International journal of hygiene and environmental health最新文献

{"title":"Deconjugation enzymes - pitfalls, contamination risks, and practical insights from human biomonitoring of bisphenols, phthalates, and oxidative stress markers","authors":"Ian Zammit ,&nbsp;Yuya Cheng ,&nbsp;Daniel Bury ,&nbsp;Xianyu Wang ,&nbsp;Jochen F. Mueller ,&nbsp;Holger M. Koch","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human biomonitoring assesses exposure to xenobiotics via human samples such as urine. Xenobiotics can undergo Phase I and II metabolism, with Phase II forming conjugates such as glucuronides and sulfates. Deconjugation enzymes hydrolyse conjugates to the free biomarker form for analytical quantification. Deconjugation enzymes are commercially available and include digestive enzyme mixtures from molluscs and from recombinant microorganisms. This paper provides contextual information on the metabolism of xenobiotics and the role of deconjugation enzymes, outlining good practices and pitfalls to avoid. Contamination of enzyme extracts is an important consideration, as the tested extracts contained background levels of bisphenol A and several oxidative stress biomarkers. Concentrations ranged from tens of ng/mL for bisphenol A (73 ng/mL) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (26 ng/mL) to thousands of ng/mL for <em>N</em>-carboxymethyllysine (2850 ng/mL) and <em>N</em>-carboxyethyllysine (1080 ng/mL). This work also demonstrates potential incompatibilities of deconjugation enzymes with workflows for certain compound classes. Several <em>Helix pomatia</em> extracts (e.g. HP-2) are shown to be incompatible with ester-containing analytes. Phthalates showed conversion from diesters to monoesters, with butyl phthalate the highest at &gt;80 %. These monoesters are also Phase I metabolism products. If exposure assessment relied only on these monoesters as biomarkers, the use of <em>Helix pomatia</em> extract would result in overestimations, as at least part of these compounds would originate from enzymatic breakdown rather than true systemic human metabolism. When employed well, deconjugation enzymes are particularly valuable because they simplify analytical workflows and enhance data reliability and consistency between studies. This work provides guidance to support these objectives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114730"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145776776","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":"Detection of free-living amoebae and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in two drinking water networks in eastern Pennsylvania","authors":"Jennifer A. Rao,&nbsp;Kristen L. Jellison","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114728","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114728","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The presence of free-living amoebae (FLA) in drinking water systems, along with the pathogens they harbor, is a global concern. Free-living amoebae are ubiquitous microorganisms found in both natural and man-made environments. Some FLA can cause fatal infections such as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) and amoebic keratitis (AK). Additionally, certain FLA may harbor pathogenic bacteria and play a role in their fate and transport.</div><div>In this study, we investigated the presence of FLA and the endosymbiotic opportunistic pathogen <em>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</em> in drinking water delivery networks. Known for its multi-drug resistance, <em>S. maltophilia</em> has been associated with infections in immunocompromised people, especially those in hospitals.</div><div>From January 2022 to December 2023, raw and finished water samples were collected approximately monthly from two Pennsylvania water utilities. Free-living amoebae were detected by filtration and plating. Results showed 74 % (56/76) of all raw water samples, and 22 % (15/69) and 14 % (12/83) of finished water samples from the two utilities, respectively, were positive for FLA by microscopy. Confirmatory testing using DNA extraction, PCR, and Sanger sequencing showed that 47 % (36/76) of all raw water samples, and 20 % (14/69) and 14 % (12/83) of finished water samples from the two utilities, respectively, were positive for at least one of the targeted FLA. <em>Vermamoeba vermiformis</em> was the most frequently recovered FLA, followed by <em>Acanthamoeba</em> spp. Potentially endosymbiotic <em>S. maltophilia</em> was recovered at various locations throughout the water treatment plants and the distribution system, demonstrating that FLA can serve as vectors that transport bacteria through conventional water treatment processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114728"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145683217","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":"Association between residential proximity to crop areas and childhood acute leukemia risk in mainland France – GEOCAP case-control study","authors":"Matthieu Mancini ,&nbsp;Laure Faure ,&nbsp;Claire Poulalhon ,&nbsp;Aurélie Danjou ,&nbsp;Stéphanie Goujon","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114737","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114737","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pesticide exposures are suspected to be a risk factor for several childhood cancers, particularly acute leukemia (AL) and the most common type, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The role of environmental exposures due to agricultural uses of pesticides remains debated.