Environment International最新文献

{"title":"MGE-associated ARGs exhibit higher expression efficiency than chromosomal non-MGE loci and predominantly contribute to resistance expression in pig farm wastewater","authors":"Xiulin Wan ,&nbsp;Qingyang Li ,&nbsp;Zhi Li ,&nbsp;Lei Shi ,&nbsp;Yu Pan ,&nbsp;Meng Li ,&nbsp;Zongbao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Antibiotic resistance (AMR) in animal agriculture represents a critical One Health challenge, with pig farms serving as major reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). While MGEs are known drivers of ARG dissemination, their impact on actual expression of resistance in these complex microbial communities is poorly understood. This study aimed to quantify the contribution of MGE-associated ARGs to overall resistance expression and compare their transcriptional efficiency to chromosomally located ARGs in pig farm wastewater. Utilizing deep metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequencing on wastewater from five typical Chinese pig farms, we comprehensively elucidated ARG presence, genetic context, host association, and transcriptional activity. We identified a vast dataset comprising 811 ARG types conferring resistance to 27 antibiotic classes, with 71.02 % actively transcribed, indicating significant resistance potential. MGEs were associated with 34.87 % of ARG-like ORFs. Crucially, MGE-associated ARGs were responsible for the majority (62.07 %) of total ARG transcript abundance, exhibiting an expression efficiency nearly 2.5 times higher than ARGs on chromosomal non-MGE loci. Taxonomic analysis revealed that these highly expressed MGE-associated ARGs were primarily hosted by genera known to include opportunistic pathogens, such as <em>Enterococcus</em>, <em>Escherichia</em>, and <em>Klebsiella</em>. Differential coverage binning further uncovered diverse draft genomes simultaneously harboring multiple highly expressed ARGs and MGEs, potentially contributing to the persistence and spread of highly resistant bacterial strains. Our findings underscore that MGEs not only propagate ARGs but critically enhance their expression, providing vital data for effective AMR surveillance and mitigation strategies within the One Health framework.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109653"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Deciphering organic substrate impacts in Anammox systems: A machine learning driven framework for predictive classification and process mechanism analysis","authors":"Zemin Li ,&nbsp;Yulun Wu ,&nbsp;Tao Chen ,&nbsp;Bo Yan ,&nbsp;Chaohai Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109637","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109637","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The response mechanisms of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) systems to organic compounds have been extensively characterized, yet the synergistic impacts of organic classification and concentration gradients remain debated due to inconsistencies in operation conditions and microbial cultivation environments. This study investigates the critical factors governing nitrogen removal efficiency in Anammox processes, with particular emphasis on the combined effects of influent organic concentration and organic matter characteristics. Three datasets were constructed based on organic types: biodegradable organic compounds, biorefractory organic compounds and combined two types organic compounds. Two machine learning models were employed to predict Anammox performance, with Random Forest (RF) identified as the optimal model, subsequently validated using real coking industry wastewater treatment data. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis revealed differential regulatory dominance across systems: organic concentration, influent ammonium nitrogen (<span><math><mrow><msubsup><mtext>NH</mtext><mrow><mtext>4</mtext></mrow><mo>+</mo></msubsup><mtext>-N</mtext></mrow></math></span>) manifaested as the primary governing factors in biodegradable system, whereas organic type emerged as the most critical factors in biorefractory and combined systems. The results demonstrate that evaluating organic impacts solely through concentration levels is oversimplified, necessitating concurrent consideration of both organic type and concentration. Mechanistic interpretation through molecular-level inhibition analysis further validates the scientific rationale for employing Biochemical Oxygen Demand/Chemical oxygen demand (BOD/COD) ratio as a comprehensive indicator of carbon source effects on Anammox systems. In summary, machine learning framework effectively integrates and optimizes the regulation of material stoichiometry, environmental parameters, and microbial functionality, thereby advancing the development of energy-efficient nitrogen removal technologies and enhancing the evaluation system for wastewater treatment processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109637"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prenatal exposure to phthalates and alternative plasticizers and emotional and behavioral outcomes in early childhood in the Environmental influences on Child Health outcomes (ECHO) cohort","authors":"Jiwon Oh ,&nbsp;Jessie P. Buckley ,&nbsp;Sudhi Upadhyaya ,&nbsp;Kurunthachalam Kannan ,&nbsp;Emily S. Barrett ,&nbsp;Theresa M. Bastain ,&nbsp;Carrie V. Breton ,&nbsp;Stephanie M. Eick ,&nbsp;Sarah Dee Geiger ,&nbsp;Akhgar Ghassabian ,&nbsp;Rima Habre ,&nbsp;Julie B. Herbstman ,&nbsp;Deborah Hirtz ,&nbsp;Donghai Liang ,&nbsp;Kaja LeWinn ,&nbsp;John D. Meeker ,&nbsp;Thomas G. O’Connor ,&nbsp;Irva Hertz-Picciotto ,&nbsp;Douglas Ruden ,&nbsp;Sheela Sathyanarayana ,&nbsp;Deborah H. Bennett","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109647","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Evidence suggests prenatal phthalate exposure adversely affects children’s behavior. However, epidemiological studies on alternative plasticizers remain scarce. This study investigated associations of gestational exposure to phthalates and alternative plasticizers with internalizing and externalizing behaviors in children aged 1.5–5 years.