Environmental Health最新文献

Background: Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are the world's most widely used weed control agents. Public health concerns have increased since the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen in 2015. To further investigate the health effects of glyphosate and GBHs, the Ramazzini Institute launched the Global Glyphosate Study (GGS), which is designed to test a wide range of toxicological outcomes. Reported here are the results of the carcinogenicity arm of the GGS.

Methods: Glyphosate and two GBHs, Roundup Bioflow used in the European Union (EU) and RangerPro used in the U.S., were administered to male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, beginning at gestational day 6 (via maternal exposure) through 104 weeks of age. Glyphosate was administered through drinking water at three doses: the EU acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0.5 mg/kg body weight/day, 5 mg/kg body weight/day and the EU no-observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 50 mg/kg body weight/day. The two GBH formulations were administered at the same glyphosate-equivalent doses.

Results: In all 3 treatment groups, statistically significant dose-related increased trends or increased incidences of benign and malignant tumors at multiple anatomic sites were observed compared to historical and concurrent controls. These tumors arose in haemolymphoreticular tissues (leukemia), skin, liver, thyroid, nervous system, ovary, mammary gland, adrenal glands, kidney, urinary bladder, bone, endocrine pancreas, uterus and spleen (hemangiosarcoma). Increased incidences occurred in both sexes. Most of these involved tumors that are rare in SD rats (background incidence < 1%) with 40% of leukemias deaths in the treated groups occurring before 52 weeks of age and increased early deaths were also observed for other solid tumors.

Conclusions: Glyphosate and GBHs at exposure levels corresponding to the EU ADI and the EU NOAEL caused dose-related increases in incidence of multiple benign and malignant tumors in SD rats of both sexes. Early-life onset and mortality were observed for multiple tumors. These results provide robust evidence supporting IARC's conclusion that there is "sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity [of glyphosate] in experimental animals". Furthermore, our data are consistent with epidemiological evidence on the carcinogenicity of glyphosate and GBHs.

Background: Near Antwerp a 3M factory has been active since 1971 emitting PFAS, mainly PFOS, in the local environment. Production of C8 compounds was stopped in 2002, production of other PFAS continued until 2024. This study aimed to examine the association between internal PFAS concentrations and thyroid hormones, sexual hormones, and pubertal development in adolescents living in the neighborhood of the factory.

Methods: We measured PFAS in serum of 146 female and 139 male adolescents. For males sex hormones (LH, testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, inhibin B, FSH) and SHBG were measured in serum. For males and females we assessed serum thyroid hormone levels (TSH, T3, T4 and T3/T4) and pubertal development parameters self-assessed through a standardized questionnaire. Associations between PFAS concentrations and effect biomarkers/health effects were assessed through Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE), using linear models for continuous outcomes, logistic models for binary outcomes, and proportional odds models for ordinal outcomes.

Results: For males LH, total and bioavailable testosterone showed significant negative associations with PFHxS and PFOA. LH and bioavailable testosterone also showed significant negative associations with other PFAS compounds. SHBG showed significant positive associations with PFDA, PFNA, PFHxS, PFOS and the sum of the linear forms of PFOS, PFOA, PFNA and PFHxS. Males' length and growth spurt showed significant negative associations with PFOS, PFOA and PFAS sum parameters and length and growth spurt separately also with other PFAS compounds. For females growth spurt showed significant negative association with PFOA and a significant positive association with PFOS(branched). For both males and females body hair development showed significant negative associations with PFHxS, and, for males and females separately also with other PFAS compounds. For females, breast development showed significant negative associations with PFOA, pubertal development scale showed significant negative associations with PFOA, PFHxS, PFOS(linear) and the sum of 4 PFAS. For males, TSH showed a significant negative association with PFDA and FT3 showed significant positive associations with PFOA, PFOA and PFNA. For females, FT3 showed a significant negative association with PFOS(branched).

Conclusion: We observed significant, consistent and biologically relevant associations of PFAS serum concentrations with sex hormone and SHBG levels in male adolescents. Moreover, a significant delay in physiological processes occurring in puberty was observed in females and males. Associations with thyroid hormones differed significantly by sex.

Background: Globally, climate change is causing frequent and severe extreme heat events (EHEs). A large body of literature links EHEs to multiple health endpoints. While children's physiology and activity patterns differ from those of adults in ways that are hypothesized to increase susceptibility to such endpoints, research gaps remain regarding the specific impacts of EHEs on child health. This study evaluated pediatric emergency healthcare utilizations associated with EHEs in Ontario.

