Environment International最新文献

{"title":"PFAS contamination and fluorine mass balance in sediments of the Upper Ganges River and Ganges Canal","authors":"Viktoria Müller ,&nbsp;Zofia Kowalewska ,&nbsp;Andreas Roth ,&nbsp;Abhyanand Singh Maurya ,&nbsp;Jörg Feldmann ,&nbsp;Sourabh Dixit","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110104","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110104","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although concerns about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are growing in Europe and in the United States, there are limited studies on the occurrence of PFAS and fluorinated organic compounds in India. This study presents a comprehensive investigation of PFAS contamination in sediments from the upper Ganges River, India. More than 40 PFAS were targeted using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), along with total oxidisable precursor analysis (dTOPA), non-targeted analysis using LC-HRMS/MS and extractable organic fluorine (EOF) analyses to evaluate the levels of PFAS burden. This is the first study doing fluorine mass balance analysis on sediments from the Ganges. Sixteen PFAS were detected in at least one sample, with short- and ultrashort-chain PFAS dominating the profile. TFA and PFPrA were found in all samples, while PFOA, 4:2 FTS, and PFMPA appeared in more than 50%. Concentrations of individual PFAS ranged from 0.02 to 5.3 ng g⁻¹, while ∑_Target PFAS concentrations ranged from 3.4 to 8.6 ng g⁻¹. dTOPA analysis revealed substantial precursor presence, with ∑dTOPATarget PFAS values ranging from 3.1 to 311 ng g⁻¹. EOF levels increased by a factor of 5 in the investigated stretch from 180 to 780 ng F g⁻¹^,with non-oxidised target PFAS accounting for only up to 1.3% of EOF, indicating a large fluorine gap. Oxidized samples showed improved identification rates, with precursor-derived PFAS contributing up to 26% of EOF at some sites. The findings highlight the need for expanded monitoring strategies and regulatory frameworks addressing PFAS in India, especially given the lack of current regulation and wastewater treatment infrastructure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110104"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034180","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}

{"title":"Co-exposure to PFOA, PFBA and nanoplastics synergistically exacerbates neurotoxicity by impairing PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy","authors":"Helei Cai ,&nbsp;Shihao Luo ,&nbsp;Zhengrong Zhou ,&nbsp;Feixia Chen ,&nbsp;Jiawei Ying ,&nbsp;Qiufang Wu ,&nbsp;Yize Wu ,&nbsp;Shihua Chen ,&nbsp;Xinxin Yao ,&nbsp;Feiqin Xie ,&nbsp;Wenhui Xu ,&nbsp;Ke Xu ,&nbsp;Renyi Peng","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110102","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110102","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorobutyric acid (PFBA), as representative long-chain and short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are widely distributed in the environment. These compounds can interact with nanoplastics (NPs) to form complex mixed pollutants, posing potential threats to aquatic organisms and human health. The nervous system, characterized by high sensitivity and energy dependence, is particularly vulnerable to such pollutants. However, the mechanisms underlying neurological toxicity induced by co-exposure to PFOA, PFBA, and NPs remain largely unclear. In this study, zebrafish larvae and human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells were employed as model systems to systematically evaluate the effects of PFOA and PFBA, alone or in combination with NPs, on neural development, behavior, cell viability, mitochondrial function, and autophagy. The results demonstrated that NPs exhibited a significantly higher adsorption capacity for PFOA than for PFBA, and that co-exposure exacerbated neurodevelopmental impairments, behavioral abnormalities, and reductions in cell viability. At the molecular level, co-exposure markedly inhibited the PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy pathway, resulting in mitochondrial damage accumulation, disruption of energy metabolism, and blockade of autophagic flux. Through PINK1 overexpression and pharmacological activation experiments, the pivotal role of the PINK1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy pathway in mitigating neurotoxicity was functionally validated. Collectively, this study elucidates the molecular mechanism by which co-exposure to PFOA, PFBA, and NPs induces neurotoxicity via suppression of mitophagy. These findings identify a potential molecular target for the prevention and treatment of PFAS- and NPs-induced neurological injury and provide valuable theoretical and experimental evidence for evaluating the neurotoxic risks of mixed environmental pollutants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110102"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048275","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}

