Pub Date : 2025-10-08DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00809-8
Esther M. John, Jocelyn Koo, Theresa H. Keegan, Sue A. Ingles, Jenny T. Nguyen, Catherine Thomsen, Beizhan Yan, Mary Beth Terry, Regina M. Santella
Exposure to environmental chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) may play a role in recent trends of earlier puberty. We evaluated associations between PAH-albumin adducts and timing of puberty in a longitudinal cohort of girls aged 6–16 years from the San Francisco Bay Area. We measured PAH-albumin adducts in 215 baseline serum samples and 159 last samples collected between 5 and 69 months apart. Using generalized estimating equations (GEE) to account for intra-familial correlations, we fit linear models to estimate mean adduct levels by participant characteristics and questionnaire-based sources of outdoor, indoor, and dietary PAH exposures. We fit logistic GEE models to examine associations of adduct levels with recalled breast (N = 154) or pubic hair (N = 153) Tanner Stage (TS) and menarche status (N = 116) at first blood collection. Using Cox proportional hazard models, we assessed associations with pubertal timing of girls who at first blood collection had not yet started breast (N = 76) or pubic hair (N = 86) development or menstruation (N = 132). PAH-albumin adducts were detected in all samples, except two. We observed some variation in adduct levels by personal characteristics and questionnaire-based sources of PAH exposure, although differences did not reach statistical significance. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, timing of breast development was the only pubertal outcome associated with higher ( ≥ median vs.
{"title":"Timing of puberty in girls and serum polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-albumin adduct levels: the California PAH Study","authors":"Esther M. John, Jocelyn Koo, Theresa H. Keegan, Sue A. Ingles, Jenny T. Nguyen, Catherine Thomsen, Beizhan Yan, Mary Beth Terry, Regina M. Santella","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00809-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00809-8","url":null,"abstract":"Exposure to environmental chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) may play a role in recent trends of earlier puberty. We evaluated associations between PAH-albumin adducts and timing of puberty in a longitudinal cohort of girls aged 6–16 years from the San Francisco Bay Area. We measured PAH-albumin adducts in 215 baseline serum samples and 159 last samples collected between 5 and 69 months apart. Using generalized estimating equations (GEE) to account for intra-familial correlations, we fit linear models to estimate mean adduct levels by participant characteristics and questionnaire-based sources of outdoor, indoor, and dietary PAH exposures. We fit logistic GEE models to examine associations of adduct levels with recalled breast (N = 154) or pubic hair (N = 153) Tanner Stage (TS) and menarche status (N = 116) at first blood collection. Using Cox proportional hazard models, we assessed associations with pubertal timing of girls who at first blood collection had not yet started breast (N = 76) or pubic hair (N = 86) development or menstruation (N = 132). PAH-albumin adducts were detected in all samples, except two. We observed some variation in adduct levels by personal characteristics and questionnaire-based sources of PAH exposure, although differences did not reach statistical significance. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses, timing of breast development was the only pubertal outcome associated with higher ( ≥ median vs.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"956-964"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00809-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145246320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-02DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00806-x
Rachel A. Klein, Shelley H. Liu, Joseph M. Braun, Katherine E. Manz
Bioaccumulation, widespread usage, and adverse human health effects emphasize per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as an important public health concern. There is a need for an aggregate PFAS exposure measure due to the increasing diversity of structures. Aggregate measures are important for informing clinical care, biomonitoring, and research standardization. Current approaches for human biomonitoring of PFAS include targeting and quantifying a limited number of molecules and estimating exposure based on summed concentrations or statistical modeling. Extractable organofluorine (EOF) has been proposed as an aggregate PFAS biomarker that quantifies the total organically bound fluorine in a sample, encompassing PFAS regardless of knowing the exact chemical structures. However, EOF in human biomonitoring studies or environmental epidemiology is limited. The objective of this study is to comprehensively assess human studies that measure EOF and target PFAS in the same sample by conducting a literature search, data extraction, and secondary data analysis. We assessed the correlation of three aggregate PFAS exposure metrics with each other: EOF, adjusted summed concentrations of PFAS identified by the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), and PFAS burden scores. Across 8 published studies from US, Asia and Europe with 163 samples, EOF concentrations were higher than NASEM summed PFAS concentrations, and EOF was strongly associated with PFAS burden scores and NASEM sum. EOF does not identify or differentiate non-PFAS sources of fluorine which limits identification of individual molecules and their potential toxicity. Correlations between EOF, summed targeted PFAS concentrations, and PFAS burden scores demonstrated that EOF is a practical tool for estimating PFAS exposure and identifying individuals with high exposure to PFAS. Thus, EOF could be utilized for identifying individuals or sub-populations with high aggregate PFAS exposure. Practical considerations in laboratory analyses, including instrumentation, sample matrix, and sample extraction procedure, remain potential barriers to widespread implementation of EOF as a biomonitoring tool.