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The study aimed to investigate whether residential proximity to different crops, used as a proxy for pesticide exposures, is associated with an increased risk of AL in France.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We included 2731 AL cases diagnosed in 2008–2013 and 28,303 controls representative of the contemporary French pediatric population (1–14 years old), drawn from the national registry-based GEOCAP study. National annual maps of agricultural land use were developed to assess proximity to 13 crop types. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age were used to evaluate the association with the densities of crops within 1000 m of children's addresses. A hierarchical classification was also used to categorize children according to their agricultural neighborhood profiles.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The majority of children (69 %) lived less than 1000 m from crops at time of diagnosis/inclusion. Barley and viticulture densities were positively associated with ALL: Odds ratio (OR) = 1.05 (1.00–1.10) and 1.06 (0.99–1.13) for a density increase of 3 % and 10 %, respectively. Two agricultural neighborhood profiles were also associated with an increased risk of ALL: ‘Vines (large areas)’, OR = 1.35 (1.03–1.78) and ‘Wheat with diverse crops’, OR = 1.28 (1.10–1.49). The results remained stable across sensitivity analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our results support the hypothesis of a role of agricultural pesticide exposures in childhood ALL risk. Future research should focus on the chemical substances applied to crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114737"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145829389","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":"Examining the effect of neighborhood sanitation coverage on childhood diarrheal disease in rural Bangladesh","authors":"Hannah Van Wyk ,&nbsp;Andrew F. Brouwer ,&nbsp;Jesse Contreras ,&nbsp;Mahbubur Rahman ,&nbsp;Mahfuza Islam ,&nbsp;Amy J. Pickering ,&nbsp;Benjamin F. Arnold ,&nbsp;Stephen P. Luby ,&nbsp;John M. Colford ,&nbsp;Matthew Freeman ,&nbsp;Ayse Ercumen ,&nbsp;Joseph N.S. Eisenberg","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Neighborhood-level sanitation coverage may offer significant indirect protection against diarrheal disease, an observation that has been supported by several studies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed the protective effect of neighborhood sanitation coverage using harmonized data from two studies: a randomized control trial (RCT) examining the effectiveness of improved compound-level sanitation and an observational study that collected information on compounds within 100 m of the RCT study compounds. We developed the Neighborhood Sanitation &amp; Fecal Exposure (NSFE) metric, which estimates the fecal contamination at a study compound based on the demographic and sanitation characteristics of the neighborhood. NSFE is a function of the number of individuals and latrine quality at surrounding compounds, the distance to neighboring compounds, and the effectiveness of hygienic and unhygienic latrines relative to open defecation. We modeled the relationship between NSFE and childhood diarrheal prevalence within RCT study compounds. Finally, we examined counterfactual scenarios to understand how much of the observed diarrheal burden was attributable to neighbors’ latrine quality.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>We estimated a 3.6-fold increase in diarrheal prevalence between compounds with the highest and lowest NSFE, with about two-thirds of this association concentrated in compounds between the 90th and 100th percentile of NSFE values. In counterfactual scenarios, we estimate that 15.5 % of the entire diarrheal disease burden in children living in the study compounds would be eliminated if all neighboring compounds had high-quality latrines.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Community effects associated with neighborhood sanitation coverage are important drivers of diarrheal disease and should be considered in future designs of sanitation interventions. Our findings support the importance of universal basic sanitation as a target for United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114732"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145727906","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":"Perinatal environmental exposures, maternal mental health and cognitive outcomes in very preterm infants born in urban London","authors":"Zeyuan Sun ,&nbsp;Kaili Liang ,&nbsp;Andrew Lawrence ,&nbsp;Marguerite Leoni ,&nbsp;Serena J. Counsell ,&nbsp;Paola Dazzan ,&nbsp;A David Edwards ,&nbsp;Chiara Nosarti","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114740","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114740","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Very preterm (VPT) infants face elevated neurodevelopmental risks. The impact of perinatal environmental exposures, where complex factors may affect maternal mental health and infant outcomes, remains poorly understood. This study examines how joint environmental exposures relate to postnatal maternal anxiety and neurodevelopment in VPT infants.