The relationship between maternal perfluoroalkylated substances exposure and low birth weight of offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Some studies have shown that maternal perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) exposure may be associated with low birth weight (LBW) of offspring. We...     

The association between diazinon exposure and dyslipidemia occurrence: a systematic and meta-analysis study

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The effects of diazinon (DZN), an organophosphate pesticide, on lipid profiles have been extensively reported. However, controversy on this issue...     

The relationship between persistent organic pollutants in maternal and neonatal tissues and immune responses to allergens: A novel exploratory study

BACKGROUND: Modern persistent organic pollutants (POPs) contamination are logical candidates in the investigation of the, as yet, unexplained association between allergic disease and progressive industrialisation. POPs have been detected in human cord blood, placental tissues and breast milk, and the reported association between cord blood IgE levels and cord/placental POP levels has raised concerns about potential immunological effects in early life. METHODS: The initial aim of this study was to determine if POPs were detectable in maternal blood, cord blood, placental tissues, adipose tissue and breast milk samples from randomly selected Western Australian women (n = 31), where allergic disease is epidemic. Gas chromatography was used to detect polychlorinated biphenyl compounds [PCBs] (as Aroclor 1232, 1254, 1260) and organochlorine (OC) pesticides, including p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), lindane, heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin and chlordane. Secondly, we assessed the relationship between POP levels detected in vivo and maternal and neonatal responses (cytokine and lymphoproliferation) to allergens and mitogens. RESULTS: Low level POP contamination was detected in adipose tissue and breast milk (but not in cord blood, maternal blood or placental tissues). The most ubiquitous compound found in over 90% of adipose tissues samples was a OC metabolite of DDT, p,p'-DDE (median 0.07 mg/kg; interquartile range [IQR] 0.05-0.12). However, the majority of other OC compounds were not detectable and PCB were not detectable in any samples. The three main residues detected in breast milk were p,p'-DDE (0.003 mg/l; 0.001-0.009), dieldrin (0.001 mg/l; 0.001-0.046) and HCB (0.001 mg/l; 0.001-0.001). These levels are significantly lower than reported over 20 years ago. There were no consistent relationships between POP levels in vivo and maternal or infant responses, with the exception of a significant inverse association (Spearman rank correlation: r = -0.406, p = 0.049) between maternal adipose tissue levels of OC p,p'-DDE and maternal T helper cell Type 1 interferon [IFN] gamma to mitogens. CONCLUSION: This study provides the first evidence (in Australia) since the early 1990's that adipose OC levels have continued to fall. The negligible levels in this randomly selected group are significantly lower than those previously recorded, suggesting that POP contamination (at biologically relevant levels) is not likely to be a major contributing factor in the increasing rates of allergy in Western Australia. However, the relationship between Th1 immune function and OC contamination is consistent with other reports and is worth investigating as a relevant factor in populations where OC contamination is greater.     

The association between maternal perfluoroalkyl substances exposure and early attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Some studies have shown that maternal exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may be associated with early attention deficit hyperactivity...     

Effects of prenatal exposure to bisphenols on newborn leucocyte telomere length: a prospective birth cohort study in China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Telomere length (TL) at birth is related to diseases that may arise in the future and long-term health. Bisphenols exhibit toxic effects and can cross...     

The association between bisphenol A exposure and type-2 diabetes: a world systematic review

The present study was conducted to systematically review, analyze, and interpret all the relevant evidence in the literature on the possible link between exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) and the risk of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We developed a comprehensive search strategy and used it to search Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar up to March 31, 2016, producing 3108 hits, of which 13 original papers were included. Findings of these studies were quite controversial; few studies indicated a significant positive association between BPA exposure and T2DM, while some other failed to detect such a relationship. Overall, it can be suggested that chance is unlikely the plausible explanation for the observed association between BPA exposure and T2DM. This was mainly because even in the negative studies some clues could be found in favor of a statistically significant relationship between BPA and T2DM. Additionally, some of the studies had shortcomings in defining the exposure and outcome measures, which, if present, might have led to underestimating the relationship between BPA exposure and T2DM. The theoretical plausibility of such a relationship found earlier in animal studies also supports this point. However, more definitive answer requires the conduct of future longitudinal studies, in which the possible association between BPA exposure and T2DM is assessed over much longer periods of time with more temporally robust BPA measurements. In addition, it would be quite beneficial if future studies be conducted in areas where data is still lacking (e.g., South America, Australia/Oceania, and Europe).

