International Journal of Environmental Health Research最新文献

The health implications of particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure are well documented, particularly its penetration into the respiratory tract, posing serious health risks. This prospective longitudinal study investigates PM2.5 exposure levels during athletics events in South Africa, highlighting the short-term exposure risks for athletes. PM2.5 concentrations were measured at four events across rural, central metropolitan, and industrial metropolitan settings in 2023. Results indicated significant variations in PM2.5 levels, with mean concentrations ranging from 28.6 μg/m³ in rural areas to 132.7 μg/m³ in industrial metropolitan regions, exceeding WHO 24-hour exposure recommendations. Factors such as local industries and cooking methods at event sites contributed to these elevated levels. The findings underscore the need for establishing short-term PM2.5 exposure standards for outdoor activities, where added respiratory stress from exercise could exacerbate underlying conditions; we also highlight the importance of location selection to mitigate health risks for athletes.

Intensive agriculture is closely associated with the use of pesticides for pest control. These pesticides are often diluted in non-potable water before field application, which may pose microbiological risks to consumers of raw fresh produce. This study aimed to experimentally evaluate the survival and growth of Salmonella Typhimurium in commonly used and recently introduced pesticide solutions. Four commercial insecticidal formulations were evaluated at high, medium, and low concentrations, as recommended by the manufacturers. Each was diluted with sterile distilled water and inoculated with S. Typhimurium at an initial concentration of 10⁷ CFU mL^-1. Bacterial survival was assessed after 1, 60 and 1440 min of exposure. The average survival percentages of S. Typhimurium were 98.13% in solutions containing the active ingredient (a.i.) afidopyropen, 96.69% for thiamethoxam and lambda-cyhalothrin, and 90.88% for pymetrozine. Chlorpyrifos completely inhibited S. Typhimurium after 60 min of exposure at all tested dilutions. Neither pesticide concentration nor exposure time had a statistically significant effect (p > 0.05) on bacterial survival. These findings indicate that S. Typhimurium can persist in pesticide solutions, potentially posing a health risk to consumers.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are environmental contaminants linked to adverse health outcomes, but their impact on epigenetic aging remains incompletely characterized. This study investigated associations between serum concentrations of POPs and DNA methylation (DNAm)-based age acceleration using twelve established epigenetic clocks in 815 U.S. adults aged ≥50 years from NHANES 1999-2002. POPs, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, furans, and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), were quantified using high-resolution gas chromatography/ isotope- dilution high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGS/ID-HRMS), and age acceleration was estimated using multiple DNAm algorithms. The findings revealed bidirectional associations: while most PCBs exhibited inverse correlations with epigenetic age acceleration (e.g. PCB74 with HorvathAgeAcc: β = -1.08, 95% CI: -1.69, -0.46), certain furans and OCPs demonstrated positive associations with HorvathTelo acceleration (e.g. 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF: β = 0.04, P = 0.0306). Sex-stratified analyses revealed significant effect modification, with positive associations between several OCPs (e.g. trans-nonachlor) and mortality-related clocks (GrimAge2Mortacc) being significantly stronger in females (P-interaction <0.0001). Age-specific patterns also emerged, where inverse associations between certain PCBs (e.g. PCB74) and epigenetic age acceleration were substantially amplified in or exclusively present among older adults (≥65 years) (P- interaction < 0.0001). These findings suggest that POP exposures differentially modulate epigenetic aging trajectories in a compound-dependent manner, highlighting the need for tailored risk assessment approaches for vulnerable populations.

Microplastics (MPs) and their degradation products pose growing environmental and health risks. This study investigates how polyethylene terephthalate (PET)-derived degradation products, ethylene glycol (EG) and terephthalic acid (TPA), influence colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis. Integrating network toxicology, machine learning (ML), and molecular docking, we identified 43 genes linking EG/TPA exposure to CRC pathogenesis. Functional enrichment analysis revealed their involvement in TNF/IL-17 signaling and glucocorticoid (GC)-mediated metabolic pathways, synergistically promoting chronic inflammation and immune suppression. Prognostic ML models prioritized SPP1, TJP1, and DDIT3 as hub genes significantly correlated with poor survival outcomes. Molecular docking confirmed EG's stable binding to these targets, suggesting mechanisms involving cytoskeletal remodeling, tight junction disruption, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Notably, GC pathway activation emerged as a critical driver of CRC progression, facilitating tumor immune evasion and therapy resistance. Our findings highlight the prognostic relevance of PET-derived MPs via GC signaling dysregulation, providing mechanistic insights into how environmental pollutants exacerbate cancer risks. This study advances strategies for refining MPs toxicity assessments and developing targeted interventions to mitigate CRC progression linked to MPs exposure.

Foodborne diseases remain a major public health challenge in low- and middle-income countries, driven by inadequate sanitation and unsafe food handling practices. However, little is known about how environmental and workplace conditions jointly influence food hygiene behaviors in small urban towns. Therefore, this study aimed to assess how sanitation facilities and workplace environmental conditions are associated with safe food handling practices among food handlers in Kobo Town, northeastern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 food handlers in Kobo Town, northeastern Ethiopia, from January to March 2025. Structured interviews and direct observations were used to assess sanitation infrastructure, workplace environment, and food handling practices. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify environmental determinants of safe food handling practices. Only 48% of food handlers practiced safe food handling. The availability of functional hand washing facilities (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.4-3.2) and adequate kitchen ventilation (AOR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.2-2.7) were significant predictors of safe practices, while poor sanitation conditions and vector infestation were common environmental risks. These findings indicate that structural and environmental factors play a central role in shaping safe food handling practices, highlighting the need for integrated interventions to strengthen WASH infrastructure, improve kitchen design, and enhance regulatory oversight in low-resource urban settings.

