Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology最新文献

{"title":"Analyzing the landscape of “clean” products for textured hair at a Los Angeles Target","authors":"Joaquín Madrid Larrañaga, Lariah Edwards, Robin E. Dodson, Ami R. Zota, Tianna Shaw Wakeman, Janette Robinson-Flint, Bhavna Shamasunder","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00867-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00867-6","url":null,"abstract":"Chemicals in haircare products have been linked with endocrine disruption, reproductive health harm, and carcinogenicity. As consumers transition to less chemically intensive hairstyles, they may seek out the “clean” hair product landscape. While large retailers such as Target have created “clean” branded sections to potentially improve transparency for consumers in a complex marketplace, there are no regulatory guidelines defining “clean” and the “clean” haircare market has not been systematically assessed for potential health and safety concerns. To assess ingredient hazards within the “clean” textured (curly, wavy, coily) haircare product landscape. We web-scraped ingredient lists and other associated information for 150 products for textured hair from the “clean” category on the website for a specific Target store in South Los Angeles. We screened the ingredients for 18 chemicals of health concern (e.g., fragrance, phthalates) and linked the products to the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Skin Deep® database to determine a product hazard score (1=least hazardous, 10=most hazardous). Seventy percent of products listed fragrance, an ingredient category of concern given limited ingredient transparency. Only 62 (41%) of products were listed in the EWG’s Skin Deep® beauty product catalog and over 90% of listed products were classified by EWG as a ‘moderate’ risk to human health (product hazard scores between 3 and 6). These findings suggest that people who seek to manage natural hairstyles while avoiding exposure to harmful chemicals, navigate a confusing and unregulated marketplace. Inadequate federal regulation ensuring safety of personal care products does not ensure the safety of products in newer markets of “clean” branded products. Our findings suggest that harmonization of a definition of “clean” should be integrated across industry, from manufacturing to retail given existing inconsistencies that can create challenges for consumers who try to avoid harmful ingredients. There is a growing market of “clean” branded beauty products such as Target’s “clean” beauty lines, which market products that exclude ingredients of concern, and thus potentially increase transparency for consumers. By analyzing 150 products for textured haircare found online at a Target store in Los Angeles and by linking products to EWG’s Skin Deep® database hazard scores, we find limitations of such labeling schemes, including the continued existence of hazardous chemicals, potentially misleading marketing language, some inconsistent labeling, and potential negative impacts linked to racial and ethnic identities. Our findings underscore the need for consistency and transparency in labeling products as “clean” to reduce consumer uncertainty and improve product safety.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 4","pages":"667-675"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00867-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147795226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TLR/NF-κB activation in vitro as a tool in the assessment of occupational bioaerosol exposure and health risks in wastewater treatment plants","authors":"Anna Jacobsen Lauvås, Anne Straumfors, Sarah Alsaedi, Pål Graff, Mette Myrmel, Anani K. Afanou","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00880-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00880-9","url":null,"abstract":"Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) workers are exposed to biological hazards, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses with pathophysiological properties, posing a risk to workers’ health. Due to the complexity of WWTP bioaerosol composition, exposure assessment is challenging, and new methods are needed for a more holistic evaluation. (1) Characterize bacterial exposure in three Norwegian wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), (2) Assess the bioaerosol’s and cultivated viruses’ ability to activate toll-like receptors in vitro, and (3) Elucidate adverse health effects in WWTP workers. Inhalable bioaerosol fractions were collected with personal and stationary sampling, and endotoxin levels and 16S rRNA gene as a biomarker for bacteria were quantified. The inflammatory potential of the bioaerosol was assessed in vitro with HEK-Blue reporter cells, and we investigated the applicability of these cells for viral ligand detection by exposing them to cultivated Influenza A virus, Adenovirus F/40, E. coli phage MS2, and bovine Coronavirus. We used self-reported questionnaire data for an observational health assessment. TLR2 and TLR4 were activated in 85 and 91% of bioaerosol samples and activation correlated with airborne endotoxin levels. Airborne bacteria were present in all samples, with higher levels in personal (2.7 × 104 gc/m3) versus stationary samples (1.3 × 104 gc/m3). Endotoxin levels ranged from","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 5","pages":"939-950"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00880-9.