Methods: Applying a space-time stratified case-crossover design, associations between EHEs (same-day or lagged exposure to 2 consecutive days of daily maximum temperatures above percentile thresholds) and 15 causes of pediatric emergency healthcare use in Ontario, Canada from 2005 to 2015 were analysed using conditional quasi-Poisson regression. In primary analyses, EHEs were defined as two or more consecutive days with temperatures above the 99th percentile of temperature within each respective forward sortation area (FSA). Emergency healthcare use was measured using hospital admissions as an indicator of severe outcomes, and emergency department (ED) visits as a sensitive measure of outcomes.

Results: Relative to non-EHE days, EHEs increased the rates of pediatric hospital admissions for respiratory illnesses by 26% (95% CI: 14-40%), asthma by 29% (16-44%); infectious and parasitic diseases by 36% (24-50%), lower respiratory infections by 50% (36-67%), and enteritis by 19% (7-32%). EHEs also increased the rates of ED visits for lower respiratory infections by 10% (0-21%), asthma by 18% (7-29%), heat-related illnesses by 211% (193-230%), heatstroke by 590% (550-622%), and dehydration by 35% (25-46%), but not for other causes. Admissions and ED visits due to injuries and transportation related injuries were negatively associated with EHEs. Neither all-cause hospital admissions nor ED visits were associated with EHEs.

Conclusions: In Ontario, EHEs decreased the rates of pediatric emergency healthcare utilization for injuries and increased the rates of respiratory illnesses, asthma, heat-related illnesses, heatstroke, dehydration, infectious and parasitic diseases, lower respiratory infections, and enteritis. Tailored policies and programs that reflect the specific heat-related vulnerabilities of children to respiratory and infectious illnesses are warranted in the face of a rapidly warming climate.

Introduction: Air pollution has been associated with adverse birth outcomes, with variation by socioeconomic position (SEP). However, it remains unknown which aspects of lower SEP - comprised of myriad physical and psychosocial stressors - may best explain observed pollution susceptibilities. Building upon previous studies that estimated joint associations of air pollution and socioeconomic deprivation on term birth weight in New York City (NYC), this study seeks to identify specific social stressors underlying that relationship.

Methods: We examined records for 243,853 term births in NYC from 2007-2010. Residence-specific pregnancy-average NO₂ was estimated using NYC Community Air Survey (NYCCAS) and EPA regulatory data. Twenty-six community social stressor indicators were tested as modifiers of NO₂-birthweight associations in linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for particulate matter (PM_2.5), individual-level maternal characteristics, and other covariates. In sensitivity analyses, we also examined non-linear interactions between continuous NO₂ and census-tract level violence and deprivation terms.

Results: Consistent with previous work, a 1-IQR (6.2 ppb) increase in average prenatal NO₂ exposure was associated with a 12.6 (SE = 2.7)-gram decrease in term birthweight.We observed similar values in independent models for most stressors related to violent crime or SEP and significantly lower birthweights with higher stressor exposures. In models of effect modification, however, we found that - despite lower average birthweights in high-stressor communities - NO₂-birthweight associations were weaker in higher-stressor communities, particularly for violence-related stressors. For example, in the highest-quartile communities for assault, a 1-IQR increase in NO₂ exhibited a decrement of only 7.3 g, on average, compared to 16.9 g in the lowest-assault quartile (p = .01 trend across quartiles). Exposures to non-violent stressors were not significantly associated with lower birthweights, nor modified observed NO₂-birthweight associations.

Conclusions: We found significantly lower term-infant birthweights with higher NO₂ or community stressors. Counter to hypotheses, however, in communities with very high stressor exposures (esp. violent crimes), despite lower overall birthweights, associations for NO₂ were weaker than in low-stressor communities. Our results suggest a possible saturation effect in stress-pollution interactions, wherein very high stressor exposures appear to overwhelm any effects of pollution. In addition, we observed stronger effects for violent crimes, in relation to other social stressors.

Introduction: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to significantly enhance workplace safety and mitigate occupational radiation exposure risks by improving the accuracy of assessment and management of these hazards. This study aims to review research on the use of AI in the assessment, monitoring, control, and protection of occupational radiation exposure.

