Pub Date : 2025-03-10DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109368
Han Van Bladel, Bram Stroobandt, Adriana Fernandes Veludo, Kenneth Deprez, Martin Röösli, Gabriella Tognola, Marta Parazzini, György Thuróczy, Kinga Polańska, Piotr Politański, Joe Wiart, Monica Guxens, Wout Joseph
Introduction
Several devices have been developed to assess exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF). Since the existing solutions to measure the personal exposure induced by emerging 5G New Radio (NR) are expensive, complex, and bulky, a new cost efficient and low-complexity sensor is developed, that aims to measure RF-EMF exposure in different scenarios of data transmission within different areas.
Methods
With this novel sensor, activity-based microenvironmental surveys were conducted across seven European countries: Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The device is attached to a smartphone to quantify the auto-induced uplink (a-UL) transmission component of the total exposure for a broadband frequency range from 100 MHz to 6000 MHz and is thus denoted as add-on sensor. In-situ measurements were performed for three usage scenarios, namely non-user (i.e., environmental exposure), maximum downlink (max DL), and maximum uplink (max UL) scenarios, in a large city, a secondary city, and three rural villages a priori selected within each country.
Results
Power levels were lowest in non-user scenarios (median: −2.64 dBm or 0.54 mW), increasing by a factor of 5.00 dB in maximum downlink scenarios and by a factor of 14.15 dB in maximum uplink scenarios. In the maximum uplink scenarios, the highest median a-UL power of 18.68 dBm (= 73.79 mW) was recorded in The Netherlands, while the lowest median a-UL power of 4.77 dBm (= 3 mW) was observed in the UK. The analysis of the measured data showed a prominent trend of a 2.72 dB lower power in the cities compared to the villages. Further comparisons were made based on microenvironment groups, where the lowest a-UL power levels (median: 12.35 dBm) were measured in outdoor areas, with an increase of 1.78 dB and 1.91 dB in power was measured compared to public transport and public places, respectively.
Conclusion
This study compares RF-EMF power levels between different countries, urbanization settings, and usage scenarios, which is important for future epidemiological studies.
{"title":"RF-EMF exposure assessment with add-on uplink exposure sensor in different microenvironments in seven European countries","authors":"Han Van Bladel, Bram Stroobandt, Adriana Fernandes Veludo, Kenneth Deprez, Martin Röösli, Gabriella Tognola, Marta Parazzini, György Thuróczy, Kinga Polańska, Piotr Politański, Joe Wiart, Monica Guxens, Wout Joseph","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109368","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109368","url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Introduction</h3>Several devices have been developed to assess exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF). Since the existing solutions to measure the personal exposure induced by emerging 5G New Radio (NR) are expensive, complex, and bulky, a new cost efficient and low-complexity sensor is developed, that aims to measure RF-EMF exposure in different scenarios of data transmission within different areas.<h3>Methods</h3>With this novel sensor, activity-based microenvironmental surveys were conducted across seven European countries: Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The device is attached to a smartphone to quantify the auto-induced uplink (a-UL) transmission component of the total exposure for a broadband frequency range from 100 MHz to 6000 MHz and is thus denoted as add-on sensor. In-situ measurements were performed for three usage scenarios, namely non-user (i.e., environmental exposure), maximum downlink (max DL), and maximum uplink (max UL) scenarios, in a large city, a secondary city, and three rural villages a priori selected within each country.<h3>Results</h3>Power levels were lowest in non-user scenarios (median: −2.64 dBm or 0.54<!-- --> <!-- -->mW), increasing by a factor of 5.00 dB in maximum downlink scenarios and by a factor of 14.15 dB in maximum uplink scenarios. In the maximum uplink scenarios, the highest median a-UL power of 18.68<!-- --> <!-- -->dBm (= 73.79 mW) was recorded in The Netherlands, while the lowest median a-UL power of 4.77<!-- --> <!-- -->dBm (= 3 mW) was observed in the UK. The analysis of the measured data showed a prominent trend of a 2.72 dB lower power in the cities compared to the villages. Further comparisons were made based on microenvironment groups, where the lowest a-UL power levels (median: 12.35<!-- --> <!-- -->dBm) were measured in outdoor areas, with an increase of 1.78 dB and 1.91 dB in power was measured compared to public transport and public places, respectively.<h3>Conclusion</h3>This study compares RF-EMF power levels between different countries, urbanization settings, and usage scenarios, which is important for future epidemiological studies.","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"54 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143589950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-07DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109361