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147731135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wildland fire smoke and birth defects in California","authors":"Amy M. Padula, Jonathan A. Mayo, Fred W. Lurmann, Nathan R. Pavlovic, Gary M. Shaw","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00885-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00885-4","url":null,"abstract":"Birth defects are a leading cause of infant mortality and an important contributor to childhood and adult morbidity. Major structural birth defects are diagnosed in 2 to 4% of infants in the United States. Environmental contaminants, including air pollution, have been suggested as potential risk factors for these anomalies. This study investigates the association between wildfire smoke exposure, specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and the risk of selected structural birth defects in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Data were collected from participants in the California Center of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study and the Birth Defects Study to Evaluate Pregnancy exposureS from 2000 to 2018. The study included 3005 participants, comprising livebirths, stillbirths, and pregnancy terminations. Wildfire smoke exposure was assessed using two estimates: fire density PM2.5 and fire increment PM2.5. Logistic regression was used to analyze the odds of 14 birth defects in relation to quartile-based exposure metrics during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy, adjusting for relevant covariates. Increased risk for several birth defects was observed with higher quartiles of wildfire smoke exposure. Notably, the third quartile of average fire density PM2.5 was associated with increased odds of cleft lip (OR = 2.29; 95% CI: 1.12, 4.69), and the highest quartile of maximum fire density PM2.5 was associated with increased risk of coarctation of the aorta (OR = 2.26; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.99). Spina bifida was consistently associated with higher exposure across multiple metrics, including a significant association with the highest quartile of maximum fire increment PM2.5 (OR = 2.76; 95% CI: 1.14, 6.66). Exposure to wildfire smoke during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy may contribute to the occurrence of certain structural birth defects in California’s San Joaquin Valley. These results highlight the need for further research to corroborate these findings and to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 5","pages":"964-973"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13466691/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147694246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extreme heat and hospitalization with Parkinson’s disease among older adults","authors":"Claire Dinehart, Scott W. Delaney, Lauren Mock, Brad A. Racette, Gary W. Miller, Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou, Danielle Braun, Antonella Zanobetti, Daniel Mork","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00882-7","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00882-7","url":null,"abstract":"The projected rise in U.S. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) cases makes understanding risk factors crucial to plan for changing healthcare utilization patterns. Factors such as extreme heat exacerbated by shifts in regional climate conditions may present additional risks among the PD population. We aim to determine whether nationwide and climate region-specific acute heat index exposure is associated with increased rates of hospitalizations with PD among the Medicare population. We follow a time-stratified case-crossover study design for a population of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries within the contiguous U.S. hospitalized between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2016. The exposure of interest is the daily maximum heat index during the warm season (May–September), converted to percentiles using climate region-specific warm season heat index distributions. We used distributed lag models to estimate the immediate and lagged associations of heat index on hospitalization with PD. Our sample included 427,813 individuals (89.3% White, 47.7% female, mean age 79.8). In nationwide analyses, the odds ratio (OR) of hospitalization with PD comparing days in the 99th versus 50th percentile of the heat index distribution was 1.010 (95% CI 1.002, 1.017). Results suggest extreme heat effects persist 2 days beyond the initial day. The cumulative OR of hospitalization with PD after 3 days of continuous exposure (i.e., cumulative over lags 0-2) to heat indexes at the 99th versus 50th percentile was 1.022 (95% CI: 1.005, 1.039). Estimates were larger in temperate climates, while tropical, arid, and continental regions showed varying impacts with non-significant associations. High heat index exposure is associated with increased odds of hospitalization with PD amongst older adults, particularly those living in temperate climates in the US South. These results may inform both medical practice and policy through crafting PD-patient-centered hotweather advice and via the issuance of local and state extreme heat advisories.