Pub Date : 2025-03-05DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00763-5
Lauren B. Anderson, Rochelle H. Holm, Caison Black, Donald J. Biddle, Weihsueh A. Chiu, Aruni Bhatnagar, Ted Smith
Analyzing and visualizing disparities in environmental risks can help assess place-based vulnerabilities and provide civic leaders and community members with essential data for promoting health equity and informing public health strategies. We investigated the adaptation of a previously developed environmental vulnerability index to evaluate the cumulative impact of diverse stressors in Louisville Metro-Jefferson County, KY, with the goal of supporting multi-faceted targeted public health interventions at the census tract level. We assessed countywide vulnerability variability using the Toxicological Prioritization Index interface across five domains with 32 publicly available data indicators, and modeled the effects of theoretical public health interventions. Our findings suggest that similar vulnerable areas are not always geographically clustered. Higher vulnerability scores were observed in the western and central areas of the county, with lower scores in the eastern regions. The index enabled the selection of the most at-risk census tracts for modeling targeted public health interventions to reduce cumulative environmental vulnerability.
{"title":"An environmental vulnerability index framework supporting targeted public health interventions at the census tracts level","authors":"Lauren B. Anderson, Rochelle H. Holm, Caison Black, Donald J. Biddle, Weihsueh A. Chiu, Aruni Bhatnagar, Ted Smith","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00763-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00763-5","url":null,"abstract":"Analyzing and visualizing disparities in environmental risks can help assess place-based vulnerabilities and provide civic leaders and community members with essential data for promoting health equity and informing public health strategies. We investigated the adaptation of a previously developed environmental vulnerability index to evaluate the cumulative impact of diverse stressors in Louisville Metro-Jefferson County, KY, with the goal of supporting multi-faceted targeted public health interventions at the census tract level. We assessed countywide vulnerability variability using the Toxicological Prioritization Index interface across five domains with 32 publicly available data indicators, and modeled the effects of theoretical public health interventions. Our findings suggest that similar vulnerable areas are not always geographically clustered. Higher vulnerability scores were observed in the western and central areas of the county, with lower scores in the eastern regions. The index enabled the selection of the most at-risk census tracts for modeling targeted public health interventions to reduce cumulative environmental vulnerability.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 1","pages":"77-88"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143566489","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 : 2025-03-04DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00764-4
Siti Nurfahirah Muhamad, Abdah Md Akim, Fang Lee Lim, Karmegam Karuppiah, Nur Shabrina Azreen Mohd Shabri, Vivien How
As climate change raises global temperatures, there remains a notable gap in understanding the body’s mechanisms of heat stress defense exhibited by Heat Shock Protein (HSP) within the populations. This study aims to investigate the expression level of HSP70 in response to indoor heat exposure among vulnerable populations in both urban and rural settings. A comparative cross-sectional was conducted among 108 participants from urban and rural areas in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The study included face-to-face interviews, indoor heat exposure monitoring, and thermal stress classification using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). HSP70 gene and protein expressions were analyzed using reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and HSP70 High Sensitivity Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), respectively. Urban areas experienced signficantly higher UTCI heat exposure levels than rural areas (p < 0.001). In response to heat stress, vulnerable populations in urban areas exhibited higher HSP70 gene relative expression and HSP70 protein expression. A significant mean difference in the plasma HSP70 protein expression was observed between the two groups (p < 0.001). The linear mixed model (LMM) revealed a significant association between UTCI heat exposure levels and HSP70 gene and protein expression in both groups (p < 0.001).