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Association between air pollution exposure and gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women: a retrospective cohort study

The global prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing annually, and previous research reports on the relationship between exposure to air pollutants and GDM are not completely consistent. We investigated the association between air pollutant exposure and GDM in pregnant women in a retrospective cohort study in Guangzhou. We found that in the first trimester, exposure to PM_2.5 and CO showed a significant association with GDM. In the second trimester, exposure to PM₁₀ was significantly associated with GDM. In the third trimester, exposure to PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, SO₂, and CO at IQR4 (odds ratio [OR]?=?1.271, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.179–1.370; OR?=?1.283, 95% CI: 1.191–1.383; OR?=?1.230, 95% CI: 1.145–1.322; OR?=?1.408, 95% CI: 1.303–1.522; OR?=?1.150, 95% CI: 1.067–1.240, respectively) compared with IQR1 was positively associated with GDM. However, exposure to NO₂ was negatively associated with GDM in the first and second trimesters, and O₃ was negatively associated with GDM in the second and third trimesters. We found that the correlation between air pollutants and GDM in different trimesters of pregnancy was not completely consistent in this retrospective cohort study. During pregnancy, there may be an interaction between air pollutant exposure and other factors, such as pregnant women’s age, occupation, anemia status, pregnancy-induced hypertension status, and pregnancy season.

     

The association between total urinary arsenic concentration and renal dysfunction in a community-based population from central Taiwan

Arsenic (As) is an important environmental toxicant that can cause cancer and cardiovascular disease, but the relationship between As exposure and renal dysfunction is not clear. The aim of this study is to examine the association between As exposure and renal dysfunction in a community-based population in central Taiwan. One thousand and forty-three subjects were recruited between 2002 and 2005. The risk for type 2 diabetes was increased by 2-fold (p < 0.05) in subjects with total urinary As (U-As) > 75 μg g⁻¹ creatinine as compared with subjects whose U-As was ?35 μg g⁻¹ creatinine after the adjustment for potential confounders. The adjusted odds ratio for an abnormal β2 microglobulin (B2MG > 0.154 mg L⁻¹) was significantly higher in subjects with U-As > 35 μg g⁻¹ creatinine as compared with the reference group adjusted for age, sex, living area, cigarette smoking, diabetes, and hypertension. The risk for abnormal B2MG and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR < 90 mL min⁻¹ (1.73 m²)⁻¹) was both increased around 2-fold (p < 0.05) in subjects with U-As > 75 μg g⁻¹ creatinine as compared with those with U-As ? 35 μg g⁻¹ creatinine adjusted for all the risk factors plus lead (Pb), cadmium and nickel. The prevalence of abnormal B2MG was 4.82 times higher in subjects with both over the median levels of U-As (85.1 μg L⁻¹) and urinary Pb (18.9 μg L⁻¹) as compared to both lower than the median (p < 0.001). These results indicate that U-As might relate to renal dysfunction even other important risk factors were taken into account. Follow-up studies for causal inference are warranted.     

基于层次分析法-熵权法的污染地块异味污染物优先度评价方法——以农药类污染地块为例

土壤中异味污染物的风险管控已成为我国农药化工等行业污染地块环境管理的迫切需求。为筛查土壤优先控制异味污染物,研究基于土壤中挥发性异味污染物的迁移、暴露过程和危害效应的系统量化与分析,建立了污染地块异味污染物优先度评价指标体系;采用层次分析法-熵权法确定指标综合评价权重,分析了异味污染物优先度的影响因素,并选取3个农药类案例地块进行验证性评价。结果表明,构成地块异味污染物优先度排序指标体系第二层次的4个准则中,影响程度从高到低为：危害性、迁移性、防护性与暴露性;第三层次15个要素主客观综合权重范围为0.033 6~0.149 6,其中嗅阈值权重最高。案例地块异味污染物基于层次分析法-熵权法的优先度评价等级与基于实测数据通过异味活度值和健康风险影响评价的等级具有一致性。本研究结果可为异味污染地块优先控制异味污染物的筛查提供参考。     

The influence of light exposure,water quality and vegetation on the removal of sulfonamides and tetracyclines: A laboratory-scale study