Zhuan Chen, Mingmeng Zheng, Teng Wan, Jie Li, Xiangyi Yuan, Li Qin, Lu Zhang, Tong Hou, Cuiqing Liu, Ran Li
Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs), are emerging environmental pollutants that have garnered widespread attention. Epidemiological and animal studies have shown that MNPs exposure during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and miscarriage. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we found that exposure to a high dose (1 μg·mL−1) of 100 nm polystyrene nanoparticles (NPs) from gestational day (GD) 0 to GD17 significantly decreased fetal weight and increased the number of resorptions compared to the control group. Moreover, fetal weight was significantly lower in the high-dose group than in the low-dose (0.1 μg·mL−1) group. Meanwhile, ferroptosis and senescence were observed in placentas from mice exposed to high dose of NPs. In vitro experiments using human syncytiotrophoblast (STB) cells differentiated from BeWo cells, we found that NPs caused ferroptosis and senescence in STB cells. Subsequent investigations revealed that the inhibition of the ferroptosis signaling by ferrostain-1 (Fer-1) or deferiprone (DFP) ameliorated senescence induced by NPs in human STB cells. Furthermore, alleviating placental senescence using Fer-1 significantly improves fetal weight loss caused by NPs exposure during pregnancy in mice. Taken together, our results demonstrated that NPs exposure during pregnancy activated the ferroptosis pathway in placental STB, resulting in senescence of STB, which may attribute to the NPs-induced IUGR. This study not only elucidated the mechanistic link between NPs exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes but also highlighted the necessity for targeted interventions to protect fetal health, underscoring the broader implications for environmental and public health policy.
{"title":"Gestational exposure to nanoplastics disrupts fetal development by promoting the placental aging via ferroptosis of syncytiotrophoblast","authors":"Zhuan Chen, Mingmeng Zheng, Teng Wan, Jie Li, Xiangyi Yuan, Li Qin, Lu Zhang, Tong Hou, Cuiqing Liu, Ran Li","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109361","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109361","url":null,"abstract":"Micro(nano)plastics (MNPs), are emerging environmental pollutants that have garnered widespread attention. Epidemiological and animal studies have shown that MNPs exposure during pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and miscarriage. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we found that exposure to a high dose (1 μg·mL<sup>−1</sup>) of 100 nm polystyrene nanoparticles (NPs) from gestational day (GD) 0 to GD17 significantly decreased fetal weight and increased the number of resorptions compared to the control group. Moreover, fetal weight was significantly lower in the high-dose group than in the low-dose (0.1 μg·mL<sup>−1</sup>) group. Meanwhile, ferroptosis and senescence were observed in placentas from mice exposed to high dose of NPs. <em>In vitro</em> experiments using human syncytiotrophoblast (STB) cells differentiated from BeWo cells, we found that NPs caused ferroptosis and senescence in STB cells. Subsequent investigations revealed that the inhibition of the ferroptosis signaling by ferrostain-1 (Fer-1) or deferiprone (DFP) ameliorated senescence induced by NPs in human STB cells. Furthermore, alleviating placental senescence using Fer-1 significantly improves fetal weight loss caused by NPs exposure during pregnancy in mice. Taken together, our results demonstrated that NPs exposure during pregnancy activated the ferroptosis pathway in placental STB, resulting in senescence of STB, which may attribute to the NPs-induced IUGR. This study not only elucidated the mechanistic link between NPs exposure and adverse pregnancy outcomes but also highlighted the necessity for targeted interventions to protect fetal health, underscoring the broader implications for environmental and public health policy.","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"53 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143570315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The widespread environmental presence of nanoplastics (NPs) raises significant concerns about their health impacts, particularly on the gastrointestinal system, as NPs are primarily ingested. While previous studies have linked NP-induced