Risks from indoor pollutants require the implementation of effective policies to prevent and reduce exposure. To take decisions and actions, competent authorities need relevant information. In the case of indoor radon exposure, surveys are carried out by installing detectors in buildings (homes, workplaces) that measure radon concentration in rooms. Conducting national or large-scale surveys in buildings requires addressing both technical complexities of implementation and economic costs. In order to support the implementation of large-scale radon surveys, procedure and tools are described for defining the sample size of buildings to be measured according to available resources, for planning the sampling of buildings in relation to the specific objectives of the survey, and for obtaining a tool for management and control of sample recruitment and installation of radon detectors in buildings, reducing sources of bias. A particular application is shown for the case of the EU radon regulation.
{"title":"Tools for planning large-scale measurement surveys for the assessment of indoor environmental pollutants: the case of radon","authors":"Francesco Salvi","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.34","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.34","url":null,"abstract":"Risks from indoor pollutants require the implementation of effective policies to prevent and reduce exposure. To take decisions and actions, competent authorities need relevant information. In the case of indoor radon exposure, surveys are carried out by installing detectors in buildings (homes, workplaces) that measure radon concentration in rooms. Conducting national or large-scale surveys in buildings requires addressing both technical complexities of implementation and economic costs. In order to support the implementation of large-scale radon surveys, procedure and tools are described for defining the sample size of buildings to be measured according to available resources, for planning the sampling of buildings in relation to the specific objectives of the survey, and for obtaining a tool for management and control of sample recruitment and installation of radon detectors in buildings, reducing sources of bias. A particular application is shown for the case of the EU radon regulation.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139143464","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are industrial chemicals with broad use as plasticizers and components in paints, cutting and drilling oil additives. The research interest in CPs has recently increased, not least due to the progress in analytical techniques and the globally reported large production volumes of CPs. The adverse effects on CPs in biota and in man are being reported in an increasing number of articles and the mechanism of toxicity is being discussed. Whether the metabolism of CPs could increase their toxicity is, however, still an unsolved question. In this Perspective paper, CP metabolism is discussed and arguments pointing to the important role of metabolic enhancement in CP toxicity are highlighted.
{"title":"Chlorinated paraffin metabolism and its importance for understanding CP toxicity","authors":"Per Ola Darnerud","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.35","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.35","url":null,"abstract":"Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are industrial chemicals with broad use as plasticizers and components in paints, cutting and drilling oil additives. The research interest in CPs has recently increased, not least due to the progress in analytical techniques and the globally reported large production volumes of CPs. The adverse effects on CPs in biota and in man are being reported in an increasing number of articles and the mechanism of toxicity is being discussed. Whether the metabolism of CPs could increase their toxicity is, however, still an unsolved question. In this Perspective paper, CP metabolism is discussed and arguments pointing to the important role of metabolic enhancement in CP toxicity are highlighted.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136227792","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah Commodore, Shikha Sharma, Carolyn Damilola Ekpruke, Robert Pepin, Angela M. Hansen, Dustin Rousselle, Maksat Babayev, Jonas M. Ndeke, Rachel Alford, Erik Parker, Stephanie Dickinson, Sunita Sharma, Patricia Silveyra
Thirdhand smoke (THS) is the accumulation of secondhand smoke on surfaces that ages with time. THS exposure is a potential health threat to children, partners of smokers, and workers in environments with current or past smoking, and needs further investigation. In this study, we hypothesized that thirdhand Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) exposures elicit lung and systemic inflammation due to resuspended particulate matter (PM) and inorganic compounds that remain after active vaping has ceased. To test our hypothesis, we exposed C57BL/6J mice to cotton towels contaminated with ENDS aerosols from unflavored vape fluid (6 mg nicotine in 50/50 propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin) for 1h/day, five days/week, for three weeks. We assessed protein levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) using a multiplex protein assay. The mean ± sd for PM10 and PM2.5 measurements in exposed mouse cages were 8.3 ± 14.0 and 4.6 ± 7.5 µg/m3, compared to 6.1 ± 11.2 and 3.7 ± 6.6 µg/m3 in control cages respectively. Two compounds, 4-methyl-1, 2-dioxolane and 4-methyl-cyclohexanol, were detected in vape fluid and on ENDS-contaminated towels, but not on control towels. Mice exposed to ENDS-contaminated towels had lower levels of serum Il-7 (P = 0.022, n = 7), and higher levels of Il-13 in the BALF (P = 0.006, n = 7) than those exposed to control towels (n = 6). After adjusting for sex and age, Il-7 and Il-13 levels were still associated with thirdhand vaping exposure (P = 0.010 and P = 0.017, respectively). This study provides further evidence that thirdhand ENDS aerosols can contaminate surfaces, and subsequently influence lung and systemic health upon exposure.
