{"title":"Impacts of night market on indoor air quality and lung function of children in nearby households.","authors":"Jia Lin Zhang, Tsu-Nai Wang, Pei-Chen Lin, Kuan-Ting Lin, Yu-Han Chen, Jyun-Min Jhang, Ting-Ching Yao, Yuan-Chung Lin, Pei-Shih Chen","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00755-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00755-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Night markets-a unique element of Asian culture-involve various cooking methods and combustion, generating air pollutants with adverse health effects. However, there is no scientific literature on whether air pollutants from night markets affect indoor air quality and the lung function of children in nearby households.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We evaluated the impacts of night market, specifically market opening days and household distance from the market, on indoor air quality and the lung function of children in nearby households.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using real-time monitoring equipment, we measured concentrations of particulate matter (PM)<sub>1</sub>, PM<sub>2.5</sub>, PM<sub>10</sub>, carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>), ozone, total volatile organic compound (TVOC), airborne bacteria, and fungi in 58 households located near a night market. Additionally, we assessed the lung function values of children living in these households.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>PM<sub>1</sub> and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations were significantly higher during opening days than during closing days. The lung function values for children were significantly lower in households located ≤595 m from the market (near group) than in those located >595 m from the market (far group). Higher CO<sub>2</sub>, CO, SO<sub>2</sub>, TVOCs, and PM<sub>10</sub> concentrations and poor lung function were observed in children in the near group.</p><p><strong>Impact statement: </strong>PM<sub>1</sub> and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations were significantly higher during opening days of the night market than during closing days. Children residing near the night market (≤595 m) exhibited significantly lower lung function values than those living in houses located >595 m from the market.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143670028","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}
Liu Sun, Marie-Ève Héroux, Xiaohong Xu, Amanda J Wheeler
{"title":"Associations between residential fossil fuel combustion and indoor concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and aldehydes in Canadian homes.","authors":"Liu Sun, Marie-Ève Héroux, Xiaohong Xu, Amanda J Wheeler","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00762-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00762-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is increasing attention on the effects of residential fossil fuel combustion, particularly the use of natural gas or oil, on indoor air quality. Given the prevalent use of natural gas in Canadian homes, understanding its influence on indoor air quality is important.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study investigated associations between indoor levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>), carbon monoxide (CO), formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde with potential emission sources and other influencing factors in 344 homes in four Canadian cities.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using mixed models and general linear models, we evaluated the associations between potential sources and pollutant concentrations, conducting both city-specific and pooled analyses for winter and summer seasons.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our findings indicated that gas stoves, present in 24% of the homes, were significantly associated with increased indoor NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations, resulting in a 191% increase in winter and a 114% increase in summer. Additionally, the presence of gas stoves was strongly associated with a 43% increase in peak hourly CO levels in winter. The presence of gas clothes dryers was significantly associated with increased indoor NO<sub>2</sub> levels (47% in summer and 54% in winter). Oil heating was significantly associated with a 58% increase in winter indoor NO<sub>2</sub> levels. Gas heating was associated with a 62% increase in winter NO<sub>2</sub> levels in older homes (built before 1949), with marginal significance. Aldehyde levels were primarily associated with off-gassing from building materials and household activities. Other factors associated with indoor pollutant levels included housing characteristics, occupant behaviors, indoor environmental conditions, and outdoor sources.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>This study enhances understanding of the association between fossil fuel combustion and indoor air quality in predominantly detached homes. It highlights differences in pollutant levels between homes with gas and electric cooking, which can inform advice on cooking practices to reduce emissions in homes.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143633786","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}
Lauren B Anderson, Rochelle H Holm, Caison Black, Donald J Biddle, Weihsueh A Chiu, Aruni Bhatnagar, Ted Smith
