International journal of hygiene and environmental health最新文献

{"title":"Effectiveness of soil remediation intervention of abandoned used lead-acid battery recycling sites to reduce lead exposure among children: A three-arm pretest-posttest non-equivalent comparison group trial","authors":"Mahbubur Rahman ,&nbsp;Jesmin Sultana ,&nbsp;Supta Sarker ,&nbsp;Shaikh Sharif Hasan ,&nbsp;Sarker Masud Parvez ,&nbsp;Mitali Das ,&nbsp;Gordon K. Binkhorst ,&nbsp;Jenna E. Forsyth ,&nbsp;Peter J. Winch ,&nbsp;Rubhana Raqib ,&nbsp;Stephen P. Luby ,&nbsp;Maria Kippler ,&nbsp;Syed Moshfiqur Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114756","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114756","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Lead exposure remains a substantial risk to public health, especially among children, in low- and middle-income countries. This study assessed the efficacy of a soil remediation intervention on reducing blood lead level (BLL) among children living near an abandoned used lead-acid battery (ULAB) recycling site in Mirzapur, Bangladesh.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We conducted a pretest-posttest, non-equivalent comparison group study with 167 children aged 6 months to 12 years across three study arms (ULAB intervention, ULAB control, and non-ULAB control). Blood and environmental samples were collected at baseline and 12 months post-intervention. BLL was analyzed by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry, and environmental lead levels were assessed using portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Over the 12-month post-intervention period, geometric mean BLLs declined from 90.1 to 70.4 μg/L in ULAB intervention group, from 88.5 to 81.1 μg/L in ULAB control group, and from 42.8 to 37.8 μg/L in non-ULAB control group. Difference-in-differences analysis revealed a 15% greater BLL decline in the intervention arm compared to the ULAB control arm and 11% greater BLL decline in the intervention arm compared to the non-ULAB control arm. Subgroup analysis in the intervention arm revealed that older children (&gt;5 years), those living closer to the site (&lt;200m), and those with higher baseline BLL (&gt;median) experienced the greatest reduction in BLL.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The soil remediation intervention significantly reduced BLLs in children. However, levels remained above the CDC reference value of 35 μg/L, highlighting the need for broader and sustained public health initiatives to reduce lead exposure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114756"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146151516","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}

{"title":"Firefighter exposure to airborne benzene: a systematic review of measured levels, toxicological significance, methodological challenges, and research gaps","authors":"Petar Simonović ,&nbsp;Tatjana Golubović ,&nbsp;Marijola Božović","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114762","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114762","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Firefighting is a hazardous occupation that entails short-term, high-level exposure to a complex mixture of combustion products, among which benzene is of special concern due to its known carcinogenicity. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the complexity and variability of exposure of firefighters to airborne benzene and its toxicological relevance during active fire suppression and overhaul duties in wildland, structural, and training environments. Based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies reporting direct air sampling of benzene in firefighting settings. A total of 32 studies were included, and a structured, domain-based approach was conducted to assess study quality and risk of bias. Although this review summarizes measured concentrations, it is also the first to provide an evidence-based critique of the methodological deficiencies in this body of literature. Benzene concentrations exceeded occupational limits in all scenarios, with medians as high as 40.3 ppm during structural fire attacks and with maximum values exceeding 300 ppm. Results indicate that it is impossible to correlate external concentrations to actual internal dose reliably. This is primarily due to a lack of consideration of non-inhalation exposure routes (e.g., vapor penetration into gear, off-gassing, and post-fire contamination), as well as the large variation in individual exposures driven by work practices and personal choices, which is masked by pooled environmental data. The recommendations provided herein offer a roadmap for improving the accuracy and relevance of future exposure research in the firefighting profession.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114762"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146208353","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}