{"title":"Heat stress-induced heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expressions among vulnerable populations in urban and rural areas Klang Valley, Malaysia","authors":"Siti Nurfahirah Muhamad, Abdah Md Akim, Fang Lee Lim, Karmegam Karuppiah, Nur Shabrina Azreen Mohd Shabri, Vivien How","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00764-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00764-4","url":null,"abstract":"As climate change raises global temperatures, there remains a notable gap in understanding the body’s mechanisms of heat stress defense exhibited by Heat Shock Protein (HSP) within the populations. This study aims to investigate the expression level of HSP70 in response to indoor heat exposure among vulnerable populations in both urban and rural settings. A comparative cross-sectional was conducted among 108 participants from urban and rural areas in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The study included face-to-face interviews, indoor heat exposure monitoring, and thermal stress classification using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). HSP70 gene and protein expressions were analyzed using reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and HSP70 High Sensitivity Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), respectively. Urban areas experienced signficantly higher UTCI heat exposure levels than rural areas (p < 0.001). In response to heat stress, vulnerable populations in urban areas exhibited higher HSP70 gene relative expression and HSP70 protein expression. A significant mean difference in the plasma HSP70 protein expression was observed between the two groups (p < 0.001). The linear mixed model (LMM) revealed a significant association between UTCI heat exposure levels and HSP70 gene and protein expression in both groups (p < 0.001).","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 5","pages":"839-847"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143556971","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 : 2025-03-03DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00761-7
Jamil M. Lane, Shelley H. Liu, Vishal Midya, Cecilia S. Alcala, Shoshannah Eggers, Katherine Svensson, Sandra Martinez-Medina, Megan K. Horton, Roberta F. White, Martha M. Téllez-Rojo, Robert O. Wright
Childhood lead [Pb] exposure has been consistently linked to neurotoxic effects related to the prefrontal cortex, a critical mediating structure involved in decision-making, planning, problem-solving, and specific aspects of short-term memory, i.e., the components of executive functions [EFs]. Limited studies have taken a deeper phenotyping approach that assess Pb’s effects across multiple EF dimensions simultaneously, which can be organized into hot [e.g., reward, motivation] and cold [e.g., primary cognitive processing] dimensions. We investigated whether childhood Pb exposure affects hot and cold EF dimensions and assessed any sexually dimorphic effects. Leveraging a longitudinal birth cohort based in Mexico City, children’s (n = 602) whole blood Pb levels (mean 23.66 μg/L) were measured at ages 4–6 and they were administered several EF tasks at ages 6–9. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that six EF tests estimated two latent variables representing hot and cold EF dimensions. Structural equation modeling [SEM] estimated the neurotoxic effect of childhood Pb exposure on latent variables of hot [higher scores indicate improved performance] and cold [higher scores indicate poorer performance] EFs. Subsequently, a multi-group SEM explored potential effect modifications by child sex. Pb exposure was significantly associated with negative impacts on hot EF performance [b = −0.129, p = 0.004]. In both males (b = −0.128, p = 0.032) and females (b = −0.132, p = 0.027), childhood Pb exposure was significantly associated with a reduction in hot EF performance, with no evidence of an interaction with sex. Additionally, we found no association between Pb exposure and cold EF performance [b = 0.063, p = 0.392] and no notable sex differences.
背景：儿童铅暴露一直与前额叶皮层相关的神经毒性作用有关，前额叶皮层是一个关键的调节结构，涉及决策、计划、解决问题和短期记忆的特定方面，即执行功能的组成部分[EFs]。有限的研究采用了更深层次的表现型方法，同时评估Pb在多个EF维度上的影响，这些维度可以分为热维度（如奖励、动机）和冷维度（如初级认知加工）。目的：探讨儿童铅暴露是否影响热、冷EF维度，并评估其性别二态效应。方法：利用墨西哥城的纵向出生队列，在4-6岁时测量儿童（n = 602）的全血铅水平（平均23.66 μg/L），并在6-9岁时进行多项EF任务。验证性因子分析证实，六个EF测试估计了代表热EF和冷EF维度的两个潜在变量。结构方程模型（SEM）估计了儿童Pb暴露对热（得分越高表现越好）和冷（得分越高表现越差）ef潜在变量的神经毒性作用。随后，多组扫描电镜探讨了儿童性别对潜在效应的影响。结果：Pb暴露对热EF表现有显著的负面影响[b = -0.129, p = 0.004]。在男性（b = -0.128, p = 0.032）和女性（b = -0.132, p = 0.027）中，儿童时期的铅暴露与热EF表现的下降显著相关，没有证据表明这与性别有相互作用。此外，我们发现铅暴露与冷EF表现之间没有相关性[b = 0.063, p = 0.392]，也没有显著的性别差异。影响：本研究利用复杂的扫描电镜框架作为探索工具和神经毒性框架来分析多维认知数据，旨在描绘热和冷电磁场。我们的研究结果与儿童铅暴露继发神经毒性对热EF表现的影响大于冷EF的影响是一致的，尽管在男女的冷EF表现中也发现了类似的趋势。我们的方法独特地捕捉了热EF，即EF中更情绪化和自我调节的方面，为铅暴露和认知发展的文献增加了一个新的维度。