intestinal toxicity to oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, the specific mechanisms of cell death remain unclear. Here, we showed that environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) induced ferroptosis, a form of lipid peroxidation-driven cell death, in intestinal epithelial cells. Using intestinal epithelial-specific Nrf2-deficient mice (Nrf2fl/fl-VilCre+) and human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells, we demonstrated that Nrf2, a key oxidative stress regulator, play a protective role against PS-NP-induced ferroptosis. PS-NP exposure disrupted ether phospholipid metabolism, leading to the accumulation of polyunsaturated fatty acid-ether phospholipids and heightened lipid peroxidation in the intestines of Nrf2fl/fl-VilCre+ mice. This accumulation increased the susceptibility of intestinal epithelial cells to ferroptosis. Additionally, a high-fat diet further exacerbated this effect, suggesting that individuals with reduced NRF2 activity and poor dietary habits may be especially vulnerable to PS-NP-induced intestinal damage. Our findings offered new insights into the molecular mechanisms of NP-induced intestinal toxicity and underscored the health risks posed by environmental PS-NP exposure, particularly in populations with compromised antioxidant defenses.
{"title":"Polystyrene nanoplastics trigger ferroptosis in Nrf2-deficient gut via ether phospholipid accumulation","authors":"Boxuan Liang, Xiyun Huang, Zhiming Li, Yuji Huang, Yanhong Deng, Xiaoqing Chen, Yizhou Zhong, Xiaohong Yang, Yu Feng, Ruobing Bai, Bingchi Fan, Hongyi Xian, Hao Li, Shiyue Tang, Zhenlie Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109367","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109367","url":null,"abstract":"The widespread environmental presence of nanoplastics (NPs) raises significant concerns about their health impacts, particularly on the gastrointestinal system, as NPs are primarily ingested. While previous studies have linked NP-induced intestinal toxicity to oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, the specific mechanisms of cell death remain unclear. Here, we showed that environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene nanoplastics (PS-NPs) induced ferroptosis, a form of lipid peroxidation-driven cell death, in intestinal epithelial cells. Using intestinal epithelial-specific <em>Nrf2</em>-deficient mice (<em>Nrf2<sup>fl/fl</sup>-Vil<sup>Cre+</sup></em>) and human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells, we demonstrated that <em>Nrf2</em>, a key oxidative stress regulator, play a protective role against PS-NP-induced ferroptosis. PS-NP exposure disrupted ether phospholipid metabolism, leading to the accumulation of polyunsaturated fatty acid-ether phospholipids and heightened lipid peroxidation in the intestines of <em>Nrf2<sup>fl/fl</sup>-Vil<sup>Cre+</sup></em> mice. This accumulation increased the susceptibility of intestinal epithelial cells to ferroptosis. Additionally, a high-fat diet further exacerbated this effect, suggesting that individuals with reduced NRF2 activity and poor dietary habits may be especially vulnerable to PS-NP-induced intestinal damage. Our findings offered new insights into the molecular mechanisms of NP-induced intestinal toxicity and underscored the health risks posed by environmental PS-NP exposure, particularly in populations with compromised antioxidant defenses.","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"15 11 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143570314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-05DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109369
Nan Hui, Peiyuan Wang, Lantian Su, Xinxin Liu, Bangxiao Zheng, Heikki Setälä, D. Johan Kotze, Ari Jumpponen
Although resistance genes are a global concern in ecosystems, the underlying factors responsible for their worldwide dissemination, especially in urban greenspaces, are poorly known. To investigate metal and metal resistance genes (MRGs) accumulation in urban parks, we used ICP-MS to analyze metal concentrations and GeoChip functional gene arrays to analyze MRGs abundances in vegetation types with labile and recalcitrant litter across urban parks and non-urban reference sites in three distinct climatic regions: Boreal (Finland), Temperate (Baltimore, USA), and Tropical (Singapore). Our results indicate that metal concentrations and MRGs abundances in park soils increase with park age across climatic zones, especially so for the dominant metals − Fe and Al − accounting for more than 90% of the total metal content, and others, e.g., Mn, Zn, and Pb. Correspondingly, Fe and Al resistance genes were the most abundant MRGs, representing 23% of all detected MRGs. Vegetation type affected metals and MRGs only in the boreal region, not in temperate or tropical regions, suggesting