Environmental Research最新文献

{"title":"Urban surface water flows contribute more PFAS to marine environments than treated wastewater","authors":"Phoebe Lewis ,&nbsp;Erica Odell ,&nbsp;Christopher P. Johnstone ,&nbsp;Timothy Chaston ,&nbsp;Daniel MacMahon ,&nbsp;Tanya Paige ,&nbsp;Simon Sharp ,&nbsp;Mark Patrick Taylor ,&nbsp;Vincent Pettigrove ,&nbsp;Minna Saaristo","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122751","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122751","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Despite the increased number of studies on PFAS globally, our understanding of mass transport pathways remains limited. To address this, we investigated major rivers and creeks feeding into Port Phillip Bay, Melbourne, Australia, for 52 PFAS. We collected 76 grab samples and deployed 28 Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) from 7 locations over 2-months to identify differences PFAS profiles across catchments, the influence of land uses and rainfall. There were 25 PFAS detected in grab samples and 26 in POCIS. Mean Ʃ₅₂PFAS for grab samples was 76.4 ng/L, with ∼90 % made up of ten PFAS. PFOS was the most common but pre-cursors were also present. Our surface water flow model showed a wide range of land uses influenced PFAS profiles across catchments, including those not traditionally associated as point sources, highlighting further investigation is needed. We estimated 57.4 kg/year Ʃ₅₂PFAS were exported to Port Phillip Bay, with surface water flows exporting over twice the Ʃ₁₉PFAS compared to wastewater discharges. Our findings show the importance of monitoring a wide range of PFAS in combination with land use and surface water flow models is crucial for mitigating diffuse pollution sources to effectively safeguard both marine ecosystems and community health, worldwide.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122751"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005632","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Risk prediction and driver tracking based on watershed resilience dynamics: A case study in Dahei River Basin, China","authors":"Qisu Wang ,&nbsp;Yue Dong ,&nbsp;Xiang Cheng ,&nbsp;Yan Hong ,&nbsp;Ying Guo ,&nbsp;Shengrui Wang ,&nbsp;Bo Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122747","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122747","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The watersheds face increasing pressure from both human activities and natural factors, which exacerbate potential risks and pose significant challenges to integrated watershed management. This study developed an effective methodology to evaluate watershed sustainability and predict potential risks based on watershed resilience dynamics by combining catastrophe theory, adaptive cycle theory, and the Copula-Bayesian Network. Taking the Dahei River Basin (DRB) in China as a case study, we systematically evaluated the resilience dynamics, diagnosed risks, and tracked key driving factors to propose management strategies. During 2013 to 2022, the resilience of the DRB generally improved from 0.52 to 0.88, primarily influenced by the water resources subsystem, with hilly areas demonstrating superior resilience in comparison to the agricultural and urban areas. It has exhibited two adaptive cycles, with 2015 and 2017 marking as exploitation phases, indicating periods of rising sustainability. Probability distributions of future resilience levels were quantified by using the Copula-Bayesian Network, enabling a comprehensive forward-looking risk assessment for the watershed. Projections indicated moderate sustainability of the holistic watershed, with 36.6 % being non- or low-resilience and only 15 % being high-resilience. These results suggest that the DRB is likely to face considerable risks associated with low-resilience in the future. Key drivers, including water reuse rate, ammonia nitrogen emissions, and environmental governance measures, were identified for different functional areas to improve watershed resilience and mitigate basin risks. Site-specific measures, such as improving agricultural irrigation and promoting urban water-saving technologies, tailored to local conditions, were proposed to promote sustainable development of the basin.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122747"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Improving sludge dewaterability through freeze-thaw pretreatment: Ice crystal morphology controls consolidation and rheological enhancement","authors":"Yajun Wu ,&nbsp;Ruilong Li ,&nbsp;Xudong Zhang ,&nbsp;Mengze Gao ,&nbsp;Vu Quoc Vuong ,&nbsp;Châu Nguyễn Xuân Quang","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122758","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122758","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Municipal sludge, characterized by its high-water-content and viscous texture, poses significant environmental challenges due to inefficient dewatering and poor flowability. The freeze-thaw (F/T) method is an effective and environmentally friendly pretreatment approach. It is crucial to apply rheological analysis to examine the influence of refrigeration temperature on dewatering effects and to investigate the underlying mechanisms. This study explores the effects of refrigeration temperature during F/T conditioning on sludge dewaterability, consolidation, rheological properties, and microstructure. By observing the growth process of needle-shaped ice crystals in sludge under a microscope, it is noted that sharp ice crystals depend on flocs for growth, and upon thawing, the flocs contract. Sludge exhibits better consolidation and drainage performance at −28 °C, with the optimal consolidation and permeability coefficient. The compression and fluidity performance of sludge after freezing at −36 °C are better. The water content of the frozen sludge at −28 and −36 °C can be reduced to below 60 % after pressure filtration. This is due to the relaxation of the sludge structure, which weakens the strength of the floc network. The findings indicate that reduced refrigeration temperatures enhance the puncturing of floc aggregates by ice crystals, leading to disruption of the floc structure and aggregating particle. Rheological analysis provides further insight into the mechanisms involved in F/T conditioning during sludge dewatering.