The effect of aquatic vegetation (Spyrogira sp. and Zannichellia palustris), light exposure and water quality (secondary-treated wastewater vs. ultrapure water) on the removal efficiency of six antibiotics (sulfonamides and tetracyclines) is studied in laboratory-scale reactors. After 20 d of treatment, 3–59% of sulfonamides were eliminated in the reactors exposed to light. Removal was about 10% in unplanted reactors in darkness. The elimination of tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC) ranged between 83% and 97% in both planted and unplanted reactors. However, in dark unplanted reactors, OTC was largely removed (88%) while only 15% of TC was eliminated. These results suggest that TC was mainly removed by photodegradation whereas biodegradation or hydrolysis process seems to be significant processes for OTC. Sulfonamides were mainly eliminated by biodegradation or indirect photodegradation processes. Pseudo-first order kinetics removal rates ranged from 0.003 and 0.007 d^?1 for Sulfamethazine and TC in the covered control reactors to 0.13 and 0.21 d^?1 for TC and OTC in the uncovered control reactors, with half-lives from 3 to 350 d. A TC photodegradation product was tentatively identified in uncovered reactors. This study highlights the important role played by light exposure in the elimination of antibiotics in polishing ponds.     

Pesticide risk assessment: A study on inhalation and dermal exposure to 2,4-D and paraquat among Malaysian paddy farmers

A cross-section analytical study was conducted to evaluate the risk of pesticide exposure to those applying the Class II pesticides 2,4-D and paraquat in the paddy-growing areas of Kerian, Perak, Malaysia. It investigated the influence of weather on exposure as well as documented health problems commonly related to pesticide exposure. Potential inhalation and dermal exposure for 140 paddy farmers (handlers of pesticides) were assessed. Results showed that while temperature and humidity affected exposure, windspeed had the strongest impact on pesticide exposure via inhalation. However, the degree of exposure to both herbicides via inhalation was below the permissible exposure limits set by United States National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Dermal Exposure Assessment Method (DREAM) readings showed that dermal exposure with manual spraying ranged from moderate to high. With motorized sprayers, however, the level of dermal exposure ranged from low to moderate. Dermal exposure was significantly negatively correlated with the usage of protective clothing. Various types of deleterious health effects were detected among users of manual knapsack sprayers. Long-term spraying activities were positively correlated with increasing levels of the gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) liver enzyme. The type of spraying equipment, usage of proper protective clothing and adherence to correct spraying practices were found to be the most important factors influencing the degree of pesticide exposure among those applying pesticides.     

Links between food trade,climate change and food security in developed countries: A case study of Sweden

Food security is a global concern affecting even highly developed countries. Ongoing globalisation of food systems, characterised by trading interdependencies, means that agricultural production can be disrupted by climate change, affecting food availability. This study investigated Sweden’s food security by identifying major food import categories and associated trade partners (using the World Integrated Trade System database) and vulnerability to frictions in trade deriving from climate change. Vulnerability was assessed through three indicators: exposure based on diversity of sources, dominance and direct trade from supplying countries; sensitivity, assessed using the Climate Risk Index, and adaptive capacity, assessed using the Fragile State Index. The results revealed that Sweden’s grain imports may be most vulnerable, and animal products least vulnerable, to climate change. Management strategies based on this preliminary assessment can be developed by integrating climate vulnerability deriving from food trading into the ‘Gravity’ model, to improve prediction of trade flows.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01623-w.     

A study on PCB, PCDD/PCDF industrial contamination in a mixed urban-agricultural area significantly affecting the food chain and the human exposure. Part I: soil and feed

This study deals with a PCB, PCDD and PCDF contamination in Brescia, a city in the North-West of Italy, affecting an area with about 11000 inhabitants. The area is close to an industrial plant that produced, in total, some 31,000 ton of PCB. A relevant part of the polluted area is agricultural soil, where cattle were fed with polluted forage and farmers were consuming their own products, so that contamination led eventually to human exposure. Total levels of PCDD/Fs varied from 8 to 592 pgTE(WHO)/g for soil samples and when the dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) are included, the levels varied from 14.6 to 1033.7 pgTE(WHO)/g. In several cases, the legal limit was exceeded by more than one order of magnitude, with the highest contamination in some agricultural areas and in the surrounding zones. For the forage samples, total levels of PCDD/Fs varied from 0.29 to 2.04 pgTE(WHO)/g and, when dl-PCBs are included, this range increased from 2.04 to 4.75 pgTE(WHO)/g. PCB contamination of the forage through vapor condensation seemed to be relevant. The toxic contribution of dl-PCBs is always relevant and must be considered for risk management. The main component of the contamination source is probably a heavy PCB mixture, such as Aroclor 1262. The study dealt generally with the contamination transfer of PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs from soil up to humans across the food chain. Results on soils and forages are shown, while measurements concerning the contamination of the animals fed with contaminated forage, and the exposure of the farmers (through human serum analyses), as compared to general population, will be reported in a dedicated paper.     