that vegetation context is not generalizable across climatic zones. Our analyses also indicate that the distribution of resistance genes is only weakly affected by soil properties, but largely associated with accumulation of metals from traffic and industrial sources. Our data further indicate that MRGs and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are co-selected by metal accumulation. The pattern of MRG abundance between old and young parks is similar to that of ARGs, indicating a potential risk for human health in old urban parks. Our findings emphasize the importance of park age and the corresponding cumulative effects of anthropogenic activities as a driver of metal and MRG dynamics in urban soils globally.
{"title":"What drives metal resistance genes in urban park soils? Park age matters across biomes","authors":"Nan Hui, Peiyuan Wang, Lantian Su, Xinxin Liu, Bangxiao Zheng, Heikki Setälä, D. Johan Kotze, Ari Jumpponen","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109369","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109369","url":null,"abstract":"Although resistance genes are a global concern in ecosystems, the underlying factors responsible for their worldwide dissemination, especially in urban greenspaces, are poorly known. To investigate metal and metal resistance genes (MRGs) accumulation in urban parks, we used ICP-MS to analyze metal concentrations and GeoChip functional gene arrays to analyze MRGs abundances in vegetation types with labile and recalcitrant litter across urban parks and non-urban reference sites in three distinct climatic regions: Boreal (Finland), Temperate (Baltimore, USA), and Tropical (Singapore). Our results indicate that metal concentrations and MRGs abundances in park soils increase with park age across climatic zones, especially so for the dominant metals − Fe and Al − accounting for more than 90% of the total metal content, and others, e.g., Mn, Zn, and Pb. Correspondingly, Fe and Al resistance genes were the most abundant MRGs, representing 23% of all detected MRGs. Vegetation type affected metals and MRGs only in the boreal region, not in temperate or tropical regions, suggesting that vegetation context is not generalizable across climatic zones. Our analyses also indicate that the distribution of resistance genes is only weakly affected by soil properties, but largely associated with accumulation of metals from traffic and industrial sources. Our data further indicate that MRGs and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are co-selected by metal accumulation. The pattern of MRG abundance between old and young parks is similar to that of ARGs, indicating a potential risk for human health in old urban parks. Our findings emphasize the importance of park age and the corresponding cumulative effects of anthropogenic activities as a driver of metal and MRG dynamics in urban soils globally.","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"80 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143560871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-03DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109363
Ziye Xiong, Xuan Qiu, Xing Xiang, Lanlan Cai, Nian Wang, Xianyu Huang, Hongmei Wang
Peatlands are essential reservoirs of carbon and critical zones for the cycling of greenhouse gases on Earth. Their ecological functions are primarily governed by the microbial communities inhabiting them, which vary with hydrological conditions. However, the roles of viruses in peatland ecosystems remain poorly understood despite their abundance and ubiquity. To address this gap, viral communities, their ecological roles, and their responses to environmental factors were explored using viromics, metatranscriptomics, and physicochemical property analyses of nine peat sediments collected from various layers of three profiles with different water table levels in the Dajiuhu Peatland, central China. This study revealed that the distance to the water table (DWT) significantly influenced the composition and function of viral communities by altering the levels of redox potential and total organic carbon, which in turn affected methane (CH4) concentrations in pore water. Furthermore, a notable abundance of putative auxiliary metabolic genes associated with methane, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism was identified in peatland DNA viruses, with their community composition strongly regulated by DWT. Additionally, functional genes related to oxidative phosphorylation and cysteine synthesis were detected for the first time in peatland RNA viruses. This study advances our comprehension of how hydrological conditions affect viral communities in peatlands, provides new insights into the impact of viruses on the CH4 cycle, and serves as a crucial reference for future investigations into the ecological roles of viruses.