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122758"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145005675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Biochar-derived dissolved organic matter induced changes in the bacterial communities structure and metabolic functions in As and Cd contaminated soil","authors":"Muhammad Azeem ,&nbsp;Ruixia Han ,&nbsp;Siyao Liu ,&nbsp;Kubwimana J. Jacques ,&nbsp;Hamada Abdelrahman ,&nbsp;Syed S.H. Kazmi ,&nbsp;Abdul Kareem ,&nbsp;Zulqarnain H. Khan ,&nbsp;Nazia Rafiq ,&nbsp;Hui Li ,&nbsp;Yakov Kuzyakov ,&nbsp;Kun Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122749","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122749","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effects of pyrolysis temperature and feedstock type for biochar production on the release of biochar-derived dissolved organic matter (BDOM) and its impact on the soil bacterial community and the composition of soil dissolved organic matter (SDOM). The BDOM was extracted from biochars produced from sheep bones, rice husk, and rabbit manure, prepared at low (400 °C, LPT) or high (700 °C, HPT) pyrolysis temperatures. The BDOM was then applied at a concentration of 2.5 % (w/w). LPT-BDOM produced higher contents of BDOM (up to 1440 ± 43 mg kg⁻¹), resulting in higher SDOM (up to 78 %, compared with control soil) after application and higher availability of nutrients (Ca, Mg, and P) and toxic metalloids (TMs; As and Cd) in soil. The addition of BDOM to soil altered the bacterial community composition, with increased bacterial richness and diversity observed in the soil with HPT-BDOM compared to the control soil. The community shift was linked with higher levels of volatile organic compounds and increased nutrient availability compared with HPT. The increase in fluorescence (up to 54 %), freshness (up to 29 %), biological (up to 112 %), and humification (up to 52 %) indices was associated with LPT-derived BDOM, particularly produced from sheep bones. Manure-LPT and sheep bone-HPT enhanced hydrocarbon degradation, while rice husk-LPT enriched bacterial taxa related to nitrogen fixation and nitrate reduction. LPT biochar addition favored cellulolysis and fermentation, whereas HPT biochars stimulated methylotrophy, aligning with their contrasting carbon lability. These findings highlight the dual role of biochar labile fraction in shaping carbon availability, influencing SDOM dynamics, nutrient and heavy metals bioavailability, underscoring the need for feedstock- and temperature-specific selection in environmental applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122749"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144991090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Impact of summer heat on male children's physiological responses during football training","authors":"Malte Satow ,&nbsp;Razan Wibowo ,&nbsp;Stephan Bose-O'Reilly ,&nbsp;Daniela Koller ,&nbsp;Hein Daanen ,&nbsp;Stefan Rakete","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>As summer temperatures rise due to climate change, the Pediatrics Society calls for more research on children's core body temperature. This study aims to analyze these concerns by investigating the specific effects of heat exposure on children's physiological parameters such as body temperature during football training.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This case-crossover study investigated the effects of heat on several physiological parameters (e.g., ear and skin temperature) by monitoring 51 male children (aged 8–12 years) during outdoor football training sessions. Participants wore wearable sensors and were either part of a club football team (club: n = 30) or part of a football camp (camp: n = 21). Both groups were monitored twice. Club participants were monitored during two separate training days, one session in warm weather (≥25 °C) and one session in moderate weather (&lt;20 °C). Camp participants were monitored during two training sessions on the same warm summer day (≥25 °C). For both groups, urine density was measured before and after each training session to assess hydration status. A mixed linear regression was performed separately for the two settings.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Ear and skin temperatures were significantly higher for both club and camp participants during the warm observation period compared to moderate outdoor temperatures. During training periods, outdoor temperature regularly exceeded 32.3 °C, a level at which the American College of Sports Medicine advises cessation of training. In this study, outdoor temperature had no impact on hydration status. The mixed linear regression models showed that outdoor temperature significantly influenced core and skin temperatures.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our results showed a significant but safe increase in physiological parameters, like ear and skin temperatures, during summer football training, with no severe heat strain symptoms observed, highlighting the need for further research on long-term effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122725"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144999384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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 a mixture of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and lung function and immune-related outcomes among males in childhood and young adulthood","authors":"Sidsel Dan Hull ,&nbsp;Kelly K. Ferguson ,&nbsp;Stephanie J. London ,&nbsp;Karin Sørig Hougaard ,&nbsp;Christian Lindh ,&nbsp;Kajsa Ugelvig Petersen ,&nbsp;Esben Meulengracht Flachs ,&nbsp;Lauren A. Wise ,&nbsp;Allen J. Wilcox ,&nbsp;Zeyan Liew ,&nbsp;Cecilia Høst Ramlau-Hansen ,&nbsp;Gunnar Toft ,&nbsp;Jens Peter Bonde ,&nbsp;Sandra Søgaard Tøttenborg","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122746","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122746","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may influence lung and immune system development, but previous epidemiological studies are inconclusive and have not extended into young adulthood.