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We included 427 VPT infants born in Greater London (2010–2013). We derived residential environmental exposures: air pollutants, noise, and open space. Clustering analysis identified exposure profiles. At term-equivalent age (38–44 weeks), infants underwent T2-weighted MRI for brain volume and cortical feature analysis. Maternal anxiety, assessed at term; neurodevelopment, evaluated at 18–24 months; and brain development were compared between exposure clusters, adjusting for socioeconomic status (SES). We further explored the role of SES in environmental exposure.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Three exposure profiles emerged. Compared to Group 1 (reference; n = 358), Group 2 (n = 42), characterised by poor air quality and limited open space, had a higher risk of cognitive delay and greater socioeconomic disadvantage. Conversely, Group 3 (n = 27; low noise exposure) exhibited reduced maternal anxiety. SES contributed 20.91 % of the environmental effect on cognitive delay. No significant differences in brain volumes or cortical features were observed.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Perinatal environmental exposures have distinct effects on maternal-infant outcomes. Neurotoxicant exposure and limited access to restorative environments may negatively impact early neurodevelopment, while noise reduction may support maternal mental health. These findings underscore the importance of environmental factors in shaping early development and highlight the need for further research into underlying biological mechanisms and long-term effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114740"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145852072","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":"Prenatal ambient heat exposure and neurodevelopment: A scoping review of human and animal research","authors":"Amina Rhaman ,&nbsp;Danielle J. Russell ,&nbsp;Leaf R. Kardol ,&nbsp;Ebony Quintrell ,&nbsp;Shannon Morgan ,&nbsp;Candra Maung ,&nbsp;Azmain Talukder ,&nbsp;Aster Gebremedhin ,&nbsp;Stephanie Tan ,&nbsp;Ramya Padmavathy Radha Krishnan ,&nbsp;Erin Kelty ,&nbsp;Caitlin Wyrwoll","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114741","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114741","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Ambient heat exposure during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes, and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes are an emerging concern. This scoping review synthesises human and animal evidence on the association between prenatal ambient heat exposure and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A search was conducted across MEDLINE, Global Health, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Studies up until May 2025, examining prenatal ambient heat exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes such as congenital malformations and mental health conditions, were included. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted in duplicate using Covidence. Studies were categorised based on short-term or long-term outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The search yielded 8189 studies, with 58 meeting the inclusion criteria (17 human, 41 animal). Animal evidence was primarily based on rodents (n = 32) exposed to extreme heat that caused hyperthermia. Human studies were methodologically diverse, yielding inconsistent results. There was robust evidence to suggest an increased risk of central nervous system (CNS) malformations and a reduction in brain weight in animal studies. However, evidence from the small number of human studies was inconclusive. For long-term outcomes, such as mental health (n = 11), both human and animal studies were limited but generally reported adverse outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Overall, the evidence suggests a potential link between prenatal heat exposure, CNS malformations and altered brain size in animal models; however, the implications for humans remain uncertain. Human studies were scarce and inconsistent in their approaches. Future animal studies should employ realistic heat exposures to improve human applicability, and human studies should utilise consistent outcomes and exposure measures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114741"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145972889","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":"Associations of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) concentrations with birth outcomes in pregnant women from the Midwestern U.S.","authors":"Kelsi A. Morris ,&nbsp;Maria