading to ERV and daily concentrations of PM. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT03079661.
The risk of thyroid cancer in relation to residential proximity to nuclear power plants: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Cottagiri SA, King W, Rodriguez-Villamizar L … +1 more , Villeneuve PJ
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39614350 · Full text
INTRODUCTION: Ionizing radiation is a human carcinogen, and there is a public concern but limited evidence that it increases the incidence of cancer among those who live near nuclear power plants (NPPs). Previous analyse...
INTRODUCTION: Ionizing radiation is a human carcinogen, and there is a public concern but limited evidence that it increases the incidence of cancer among those who live near nuclear power plants (NPPs). Previous analyses of thyroid cancer in these populations have been inconsistent, and the last synthesis was published nearly a decade ago. To address these gaps, we undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A search strategy was developed and applied to PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. A total of 2006 publications were identified, with 11 studies of thyroid cancer incidence that met the inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed using the Office of Health Assessment and Translation (OHAT) tool. Summary risk estimates relating residential proximity to the NPPs and thyroid cancer were generated using a random effects model. Heterogeneity in the risk estimates was assessed for study features that included: distance to the NPP, study quality, and biological sex. RESULTS: The 11 studies were categorized as either highly (n = 8) or plausibly (n = 3) prone to bias, primarily due to the reliance on ecological study designs. The meta-analysis summary relative risk of thyroid cancer among those who live close to NPPs (defined by ≤ 25 km distance or jurisdictional areas (e.g., community, county) relative to those who lived further away was 1.09 (95% CI: 0.93-1.29). The risk estimates were higher for studies that modelled more proximal residential distances (≤ 5 km) to NPPs than larger distances (≤ 25 km and jurisdictional areas). We found that the summary risk (RR=1.29, 95% CI: 0.77-2.16) was stronger among those studies less prone to bias. A non-significant increased risk was found among both men and women, but there was no evidence of sex differences in risk. CONCLUSION: Overall, the findings suggest that living near a nuclear power plant increases the risk of thyroid cancer. The small number of studies on this topic, and the finding of higher risks in studies less prone to bias highlights the need for better-designed studies.
Integrated analysis of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and plasma lipidomics profiles in multi-ethnic Asian subjects for exposome research.
Narasimhan K, Vaitheeswari, Choi E … +5 more , Chandran NS, Eriksson JG, Bendt AK, Torta F, Mir SA
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39609840 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure has been associated with metabolic diseases, however, the underlying molecular pathogenesis remains to be understood. Integrated PFAS and lipidomi...
BACKGROUND: Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure has been associated with metabolic diseases, however, the underlying molecular pathogenesis remains to be understood. Integrated PFAS and lipidomic analysis has the potential to identify alterations in lipid metabolism pathways for exposome research. METHODS: A targeted LC-MS/MS method was developed for the quantification of 14 PFAS from human plasma samples (n = 96). Concurrently, high coverage lipidomics was conducted for the quantification of 665 lipid species in the same plasma samples. Linear regression models were implemented to study the association of PFAS with plasma lipidome. RESULTS: Women had lower levels of PFAS compared to men and Asian-Indians had lower levels of PFAS compared to both Chinese and Malay subjects. PFAS were positively associated with a number of lipid species from lysophospholipid, ceramide and triacylglycerol lipid classes. Phosphatidylinositol, acylcarnitine and sphingosine-1-phosphate were negatively associated with PFAS. Association studies revealed both shared and distinct relationship of PFAS with plasma lipids. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate that the circulating levels of PFAS vary with age, ethnicity and sex within a multi-ethnic Asian population with potential implications in future biomonitoring and mitigation. Our comprehensive lipidomics methodology and association studies enabled us to characterize the relationship of circulating PFAS and lipidomic profiles. These results will help in better understanding of the molecular basis of PFAS exposure on human health outcomes.
Associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and heavy metals with blood lipid profiles in a representative sample of Korean adolescents.
Kim Y, Shin S, Choe Y … +4 more , Cho J, Kim C, Kim SH, Kim KN
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39578875 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and heavy metals with lipid profiles among adolescents have been scarce. We sought to investigate the associations of PFASs...