{"title":"An environmental vulnerability index framework supporting targeted public health interventions at the census tracts level.","authors":"Lauren B Anderson, Rochelle H Holm, Caison Black, Donald J Biddle, Weihsueh A Chiu, Aruni Bhatnagar, Ted Smith","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00763-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00763-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Analyzing and visualizing disparities in environmental risks can help assess place-based vulnerabilities and provide civic leaders and community members with essential data for promoting health equity and informing public health strategies.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We investigated the adaptation of a previously developed environmental vulnerability index to evaluate the cumulative impact of diverse stressors in Louisville Metro-Jefferson County, KY, with the goal of supporting multi-faceted targeted public health interventions at the census tract level.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We assessed countywide vulnerability variability using the Toxicological Prioritization Index interface across five domains with 32 publicly available data indicators, and modeled the effects of theoretical public health interventions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our findings suggest that similar vulnerable areas are not always geographically clustered. Higher vulnerability scores were observed in the western and central areas of the county, with lower scores in the eastern regions. The index enabled the selection of the most at-risk census tracts for modeling targeted public health interventions to reduce cumulative environmental vulnerability.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Environmental vulnerabilities are not invariant features of urban environments. Rather, knowledge of these risks can guide the development and implementation of targeted solutions. This analysis demonstrated how publicly available data can support selection of feasible interventions to improve environmental equity. Targeted interventions to modify environmental conditions that support health can be developed and implemented locally with greater precision at the census tract level, yielding impactful outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143566489","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}
Siti Nurfahirah Muhamad, Abdah Md Akim, Fang Lee Lim, Karmegam Karuppiah, Nur Shabrina Azreen Mohd Shabri, Vivien How
{"title":"Heat stress-induced heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expressions among vulnerable populations in urban and rural areas Klang Valley, Malaysia.","authors":"Siti Nurfahirah Muhamad, Abdah Md Akim, Fang Lee Lim, Karmegam Karuppiah, Nur Shabrina Azreen Mohd Shabri, Vivien How","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00764-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00764-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>As climate change raises global temperatures, there remains a notable gap in understanding the body's mechanisms of heat stress defense exhibited by Heat Shock Protein (HSP) within the populations.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aims to investigate the expression level of HSP70 in response to indoor heat exposure among vulnerable populations in both urban and rural settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A comparative cross-sectional was conducted among 108 participants from urban and rural areas in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The study included face-to-face interviews, indoor heat exposure monitoring, and thermal stress classification using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). HSP70 gene and protein expressions were analyzed using reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and HSP70 High Sensitivity Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Urban areas experienced signficantly higher UTCI heat exposure levels than rural areas (p < 0.001). In response to heat stress, vulnerable populations in urban areas exhibited higher HSP70 gene relative expression and HSP70 protein expression. A significant mean difference in the plasma HSP70 protein expression was observed between the two groups (p < 0.001). The linear mixed model (LMM) revealed a significant association between UTCI heat exposure levels and HSP70 gene and protein expression in both groups (p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>While previous studies have examined cellular responses to heat stress in healthy individuals within controlled experimental settings, our study uniquely focuses on vulnerable individuals in actual environmental conditions. This is crucial for establishing baseline information on the ability of these populations to adapt to climate change and surrounding temperatures. Such information is essential for building resilient communities and preventing fatal incidents such as heat stroke during extreme heat events. By highlighting the differences between urban and rural populations, this study provides critical information for policymakers and health practitioners to design location-specific and population-specific heat stress mitigation strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143556971","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}
Jamil M Lane, Shelley H Liu, Vishal Midya, Cecilia S Alcala, Shoshannah Eggers, Katherine Svensson, Sandra Martinez-Medina, Megan K Horton, Roberta F White, Martha M Téllez-Rojo, Robert O Wright