{"title":"Evaluation and comparison of tools used to quantify aggregate PFAS exposure: Extractable organic fluorine, PFAS burden scores and summed PFAS concentrations","authors":"Rachel A. Klein, Shelley H. Liu, Joseph M. Braun, Katherine E. Manz","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00806-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00806-x","url":null,"abstract":"Bioaccumulation, widespread usage, and adverse human health effects emphasize per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as an important public health concern. There is a need for an aggregate PFAS exposure measure due to the increasing diversity of structures. Aggregate measures are important for informing clinical care, biomonitoring, and research standardization. Current approaches for human biomonitoring of PFAS include targeting and quantifying a limited number of molecules and estimating exposure based on summed concentrations or statistical modeling. Extractable organofluorine (EOF) has been proposed as an aggregate PFAS biomarker that quantifies the total organically bound fluorine in a sample, encompassing PFAS regardless of knowing the exact chemical structures. However, EOF in human biomonitoring studies or environmental epidemiology is limited. The objective of this study is to comprehensively assess human studies that measure EOF and target PFAS in the same sample by conducting a literature search, data extraction, and secondary data analysis. We assessed the correlation of three aggregate PFAS exposure metrics with each other: EOF, adjusted summed concentrations of PFAS identified by the National Academies of Science Engineering and Medicine (NASEM), and PFAS burden scores. Across 8 published studies from US, Asia and Europe with 163 samples, EOF concentrations were higher than NASEM summed PFAS concentrations, and EOF was strongly associated with PFAS burden scores and NASEM sum. EOF does not identify or differentiate non-PFAS sources of fluorine which limits identification of individual molecules and their potential toxicity. Correlations between EOF, summed targeted PFAS concentrations, and PFAS burden scores demonstrated that EOF is a practical tool for estimating PFAS exposure and identifying individuals with high exposure to PFAS. Thus, EOF could be utilized for identifying individuals or sub-populations with high aggregate PFAS exposure. Practical considerations in laboratory analyses, including instrumentation, sample matrix, and sample extraction procedure, remain potential barriers to widespread implementation of EOF as a biomonitoring tool.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"1020-1029"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00806-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145215494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-02DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00805-y
Jeffrey M. Minucci, Kent Thomas, Jason D. Boettger, Nicole M. DeLuca, Dylan J. Wallis, Peter P. Egeghy, Elaine A. Cohen Hubal
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic chemicals with unique properties and functionality that enable multiple industrial processes and product applications. PFAS are generally persistent, widely distributed in environmental media, and linked to various adverse health effects. The primary pathway of PFAS exposure to impacted communities is through contaminated drinking water. While many studies have demonstrated exposures from contaminated drinking water in such communities, less is known about the contribution of exposure from sources within the residential environment. Measurement data on the nature and level of PFAS in house dust, indoor surfaces, indoor air, soil and wristbands are required to identify and understand important pathways for human exposure. In this study, we collected house dust, surface wipe, indoor air, wristband, and soil samples at homes recruited from two communities previously impacted by drinking water contamination, one in Massachusetts and one in Delaware. At every home (n = 79), a floor dust sample was collected, while in a subset of homes (n = 28), more extensive environmental sampling was conducted. All samples collected were analyzed for up to 70 PFAS depending on the sample type. PFAS were found in all types of household samples, with 30 different PFAS detected in ≥50% of homes for at least one sample type. Vacuum dust, floor dust and soil had the highest detection rates across most PFAS. However, certain PFAS precursors were more prevalent in surface wipes, indoor air, and wristbands (e.g., FTOHs, FOSEs, FOSAs). diPAPs were widely detected across all sample types and had the highest concentrations among all analytes in dust, surface wipes and wristbands. A comparative analysis between the two sampling sites highlighted significant differences in PFAS profiles, with Delaware exhibiting higher levels of PFAAs in dust and soil, while Massachusetts showed greater concentrations of diPAPs across various media sampled. These findings highlight the widespread presence of PFAS in the residential environment, and the need for mitigation strategies that address both legacy compounds and emerging precursors across numerous media.