{"title":"The joint impact of temperature, humidity, and air pollution on COVID-19 incidence: a multi-country time-series study in 439 cities","authors":"Keita Wagatsuma ,&nbsp;Denise Feurer ,&nbsp;Wenhua Yu ,&nbsp;Rongbin Xu ,&nbsp;Tim Riffe ,&nbsp;Maxi Stella Kniffka ,&nbsp;Enrique Acosta ,&nbsp;Ben Armstrong ,&nbsp;Malcolm Mistry ,&nbsp;Rachel Lowe ,&nbsp;Dominic Royé ,&nbsp;Masahiro Hashizume ,&nbsp;Aurelio Tobias ,&nbsp;Ana Maria Vicedo-Cabrera ,&nbsp;Lina Madaniyazi ,&nbsp;Chris Fook Sheng Ng ,&nbsp;Carmen Íñiguez ,&nbsp;Martina S. Ragettli ,&nbsp;Eric Lavigne ,&nbsp;Patricia Matus Correa ,&nbsp;Francesco Sera","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110090","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110090","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Several studies have explored the short-term effects of environmental stressors on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission and severity. However, evidence on the interactive effects of meteorological conditions and air pollution remains limited and geographically variable. We therefore aimed to quantify the independent and interactive effects of short-term exposure to humidex, a composite index of temperature and relative humidity, and fine particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM_2.5) on daily COVID-19 incidence across multiple cities and in multiple countries. Daily time-series data on confirmed COVID-19 cases, meteorological factors, and PM_2.5 concentrations were collected from 439 cities in 22 countries during January 2020–August 2022 as part of the Multi-Country Multi-City Collaborative Research Network. A two-stage design was applied: first, city-specific quasi-Poisson models with distributed lag non-linear models estimated exposure–response associations; second, multilevel random-effects <em>meta</em>-analyses pooled city-specific estimates. Effect modification by PM_2.5 was assessed using a product term between non-linear humidex function and linear PM_2.5 function. Approximately 95.1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases were analyzed. Lower humidex values (0.1 °C versus 15.1 °C) were associated with increased daily cases (relative risk [RR]: 1.1192, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0214–1.2262). A 10 μg/m³ <!-->increase in PM_2.5 over the current and preceding 2 days was associated with a modest increase in daily cases (RR: 1.0079, 95% CI: 1.0001–1.0161). No statistically significant interaction between humidex and PM_2.5 was observed. Short-term exposure to cold–dry conditions and elevated PM_2.5 independently increased COVID-19 incidence, highlighting the need to consider both thermal environment and air quality when designing climate-resilient public health responses. These findings enhance understanding of how climate-related environmental stressors influence COVID-19 transmission.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110090"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034181","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}

{"title":"Prenatal phthalate exposure and neurodevelopmental delay in early childhood (1 to 3 years): An Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) study","authors":"Seonyoung Park ,&nbsp;Kristen McArthur ,&nbsp;Emily Barrett ,&nbsp;José F. Cordero ,&nbsp;Taylor Etzel ,&nbsp;Akhgar Ghassabian ,&nbsp;Jordan Kuiper ,&nbsp;John D. Meeker ,&nbsp;Sara S. Nozadi ,&nbsp;Brandon Rennie ,&nbsp;Jenna Sprowles ,&nbsp;Anne P. Starling ,&nbsp;Emily Zimmerman ,&nbsp;Monica McGrath ,&nbsp;Deborah J. Watkins ,&nbsp;ECHO Cohort Consortium","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110100","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110100","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phthalates are widely used in consumer products and are recognized as endocrine disruptors. Prenatal exposure to phthalates has been associated with various adverse health outcomes, including preterm birth and impaired fetal growth, and growing attention is being paid to their potential impact on child neurodevelopment. However, previous epidemiological studies examining prenatal phthalate exposure and child neurodevelopment have produced inconsistent or inconclusive findings, and evidence on phthalate mixtures remains limited. In this study, we utilized data from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort to investigate associations between urinary biomarkers of prenatal phthalate exposure, both individually and as a mixture, and likelihood of neurodevelopmental delay (NDD) in offspring at ages 1 to 3 years. This study included 2378 pregnant person–child dyads from 10 ECHO cohorts who had measurements of NDD odds assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3). Our single-pollutant analyses revealed mixed findings. Higher prenatal exposure to certain phthalates was associated with higher odds of NDD across multiple domains, including motor and problem-solving skills, with evidence of effect modification by child sex. Conversely, we observed negative associations between specific prenatal phthalate concentrations and lower odds of NDD, particularly in communication domain. From mixture analyses, however, no significant associations were observed between the overall phthalate mixture and NDD odds in most domains, except for negative association for the personal-social domain. Further investigation into the biological mechanisms underlying these relationships, as well as more detailed evaluations of phthalate mixtures, will help advance our understanding of how prenatal phthalate exposure may influence early childhood neurodevelopment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110100"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146022070","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}