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>To examine associations between prenatal exposure to a mixture of PFAS and respiratory and immune-related outcomes in a cohort of males.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We studied 866 males with maternal pregnancy plasma measured for 15 PFAS, triclosan, and 10 phthalate metabolites used as a proxy for prenatal exposure. Spirometry was measured at approximately age 19 years. Asthma in young adulthood was reported in questionnaires at age 18 years. Asthma, hay fever, and eczema at 7 and 11 years of age were based on parental reports. We estimated the difference in spirometry measures and odds ratios (ORs) for questionnaire outcomes per one-interquartile range (IQR) increase in a mixture of seven well-detected PFAS using quantile g-computation models. Subsequently, we examined a mixture of seven PFAS, two phthalate metabolites and triclosan, and ran single-pollutant analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A one-IQR increase in the PFAS mixture was associated with lower forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) and forced vital capacity (FVC) (milliliter difference [95 % CI]: 85 [-160;-9], −88 [-173;-3], respectively), but not FEV₁/FVC. Higher concentration of the PFAS mixture was also associated with lower odds of a history of and current hay fever (OR [95 % CI]: 0.52 [0.34; 0.80], 0.49 [0.30; 0.81], respectively), but not asthma or eczema. Associations did not change substantially when including phthalate metabolites and triclosan to the PFAS mixture and single-pollutant analyses were overall consistent with the mixture analyses.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Prenatal PFAS exposure was associated with lower FEV₁ and FVC in a cohort of young adult males, suggesting an impact on lung development. Associations with reduced hay fever in childhood may suggest influences on immune maturation. Potential sex-specific effects should be addressed in future studies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122746"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144999329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Biomass and valve length of diatoms living on tree bark as novel indicators of atmospheric environment changes","authors":"Shuyan Zhang ,&nbsp;Bo Qin ,&nbsp;Chuwen Liu ,&nbsp;Xu Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122750","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122750","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Diatoms, an important group of primary producers, are valuable indicators of environment changes in aquatic ecosystems. Presently, limited knowledge is available on diatoms living on tree bark and their responses to atmospheric environmental changes. Mosses such as <em>Hypnum callichroum</em> living on the bark of <em>Cinnamomum camphora</em> were collected monthly in a 9-year period to explore temporal changes in composition, biomass and valve length of diatoms in a subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest. A total of 20 diatom species from 14 genera were identified in tree-bark moss samples, with limited seasonal and monthly variations in diatom communities. Diatom biomass fluctuated between 0.25 × 10⁶ and 1.58 × 10⁶ valves g⁻¹ dry mosses, typically peaking in winter and spring. Monthly anomalies in diatom biomass were significantly correlated with the concentrations of SO₂, PM10, and PM2.5, suggesting that atmospheric environmental changes might influence diatom biomass through altering acidity and nutrients adsorbed on atmospheric dust. <em>Pinnularia borealis</em> was the dominant species, with a mean monthly percentage of 68.1 %. Its monthly mean valve length (25.1–32.1 μm) generally declined with a decrease in O₃, rainfall, and humidity, suggesting that low ozone concentration and drought may cause diatom cell-size reduction. Taken together, biomass and valve length of diatoms living on tree-bark mosses can serve as novel indicators of atmospheric environmental changes. Long-term monitoring of aerophilic diatoms can provide new insights into algal diversity and their ecosystem functioning in terrestrial ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122750"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144999341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Pollution characteristics, ecological risk and microbial response to combined heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soil-groundwater system of the blown-sand region","authors":"Xiaobang Liu ,&nbsp;Lei Duan ,&nbsp;Yaqiao Sun ,&nbsp;Chenchen Xie ,&nbsp;Guobin Song","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122748","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122748","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Systematic revelation on the interaction relationships and environmental behavior of composite pollutants in soil-groundwater systems is essential but still paucity. This paper integrated geochemistry, statistical analysis and microbiology to progressively analyze the pollution characteristics of heavy metals (HMs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), potential ecological risks and microbial response mechanisms in the blown-sand region. The results indicate that the soil was compound-contaminated by HMs and PAHs. HMs primarily accumulated in the soil of 1∼1.5 m, while PAHs were predominantly found in 0∼0.5 m. Although HMs and PAHs showed different sources, the spatial distribution of co-pollutants exhibited a marked correlation with the industrial layout. The ecological risk in the soil was at a low level, and its spatial distribution corresponded to the pollutants. The microbial