{"title":"One or many environmental intolerance(s)? A cluster analysis over two representative samples","authors":"Tara M. Petzke ,&nbsp;Ralph C.A. Rippe ,&nbsp;Michael Witthöft ,&nbsp;Renáta Szemerszky ,&nbsp;Ferenc Köteles ,&nbsp;Cédric Lemogne ,&nbsp;Steven Nordin ,&nbsp;Victor Pitron","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114764","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114764","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Objective&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;People with symptoms associated with environmental factors (SAEFs) attribute somatic symptoms to chemicals, electromagnetic fields, noise, or other environmental sources. Debates are ongoing whether these different types constitute different disorders (“splitting”) or rather different presentations of the same underlying disorder (“lumping”), and which characteristics contribute to this disorder/these disorders.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Methods&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;To shed further light on this question, we performed a &lt;em&gt;k&lt;/em&gt;-prototypes cluster analysis of two representative population-based datasets. We selected 23 clinically relevant variables from the Västerbotten Environmental Health Study (&lt;em&gt;N&lt;/em&gt; = 1576), a representative dataset from Sweden. Common measures of cluster partitioning were used, and cluster profiles inspected. We then replicated the analysis in the Österbotten Environmental Health Study dataset (&lt;em&gt;N&lt;/em&gt; = 1233), a representative dataset from Finland.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;h3&gt;Results&lt;/h3&gt;&lt;div&gt;The cluster analysis distinguished between people with versus without SAEF, but did not provide evidence for empirically different SAEF clusters. Inspecting the profiles of the two clusters revealed that the main differences were in chemical sensitivity (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;w&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.53&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;i&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;l&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;a&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.71&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;)&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, noise sensitivity (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;w&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.56&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;i&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;l&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;a&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.61&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;), electromagnetic field sensitivity (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;w&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.36&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;i&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;l&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;a&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.58&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;)&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, and sleep (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;w&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.66&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;i&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;l&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;a&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.30&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;).People in the SAEF cluster scored higher on markers of psychopathology (e.g., anxiety: &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;w&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;e&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.42&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;,&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;r&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;F&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;i&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;l&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;a&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;n&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;d&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;mo&gt;=&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mn&gt;0.22&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, depressi","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114764"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146260450","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}

{"title":"Tracking environmental resistance through surveillance of ESBL- and colistin-resistant Escherichia coli in livestock waste for One Health action","authors":"Thitima Srathongneam ,&nbsp;Phub Zam ,&nbsp;Phongsawat Paisantham ,&nbsp;Punyawee Dulyayangkul ,&nbsp;Montakarn Sresung ,&nbsp;Supitchaya Theplhar ,&nbsp;Nisanart Charoenlap ,&nbsp;Paiboon Vattanaviboon ,&nbsp;Olarn Kijpreedaborisuthi ,&nbsp;Suchada Susutthi ,&nbsp;Skorn Mongkolsuk ,&nbsp;Kwanrawee Sirikanchana","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114763","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114763","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are emerging biological contaminants that threaten both ecosystems and human health. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock waste is increasingly recognized as an environmental hazard of global concern, with implications for food safety and public health. This study examined the occurrence and environmental behavior of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producting and colistin-resistant <em>Escherichia coli</em> under environmentally relevant conditions in livestock waste from pig, cow, goat, chicken, and duck farms in Thailand. Cefotaxime-resistant <em>E. coli</em> were detected in all animal types, with pig, cow, and duck farms serving as major reservoirs. Untreated pig wastewater contained the highest levels of resistant <em>E. coli</em> (70% prevalence; 5.13–7.55 log₁₀ CFU/100 mL), while treatment reduced but did not eliminate contamination. Among 78 confirmed isolates, all were resistant to ampicillin and cefotaxime, 5.1% to ceftazidime, and none to carbapenems. Phenotypic colistin resistance occurred in 6.4% of isolates. All isolates carried <em>bla</em>_CTX-M genes, mainly <em>bla</em>_CTX-M group 1 (85.9%), while <em>bla</em>_CTX-M group 9 (15.4%) was also detected. Plasmid-mediated <em>mcr</em> genes (<em>mcr</em>-1 to <em>mcr</em>-3) were identified in 5.1% of isolates, exclusively from untreated pig wastewater, confirming these effluents as localized hotspots for resistance dissemination. Multiple antibiotic resistance indices ranged 0.29–0.43, with the highest values in pig farm isolates, indicating moderate to high levels of multidrug resistance. Overall, livestock wastewater represents a significant source of microbial contaminants. This study provides field-based evidence to support risk assessment and mitigation of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria within the One Health framework, emphasizing the importance of improving waste management to protect environmental and public health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114763"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286728","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}

