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Tambasco D, Franklin M, Harris SA, Tibout P, Doria AS. A geospatial assessment of industrial releases and pediatric neuroblastic tumours at diagnosis: A retrospective case series. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 2024; 78:455-470. [PMID: 38190263 DOI: 10.1080/19338244.2023.2291734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Environmental risk factors associated with malignancy of pediatric neuroblastic tumours are not well-known and few studies have examined the relationship between industrial emissions and neuroblastic tumour diagnosis. A retrospective case series of 310 patients was evaluated at a tertiary hospital in Toronto, Canada between January 2008, and December 2018. Data from the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) were used to estimate exposure for a dozen chemicals with known or suspected carcinogenicity or embryotoxicity. Comparative analysis and predictive logistic regression models for malignant versus benign neuroblastic tumours included variables for residential proximity, number, and type of industries, mean total emissions within 2 km, and inverse distance weighted (IDW) quantity of chemical-specific industrial emissions estimated within 10 and 50 km of cases. No significant difference was seen between malignant and benign cases with respect to the mean nearest residential distance to industry, the number or type of industry, or the mean total quantity of industrial emissions within a 2 km radius of residential location of cases. However, there were statistically significant differences in the interpolated IDW emissions of dioxins and furans released between 1993 and 2019 within 10 km. Concentrations were significantly higher in malignant neuroblastic tumours at 1.65 grams (g) toxic equivalent (TEQ) (SD 2.01 g TEQ) compared to benign neuroblastic tumours at 1.13 g TEQ (SD 0.84 g TEQ) (p = 0.05). Within 50 km 3 years prior to diagnosis, malignant cases were exposed to higher levels of aluminum, benzene, and nitrogen dioxide (p = 0.02, p = 0.04, and p = 0.02 respectively). Regression analysis of the IDW emissions within a 50 km radius revealed higher odds of exposure to benzene for malignant neuroblastic tumours (OR = 1.03, CI: 1.01-1.05, p = 0.01). These preliminary findings suggest a potential role of industrial emissions in the development of malignant pediatric neuroblastic tumours and underscore the need for further research to investigate these associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domenica Tambasco
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Women's College Hospital, Environmental Health Clinic and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Meredith Franklin
- Department of Statistical Sciences and School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shelley A Harris
- Divisions of Epidemiology & Occupational and Environmental Health, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pauline Tibout
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrea S Doria
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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2
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Grzesik-Gąsior J, Sawicki J, Pieczykolan A, Bień A. Content of selected heavy metals in the umbilical cord blood and anthropometric data of mothers and newborns in Poland: preliminary data. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14077. [PMID: 37640776 PMCID: PMC10462749 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41249-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to accumulate metals in organs and tissues leads to disturbances in the physiological functioning of the body, causing oxidative stress. This negatively affects the functioning of the placenta and may result in miscarriages, premature birth and fetal growth disorders. The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between the levels of selected heavy metals in umbilical cord blood and anthropometric parameters of mothers and the newborns. Content of elements in umbilical cord blood has been assessed by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The study results were collected and statistically analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics software (PS IMAGO). The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to test for associations between selected variables. Regression analysis was conducted to identify predictors of anthropometric parameters of studied women and newborns. The study group consisted of women aged 19-41, whose pregnancy was uncomplicated and were not exposed to heavy metals due to their work or smoking. The following metals were identified in all collected cord blood samples: lead (26.25 ± 9.32 µg/L), zinc (2025.24 ± 717.83 µg/L), copper (749.85 ± 203.86 µg/L), manganese (32.55 ± 13.58 µg/L), chromium (8.34 ± 2.16 µg/L) and selenium (158.46 ± 41.58 µg/L). The conducted statistical analysis indicated the relationship between the copper content in the umbilical cord blood and the weight gain of pregnant women. A significant relationship was observed between newborn head circumference and chromium content. In addition, significant positive correlations were found between the content of zinc and copper, manganese and lead, manganese and selenium, lead and selenium, and lead and chromium in umbilical cord blood. The ratio of zinc to copper concentrations was related to neonatal head circumference. Weight gain in pregnant women is positively correlated with the copper level in umbilical cord blood. There is an association between head circumference at birth and the chromium concentration in umbilical cord blood. Copper and zinc levels in umbilical cord blood are positively correlated with head circumference at birth.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Sawicki
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Pieczykolan
- Department of Coordinated Maternity Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059, Lublin, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Bień
- Department of Coordinated Maternity Care, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, 20-059, Lublin, Poland
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3
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Bradley PM, Kolpin DW, Thompson DA, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Breitmeyer SE, Cardon MC, Cwiertny DM, Evans N, Field RW, Focazio MJ, Beane Freeman LE, Givens CE, Gray JL, Hager GL, Hladik ML, Hofmann JN, Jones RR, Kanagy LK, Lane RF, McCleskey RB, Medgyesi D, Medlock-Kakaley EK, Meppelink SM, Meyer MT, Stavreva DA, Ward MH. Juxtaposition of intensive agriculture, vulnerable aquifers, and mixed chemical/microbial exposures in private-well tapwater in northeast Iowa. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161672. [PMID: 36657670 PMCID: PMC9976626 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In the United States and globally, contaminant exposure in unregulated private-well point-of-use tapwater (TW) is a recognized public-health data gap and an obstacle to both risk-management and homeowner decision making. To help address the lack of data on broad contaminant exposures in private-well TW from hydrologically-vulnerable (alluvial, karst) aquifers in agriculturally-intensive landscapes, samples were collected in 2018-2019 from 47 northeast Iowa farms and analyzed for 35 inorganics, 437 unique organics, 5 in vitro bioassays, and 11 microbial assays. Twenty-six inorganics and 51 organics, dominated by pesticides and related transformation products (35 herbicide-, 5 insecticide-, and 2 fungicide-related), were observed in TW. Heterotrophic bacteria detections were near ubiquitous (94 % of the samples), with detection of total coliform bacteria in 28 % of the samples and growth on at least one putative-pathogen selective media across all TW samples. Health-based hazard index screening levels were exceeded frequently in private-well TW and attributed primarily to inorganics (nitrate, uranium). Results support incorporation of residential treatment systems to protect against contaminant exposure and the need for increased monitoring of rural private-well homes. Continued assessment of unmonitored and unregulated private-supply TW is needed to model contaminant exposures and human-health risks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Mary C Cardon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Rena R Jones