{"title":"Childhood Pb-induced cognitive dysfunction: structural equation modeling of hot and cold executive functions.","authors":"Jamil M Lane, Shelley H Liu, Vishal Midya, Cecilia S Alcala, Shoshannah Eggers, Katherine Svensson, Sandra Martinez-Medina, Megan K Horton, Roberta F White, Martha M Téllez-Rojo, Robert O Wright","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00761-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00761-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Childhood lead [Pb] exposure has been consistently linked to neurotoxic effects related to the prefrontal cortex, a critical mediating structure involved in decision-making, planning, problem-solving, and specific aspects of short-term memory, i.e., the components of executive functions [EFs]. Limited studies have taken a deeper phenotyping approach that assess Pb's effects across multiple EF dimensions simultaneously, which can be organized into hot [e.g., reward, motivation] and cold [e.g., primary cognitive processing] dimensions.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We investigated whether childhood Pb exposure affects hot and cold EF dimensions and assessed any sexually dimorphic effects.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Leveraging a longitudinal birth cohort based in Mexico City, children's (n = 602) whole blood Pb levels (mean 23.66 μg/L) were measured at ages 4-6 and they were administered several EF tasks at ages 6-9. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that six EF tests estimated two latent variables representing hot and cold EF dimensions. Structural equation modeling [SEM] estimated the neurotoxic effect of childhood Pb exposure on latent variables of hot [higher scores indicate improved performance] and cold [higher scores indicate poorer performance] EFs. Subsequently, a multi-group SEM explored potential effect modifications by child sex.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Pb exposure was significantly associated with negative impacts on hot EF performance [b = -0.129, p = 0.004]. In both males (b = -0.128, p = 0.032) and females (b = -0.132, p = 0.027), childhood Pb exposure was significantly associated with a reduction in hot EF performance, with no evidence of an interaction with sex. Additionally, we found no association between Pb exposure and cold EF performance [b = 0.063, p = 0.392] and no notable sex differences.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>The present study leverages a sophisticated SEM framework as an exploratory tool and a neurotoxic framework to analyze multidimensional cognitive data, aiming to delineate hot and cold EFs. Our findings are consistent with neurotoxicity secondary to childhood Pb exposure impacting hot EF performance more than cold EF, though comparable trends were noted in cold EF performance for both sexes. Our approach uniquely captures hot EF, the more emotional and self-regulatory aspect of EF, adding a novel dimension to the literature on Pb exposure and cognitive development.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143541501","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}
Andreas Olsen Martinez, Leslie G Dietz, Hooman Parhizkar, Devrim Kaya, Dale Northcutt, Patrick F Horve, Jason Stenson, Michael Harry, David Mickle, Shana Jaaf, Oumaima Hachimi, Casey Kanalos, Isaac Martinotti, Garis Bowles, Mark Fretz, Christine Kelly, Tyler S Radniecki, Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg
{"title":"Air, surface, and wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2; a multimodal evaluation of COVID-19 detection in a built environment.","authors":"Andreas Olsen Martinez, Leslie G Dietz, Hooman Parhizkar, Devrim Kaya, Dale Northcutt, Patrick F Horve, Jason Stenson, Michael Harry, David Mickle, Shana Jaaf, Oumaima Hachimi, Casey Kanalos, Isaac Martinotti, Garis Bowles, Mark Fretz, Christine Kelly, Tyler S Radniecki, Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00757-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00757-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Environmental surveillance of infectious organisms holds tremendous promise to reduce human-to-human transmission in indoor spaces through early detection.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>In this study we determined the applicability and limitations of wastewater, indoor high-touch surfaces, in-room air, and rooftop exhaust air sampling methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in a real world building occupied by residents recently diagnosed with COVID-19.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We concurrently examined the results of three 24-hour environmental surveillance techniques, indoor surface sampling, exhaust air sampling and wastewater surveillance, to the known daily census fluctuations in a COVID-19 isolation dormitory. Additionally, we assessed the ability of aerosol samplers placed in the large volume lobby to detect SARS-CoV-2 multiple times per day.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our research reveals an increase in the number of individuals confirmed positive with COVID-19 as well as their estimated human viral load to be associated with statistically significant increases in viral loads detected in rooftop exhaust aerosol samples (p = 0.0413), wastewater samples (p = 0.0323,), and indoor high-touch surfaces (p < 0.001)). We also report that the viral load detected in lobby aerosol samples was statistically higher in samples collected during presence of occupants whose COVID-19 diagnostic tests were confirmed positive via qPCR compared to periods when the lobby was occupied by either contact-traced (suspected positive) individuals or during unoccupied periods (p = 0.0314 and <2e-16).</p><p><strong>Significance: </strong>We conclude that each daily (24h) surveillance method, rooftop exhaust air, indoor high-touch surfaces, and wastewater, provide useful detection signals for building owner/operator(s). Furthermore, we demonstrate that exhaust air sampling can provide spatially resolved signals based upon ventilation exhaust zones. Additionally, we find that indoor lobby air sampling can provide temporally resolved signals useful during short duration sampling periods (e.g., 2-4 hours) even with intermittent occupancy by occupants diagnosed with COVID-19.