{"title":"Childhood Pb-induced cognitive dysfunction: structural equation modeling of hot and cold executive functions","authors":"Jamil M. Lane, Shelley H. Liu, Vishal Midya, Cecilia S. Alcala, Shoshannah Eggers, Katherine Svensson, Sandra Martinez-Medina, Megan K. Horton, Roberta F. White, Martha M. Téllez-Rojo, Robert O. Wright","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00761-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00761-7","url":null,"abstract":"Childhood lead [Pb] exposure has been consistently linked to neurotoxic effects related to the prefrontal cortex, a critical mediating structure involved in decision-making, planning, problem-solving, and specific aspects of short-term memory, i.e., the components of executive functions [EFs]. Limited studies have taken a deeper phenotyping approach that assess Pb’s effects across multiple EF dimensions simultaneously, which can be organized into hot [e.g., reward, motivation] and cold [e.g., primary cognitive processing] dimensions. We investigated whether childhood Pb exposure affects hot and cold EF dimensions and assessed any sexually dimorphic effects. Leveraging a longitudinal birth cohort based in Mexico City, children’s (n = 602) whole blood Pb levels (mean 23.66 μg/L) were measured at ages 4–6 and they were administered several EF tasks at ages 6–9. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that six EF tests estimated two latent variables representing hot and cold EF dimensions. Structural equation modeling [SEM] estimated the neurotoxic effect of childhood Pb exposure on latent variables of hot [higher scores indicate improved performance] and cold [higher scores indicate poorer performance] EFs. Subsequently, a multi-group SEM explored potential effect modifications by child sex. Pb exposure was significantly associated with negative impacts on hot EF performance [b = −0.129, p = 0.004]. In both males (b = −0.128, p = 0.032) and females (b = −0.132, p = 0.027), childhood Pb exposure was significantly associated with a reduction in hot EF performance, with no evidence of an interaction with sex. Additionally, we found no association between Pb exposure and cold EF performance [b = 0.063, p = 0.392] and no notable sex differences.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 5","pages":"715-724"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12354184/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143541501","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 : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00757-3
Andreas Olsen Martinez, Leslie G. Dietz, Hooman Parhizkar, Devrim Kaya, Dale Northcutt, Patrick F. Horve, Jason Stenson, Michael Harry, David Mickle, Shana Jaaf, Oumaima Hachimi, Casey Kanalos, Isaac Martinotti, Garis Bowles, Mark Fretz, Christine Kelly, Tyler S. Radniecki, Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg
Environmental surveillance of infectious organisms holds tremendous promise to reduce human-to-human transmission in indoor spaces through early detection. In this study we determined the applicability and limitations of wastewater, indoor high-touch surfaces, in-room air, and rooftop exhaust air sampling methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in a real world building occupied by residents recently diagnosed with COVID-19. We concurrently examined the results of three 24-hour environmental surveillance techniques, indoor surface sampling, exhaust air sampling and wastewater surveillance, to the known daily census fluctuations in a COVID-19 isolation dormitory. Additionally, we assessed the ability of aerosol samplers placed in the large volume lobby to detect SARS-CoV-2 multiple times per day. Our research reveals an increase in the number of individuals confirmed positive with COVID-19 as well as their estimated human viral load to be associated with statistically significant increases in viral loads detected in rooftop exhaust aerosol samples (p = 0.0413), wastewater samples (p = 0.0323,), and indoor high-touch surfaces (p < 0.001)). We also report that the viral load detected in lobby aerosol samples was statistically higher in samples collected during presence of occupants whose COVID-19 diagnostic tests were confirmed positive via qPCR compared to periods when the lobby was occupied by either contact-traced (suspected positive) individuals or during unoccupied periods (p = 0.0314 and <2e−16). We conclude that each daily (24h) surveillance method, rooftop exhaust air, indoor high-touch surfaces, and wastewater, provide useful detection signals for building owner/operator(s). Furthermore, we demonstrate that exhaust air sampling can provide spatially resolved signals based upon ventilation exhaust zones. Additionally, we find that indoor lobby air sampling can provide temporally resolved signals useful during short duration sampling periods (e.g., 2-4 hours) even with intermittent occupancy by occupants diagnosed with COVID-19.