三手烟是指随着时间的推移,二手烟在物体表面的积累。三手烟暴露对儿童、吸烟者的伴侣以及目前或过去吸烟环境中的工人构成潜在的健康威胁,需要进一步调查。在这项研究中,我们假设三手电子尼古丁传递系统(ENDS)暴露会引起肺部和全身炎症,这是由于停止吸电子烟后残留的重悬浮颗粒物(PM)和无机化合物。为了验证我们的假设,我们将C57BL/6J小鼠暴露在被未加香料的电子烟液体(6毫克尼古丁,50/50丙二醇/植物甘油)污染的棉毛巾上,每天1小时,每周5天,持续3周。我们使用多重蛋白测定法评估血清和支气管肺泡灌洗液(BALF)中的蛋白水平。暴露小鼠笼中PM10和PM2.5的平均值±sd分别为8.3±14.0和4.6±7.5µg/m3,而对照组分别为6.1±11.2和3.7±6.6µg/m3。在电子烟液和被ends污染的毛巾中检测到4-甲基- 1,2 -二恶烷和4-甲基-环己醇两种化合物,但在对照毛巾中未检测到。与对照组毛巾(n = 6)相比,暴露于ends污染毛巾的小鼠血清Il-7水平较低(P = 0.022, n = 7), BALF中Il-13水平较高(P = 0.006, n = 7)。在调整性别和年龄后,Il-7和Il-13水平仍与三手电子烟暴露有关(P = 0.010和P = 0.017)。这项研究提供了进一步的证据,证明三手ENDS气溶胶可以污染表面,并随后在暴露后影响肺部和全身健康。
{"title":"Thirdhand vaping exposures are associated with pulmonary and systemic inflammation in a mouse model","authors":"Sarah Commodore, Shikha Sharma, Carolyn Damilola Ekpruke, Robert Pepin, Angela M. Hansen, Dustin Rousselle, Maksat Babayev, Jonas M. Ndeke, Rachel Alford, Erik Parker, Stephanie Dickinson, Sunita Sharma, Patricia Silveyra","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.27","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.27","url":null,"abstract":"Thirdhand smoke (THS) is the accumulation of secondhand smoke on surfaces that ages with time. THS exposure is a potential health threat to children, partners of smokers, and workers in environments with current or past smoking, and needs further investigation. In this study, we hypothesized that thirdhand Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) exposures elicit lung and systemic inflammation due to resuspended particulate matter (PM) and inorganic compounds that remain after active vaping has ceased. To test our hypothesis, we exposed C57BL/6J mice to cotton towels contaminated with ENDS aerosols from unflavored vape fluid (6 mg nicotine in 50/50 propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin) for 1h/day, five days/week, for three weeks. We assessed protein levels in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) using a multiplex protein assay. The mean ± sd for PM10 and PM2.5 measurements in exposed mouse cages were 8.3 ± 14.0 and 4.6 ± 7.5 µg/m3, compared to 6.1 ± 11.2 and 3.7 ± 6.6 µg/m3 in control cages respectively. Two compounds, 4-methyl-1, 2-dioxolane and 4-methyl-cyclohexanol, were detected in vape fluid and on ENDS-contaminated towels, but not on control towels. Mice exposed to ENDS-contaminated towels had lower levels of serum Il-7 (P = 0.022, n = 7), and higher levels of Il-13 in the BALF (P = 0.006, n = 7) than those exposed to control towels (n = 6). After adjusting for sex and age, Il-7 and Il-13 levels were still associated with thirdhand vaping exposure (P = 0.010 and P = 0.017, respectively). This study provides further evidence that thirdhand ENDS aerosols can contaminate surfaces, and subsequently influence lung and systemic health upon exposure.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136067761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bisphenols (BPs) are endocrine disruptors (EDCs) that produce hormone effects and other toxic effects. Due to their widespread use, BPs enter into the environment, such as rivers, and hence may accumulate in aquatic organisms. In this study, we investigated the tissue-specific bioaccumulation of BPs in different wild fish species in the North and West Rivers of the Pearl River system, South China, and assessed the human health risks via fish consumption. Firstly, the pretreatment method for 15 BPs in different fish tissues (muscle, liver, bile, plasma, intestine, and stomach) was established, and the target BPs were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The total concentration of BPs in surface water was up to 1,530 ng/L. Bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol F (BPF) were the dominant ingredients. BPs were widely detected in fish tissues. Among them, BPF had the highest detection efficiency and the concentration in fish muscle and liver tissues were 401 and 6,257 ng/g ww, respectively. BPA and BPAF had the highest detection efficiencies, with concentrations of 434 and 357 ng/g ww in intestine, respectively, and of 14 and 26 ng/g ww in stomach, respectively. BPA had the highest detection efficiency and concentration in fish bile up to 17,160 ng/mL. BPAF had the highest detection efficiency and concentration of 8 ng/g ww in fish plasma. Liver and intestine showed log bioaccumulation factors up to 6.93 L/kg, exhibiting high bioaccumulation ability for BPs into biota. The hazard quotients of human exposure risks of BPA via consumption of fish muscle were in the range of 4.97 × 10-4-8.97 × 10-4, indicating a low health risk of BPA through daily fish consumption.