BACKGROUND: Previous studies on the associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and heavy metals with lipid profiles among adolescents have been scarce. We sought to investigate the associations of PFASs and heavy metals with blood lipid levels in a representative sample of Korean adolescents. METHODS: Data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2018-2020) were used. Concentrations of PFASs [perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDeA)], lead, and mercury were measured in serum, whole blood, and urine samples, respectively. Linear regression, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), and k-means clustering analyses were employed to evaluate the associations between pollutants and lipid levels. RESULTS: In the linear regression analyses, PFOA levels were associated with higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels; PFOS with higher total cholesterol (TC) levels; PFNA with higher TC, LDL-C, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) levels; PFDeA with higher TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels; and mercury with higher TC and non-HDL-C levels. The BKMR analysis revealed that the PFAS and heavy metal mixture was associated with higher LDL-C levels (1.8% increase in LDL-C at the 75th percentile of all PFAS and heavy metal concentrations compared to their median values, 95% credible interval: 0.5, 3.1), primarily driven by the effect of PFDeA. Compared to individuals in the low pollutant exposure cluster (geometric mean levels of PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, PFDeA, lead, and mercury were 2.7 μg/L, 6.2 μg/L, 1.6 μg/L, 0.7 μg/L, 0.4 μg/L, 0.8 μg/dL, and 0.3 μg/L, respectively), those in the high pollutant exposure cluster (5.1 μg/L, 10.7 μg/L, 3.7 μg/L, 1.3 μg/L, 0.6 μg/L, 0.9 μg/dL, and 0.4 μg/L, respectively) demonstrated higher TC levels (2.5% increase in TC, 95% confidence interval: 0.1, 5.0) in the k-means clustering analysis. CONCLUSION: Due to the limitations of this study, such as its cross-sectional design, these results should be interpreted cautiously and confirmed in future studies before drawing implications for public health strategies aimed at promoting health during adolescence and later in life.
Urinary mycoestrogens and gestational weight gain in the UPSIDE pregnancy cohort.
Kinkade CW, Rivera-Núñez Z, Brinker A … +10 more , Buckley B, Waysack O, Kautz A, Meng Y, Ohman Strickland P, Block R, Groth SW, O'Connor TG, Aleksunes LM, Barrett ES
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39567992 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Zearalenone (ZEN), a secondary metabolite of Fusarium fungi, is one of the most common mycotoxins in global food supplies such as cereal grains and processed food. ZEN and its metabolites are commonly referre...
BACKGROUND: Zearalenone (ZEN), a secondary metabolite of Fusarium fungi, is one of the most common mycotoxins in global food supplies such as cereal grains and processed food. ZEN and its metabolites are commonly referred to as mycoestrogens, due to their ability to directly bind nuclear estrogen receptors α (ER-α) and β (ER-β). Zeranol, a synthetic mycoestrogen, is administered to U.S. cattle as a growth promoter. Despite widespread human exposure and ample evidence of adverse reproductive impacts in vitro and in vivo, there has been little epidemiological research on the health impacts of ZEN exposure during pregnancy. The objective of our study was to examine associations between ZEN and gestational weight gain (GWG). METHODS: Urine samples were collected in each trimester from pregnant participants in the UPSIDE cohort (n = 286, Rochester, NY, USA). High performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry were used to quantify concentrations of ZEN as well as ∑mycoestrogens (composite sum of ZEN metabolites; ng/ml). Maternal weights at clinical visits were abstracted from medical records. We fitted longitudinal models of specific-gravity adjusted, log-transformed ZEN and ∑mycoestrogens in relation to total GWG (kilograms) and GWG rate (kilograms/week). We additionally examined risk of excessive GWG (in relation to Institute of Medicine guidelines) and considered effect modification by fetal sex. RESULTS: ZEN and ∑mycoestrogens were detected in > 93% and > 95% of samples, respectively. Mycoestrogen concentrations were positively associated with total GWG (ZEN β:0.50 kg; 95%CI: 0.13, 0.87) and GWG rate (ZEN β:0.20 kg/week; 95%CI: 0.01, 0.03). Associations tended to be stronger among participants carrying male (versus female) fetuses and results were robust to adjustment for diet. CONCLUSIONS: Mycoestrogen exposure during pregnancy may contribute to greater GWG. Future research is needed to understand potential influences on downstream maternal and offspring health.
Human acute poisoning incidents associated with neonicotinoid pesticides in the U.S. Incident Data System (IDS) database from 2018-2022 - frequency and severity show public health risks, regulatory failures.
Sass JB, Raichel D
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39563333 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Neonicotinoid pesticides ('neonics') - imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, acetamiprid, dinotefuran-are the most widely used class of insecticides in the world. They have a neurotoxic mechanism of actio...