{"title":"Air, surface, and wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2; a multimodal evaluation of COVID-19 detection in a built environment","authors":"Andreas Olsen Martinez, Leslie G. Dietz, Hooman Parhizkar, Devrim Kaya, Dale Northcutt, Patrick F. Horve, Jason Stenson, Michael Harry, David Mickle, Shana Jaaf, Oumaima Hachimi, Casey Kanalos, Isaac Martinotti, Garis Bowles, Mark Fretz, Christine Kelly, Tyler S. Radniecki, Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00757-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00757-3","url":null,"abstract":"Environmental surveillance of infectious organisms holds tremendous promise to reduce human-to-human transmission in indoor spaces through early detection. In this study we determined the applicability and limitations of wastewater, indoor high-touch surfaces, in-room air, and rooftop exhaust air sampling methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in a real world building occupied by residents recently diagnosed with COVID-19. We concurrently examined the results of three 24-hour environmental surveillance techniques, indoor surface sampling, exhaust air sampling and wastewater surveillance, to the known daily census fluctuations in a COVID-19 isolation dormitory. Additionally, we assessed the ability of aerosol samplers placed in the large volume lobby to detect SARS-CoV-2 multiple times per day. Our research reveals an increase in the number of individuals confirmed positive with COVID-19 as well as their estimated human viral load to be associated with statistically significant increases in viral loads detected in rooftop exhaust aerosol samples (p = 0.0413), wastewater samples (p = 0.0323,), and indoor high-touch surfaces (p < 0.001)). We also report that the viral load detected in lobby aerosol samples was statistically higher in samples collected during presence of occupants whose COVID-19 diagnostic tests were confirmed positive via qPCR compared to periods when the lobby was occupied by either contact-traced (suspected positive) individuals or during unoccupied periods (p = 0.0314 and <2e−16). We conclude that each daily (24h) surveillance method, rooftop exhaust air, indoor high-touch surfaces, and wastewater, provide useful detection signals for building owner/operator(s). Furthermore, we demonstrate that exhaust air sampling can provide spatially resolved signals based upon ventilation exhaust zones. Additionally, we find that indoor lobby air sampling can provide temporally resolved signals useful during short duration sampling periods (e.g., 2-4 hours) even with intermittent occupancy by occupants diagnosed with COVID-19.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 4","pages":"672-682"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12234356/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143536726","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 : 2025-02-28DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00759-1
Jamie L. Banks, Elaine A. Cohen Hubal
{"title":"Correction: Noise: a public health problem","authors":"Jamie L. Banks, Elaine A. Cohen Hubal","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00759-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00759-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 1","pages":"129-129"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00759-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143530999","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 : 2025-02-22DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00760-8
Priyanka N. deSouza, Amanda Rees, Emilia Oscilowicz, Brendan Lawlor, William Obermann, Katherine Dickinson, Lisa M. McKenzie, Sheryl Magzamen, Shelly Miller, Michelle L. Bell
Odors are a documented environmental justice challenge in Denver, Colorado. Complaints are an important modality through which residents express their concerns. We investigated disparities in environmental justice related-variables, such as home and workplace census block groups (race/ethnicity, education levels, renter-occupied housing, median income and median home values, gentrification) by locations of odor complaints as well as that of potential malodorous facilities. We report key themes identified in complaints. We obtained odor complaints for 2014–2023 and the locations of facilities required to submit an odor management plan as of 2023 from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. We downloaded residential census block group-level socioeconomic data from the 2016–2020 American Community Survey and workplace-based socioeconomic data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics dataset for 2020. We assessed exposure to potential malodorous facilities and complaints within each census block group. We investigated exposure disparities by comparing distributions of environmental justice-related variables based on whether a complaint has been made against a facility, and census block group-level odor intensity categories. We used unsupervised machine learning to identify themes from the odor complaints. Less privileged census block groups were more likely to contain a potential malodorous facility. Importantly, our study also reveals disparities in the location of facilities, not just in traditional residence/-based environmental justice-related variables, but in workplace/-based factors as well. Our work points to the need to broaden our understanding of the structural racism forces that shape disparities from residential-based forces such as segregation to others such as access to transportation that result in workplace disparities. We did not observe similar disparities for odor complaints. Specific facilities were mentioned repeatedly in the complaints received.