{"title":"Collection of multimedia measurements to evaluate PFAS human exposure sources in the residential environment","authors":"Jeffrey M. Minucci, Kent Thomas, Jason D. Boettger, Nicole M. DeLuca, Dylan J. Wallis, Peter P. Egeghy, Elaine A. Cohen Hubal","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00805-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00805-y","url":null,"abstract":"Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are anthropogenic chemicals with unique properties and functionality that enable multiple industrial processes and product applications. PFAS are generally persistent, widely distributed in environmental media, and linked to various adverse health effects. The primary pathway of PFAS exposure to impacted communities is through contaminated drinking water. While many studies have demonstrated exposures from contaminated drinking water in such communities, less is known about the contribution of exposure from sources within the residential environment. Measurement data on the nature and level of PFAS in house dust, indoor surfaces, indoor air, soil and wristbands are required to identify and understand important pathways for human exposure. In this study, we collected house dust, surface wipe, indoor air, wristband, and soil samples at homes recruited from two communities previously impacted by drinking water contamination, one in Massachusetts and one in Delaware. At every home (n = 79), a floor dust sample was collected, while in a subset of homes (n = 28), more extensive environmental sampling was conducted. All samples collected were analyzed for up to 70 PFAS depending on the sample type. PFAS were found in all types of household samples, with 30 different PFAS detected in ≥50% of homes for at least one sample type. Vacuum dust, floor dust and soil had the highest detection rates across most PFAS. However, certain PFAS precursors were more prevalent in surface wipes, indoor air, and wristbands (e.g., FTOHs, FOSEs, FOSAs). diPAPs were widely detected across all sample types and had the highest concentrations among all analytes in dust, surface wipes and wristbands. A comparative analysis between the two sampling sites highlighted significant differences in PFAS profiles, with Delaware exhibiting higher levels of PFAAs in dust and soil, while Massachusetts showed greater concentrations of diPAPs across various media sampled. These findings highlight the widespread presence of PFAS in the residential environment, and the need for mitigation strategies that address both legacy compounds and emerging precursors across numerous media.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"1050-1059"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00805-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145215488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-09-12DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00803-0
Ruth M. Lunn, Meredith Clemons, Robyn Blain, Somdat Mahabir, Suril S. Mehta, Andrew A. Rooney, Anisha Singh, Stephanie Smith-Roe, Kyla W. Taylor, Wren Tracy, Maricruz Zarco, Suzanne E. Fenton
In February 2023, people residing in the village of East Palestine (EP, Ohio, USA) and surrounding areas were exposed to toxic chemicals from a Norfolk Southern Railway train derailment and subsequent vent and burn. To identify known health hazards and evidence gaps from these chemicals to inform disaster-response research. We conducted a rapid phased literature scoping review. In Phase 1, we summarized major conclusions from eight authoritative sources across ~15 health hazard categories for 22 chemicals potentially related to the train derailment and response. In Phase 2, we conducted targeted literature searches in PubMed for higher-priority chemicals and outcomes with research gaps, considering the recency of authoritative reviews. Finally, we summarized findings from the retrieved studies and those from authoritative reviews to further characterize evidence gaps and the next steps. Eight higher-priority chemicals were skin and eye irritants, seven of which were also respiratory irritants, consistent with symptoms reported by East Palestine residents and workers. Five chemicals were human or animal carcinogens; two may cause adverse immunological or neurological effects, and one may cause damage to reproductive organs or the developing fetus. Vinyl chloride had the most comprehensive data. After Phase 2 literature searches, we suggested the need for primary studies for 12 chemical outcome pairs and a systematic review for two pairs. Our rapid literature scoping approach can provide knowledge for researchers conducting community studies and public health officials who communicate with the affected community on the known and unknown health hazards of chemicals related to the East Palestine train derailment. It also informs global disaster-response-related research, as these chemicals are commercially important and have been detected in other chemical release incidents. Moreover, our rapid literature scoping phased approach can be leveraged for environmental emergencies when the need for health hazard information is urgent. Our rapid literature scoping approach can provide knowledge for researchers conducting community studies and public health officials who communicate with the affected community on the known and unknown health hazards of chemicals related to the East Palestine train derailment. It also informs global disaster-response-related research, as these chemicals are commercially important and have been detected in other chemical release incidents. Moreover, the phased approach used for our rapid literature scoping review can be leveraged for environmental emergencies when the need for health hazard information is urgent.
