Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology最新文献

{"title":"Groundwater quality and hypertension in India: addressing misclassification and predictive accuracy in Biswas et al.","authors":"Tianfei Yu, Jing Yuan, Yang Xiang, Ming Li","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00843-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00843-0","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 3","pages":"613-614"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146208431","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":"Understudied PFAS precursors dominate household dust: insights from a pilot study in Rochester, NY","authors":"Alina M. McIntyre, Julia O. Udesky, Katrina S. Korfmacher, Chunjie Xia, Staci L. Capozzi, Marta Venier, Jennifer L. Ohayon, Laurel A. Schaider, Robin E. Dodson","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00841-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00841-2","url":null,"abstract":"Indoor exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may contribute substantially to total PFAS exposure, yet few studies characterize indoor concentrations of precursor PFAS. We conducted a pilot study targeting 46 ionic and neutral PFAS in vacuumed dust from 20 low-income owner-occupied homes in Rochester, New York. Forty-three PFAS were detected; polyfluoroalkyl phosphate esters (PAPs), fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs), and perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) were detected in every sample. The highest median concentrations were 6:2 diPAP (755 ng/g), 6:2 FTOH (77.5 ng/g), and 6:2/8:2 diPAP (36.2 ng/g). Median PFAS concentrations differed by housing characteristics, although not significantly, with higher concentrations of PFCAs and lower PAPs in carpeted homes, and higher FOSEs, PFCAs, and PFSAs in homes with more upholstered furniture. Under-studied PFAS, including important precursors, are prevalent in the indoor environment, and their levels are linked to housing characteristics. The ubiquity of PFAS mixtures indoors supports the need for class-based regulation.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 3","pages":"504-510"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196326","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":"Dried blood spot-based monitoring of immune and epigenetic biomarkers in occupational exposure studies","authors":"Evi De Ryck, Eva-Maria Hoornaert, Yanthe Buntinx, Eline Verscheure, Michelle C. Turner, Anjoeka Pronk, Peter HM Hoet, Lode Godderis, Manosij Ghosh","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00842-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00842-1","url":null,"abstract":"Self-sampling of biomaterials is an important means for continuous remote occupational surveillance. Recently, we presented an overview of different self-sampling methods for occupational research. Dried blood spots (DBS), urine, saliva and oral buccal cells were matrices of choice for rapid, minimally invasive sample collection for analysis of a wide range of biomarkers. We set up pilot studies to optimise a suitable workflow for minimally invasive matrices in different occupational setups. A two-phase pilot study was conducted. In Phase 1, DBS samples were collected from 40 healthy participants according to written and video-recorded protocols. Samples were received intact and without visible damage. We surveyed participants on aspects related to ease of self-sampling and clarity of instructions. In Phase 2, a study of 15 participants, we further refined the protocols to characterise global DNA methylation, oxidative DNA damage (8-OHdG), and immunoarrays (IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13, TNF-α, and CRP) in DBS and dried plasma spots (DPS) and assessed the effect of sample storage duration and shipment (stored immediately, and after one, two, four and six weeks). DBS samples were used to optimise the DNA extraction protocol, which yielded good-quality DNA. We showed the stability for most of the markers up to six weeks. A large number of immune markers could be detected in DBS- and DPS-derived samples, and proteomics was feasible. With this study, we confirmed that minimally invasive techniques for good-quality biological sample collection are available for use in future occupational studies. This study establishes a robust framework for minimally invasive self-sampling in occupational health research, demonstrating the feasibility of dried blood and plasma spots for high-quality analysis of proteomic, immune, and DNA biomarkers. These methods support scalable, remote, and longitudinal biomolecular surveillance across diverse work environments. Evaluating biomarker stability is essential, as room temperature storage can affect data integrity. Our findings confirm robust proteomic profiling, stable DNA methylation markers, and promising immune marker detection, reinforcing the potential of dried blood spots for reliable long-term health monitoring.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 3","pages":"531-539"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146196369","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":"USEtox modeling of children’s exposures to Bisphenol A (BPA) and alternatives in toys","authors":"Lei Huang, Lynn Nakayama Wong, Xiaoying Zhou, Michelle Romero-Franco, Nathalie Pham, Hyeong-Moo Shin, Thomas McKone, Qingyu Meng, Olivier Jolliet","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00827-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00827-6","url":null,"abstract":"Bisphenol A (BPA) is a known endocrine disruptor, raising concerns about its presence in children’s toys. Despite its well-studied health effects, there is limited research addressing aggregate exposure to BPA in toys. Moreover, hazard and exposure information on BPA alternatives on the market is scarce. This study applies USEtox modeling to systematically evaluate young children’s exposure to BPA in toys and to compare the exposure between BPA and potential alternatives. We assessed the exposure to BPA and alternatives across representative toy archetypes and identified dominant exposure pathways and key