{"title":"Evaluating the environmental justice dimensions of odor in Denver, Colorado","authors":"Priyanka N. deSouza, Amanda Rees, Emilia Oscilowicz, Brendan Lawlor, William Obermann, Katherine Dickinson, Lisa M. McKenzie, Sheryl Magzamen, Shelly Miller, Michelle L. Bell","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00760-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00760-8","url":null,"abstract":"Odors are a documented environmental justice challenge in Denver, Colorado. Complaints are an important modality through which residents express their concerns. We investigated disparities in environmental justice related-variables, such as home and workplace census block groups (race/ethnicity, education levels, renter-occupied housing, median income and median home values, gentrification) by locations of odor complaints as well as that of potential malodorous facilities. We report key themes identified in complaints. We obtained odor complaints for 2014–2023 and the locations of facilities required to submit an odor management plan as of 2023 from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. We downloaded residential census block group-level socioeconomic data from the 2016–2020 American Community Survey and workplace-based socioeconomic data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics dataset for 2020. We assessed exposure to potential malodorous facilities and complaints within each census block group. We investigated exposure disparities by comparing distributions of environmental justice-related variables based on whether a complaint has been made against a facility, and census block group-level odor intensity categories. We used unsupervised machine learning to identify themes from the odor complaints. Less privileged census block groups were more likely to contain a potential malodorous facility. Importantly, our study also reveals disparities in the location of facilities, not just in traditional residence/-based environmental justice-related variables, but in workplace/-based factors as well. Our work points to the need to broaden our understanding of the structural racism forces that shape disparities from residential-based forces such as segregation to others such as access to transportation that result in workplace disparities. We did not observe similar disparities for odor complaints. Specific facilities were mentioned repeatedly in the complaints received.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 1","pages":"67-76"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143472545","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 : 2025-02-21DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00751-9
Emily S. Barrett, Karolin Wadie, Kylie Getz, Patricia Greenberg, Taina Moore, Adana A. M. Llanos
Personal care products (PCPs) are a source of environmental chemical exposures. Little research has examined the specific PCPs people use, the environmental hazards posed by those PCPs, and factors informing PCP selection. To examine chemical hazards of the specific products used in relation to sociodemographic factors, purchasing behaviors, and perceptions about PCP safety. In a cross-sectional, university-based sample (NJ, USA, N = 593), participants reported on sociodemographics, PCP purchasing behaviors and perceptions, and PCP use in the last 24–48 h (including brand and product name). Those PCPs were linked to product hazard scores (1=least hazardous, 10=most hazardous) in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep® database. For each participant, we calculated average hazard scores across all PCPs used and by category (e.g., haircare, skincare) and evaluated use of PCPs with high hazard scores (7–10). We fitted adjusted regression models examining associations of sociodemographic factors and participants’ perceptions and purchasing behaviors with product hazard scores. Of 9349 unique PCPs used by participants, 68% matched to Skin Deep®. Average hazard scores varied by participant characteristics (e.g., age) for perfumes/colognes, beauty, and skin care products. The relative risk (RR) of recent use of a hair product with a high hazard score was twice as high in non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic White women (RR:1.99; 95%CI:1.37, 2.89). Frequent use of healthy product apps (β = −0.49, 95%CI:−0.77, −0.21), reading product ingredient labels (β = −0.26; 95%CI:−0.82, −0.30), and seeking eco-friendly products (β = −0.17; 95%CI:−0.36, −0.01) were associated with use of skin care products with lower hazard scores. Results for hair and beauty products were similar. Concerns about PCP health impacts and regulation were associated with using products with lower hazard scores. Personal care products (PCPs) can contain numerous endocrine disrupting and carcinogenic chemicals. In a U.S. university-based sample, we linked the PCPs used by participants in the last 24–48 h to hazard scores in the Skin Deep® database. Average hazard scores of the PCPs used by participants varied by sociodemographic factors. Participant behaviors (e.g., use of healthy product apps) and perceptions of PCP safety and regulation were associated with the average hazard scores of the PCPs they used. Our findings suggest that education and tools to inform PCP choice may help consumers choose safer products and potentially, reduce chemical exposures.