{"title":"Identifying the known and unknown health hazard information for chemical disasters: a phased scoping review of the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment","authors":"Ruth M. Lunn, Meredith Clemons, Robyn Blain, Somdat Mahabir, Suril S. Mehta, Andrew A. Rooney, Anisha Singh, Stephanie Smith-Roe, Kyla W. Taylor, Wren Tracy, Maricruz Zarco, Suzanne E. Fenton","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00803-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00803-0","url":null,"abstract":"In February 2023, people residing in the village of East Palestine (EP, Ohio, USA) and surrounding areas were exposed to toxic chemicals from a Norfolk Southern Railway train derailment and subsequent vent and burn. To identify known health hazards and evidence gaps from these chemicals to inform disaster-response research. We conducted a rapid phased literature scoping review. In Phase 1, we summarized major conclusions from eight authoritative sources across ~15 health hazard categories for 22 chemicals potentially related to the train derailment and response. In Phase 2, we conducted targeted literature searches in PubMed for higher-priority chemicals and outcomes with research gaps, considering the recency of authoritative reviews. Finally, we summarized findings from the retrieved studies and those from authoritative reviews to further characterize evidence gaps and the next steps. Eight higher-priority chemicals were skin and eye irritants, seven of which were also respiratory irritants, consistent with symptoms reported by East Palestine residents and workers. Five chemicals were human or animal carcinogens; two may cause adverse immunological or neurological effects, and one may cause damage to reproductive organs or the developing fetus. Vinyl chloride had the most comprehensive data. After Phase 2 literature searches, we suggested the need for primary studies for 12 chemical outcome pairs and a systematic review for two pairs. Our rapid literature scoping approach can provide knowledge for researchers conducting community studies and public health officials who communicate with the affected community on the known and unknown health hazards of chemicals related to the East Palestine train derailment. It also informs global disaster-response-related research, as these chemicals are commercially important and have been detected in other chemical release incidents. Moreover, our rapid literature scoping phased approach can be leveraged for environmental emergencies when the need for health hazard information is urgent. Our rapid literature scoping approach can provide knowledge for researchers conducting community studies and public health officials who communicate with the affected community on the known and unknown health hazards of chemicals related to the East Palestine train derailment. It also informs global disaster-response-related research, as these chemicals are commercially important and have been detected in other chemical release incidents. Moreover, the phased approach used for our rapid literature scoping review can be leveraged for environmental emergencies when the need for health hazard information is urgent.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"888-906"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00803-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-22DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00798-8
J. M. Wright, K. M. Rappazzo, H. Ru, A. L. Lee, M. W. Dzierlenga, T. F. Bateson, E. G. Radke
Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) is a legacy chemical, that while banned in some countries, is still found in various environmental media and in nearly all humans given its long half-life. We examined mean birth weight (BW) differences in relation to PFOS exposure biomarkers using systematic review methods. We fit a random effects model to obtain the overall pooled effect and for stratified analyses examining biomarker sample type and timing, study confidence, scaling factors, and country of study origin. We also conducted a meta-regression to assess the impact of gestational age and other factors on the overall pooled effect. We found a 30-gram BW deficit (β = −30.3 g; 95%CI: −41.6, −18.9) with each ln-unit PFOS increase based on 53 studies identified in the systematic literature review. We detected BW deficits across all study confidence levels (β range: −27 to −37 g per ln-unit increase) with the largest deficit in the medium confidence grouping (β = −36.6 g; 95%CI: −56.3, −16.8). We did not see evidence of a gradient of BW deficits across biomarker sample timing (β range: −24 to −39 g per ln-unit increase), but the smallest deficit in our primary analyses was detected for the 18 early sample timing studies (β = −23.6 g; 95%CI: −38.7, −8.6). Robust deficits were also seen across various subgroups including by geographical region of study origin (e.g., Asian studies), more restrictive early biomarker sample collection, and post-partum samples (β range: −16.9 to −30.6 g). For meta-regression analyses, none of the investigated factors explained significant heterogeneity across studies. We detected a statistically significant BW deficit of 30 grams per each ln-unit PFOS increase across all 53 studies in our meta-analysis; results were comparable in magnitude across study confidence, sample timing, and other strata. Unlike previous meta-analyses based on fewer studies, our results suggest that pregnancy hemodynamics do not fully explain the overall association. Characterization of the potential risk of developmental effects related to PFOS and other legacy chemicals will have important risk assessment and risk management ramifications in the future.
{"title":"Birth weight in relation to maternal and neonatal biomarker concentration of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid: a meta-analysis and meta-regression from a systematic review","authors":"J. M. Wright, K. M. Rappazzo, H. Ru, A. L. Lee, M. W. Dzierlenga, T. F. Bateson, E. G. Radke","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00798-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00798-8","url":null,"abstract":"Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) is a legacy chemical, that while banned in some countries, is still found in various environmental media and in nearly all humans given its long half-life. We examined mean birth weight (BW) differences in relation to PFOS exposure biomarkers using systematic review methods. We fit a random effects model to obtain the overall pooled effect and for stratified analyses examining biomarker sample type and timing, study confidence, scaling factors, and country of study origin. We also conducted a meta-regression to assess the impact of gestational age and other factors on the overall pooled effect. We found a 30-gram BW deficit (β = −30.3 g; 95%CI: −41.6, −18.9) with each ln-unit PFOS increase based on 53 studies identified in the systematic literature review. We detected BW deficits across all study confidence levels (β range: −27 to −37 g per ln-unit increase) with the largest deficit in the medium confidence grouping (β = −36.6 g; 95%CI: −56.3, −16.8). We did not see evidence of a gradient of BW deficits across biomarker sample timing (β range: −24 to −39 g per ln-unit increase), but the smallest deficit in our primary analyses was detected for the 18 early sample timing studies (β = −23.6 g; 95%CI: −38.7, −8.6). Robust deficits were also seen across various subgroups including by geographical region of study origin (e.g., Asian studies), more restrictive early biomarker sample collection, and post-partum samples (β range: −16.9 to −30.6 g). For meta-regression analyses, none of the investigated factors explained significant heterogeneity across studies. We detected a statistically significant BW deficit of 30 grams per each ln-unit PFOS increase across all 53 studies in our meta-analysis; results were comparable in magnitude across study confidence, sample timing, and other strata. Unlike previous meta-analyses based on fewer studies, our results suggest that pregnancy hemodynamics do not fully explain the overall association. Characterization of the potential risk of developmental effects related to PFOS and other legacy chemicals will have important risk assessment and risk management ramifications in the future.