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 5","pages":"974-982"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13335889/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147680029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multiyear wildfire smoke exposure (MultiWiSE) metrics: a data-driven approach to characterizing episodic PM2.5 exposures for epidemiologic research","authors":"Stephanie E. Cleland, Olivia Pearl Xi-Qiong Hamilton, Michael Brauer, Sarah B. Henderson","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00876-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00876-5","url":null,"abstract":"Population exposure to wildfire smoke (WFS) has increased across North America. The health effects of short-term WFS exposure are widely documented, but little is known about longer-term exposures. Most epidemiologic studies use multiyear averages to characterize long-term air pollution exposure, but these do not reflect the episodic nature of WFS which may be associated with distinct health risks. We developed twelve data-driven Multiyear Wildfire Smoke Exposure (MultiWiSE) metrics that characterize the frequency, intensity, and duration of episodic WFS for application in epidemiologic studies examining the effects of longer-term exposures. The MultiWiSE metrics are easily calculable using any long time series of daily fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The approach first establishes a location-specific counterfactual, which is used to separate WFS from non-WFS PM2.5. Estimates of weekly WFS PM2.5 are then used to generate the metrics. We demonstrate this approach in British Columbia (BC), using PM2.5 estimates from the Canadian Optimized Statistical Smoke Exposure Model for 2010-2023. Of the MultiWiSE metrics, two describe cumulative exposure, four describe WFS-impacted weeks, five describe WFS episodes, and one describes recovery. When applied to 652 BC census subdivisions, WFS accounted for 1.7–24.5% of cumulative PM2.5 exposure, with a mean (range) of 45.2 (17–80) WFS-impacted weeks and 8.2 (3–15) WFS episodes. WFS episodes lasted up to 24 weeks, with an average recovery of 78.2 (41.1–178.5) weeks between episodes. Eleven metrics were positively correlated, with correlations ranging from 0.20 to 0.99 and a mean of 0.70, indicating they capture both overlapping and distinct features of multiyear WFS exposure. The MultiWiSE metrics characterize the frequencies, intensities, and durations of episodic WFS exposure and can be calculated using any multiyear time series of PM2.5. They can be used in epidemiologic studies for a more nuanced and actionable understanding of the health risks of longer-term exposures.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 5","pages":"860-870"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00876-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147680050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hair metal concentrations in a mother-newborn population from a polluted megacity: an indicator of prenatal metal exposure","authors":"Christian D. Ortiz-Robles, Marvin Paz-Sabillón, Ángel Barrera-Hernández, Luz del Carmen Sánchez-Peña, Martín Noe Rangel-Calvillo, Luz María Del Razo, Betzabet Quintanilla-Vega","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00869-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00869-4","url":null,"abstract":"Essential elements, such as calcium (Ca), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) are critical for fetal development, while metals or metalloids, such as arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), boron (B), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), uranium (U), and vanadium (V) are potentially toxic metals (PTM) that interfere with vital processes. There is a need for biomonitoring essential and toxic metals during the uterine stage, and hair metal content may be a good biomarker. This study aimed to quantify the concentrations of 11 elements, including both essential and PTM, in hair samples of 96 newborn-mother pairs from an urban polluted area to assess fetal metal transfer. Essential elements and PTM were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in hair samples. Relationships between maternal and child hair metal concentrations were examined using Spearman’s rank correlation analysis, adjusting for potential confounding variables. The mothers’ hair PTM concentrations ranged from 8.0 ng/g to 7.0 µg/g in the following order: Cd","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 4","pages":"788-795"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00869-4.