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Our research demonstrates that aerosol sampling can detect COVID-19 positive individuals in a real world lobby setting during very short occupancy periods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of rooftop exhaust aerosol, surface, and wastewater environmental surveillance in monitoring viral load in building occupants, both at the building scale and with ventilation zone-level resolution for aerosols. We provide actionable data for researchers, health officials and building managers who seek to determine which monitoring method is best for their building or study. This study is relevant in the fields of epidemiology, exposure sciences, biomonitoring, virology, public health, and healthy building design and management.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143536726","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":"Correction: Noise: a public health problem","authors":"Jamie L. Banks, Elaine A. Cohen Hubal","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00759-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00759-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":"35 1","pages":"129-129"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-025-00759-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143530999","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}
Priyanka N deSouza, Amanda Rees, Emilia Oscilowicz, Brendan Lawlor, William Obermann, Katherine Dickinson, Lisa M McKenzie, Sheryl Magzamen, Shelly Miller, Michelle L Bell
{"title":"Evaluating the environmental justice dimensions of odor in Denver, Colorado.","authors":"Priyanka N deSouza, Amanda Rees, Emilia Oscilowicz, Brendan Lawlor, William Obermann, Katherine Dickinson, Lisa M McKenzie, Sheryl Magzamen, Shelly Miller, Michelle L Bell","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00760-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00760-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Odors are a documented environmental justice challenge in Denver, Colorado. Complaints are an important modality through which residents express their concerns.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We investigated disparities in environmental justice related-variables, such as home and workplace census block groups (race/ethnicity, education levels, renter-occupied housing, median income and median home values, gentrification) by locations of odor complaints as well as that of potential malodorous facilities. We report key themes identified in complaints.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We obtained odor complaints for 2014-2023 and the locations of facilities required to submit an odor management plan as of 2023 from the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. We downloaded residential census block group-level socioeconomic data from the 2016-2020 American Community Survey and workplace-based socioeconomic data from the Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics dataset for 2020. We assessed exposure to potential malodorous facilities and complaints within each census block group. We investigated exposure disparities by comparing distributions of environmental justice-related variables based on whether a complaint has been made against a facility, and census block group-level odor intensity categories. We used unsupervised machine learning to identify themes from the odor complaints.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Less privileged census block groups were more likely to contain a potential malodorous facility. Importantly, our study also reveals disparities in the location of facilities, not just in traditional residence/-based environmental justice-related variables, but in workplace/-based factors as well. Our work points to the need to broaden our understanding of the structural racism forces that shape disparities from residential-based forces such as segregation to others such as access to transportation that result in workplace disparities. We did not observe similar disparities for odor complaints. Specific facilities were mentioned repeatedly in the complaints received.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Our study adds to the growing literature on disparities observed in exposure to odor using locations of potential malodorous facilities and complaints as a proxy.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143472545","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}
Emily S Barrett, Karolin Wadie, Kylie Getz, Patricia Greenberg, Taina Moore, Adana A M Llanos
{"title":"Evaluating personal care product use by Environmental Working Group hazard scores in relation to consumers' sociodemographic characteristics, purchasing behaviors, and product safety perceptions.","authors":"Emily S Barrett, Karolin Wadie, Kylie Getz, Patricia Greenberg, Taina Moore, Adana A M Llanos","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00751-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00751-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Personal care products (PCPs) are a source of environmental chemical exposures. Little research has examined the specific PCPs people use, the environmental hazards posed by those PCPs, and factors informing PCP selection.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To examine chemical hazards of the specific products used in relation to sociodemographic factors, purchasing behaviors, and perceptions about PCP safety.