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"1030-1040"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00798-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144986387","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-08-08DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00796-w
Joseph G. Allen, Parham Azimi, Gen Pei, Lauren Feguson, Lindsey Burghardt, Kari Nadeau
Urban wildfires in Los Angeles have highlighted the increased risk of soil lead exposure, especially for children. Current post-wildfire soil remediation protocols may not sufficiently protect public health, especially in communities returning after fire events. To evaluate the adequacy of existing soil remediation practices after urban wildfires in Los Angeles and present policy recommendations to reduce lead exposure risk. We reviewed current wildfire debris removal protocols, soil testing practices, and health risk benchmarks for lead exposure in California. We assessed recent data from post-fire soil testing and analyzed the scientific rationale underlying California’s existing Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) for lead in residential soil. We recommend two critical reforms: requiring post-clearance confirmatory soil testing after wildfire cleanup, as has been done for every major wildfire in California since 2007, and lowering California’s residential Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) for lead in soil from 80 to 55 mg/kg to reflect updated science and health-protective standards. The basis for these recommendations is that repeated testing after purported soil remediation is showing that greater than 20% of properties still have lead levels that exceed existing thresholds, and the 80 mg/kg PRG (1) does not adhere to the health-based toxicity criterion benchmark set by California, (2) is susceptible to high uncertainty based on the values for several exposure factors used, and (3) does not accurately reflect our current understanding of risks to children from lead.
{"title":"Post-fire soil hazards: recommendations for updated soil testing protocols and clearance thresholds","authors":"Joseph G. Allen, Parham Azimi, Gen Pei, Lauren Feguson, Lindsey Burghardt, Kari Nadeau","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00796-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00796-w","url":null,"abstract":"Urban wildfires in Los Angeles have highlighted the increased risk of soil lead exposure, especially for children. Current post-wildfire soil remediation protocols may not sufficiently protect public health, especially in communities returning after fire events. To evaluate the adequacy of existing soil remediation practices after urban wildfires in Los Angeles and present policy recommendations to reduce lead exposure risk. We reviewed current wildfire debris removal protocols, soil testing practices, and health risk benchmarks for lead exposure in California. We assessed recent data from post-fire soil testing and analyzed the scientific rationale underlying California’s existing Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) for lead in residential soil. We recommend two critical reforms: requiring post-clearance confirmatory soil testing after wildfire cleanup, as has been done for every major wildfire in California since 2007, and lowering California’s residential Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) for lead in soil from 80 to 55 mg/kg to reflect updated science and health-protective standards. The basis for these recommendations is that repeated testing after purported soil remediation is showing that greater than 20% of properties still have lead levels that exceed existing thresholds, and the 80 mg/kg PRG (1) does not adhere to the health-based toxicity criterion benchmark set by California, (2) is susceptible to high uncertainty based on the values for several exposure factors used, and (3) does not accurately reflect our current understanding of risks to children from lead.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"883-887"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00796-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144805577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-19DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00794-y
Carson Mowrer, Andrew Larkin, Charlotte Roscoe, Stephanie T. Grady, Junenette L. Peters, Brendon Haggerty, Perry Hystad, Matthew Bozigar
Community noise pollution can adversely impact health, yet noise has rarely been systematically measured in United States (U.S.) cities for epidemiological research. Collaborating with the Multnomah County Health Department, we developed an exploratory measurement campaign to systematically capture community noise in Portland, Oregon, U.S. to inform environmental health research and practice. We identified short-term measurement locations using weighted probability sampling and developed a protocol for deploying Class 1 sound level meters at identified sites to measure sound levels continuously for at least five days. We calculated daytime, nighttime, and daily-average noise metrics including day-night average sound levels (DNL), day-evening-night levels (Lden), intermittency ratios (IR), and 10th- and 90th-percentile noise levels (L90, L10). We evaluated noise metrics by built environment and sociodemographic characteristics at the census tract level and performed machine learning-based cluster analysis to identify locations with similar exposure profiles. Nine additional locations were sampled continuously for one year to assess agreement between short- and long-term noise measurements. DNL ranged from 49.6 to 86.7 decibels across short-term sites (n = 217). DNL exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines at 78% of sites, and nighttime noise exceeded World Health Organization guidelines at 90%. Short-term sites in census tracts with higher median income and proportion of white population had lower DNL compared to lower median income and proportion of white population census tracts. Cluster analysis revealed four noise profiles: low LAeq/moderate IR sites usually occurring in residential neighborhoods, high LAeq/moderate IR sites adjacent to major roads, moderate LAeq/high IR sites within 1–2 city blocks of major roads, and high LAeq/low IR and low LAeq/low IR sites near highways or parks, respectively.