{"title":"Tissue-specific bioaccumulation and health risks of bisphenols in wild fish from West and North Rivers, South China","authors":"Yue-Hong Liu, Jun-Wei Huang, Zheng Huang, Yu-Xian Mei, Jian-Liang Zhao, Guang-Guo Ying","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.26","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.26","url":null,"abstract":"Bisphenols (BPs) are endocrine disruptors (EDCs) that produce hormone effects and other toxic effects. Due to their widespread use, BPs enter into the environment, such as rivers, and hence may accumulate in aquatic organisms. In this study, we investigated the tissue-specific bioaccumulation of BPs in different wild fish species in the North and West Rivers of the Pearl River system, South China, and assessed the human health risks via fish consumption. Firstly, the pretreatment method for 15 BPs in different fish tissues (muscle, liver, bile, plasma, intestine, and stomach) was established, and the target BPs were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The total concentration of BPs in surface water was up to 1,530 ng/L. Bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol F (BPF) were the dominant ingredients. BPs were widely detected in fish tissues. Among them, BPF had the highest detection efficiency and the concentration in fish muscle and liver tissues were 401 and 6,257 ng/g ww, respectively. BPA and BPAF had the highest detection efficiencies, with concentrations of 434 and 357 ng/g ww in intestine, respectively, and of 14 and 26 ng/g ww in stomach, respectively. BPA had the highest detection efficiency and concentration in fish bile up to 17,160 ng/mL. BPAF had the highest detection efficiency and concentration of 8 ng/g ww in fish plasma. Liver and intestine showed log bioaccumulation factors up to 6.93 L/kg, exhibiting high bioaccumulation ability for BPs into biota. The hazard quotients of human exposure risks of BPA via consumption of fish muscle were in the range of 4.97 × 10-4-8.97 × 10-4, indicating a low health risk of BPA through daily fish consumption.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135995182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides the ability to generate inclusive and comprehensive population-level health assessments of communities. Recent work suggests these inherent benefits of WBE can serve to support vulnerable communities worldwide, such as migrant populations. The topic of forced migration has gained significant attention in recent decades as conflict and climate change events have increasingly become major drivers of migration around the world. However, information on the health of displaced populations during times of active mobility is lacking due to several logistical and ethical challenges using conventional methods. As environmental, political, and humanitarian conditions continue to evolve, it appears necessary to pursue alternative and adaptable approaches to acquire the health status of such dynamic and vulnerable populations. Here, we propose a call to action to apply WBE in migrant populations to offer inclusive and minimally invasive health assessments in order to: (1) close data gaps in the health information of displaced populations actively traveling along migratory pathways; and (2) promote greater efficacy in deployed interventions. Suggestions to pursue urgent migrant-specific health priorities are proposed, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR), infectious diseases, and malnutrition, along with considerations to promote ethically sound investigation. Overall, these recommendations may serve as a foundation to support subsequent investigation, with the purpose of encouraging global collaboration to offer new insights into the health of migrant and/or forcibly displaced populations.
