Yoojin Cho, Yu Yu, Xinyu Zhang, Michael Kleeman, Michael Jerrett, Ninez A Ponce
{"title":"The Impact of Ambient Ozone Exposure on Respiratory Health in the U.S. Populations: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Yoojin Cho, Yu Yu, Xinyu Zhang, Michael Kleeman, Michael Jerrett, Ninez A Ponce","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00568-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40572-026-00568-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ozone, a photochemically generated air pollutant, continues to pose a major concern for public health in the United States, with some 125 million people living in areas that exceed national ambient air quality standards set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. To fully understand the potential impacts of ambient ozone exposure on respiratory health, we conducted a systematic review of United States epidemiologic and experimental studies published from 1980 to 2026, encompassing both acute and chronic exposure windows. This review focused on three key domains: (1) pulmonary function, (2) asthma-related symptoms and emergency department visits/hospitalizations, and (3) other respiratory-related morbidity and mortality. Findings across diverse study designs demonstrated adverse respiratory effects, with children, older adults, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions being disproportionately affected. This review is among the first to comprehensively synthesize ozone-related respiratory health outcomes including pulmonary functions outcomes across both experimental and population-based observational studies-highlighting consistent decrements in lung function, even at concentrations below current regulatory standards. Additionally, this work incorporated ozone-associated school absenteeism, a sensitive yet underexamined indicator for pediatric respiratory health outcome. The observed associations across multiple outcomes and exposure durations underscored the importance of strengthening ambient air quality standards and prioritizing interventions toward high-risk populations. Continued increases in ambient ozone exposure even in the presence of regulatory action and increasing contributions from sources related to climate change such as wildfires emphasize the importance of sustained research and public health planning to safeguard respiratory health in vulnerable communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13676670/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149215233","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kashif R Siddique, Debajyoti Bose, Riya Bhattacharya, Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, Surjendu Maity
{"title":"Pharmaceutical Pollution in India: Industrial Clustering, Environmental Hotspots, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Regulatory Gaps.","authors":"Kashif R Siddique, Debajyoti Bose, Riya Bhattacharya, Raul Villamarin Rodriguez, Surjendu Maity","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00565-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-026-00565-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Pharmaceutical pollution has emerged as a critical threat to environmental integrity and public health globally, with India occupying a uniquely prominent position as both the world's leading generic drug manufacturer and a major hotspot of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) contamination. This review synthesizes current evidence on the distribution, magnitude, and health consequences of pharmaceutical pollution across India's principal manufacturing clusters and river systems, with particular emphasis on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a downstream public health consequence.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Evidence environmental monitoring data, regulatory documentation, and case studies from Patancheru-Hyderabad (Telangana) and Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (Himachal Pradesh), we highlight evidence demonstrating that active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in pharmaceutical manufacturing hotspots frequently occur at concentrations far exceeding recommended environmental thresholds, while also documenting the occurrence of hazardous heavy metals and organic solvents in affected environments. We further assess the regulatory landscape, including the Environment (Protection) Act (1986), Biomedical Waste Management Rules (2016), Zero Liquid Discharge mandates, and recent CPCB draft guidelines (2025), and identify persistent structural gaps in monitoring, enforcement, and compound-specific discharge standards. The review concludes with evidence-based recommendations for strengthening surveillance frameworks, integrating ecological risk quotient approaches, and aligning Indian policy with emerging international standards. Addressing pharmaceutical pollution is not merely an environmental imperative but an essential component of the global effort to contain AMR, protect vulnerable populations, and achieve health sustainability in low- and middle-income countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149179828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Runcheng Fang, Scott Collingwood, Yue Zhang, Joseph B Stanford, Christina Porucznik, Darrah Sleeth
{"title":"Calibration of Low-Cost Particulate Matter Sensors for Exposure Assessment: A Critical Review.","authors":"Runcheng Fang, Scott Collingwood, Yue Zhang, Joseph B Stanford, Christina Porucznik, Darrah Sleeth","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00566-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-026-00566-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors make it possible to measure air pollution in homes, workplaces, and communities that are poorly represented by regulatory networks. Their readings, however, are sensitive to humidity, aerosol composition, concentration range, unit-to-unit variation, and aging. This review examines laboratory and field calibration evidence across environmental and occupational settings, emphasizing transferability and the consequences of calibration error for exposure assessment and health inference.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>The review identified 66 peer-reviewed studies published from 2015 to 2025, including 32 laboratory evaluations and 34 field studies. The median reported calibrated coefficient of determination (R²) was 0.92 (n = 31) for laboratory studies and 0.72 (n = 29) for field studies; the corresponding median root mean square errors (RMSEs) were 2.6 µg/m³ (n = 7) and 12.3 µg/m³ (n = 9). These values summarize a heterogeneous literature rather than a common pooled effect. Studies differed in aerosol mixture, comparison instrument, concentration range, averaging interval, and validation design. Relative humidity and temperature were considered in most studies. Machine-learning and hybrid models appeared more often in field work and sometimes lowered error, although independent validation across time, place, and sensor units was uneven. Calibration is not a universal correction that can be applied once and carried unchanged into any deployment. Laboratory testing is well suited to defining response limits, particle-size sensitivity, and unit variability. Field co-location is needed to determine how the same device behaves under the sources, weather, concentrations, and time scales relevant to a health study. Credible use in epidemiology or public-health decision-making also requires independent validation, planned checks for drift, and clear reporting of calibration uncertainty.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149165098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anirban Basu, Arijeet Mitra, Catherine M Lucey, Maia Kelly, Ana Navas-Acien, Kathrin Schilling