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147663618","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mixed-methods characterization of the tasks and factors influencing occupational exposure during biosolids land application","authors":"Riley J. L. Demo, Carsten Prasse, Keeve E. Nachman, Sara N. Lupolt","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00870-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00870-x","url":null,"abstract":"Pathogenic and chemical contaminants in biosolids may pose risks to workers during land application. Characterizing biosolids applicators’ exposures and risks requires information about the tasks and processes involved in the transportation, application, and use of biosolids, which is critically lacking. This mixed-methods study aims to characterize the tasks and processes that influence occupational exposure to biosolids during land application and generate preliminary task-specific exposure factors to refine exposure assessments for contaminants in biosolids. We conducted semi-structured, in-depth interviews with biosolids workers who apply, transport, and/or use biosolids in the United States and Canada. Following a framework approach to analysis, we identified the six tasks that constitute biosolids application and developed and administered a biosolids exposure questionnaire to collect preliminary data to derive exposure factors for use in occupational risk assessments. Workers described frequent and direct contact with biosolids across six land application tasks: hauling, loading, spreading, post-application field work, cleaning, and maintenance. They mentioned instances of ingestion of biosolids, soil, dust, and aerosolized biosolids (spray), inhalation of dust, gases, odors, and aerosolized biosolids (spray), and dermal exposure to biosolids, soil, and dust. Cleaning and maintaining equipment and spreading biosolids were the most commonly reported tasks. Though workers reported spending the least amount of time cleaning and maintaining equipment, these tasks generally resulted in the greatest direct contact with biosolids. Workers’ descriptions of direct contact with biosolids across all exposure routes indicate that land application represents a high-end exposure scenario that warrants further analysis. Our work fills a gap in understanding the behavior and exposure patterns of professional biosolids land applicators and presents preliminary data that can be used for deriving exposure factors for occupational receptors in biosolids risk assessments. Exposure to contaminants in biosolids may result in undue health risks, particularly for workers who interact directly with biosolids when applying them to land as a soil amendment. Our mixed-methods exploration of land applicators’ tasks, behaviors, and exposure patterns offers critical information for accurately assessing occupational exposure and identifying potential points of intervention.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 4","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00870-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147655628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bisphenol S and female reproductive toxicity: a scoping review of human studies","authors":"Faye V. Andrews, Erin Delker, Jillian Paul, Francisco Moran, Martha S. Sandy","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00868-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00868-5","url":null,"abstract":"Bisphenol S (BPS) is a chemical analogue of Bisphenol A (BPA) used in the production of hard plastics, textiles, and thermal papers. As the use of BPA has declined, BPS human exposure has increased and is now widespread. BPS has endocrine-disrupting properties and growing evidence indicates BPS negatively impacts female reproductive health. We conducted a scoping review of primary research articles related to BPS exposure and female reproductive toxicity in humans. We searched five biomedical databases through January 2025 for studies that assessed the effects of BPS exposure on outcomes related to female reproduction in humans. Included studies used a cohort, case-control, or cross-sectional study design, measured BPS in individuals, presented original data analyses, and adjusted for confounding variables. We tabulated study characteristics and key findings of the included studies. The literature search and screening yielded thirty-four studies for inclusion. Across studies, the LOD for BPS varied widely, from 0.002 to 0.20 ng/mL, and so did the proportion of samples with detectable BPS, from 14.8% to 100%. BPS was associated with greater risk of polycystic ovarian syndrome in two studies and gestational diabetes mellitus or related biomarkers in three studies. BPS was also associated with changes in thyroid hormones, reproductive hormones, and pubertal timing, though the directions of effects for these outcomes were mixed. BPS was not associated with endometriosis, gestational hypertension, or infertility. There is evidence from human studies that BPS exposure can cause some adverse female reproduction outcomes, though data were limited in number of studies per outcome, variable limits of BPS detection, and differences in exposure to BPS across samples. Despite limitations, epidemiologic data, considered along with in vitro and animal data, is important in identifying BPS as a hazard to female reproduction.