{"title":"Considerations for conducting wastewater-based public health assessments in migrant populations","authors":"Devin A. Bowes, Muhammad H. Zaman","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.24","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.24","url":null,"abstract":"Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) provides the ability to generate inclusive and comprehensive population-level health assessments of communities. Recent work suggests these inherent benefits of WBE can serve to support vulnerable communities worldwide, such as migrant populations. The topic of forced migration has gained significant attention in recent decades as conflict and climate change events have increasingly become major drivers of migration around the world. However, information on the health of displaced populations during times of active mobility is lacking due to several logistical and ethical challenges using conventional methods. As environmental, political, and humanitarian conditions continue to evolve, it appears necessary to pursue alternative and adaptable approaches to acquire the health status of such dynamic and vulnerable populations. Here, we propose a call to action to apply WBE in migrant populations to offer inclusive and minimally invasive health assessments in order to: (1) close data gaps in the health information of displaced populations actively traveling along migratory pathways; and (2) promote greater efficacy in deployed interventions. Suggestions to pursue urgent migrant-specific health priorities are proposed, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR), infectious diseases, and malnutrition, along with considerations to promote ethically sound investigation. Overall, these recommendations may serve as a foundation to support subsequent investigation, with the purpose of encouraging global collaboration to offer new insights into the health of migrant and/or forcibly displaced populations.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136114374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Chemicals in personal care products: an important but understudied exposure source for both the human body and ecosystems","authors":"Nan Lin","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.31","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.31","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135198069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rui He, Long-miao Yuan, Yufeng Jiang, Zhanrong Jia, W. Ding, Zhongwei Yang
Since OCPs with different historical usage and atmospheric input may show varied environmental behaviors and risks to the local residents and relevant research on underdeveloped areas in the middle latitudes of China is lacking, it is essential to classify the contamination status and sources of OCPs from these middle latitudes areas and to evaluate the related health risks to humans. Fifty soil samples were collected and analyzed within five cities in the Hexi Corridor in Northwest China. The ranges of ∑24OCPs, ∑DDTs, and ∑HCHs concentrations in the soil samples were 23.1-393 ng/g, 4.96-167 ng/g, and 3.40-97.5 ng/g, respectively. The residual OCPs in soil were dominated by DDTs and HCHs, accounting for 38.7% and 16.1% of ∑24OCPs. Source analysis shows that the HCHs come from historical application and possible recent pesticide use, and DDTs are mainly from early application residues that formed in aerobic environments created by agriculture ploughing, which aerates the soil. The risk assessment showed that the soil in the Hexi Corridor may have a potential risk of residual OCPs, and the carcinogenic risk (CR) was 1.90 × 10-7-6.12 × 10-7 for adults and 5.6 × 10-7-1.8 × 10-6 for children, but the hazardous index (HI) was 0.0093 to 0.2817 for adults and 0.032 to 0.932 for children. Only a few samples showed values higher than the acceptable range for children. Therefore, in this study area, there is a low health risk to local residents. Nevertheless, our results provide a strong rationale for ongoing risk assessment and management and, hopefully, eradication of OCPs in the environment.
{"title":"Pollution status, distribution, source analysis, and risk assessment of OCPs in soil from the Hexi Corridor in Northwest China","authors":"Rui He, Long-miao Yuan, Yufeng Jiang, Zhanrong Jia, W. Ding, Zhongwei Yang","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.22","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.22","url":null,"abstract":"Since OCPs with different historical usage and atmospheric input may show varied environmental behaviors and risks to the local residents and relevant research on underdeveloped areas in the middle latitudes of China is lacking, it is essential to classify the contamination status and sources of OCPs from these middle latitudes areas and to evaluate the related health risks to humans. Fifty soil samples were collected and analyzed within five cities in the Hexi Corridor in Northwest China. The ranges of ∑24OCPs, ∑DDTs, and ∑HCHs concentrations in the soil samples were 23.1-393 ng/g, 4.96-167 ng/g, and 3.40-97.5 ng/g, respectively. The residual OCPs in soil were dominated by DDTs and HCHs, accounting for 38.7% and 16.1% of ∑24OCPs. Source analysis shows that the HCHs come from historical application and possible recent pesticide use, and DDTs are mainly from early application residues that formed in aerobic environments created by agriculture ploughing, which aerates the soil. The risk assessment showed that the soil in the Hexi Corridor may have a potential risk of residual OCPs, and the carcinogenic risk (CR) was 1.90 × 10-7-6.12 × 10-7 for adults and 5.6 × 10-7-1.8 × 10-6 for children, but the hazardous index (HI) was 0.0093 to 0.2817 for adults and 0.032 to 0.932 for children. Only a few samples showed values higher than the acceptable range for children. Therefore, in this study area, there is a low health risk to local residents. Nevertheless, our results provide a strong rationale for ongoing risk assessment and management and, hopefully, eradication of OCPs in the environment.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48418329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