{"title":"A quantitative decision-support framework for assessing the feasibility and sensitivity of wastewater-based epidemiology of respiratory virus surveillance","authors":"Sunita Samantarat ,&nbsp;Kwanrawee Sirikanchana ,&nbsp;Yong Poovorawan ,&nbsp;Jatuwat Sangsanont","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114765","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114765","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a cost-effective and non-invasive tool for monitoring infectious diseases. However, its practical implementation for virus surveillance remains challenged by uncertainty in detection sensitivity, which depends on both pathogen-specific and methodological factors. This study applies a quantitative decision-support framework to prospectively evaluate the feasibility and sensitivity of WBE, with a specific focus on estimating the minimum number of infected individuals required for reliable detection, for SARS-CoV-2, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza A virus (IAV), and rhinovirus (RhV), using year-round weekly wastewater data. SARS-CoV-2 was detected throughout the year, and RSV exhibited seasonal detection, whereas IAV and RhV were undetected despite concurrent clinical circulation. To interpret these observations, a Monte Carlo simulation framework incorporating fecal shedding rates, recovery efficiency, and RNA decay was used to assess detection feasibility prior to large-scale deployment. The model indicated that SARS-CoV-2 required the lowest infections to surpass a 50% detection threshold (0.85 per 100,000 population), followed by RSV and RhV, while IAV had the highest threshold (1177.02 per 100,000), primarily due to low fecal shedding. Sensitivity analysis identified viral shedding and recovery efficiency as the most influential parameters. Simulations further suggested that droplet digital PCR combined with recovery efficiencies ≥35% could enable reliable detection of all four viruses under urban conditions. Overall, these findings demonstrate that WBE sensitivity is jointly governed by virus-specific characteristics and methodological performance. The proposed framework, informed by field observations, provides a transparent and data-driven approach for feasibility-oriented planning and methodological optimization of WBE surveillance programs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114765"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286774","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}

{"title":"Spatio-temporal distribution and environmental correlates of trihalomethane concentrations in public drinking water supplies in Queensland, Australia: A data linkage study","authors":"Edmund Wedam Kanmiki ,&nbsp;Md Mehedi Hasan ,&nbsp;M Mamun Huda ,&nbsp;Phil Choi ,&nbsp;Yaqoot Fatima ,&nbsp;Fran Boyle ,&nbsp;Kevin Thomas ,&nbsp;Peter Sly ,&nbsp;Leonie Callaway ,&nbsp;Ricardo Soares-Magalhaes ,&nbsp;Abdullah A. Mamun","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of trihalomethanes (THMs), which are water disinfection by-products, poses a significant human health risk. This study investigated the spatial-temporal distribution of THM concentrations, the exceedance of the Australian drinking water guideline value (250 μg/L), and the environmental factors associated with THM concentrations in public drinking water supplies across Queensland, Australia, to help guide strategies for mitigating THM exposure. We employed a data linkage approach, integrating spatial water quality monitoring data covering 27 local government areas (LGAs) from 2009 to 2020 with environmental data from the Bureau of Meteorology. Key outcomes were THM concentrations and exceedances. Analyses included time-trends, multiple generalised linear models and logistic regression models. The median monthly THM concentration was 78 μg/L [IQR 49, 119 μg/L]. Between 2009 and 2020, the median THM concentration increased from 38 μg/L to 73 μg/L, while the incidence of exceedance increased from 2.3% to 3.0%. THM exceedances were significantly lower in water from treatment plants (AOR = 0.15, 95% CI [0.07, 0.30]), in LGAs within South-East Queensland (AOR = 0.07, 95% CI [0.01, 0.33]), during spring (AOR = 0.39, 95% CI [0.21,0.70]), in advantaged socio-economic areas and major cities. Increase in temperature was associated with greater THM exceedance (AOR = 1.21, 95% CI [1.07,1.37]), but lower during periods of bushfire (exp(β) = 0.85, 95% CI [0.76,0.95]). Rainfall and NDVI were not significantly associated with THM concentration and exceedances. The elevated concentrations and repeated exceedances highlight a persistent challenge coupled with systemic inequities. We recommend consistent THM data collection, monitoring, optimizing treatment and infrastructure upgrades in disadvantaged regions to improve water quality and protect public health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114760"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146171173","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}

