Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology最新文献

{"title":"Addressing the need for individual-level exposure monitoring for firefighters using silicone samplers.","authors":"Emily M Bonner, Carolyn M Poutasse, Christopher K Haddock, Walker S C Poston, Sara A Jahnke, Lane G Tidwell, Kim A Anderson","doi":"10.1038/s41370-024-00700-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-024-00700-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Firefighters are occupationally exposed to hazardous chemical mixtures. Silicone passive sampling devices capture unique exposures over time with minimal impact to the participant and allow for the analysis of a broad chemical space.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Silicone dog tags were worn by firefighters while on- and off-duty to measure individual exposures, identify potential occupational exposures, and assess their relation to occupational variables including fire response frequency, rank, and years as a firefighter.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Fifty-six firefighters were recruited from two fire departments with relatively high and low call volumes in the Kansas City metropolitan area to wear two different silicone dog tags as passive samplers while on- and off-duty. Each dog tag was worn for a cumulative 30-day exposure period. Extracts of the dog tags were analyzed with gas chromatography, mass spectrometry methods for 43 flame retardants (FRs), 21 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 42 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and 63 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ninety-two total chemicals were detected, with eight chemicals not previously reported in firefighter exposure studies. Based on the magnitude and frequency of increased exposure in on-duty dog tags, relative to paired off-duty dog tags, five PBDEs and sec-butylbenzene were identified as potential occupational exposures; sec-butylbenzene and PBDE 49 have not previously been reported in firefighter exposure studies to the authors' knowledge. Multivariate analyses for these six compounds indicated that firefighter rank, fire response rates, and years in the fire service were poor indicators of increased occupational exposure. The greatest on-duty exposures to PBDEs were found in the low-call volume department among operational firefighters. Dog tags from firefighters at the high-call volume department accounted for 75% of PCB detections; one particular fire response may have contributed to this. Additionally, there was measurable similarity in total chemical exposure profiles between paired on- and off-duty tags for some firefighters.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>This study used personal silicone passive samplers in the configuration of dog tags worn around the neck to quantify firefighter occupational exposure in on-duty samples relative to paired off-duty samples for several chemical categories: flame retardants, VOCs, and PCBs. Five PBDEs and sec-butylbenzene were identified as potential occupational exposures, however their prevalence in on-duty tags was not associated with frequency of fire responses, firefighter rank, or years the firefighter has been in the fire service. Additionally, similarity between chemical exposures in on- and off-duty tags from the same firefighter invites further investigation into individual behaviors influencing occupational and para-occupational exposures.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"180-195"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11743823/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141734308","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":"Assessment of air quality in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania subway.","authors":"Anjum Shahina Karim, Maeve Malone, Alex Bruno, Aimee L Eggler, Michael A Posner, Kabindra M Shakya","doi":"10.1038/s41370-024-00711-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-024-00711-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Subways are popular and efficient modes of transportation in cities. However, people are exposed to high levels of particulate matter (PM) in subways. Subway air quality in the United States has been investigated in a few cities, but data is lacking on simultaneous measurement of several pollutants, especially ultrafine particles (UFP) and black carbon (BC), in combination with different size fractions of PM.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The goals of this study are to assess air quality in a belowground subway and compare it with outdoor ambient levels, to examine temporal variability of PM in the subway, and to analyze the correlation between PM and BC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Particulate matter of varying sizes (PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀), UFP, and BC were measured using DustTrak, nanoparticle detector, and micro aethalometer, respectively. Measurements were made at the belowground subway platform and the aboveground street level at 15th Street subway station in Philadelphia during summer 2022.