{"title":"Distance to the water table shapes the diversity and activity of DNA and RNA viruses in a subalpine peatland","authors":"Ziye Xiong, Xuan Qiu, Xing Xiang, Lanlan Cai, Nian Wang, Xianyu Huang, Hongmei Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109363","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109363","url":null,"abstract":"Peatlands are essential reservoirs of carbon and critical zones for the cycling of greenhouse gases on Earth. Their ecological functions are primarily governed by the microbial communities inhabiting them, which vary with hydrological conditions. However, the roles of viruses in peatland ecosystems remain poorly understood despite their abundance and ubiquity. To address this gap, viral communities, their ecological roles, and their responses to environmental factors were explored using viromics, metatranscriptomics, and physicochemical property analyses of nine peat sediments collected from various layers of three profiles with different water table levels in the Dajiuhu Peatland, central China. This study revealed that the distance to the water table (DWT) significantly influenced the composition and function of viral communities by altering the levels of redox potential and total organic carbon, which in turn affected methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) concentrations in pore water. Furthermore, a notable abundance of putative auxiliary metabolic genes associated with methane, nitrogen, and sulfur metabolism was identified in peatland DNA viruses, with their community composition strongly regulated by DWT. Additionally, functional genes related to oxidative phosphorylation and cysteine synthesis were detected for the first time in peatland RNA viruses. This study advances our comprehension of how hydrological conditions affect viral communities in peatlands, provides new insights into the impact of viruses on the CH<sub>4</sub> cycle, and serves as a crucial reference for future investigations into the ecological roles of viruses.","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"84 5 Pt 1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":11.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143532825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109332
Mark J. Strynar
{"title":"A paradigm shift in environmental monitoring − The time for non-targeted analysis (NTA) is now","authors":"Mark J. Strynar","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109332","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109332","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"197 ","pages":"Article 109332"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143485535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109304
Calvin Jephcote , John Gulliver
Improvements in computer processing power are facilitating the development of more detailed environmental models with greater geographical coverage. We developed a national-scale model of outdoor air pollution (Hybrid Air Dispersion Exposure System − HADES) for rapid production of concentration maps of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) at very high spatial resolution (10m). The model combines dispersion modelling with satellite-derived estimates of background concentrations, land cover, and a 3-D representation of buildings, in a statistical calibration framework. We developed an emissions inventory covering England and Wales to implement the model and tested its performance using concentration data for the years 2018–2019 from fixed-site monitoring locations. In 10,000 Monte Carlo cross-validation iterations, hourly-annual average R2 values for NO2 were 0.77–0.79 (RMSE: root mean squared error of 5.3–5.7 µg/m3), and 0.87–0.89 for O3 (RMSE = 3.6–3.8 µg/m3) at the 95% confidence interval. The annual average R2 was 0.80 for NO2 (RMSE = 4.9 µg/m3) and 0.86 for O3 (RMSE = 3.2 µg/m3) from aggregating the hourly-annual estimates. The air pollution surfaces are freely available for non-commercial use. In using these surfaces for exposure assessment, all residential locations, and neighbourhoods in urban areas, are unlikely to be below the 2021 World Health Organisation Air Quality Guidelines threshold (10 µg/m3) for annual average NO2 concentrations (10 µg/m3). Rural and suburban areas are likely to exceed the peak-season 8-hour daily maximum O3 threshold (60 µg/m3).