The effect of soil organic matter on fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil: A microcosm study

A microcosm study was conducted to address the influences of air-soil partition and sequestration on the fate of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in soil. Sterilized and unsterilized soils with soil organic carbon (SOC) content ranging from 0.23 to 7.06% were incubated in a chamber with six PAHs supplied through air. After 100 d of incubation when the system approached pseudo-steady state, the PAHs concentrations in the unsterilized soils still correlated with SOC significantly, while the association did not exist for those sterilized. The lower degradation rate in the soil with higher SOC was likely the major reason for the association between SOC and PAHs concentrations, while the decreased surface porosity likely suppressed such correlation for the sterilized samples. The results indicated that the sequestration was likely the major mechanism for the accumulation of PAHs in soils, while both of the soil porosity and PAHs properties had observed influences.     

Impact of atmospheric deposition on the status of planted Norway spruce stands: A comparative study between sites in southern Sweden and the northeastern Czech Republic

Six Norway spruce stands (Picea abies L.) in southern Sweden and six in the northeastern Czech Republic, 12 stands in total, were selected for short-term investigations during the summer and autumn of 1991. In each of the plots, an assessment of foliar damage and dendrometric measurement of the trees was made. Soil and leaf samples were collected and analyzed for their chemical composition. After statistical evaluation of the most important correlations, it was concluded that the main cause of tree damage in both countries was through the acidification of the soils. In both countries, but especially in the Czech Republic, heavy metal accumulation in the humus layer was observed. The main results of the study were the discovery of the similarity of damage processes in the two countries, despite the differences in their geographic location and ambient air pollution levels     

膜强化污水病毒去除效能：厌氧和好氧膜生物反应器的对比

城市污水处理系统作为人类生活排水的主要收纳者,是人类肠道病毒的重要储存库,也是肠道病毒进入水环境的重要途径。膜生物反应器在保证出水水质稳定的前提下,同时强化了污水中病毒的削减。但是,目前对好氧(aerobic membrane bioreactors, AeMBR)和厌氧(anaerobic membrane bioreactors, AnMBR)膜生物反应器在削减病毒效能和机制方面的差异了解较少。基于此,本研究对比了AeMBR和AnMBR在同一工况下对城市污水中病毒的去除效能,并探究了污泥吸附病毒,病毒在污泥混合液中的灭活及膜污染对病毒截留的差异。结果表明,AeMBR和AnMBR对城市污水中的病毒去除效率均能达到3 log,但在去除机制上存在差异。AeMBR对病毒的去除率在反应器运行初期迅速上升至2 log,而AnMBR对病毒的去除率随着膜污染的加剧而提高,且和TMP有显著相关性(r=0.81,P<0.05)。厌氧污泥的病毒吸附能力高于好氧污泥,而好氧污泥混合液中病毒的灭活速率高于厌氧污泥混合液。泥饼层是膜生物反应器的膜污染组分中截留病毒的主要贡献者。以单位膜阻力对病毒截留效率为计算依据,AeMBR的膜污染各组分中不可逆污染和原始膜的单位膜阻力对病毒截留效率最大,AnMBR的膜污染的孔道有机污堵物的单位膜阻力对病毒截留效率最大。     

农户对农业面源污染认知及其环境友好型生产行为的差异分析——以江西省袁河流域化肥施用为例

农户是农业面源污染排放的主体,农户对农业面源污染认知与其环境友好型生产行为对农业面源污染防治具有重要影响。对江西省袁河流域263个农户进行问卷调查,考察了农户对农业面源污染的认知和及其施肥行为,采用双变量Probit模型对农户的农业面源污染认知与环境友好型生产行为的差异性进行检验。结果表明,农户对农业面源污染的认知程度较低,大部分农户在农业生产中并未考虑化肥施用行为对环境的影响。农户受教育程度、从事农业生产年限、农业收入在家庭收入中的比例等因素解释了农业面源污染认知与环境友好型生产行为的差异性。加强农业环境保护宣传和农业技术培训、促进土地的规模经营、实现规模化集约化管理,是加快环境友好型农业发展,从源头控制农业面源污染的重要举措。     