{"title":"Serum per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations and anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels following COVID-19 vaccination: A cross-sectional study in three communities with elevated PFAS exposure","authors":"Sarah Rhea ,&nbsp;David Collier ,&nbsp;Michael Cuffney ,&nbsp;C. Suzanne Lea ,&nbsp;Nadine Kotlarz ,&nbsp;Jane A. Hoppin","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114755","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114755","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are associated with reduced vaccine immune response, though most observational studies have found no link to COVID-19 vaccine response. Residents of North Carolina's Cape Fear River Basin have elevated serum PFAS levels. We investigated the cross-sectional association between serum PFAS and anti-Spike SARS-CoV-2 IgG (anti-S IgG) levels among COVID-19-vaccinated adults (N = 330) from three communities of the GenX Exposure Study with elevated PFAS. Eligibility criteria included no prior COVID-19 diagnosis and receipt of ≥2 COVID-19 vaccinations, the most recent within 180 days of data collection (June–November 2021). Serum PFAS (liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry) and anti-S IgG (AdviseDx SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Assay) were measured. For five PFAS with &gt;85 % sample detection, we built general linear models of log-transformed PFAS and anti-S IgG for each community, adjusting for age, sex, and days since last vaccination. Most participants were mid-aged, female, and White. COVID-19 vaccination patterns (i.e., doses, manufacturer) and anti-S IgG levels varied by community. Modest positive and negative estimates of PFAS−anti-S IgG relationships were observed across communities and PFAS. One community (Lower Cape Fear River region) had the largest, and only statistically significant, estimate: 0.31 % (95 % CI: 0.07 %–0.56 %) increase in anti-S IgG per 1 % increase in PFHpS (PFAS with lowest median concentration). We observed no consistent evidence linking higher serum PFAS to lower COVID-19 vaccine response, aligning with prior studies. Assessing PFAS exposure and COVID-19 vaccine response in observational studies is challenging. Longitudinal studies with serial antibody measurements, and vaccine type considerations, might provide additional insight.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114755"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146127687","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}

{"title":"Systematic review of wild birds as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance: Implications for roof-harvested rainwater safety","authors":"Mira Cooper-Beknazarova ,&nbsp;Ben van den Akker ,&nbsp;Barbara Drigo ,&nbsp;Kirstin Ross ,&nbsp;Harriet Whiley ,&nbsp;Craig R. Williams","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114743","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114743","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This review investigates the role of wild birds as reservoirs and vectors of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes, and the implications for human health via contamination of harvested rainwater. A systematic literature review revealed that urban-adapted birds, especially gulls and pigeons, frequently carry clinically relevant antimicrobial-resistant bacteria including Carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales (CRE), multidrug-resistant <em>Escherichia coli</em>, extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing <em>E. coli</em>, and methicillin-resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (MRSA) as well as colistin and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin (MLS) resistance genes. Due to urbanisation, these birds often forage in contaminated urban environments such as landfills, sewage sites and waste deposits, which increases their exposure to antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes raising concerns about their increasing role in the environmental dissemination of AMR. Roof-harvested rainwater, a growing alternative water source amid climate change and water scarcity, can be contaminated by bird droppings containing antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes. Despite its widespread use, harvested rainwater remains largely unregulated, presenting a public health risk. The findings from this review highlights the need for increased monitoring, targeted research, and improved risk management strategies to address AMR transmission from birds to humans via environmental pathways such as harvested rainwater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114743"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146045262","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}