{"title":"Development and evaluation of rapid, national-scale outdoor air pollution modelling and exposure assessment: Hybrid Air Dispersion Exposure System (HADES)","authors":"Calvin Jephcote , John Gulliver","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Improvements in computer processing power are facilitating the development of more detailed environmental models with greater geographical coverage. We developed a national-scale model of outdoor air pollution (<u>H</u>ybrid <u>A</u>ir <u>D</u>ispersion <u>E</u>xposure <u>S</u>ystem − HADES) for rapid production of concentration maps of nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>) and ozone (O<sub>3</sub>) at very high spatial resolution (10m). The model combines dispersion modelling with satellite-derived estimates of background concentrations, land cover, and a 3-D representation of buildings, in a statistical calibration framework. We developed an emissions inventory covering England and Wales to implement the model and tested its performance using concentration data for the years 2018–2019 from fixed-site monitoring locations. In 10,000 Monte Carlo cross-validation iterations, hourly-annual average R<sup>2</sup> values for NO<sub>2</sub> were 0.77–0.79 (RMSE: root mean squared error of 5.3–5.7 µg/m<sup>3</sup>), and 0.87–0.89 for O<sub>3</sub> (RMSE = 3.6–3.8 µg/m<sup>3</sup>) at the 95% confidence interval. The annual average R<sup>2</sup> was 0.80 for NO<sub>2</sub> (RMSE = 4.9 µg/m<sup>3</sup>) and 0.86 for O<sub>3</sub> (RMSE = 3.2 µg/m<sup>3</sup>) from aggregating the hourly-annual estimates. The air pollution surfaces are freely available for non-commercial use. In using these surfaces for exposure assessment, all residential locations, and neighbourhoods in urban areas, are unlikely to be below the 2021 World Health Organisation Air Quality Guidelines threshold (10 µg/m<sup>3</sup>) for annual average NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations (10 µg/m<sup>3</sup>). Rural and suburban areas are likely to exceed the peak-season 8-hour daily maximum O<sub>3</sub> threshold (60 µg/m<sup>3</sup>).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"197 ","pages":"Article 109304"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143031152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109351
Jonathan R Olsen , Claire Niedzwiedz , Natalie Nicholls , Benedict W Wheeler , Frederick K Ho , Jill P. Pell
Introduction
Climate change is a global health emergency, with extreme heat events increasing morbidity, mortality, and hospitalisations, and exacerbating health and social inequalities. Global temperatures have risen by over 1.1 °C since pre-industrial times and could reach 2.5 °C or even 4.0 °C based on current policies.
This study examined how projected climate change will vary geographically and by population sub-group in England, to assess whether these changes will affect existing health inequalities.
Methods
We used small-area baseline (2001 to 2020) and climate projection data from the UK’s Met Office, linking it to area-level sociodemographic (2019) and health data (2016/17 to 2020/21), including age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, hospital admissions, and mortality. Summated numbers of hot and extreme summer days were plotted by area-level health and sociodemographic quintiles. Models assessed the association between area-level quintiles and the projected number of hot (>30 °C) and extreme (>35 °C) summer days under 2.5 °C and 4.0 °C global heating scenarios.
Results
There were clear geographical variations in experiencing hot and extreme summer days, with the South of England seeing the highest increases. The pattern of projected temperature increases does not align with typical health inequalities, as less deprived areas will experience more hot and extreme summer days, while areas with larger ethnic minority populations will face a greater number.
Conclusion
Climate adaptation strategies are needed to two levels: (1) locally to support vulnerable population groups in coping with global heating; and (2) national and global strategies to prevent global temperatures from exceeding 2.5 °C or reaching 4.0 °C, given the severe population-level health risks such increases would entail.