María Barberá-Riera, R. Llanos, M. Barneo-Muñoz, L. Bijlsma, A. Celma, Iñaki Comas, B. Gomila, F. González-Candelas, Rafael Goterris-Cerisuelo, Fernando Martínez-García, Ernesto Santateresa, M. Torres-Puente, N. Zamorano-López, Rafael Bretón-Ramos, Eduardo Aguilar-Perdiguer, M. Rebagliato, J. Bellido-Blasco, Félix Hernández
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) wastewater surveillance has become an increasingly important tool since the initial moments of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, mainly conducted at a large population scale. However, the large-sized sewersheds may not provide suitable information for monitoring localized outbreaks. After the declaration of a community COVID-19 outbreak in two neighborhoods of Castellón (Spain), SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels were monitored in wastewater samples. Moreover, genomic sequencing was performed. Thirty-three samples were collected in 2020, distributed over three points of the sewage network, two of which were close to the areas where the cases were declared. The third point was located at the inlet of the municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The samples were analyzed by RT-qPCR, using specific N1 and N2 target regions. The sum of confirmed cases, with the date of symptoms onset within the 3 weeks before each sampling day, was calculated. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected on most days in the two sampling points at neighborhood level, and the detection became negative when the number of cases with symptoms onset during the last 21 days in the study areas decreased to 0 or 1 case. The genomic sequencing performed for RNA from wastewater and clinical samples showed the same variant. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 and the subsequent non-detection provided the epidemiologists in charge of controlling the outbreak with useful information to confirm its closure, complementing the clinical and epidemiological data. Our findings illustrate the value of wastewater surveillance for localized outbreaks, especially in situations of low incidence of COVID-19 at the broader community level.
{"title":"Wastewater monitoring of a community COVID-19 outbreak in a Spanish municipality","authors":"María Barberá-Riera, R. Llanos, M. Barneo-Muñoz, L. Bijlsma, A. Celma, Iñaki Comas, B. Gomila, F. González-Candelas, Rafael Goterris-Cerisuelo, Fernando Martínez-García, Ernesto Santateresa, M. Torres-Puente, N. Zamorano-López, Rafael Bretón-Ramos, Eduardo Aguilar-Perdiguer, M. Rebagliato, J. Bellido-Blasco, Félix Hernández","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.05","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.05","url":null,"abstract":"Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) wastewater surveillance has become an increasingly important tool since the initial moments of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, mainly conducted at a large population scale. However, the large-sized sewersheds may not provide suitable information for monitoring localized outbreaks. After the declaration of a community COVID-19 outbreak in two neighborhoods of Castellón (Spain), SARS-CoV-2 RNA levels were monitored in wastewater samples. Moreover, genomic sequencing was performed. Thirty-three samples were collected in 2020, distributed over three points of the sewage network, two of which were close to the areas where the cases were declared. The third point was located at the inlet of the municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The samples were analyzed by RT-qPCR, using specific N1 and N2 target regions. The sum of confirmed cases, with the date of symptoms onset within the 3 weeks before each sampling day, was calculated. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected on most days in the two sampling points at neighborhood level, and the detection became negative when the number of cases with symptoms onset during the last 21 days in the study areas decreased to 0 or 1 case. The genomic sequencing performed for RNA from wastewater and clinical samples showed the same variant. The detection of SARS-CoV-2 and the subsequent non-detection provided the epidemiologists in charge of controlling the outbreak with useful information to confirm its closure, complementing the clinical and epidemiological data. Our findings illustrate the value of wastewater surveillance for localized outbreaks, especially in situations of low incidence of COVID-19 at the broader community level.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46724832","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The worldwide production and usage of novel flame retardants increase their exposure to non-human fauna. Animals can accumulate and metabolize these novel flame retardants including novel halogenated flame retardants (NHFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), which is of considerable significance to their internal exposure and final toxicities. In this review, recent studies on the metabolic pathways and kinetics of the two classes of novel flame retardants and the internal exposure and toxicity of their major metabolites are summarized. The results showed that the metabolic pathways of OPFRs were similar among various animals, while the metabolism kinetics (or toxicokinetics) were variable among species. O-dealkylation, hydroxylation and phase II conjunction were the most likely pathways for OPFRs. NHFRs might be metabolized through the pathways of debromination, hydroxylation, dealkylation, and phase II conjunction. We also suggested that di-alkyl phosphates (DAPs) and hydroxylated OPFRs (OH-OPFRs) were the predominant metabolites in the animal body. DAPs, 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoic acid (TBBA) and 2-ethylhexyl tetrabromophthalate (TBMEHP) have relatively higher internal exposure levels in fauna, which might attribute to their high conversion rate and stability in the body. The metabolism of OPFRs and NHFRs in non-human animals may eliminate their acute toxicity but not their chronic toxicities (especially for endocrine-disrupting effects), which suggests attention should also be paid to the major metabolites. Based on the issues mentioned above, we proposed that the metabolic processes in multitrophic organisms, the transfer of major metabolites across the food web, and the co-exposure of the novel flame retardants and their metabolites in fauna are worth studying in the future.