{"title":"Wastewater reduction of Salmonella Typhimurium and H2S by using TiO2 films deposited by spin coating or magnetron sputtering","authors":"Luz A. Rincón-Barón ,&nbsp;Luis A. Cañón-Tafur ,&nbsp;María P. Forero-Carvajal ,&nbsp;Laura G. Ramírez-Alemán ,&nbsp;Luis C. Jiménez-Borrego ,&nbsp;Lucia A. Díaz-Ariza ,&nbsp;Augusto E. Mejía-Gómez ,&nbsp;Camilo Velez ,&nbsp;Ana K. Carrascal-Camacho ,&nbsp;Claudia M. Rivera-Hoyos ,&nbsp;Aura M. Pedroza-Rodríguez","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114738","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114738","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Salmonellosis is one of the most common infectious diseases transmitted by contaminated food or water. The emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of <em>Salmonella</em> Typhimurium is associated with an increase in the incidence of invasive salmonellosis, acquired through contaminated products or water. Therefore, wastewater treatment is crucial for reducing the risk of infection, especially when this water is to be used or reused in agro-industrial sectors without proper treatment. This research studied TiO₂ film photocatalysis deposited by spin coating and magnetron sputtering for the simultaneous reduction of <em>Salmonella</em> Typhimurium and H₂S in wastewater. The TiO₂ films produced by spin coating and annealed at 550 °C exhibit aggregate-dominated growth, generating heterogeneous and clustered surfaces, with the anatase phase (bandwidth 3.14 eV) as the predominant crystalline structure; while the films deposited by magnetron sputtering showed a dense and uniform morphology, associated with the columnar growth typical of this technique, with good adhesion to the porous biochar substrate. At 200 °C, a mixture of anatase–rutile phases with a bandwidth of 3.21 eV occurred. Results showed that both types of TiO₂ films reduced more than 79 ± 2 % of bacteria and generated qualitative changes in H₂S production by the colonies and reducing more than 78 ± 2 % of the H₂S responsible for unpleasant odours. These results suggest that the photocatalysis process with both kinds of TiO₂ films could serve as a complementary treatment to conventional wastewater treatment technologies, favouring the production of water free of <em>Salmonella</em> Typhimurium and reusable in activities that do not involve direct human consumption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114738"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146076431","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}

{"title":"Differential metabolic profiles by training fire exposure in female firefighters","authors":"Tuo Liu ,&nbsp;James Hollister ,&nbsp;Krystal J. Kern ,&nbsp;Michelle Valenti ,&nbsp;Shawn C. Beitel ,&nbsp;John J. Gulotta ,&nbsp;Sara A. Jahnke ,&nbsp;Heather Buren ,&nbsp;John Haseney ,&nbsp;Brian O'Neill ,&nbsp;Caitlin St Clair ,&nbsp;Yiwen Liu ,&nbsp;Frank von Hippel ,&nbsp;Catherine E. Mullins ,&nbsp;Douglas I. Walker ,&nbsp;Jaclyn M. Goodrich ,&nbsp;Jefferey L. Burgess ,&nbsp;Melissa A. Furlong","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114746","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114746","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Female firefighters face elevated risks for cancer and reproductive disorders, but the underlying metabolic mechanisms remain unclear.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>This study aimed to identify urinary metabolites and metabolic processes associated with training fire exposure among female municipal firefighters.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>High-resolution metabolomics (HRM) was conducted on urine samples collected before and after live-fire training from female firefighters enrolled in the Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study. Linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for age, education, and Hispanic ethnicity, were used to identify differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) with false discovery rate correction. Functional enrichment analysis (FEA) via metabolite-set enrichment analysis (MSEA) from MetaboAnalyst was performed to identify enriched metabolic processes. A stratified analysis examined the influence of fire types on post-fire metabolic profiles.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>One hundred female firefighters donated a total of 200 urine samples (100 pre-, 100 post-fire). HRM was performed in four modes including HILIC(+), HILIC(−), C18(+), and C18(−). We identified 200, 300, 280, and 306 metabolites and 10, 9, 23, and 19 post-training fire DEMs from the four modes, respectively. FEA highlighted enrichment of glycerophospholipid metabolism (p &lt; 0.05). Stratified analysis identified 11 DEMs by fire type with greater changes observed following burn room/tower exposures compared to flashover fires.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Training fire exposure induced widespread metabolic alterations in female firefighters, particularly in pathways related to oxidative stress and cell damage. These findings suggest potential biological pathways linking repeated fire exposure to chronic inflammation and disease risk. Burn room/tower burn exercises elicited more pronounced metabolic shifts than flashover fires.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"273 ","pages":"Article 114746"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146076430","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}