{"title":"Uranium Isotopes: From Geosciences to Biomedical Sciences.","authors":"Anirban Basu, Arijeet Mitra, Catherine M Lucey, Maia Kelly, Ana Navas-Acien, Kathrin Schilling","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00564-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40572-026-00564-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Current biomarkers of uranium (U) exposure do not distinguish among exposure sources or provide information on uranium accumulation within target organs. This review evaluates two complementary uranium isotope systems developed in geosciences and examines their potential as biomarkers of uranium exposure and biological processing.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Advances in multi-collector ICP-MS have established δ<sup>238</sup>U and uranium activity ratios or (<sup>234</sup>U/<sup>238</sup>U) as independent isotope tracers. Experimental studies show that δ<sup>238</sup>U fractionates during biological uptake, transport, and tissue retention, whereas uranium activity ratios remain largely unchanged after absorption and generally preserve environmental source signatures across groundwater, food webs, and biological systems. These complementary isotope systems provide information on both the origin of uranium exposure and its biological fate that cannot be obtained from concentration measurements alone. Although additional experimental validation and human studies are needed, existing analytical capabilities and mechanistic evidence support evaluating two uranium isotope tracers, δ<sup>238</sup>U and the activity ratio, as novel biomarkers of uranium exposure and biotransformation.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13649861/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149135342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Dafne Zorzetto, Emma Landry, Michele Guindani, Donatello Telesca, Valeria Edefonti, Roberta De Vito, Falco J Bargagli-Stoffi
{"title":"Bayesian Causal Methods for Environmental Accountability Studies with Heterogeneous Effects.","authors":"Dafne Zorzetto, Emma Landry, Michele Guindani, Donatello Telesca, Valeria Edefonti, Roberta De Vito, Falco J Bargagli-Stoffi","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00555-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40572-026-00555-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Environmental accountability studies evaluate whether regulatory interventions achieve their intended benefits. These studies fall into two broad categories: indirect accountability, which estimates the effects of exposure to higher levels of air pollution and uses them to indirectly predict policy impacts, and direct accountability, which evaluates specific interventions directly. The purpose of this review is to evaluate recent advances in causal inference and flexible Bayesian statistical modeling to support environmental accountability studies.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Recent studies, in both direct and indirect environmental accountability, deeply rely on causal inference to produce robust inferences and provide relevant and actionable insights to policy-makers and practitioners. In this context, heterogeneous treatment effects are central to both approaches as it is critically important to understand which subpopulations are most vulnerable (or resilient), requiring methods that can characterize effect variation. Bayesian nonparametric (BNP) methods have been proposed for this task due to their flexibility and ability to cluster units into coherent subgroups. We present a selection of BNP methods designed or adapted for each type of accountability, focusing on complementary approaches based on Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART) and Dependent Dirichlet Processes (DDP). Through Monte Carlo simulations, we compare these methods, identify their respective advantages, and provide recommendations for adoption and implementation in environmental accountability research.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13585896/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148988543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Erika Tam, Jeremy K Domen, Drew R Michanowicz, Misbath Daouda
{"title":"Toxic Air Contaminant Emissions from Residential and Commercial Fossil Gas Appliances: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Erika Tam, Jeremy K Domen, Drew R Michanowicz, Misbath Daouda","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00562-6","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40572-026-00562-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Gas appliances are increasingly recognized as sources of indoor toxic air contaminant (TAC) exposure, yet no prior review has systematically synthesized emission factor (EF) data across appliance types and fuels. We reviewed the literature to characterize TAC emissions from residential and commercial gas appliances, identify data gaps, and assess implications for regulation and public health.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Twenty-five studies met inclusion criteria. Evidence of nonzero emissions was identified for at least 41 TACs released through gas leakage and combustion pathways. Formaldehyde and benzene were the only compounds with sufficient data for quantitative characterization, with EFs varying by up to two orders of magnitude across studies and operating conditions. The literature was heavily concentrated on cooking stoves, while heaters, water heaters, and dryers were rarely studied. Emerging evidence suggests methane and carbon monoxide measurements may support inference-based estimation of leakage- and combustion-related TAC emissions. Gas appliances emit multiple carcinogenic and respiratory toxicants through both leakage and combustion. Expanded monitoring, standardized EF methodologies, and targeted measurement campaigns for understudied appliances are needed to support appliance standards, emissions inventories, and health-protective building decarbonization policies.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13578121/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148976017","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gabriel Okello, Frank Gramsen Kizza, Natasha O'Sullivan, Lambed Tatah, Tolu Oni