{"title":"Black carbon and psychosocial stress synergistically impair cardiovascular function via hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor methylation","authors":"Yinchu Hu ,&nbsp;Yang Lan ,&nbsp;Ruiqiong Li ,&nbsp;Kuncan Zhang ,&nbsp;Xuejiao Zhang ,&nbsp;Meidi Shen ,&nbsp;Jian Sun ,&nbsp;Kai Wang ,&nbsp;Rongrong Li ,&nbsp;Xinxing Guo ,&nbsp;Zhiwen Chen ,&nbsp;Chaoqi Dong ,&nbsp;Bingyue Chen ,&nbsp;Yangfeng Wu ,&nbsp;Lihua Ren ,&nbsp;Shaowei Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110108","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110108","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Black carbon (BC), a key toxic constituent of ambient PM_2.5, and psychosocial stress, heightened by socioeconomic instability, both impair cardiovascular health. While epidemiological studies suggest that psychosocial stress could amplify the cardiovascular risks associated with air pollution, experimental evidence on the acute effects and mechanisms of joint exposure to BC and psychosocial stress is still lacking. In this study, a psychosocial stress model of male Sprague Dawley rats was exposed to different doses of BC by intratracheal instillation, followed by measurement of the hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor (GR) methylation, DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and GR expressions, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis-associated glucocorticoid secretion and cardiovascular indicators. Rats were additionally treated with a DNMT inhibitor (SGI-1027) to further validate the upstream regulatory role of hippocampal GR methylation. The results demonstrated that joint exposure to BC and psychosocial stress induces hypermethylation of the hippocampal GR-encoding gene <em>NR3C1</em> via upregulation of DNMT3b, leading to decreased GR expression. This, in turn, weakens the negative feedback on the HPA axis, thereby contributing to the sustained elevation of stress hormones including corticosterone. Consequently, joint exposure induces more apparent acute cardiovascular dysfunction, including reduced ejection fraction, elevated blood pressure, increased myocardial enzymes (e.g., CK, CK-MB) and oxidative stress (e.g., MDA) compared to separate exposures. This study demonstrated that acute joint exposure to air pollution and psychosocial stress impairs cardiovascular function via hippocampal GR epigenetic reprogramming and HPA-axis dysregulation, and established a novel paradigm for investigating “environmental-psychological-biological” interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110108"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146043185","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}

{"title":"Endogenous 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid mediates amplified estrogenic responses under nanoplastic–homosalate coexposure","authors":"Zhiming Li ,&nbsp;Xiaoqing Chen ,&nbsp;Xiaohong Yang ,&nbsp;Xiyun Huang ,&nbsp;Rongyi Ye ,&nbsp;Jiaxin Du ,&nbsp;Shuqin Tang ,&nbsp;Aiqin Qiu ,&nbsp;Yuji Huang ,&nbsp;Yanhong Deng ,&nbsp;Yizhou Zhong ,&nbsp;Boxuan Liang ,&nbsp;Chang-Ye Hui ,&nbsp;Da Chen ,&nbsp;Zhenlie Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110083","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110083","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) can enhance the toxicity of co-occurring chemicals via a proposed “Trojan horse” effect, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we investigated the estrogenic effects of coexposure of ultraviolet filter homosalate (HMS) and polystyrene nanosphere (PNS) using ovariectomized mice (HMS: 0.1 and 1 mg/kg; PNS: 2.5 mg/kg) and human cell models (HMS: 0.01 − 1 μM; PNS: 1 mg/L). In mice, HMS-PNS coexposure significantly increased uterine weight, promoted mammary gland proliferation, and upregulated estrogen receptor 1 and its downstream targets amphiregulin and progesterone receptor. Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses identified endogenous 15(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (15(S)-HETE) as a key mediator of these effects in mammary glands. In MCF-7 cells, HMS-PNS coexposure elevated 15(S)-HETE levels, promoting cell proliferation via the estrogen receptor alpha-arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase (ERα-ALOX15) axis. At a concentration of 100 nM 15(S)-HETE, pharmacological inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) abrogated cell proliferation and serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) activation. Moreover, immunoprecipitation and docking analyses suggested a direct interaction between 15(S)-HETE and SGK1. Knockdown of <em>ALOX15</em>, or PI3K/AKT inhibition, suppressed HMS-PNS-induced cell proliferation. Taken together, these results demonstrated that HMS-PNS coexposure amplifies estrogenic responses through ERα-ALOX15-dependent 15(S)-HETE production and PI3K/AKT/SGK1 signaling. Our findings uncover a mechanistic pathway beyond the canonical “Trojan horse” effect, providing new insight into how MNPs modulate endocrine-disrupting activity of co-occurring contaminants and informing future risk assessment of combined environmental exposures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110083"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014705","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}