{"title":"Evaluating personal care product use by Environmental Working Group hazard scores in relation to consumers’ sociodemographic characteristics, purchasing behaviors, and product safety perceptions","authors":"Emily S. Barrett, Karolin Wadie, Kylie Getz, Patricia Greenberg, Taina Moore, Adana A. M. Llanos","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00751-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00751-9","url":null,"abstract":"Personal care products (PCPs) are a source of environmental chemical exposures. Little research has examined the specific PCPs people use, the environmental hazards posed by those PCPs, and factors informing PCP selection. To examine chemical hazards of the specific products used in relation to sociodemographic factors, purchasing behaviors, and perceptions about PCP safety. In a cross-sectional, university-based sample (NJ, USA, N = 593), participants reported on sociodemographics, PCP purchasing behaviors and perceptions, and PCP use in the last 24–48 h (including brand and product name). Those PCPs were linked to product hazard scores (1=least hazardous, 10=most hazardous) in the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep® database. For each participant, we calculated average hazard scores across all PCPs used and by category (e.g., haircare, skincare) and evaluated use of PCPs with high hazard scores (7–10). We fitted adjusted regression models examining associations of sociodemographic factors and participants’ perceptions and purchasing behaviors with product hazard scores. Of 9349 unique PCPs used by participants, 68% matched to Skin Deep®. Average hazard scores varied by participant characteristics (e.g., age) for perfumes/colognes, beauty, and skin care products. The relative risk (RR) of recent use of a hair product with a high hazard score was twice as high in non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic White women (RR:1.99; 95%CI:1.37, 2.89). Frequent use of healthy product apps (β = −0.49, 95%CI:−0.77, −0.21), reading product ingredient labels (β = −0.26; 95%CI:−0.82, −0.30), and seeking eco-friendly products (β = −0.17; 95%CI:−0.36, −0.01) were associated with use of skin care products with lower hazard scores. Results for hair and beauty products were similar. Concerns about PCP health impacts and regulation were associated with using products with lower hazard scores. Personal care products (PCPs) can contain numerous endocrine disrupting and carcinogenic chemicals. In a U.S. university-based sample, we linked the PCPs used by participants in the last 24–48 h to hazard scores in the Skin Deep® database. Average hazard scores of the PCPs used by participants varied by sociodemographic factors. Participant behaviors (e.g., use of healthy product apps) and perceptions of PCP safety and regulation were associated with the average hazard scores of the PCPs they used. Our findings suggest that education and tools to inform PCP choice may help consumers choose safer products and potentially, reduce chemical exposures.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"921-932"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00751-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143468305","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 : 2025-02-15DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00750-w
Michael S. Bloom, Sudhi Upadhyaya, Adaeze W. Nzegwu, Jordan R. Kuiper, Jessie P. Buckley, Judy Aschner, Dana Barr, Emily S. Barrett, Deborah H. Bennett, Dana Dabelea, Anne L. Dunlop, Alma Fuller, Margaret Karagas, Donghai Liang, John Meeker, Rachel Miller, Thomas G. O’Connor, Megan E. Romano, Sheela Sathyanarayana, Anne P. Starling, Annemarie Stroustrup, Deborah J. Watkins, for the ECHO Cohort Consortium
Research suggests racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting environmental phenols (EPs) in limited populations. However, no studies have investigated racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal EP exposure across the U.S. To estimate demographic differences in prenatal urinary EPs among participants in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort. An analysis of 4006 pregnant ECHO participants was performed, with 7854 specimens collected from 1999–2020. Racial/ethnic identity was self-reported. Urinary levels of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), bisphenols A (BPA), F (BPF), and S (BPS), and methyl- (MePb), ethyl- (EtPb), propyl- (PrPb), and butyl- (BuPb) parabens were measured at one or more time points during pregnancy. Effect estimates were adjusted for age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, educational level, gestational age and season at urine collection, and ECHO cohort. Participants were classified as Hispanic of any race (n = 1658), non-Hispanic White (n = 1478), non-Hispanic Black (n = 490), and non-Hispanic Other (n = 362), which included individuals of multiple races. Urinary 2,4-DCP and 2,5-DCP concentrations were 2- to 4-fold higher among Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic Other participants relative to non-Hispanic White participants. MePb was ~2-fold higher among non-Hispanic Black (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7–3.1) and