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Belowground mean PM₁, PM_2.5, and PM₁₀ were 112.2 ± 61.3 µg/m³, 120 ± 65.5 µg/m³, and 182.1 ± 132 µg/m³, respectively, which were 5.4, 5.7, and 7.6 times higher than the respective aboveground street levels. The UFP lung deposited surface area (LDSA) (59.4 ± 36.2 µm²/cm³) and BC (9.5 ± 5.4 μg/m³) belowground were 1.7 times and 10.7 times higher than the aboveground. The pollutant concentration varied from day-to-day on both the locations. A higher positive correlation was found between the belowground BC and PM_2.5 (r = 0.51, p < 0.05) compared to the aboveground (r = 0.16, p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>This study showed high levels of particulate matter exposure at a belowground subway station in Philadelphia. Particulate matter levels were about 5 to 8 times higher at belowground subway station than the corresponding aboveground street level. Higher levels were also observed for UFP lung deposited surface area (LDSA), while black carbon levels showed the highest concentration at the belowground level by a factor of ten compared to the aboveground level. The study shows the need for air quality management at belowground subways to reduce particulate matter exposure for the commuters.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"196-204"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12009735/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141982463","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":"Comparison of the rate of healthcare encounters for influenza from source-specific PM_2.5 before and after tier 3 vehicle standards in New York state.","authors":"Daniel P Croft, Mark J Utell, Philip K Hopke, Han Liu, Shao Lin, Sally W Thurston, Sathvik Thandra, Yunle Chen, Md Rayhanul Islam, Kelly Thevenet-Morrison, Carl J Johnston, Tianming Zhao, Catherine Yount, David Q Rich","doi":"10.1038/s41370-024-00710-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-024-00710-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Influenza healthcare encounters in adults associated with specific sources of PM_2.5 is an area of active research.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Following 2017 legislation requiring reductions in emissions from light-duty vehicles, we hypothesized a reduced rate of influenza healthcare encounters would be associated with concentrations of PM_2.5 from traffic sources in the early implementation period of this regulation (2017-2019).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) to study adult patients hospitalized (N = 5328) or treated in the emergency department (N = 18,247) for influenza in New York State. Using a modified case-crossover design, we estimated the excess rate (ER) of influenza hospitalizations and emergency department visits associated with interquartile range increases in source-specific PM_2.5 concentrations (e.g., spark-ignition emissions [GAS], biomass burning [BB], diesel [DIE]) in lag day(s) 0, 0-3 and 0-6. We then evaluated whether ERs differed after Tier 3 implementation (2017-2019) compared to the period prior to implementation (2014-2016).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Each interquartile range increase in DIE in lag days 0-6 was associated with a 21.3% increased rate of influenza hospitalization (95% CI: 6.9, 37.6) in the 2014-2016 period, and a 6.3% decreased rate (95% CI: -12.7, 0.5) in the 2017-2019 period. The GAS/influenza excess rates were larger in the 2017-2019 period than the 2014-2016 period for emergency department visits. We also observed a larger ER associated with increased BB in the 2017-2019 period compared to the 2014-2016 period.</p><p><strong>Impact statement: </strong>We present an accountability study on the impact of the early implementation period of the Tier 3 vehicle emission standards on the association between specific sources of PM_2.5 air pollution on influenza healthcare encounters in New York State. We found that the association between gasoline emissions and influenza healthcare encounters did not lessen in magnitude between periods, possibly because the emissions standards were not yet fully implemented. The reduction in the rates of influenza healthcare encounters associated with diesel emissions may be reflective of past policies to reduce the toxicity of diesel emissions. Accountability studies can help policy makers and environmental scientists better understand the timing of pollution changes and associated health effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"205-213"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12009738/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141912896","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":"Joint effects of traffic-related air pollution and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy on maternal postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms.","authors":"Yuhong Hu, Thomas Chavez, Sandrah P Eckel, Tingyu Yang, Xinci Chen, Mario Vigil, Nathan Pavlovic, Fred Lurmann, Deborah Lerner, Nathana Lurvey, Brendan Grubbs, Laila Al-Marayati, Claudia Toledo-Corral, Jill Johnston, Genevieve F Dunton, Shohreh F Farzan, Rima Habre, Carrie Breton, Theresa M Bastain","doi":"10.1038/s41370-024-00692-9","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-024-00692-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ambient air pollution has been linked to postpartum depression. However, few studies have investigated the effects of traffic-related NO_x on postpartum depression and whether any pregnancy-related factors might increase susceptibility.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>To evaluate the association between traffic-related NO_x and postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms, and effect modification by pregnancy-related hypertension.