{"title":"Di-n-butyl phthalate induces NF-κB-mediated senescence-associated secretory phenotype to promote epithelial proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and benign prostatic hyperplasia","authors":"Tiewen Li ,&nbsp;Yichen Zhang ,&nbsp;Xuehao Zhou ,&nbsp;Shiyu Ji ,&nbsp;Zeng Zhou,&nbsp;Wenhao Wang,&nbsp;Luheng Shen,&nbsp;Hengrui Liu,&nbsp;Zhiwen Xie,&nbsp;Yuan Ruan","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110085","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110085","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), a prevalent environmental endocrine disruptor, is associated with various genitourinary diseases. In this study, a DBP-exposed Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model was established to confirm the promoting effect of DBP on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Transcriptome sequencing analysis of BPH-1 cells after DBP exposure revealed that DBP promotes cellular senescence, as evidenced by the secretion of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP)-related factors. Co-culture of DBP-exposed cells with unexposed BPH-1 cells showed that DBP-induced SASP primarily promotes cell proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through the release of IL-8, which binds to CXCR2. Furthermore, both in vivo and in vitro studies confirmed that inhibition of CXCR2 reverses the promoting effect of DBP exposure on BPH. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms by which DBP exposure contributes to BPH progression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110085"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146048282","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}

{"title":"Identification of potential mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction induced by environmentally relevant PFAS mixture in male rats","authors":"Bing Li ,&nbsp;Yinan Xu ,&nbsp;Xueyan Guo ,&nbsp;Meihui Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoyuan Li ,&nbsp;Zhe Chen ,&nbsp;Zhiwen Wei ,&nbsp;Dong Ma ,&nbsp;Keming Yun","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110093","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110093","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>PFAS are emerging persistent organic pollutants, and their potential impacts and underlying mechanisms on cognitive function remain incompletely understood. This study utilized a male rat model to investigate the effects of an environmentally relevant PFAS mixture comprised of eight PFAS on spatial learning and memory, as well as the potential mechanisms through molecular biology assays and multi-omics analysis. Following the administration of PFAS via oral gavage at doses of 0, 0.001, 0.050, 0.250 and 7.000 mg/kg body weight for 28 days, resulting in a decrease in object location recognition ability, spatial learning and memory, as assessed by the new location recognition and Morris water maze tests at the exposure endpoint. These impairments may be closely related to the dysregulation of neurotransmitter secretion, enhanced inflammatory responses, neuronal damage and apoptosis, and impaired intestinal barrier function. Furthermore, exosomal transcriptomics and plasma metabolomics analyses revealed that 17 miRNAs and 7 metabolites were associated with PFAS-induced neurotoxicity. Meanwhile, PFAS exposure led to alterations in gut microbial diversity, with correlations observed between changes in metabolites and bacteria. These synergistic effects contributed to neurotoxicity associated with PFAS, which may be closely linked to the microbiota-gut-brain axis. These findings provide valuable insights for assessing the neurotoxicity of PFAS at environmentally relevant concentrations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110093"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014688","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}