{"title":"Examining Data-Driven Approaches for Clean Air Advocacy in a Changing Climate: a Scoping Review.","authors":"Gabriel Okello, Frank Gramsen Kizza, Natasha O'Sullivan, Lambed Tatah, Tolu Oni","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00563-5","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40572-026-00563-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Air pollution remains a global public health and climate challenge, causing millions of premature deaths annually and disproportionately affecting marginalised communities. This scoping review examines how data-driven approaches have been used to advocate for clean air in the context of climate change, what methods exist for data mobilisation, enabling conditions, limitations, and whether there were any equity or health considerations.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Recent advances in low-cost monitoring, satellite data, and digital platforms have transformed the availability and granularity of air-quality data. However, how these diverse data sources are mobilised and used to influence policy, shape public discourse, and support community action remains poorly understood. Fifty studies from 41 countries and over 100 cities were included. Five categories of data-driven approaches were identified. These included sensor-based monitoring, modelling, digital platforms and data visualisation, community-centred approaches, and lived-experience assessments. Most studies (86%, n = 43) combined multiple data approaches. Data -driven approaches were used to generate and communicate evidence, support policy engagement, identify inequities, foster collaboration and mobilise communities. This review highlights the need to embed community co-production within monitoring efforts, align funding with long-term governance systems, and standardise open data platforms to ensure that clean-air initiatives are equitable, durable, and responsive to climate and health priorities.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13570917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148955101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Air Pollution and Heat Impacts on Respiratory Morbidity and Mortality Outcomes in Africa: A Systematic Review Towards a Meta-analysis.","authors":"Caradee Y Wright, Thandi Kapwata, Viwe Dikoko, Chantelle Howlett-Downing, Natasha Naidoo","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00561-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40572-026-00561-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of the review: </strong>This review synthesised evidence on associations between air pollution and respiratory morbidity in Africa. Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed, ScienceDirect and Elicit for case-control studies published between 2015 and 2025.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Thirteen studies from ten African countries reported pollutant levels far exceeding WHO guidelines. Indoor PM₂.₅ in biomass-using homes ranged from 96 to 177 µg/m³, and ambient PM₂.₅ reached 259 µg/m³. Nitrogen oxides were consistently associated with reduced lung function in children, while household air pollution increased risks of under-five mortality and low birthweight. Associations with acute respiratory infections varied across settings. Vulnerability was greatest among young children, those with airway hyperresponsiveness, and households with poor ventilation. Only three studies included temperature, and none examined heat-respiratory interactions. Across African case-control studies, particulate matter and household air pollution remain consistently linked to adverse respiratory outcomes, highlighting urgent needs for cleaner fuels, improved ventilation, and stronger evidence on combined pollution and heat exposures.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541811/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessing the Impact of Cool Roofs on Health and Wellbeing: A Scoping Review.","authors":"Noah Bunkley, Melanie Stowell, Chris Bullen","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00558-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40572-026-00558-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Extreme heat poses a threat to the health and wellbeing of millions of people worldwide living in climate-vulnerable housing. Cool roofs are a potential passive-cooling housing retrofit solution that is affordable and scalable to reduce heat exposure and improve community health and wellbeing.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To conduct a scoping review to systematically identify and map the research addressing the effect of residential cool roofs on health and wellbeing, identify knowledge gaps, and inform the design of future empirical studies.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Six online databases were searched from 1980 to July 2025 to identify relevant papers. We selected 14 publications that compared cool roofs with non-cool roofs, measured their effects on health and wellbeing, and summarised the data in a narrative synthesis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All publications were modelling studies, with the majority (71%) examining the effects of cool roofs on urban heat island mitigation and their impact on health. Most (93%) of the assessed populations were in high-income countries. Estimates of the projected health benefits of cool roofs ranged widely across studies, depending on the study context, methodology, and outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>While our scoping review identified modelling studies highlighting the potential benefits of cool roofs, the dearth of publications assessing their use in low-resource settings and the lack of empirical evidence underscore the need for further research to determine their effectiveness in structurally vulnerable communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13541873/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148886546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hannah Cooke, Misti Levy Zamora, Jessica P Hollenbach
{"title":"School Indoor Air Quality's Impact on Student Achievement and Educator Experience: A Review of Current Evidence.","authors":"Hannah Cooke, Misti Levy Zamora, Jessica P Hollenbach","doi":"10.1007/s40572-026-00556-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40572-026-00556-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>This review synthesizes recent evidence linking indoor air quality (IAQ) in K-12 schools to the distinct outcomes of (1) student cognitive and academic performance and (2) educator health, perception, and behavior.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Recent studies confirm that indoor air pollutants negatively impact student academic performance and cognitive functioning. Educators' subjective perceptions of IAQ are not concordant with objective measures of IAQ. Few studies examine the impact of objectively measured IAQ on educator health and performance. School IAQ is a critical environmental factor that simultaneously impacts both student learning and educator performance. This review highlights the need for a \"whole school\" approach, encouraging future studies to consider these dual impacts concurrently.</p>","PeriodicalId":10775,"journal":{"name":"Current Environmental Health Reports","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":7.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148863779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}