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The study included 2617 mother–child dyads from 13 Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohorts. Maternal urine samples, primarily collected mid- to late-pregnancy, were analyzed for 27 phthalate metabolites and 6 alternative plasticizer metabolites. Based on detection frequency, metabolite concentrations were modeled either continuously or categorically (Group 1: non-detectable, 2: lower detectable, 3: higher detectable). Covariate-adjusted associations between individual metabolite concentrations and internalizing and externalizing T-scores on the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½–5 were estimated using linear mixed-effects models. Effect modification by child sex was also examined.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>An interquartile range increase in mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) and membership in Group 3, versus Group 1, for mono-hexyl phthalate (MHxP) were associated with higher externalizing T-scores (β_ext for continuous MBzP = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.05, 1.00; β_ext for MHxP Group 3 = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.35, 2.12). We observed no robust associations between phthalate metabolites and internalizing T-scores, nor between cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid mono carboxyisooctyl ester (DINCH) metabolites and any behavioral outcomes. Child sex modified associations between several metabolites and externalizing T-scores, although the direction of effect varied by metabolite.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This large-scale study suggests that prenatal exposure to several phthalates, but not to the alternative plasticizer DINCH, may be associated with a small-to-modest increase in externalizing behaviors in young children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109647"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pregnancy urinary phenol biomarker concentrations in relation to serum levels of inflammatory cytokines: Results from the EARTH study","authors":"Xinxiu Liang ,&nbsp;Sarah Grill ,&nbsp;Xilin Shen ,&nbsp;Paige L. Williams ,&nbsp;Tamarra James-Todd ,&nbsp;Jennifer B. Ford ,&nbsp;Kathryn M. Rexrode ,&nbsp;Antonia M. Calafat ,&nbsp;Jorge E. Chavarro ,&nbsp;Russ Hauser ,&nbsp;Lidia Mínguez-Alarcón ,&nbsp;for the Earth Study Team","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109652","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109652","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Evidence on the association between maternal phenol exposure and inflammation during pregnancy is limited and inconsistent.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To evaluate associations between urinary phenol biomarkers and serum inflammatory cytokines across pregnancy, and to examine whether associations vary by trimesters.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We included 175 pregnant women from the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center and participating in the Environment and Reproductive Health (EARTH) Study (2005–2017), with available data on urinary concentrations of eight phenol biomarkers and serum inflammatory biomarkers, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Linear regression models were employed to assess the association between individual phenol biomarker concentrations and log-transformed inflammatory cytokine levels, while Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were utilized to evaluate phenol biomarker mixtures. Analyses were further stratified by the trimester of sample collection.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Overall, detectable urinary ethylparaben was positively associated with serum hsCRP (β: 0.464; 95 % CI: 0.012, 0.917). In trimester-specific analyses, urinary butylparaben was positively associated with hsCRP (β: 0.533; 95 % CI: 0.006, 1.059) in the first trimester, but negatively associated with IL-6 (β: −0.613; 95 % CI: −1.062, −0.164) in the second trimester. Urinary bisphenol A was inversely associated with hsCRP (β: −0.428; 95 % CI: −0.731, −0.125) in the third trimester.