BACKGROUND: Neonicotinoid pesticides ('neonics') - imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, acetamiprid, dinotefuran-are the most widely used class of insecticides in the world. They have a neurotoxic mechanism of action, similar to nicotine. They are detected in food, waterways, tap water, and breast milk. METHODS: We make use of the non-occupational human pesticide poisoning reports in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) online Incident Data System (IDS). The data set contains individual incidents, and incidents aggregated and submitted in bulk to EPA. IDS reports are predominantly self-reported information of varying and often low level of detail and are not routinely validated or verified by EPA. RESULTS: We reviewed 842 non-occupational human poisoning incidents associated with neonics in the IDS from 2018 through 2022. There are four human fatality reports, two associated with clothianidin and two with acetamiprid. Major illnesses such as seizures were reported in several cases, including with dinotefuran cockroach bait product, and an imidacloprid lawn product. Moderate poisonings make up 88% of the total poisonings (740 of 842), with most of those associated with imidacloprid (547 incidents) or dinotefuran (102 incidents). Common reported symptoms classified as moderate often included two or more of the following: headaches; dizziness; lethargy; eye or throat irritation; skin itching and rash; chemical burns and skin peeling; face swelling; muscle weakness or tremors; vomiting; diarrhea; pain and tightness in chest; open sores; and general pain. These incidents stem mainly from residential uses, such as lawn and garden insect repellents, home pest treatments for bed bugs or roaches, and products used to treat pets for fleas and ticks. CONCLUSION: Given the evidence of neurotoxicity, EPA should use its legal authority to cancel unsafe products and unnecessary uses - including from seed treatments, and residential pet and lawncare products - to prevent further human suffering.
Sex-specific association of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with vitamin D concentrations in older adults in the USA: an observational study.
Zhao H, Ren Y, Ni J … +6 more , Fang L, Zhang T, Wang M, Cai G, Ma Y, Pan F
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39551762 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are commonly utilized in consumer products. While earlier studies have suggested potential impacts of certain PFAS on serum concentrations of vitamin D, these invest...
BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are commonly utilized in consumer products. While earlier studies have suggested potential impacts of certain PFAS on serum concentrations of vitamin D, these investigations were constrained to a limited set of conventional PFAS. Moreover, they did not specifically focus on populations with longer duration of PFAS exposure and potentially higher blood PFAS levels, such as older adults, and lacked adequate evidence to examine sex-related disparities. METHODS: This observational investigation utilized cross-sectional data obtained from the U.S. NHANES spanning the years 2003 to 2018. Survey-weighted multiple regression models were employed to evaluate the relationship between PFAS exposure and vitamin D concentrations. Multi-pollutant models were employed to evaluate the association between PFAS mixtures and vitamin D concentrations. Subsequently, environmental risk scores (ERS) were constructed to gauge associations with vitamin D concentrations. ERS was computed through a weighted linear combination of PFAS, utilizing calculations from ridge regression and adaptive elasticity network (adENET) methodologies. All analyses were stratified by sex. RESULTS: The study encompassed 3,853 older adults. Our analysis revealed a negative association between PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, and MeFOSAA and serum vitamin D concentrations. In analyses examining mixed exposures, various models consistently indicated an inverse association between PFAS mixed exposure and vitamin D concentrations. Moreover, an increase in ERS of PFAS across the interquartile range was associated with a decrease in vitamin D concentrations (Q4 vs. Q1, adENET: β: -0.083, 95% CI: -0.117, -0.048; ridge regression: β: -0.077, 95% CI: -0.111, -0.042). Notably, these associations were exclusively observed within the female population. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that heightened exposure to PFAS correlates with diminished serum vitamin D concentrations in females aged 60 years and older, evident in both single and mixed exposures. These findings find support in in vitro mechanistic studies, suggesting that PFAS may impact the metabolism of 25(OH)D, consequently affecting vitamin D concentrations.
Quantifying the association between PM air pollution and IQ loss in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Alter NC, Whitman EM, Bellinger DC … +1 more , Landrigan PJ
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39551729 · Full text
BACKGROUND: A growing body of epidemiologic and toxicologic literature indicates that fine airborne particulate matter (PM) pollution is neurotoxic and threatens children's neurobehavioral development, resulting in reduc...