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study included 453 predominantly low-income Hispanic/Latina women in the MADRES cohort. Daily traffic-related NO_x concentrations by road class were estimated using the California LINE-source dispersion model (CALINE4) at participants' residential locations and averaged across pregnancy. Postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms were evaluated by a validated questionnaire (Postpartum Distress Measure, PDM) at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum. Multivariate linear regressions were performed to estimate the associations at each timepoint. Interaction terms were added to the linear models to assess effect modification by hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs). Repeated measurement analyses were conducted by using mixed effect models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found prenatal traffic-related NO_x was associated with increased PDM scores. Specifically, mothers exposed to an IQR (0.22 ppb) increase in NO_x from major roads had 3.78% (95% CI: 0.53-7.14%) and 5.27% (95% CI: 0.33-10.45%) significantly higher 3-month and 12-month PDM scores, respectively. Similarly, in repeated measurement analyses, higher NO_x from major roads was associated with 3.06% (95% CI: 0.43-5.76%) significantly higher PDM scores across the first year postpartum. Effect modification by HDPs was observed: higher freeway/highway and total NO_x among mothers with HDPs were associated with significantly higher PDM scores at 12 months postpartum compared to those without HDPs.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>This study shows that prenatal traffic-related air pollution was associated with postpartum depressive and anxiety symptoms. The study also found novel evidence of greater susceptibility among women with HDPs, which advances the understanding of the relationships between air pollution, maternal cardiometabolic health during pregnancy and postpartum mental health. Our study has potential implications for clinical intervention to mitigate the effects of traffic-related pollution on postpartum mental health disorders. The findings can also offer valuable insights into urban planning strategies concerning the implementation of emission control measures and the creation of green spaces.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"278-287"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11607174/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141183834","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":"Practical considerations for using low-cost sensors to assess wildfire smoke exposure in school and childcare settings.","authors":"Orly Stampfer, Christopher Zuidema, Ryan W Allen, Julie Fox, Paul Sampson, Edmund Seto, Catherine J Karr","doi":"10.1038/s41370-024-00677-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-024-00677-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>More frequent and intense wildfires will increase concentrations of smoke in schools and childcare settings. Low-cost sensors can assess fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentrations with high spatial and temporal resolution.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We sought to optimize the use of sensors for decision-making in schools and childcare settings during wildfire smoke to reduce children's exposure to PM_2.5.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We measured PM_2.5 concentrations indoors and outdoors at four schools in Washington State during wildfire smoke in 2020-2021 using low-cost sensors and gravimetric samplers. We randomly sampled 5-min segments of low-cost sensor data to create simulations of brief portable handheld measurements.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>During wildfire smoke episodes (lasting 4-19 days), median hourly PM_2.5 concentrations at different locations inside a single facility varied by up to 49.6 µg/m³ (maximum difference) during school hours. Median hourly indoor/outdoor ratios across schools ranged from 0.22 to 0.91. Within-school differences in concentrations indicated that it is important to collect measurements throughout a facility. Simulation results suggested that making handheld measurements more often and over multiple days better approximates indoor/outdoor ratios for wildfire smoke. During a period of unstable air quality, PM_2.5 over the next hour indoors was more highly correlated with the last 10-min of data (mean R² = 0.94) compared with the last 3-h (mean R² = 0.60), indicating that higher temporal resolution data is most informative for decisions about near-term activities indoors.</p><p><strong>Impact statement: </strong>As wildfires continue to increase in frequency and severity, staff at schools and childcare facilities are increasingly faced with decisions around youth activities, building use, and air filtration needs during wildfire smoke episodes. Staff are increasingly using low-cost sensors for localized outdoor and indoor PM_2.5 measurements, but guidance in using and interpreting low-cost sensor data is lacking. This paper provides relevant information applicable for guidance in using low-cost sensors for wildfire smoke response.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":"157-168"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11550266/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140904326","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":"Inhalable microplastics and plastic additives in the indoor air of chemical laboratories.","authors":"Joel D Rindelaub, Gordon M Miskelly","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00768-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41370-025-00768-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>While recognition of airborne microplastics is increasing, there are still limited data on the microplastics within the aerosol size fractions most relevant to human inhalation (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5). Additionally, there are concerns that many of the additives used in plastic formulations have endocrine-disrupting properties, which could increase the hazards associated with microplastic exposure.