{"title":"The metabolism of novel flame retardants and the internal exposure and toxicity of their major metabolites in fauna - a review","authors":"Rui Hou, Chuansheng Sun, Siqi Zhang, Qianyi Huang, Shan Liu, Lang Lin, Hengxiang Li, Xiangrong Xu","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.08","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.08","url":null,"abstract":"The worldwide production and usage of novel flame retardants increase their exposure to non-human fauna. Animals can accumulate and metabolize these novel flame retardants including novel halogenated flame retardants (NHFRs) and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), which is of considerable significance to their internal exposure and final toxicities. In this review, recent studies on the metabolic pathways and kinetics of the two classes of novel flame retardants and the internal exposure and toxicity of their major metabolites are summarized. The results showed that the metabolic pathways of OPFRs were similar among various animals, while the metabolism kinetics (or toxicokinetics) were variable among species. O-dealkylation, hydroxylation and phase II conjunction were the most likely pathways for OPFRs. NHFRs might be metabolized through the pathways of debromination, hydroxylation, dealkylation, and phase II conjunction. We also suggested that di-alkyl phosphates (DAPs) and hydroxylated OPFRs (OH-OPFRs) were the predominant metabolites in the animal body. DAPs, 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoic acid (TBBA) and 2-ethylhexyl tetrabromophthalate (TBMEHP) have relatively higher internal exposure levels in fauna, which might attribute to their high conversion rate and stability in the body. The metabolism of OPFRs and NHFRs in non-human animals may eliminate their acute toxicity but not their chronic toxicities (especially for endocrine-disrupting effects), which suggests attention should also be paid to the major metabolites. Based on the issues mentioned above, we proposed that the metabolic processes in multitrophic organisms, the transfer of major metabolites across the food web, and the co-exposure of the novel flame retardants and their metabolites in fauna are worth studying in the future.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67658082","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Air pollution is a major environmental and public health issue in urban areas. Biomonitoring using trees has been widely used to determine atmospheric pollution due to its advantages of low cost, high spatial distribution, and accumulation of a wide range of air contaminants. However, challenges exist in applying the data obtained from biomonitoring trees, including differences in pollutant concentrations in samples of the same species from different locations, and the influence of biological and environmental parameters on metal accumulation. This study aims to inform the design of biomonitoring sampling for urban air quality studies and increase their applications to exposure assessment. Specifically, the study evaluates the variation in metal concentration in tree organs of two regionally relevant tree species (Picea pungens and Populus Alba), explores the implications of different aspects of field sampling, such as variation within tree stands, tree age, and develops a reference specimen to establish threshold values for differentiating between background levels and increased exposure. The results provide insight into the complexity of using biomonitoring trees for exposure assessment and the importance of considering multiple factors in study design.
{"title":"Variation in metal concentration across tree organs and stands: implications for reference specimen development","authors":"G. O’Sullivan, Kevin Hayes, Alex Ursino, E. Hart","doi":"10.20517/jeea.2023.09","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.20517/jeea.2023.09","url":null,"abstract":"Air pollution is a major environmental and public health issue in urban areas. Biomonitoring using trees has been widely used to determine atmospheric pollution due to its advantages of low cost, high spatial distribution, and accumulation of a wide range of air contaminants. However, challenges exist in applying the data obtained from biomonitoring trees, including differences in pollutant concentrations in samples of the same species from different locations, and the influence of biological and environmental parameters on metal accumulation. This study aims to inform the design of biomonitoring sampling for urban air quality studies and increase their applications to exposure assessment. Specifically, the study evaluates the variation in metal concentration in tree organs of two regionally relevant tree species (Picea pungens and Populus Alba), explores the implications of different aspects of field sampling, such as variation within tree stands, tree age, and develops a reference specimen to establish threshold values for differentiating between background levels and increased exposure. The results provide insight into the complexity of using biomonitoring trees for exposure assessment and the importance of considering multiple factors in study design.","PeriodicalId":73738,"journal":{"name":"Journal of environmental exposure assessment","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"67658127","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}