This study evaluated groundwater nitrate contamination and associated non-carcinogenic human health risks for infants, children, teens, and adults in Qorveh-Dehgolan region, Kurdistan province, Iran. Analysis of 51 groundwater samples revealed that nitrate concentrations varied from 6.20 to 99.20 mg/L, with 3.92% of samples exceeding the threshold value of 50 mg/L. Health risk was evaluated using both deterministic and probabilistic approaches under two exposure scenarios: oral ingestion and dermal contact. Deterministic analysis results indicated that hazard quotient (HQ) values for the oral ingestion exceeded safe levels for infants (7.84%), children (25.49%), teens (7.84%), and adults (3.92%), with children being the most vulnerable. In contrast, probabilistic analysis showed that only infants had a 95^th percentile HQ slightly above 1 (1.0437), and the other population groups remained within safe limits. The HQ values for dermal contact indicated no potential health risk. Correlation and variance attribution analyses identified nitrate concentration, exposure duration, and event duration as key parameters affecting uncertainty in HQ estimates. Overall, the findings of the study demonstrated that the oral ingestion of groundwater, as a primary exposure scenario, may pose potential health risk, particularly to infants and children. Accordingly, the implementation of appropriate management strategies is essential to mitigate this risk.

Consumer demand for healthier confectionery products has grown due to increased awareness of the health risks associated with excessive sugar consumption. Reformulating marshmallows by reducing sugar and incorporating natural ingredients can enhance the nutritional value of a product typically low in beneficial compounds. This study aimed to develop marshmallows using date syrup as a natural substitute for added sugars and artificial additives. A Design of Experiments (DOE) approach was used to optimize gelatin and date syrup proportions. The resulting formulations were evaluated for physicochemical properties, color, texture, and microbiological quality. Bioactive attributes, including total polyphenols, flavonoids, condensed tannins, anthocyanins, and antioxidant activity (DPPH), were also assessed, along with sensory acceptability. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were observed among formulations. Moisture content remained within acceptable limits for ambient storage. Higher date syrup levels increased total phenolic content (93.5 mg GAE/100 g), antioxidant activity (72.15%), and product hardness, while enhancing the yellow color (+b* value). Overall, date syrup incorporation improved the nutritional profile and sensory appeal of marshmallows, demonstrating strong potential for large-scale production as a healthier confectionery alternative.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men and hypopharyngeal cancer is a rare aggressive malignant cancer. Since conventional cancer treatments have side effects, most of the current studies are directed towards finding innovative approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. In recent years, research has focussed on the anticancer properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The synergistic effects of AgNPs and sorafenib have been studied, however, their impacts on PC3 and FaDu cells have not been studied yet. In this study, AgNPs and sorafenib were applied individually and together to both cell types, their effects were examined at cellular and molecular levels. Cell viability was measured by CVDK-8 assay. Apoptosis was measured colorimetrically and changes in Caspase-3 levels were identified with western blot analysis. Cell viability in AgNPs and sorafenib individual groups was decreased concentration-dependent in both cells. AgNPs-Sorafenib combination was more effective in inhibiting the cell viability in FaDu cells compared to PC3 cells. According to Western blot analysis, a significant change in apoptosis was observed in the AgNPs and AgNPs-Sorafenib groups in FaDu cells, while not observed in the sorafenib group. The findings of this study will provide new perspectives on nanocarrier drug systems.

This study aimed to assess PM_2.5 exposure levels in Ahvaz, Iran, and quantify the associated burden of disease attributable to particulate pollution. To quantify uncertainty mortality and morbidity, the exposure response function model for probabilistic risk assessment was used. The analysis of aerosol variations by the Aerosol Optical Thickness indicated a decline in PM_2.5 concentrations during pandemic. During the study period, the annual mean of PM_2.5 concentrations exceeded the annual limit value established by the World Health Organization. Cause-specific mortality, including trachea bronchus lung cancer, stroke, and acute lower respiratory infections, also decreased by 14-28% in 2020. Restricted activity days and work days lost decreased by 11.8% and 13.8%, respectively, correlating with lower PM_2.5 concentrations. Years lived with disability dropped from 242.7 to 170.4 years per 10⁵ capita in 2020 during the pandemic. Mitigation strategies, including green infrastructure, industrial regulation, and improved urban planning, are needed to reduce health risks in this highly polluted region.

Previous observational studies reported associations between air pollutants and atrial fibrillation (AF), but their causal relationships remain unclear. We conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis using genome-wide association studies (GWAS) summary data from the UK Biobank and IEU Open GWAS databases to investigate the genetic causality between air pollutants and AF. Air pollutants were subdivided into nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and particulate matter (PM_2.5 and PM₁₀), with single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with each pollutant identified as instrumental variables (IVs). Subsequently, MR methods including MR-Egger, weighted median, inverse variance weighted (IVW), simple mode, and weighted mode were applied to assess genetic causality, while pleiotropy, heterogeneity, and reliability were also evaluated. IVW findings indicate a consequential correlation between NO₂ and increased AF risk, as evidenced by an odds ratio (OR 1.948 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.011-3.756]; p = 0.046). Conversely, the causal effect of PM_2.5 (OR 1.274 [95% CI 0.651-2.493; p = 0.480) and PM₁₀ (OR 1.162 [95% CI 0.891-1.517]; p = 0.268) with AF was not statistically significant. The analysis revealed the absence of pleiotropy (p > 0.05). However, PM_2.5 displayed significant heterogeneity (p = 0.2385), whereas NO₂ (p = 0.5365) and PM₁₀ (p = 0.7789) did not. This MR analysis suggested a causal effect of NO₂ on AF, but not for PM_2.5 or PM₁₀.