Measurement of Urinary Triclocarban and 2,4-Dichlorophenol Concentration and Their Relationship with Obesity and Predictors of Cardiovascular Diseases among Children and Adolescents in Kerman, Iran

Associations of dichlorophenols, trichlorophenols, and ortho-phenylphenol with the risk and prognosis of diabetes and prediabetes: A population-based study

2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP), 2,5-DCP, 2,4,5-trichlorophenol (2,4,5-TCP), 2,4,6-TCP, and ortho-phenylphenol (OPP) are widely present in the environment. However, their associations with risk and prognosis of diabetes and prediabetes remains unclear. We investigated the associations of these five phenols with the risk of diabetes and prediabetes, and with all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, in adults with diabetes or prediabetes (n=6419). Information on diabetes and prediabetes indicators, and mortality data was collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Logistic and Cox regression models were used to explore the associations of the five phenols with risk and prognosis of diabetes and prediabetes. Participants in the highest urinary 2,4-DCP and 2,5-DCP tertiles had higher odds of diabetes [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.34, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.10, 1.62; aOR, 1.29, 95 % CI: 1.07, 1.56, respectively] than those in the lowest tertiles. Participants with urinary OPP concentrations above the limit of detection (LOD), but below median had an aOR of 1.25 (95 % CI: 1.08, 1.46) for prediabetes compared to those with concentrations below the LOD. In adults with diabetes, the highest 2,4-DCP and 2,5-DCP tertiles were associated with all-cause mortality [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 1.49; 95 % CI: 1.08, 2.06; aHR, 1.49; 95 % CI: 1.08, 2.05, respectively] and CVD mortality (aHR, 2.58; 95 % CI: 1.33, 4.97; aHR, 1.96; 95 % CI: 1.06, 3.60, respectively) compared with the lowest tertiles. Compared with 2,4,5-TCP concentrations below the LOD, those above median were associated with all-cause mortality (aHR: 1.75; 95 % CI: 1.24, 2.48) and CVD mortality (aHR: 2.34; 95 % CI: 1.19, 4.63) in adults with prediabetes. Furthermore, the associations between these phenols and mortality were strengthened in some subgroups. Environmental exposure to 2,4-DCP, 2,5-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, and OPP increases the risk or adverse prognosis of diabetes or prediabetes in adults in the US. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.

Bisphenol A adsorption using modified aloe vera leaf-wastes derived bio-sorbents from aqueous solution: kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamic studies

Reactive-oxygen-species are produced more often in the body when bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine-disrupting-substance, is present. In this investigation, bio-sorbents from an aqueous solution adapted from Aloe-vera were used to survey BPA removal. Aloe-vera leaf wastes were used to create activated carbon, which was then analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Zeta potential, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) techniques. It was revealed that the adsorption process adheres to the Freundlich isotherm model with R2>0.96 and the pseudo-second-order kinetic model with R2>0.99 under ideal conditions (pH = 3, contact time = 45 min, concentration of BPA = 20 mg.L-1, and concentration of the adsorbent = 2 g.L-1). After five-cycle, the efficacy of removal was greater than 70%. The removal of phenolic-chemicals from industrial-effluent can be accomplished with the assistance of this adsorbent in a cost-effective and effective-approach.

Associations of mixed urinary metals exposure with metabolic syndrome in the US adult population

BACKGROUND

Metals are harmful to human health in many ways. However, the association between metals and metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unclear. Aims of this study is to discuss the relationship between urinary metal and MetS.

METHODS

This study included 3419 adult participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2005-2018). Logistic regression analysis, Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR), weighted quantile sum (WQS), and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to explore the associations of nine urinary metal and MetS.

RESULTS

BKMR and WQS showed the effects of combined nine urinary metal were negatively correlated with MetS. Logistic regression analysis, WQS, and BKMR all suggested that cesium (Cs) and lead (Pb) were negatively correlated with MetS (all PFDCR <0.05). And RCS suggested log2-transformed Cs (χ2 = 20, P < 0.001) and log2-transformed Pb (χ2 = 19.9, P < 0.001) were negatively and linearly associated with MetS.

CONCLUSION

Existing evidence suggests that urine metal content is related to MetS. Cs and Pb are negatively related to MetS. It is still necessary to study and further discuss the causal relationship and mechanism.