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our findings suggest that exposure to certain phenols may disrupt inflammatory profiles in pregnancy, with effects varying by trimesters. These novel associations underscore the importance of exposure timing when assessing environmental risk factors for maternal and offspring health outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109652"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Revealing the main toxic factor and mechanisms of shale gas flowback water on the growth of algae Chlorella pyrenoidosa","authors":"Lilan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yulian Zhang ,&nbsp;Yao Qian ,&nbsp;Cunli Qin ,&nbsp;Hong Li ,&nbsp;Jialin Tang","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109654","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109654","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flowback Water (FBW) have been proved to show toxicity towards some aquatic organisms, but the toxic effect across different flowback periods and underlying mechanism remained unclear due to their complex and changeable constitutes. In this study, the toxicity of FBW, the respective activated carbon treated FBW (AC-FBW) with most organic compounds removed, and equivalent salt control (SC) towards <em>Chlorella pyrenoidosa</em> were tested in three different flowback periods. Their toxicity increased with the duration of flowback time due to the change of composition. In comparison of above three groups, the AC-FBW showed the strongest toxicity through growth inhibition, cell membrane, and oxidative stress tests, followed by SC and original FBW, indicating that the inorganics in the FBW played primary toxicity factors on algae growth, which was further verified by the toxicity test of simulated FBW. Proteomic analysis demonstrated that FBW inhibited algal photosynthesis via inhibiting electron transport. The suppression of electron transport also led to the increase of superoxide radicals thereby inducing oxidative stress. Furthermore, glycolysis and Tricarboxylic Acid (TCA) cycle were up-regulated in response to FBW stress. AC-FBW caused stronger inhibition of algal growth through greater altering electron transport and reaction center activation, and then inducing more substantial oxidative stress and membrane damage. The up-regulation of glycolysis and TCA cycle was also greater in AC-FBW. This study elucidated the toxic effect in different flowback periods and identified the primary toxic factors of FBW, providing a reference for the further optimization of wastewater treatment technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109654"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Screening uncalibrated priority pollutants by improved AHP-CRITIC method at development land","authors":"Xinni Wei ,&nbsp;Xiuli Dang ,&nbsp;Peng Liu ,&nbsp;Ge Gao ,&nbsp;Hang Zhu ,&nbsp;Jiayue Shi ,&nbsp;Qiyuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Roland Bol ,&nbsp;Peng Zhang ,&nbsp;Iseult Lynch ,&nbsp;Long Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109650","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109650","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Unlisted uncalibrated pollutants in the industrial land of northeast China are continuously accumulating due to insufficient regulatory control, posing a serious threat to the ecological environment and human health. To address this challenge and begin to quantify the currently unlisted uncalibrated pollutants present in the industrial land in northeast China, 170 candidate pollutants were screened based on the literature research method. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Criteria Importance Through Intercrieria Correlation (CRITIC) were utilized equally to screen for priority control of unlisted uncalibrated pollutants. For the categorical indicators, local modifications were implemented on the toxicity, persistence, and migratory indicators, fully considering the industrial distribution, environmental traits, and pollutant sources in northeast China. The grading standards of these indicators were refined in accordance with the relevant criteria and the availability of monitoring data collected from databases and predicted data by models. 11 types of uncalibrated priority pollutants were screened out using the comprehensive evaluation method and conducting cluster analysis based on total pollutant scores. The order of pollutants identified as candidates for prioritized control measures was as follows: perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)＞acrolein＞perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)＞styrene＞perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)＞anthracene (Ant)＞methyl isocyanate (MIC)＞2,4-dimethylphenol＞hexachlorobutadiene (HCBD)＞2,6-dimethylphenol＞perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA). In particular, PFOA has the highest concern with 382 points. It poses long-term and serious potential hazards to the ecological environment and human health of industrial sites in northeast China. Thus, controlling such key pollutants is crucial for northeast China’s environmental protection, and the current work supports the prioritization of chemicals for management or remediation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109650"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144511141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental contaminants, heavy metals, and essential elements in Norwegian children and adolescents: Data from the Norwegian environmental biobank","authors":"Mari Mohn Paulsen ,&nbsp;Nina Iszatt ,&nbsp;Amrit Kaur Sakhi ,&nbsp;Mahin Karimi ,&nbsp;Sharon Lynn Broadwell ,&nbsp;Eleni Papadopoulou ,&nbsp;Helle Margrete Meltzer ,&nbsp;Berit Granum ,&nbsp;Anne Lise Brantsæter ,&nbsp;Cathrine Thomsen ,&nbsp;Line Småstuen Haug","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109633","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109633","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We