non-Hispanic Other (95% CI: 1.5–2.8) participants. PrPb was similarly higher among non-Hispanic Black (95% CI: 1.7–3.7) and non-Hispanic Other (95% CI: 1.3–3.1) participants. EtPb was higher among non-Hispanic Black participants (3.1-fold; 95% CI 1.7–5.8). BP-3 was lower in Hispanic (0.7-fold; 95% CI: 0.5–0.9), non-Hispanic Black (0.4-fold; 95% CI: 0.3–0.5), and non-Hispanic Other (0.5-fold; 95% CI: 0.4–0.7) participants. Urinary BuPb, BPA, BPF, and BPS were similar across groups. This multisite, observational cohort study investigated whether there are racial and ethnic differences in prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting environmental phenols and parabens. Among 4006 participants from multiple U.S. cohorts who provided urine specimens during pregnancy, those who self-reported a racial and ethnic identity other than non-Hispanic White had higher urinary concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,5-dichlorophenol, methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, and propyl paraben and lower urinary concentrations of benzophenone-3 than those reporting as non-Hispanic White. These data show differences in prenatal concentrations of endocrine disrupting environmental phenols and parabens by racial and ethnic identity.
{"title":"Racial and ethnic differences in prenatal exposure to environmental phenols and parabens in the ECHO Cohort","authors":"Michael S. Bloom, Sudhi Upadhyaya, Adaeze W. Nzegwu, Jordan R. Kuiper, Jessie P. Buckley, Judy Aschner, Dana Barr, Emily S. Barrett, Deborah H. Bennett, Dana Dabelea, Anne L. Dunlop, Alma Fuller, Margaret Karagas, Donghai Liang, John Meeker, Rachel Miller, Thomas G. O’Connor, Megan E. Romano, Sheela Sathyanarayana, Anne P. Starling, Annemarie Stroustrup, Deborah J. Watkins, for the ECHO Cohort Consortium","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00750-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00750-w","url":null,"abstract":"Research suggests racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting environmental phenols (EPs) in limited populations. However, no studies have investigated racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal EP exposure across the U.S. To estimate demographic differences in prenatal urinary EPs among participants in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort. An analysis of 4006 pregnant ECHO participants was performed, with 7854 specimens collected from 1999–2020. Racial/ethnic identity was self-reported. Urinary levels of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), bisphenols A (BPA), F (BPF), and S (BPS), and methyl- (MePb), ethyl- (EtPb), propyl- (PrPb), and butyl- (BuPb) parabens were measured at one or more time points during pregnancy. Effect estimates were adjusted for age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, educational level, gestational age and season at urine collection, and ECHO cohort. Participants were classified as Hispanic of any race (n = 1658), non-Hispanic White (n = 1478), non-Hispanic Black (n = 490), and non-Hispanic Other (n = 362), which included individuals of multiple races. Urinary 2,4-DCP and 2,5-DCP concentrations were 2- to 4-fold higher among Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic Other participants relative to non-Hispanic White participants. MePb was ~2-fold higher among non-Hispanic Black (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7–3.1) and non-Hispanic Other (95% CI: 1.5–2.8) participants. PrPb was similarly higher among non-Hispanic Black (95% CI: 1.7–3.7) and non-Hispanic Other (95% CI: 1.3–3.1) participants. EtPb was higher among non-Hispanic Black participants (3.1-fold; 95% CI 1.7–5.8). BP-3 was lower in Hispanic (0.7-fold; 95% CI: 0.5–0.9), non-Hispanic Black (0.4-fold; 95% CI: 0.3–0.5), and non-Hispanic Other (0.5-fold; 95% CI: 0.4–0.7) participants. Urinary BuPb, BPA, BPF, and BPS were similar across groups. This multisite, observational cohort study investigated whether there are racial and ethnic differences in prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting environmental phenols and parabens. Among 4006 participants from multiple U.S. cohorts who provided urine specimens during pregnancy, those who self-reported a racial and ethnic identity other than non-Hispanic White had higher urinary concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,5-dichlorophenol, methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, and propyl paraben and lower urinary concentrations of benzophenone-3 than those reporting as non-Hispanic White. These data show differences in prenatal concentrations of endocrine disrupting environmental phenols and parabens by racial and ethnic identity.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"992-1002"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00750-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143425411","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 : 2025-02-15DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00756-4
Elizabeth Boxer, Yilin Zhong, Jessica Levasseur, Heather M. Stapleton, Kate Hoffman