{"title":"Sociodemographic and geographic inequalities in exposure to projected hot and extreme summer days in England: A nationwide socio-spatial analysis","authors":"Jonathan R Olsen , Claire Niedzwiedz , Natalie Nicholls , Benedict W Wheeler , Frederick K Ho , Jill P. Pell","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109351","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109351","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Climate change is a global health emergency, with extreme heat events increasing morbidity, mortality, and hospitalisations, and exacerbating health and social inequalities. Global temperatures have risen by over 1.1 °C since pre-industrial times and could reach 2.5 °C or even 4.0 °C based on current policies.</div><div>This study examined how projected climate change will vary geographically and by population sub-group in England, to assess whether these changes will affect existing health inequalities.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We used small-area baseline (2001 to 2020) and climate projection data from the UK’s Met Office, linking it to area-level sociodemographic (2019) and health data (2016/17 to 2020/21), including age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, hospital admissions, and mortality. Summated numbers of hot and extreme summer days were plotted by area-level health and sociodemographic quintiles. Models assessed the association between area-level quintiles and the projected number of hot (>30 °C) and extreme (>35 °C) summer days under 2.5 °C and 4.0 °C global heating scenarios.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>There were clear geographical variations in experiencing hot and extreme summer days, with the South of England seeing the highest increases. The pattern of projected temperature increases does not align with typical health inequalities, as less deprived areas will experience more hot and extreme summer days, while areas with larger ethnic minority populations will face a greater number.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Climate adaptation strategies are needed to two levels: (1) locally to support vulnerable population groups in coping with global heating; and (2) national and global strategies to prevent global temperatures from exceeding 2.5 °C or reaching 4.0 °C, given the severe population-level health risks such increases would entail.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"197 ","pages":"Article 109351"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143496033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109362
Minmin Hou , Song Tang , Feng Zhang , Shanji Fu , Hao Ding , Yu’e Cha , Xiao Ma , Yali Shi , Yaqi Cai
Exposure to organic chemicals can cause reproductive hormones disturbance in women. However, there is very limited evidence regarding real-world chemical exposures in reproductive-aged women and their joint effects on sex hormone levels. Here, we applied non-targeted screening workflow based on High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry to investigate the serum chemical exposome of 156 women of childbearing age from Jinan, China. A total of 185 exogenous chemicals from 19 categories were identified in at least 80% of serum samples with confidence levels 1–3, 84 of which have never been reported in humans, and 9 of those showed active effects on multiple biological targets in ToxCast program. A combination of grouped weighted quantile sum regression (GWQS), weighted quantile sum regression (WQS), quantile g calculation (q g-comp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models indicated significant associations of chemical mixture exposure with progesterone (P4), testosterone (T), and luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratios, and 7, 4, and 8 priority contributors were identified, respectively, such as fipronil sulfone for P4, dicyclohexyl phthalate for T, and 3-hydroxybenzyl alcohol for LH/FSH. Three chemicals closely related to androgen synthesis and metabolism were proposed. Restricted cubic spline curves showed that 10 of the 28 priority compound-hormone pairs displayed significant non-monotonic exposure–response relationships. This study provides more information on the chemical exposome in Chinese women of childbearing age and has important implications for understanding the effect of chemical co-exposure on sex hormone homeostasis in women.