are daily exposed to various environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, with suspected adverse health effects, and children’s vulnerability is particularly concerning. Human biomonitoring is crucial for measuring these contaminants and essential elements in the body. The Norwegian Environmental Biobank (NEB), coordinated by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, has collected biological samples (including blood and urine) and questionnaire data systematically since 2016. Identifying population subgroups at elevated risk is essential for implementing protective measures. This study aimed to describe concentrations of environmental contaminants and essential elements in Norwegian children and explored potential clustering among different contaminants. Additionally, we examined differences across groups defined by family socio-demographic factors. A total of 81 environmental contaminants were measured in urine, plasma, and whole blood from children aged 7–14 years participating in NEB. Twenty-six non-persistent and 24 persistent contaminants were quantified in ≥ 50 % of the samples, along with nine essential elements. Most children had contaminant levels below Human Biomonitoring Guidance Values (HBM-GVs). However, nearly all children had bisphenol A levels exceeding the updated tolerable daily intake set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and 30 % had blood concentrations of the four most common per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exceeding EFSA’s safe limits. Statistically significant differences in contaminant levels were observed between groups defined by sociodemographic variables such as sex, age, region, and degree of urbanization. Network analysis indicated clear clusters of several contaminants. This study shows that Norwegian children are exposed to a broad range of environmental contaminants, with levels similar to those reported in other studies from Europe and globally.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109633"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prenatal exposure to organophosphate ester flame retardants and behavioral outcomes in early childhood in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) cohort","authors":"Jiwon Oh ,&nbsp;Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá ,&nbsp;Xuan Li ,&nbsp;Kurunthachalam Kannan ,&nbsp;Wenjie Lyu ,&nbsp;Lyndsay A. Avalos ,&nbsp;Emily S. Barrett ,&nbsp;Theresa M. Bastain ,&nbsp;Jessie P. Buckley ,&nbsp;Patricia Cintora ,&nbsp;Lisa A. Croen ,&nbsp;Anne L. Dunlop ,&nbsp;Akhgar Ghassabian ,&nbsp;Rima Habre ,&nbsp;Julie B. Herbstman ,&nbsp;Ixel Hernandez-Castro ,&nbsp;Irva Hertz-Picciotto ,&nbsp;Donghai Liang ,&nbsp;Cindy T. McEvoy ,&nbsp;Thomas G. O’Connor ,&nbsp;Deborah H. Bennett","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109649","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109649","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Prenatal exposure to organophosphate esters (OPEs) has been linked to neurotoxic effects in children; however, epidemiological evidence remains inconclusive. We investigated associations of prenatal OPE exposure with child behaviors.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We analyzed data of 2948 mother–child dyads from 12 prospective cohorts of the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort. Nine OPE biomarkers quantified in prenatal maternal urine were modeled based on detection frequency. Child behaviors were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1½–5. We used linear mixed effects models to examine associations between each OPE biomarker and composite T-scores. We evaluated child sex and social vulnerability as potential effect modifiers.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Low bis(butoxyethyl) phosphate exposure, versus non-detect, was associated with higher T-scores for all composite scales (β_{internalizing} = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14, 1.98; β_{externalizing} = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.18, 1.95; β_total = 1.19, 95% CI: 0.28, 2.11). Low and high bis(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (BCPP) exposure, versus non-detect, were associated with higher T-scores for externalizing problems (β_{externalizing} = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.29, 2.07; β_{externalizing} = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.21, 2.04). Conversely, detectable dipropyl phosphate (25% detection) was associated with lower externalizing T-scores (β_{externalizing} = −0.89, 95% CI: −1.74, −0.04). Associations between high BCPP exposure and higher externalizing and total problem T-scores were stronger among children from highly vulnerable neighborhoods compared to those from less vulnerable neighborhoods (<em>p</em>-interaction &lt; 0.1). Child sex modified associations for bis(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate and high BCPP exposure, with males exhibiting greater adverse behaviors for all associations.