International Journal of Environmental Health Research最新文献

The growing demand for eco-friendly nanomaterials has accelerated interest in green synthesis strategies using medicinal plants. In this study, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) were synthesized with an aqueous extract of Origanum vulgare as a natural reducing and stabilizing agent in a simple, low-cost, and sustainable bioprocess. The nanoparticles were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM-EDS, and TGA-TDA, confirming their nanocrystalline structure, monoclinic phase, and thermal stability. Surface functionalization with phytochemicals was evidenced by FTIR and elemental analyses, indicating strong Cu - biomolecule interactions. Phytochemical assays confirmed retention of phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins, while mineral profiling (ICP-AES, WD-XRF) revealed Ca, Mg, Fe, and Cu contributing to nucleation. HPLC-UV-MS identified bioactive compounds such as rosmarinic acid and rutin. Functionally, the CuO NPs exhibited strong antioxidant activity (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP) and broad-spectrum antimicrobial efficacy against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and fungi (Aspergillus flavus, Botrytis cinerea), surpassing the aqueous extract. These activities, attributed to reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and Cu²⁺-biomolecule interactions, highlight the biocatalytic role of plant metabolites in nanoparticle functionality.

This study presents a comprehensive assessment of metals in surfacewater of Ondo Town, Nigeria. Surfacewater samples (n = 20) were collected and analyzed for physicochemical parameters. Physical parameters include pH, temperature (^oC), electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) were measured using a handheld pH meter on field while metals (Fe, Pb, Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn, Ni, Co, and Cd) were analyzed using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS). Results revealed that the values of pH in the surfacewater is between 6.93 and 7.61 while the temperature is between 28.50°C and 33.24°C. TDS in the water is between 77.00 mg/l and 1446.00 mg/l while EC is between 152.00 µS/cm and 2902.00.00 µS/cm. The study showed elevated concentrations of Fe (0.12-7.54 mg/l), Pb (0.01-0.99 mg/l), Cr (0.01-0.13 mg/l), and Cd (0.002-0.004 mg/l) exceeding WHO limits in several samples. Multivariate statistical analyses identified weathering, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents as major contamination sources. Pollution indices indicated moderate to very high contamination. Potential ecological risk assessment (PERI) highlighted considerable risks from metals. Health risk assessment revealed higher non-carcinogenic risks (HQ > 1) for children due to Pb and Co exposure. The study underscores the need for stricter industrial regulations to mitigate contamination.

Mosquito blood meal analysis is critical for understanding vector-borne disease transmission. This study provides the first molecular evidence of host-feeding patterns in the climatically diverse Golestan Province, northeastern Iran. From April to December 2023, 491 female mosquitoes (51 Anophelines, 440 Culicines) were collected across nine locations. Blood-fed specimens (n = 42) were analyzed using multiplex-PCR to identify vertebrate hosts, targeting humans, bovines, horses, goats, dogs, cats, chickens, and rats. Culex tritaeniorhynchus (n = 26) showed a strong pattern for humans (53.8%) and bovines (30.8%), with 26.9% mixed meals. Anopheles hyrcanus (n = 9) predominantly fed on humans (88.9%), with 33.3% mixed meals including goats and chickens. Culex pipiens s.l. (n = 5) equally favored humans and bovines (60.0% each), while Culex theileri (n = 1) and Anopheles maculipennis (n = 1) fed on goats and humans, respectively. Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. pipiens s.l. and An. hyrcanus feed on both humans and animals and could act as bridge vectors for zoonoses. In Golestan, this suggests zoonotic risk and need for stronger vector surveillance and control, especially for An. hyrcanus and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus. Because sample sizes were small, however, these findings should be interpreted cautiously and confirmed by larger, multi-seasonal, multi-site studies.

Fluoride is recognized for its dental health benefits; however, excessive intake during infancy may pose risks such as dental fluorosis. This review evaluated fluoride levels in breast milk (BrM), influencing factors, and potential health effects in infants. The methodology involved searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, IranDoc, Science Direct, and Google Scholar for studies published from 1974 to 2025. The search strategy included Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and free-text keywords - such as "fluoride," "breast milk," "breastfeeding," 'human,"and "level," along with other relevant terms - combined with Boolean operators (AND/OR) for a comprehensive literature search. Inclusion criteria: peer-reviewed studies with original data on fluoride in BrM. Exclusion criteria: informal reports, reviews, and studies without primary data. Of the 204 records, 9 studies were included in the final analysis. Lacking raw data, values were re-simulated in Excel (2016) using mean, standard deviation, and sample size. Results showed that the mean fluoride in BrM met the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) guideline (100 µg/L) in 12 of 19 cases (63.2%), with 36.8% outside this range. The health risk assessment showed that, for one-month-old infants, the hazard quotient (HQ) exceeded the permissible limit (HQ = 1) in 7 of 19 cases (36.8%).