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a cross-sectional, university-based sample (NJ, USA, N = 593), participants reported on sociodemographics, PCP purchasing behaviors and perceptions, and PCP use in the last 24-48 h (including brand and product name). Those PCPs were linked to product hazard scores (1=least hazardous, 10=most hazardous) in the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep® database. For each participant, we calculated average hazard scores across all PCPs used and by category (e.g., haircare, skincare) and evaluated use of PCPs with high hazard scores (7-10). We fitted adjusted regression models examining associations of sociodemographic factors and participants' perceptions and purchasing behaviors with product hazard scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 9349 unique PCPs used by participants, 68% matched to Skin Deep®. Average hazard scores varied by participant characteristics (e.g., age) for perfumes/colognes, beauty, and skin care products. The relative risk (RR) of recent use of a hair product with a high hazard score was twice as high in non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic White women (RR:1.99; 95%CI:1.37, 2.89). Frequent use of healthy product apps (β = -0.49, 95%CI:-0.77, -0.21), reading product ingredient labels (β = -0.26; 95%CI:-0.82, -0.30), and seeking eco-friendly products (β = -0.17; 95%CI:-0.36, -0.01) were associated with use of skin care products with lower hazard scores. Results for hair and beauty products were similar. Concerns about PCP health impacts and regulation were associated with using products with lower hazard scores.</p><p><strong>Impact statement: </strong>Personal care products (PCPs) can contain numerous endocrine disrupting and carcinogenic chemicals. In a U.S. university-based sample, we linked the PCPs used by participants in the last 24-48 h to hazard scores in the Skin Deep® database. Average hazard scores of the PCPs used by participants varied by sociodemographic factors. Participant behaviors (e.g., use of healthy product apps) and perceptions of PCP safety and regulation were associated with the average hazard scores of the PCPs they used. Our findings suggest that education and tools to inform PCP choice may help consumers choose safer products and potentially, reduce chemical exposures.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143468305","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}
Michael S Bloom, Sudhi Upadhyaya, Adaeze W Nzegwu, Jordan R Kuiper, Jessie P Buckley, Judy Aschner, Dana Barr, Emily S Barrett, Deborah H Bennett, Dana Dabelea, Anne L Dunlop, Alma Fuller, Margaret Karagas, Donghai Liang, John Meeker, Rachel Miller, Thomas G O'Connor, Megan E Romano, Sheela Sathyanarayana, Anne P Starling, Annemarie Stroustrup, Deborah J Watkins
{"title":"Racial and ethnic differences in prenatal exposure to environmental phenols and parabens in the ECHO Cohort.","authors":"Michael S Bloom, Sudhi Upadhyaya, Adaeze W Nzegwu, Jordan R Kuiper, Jessie P Buckley, Judy Aschner, Dana Barr, Emily S Barrett, Deborah H Bennett, Dana Dabelea, Anne L Dunlop, Alma Fuller, Margaret Karagas, Donghai Liang, John Meeker, Rachel Miller, Thomas G O'Connor, Megan E Romano, Sheela Sathyanarayana, Anne P Starling, Annemarie Stroustrup, Deborah J Watkins","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00750-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00750-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Research suggests racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting environmental phenols (EPs) in limited populations. However, no studies have investigated racial/ethnic disparities in prenatal EP exposure across the U.S.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To estimate demographic differences in prenatal urinary EPs among participants in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An analysis of 4006 pregnant ECHO participants was performed, with 7854 specimens collected from 1999-2020. Racial/ethnic identity was self-reported. Urinary levels of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,5-dichlorophenol (2,5-DCP), benzophenone-3 (BP-3), bisphenols A (BPA), F (BPF), and S (BPS), and methyl- (MePb), ethyl- (EtPb), propyl- (PrPb), and butyl- (BuPb) parabens were measured at one or more time points during pregnancy. Effect estimates were adjusted for age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, educational level, gestational age and season at urine collection, and ECHO cohort.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants were classified as Hispanic of any race (n = 1658), non-Hispanic White (n = 1478), non-Hispanic Black (n = 490), and non-Hispanic Other (n = 362), which included individuals of multiple races. Urinary 2,4-DCP and 2,5-DCP concentrations were 2- to 4-fold higher among Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic Other participants relative to non-Hispanic White participants. MePb was ~2-fold higher among non-Hispanic Black (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.7-3.1) and non-Hispanic Other (95% CI: 1.5-2.8) participants. PrPb was similarly higher among non-Hispanic Black (95% CI: 1.7-3.7) and non-Hispanic Other (95% CI: 1.3-3.1) participants. EtPb was higher among non-Hispanic Black participants (3.1-fold; 95% CI 1.7-5.8). BP-3 was lower in Hispanic (0.7-fold; 95% CI: 0.5-0.9), non-Hispanic Black (0.4-fold; 95% CI: 0.3-0.5), and non-Hispanic Other (0.5-fold; 95% CI: 0.4-0.7) participants. Urinary BuPb, BPA, BPF, and BPS were similar across groups.</p><p><strong>Impact statement: </strong>This multisite, observational cohort study investigated whether there are racial and ethnic differences in prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting environmental phenols and parabens. Among 4006 participants from multiple U.S. cohorts who provided urine specimens during pregnancy, those who self-reported a racial and ethnic identity other than non-Hispanic White had higher urinary concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,5-dichlorophenol, methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, and propyl paraben and lower urinary concentrations of benzophenone-3 than those reporting as non-Hispanic White. These data show differences in prenatal concentrations of endocrine disrupting environmental phenols and parabens by racial and ethnic identity.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143425411","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}