背景：社区噪音污染会对健康产生不利影响，但在美国城市中，噪音很少被系统地测量用于流行病学研究。目的：我们与摩特诺玛县卫生局合作，开展了一项探索性测量活动，系统地捕捉美国俄勒冈州波特兰市的社区噪音，为环境卫生研究和实践提供信息。方法：我们使用加权概率抽样确定短期测量地点，并制定了在确定地点部署1级声级计的协议，以连续测量至少5天的声级。我们计算了白天、夜间和每日平均噪声指标，包括昼夜平均声级（DNL）、昼夜水平（Lden）、间歇比（IR）以及第10和第90百分位噪声水平（L90、L10）。我们根据人口普查区水平的建筑环境和社会人口特征评估了噪声指标，并进行了基于机器学习的聚类分析，以确定具有相似暴露概况的地点。另外九个地点连续采样一年，以评估短期和长期噪音测量之间的一致性。结果：短期部位的DNL范围为49.6至86.7分贝（n = 217）。在78%的地点，DNL超过了美国环境保护署（U.S. Environmental Protection Agency）的指导标准，而夜间噪音超过世界卫生组织（World Health Organization）指导标准的比例为90%。与收入中位数和白人人口比例较低的人口普查区相比，收入中位数和白人人口比例较高的人口普查区的短期站点的DNL较低。聚类分析结果显示：低LAeq/中IR站点主要分布在居民区；高LAeq/中IR站点主要分布在主要道路附近；中等LAeq/高IR站点分布在主要道路附近1-2个城市街区内；高LAeq/低IR站点分布在高速公路或公园附近；影响：这项研究揭示了在美国的一个中大型城市中，潜在有害的社区噪音暴露水平非常普遍，特别是在低收入和种族多样化的社区。通过识别具有相似噪声暴露概况的站点分组，我们为探索噪声的建筑环境驱动因素和多维噪声暴露的不同健康影响奠定了基础。所收集的噪声测量协议和数据库为研究人员和社区提供了工具（可应要求提供），以调查噪声暴露模式、环境正义问题和相关的健康影响，并进一步应用于预测建模，以估计流行病学研究中的个人水平暴露。
{"title":"Systematic measurement and machine learning-based profile characterization of community noise in a medium-large city in the United States","authors":"Carson Mowrer, Andrew Larkin, Charlotte Roscoe, Stephanie T. Grady, Junenette L. Peters, Brendon Haggerty, Perry Hystad, Matthew Bozigar","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00794-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00794-y","url":null,"abstract":"Community noise pollution can adversely impact health, yet noise has rarely been systematically measured in United States (U.S.) cities for epidemiological research. Collaborating with the Multnomah County Health Department, we developed an exploratory measurement campaign to systematically capture community noise in Portland, Oregon, U.S. to inform environmental health research and practice. We identified short-term measurement locations using weighted probability sampling and developed a protocol for deploying Class 1 sound level meters at identified sites to measure sound levels continuously for at least five days. We calculated daytime, nighttime, and daily-average noise metrics including day-night average sound levels (DNL), day-evening-night levels (Lden), intermittency ratios (IR), and 10th- and 90th-percentile noise levels (L90, L10). We evaluated noise metrics by built environment and sociodemographic characteristics at the census tract level and performed machine learning-based cluster analysis to identify locations with similar exposure profiles. Nine additional locations were sampled continuously for one year to assess agreement between short- and long-term noise measurements. DNL ranged from 49.6 to 86.7 decibels across short-term sites (n = 217). DNL exceeded U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines at 78% of sites, and nighttime noise exceeded World Health Organization guidelines at 90%. Short-term sites in census tracts with higher median income and proportion of white population had lower DNL compared to lower median income and proportion of white population census tracts. Cluster analysis revealed four noise profiles: low LAeq/moderate IR sites usually occurring in residential neighborhoods, high LAeq/moderate IR sites adjacent to major roads, moderate LAeq/high IR sites within 1–2 city blocks of major roads, and high LAeq/low IR and low LAeq/low IR sites near highways or parks, respectively.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 1","pages":"199-210"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144669270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00792-0
Yasrab N. Raza, Julia S. El-Sayed Moustafa, Xinyuan Zhang, Dongmeng Wang, Max Tomlinson, Mario Falchi, Cristina Menni, Ruth C. E. Bowyer, Claire J. Steves, Kerrin S. Small
{"title":"Correction: Longitudinal association of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) exposure with lipid traits, in a healthy unselected population","authors":"Yasrab N. Raza, Julia S. El-Sayed Moustafa, Xinyuan Zhang, Dongmeng Wang, Max Tomlinson, Mario Falchi, Cristina Menni, Ruth C. E. Bowyer, Claire J. Steves, Kerrin S. Small","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00792-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00792-0","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"1069-1069"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00792-0.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144669269","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-17DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00793-z
Soňa Smetanová, Akrem Jbebli, Jiří Kohoutek, Vladimíra Puklová, Milena Černá, Andrea Krsková, Martin Zvonař, Zdenko Reguli, Lenka Andrýsková, Pavel Piler, Petra Přibylová, Jana Klánová, Elliott J. Price, Klára Komprdová