E. Cinzori ,&nbsp;Brad A. Ryva ,&nbsp;Nicole Talge ,&nbsp;Khyatiben V. Pathak ,&nbsp;Brooke Lovell ,&nbsp;Patrick Pirrotte ,&nbsp;Susan L. Schantz ,&nbsp;Rita S. Strakovsky","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Pregnant women are ubiquitously exposed to the herbicide glyphosate and its major metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA). Therefore, we examined associations of glyphosate and AMPA with birth outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Pregnant women from the Illinois Kids Development Study (I-KIDS) participating in this pilot study (n = 300) provided first-morning urine samples at median 13-weeks gestation for glyphosate and AMPA measurement. We calculated gestational-age-at-birth using the last menstrual period after ultrasound confirmation, abstracted birthweight from electronic medical records, and calculated sex-specific birthweight-for-gestational-age z-scores (BWz). We measured birth length (cm) and anogenital distance (AGD) within 24 h of birth and calculated the anogenital index (AGI, mm/m) by dividing each AGD value (in mm) by the body length (in m). Multivariable linear regression models evaluated associations of glyphosate or AMPA with birth outcomes and differences in associations by newborn sex.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>In all newborns, only 2-fold higher AMPA was associated with −0.07 cm shorter birth length (95 %CI: −0.16, 0.02). In males, each 2-fold higher glyphosate was associated with −0.06 lower BWz (95 % CI: −0.13, 0.01), −0.14 cm shorter birth length (95 %CI: −0.31, 0.04), and 0.63 longer AGI_long (95 %CI: −0.19, 1.44). In females, each two-fold higher glyphosate was associated with 0.54 longer AGI_long (95 %CI: −0.16, 1.25). AMPA was associated with 0.61 (95 %CI: −0.01, 1.24) and 0.48 (95 %CI: 0.02, 0.94) longer AGI_long in males and females, respectively. Some associations gained precision in sensitivity analyses removing infants born preterm or after controlling for gestational-age-at-birth.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Glyphosate or AMPA were associated with smaller birth size and longer AGI_long, with evidence of sexual-dimorphism, although most findings were imprecise. Larger studies are needed, including those that consider implications of these findings for child lifelong health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114733"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145770477","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":"Rainfall and temperature influence effectiveness of on-site sanitation intervention against E. coli contamination in Bangladeshi households","authors":"Caitlin G. Niven ,&nbsp;Mahfuza Islam ,&nbsp;Anna Nguyen ,&nbsp;Andrew Mertens ,&nbsp;Amy J. Pickering ,&nbsp;Laura H. Kwong ,&nbsp;Mahfuja Alam ,&nbsp;Debashis Sen ,&nbsp;Sharmin Islam ,&nbsp;Mahbubur Rahman ,&nbsp;Leanne Unicomb ,&nbsp;Alan E. Hubbard ,&nbsp;Stephen P. Luby ,&nbsp;Jessica A. Grembi ,&nbsp;John M. Colford Jr. ,&nbsp;Benjamin F. Arnold ,&nbsp;Jade Benjamin-Chung ,&nbsp;Ayse Ercumen","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Weather can influence the environmental spread and survival of fecal pathogens, potentially affecting the effectiveness of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions. We assessed whether rainfall and temperature modified effects of an on-site sanitation intervention on fecal contamination among households in the WASH Benefits trial in rural Bangladesh. The intervention included double-pit latrines, potties, feces removal tools and behavior change promotion. We longitudinally visited households from intervention and control groups to enumerate <em>E. coli</em>. Samples (n = 23,238) included drinking water from tubewells and storage containers, prepared food, caregiver and child hand rinses, pond water, courtyard soil, and flies. We geospatially matched <em>E. coli</em> measurements to daily weather data and estimated intervention effects with and without stratification by weather. The intervention resulted in greater reduction in contamination following higher rainfall for four pathways (mother/child hands, ponds, flies), and following higher temperatures for five pathways (food, mother/child hands, soil, ponds). Compared to controls, <em>E. coli</em> levels were reduced by approximately 1-log for flies and 0.25-log in ponds after higher rainfall, 0.2-log on child hands, 0.3–0.4 log in soil and ponds after higher temperatures (interaction p-values&lt;0.20), and 0.1-log in stored drinking water under most conditions. Intervention effects were minimal when not stratified by weather, with &lt;0.1-log reductions for stored drinking water and child hands, and no effects on other pathways. Sanitation interventions may deliver greater protection against environmental contamination during wetter, warmer conditions, and assessments that average over time may conceal differential intervention effects. WASH trials should incorporate spatiotemporal weather data into impact evaluations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114731"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145734087","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":"Maternal