influencing factors. We also estimated aggregate exposure for 3–6-year-olds and evaluated health risks by comparing exposure doses to toxicity benchmarks. We assumed a mass fraction of 300 ppm of BPA and alternatives across all toys. Among individual toy archetypes, the teething ring, cowboy suit, and doll resulted in the highest daily exposure dose, with the exposure dose generally decreasing with age. Direct dermal contact, mouthing, and dust ingestion were the primary exposure pathways. The estimated dose varied with the toy’s material, the chemical’s properties and initial mass fraction, and children’s use patterns. For aggregate exposure from multiple toys used by 3–6-year-olds, bisphenol F resulted in the highest daily exposure (2.6 µg/kg/d), while bisphenol AP had the lowest (0.14 µg/kg/d). Aggregate exposure to BPA and alternatives was dominated by different pathways depending on chemical properties. We also estimated the aggregate exposure mass of BPA during early childhood (6 months to <12 yrs) to be 13.4 mg. This study offers insights into children’s exposure to BPA and its alternatives in toys, filling in the knowledge gaps on exposures to these chemicals. USEtox modeling identifies dominant exposure pathways and evaluates aggregate exposure from the use of different toy types, demonstrating the ability of USEtox to quantify exposures to both well-known chemicals as well as new alternatives. The research underscores the variability in exposure doses based on toy material, chemical properties, and children’s behavior, providing valuable science-based and quantified data to guide safer product design. Policymakers can leverage these findings to prioritize products for regulation and protect public health.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 3","pages":"425-437"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00827-6.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146183990","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":"A personalized tutorial to improve understanding of individual chemical results and opportunities for reducing exposure","authors":"Katherine E. Boronow, Aaron Maruzzo, Rachel A. Morello-Frosch, Anisha Nakagawa Patil, Erin DeMicco, Phil Brown, Amy M. Padula, Sarah D. Geiger, Julia Green Brody","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00840-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00840-3","url":null,"abstract":"Environmental health studies frequently measure levels of harmful chemicals in people or personal spaces, and returning those individual levels is an ethical responsibility and important opportunity to teach people about chemical exposures and how to reduce them. We sought to enhance meaningful report-back by quantitatively evaluating a personalized tutorial designed to support environmental health literacy about personal chemical exposures. We developed a novel smartphone-based tutorial that used the Predict-Observe-Explain educational framework to increase understanding of personal results graphs and promote taking actions to lower exposure. We deployed the tutorial as part of report-back in the Illinois Kids Development Study and Chemicals in Our Bodies pregnancy cohorts, and we collected digital analytics on how participants (n = 295) interacted with it. We tested the effect of the tutorial on participants’ accuracy at answering four graph-reading questions and examined differences by educational attainment and socioeconomic status. The tutorial prompted participants to select exposure sources that were relevant to them, and we calculated response frequencies of participants’ self-reported interest in taking related actions. A total of 92% of participants (n = 270) completed the Predict and Observe phases of the tutorial. Among those participants, 70% (n = 188) correctly answered all four graph-reading questions on their first attempt (without tutorial assistance), and success increased to 96% (n = 258) after the tutorial provided feedback and participants could make a second attempt. Improvement was greatest among participants without a bachelor’s degree. Participants who answered the Explain phase (n = 182) expressed high interest in trying new behaviors to reduce exposure. While most participants understood their personal exposure graph without assistance, the tutorial successfully reduced differences in understanding by educational attainment. The tutorial was also effective at creating intentions to adopt health-protective behaviors. Scalable tools like this can support effective report-back in populations with all levels of environmental health literacy. To help people at all educational levels learn about their chemical levels and how to reduce them, we developed a personalized tutorial for use in reporting back results in environmental exposure studies. Before tutorial assistance, participants without a bachelor’s degree had lower understanding of their personal results graphs. Tutorial assistance successfully reduced differences in understanding between those with and without a bachelor’s degree. In addition, the tutorial was effective at creating intentions to adopt health-protective behaviors based on personalized recommendations for each participant. This scalable digital tool supports understanding and action during report-back of chemical exposure results.