Method: This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive search was performed in the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases from inception to April 2024. The search strategy was designed based on the PICO principle and included keywords related to artificial intelligence, occupational exposure, radiation, and industry. The inclusion criteria explored the application of artificial intelligence in the assessment, monitoring, control, and protection against occupational radiation exposure. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the MMAT critical appraisal tool.

Result: In this review, the initial literature search in the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases identified 2920 articles. After removing duplicate references, screened based on title, keywords, and abstract, Ultimately, 59 eligible articles were selected, which utilized various artificial intelligence tools, such as expert systems, machine learning, deep learning, and other applied AI models. Of all the articles, 76% had high scores and were considered strong. These studies were categorized into three groups: supervision and assessment, detection and monitoring, protection, control, and personal protective equipment.

Conclusion: The successful application of AI can potentially improve occupational radiation exposure management, but several key challenges must be addressed. These include the need for high-quality training data, interpretability of complex AI algorithms, alignment with safety standards, integration with existing systems, and the lack of interdisciplinary expertise. Addressing these research gaps through further study and collaboration will be crucial to realizing the benefits of AI in this domain, which has long been a critical concern in human and work environments.

Background: Previous studies on associations between polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and lipid profiles are limited. We investigated the associations between urinary PAH metabolites and serum lipid profiles using a representative sample of Korean adults.

Methods: This study utilized data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2018-2020) (n = 2,516). The associations of PAH metabolites, heavy metals, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), which are ubiquitous pollutants, with lipid indicators and dyslipidemia types were evaluated using linear and logistic regression models, respectively. We examined the associations between a mixture of PAH metabolites, heavy metals, and PFASs and lipid profiles using quantile g-computation analyses.

Results: A doubling of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) concentrations was associated with higher total cholesterol (TC) [β = 2.50 mg/dL, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09, 3.91], low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (β = 2.39 mg/dL, 95% CI: 1.14, 3.63), and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) concentrations (β = 2.13 mg/dL, 95% CI: 0.77, 3.49). A doubling of 1-OHP concentrations was also linked to higher odds of high TC [odds ratio (OR) = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.30]. Additionally, 2-naphthol concentrations were associated with higher odds of high TC (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.29) and high LDL-C (OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.51). Lead concentrations were associated with higher levels of TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), as well as with higher odds of high TC, high LDL-C, and high non-HDL-C. Mercury concentrations were associated with higher levels of TC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C, and with higher odds of high TC. Several PFASs, such as perfluorooctanoic acid, perfluorononanoic acid, and perfluorodecanoic acid, were also associated with lipid profiles. A mixture of PAH metabolites, heavy metals, and PFASs was associated with higher TC, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, and HDL-C concentrations. This mixture was also linked to higher odds of high TC and high LDL-C.

Conclusion: Concentrations of PAH metabolites, heavy metals, and PFASs were associated with unfavorable lipid profiles in the general adult population.

Background: Rare earth elements (REEs) have found broad application in a range of industries, including electronics, automotive, agriculture, and healthcare. However, their widespread utilization and release into the environment pose potential risks of human exposure. Despite extensive research on REEs toxicity, the relationship between exposure and subsequent health concerns remains ambiguous. Given that the biological effects of REEs can vary based on their design and application, assessing their toxicity can be highly challenging.

Objective: This review is to offer a thorough comprehension of REEs' application and toxicity, guiding future research and policy-making to safeguard public health and environmental integrity.

Methods: A systematic search across PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase was conducted using the terms: ("rare earth" OR "lanthanoid") AND ("health hazard" OR "toxic" OR "adverse health effect"). From 5,924 initial records, 89 studies were selected through deduplication and two-stage screening to assess systemic toxicity of REEs. An additional 100 articles on REEs mechanisms and applications were incorporated via citation tracking. All selections followed PRISMA guidelines with dual-author verification to ensure rigor.

Conclusion: The review emphasizes REEs' applications in various domains and documents potential environmental pathways. Furthermore, it elaborates on current processes to assess REEs-related toxicity across different model organisms and cell lines, estimating health threats posed by REEs exposure. Finally, based on the findings of both in vivo and in vitro experiments, the potential toxic mechanisms of REEs are detailed. To guide future research and policy development to safeguard public health and environmental integrity.