The Mezquital Valley is considered the granary of Hidalgo state, which is located in Mexico, and is inhabited by the indigenous Hñähñu people. In the Alto Mezquital subregion, small-scale subsistence farmers practice both rainfed and irrigated agriculture. The presence and concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in soils from selected agricultural fields were assessed using solid-phase matrix microextraction and gas chromatography. Physicochemical soil characterization was carried out to correlate their effect with the presence of organochlorine compounds. According to the results, DDT and its metabolites (p,p'-DDE and p,p'-DDD) were detected in the analyzed soils, suggesting their historical and recent application, even though DDT is banned in Mexico. A positive correlation was found between organochlorine pesticide levels and clay content, indicating that this soil characteristic could influence the retention of these compounds in the soils of the Alto Mezquital. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of conducting studies to assess the adverse environmental and human health impact of DDT and its metabolites.

Coffee parchment, an abundant by-product of coffee processing, is rich in bioactive compounds and represents a nutraceutical resource. This study investigates the differential effects of aqueous and hydro-methanolic coffee parchment extracts on visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) metabolism and oxidative status in an obesity rat model. Dried coffee parchment was used to prepare aqueous extracts using distilled water and ultrasonic treatment, and hydro-methanolic extracts using water/methanol mixture. Male Wistar rats were fed a cafeteria diet to induce obesity, and then treated with aqueous or hydro-methanolic extracts (100 mg/kg/day). SAT and VAT depots were analyzed for lipids, lipogenic/lipolytic enzymes, and redox markers. Coffee parchment supplementation reduced VAT mass, increased SAT mass, improved insulin sensitivity, and restored antioxidant capacity in obese rats. In VAT, both extracts decreased lipids, with enzyme modulation. In SAT, extracts promoted lipid storage via increased lipogenic enzymes with reduced lipolysis. The aqueous extract exerted stronger effects on VAT lipid reduction and subcutaneous fat preservation. In conclusion, parchment polyphenols modulate adipose tissue distribution, shifting lipid storage from metabolically harmful VAT to SAT, while improving systemic metabolic and oxidative status. These findings highlight the potential of coffee parchment as a sustainable functional ingredient for obesity management.

CVS prevalence was found to be 76.9%. Females had higher odds of CVS (OR = 1.834, p = 0.028). Each one-unit increase in screen time was associated with higher odds of CVS (OR = 1.340, p = 0.030). Each one-unit increase in screen distance was associated with higher odds of CVS (OR = 2.153, p = 0.004). Each one-unit increase in room illumination was associated with lower odds of CVS (OR = 0.555, p = 0.015). Those who used at least one protective measure had lower odds of CVS (OR = 0.403, p = 0.006). There was no statistically significant relationship between CVS and academic year, screen brightness, or posture.

These findings highlight the need for spreading awareness and promoting targeted interventions to improve eye health.

Kino, a reddish exudate from Corymbia terminalis traditionally used in Indigenous Australian medicine, was evaluated for its biological activity in vitro using HaCaT human keratinocytes. Methanolic kino extracts were tested for effects on cytocompatibility, migration, and inflammatory response. Morphological and CyQUANT^Ⓡ assays showed dose-dependent suppression of keratinocyte proliferation, while MTT assays indicated preserved metabolic activity. Real-time cell analysis (RTCA) revealed enhanced keratinocyte migration at sub-toxic concentrations (0.8-1.6 μg/mL), suggesting a stimulatory effect on motility. Cytokine profiling demonstrated significant downregulation of IL-8 and biphasic modulation of IL-6. At higher extract concentrations (200 μg/mL), marked anti-inflammatory effects were observed. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX-1/COX-2) was observed, although 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibition remained minimal. These findings indicate that C. terminalis-derived kino extracts possess anti-inflammatory and cytoregulatory properties, supporting their potential therapeutic relevance. Further research is recommended to isolate active constituents and elucidate mechanisms of action.

Studies examining mortality risk related to long-term ozone (O₃) exposure, and the associated concentration response function, have yielded inconsistent results. In addition to different exposure metrics and averaging periods across studies, co-pollutant interactions and population characteristics varying with O₃ exposure level increase the complexity of estimating independent O₃ effects. We conducted a case-control study of Medicare beneficiaries, matching on O₃ exposure decile, to examine all-cause mortality risk along the entire U.S. annual average O₃ distribution during 2015-2016. We calculated odds ratios stratified by decile and examined demographic and co-pollutant characteristics within these deciles. Correlations between O₃, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) were highly variable within deciles and across O₃ exposure metrics. Beneficiary- and zip code-level characteristics, including socioeconomic status (SES) and race/ethnicity, varied across O₃ and co-pollutant exposure combinations. Risk estimates for O₃ were generally null, but sensitive to stratification by demographic characteristics and co-pollutant concentrations including Medicaid-eligibility, age, sex, urbanicity, and PM_2.5 and NO₂ exposure levels. PM_2.5 was consistently associated with mortality within most O₃ exposure deciles. Whether our results reflect synergistic effects between O₃ and PM_2.5 and/or residual confounding of SES or co-pollutants, they may explain, at least in part, variability observed in previous studies.