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 3","pages":"511-520"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-02-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00840-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146137683","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":"Analysis of 18 mercapturic acids in urine samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank—tackling the data gap in the human biomonitoring of VOCs in Europe","authors":"Nikola Pluym, Therese Burkhardt, Till Weber, Gerhard Scherer, Max Scherer, Marike Kolossa-Gehring","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00838-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00838-x","url":null,"abstract":"Human biomonitoring (HBM) plays a pivotal role in assessing exposure to toxicologically relevant chemicals, with urinary metabolites serving as key indicators. Despite the widespread implementation of HBM programs globally, certain metabolites, such as mercapturic acids (MAs) derived from volatile organic compounds (VOCs), remain understudied in non-occupationally exposed populations. To bridge this data gap, we analyzed 18 MAs in 360 24-h urine samples collected over a time span of 21 years from 2000 to 2021 in Germany. Two LC-MS/MS methods were utilized to quantify MAs in urine samples obtained from the Environmental Specimen Bank. Statistical analyses, including Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman correlations, were employed to evaluate temporal trends, sex-specific differences, and correlations between MAs. Quantification rates between 95 and 100% were obtained for 14 of the 18 MAs, with notable variations in concentrations among different metabolites. The most pronounced decrease in MA levels was observed from 2010/2015 to 2019 with a significant trend for 8 MAs, potentially reflecting changes in environmental exposures and regulations. Moreover, significant differences in urinary excretion per 24 h between males and females were observed for several MAs, highlighting the importance of considering sex in exposure assessments. Comprehensive human biomonitoring (HBM) data with regard to the exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Europe is lacking. This prompted us to quantify 18 mercapturic acids as urinary VOC metabolites in 360 samples from the Environmental Specimen Bank collected between 2000 and 2021 in Germany. Our study demonstrates the ubiquitous exposure to numerous VOCs of high toxicological relevance, albeit with a decreasing trend over time for most of the metabolites. This emphasizes the need for a broader HBM to better understand the risk of VOC exposure in Germany and more general in Europe.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 3","pages":"490-503"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00838-x.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147808312","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":"Unravelling airborne complexities: the role of spider webs and indoor dust in assessing human exposure to indoor organic micropollutants","authors":"Vishnu S. Moorchilot, K. S. Aradhana, C. T. Aravindakumar, Usha K. Aravind","doi":"10.1038/s41370-026-00839-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-026-00839-w","url":null,"abstract":"Indoor environments serve as critical exposure pathways for airborne micropollutants, yet traditional sampling methods often face limitations in representing dynamic air quality. Alternative, non-invasive techniques for indoor pollutant monitoring are gaining attention. This study evaluates the use of spider webs as innovative biomonitoring tools for assessing airborne micropollutants across various indoor environments, in comparison with conventional indoor dust sampling. Spider webs and indoor dust samples were collected from a range of indoor microenvironments, including electronic shops, textile stores, daycare centers, and décor shops. Non-target screening of micropollutants was carried out using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Quantification of targeted phthalates (Di-butyl phthalate (DBP), Di-ethyl phthalate (DEP), Di-methyl phthalate (DMP), Mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), Mono-methyl phthalate (MMP), and Mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP)) and bisphenol A (BPA) was performed using Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Structural distortions in spider silk due to pollutant exposure were monitored using Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, focusing on alterations in the amide regions. Among the compounds detected, several were exclusive to either web or dust samples, while others were common to both. Esters and carboxylic acids were dominant in web-specific compounds, whereas esters and phenols were prevalent in both matrices. Dust samples recorded higher concentrations of DBP (mean: 10,434 ng/g) and BPA (mean: 2240 ng/g) than web samples (DBP mean: 2352 ng/g; BPA mean: 777 ng/g). ATR-FTIR analysis revealed significant shifts in amide I and II bands in spider silk collected from high-exposure areas, indicating distortion in silk protein structures in response to micropollutant accumulation.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 5","pages":"899-909"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-026-00839-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146055914","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":"A transdisciplinary process-oriented approach to evaluate infant exposure to indoor dust","authors":"Brandon E. Boor, Karen E. Adolph, Laura J. Claxton, Alexander Laskin, Orit Herzberg, Paige A. Thompson, Satya S. Patra, Brian H. Magnuson, Emily R. Halpern","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00823-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00823-w","url":null,"abstract":"Infants are uniquely vulnerable to indoor dust exposure due to behaviors such as mouthing (hand- or object-to-mouth), crawling with hands on the floor, and close proximity to floor surfaces where dust accumulates. Dust acts as a reservoir for toxicants, including heavy metals, flame retardants, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, plasticizers, microplastics, and antimicrobials, which pose significant risks via ingestion and inhalation. Dust also contains allergens and microorganisms that may adversely impact respiratory health but have also been linked to protective immune effects, including a reduced risk of asthma and allergy development in early childhood. However, current exposure assessments lack a mechanistic understanding of how behavioral, developmental, and environmental factors interact to shape infant-specific dust exposure. To develop a transdisciplinary, process-oriented framework that integrates behavioral analysis, advanced dust characterization, and mechanistic modeling to evaluate infant exposure to indoor dust through ingestion and inhalation pathways. Videos of natural infant activity were collected from urban (New York, NY) and rural/suburban (West Lafayette, IN) homes to quantify mouthing frequency, duration, and other exposure-relevant behaviors across developmental stages. Dust samples were collected using standardized protocols and analyzed for surface concentrations, size distributions, morphological features, and toxicant profiles, focusing on heavy metals. Empirical datasets informed a mechanistic mass balance model to estimate size-resolved dust ingestion and inhalation rates. Preliminary findings revealed variability in dust surface concentrations between carpets and smooth flooring, and differences in elemental concentrations between urban and rural/suburban homes. Dust size distributions (volume basis) revealed that nearly half of particles were smaller than 50 μm, with approximately 20% smaller than 20 μm, underscoring the role of finer particles in exposure pathways.