{"title":"Chemical exposure in females of childbearing age associated with sex hormones: Evidence from an untargeted exposomic approach","authors":"Minmin Hou , Song Tang , Feng Zhang , Shanji Fu , Hao Ding , Yu’e Cha , Xiao Ma , Yali Shi , Yaqi Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109362","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109362","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Exposure to organic chemicals can cause reproductive hormones disturbance in women. However, there is very limited evidence regarding real-world chemical exposures in reproductive-aged women and their joint effects on sex hormone levels. Here, we applied non-targeted screening workflow based on High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry to investigate the serum chemical exposome of 156 women of childbearing age from Jinan, China. A total of 185 exogenous chemicals from 19 categories were identified in at least 80% of serum samples with confidence levels 1–3, 84 of which have never been reported in humans, and 9 of those showed active effects on multiple biological targets in ToxCast program. A combination of grouped weighted quantile sum regression (GWQS), weighted quantile sum regression (WQS), quantile g calculation (q g-comp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models indicated significant associations of chemical mixture exposure with progesterone (P4), testosterone (T), and luteinizing hormone (LH)/follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratios, and 7, 4, and 8 priority contributors were identified, respectively, such as fipronil sulfone for P4, dicyclohexyl phthalate for T, and 3-hydroxybenzyl alcohol for LH/FSH. Three chemicals closely related to androgen synthesis and metabolism were proposed. Restricted cubic spline curves showed that 10 of the 28 priority compound-hormone pairs displayed significant non-monotonic exposure–response relationships. This study provides more information on the chemical exposome in Chinese women of childbearing age and has important implications for understanding the effect of chemical co-exposure on sex hormone homeostasis in women.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"197 ","pages":"Article 109362"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143532823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109356
Xinyi Zhang , Tianhe Wang , Sichen Wang , Yingzi Jiao , Jingyi Tang , Jingtao Li , Fan Yang , Mansur O. Amonov , Sabur F. Abdullaev
Dust aerosols have an impact on both public health and environmental health. The Taklimakan Desert (TD) serves as a significant source of high-altitude airborne dust over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, systematic understanding of its transport mechanism requires further exploration beyond isolated case studies. This study effectively identified the atmospheric circulation patterns and transport mechanisms that facilitate airborne dust movement from TD to TP in the spring, utilizing an obliquely rotated principal component analysis alongside various reanalysis and satellite datasets. The findings indicate that out of the five identified circulation patterns, three — specifically the northwest high-pressure (NWH), the northern high-pressure with warm anomaly (NH-W), and the northern high-pressure with cold anomaly (NH-C) — favor the occurrence of dust storms in the TD. In the NWH and NH-W patterns, dust is transported to the northeastern TP and the northwestern and central TP as a result of the interaction between dynamic, thermal, and terrain factors. This process features an elevated boundary layer, increased temperature, a steeper temperature lapse rate, and a more significant surface sensible heat flux in the TD. In contrast, the NH-C pattern restricts dust transport due to the presence of downdrafts along the north slope of the TP, and a reduced boundary layer and stable temperature stratification in the TD. This research provides valuable insights into the crucial function of atmospheric circulation in transporting dust from TD to TP, which is beneficial for assessing the condition of the cryosphere and developing environmental protection strategies.
{"title":"Conducive circulation patterns and transport mechanisms for spring dust from Taklimakan Desert to the Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Xinyi Zhang , Tianhe Wang , Sichen Wang , Yingzi Jiao , Jingyi Tang , Jingtao Li , Fan Yang , Mansur O. Amonov , Sabur F. Abdullaev","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109356","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109356","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dust aerosols have an impact on both public health and environmental health. The Taklimakan Desert (TD) serves as a significant source of high-altitude airborne dust over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, systematic understanding of its transport mechanism requires further exploration beyond isolated case studies. This study effectively identified the atmospheric circulation patterns and transport mechanisms that facilitate airborne dust movement from TD to TP in the spring, utilizing an obliquely rotated principal component analysis alongside various reanalysis and satellite datasets. The findings indicate that out of the five identified circulation patterns, three — specifically the northwest high-pressure (NWH), the northern high-pressure with warm anomaly (NH-W), and the northern high-pressure with cold anomaly (NH-C) — favor the occurrence of dust storms in the TD. In the NWH and NH-W patterns, dust is transported to the northeastern TP and the northwestern and central TP as a result of the interaction between dynamic, thermal, and terrain factors. This process features an elevated boundary layer, increased temperature, a steeper temperature lapse rate, and a more significant surface sensible heat flux in the TD. In contrast, the NH-C pattern restricts dust transport due to the presence of downdrafts along the north slope of the TP, and a reduced boundary layer and stable temperature stratification in the TD. This research provides valuable insights into the crucial function of atmospheric circulation in transporting dust from TD to TP, which is beneficial for assessing the condition of the cryosphere and developing environmental protection strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"197 ","pages":"Article 109356"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143526062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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