serum polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations during pregnancy and adolescent bone mineral density at age 12 years","authors":"Katherine M. Marquess ,&nbsp;Jordan R. Kuiper ,&nbsp;Bruce P. Lanphear ,&nbsp;Antonia M. Calafat ,&nbsp;Andreas Sjodin ,&nbsp;Maria Ospina ,&nbsp;Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá ,&nbsp;Kim M. Cecil ,&nbsp;Halley Wasserman ,&nbsp;Yingying Xu ,&nbsp;Kimberly Yolton ,&nbsp;Heidi J. Kalkwarf ,&nbsp;Joseph M. Braun ,&nbsp;Aimin Chen ,&nbsp;Jessie P. Buckley","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114742","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114742","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), used as chemical flame retardants, are developmental osteotoxicants in mechanistic studies, but the effects of <em>in utero</em> exposure on adolescent bone health are unknown. We examined associations of gestational serum PBDE concentrations and BMD Z-scores in adolescence. Among 184 mother-adolescent pairs enrolled in the Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment Study (Cincinnati, OH: 2003–2006), we quantified five PBDEs in maternal serum and four organophosphate ester (OPE) metabolites in maternal urine collected at 16- or 26-weeks gestation. At age 12 years, we conducted dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scans and calculated bone mineral density (BMD) Z-scores for six skeletal sites. We estimated covariate-adjusted associations per log₁₀ increase in maternal serum PBDE concentrations using linear regression and assessed effect measure modification (EMM) by adolescent's sex using interaction terms. We also examined PBDE and OPE mixtures using quantile-based g-computation. In adjusted models, BDE-153 concentrations were associated with lower femoral neck BMD (β: −0.42; 95 % CI: −0.79, −0.05). Results were similar but weaker for other individual PBDEs and their mixture. The associations of BDEs-28, -47, and -100 with hip and femoral neck BMD Z-score were modified by adolescent's sex. For example, log₁₀ BDE-28 was associated with total hip BMD Z-score differences of −0.75 (95 % CI: −1.50, 0.01) for males and 0.21 (95 % CI: −0.31, 0.74) for females (EMM <em>p</em> = 0.04). Higher quartiles of the PBDE + OPE mixture showed weak, site-specific associations with BMD, though all CIs crossed the null. <em>In utero</em> PBDE exposure may negatively affect adolescent bone health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114742"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145972890","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":"Integrating PBPK modeling and tobacco biomarkers to interpret N-(2-hydroxyethyl)valine (HEV) hemoglobin adducts in the U.S. population","authors":"Yu-Sheng Lin ,&nbsp;Viktor Morozov ,&nbsp;Kuen-Yuh Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114721","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijheh.2025.114721","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a human carcinogen, and cigarette smoke is the leading source of exposure in the general population. In blood, EtO alkylates the N-terminal valine of hemoglobin to form N-(2-hydroxyethyl)valine (HEV), a stable biomarker. Yet HEV levels vary widely, even among smokers. This variability reflects differences in nicotine intake, smoking behavior, endogenous ethylene oxidation, and demographic factors.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We estimated the contribution of cigarette smoking to HEV levels and evaluated whether combining HEV with nicotine-derived and other tobacco biomarkers improves exposure assessment.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013–2014, the only cycle with both HEV and supplemental smoking biomarkers. Cigarette consumption was estimated from serum cotinine and entered into a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model to predict HEV formation from cigarette-derived EtO. Predicted values were compared with measured HEV levels. Survey-weighted regression examined how demographic factors and other biomarkers contributed to variability.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>HEV and other biomarkers were highest in active smokers, followed by passive smokers, and lowest in non-smokers. Predicted HEV matched observed patterns but was consistently 20–30 pmol/g globin lower than measured values. Body weight was a major source of variability, while age and others contributed less. Serum cotinine showed the strongest link with HEV. 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) and 2-hydroxyethyl mercapturic acid (2-HEMA) added complementary information across different exposure windows.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Cigarette smoking is the primary source of HEV in the U.S. Using PBPK modeling alongside tobacco biomarkers helps explain variability and supports exposure assessment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13994,"journal":{"name":"International journal of hygiene and environmental health","volume":"272 ","pages":"Article 114721"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145776774","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}