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 4","pages":"676-690"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00868-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147655564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Is adherence to plant-based diet associated with higher exposure to mycotoxins?","authors":"Thorhallur Ingi Halldorsson, Bryndis Eva Birgisdottir, Ása Valgerður Eiríksdóttir, Oddný Ragnarsdóttir, Robert Kosicki, Magdalena Twarużek, Kristin Olafsdottir","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00879-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00879-2","url":null,"abstract":"It has been hypothesized that vegans may be more prone to mycotoxin exposure due to high intakes of plant-based foods. Very few studies have, however, directly addressed this hypothesis. To assess mycotoxin exposure among Icelandic vegans and omnivores. Data on 171 omnivores from the Icelandic National Dietary Survey and 47 vegans from a comparable survey. Diet was assessed using two 24-h recalls. Concentrations of T2 toxin, Deoxynivalenol (DON), Ochratoxin A (OTA), and Zearalenon (ZEN) and its metabolites were quantified in spot urine. Participants’ ages ranged from 23 to 64 years. Total cereal consumption was similar among vegans versus omnivores (214 vs. 182 g/day), while intake of whole grains was higher among vegans (52 vs. 22 g/day). As expected, vegans had a higher intake of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives. DON and OTA were detected in all omnivore samples but 99 and 77% of vegan samples, respectively. Creatinine (cr.) adjusted urinary concentrations of DON were similar among vegans versus omnivores (median: 1.84 vs. 2.04 ng/g cr., p = 0.54), while concentrations of OTA were ~10 fold lower among vegans (median: 0.01 vs. 0.11 ng/g cr., p < 0.001). Concentrations of ZEN were detected in all vegan samples (median: 0.075 ng/g cr.), but in only 52% of the omnivore samples (median: 0.004 ng/g cr.). Consumption of cereals and rice showed a weak positive correlation with DON and OTA (r ~ 0.2, p < 0.05) among omnivores, but overall, correlations between diet and urinary mycotoxin concentrations were inconsistent. Our results do not support the previous hypothesis suggesting that vegans might be more highly exposed to mycotoxins than omnivores. Our results do, however, show that the two groups exhibited distinct patterns of exposure that are likely to reflect their dietary habits.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 5","pages":"871-877"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147655562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A community-engaged investigation of residential polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposures in West Eugene, OR","authors":"Francesca Germano, Lane G. Tidwell, Duo Jiang, Arjorie Arberry-Baribeault, Lisa Arkin, Michael Barton, Kim A. Anderson, Diana Rohlman","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00863-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00863-w","url":null,"abstract":"A West Eugene, OR community has a history of odor complaints, anecdotally linked to a nearby wood preservative facility using creosote, a known source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The community also experiences elevated cancer risks. In response to concerns about industrial air pollution, Beyond Toxics (BT) and Oregon State University (OSU) initiated a community-engaged study to characterize residential PAH exposure. Stationary passive samplers were deployed in residential and commercial areas at 17 locations in three rings around the facility: inner (0.25-mile, n = 4), middle (0.5-mile, n = 5), and outer (1 mile, n = 8), for seven days. Twelve residents also wore personal passive wristband samplers (WBs), with eight hosting both a wristband and stationary sampler. All samplers were analyzed for 64 PAHs. Daily activity logs were collected to assess co-variate exposures. Results were shared through individual and community reports and in-person meetings. Thirty-eight PAHs were detected in stationary samplers. The five most abundant were naphthalene (169 ng/m³), acenaphthene (165 ng/m³), 2-methylnaphthalene (160 ng/m³), 1-methylnaphthalene (87.0 ng/m³), and fluorene (40.4 ng/m³). Seventeen PAHs were detected across the 12 wristbands, with phenanthrene, 2-methylnaphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, and naphthalene as the most abundant. PAHs were highest in the inner ring and northeastern area, downwind of the facility, followed by the east, near an industrial railway. The exposure patterns observed reflect community reports of odors in the northeast. The most abundant PAHs in both sampler types are associated with creosote. All wristband PAHs were also observed in stationary samplers, suggesting a common exposure source. This community-engaged study identified higher exposures near the industrial source in both ambient and personal samples- supporting long-standing community concerns. Residents in an environmental justice community raised concerns about air pollution from industrial sources. A community-engaged research study used passive samplers to characterize and quantify ambient and personal exposure to vapor phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 4","pages":"1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00863-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147641173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}