Temporal trends of chemicals in the population are key to identifying changing sources of chemicals and determining the effectiveness of various legislative measures. The present study focused on time comparisons to explore a possible decrease in PAH metabolite levels in the Czech population. Legislative measures occurred between sampling periods, including restricting smoking and the Air Protection Act. Ten metabolites of PAHs were measured in urine samples collected in 2011–2012 from mothers and children from DEMOCOPHES-CZ study (N = 235) and in 2019–2020 from children, teenagers, and young adults from CELSPAC studies (N = 809). Multivariate linear regression, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, and Mann-Whitney test (MW) were used to investigate differences in OH-PAHs between periods, age categories, and exposure determinants. Median concentrations significantly decreased between 2011-2020 by 30–35% for 1-OH-NAP, 2-and 3-OH-FLUO, 85% for 1-OH-PHE, and 44% for 2/3-OH-PHE, while 2-OH-NAP increased by 29% in non-smoking adults. In children, median concentrations of all metabolites decreased by 10–51%, with 2-OH-NAP rising by 49%. Smokers showed the largest differences, with significant decreases of 46–59% in the median concentrations of 2-OH-NAP, 2/3-OH-PHE, 9-OH-PHE, and 1-OH-PYR, and 76–91% in OH-FLUOs, 1-OH-NAP, and 1-OH-PHE. Fish and offal consumption, season, locality, and type of cooking were significant factors associated with levels of OH-PAHs, explaining 4–9% of the variability. Smoking was the main contributor in 2011, explaining up to 45% variability; no difference was found between smokers and non-smokers in 2019. New reference values of OH-PAHs in urine were calculated for the Czech population.
{"title":"Changing pattern of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons over time in the Central European population","authors":"Soňa Smetanová, Akrem Jbebli, Jiří Kohoutek, Vladimíra Puklová, Milena Černá, Andrea Krsková, Martin Zvonař, Zdenko Reguli, Lenka Andrýsková, Pavel Piler, Petra Přibylová, Jana Klánová, Elliott J. Price, Klára Komprdová","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00793-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00793-z","url":null,"abstract":"Temporal trends of chemicals in the population are key to identifying changing sources of chemicals and determining the effectiveness of various legislative measures. The present study focused on time comparisons to explore a possible decrease in PAH metabolite levels in the Czech population. Legislative measures occurred between sampling periods, including restricting smoking and the Air Protection Act. Ten metabolites of PAHs were measured in urine samples collected in 2011–2012 from mothers and children from DEMOCOPHES-CZ study (N = 235) and in 2019–2020 from children, teenagers, and young adults from CELSPAC studies (N = 809). Multivariate linear regression, Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, and Mann-Whitney test (MW) were used to investigate differences in OH-PAHs between periods, age categories, and exposure determinants. Median concentrations significantly decreased between 2011-2020 by 30–35% for 1-OH-NAP, 2-and 3-OH-FLUO, 85% for 1-OH-PHE, and 44% for 2/3-OH-PHE, while 2-OH-NAP increased by 29% in non-smoking adults. In children, median concentrations of all metabolites decreased by 10–51%, with 2-OH-NAP rising by 49%. Smokers showed the largest differences, with significant decreases of 46–59% in the median concentrations of 2-OH-NAP, 2/3-OH-PHE, 9-OH-PHE, and 1-OH-PYR, and 76–91% in OH-FLUOs, 1-OH-NAP, and 1-OH-PHE. Fish and offal consumption, season, locality, and type of cooking were significant factors associated with levels of OH-PAHs, explaining 4–9% of the variability. Smoking was the main contributor in 2011, explaining up to 45% variability; no difference was found between smokers and non-smokers in 2019. New reference values of OH-PAHs in urine were calculated for the Czech population.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 1","pages":"184-198"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00793-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144661736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-07-17DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00795-x
Abas Shkembi, Keshav Patel, Lauren M. Smith, Helen C. S. Meier, Richard L. Neitzel
Racial and ethnic inequities in environmental noise exist in the US, partially attributable to historical structural racism. However, previous studies have not considered the totality of people’s exposures. Since people spend most of their waking time at work, there is a need to consider cumulative exposure to noise both in and out of the workplace to understand who is most at risk of noise pollution-related adverse health outcomes. To (1) investigate whether racial and ethnic minority communities are disproportionately burdened by transportation- and workplace-related noise pollution, and (2) assess whether structural racism through historically redlined neighborhoods with sustained mortgage discrimination partially contribute to the hypothesized inequity. We characterized the prevalence of workplace noise and transportation noise exposure by census tract across the US. We analyzed the census tract-level association between racial and ethnic composition and the population exposed to both transportation- and workplace-related noise pollution in the 2010s using geospatial models. We then assessed census tract-level associations with transportation and workplace noise pollution using historical redlining in the 1930s as the primary covariate, stratified by mortgage discrimination in the 1990s using a similar geospatial model, controlling for census tract-level indicators of low socioeconomic status. Higher percentages of racial and ethnic