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 4","pages":"734-747"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00823-w.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145971680","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":"Co-exposure to environmental cadmium and arsenic leads to kidney damage even at lower concentrations","authors":"Jung-Eum Lee, Ju-Young Baek, Jung-Duck Park, Jun Young Chang, Byung-Sun Choi","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00828-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00828-5","url":null,"abstract":"While many studies have examined the effects of single heavy metal exposure, the impact of combined exposure to multiple heavy metals on kidney health remains underexplored. This study aims to assess the risk of kidney damage associated with relatively low concentrations of Cd and As, below established reference levels, and to investigate whether simultaneous exposure leads to synergistic or additive harmful effects. In this cross-sectional study of 1948 non-occupationally exposed individuals, we explored the relationship between environmental exposure to heavy metals at sub-occupational levels and the prevalence of kidney damage in this population. The risk of kidney damage was increased proportionally to urinary cadmium (uCd) and urinary arsenic (uAs) levels. Co-exposure to Cd and As at Co3 (both metals were above the 3rd tertile) resulted in a 2.65-fold increase in β2-microglobulin (MG) and a 4.41-fold increase in urinary total protein compared to those at Co1 (both metals were below the 3rd tertile). N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) level was 7.42-fold higher at Co3 than at Co1. Subgroup analysis showed that the odds ratio of NAG level elevation increased by 2.74 folds when uCd level was >0.96 μg/g Creatinine (Cr) and uAs level was >8.17 μg/g Cr, and by 3.04-fold when uCd level was >1.86 μg/g Cr (3rd tertile) and uAs level was >4.71 μg/g Cr (2nd tertile). This suggests that co-exposure to both metals can cause kidney damage at concentrations lower than the reference level and even lower than the single metal concentration (uCd 1.86 μg/g Cr) that caused kidney damage. In this study, combined exposure to cadmium and arsenic causes kidney damage even at levels below reference thresholds. The findings highlight synergistic effects, with significant increases in biomarkers like β2-microglobulin and NAG.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 3","pages":"603-612"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145844660","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":"Comparison of residential and mobility-integrated air pollution exposures from tracking campaigns and agent-based modelling in Switzerland and the Netherlands","authors":"Kees de Hoogh, Benjamin Flückiger, Nicole Probst-Hensch, Ayoung Jeong, Medea Imboden, Aletta Karsies, Oliver Schmitz, Roel Vermeulen, Kalliopi Kyriakou, Aisha Ndiaye, Youchen Shen, Derek Karssenberg, Danielle Vienneau, Gerard Hoek","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00836-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00836-5","url":null,"abstract":"Studies investigating the health effects of long-term exposure to air pollution generally rely on the outdoor air pollution exposure assigned at the residential address. By ignoring time activity, population exposure misclassification could potentially lead to loss of precision or bias in epidemiological studies. We aimed to assess how residential-based air pollution exposures compared with “real” tracking-based exposures. We conducted two tracking campaigns in Switzerland (CH) and the Netherlands (NL) with 686 participants followed for 2 weeks with GPS trackers whilst keeping time activity diaries. In addition, we simulated mobility and commuting tracks for the same subjects using agent-based modeling (ABM) with information from census and travel survey data to estimate mobility-integrated air pollution exposures. Exposures were calculated by overlaying residential address, measured (GPS) and modeled (ABM) tracks with annual average hourly NO2 and PM2.5 concentration surfaces. We found strong agreements between residential and tracking-based exposures in CH for both pollutants (R2 > 0.76) and NL for NO2 (R2 = 0.79), and weaker agreement in NL for PM2.5 (R2 = 0.56). Similarly, the agreement between ABM and tracking-based exposures was strong for NO2 (R2 > 0.77 in CH and NL), while for PM2.5 it was stronger in CH (R2 = 0.80) than in NL (R2 = 0.54). The highest correlations were between residential and ABM exposures (R2 > 0.96 for both pollutants). Using information commonly available even in large administrative cohorts, we found that exposures derived from the tracking campaigns agreed well with ABM in our two study areas. Our study supports the use of residential exposures in epidemiological studies on long-term health effects of air pollution, whilst acknowledging that ABM, especially if the work location is known, can be a useful tool to estimate mobility-integrated exposures.","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"36 3","pages":"469-478"},"PeriodicalIF":4.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00836-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145844672","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}