Association between micronuclei frequency in pollen mother cells of Tradescantia and mortality due to cancer and cardiovascular diseases: A preliminary study in Sao José dos Campos, Brazil

The present study was designed to explore the correlation between the frequency of micronuclei in Trad-MN, measured across 28 biomonitoring stations during the period comprised between 11 of May and 2 of October, 2006, and adjusted mortality rates due to cardiovascular, respiratory diseases and cancer in Sao José dos Campos, Brazil, an area with different sources of air pollution. For controlling purposes, mortality rate due to gastrointestinal diseases (an event less prone to be affected by air pollution) was also considered in the analysis. Spatial distribution of micronuclei frequency was determined using average interpolation. The association between health estimators and micronuclei frequency was determined by measures of Pearson's correlation. Higher frequencies of micronuclei were detected in areas with high traffic and close to a petrochemical pole. Significant associations were detected between micronuclei frequency and adjusted mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases (r = 0.841, p = 0.036) and cancer (r = 0.890, p = 0.018). The association between mortality due to chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases was positive but did not reach statistical significance (r = 0.640, p = 0.172), probably because of the small number of events. Gastrointestinal mortality did not exhibit significant association with micronuclei frequency. Because the small number of observations and the nature of an ecological study, the present findings must be considered with caution and considered as preliminary. Further studies, performed in different conditions of contamination and climate should be done before considering Trad-MN in the evaluation of human health risk imposed by air pollutants.     

The effect of elevated UV-B (280–320 nm) radiation levels on Silene vulgaris: A comparison between a highland and a lowland population

Highland (altitude 1600 m above sea level) and lowland (altitude −2 m below sea level) populations of the perennial herb Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke, were tested on their response to elevated levels of UV-B radiation. Highland populations typically receive high natural UV-B fluxes, whereas lowland populations receive a lower natural UV-B dose. Adaptation to high UV-B levels of the highland population is to be expected. Experimental comparison of growth rates, gas exchange rates, transpiration and biochemical parameters using adult plants as well as seedlings did not show a difference in the response to elevated UV-B levels between the two populations. Individuals of both populations were relatively insensitive to elevated UV-B radiation. The response of alpine and lowland populations of Silene vulgaris is discussed in relation to the dispersal of this species after the last ice age.     

Minor crops for export: A case study of boscalid,pyraclostrobin, lufenuron and lambda-cyhalothrin residue levels on green beans and spring onions in Egypt

Dissipation rates of boscalid [2-chloro-N-(4′ -chlorobiphenyl-2-yl)nicotinamide], pyraclostrobin [methyl 2-[1-(4-chlorophenyl) pyrazol-3-yloxymethyl]-N-methoxycarbanilate], lufenuron [(RS)-1-[2,5-dichloro-4-(1,1,2,3,3,3-hexafluoropropoxy)phenyl]-3-(2,6-difluorobenzoyl)urea] and λ-cyhalothrin [(R)-cyano(3-phenoxyphenyl)methyl (1S,3S)-rel-3-[(1Z)-2-chloro-3,3,3-trifluoro-1-propenyl]-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate] in green beans and spring onions under Egyptian field conditions were studied. Field trials were carried out in 2008 in a Blue Nile farm, located at 70 kilometer (km) from Cairo (Egypt). The pesticides were sprayed at the recommended rate and samples were collected at pre-determined intervals. After treatment (T₀) the pesticide residues in green beans were 7 times lower than in spring onions. This is due to a different structure of vegetable plant in the two crops. In spring onions, half-life (t_1/2) of pyraclostrobin and lufenuron was 3.1 days and 9.8 days respectively. At day 14th (T₁₄) after treatment boscalid residues were below the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) (0.34 versus 0.5 mg/kg), pyraclostrobin and λ -cyhalothrin residues were not detectable (ND), while lufenuron residues were above the MRL (0.06 versus 0.02 mg/kg). In green beans, at T₀, levels of boscalid, lufenuron and λ -cyhalothrin were below the MRL (0.28 versus 2 mg/kg; ND versus 0.02 mg/kg; 0.06 versus 0.2 mg/kg, respectively) while, after 7 days treatment (T₇) pyraclostrobin residues were above the MRL (0.03 versus 0.02 mg/kg). However, after 14 days the residue level could go below the MRL (0.02 mg/kg), as observed in spring onions.