minority individuals, particularly Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic Black Americans, were associated with significantly higher odds of exposure to both transportation and workplace noise (odds ratio = 8.59, 95% CI: 7.38–10.0, when comparing within-metropolitan area, highest to lowest quintile percentages). These disparities are particularly profound in urban areas. Urban tracts which experienced residential segregation in the 1930s, even without sustained mortgage discrimination in the 1990s, have a significantly higher percentage of individuals exposed to both transportation and workplace noise today compared to those without historical segregation (1.55%, 95% CI: 1.37–1.74). This inequity is even higher among historically segregated tracts that experienced sustained mortgage discrimination (1.83%, 95% CI: 1.66–2.01). These findings can advance environmental justice initiatives by informing regulatory action to protect communities of color from noise pollution both environmentally and during work. Our study provides evidence that neighborhoods with a higher proportion of racial and ethnic minority individuals are cumulatively burdened by noise pollution both during work and from transportation sources in their home communities. This suggests that not incorporating workplace exposures when assessing environmental impacts may overlook the most burdened communities. Future environmental justice efforts and policies should consider assessing workplace exposures to reduce environmental health disparities more effectiv
{"title":"Racial and ethnic inequities to noise pollution from transportation- and work-related sources in the United States","authors":"Abas Shkembi, Keshav Patel, Lauren M. Smith, Helen C. S. Meier, Richard L. Neitzel","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00795-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00795-x","url":null,"abstract":"Racial and ethnic inequities in environmental noise exist in the US, partially attributable to historical structural racism. However, previous studies have not considered the totality of people’s exposures. Since people spend most of their waking time at work, there is a need to consider cumulative exposure to noise both in and out of the workplace to understand who is most at risk of noise pollution-related adverse health outcomes. To (1) investigate whether racial and ethnic minority communities are disproportionately burdened by transportation- and workplace-related noise pollution, and (2) assess whether structural racism through historically redlined neighborhoods with sustained mortgage discrimination partially contribute to the hypothesized inequity. We characterized the prevalence of workplace noise and transportation noise exposure by census tract across the US. We analyzed the census tract-level association between racial and ethnic composition and the population exposed to both transportation- and workplace-related noise pollution in the 2010s using geospatial models. We then assessed census tract-level associations with transportation and workplace noise pollution using historical redlining in the 1930s as the primary covariate, stratified by mortgage discrimination in the 1990s using a similar geospatial model, controlling for census tract-level indicators of low socioeconomic status. Higher percentages of racial and ethnic minority individuals, particularly Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic Black Americans, were associated with significantly higher odds of exposure to both transportation and workplace noise (odds ratio = 8.59, 95% CI: 7.38–10.0, when comparing within-metropolitan area, highest to lowest quintile percentages). These disparities are particularly profound in urban areas. Urban tracts which experienced residential segregation in the 1930s, even without sustained mortgage discrimination in the 1990s, have a significantly higher percentage of individuals exposed to both transportation and workplace noise today compared to those without historical segregation (1.55%, 95% CI: 1.37–1.74). This inequity is even higher among historically segregated tracts that experienced sustained mortgage discrimination (1.83%, 95% CI: 1.66–2.01). These findings can advance environmental justice initiatives by informing regulatory action to protect communities of color from noise pollution both environmentally and during work. Our study provides evidence that neighborhoods with a higher proportion of racial and ethnic minority individuals are cumulatively burdened by noise pollution both during work and from transportation sources in their home communities. This suggests that not incorporating workplace exposures when assessing environmental impacts may overlook the most burdened communities. Future environmental justice efforts and policies should consider assessing workplace exposures to reduce environmental health disparities more effectiv","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 1","pages":"211-220"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00795-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144661737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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