community in soil and groundwater exhibited significant distress due to pollutants, as evidenced by disparities in OTU abundance, diversity index, and microbial community composition. The natural attenuation, encompassing aerobic biodegradation, photodegradation, chemical oxidation and volatilization, plays an important role in controlling the environmental behavior of HMs and PAHs in the blown-sand areas. Based on the above analysis, a technical framework was proposed to prevent and remediate soil-groundwater pollution using sensitive microorganisms and tolerant microorganisms. This paper initially combines composite pollutants and microbial community response and highlights the systematic research in the prevention and remediation of soil-groundwater pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122748"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144999338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Association between microplastics exposure and gut microbiota and metabolites in older adults: A cross-sectional study","authors":"Xiaojun Ma ,&nbsp;Jinxin Zhang ,&nbsp;Yali Wang ,&nbsp;Liping Shi ,&nbsp;Yongbin Zhu ,&nbsp;Liqun Wang ,&nbsp;Jiangping Li ,&nbsp;Shulan He","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122735","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122735","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Microplastics (MPs) pollution is a global issue. Due to long-term accumulation and physiological decline, older adults may be more susceptible to its effects. This study aims to evaluate the associations between MPs and the gut microbiota and metabolites in older adults.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>During the 2024 follow-up of the Ningxia Older Mental Health Cohort, 45 fecal samples were collected. MP detection was performed using laser direct infrared imaging spectrometer (LDIR), and principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) was used to assess microbial community similarity. Wilcoxon tests were used for intergroup comparisons of microbial dysbiosis index (MDI), gut microbiome health index (GMHI), and microbial abundance. Differential metabolites were screened using the orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) model and univariate analysis. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database was used for pathway annotation. Bland-Altman analysis evaluated the consistency between fecal MP detection counts and the plastic exposure score (PES) from questionnaires.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The average count of MPs in feces was 70.10 particles/g, primarily consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), butadiene rubber (BR), and polyethylene (PE). MP exposure may affect the beta diversity, MDI, and GMHI in older adults. Furthermore, changes in the abundance of certain species in the gut microbiota, such as <em>Klebsiella</em> and <em>Escherichia-Shigella</em>, and levels of metabolites, such as taurine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), were associated with MP exposure. A total of 30 KEGG pathways were significantly enriched, with the primary pathways including taurine and hypotaurine metabolism, and ligand-receptor interaction. MP detection counts show good consistency with PES.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>MP exposure is associated with changes in the characteristics of gut microbiota, microbial abundance, and metabolite levels. PES may serve as a suitable alternative tool for assessing plastic exposure in large populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122735"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144999352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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":"Sex-dependent relationships between PFAS and placental transcriptomics identified by weighted gene co-expression analysis","authors":"Cynthia Perez ,&nbsp;Kyle Campbell ,&nbsp;Dana Boyd Barr ,&nbsp;Kartik Shankar ,&nbsp;Clark Sims ,&nbsp;Kevin J. Pearson ,&nbsp;Aline Andres ,&nbsp;Todd M. Everson","doi":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122745","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envres.2025.122745","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmental toxicants associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. The exact mechanisms by which PFAS impairs neonatal health are undefined, but the placenta is a likely target.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>We applied a systems biology approach to identify placental RNA co-expression modules (gene sets) associated with PFAS exposure and birth weight.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Placental tissue samples (n = 147) from the GLOWING study underwent RNA-sequencing, and PFAS concentrations were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We constructed a weighted gene co-expression network using Spearman correlations across 15,028 transcripts, identifying 20 gene modules. Linear regression models were used to examine associations between PFAS and module eigengenes, adjusting for potential confounders. Effect modification by fetal sex was also tested.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>One module showed a negative association with perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA; β = −0.012, q = 0.009). This association was sex-specific, with the sexes exhibiting varied PFAS associations but similar directional effects. Genes within the PFNA-associated module were involved in histone modification (q ≤ 0.05) and were enriched for targets of the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), a transcription factor previously linked to PFAS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":312,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Research","volume":"286 ","pages":"Article 122745"},"PeriodicalIF":7.7,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144991146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"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}