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>Gestational exposure to several OPEs may be adversely associated with early behavioral development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109649"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal variability of urinary pesticide biomarker levels in 201 South African children sampled five times over two years","authors":"Regina Ntsubise Molomo ,&nbsp;Adriana Fernandes Veludo ,&nbsp;Paola Viglietti ,&nbsp;Hannah Wey ,&nbsp;Anouk Petitpierre ,&nbsp;Christian Lindh ,&nbsp;Martin Röösli ,&nbsp;Mohamed Aqiel Dalvie ,&nbsp;Samuel Fuhrimann","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Understanding pesticide exposure variability over time among children is crucial towards understanding potential acute and long-term health effects of pesticides but data is lacking.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We assessed spatiotemporal and seasonal variability of urinary biomarkers in children at five time points across two years within three agriculturally intensive areas of the Western Cape, South Africa (Grabouw, Piketberg and the Hex River Valley).</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 201 children (aged 9–15 years) provided a total of 1005 spot urine samples and completed pesticide exposure-related questionnaires at five time points between 2017 and 2019. Nineteen urinary pesticide biomarkers including organophosphates, pyrethroids, dithiocarbamate and triazoles were analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and adjusted for specific gravity. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) evaluated temporal agreements between repeated urine samples. Linear mixed-effects models assessed the effects of farm residency, study area and pesticide spraying period on urinary pesticides levels. Risks of daily intake of pesticides were estimated using reverse dosimetry.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ten out of fourteen detected biomarkers had a detection frequency above 75%. Levels of 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine (IMPy) (ICC = 0.60) and 3, 5, 6-trichloropyridinol (TCPy; ICC = 0.49) showed moderate and fair temporal agreement between the five sampling points. Children in Grabouw had on average higher biomarker levels compared to the other two areas. Pesticides’ specific spraying periods were associated with an increased TCPy (+32%), IMPy (+79%) and ethylene thiourea (ETU) (+81%) levels compared to non-spraying periods. The estimated daily intakes (EDIs) for most biomarkers were within the acceptable daily intakes (ADIs). However, EDIs exceeded the ADIs in 23.0% of children for TCPy, 8.9% for IMPy, and 0.5% for both 3,5-dichlorophenyl-2-chloroacetic acid (DCCA) and 4-hydroxy-pyrimethanil (OHP).</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>High temporal variability and regional exposure contrasts highlight the need for repeated urinary biomarker measurements across locations to accurately assess pesticide exposure for epidemiological studies in rural children. Observed exposure levels exceeding safety thresholds for organophosphates, pyrethroids and triazoles warrant further investigation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109651"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515945","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic risks of ambient air particulate matter and ozone exposure on low birth weight: An 11-year longitudinal Chinese maternity cohort study","authors":"Haitong Zhe Sun ,&nbsp;Han Chen ,&nbsp;Yijia Tian ,&nbsp;Zekun Wang ,&nbsp;Juan Zhou ,&nbsp;Lina Zhang ,&nbsp;Jing Fang ,&nbsp;Juan Gao ,&nbsp;Kim Robin van Daalen ,&nbsp;Lynette P. Shek ,&nbsp;Wei Jie Seow ,&nbsp;Yuming Guo ,&nbsp;Nick Watts ,&nbsp;Xiaoxia Bai","doi":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109640","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envint.2025.109640","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Observational epidemiological studies have demonstrated that maternal exposure to air pollution increases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, interactions among multiple environmental exposures remain underexplored. In this study, we performed an epidemiological analysis on 147,979 pregnant women recruited from nine provinces in southeastern China between 2013 and 2023, focusing on the risk of low birth weight (LBW). We found that the critical exposure windows for PM_2.5 and ozone (O₃) extend from six months prior to conception through the end of second trimester, with hazard ratio of HR = 1.152 (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.128–1.177) per 10-μg/m³ incremental PM_2.5 exposure and HR = 1.028 (95 % CI: 1.024–1.031) per 10-ppb increase in O₃. Our estimates indicate that in 2021, approximately 47,500 (95 % uncertainty interval [UI]: 41,200–53,600) live-born LBW infants nationwide in China could be attributed to ambient air pollution, declining from 79,800 (95 % UI: 71,700–87,900) in 2002. We observed statistically significant synergistic risk effects, neglecting which could lead to an underestimation of 11,600 (95 % UI: 9,300–13,900) LBW cases. Although air pollution-associated LBW burden is decreasing, the rapidly rising LBW prevalence remains a significant public health concern, particularly as China is implementing the “three-child policy”. Therefore, our study offers precisely quantified, evidence-based policy guidance for safeguarding reproductive health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":308,"journal":{"name":"Environment International","volume":"202 ","pages":"Article 109640"},"PeriodicalIF":10.3,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144515912","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}