{"title":"Structure–dependent association between Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances and hemoglobin in the Chinese population: insights from epidemiological analysis and molecular simulations","authors":"Xuedan Xu ,&nbsp;Keqi Hu ,&nbsp;Yingli Qu ,&nbsp;Fengfeng Dong ,&nbsp;Yihan Du ,&nbsp;Daoqin Wang ,&nbsp;Zheng Li ,&nbsp;Feng Zhao ,&nbsp;Wanying Shi ,&nbsp;Yawei Li ,&nbsp;Haocan Song ,&nbsp;Yue Chen ,&nbsp;Yitao Pan ,&nbsp;Jiayin Dai ,&nbsp;Qiuxia Chen ,&nbsp;Nan Sheng ,&nbsp;Yuebin Lv ,&nbsp;Xiaoming Shi ,&nbsp;Hongwei Tu","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110091","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110091","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The association between perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and hemoglobin (Hb) in general population, as well as their structural–functional relationship remains to be elucidated. We examined both individual and joint-level associations of serum PFAS with Hb concentrations using data from the China National Human Biomonitoring Program. Molecular docking and quantum mechanics calculations were further applied to elucidate potential molecular mechanisms. Of 6,883 participants, median serum concentrations of 8 PFAS ranged from 0.15 ng/mL (perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid [PFHpS]) to 5.85 ng/mL (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid [PFOS]). All participants had Hb concentrations within the normal physiological range. PFAS mixture demonstrated negative relationship with the Hb in the general population, with perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA) emerging as the dominant contributor. Moreover, the effect sizes of inverse associations between perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and Hb increased in magnitude with longer carbon chains, especially in females, while no such trend was observed for perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs). Notably, the PFOS alternative 6:2 Chlorinated Polyfluorinated Ether Sulfonic Acid (Cl-PFESA) was inversely associated with Hb in females. Stronger associations were observed among females, individuals with lower body mass index, and those with higher meat consumption. Molecular modeling indicated that PFAS preferentially bind to the α subunit rather than the β subunit of Hb, and PFCAs exhibited similar binding affinities to heme comparable to that of oxygen, suggesting potential interference with Hb’s oxygen-binding capacity. Our findings revealed structure-dependent associations and interactions between PFAS and Hb, providing important insights for further mechanistic studies on PFAS-related hematotoxicity and highlight the urgent need to control PFAS exposure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110091"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146014689","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}

{"title":"Longitudinal PFAS exposure and thyroid function trajectories in Taiwanese youth: a 10-year prospective cohort study","authors":"Chien-Yu Lin ,&nbsp;Hui-Ling Lee ,&nbsp;Ta-Chen Su","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110106","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2026.110106","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Evidence linking per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to thyroid dysfunction is growing, yet longitudinal data spanning adolescence to early adulthood remained limited.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed 495 participants aged 12–30 years in the YOung TAiwanese Cohort (YOTA) followed for 9–12 years. 11 Plasma PFAS and serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxine (free T4) were measured at baseline and follow-up. PFAS exposure index was derived as the mean of these standardized ln-PFAS concentrations. Using multivariable ANCOVA-style linear regression models, we examined associations of baseline PFAS levels and changes in PFAS with follow-up ln-TSH and ln-free T4, and incident thyroid disease was examined using Cox models.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In multivariable models, both higher baseline PFAS exposure index and a more positive change in PFAS exposure index were associated with lower follow-up TSH (−17.22%, p = 0.003; and − 16.81%, p = 0.011, respectively). Several baseline PFAS compounds showed inverse associations with follow-up TSH, including linear PFOA, linear PFOS, N-MeFOSAA, and PFHpA; inverse associations for PFAS changes were most evident for linear PFOA and linear PFOS. For free T4, baseline PFAS measures were not significant after FDR correction, whereas a more positive change in PFAS exposure index was associated with higher follow-up free T4 (+5.55%, p = 0.001), with nominal positive associations observed for linear PFOA and PFDoA. These patterns were robust in sensitivity analyses (including baseline-only/change-only specifications, change-score models, and exclusions of baseline/follow-up thyroid dysfunction). In Cox regression analyses, greater annualized increases in the PFAS exposure index were associated with lower risks of hypothyroidism and thyroid nodules.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>PFAS exposure was associated with lower TSH and higher free T4 over 10 years of follow-up, suggesting sustained thyroid-axis perturbation from adolescence into young adulthood. These findings underscore a susceptible developmental window and support long-term biomonitoring and stronger regulatory action where PFAS contamination persists.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"208 ","pages":"Article 110106"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146044763","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}