BACKGROUND: A growing body of epidemiologic and toxicologic literature indicates that fine airborne particulate matter (PM) pollution is neurotoxic and threatens children's neurobehavioral development, resulting in reduced cognitive function. Understanding the magnitude of this effect is critical for establishing public health policies that will protect children's health, preserve human capital, and support societal progress. OBJECTIVE: To quantify the association between ambient PM air pollution and loss of cognitive function in children, as measured by Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores, through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic literature search across seven databases: Agricultural and Environmental Science, BIOSIS Citation Index, Embase, GreenFILE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify original scientific studies that investigated the impact of PM exposure during pre-and postnatal periods on IQ loss during childhood. Using data from studies included for final review, we conducted a meta-analysis, using a random effects model to compute a beta coefficient that quantifies the overall effect of PM exposure on Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ), Performance IQ (PIQ), and Verbal IQ (VIQ). FINDINGS: Of the 1,107 unique publications identified, six studies met the inclusion criteria for final review, representing 4,860 children across three continents (North America, Europe, and Asia). The mean PM concentration across all studies was 30.4 ± 24.4 µg/m. Exposure timing ranged from the prenatal period to mid-childhood. Children were an average of 8.9 years old at the time of cognitive testing. We found that each 1 µg/m increase in PM concentration is associated with a -0.27 point change in FSIQ (p < 0.001), 0.39 point change in PIQ (p = 0.003), and -0.24 point change in VIQ (p = 0.021). CONCLUSION: Through a systematic review and meta-analysis, we identified a statistically significant relationship between increased exposure to PM air pollution and reduced cognitive function in children, with the most pronounced impact on PIQ. This analysis will enable estimation of the burden of adverse neurobehavioral development attributable to PM in pediatric populations and will inform local and global strategies for exposure prevention.
The last decade of air pollution epidemiology and the challenges of quantitative risk assessment.
Forastiere F, Orru H, Krzyzanowski M … +1 more , Spadaro JV
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39543692 · Full text
Epidemiologic research and quantitative risk assessment play a crucial role in transferring fundamental scientific knowledge to policymakers so they can take action to reduce the burden of ambient air pollution. This com...
Epidemiologic research and quantitative risk assessment play a crucial role in transferring fundamental scientific knowledge to policymakers so they can take action to reduce the burden of ambient air pollution. This commentary addresses several challenges in quantitative risk assessment of air pollution that require close attention. The background to this discussion provides a summary of and conclusions from the epidemiological evidence on ambient air pollution and health outcomes accumulated since the 1990s. We focus on identifying relevant exposure-health outcome pairs, the associated concentration-response functions to be applied in a risk assessment, and several caveats in their application. We propose a structured and comprehensive framework for assessing the evidence levels associated with each exposure-health outcome pair within a health impact assessment context. Specific issues regarding the use of global or regional concentration-response functions, their shape, and the range of applicability are discussed.
Insights into relationship of environmental inequalities and multimorbidity: a population-based study.
Rajovic N, Grubor N, Cirkovic A … +15 more , Maheswaran R, Bath PA, Green D, Bellantuono I, Milicevic O, Kanazir S, Miljus D, Zivkovic S, Vidojevic D, Mickovski N, Rakocevic I, Ivanovic I, Mladenovic A, Goyder E, Milic N
Environ Health · 2024 Nov · PMID 39543597 · Full text
BACKGROUND: Substantial inequalities in the overall prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity have been widely reported, but the causal mechanisms are complex and not well understood. This study aimed to identify common...
BACKGROUND: Substantial inequalities in the overall prevalence and patterns of multimorbidity have been widely reported, but the causal mechanisms are complex and not well understood. This study aimed to identify common patterns of multimorbidity in Serbia and assess their relationship with air pollutant concentrations and water quality indicators. METHODS: This ecological study was conducted on a nationally representative sample of the Serbian population. Data were obtained from the European Health Interview (EHIS) Survey, a periodic study designed to assess population health using widely recognized standardized instruments. The study included 13,069 participants aged 15 and older, randomly selected through a multistage stratified sampling design. Multimorbidity was defined as having two or more self-reported diagnoses of chronic non-communicable diseases. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify clusters of multimorbidity. Concentrations of particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3), as well as water quality indicators, were obtained from the Serbian Environmental Protection Agency. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of multimorbidity was 33.4% [32.6%-34.2%]. Six latent classes of multimorbidity were identified: Healthy, Multicondition, Cardiovascular, Metabolic syndrome, Respiratory, and Musculoskeletal. Annual increases in PM10 and SO2 concentrations, as well as daily increases in O3 concentrations, significantly raised the odds of having multimorbidity (OR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.02-1.03; OR = 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.02 and OR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.03, respectively). A pattern of increased risk was observed with rising levels of water contamination. Exposure to physico-chemical, microbiological and combined contamination was associated with a 3.92%, 5.17% and 5.54% higher probability, respectively, of having multiple chronic conditions. There was strong evidence that air pollutants, as well as chemical and microbial water contamination, were significantly associated with higher odds of the most common clusters of multimorbidity identified by LCA. CONCLUSION: There is compelling evidence of an association between multimorbidity and environmental pollution, suggesting that exposure to air pollutants and water contaminants may contribute to disease accumulation and help explain geographically and socioeconomically patterned inequalities. These findings underscore the need for extensive studies that simultaneously measure both multimorbidity and pollution to explore their complex interrelationships.
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