Parabens are widely used as antimicrobials in personal care products and pharmaceuticals. While previous studies demonstrate paraben exposure is ubiquitous, data investigating infants’ exposure is limited. We sought to characterize infants’ exposure to parabens and identify factors associated with higher levels of exposure. Families enrolled in the CHildren’s Immune ResPonse Study between 2016-2018. Parents completed questionnaires, providing information on demographics and lifestyle factors. Urine samples were collected when infants were 1 to 3 months old (n = 71) and 12 months old (n = 29), with 18 infants evaluated at both ages. Parabens were measured in urine samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and served as an indicator of exposure. Methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), and propylparaben (PP) were detected in >70% of urine samples, and concentrations ranged several orders of magnitude (specific-gravity-corrected medians: MP = 25.4 PP = 3.55; EP = 0.90 ng/mL). Butylparaben was detected less frequently (<50%). Paraben concentrations were lower than those reported for older children and adults; however, we did not find statistically significant differences in paraben concentrations by infant age. Correlations between measurements taken over time were poor, suggesting paraben exposure is variable, and multiple measurements are needed to capture cumulative exposure information. We observed differences in exposure by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status; non-White infants and infants whose parents completed less education had higher paraben exposure. Recent lotion usage strongly predicted paraben exposure in 1–3-month-olds. For example, infants using lotion in the past seven days had urinary MP concentrations 355% higher than infants without lotion usage (eß = 4.55, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.68, 12.55, p < 0.001). Together, our results suggest infants are ubiquitously exposed to parabens and personal care product use may be an important source of exposure.
{"title":"Young infants’ exposure to parabens: lotion use as a potential source of exposure","authors":"Elizabeth Boxer, Yilin Zhong, Jessica Levasseur, Heather M. Stapleton, Kate Hoffman","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00756-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00756-4","url":null,"abstract":"Parabens are widely used as antimicrobials in personal care products and pharmaceuticals. While previous studies demonstrate paraben exposure is ubiquitous, data investigating infants’ exposure is limited. We sought to characterize infants’ exposure to parabens and identify factors associated with higher levels of exposure. Families enrolled in the CHildren’s Immune ResPonse Study between 2016-2018. Parents completed questionnaires, providing information on demographics and lifestyle factors. Urine samples were collected when infants were 1 to 3 months old (n = 71) and 12 months old (n = 29), with 18 infants evaluated at both ages. Parabens were measured in urine samples using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and served as an indicator of exposure. Methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), and propylparaben (PP) were detected in >70% of urine samples, and concentrations ranged several orders of magnitude (specific-gravity-corrected medians: MP = 25.4 PP = 3.55; EP = 0.90 ng/mL). Butylparaben was detected less frequently (<50%). Paraben concentrations were lower than those reported for older children and adults; however, we did not find statistically significant differences in paraben concentrations by infant age. Correlations between measurements taken over time were poor, suggesting paraben exposure is variable, and multiple measurements are needed to capture cumulative exposure information. We observed differences in exposure by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status; non-White infants and infants whose parents completed less education had higher paraben exposure. Recent lotion usage strongly predicted paraben exposure in 1–3-month-olds. For example, infants using lotion in the past seven days had urinary MP concentrations 355% higher than infants without lotion usage (eß = 4.55, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.68, 12.55, p < 0.001). Together, our results suggest infants are ubiquitously exposed to parabens and personal care product use may be an important source of exposure.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 6","pages":"1003-1010"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00756-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143425521","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 : 2025-02-11DOI: 10.1038/s41370-025-00748-4
Jamie L. Banks, Elaine A. Cohen Hubal
{"title":"Noise: a public health problem","authors":"Jamie L. Banks, Elaine A. Cohen Hubal","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00748-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00748-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 1","pages":"1-2"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00748-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143399447","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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