Environmental exposure to organophosphate pesticides and effects on cognitive functions in elementary school children in a Middle Eastern area

Although the fundamental reasons for cognitive function disorders have been well documented, little is known about the impact of environmental exposures, such as pesticides, on children's cognitive function development. This study investigated the effect of exposure to organophosphate pesticides on children's cognitive function. In order to determine various factors of exposure, hair samples were collected from 114 elementary school children who lived in Boyer-Ahmad County in the province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Iran. A detailed questionnaire was utilized to gather demographic information and exposure profile. Pesticides were detected in hair samples using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS); also, cognitive function was assessed using the trail-making test (TMT), which was divided into two parts: TMT-part A and TMT-part B. Participants in the study were 10.12 ± 1.440 years old on average. Children in rural areas had higher mean total pesticide concentrations (13.612 ± 22.01 ng/g) than those who lived in the urban areas (1.801 ± 1.32). The results revealed that boys (46.44 s and 92.37 s) completed the TMT-part A and part B tests in less time than girls (54.95 s and 109.82 s), respectively, and showed better performance (2.14) on the cognitive function exam than girls (2.07). Diazinon and TMT-part B were positively correlated (p < 0.05). With the increase in pesticides, there was no discernible difference in cognitive function. Pesticide use throughout a child's development may affect certain cognitive function indicators. In order to assess causal relationships, group studies and case studies are required because the current research was cross-sectional in nature.

Ecological study on household air pollution exposure and prevalent chronic disease in the elderly

Older people spend most of their time indoors. Limited evidence demonstrates that exposure to indoor air pollutants might be related to chronic complications. This study aimed to estimate the correlation between household air pollution (HAP)'s long-term exposure and the prevalence of elevated hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), obesity, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. From the Global Burden disease dataset, we extracted HAP, hypertension, DM, body mass index, and LDL cholesterol data from Iran from 1990 to 2019 to males and females in people over 50 years. We present APC and AAPC and their confidence intervals using Joinpoint Software statistical software. R software examined the correlation between HAP and hypertension, DM2, Obesity, and high LDL cholesterol. Our finding showed a significant and positive correlation between HAP exposure and prevalence of high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p ≤ 0.001, r = 0.70), high systolic blood pressure (p ≤ 0.001, r = 0.63), and high body mass index (p ≤ 0.001, r = 0.57), and DM2 (p ≤ 0.001, r = 0.38). The analysis results also illustrated a positive correlation between indoor air pollution and smoking (p ≤ 0.001, r = 0.92). HAP exposure might be a risk factor for elevated blood pressure, DM, obesity, and LDL cholesterol and, consequently, more serious health problems. According to our results, smoking is one of the sources of HAP. However, ecological studies cannot fully support causal relationships, and this article deals only with Iran. Our findings should be corroborated in personal exposure and biomonitoring approach studies.

A Pilot Study on the Association of Lead, 8-Hydroxyguanine, and Malondialdehyde Levels in Opium Addicts' Blood Serum with Illicit Drug Use and Non-Addict Persons

While a large body of literature has shown the health problems of illicit drug use, research is needed on how substance abuse impacts DNA damage and contaminants in blood, especially given Pb-contaminated opium. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the levels of lead (Pb), 8-hydroxy di-guanine (8-oxo-Gua), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the blood serum of opium addicts and non-addict people. The current study is a case–control study with a cross-sectional design. A sample of 50 opium-addicted and non-addict adults were chosen for this study using convenience and random sampling methods. Participants were divided into two groups: addicts and non-addicts. The atomic absorption spectroscopy method was used to measure the quantity of Pb, and the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) method was used to measure the amount of 8-oxo-Gua and MDA. The data were analyzed using an independent t-test. The results show that the amount of Pb in the blood serum of addicted women and men was higher than levels in non-addict men and women, for the study participants (p-value = 0.001). Blood levels were not significantly different between addicts and non-addicts for men or women for 8-oxo-Gua (p-value = 0.647 for women and p-value = 0.785 for men) and MDA (p-value = 0.867 for women and p-value = 0.995 for men). In general, addicts’ blood Pb levels were found to be substantially higher than those of normal non-addict persons in this pilot study. As a result, testing for blood Pb levels in addicts may be informative in instances when symptoms are inconclusive.