High arsenic (As) exposure (≥ 100 µg/l) is associated with cardiovascular (CVD) outcomes, however, the CVD risk from low-to-moderate As exposure (< 100 µg/l) has been less explored. There is a paucity of systematic reviews that comprehensively evaluate both urine and water As exposure metrics in assessing As-related CVD outcomes within the general population. To fill this gap, this review sought to update and consolidate data regarding the correlation between low-to-moderate As exposure and specific CVD outcomes, including stroke, ischemic heart disease (IHD), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and heart failure (HF). A search for peer-reviewed articles indexed in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, the Global Medicos Index, and Web of Science and unpublished dissertations in Prospero until October 31, 2024, was performed. Nineteen studies were included. Relative risks were pooled by contrasting the highest v/s lowest exposure groups across studies. Positive associations were observed between urine As and stroke incidence, and water As with IHD incidence. Associations between water As and IHD and AMI mortality were suggestive and became stronger after excluding ecological studies. Sex-stratified analyses suggested an increased risk for all groups with strongest indication of an increased risk of AMI mortality in men. Increased risk was suggested for HF but only two studies assessed this outcome. These findings underscore potential risk for CVD outcomes in relation to low-to-moderate As exposure, and highlight the necessity for additional rigorous, well-structured studies to more clearly delineate the possible effects of low-to-moderate As exposure on different CVD outcomes.

Background: Asthma exacerbations remain a significant global health issue despite advances in management. Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5, particles ≤ 2.5 μm in diameter) is a known trigger for asthma exacerbations. However, studies on the acute effects of PM_2.5, particularly in regions with relatively low pollution levels, are limited. This study examined the time-lagged association between daily PM_2.5 exposure and asthma exacerbations in Songkhla province, southern Thailand, where PM_2.5 concentrations frequently approach the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Air Quality Guidelines. Approximately 41% of days during the study period had PM_2.5 concentrations below the 2021 Guideline level of 15 µg/m³. Additionally, the province is periodically affected by seasonal transboundary haze from forest fires.

Methods: A case-crossover study was conducted using daily PM_2.5 and meteorological data from January 2010 to December 2023, alongside health records of asthma patients from Songklanagarind Hospital. District-level daily PM_2.5 concentrations were estimated through inverse distance weighted interpolation. Conditional logistic regression, incorporating time-lagged models and cubic splines, was applied.

Results: The study included 11,848 case days and 39,810 control days, with a mean daily PM_2.5 concentration of 18.2 µg/m³. PM_2.5 concentrations > 50 µg/m³ were significantly associated with asthma exacerbations at multiple time lags (lag0, lag2, and lag01 to lag03), with odds ratios ranging from 1.41 to 1.64, compared to the lowest concentration group (PM_2.5 0-15 µg/m³). Temperature showed no significant effect, while relative humidity was positively associated with asthma exacerbations at lag3, lag06, and lag07. Subgroup analyses revealed associations between PM_2.5 exposure and asthma exacerbations at early lags for both males and females. Additionally, children aged 6-11 years and 12-17 years exhibited greater susceptibility to asthma exacerbations, particularly at PM_2.5 concentrations of 15-25 µg/m³.

Conclusion: This study underscores the short-term effects of PM_2.5 on asthma exacerbations, particularly during high-pollution episodes of transboundary haze in regions that generally experience low levels of air pollution. These findings emphasize the importance of achieving the WHO air quality targets to mitigate the health impacts from PM_2.5.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected life-threatening sandfly-borne disease, which brings a growing public health threat in Central China around the Taihang Mountains. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of visceral leishmaniasis in the local community and the potential driving factors remain poorly understood.

Methods: We analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of new reported visceral leishmaniasis cases in the region from 2006 to 2023, and combined random forest modeling approach with environmental covariates to identify the main influencing factors related to transmission risk of the disease.

Results: Our results show that there was a total number of 800 reported human visceral leishmaniasis cases, affecting 29 cities, and 113 counties across the region, exhibiting a geographic expansion of the disease during this period, especially in Shanxi province. Two high-risk clusters were identified in the study. Environmental change-related factors, including standardized precipitation deviation, forest cumulative change ratio, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) cumulative change, played important roles in increasing the transmission risk of visceral leishmaniasis, with their relative contributions summing up to 66.17%.

Conclusions: Our findings provide a better understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors of visceral leishmaniasis recurrence across Central China around the Taihang Mountains, which underscore prevention and control measures should be taken immediately to reduce the risk.