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To better understand the toxicological risks associated with airborne microplastics, more data are urgently needed on the mass concentrations of both microplastics and the related chemical additives in the air we breathe. Inhalation exposure to plastic-related species is currently uncertain in chemical laboratory workplaces.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (Pyr-GC/MS) based method, the airborne mass concentrations of both polymeric material and small molecule plastic additives were determined in inhalable air from two indoor locations. This method represents a fast, direct technique that can be used to better standardize airborne microplastic measurements.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations of seven different polymers were determined, with average plastic concentrations of 0.51 μg m^-3 for the PM_2.5 samples and 1.14 µg m^-3 for the PM₁₀ samples. Polycarbonate, polyvinylchloride, and polyethylene had the highest airborne concentrations in the inhalable fraction of air. Simultaneously, the airborne concentrations of plastic additives were determined, with phthalate-based plasticizers having an average concentration of 334 ng m^-3 across all air samples.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>Both microplastics and their chemical additives were quantified within the inhalable fraction of indoor air (PM₁₀), using a straight forward mass spectrometry technique with minimal sample preparation. This information furthers knowledge on the hazards associated with indoor air exposure, and it presents a useful methodology for the mass quantification of plastic-related airborne pollutants.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143743012","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":"Assessing the relationship between space-time behaviours and personal noise exposure using isotemporal substitution models in the Grand Paris area.","authors":"Giovanna Fancello, Arnaud Can, Pierre Aumond, Sanjeev Bista, Basile Chaix","doi":"10.1038/s41370-025-00765-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-025-00765-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The individual exposure to environmental noise in cities is usually assessed at the residential neighbourhood level with static, year-averaged strategic maps. This representation may underestimate noise exposure, given the mobility of individuals within the city and proximate sources of exposure.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Our study employs high-resolution sensor analysis to observe how personal noise exposure differs from modelled noise map metrics, identify socioeconomical and behavioural determinants of exposure, and explore the impact of reallocating certain behaviours to others on daily personal noise exposure (L_Aeq,24h).</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data on daily activities of 259 participants of the MobiliSense cohort living in the metropolitan area of Paris were collected between 2018 and 2020. Participants were equipped of a personal monitor for sound pressure, and of a GPS receiver and an accelerometer. Modes of transport were collected during a mobility survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results showed that noise exposure based on personal monitoring during space-time behaviours differed from modelled noise levels at residence. Participants were exposed to values below the recommended critical value for health of 55 dB(A) in urban areas in only 36% of the days. Individual socioeconomic characteristics and residential factors explained very little variance in personal noise exposure. Noise exposure varied among performed activities and transport modes, with public transport associated with the highest sound levels. While time spent in the underground public transport was on average 1.4% of the total daily time-budget, it contributes on average to 9.5% of the daily noise dose.</p><p><strong>Impact: </strong>This research reveals that individual mobility behaviours significantly influence daily noise exposure in urban environments. By analysing how people move throughout their day, we found that traditional static assessments, limited to residential noise, underestimate actual exposure. Notably, despite limited time spent in it (1,4%), underground transport contributed substantially to daily noise (9.5%). Furthermore, participants experienced noise levels below recommended health thresholds in only 36% of days. These findings underscore the need for policy changes that prioritize walkable cities and minimize commuting time, alongside the design of \"quiet areas\" within urban spaces for recovering from the city noise stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":15684,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143677085","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":"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)₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, carbon dioxide (CO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide (SO₂), 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>PM₁ and PM_2.5 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 CO₂, CO, SO₂, TVOCs, and PM₁₀ concentrations and poor lung function were observed in children in the near group.</p><p><strong>Impact statement: </strong>PM₁ and PM_2.5 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}

{"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":"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}

{"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}