- National Cancer Institute/NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mary H Ward
- National Cancer Institute/NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
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4
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Heindel JJ, Howard S, Agay-Shay K, Arrebola JP, Audouze K, Babin PJ, Barouki R, Bansal A, Blanc E, Cave MC, Chatterjee S, Chevalier N, Choudhury M, Collier D, Connolly L, Coumoul X, Garruti G, Gilbertson M, Hoepner LA, Holloway AC, Howell G, Kassotis CD, Kay MK, Kim MJ, Lagadic-Gossmann D, Langouet S, Legrand A, Li Z, Le Mentec H, Lind L, Monica Lind P, Lustig RH, Martin-Chouly C, Munic Kos V, Podechard N, Roepke TA, Sargis RM, Starling A, Tomlinson CR, Touma C, Vondracek J, Vom Saal F, Blumberg B. Obesity II: Establishing causal links between chemical exposures and obesity. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 199:115015. [PMID: 35395240 PMCID: PMC9124454 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Obesity is a multifactorial disease with both genetic and environmental components. The prevailing view is that obesity results from an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure caused by overeating and insufficient exercise. We describe another environmental element that can alter the balance between energy intake and energy expenditure: obesogens. Obesogens are a subset of environmental chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors affecting metabolic endpoints. The obesogen hypothesis posits that exposure to endocrine disruptors and other chemicals can alter the development and function of the adipose tissue, liver, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, and brain, thus changing the set point for control of metabolism. Obesogens can determine how much food is needed to maintain homeostasis and thereby increase the susceptibility to obesity. The most sensitive time for obesogen action is in utero and early childhood, in part via epigenetic programming that can be transmitted to future generations. This review explores the evidence supporting the obesogen hypothesis and highlights knowledge gaps that have prevented widespread acceptance as a contributor to the obesity pandemic. Critically, the obesogen hypothesis changes the narrative from curing obesity to preventing obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerrold J Heindel
- Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies, Commonweal, Bolinas, CA 92924, USA.
| | - Sarah Howard
- Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies, Commonweal, Bolinas, CA 92924, USA
| | - Keren Agay-Shay
- Health and Environment Research (HER) Lab, The Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar Ilan University, Israel
| | - Juan P Arrebola
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Karine Audouze
- Department of Systems Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Paris, INSERM, T3S, Paris France
| | - Patrick J Babin
- Department of Life and Health Sciences, University of Bordeaux, INSERM, Pessac France
| | - Robert Barouki
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Paris, INSERM, T3S, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Amita Bansal
- College of Health & Medicine, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Etienne Blanc
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Paris, INSERM, T3S, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Matthew C Cave
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40402, USA
| | - Saurabh Chatterjee
- Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
| | - Nicolas Chevalier
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cote d'Azur, Cote d'Azur, France
| | - Mahua Choudhury
- College of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - David Collier
- Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA
| | - Lisa Connolly
- The Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Xavier Coumoul
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Paris, INSERM, T3S, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Gabriella Garruti
- Department of Endocrinology, University of Bari "Aldo Moro," Bari, Italy
| | - Michael Gilbertson
- Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group, University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland
| | - Lori A Hoepner
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
| | - Alison C Holloway
- McMaster University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hamilton, Ontario, CA, USA
| | - George Howell
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA
| | - Christopher D Kassotis
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Mathew K Kay
- College of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Min Ji Kim
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Bobigny, INSERM U1124 (T3S), Paris, France
| | | | - Sophie Langouet
- Univ Rennes, INSERM EHESP, IRSET UMR_5S 1085, 35000 Rennes, France
| | - Antoine Legrand
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Bobigny, INSERM U1124 (T3S), Paris, France
| | - Zhuorui Li
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Helene Le Mentec
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Bobigny, INSERM U1124 (T3S), Paris, France
| | - Lars Lind
- Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - P Monica Lind
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Department of Medical Sciences, Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Robert H Lustig
- Division of Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | | | - Vesna Munic Kos
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Solna, Sweden
| | - Normand Podechard
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Bobigny, INSERM U1124 (T3S), Paris, France
| | - Troy A Roepke
- Department of Animal Science, School of Environmental and Biological Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Robert M Sargis
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Il 60612, USA
| | - Anne Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Craig R Tomlinson
- Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Charbel Touma
- Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Bobigny, INSERM U1124 (T3S), Paris, France
| | - Jan Vondracek
- Department of Cytokinetics, Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Frederick Vom Saal
- Division of Biological Sciences, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Bruce Blumberg
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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5
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Varsi K, Torsvik IK, Huber S, Averina M, Brox J, Bjørke-Monsen AL. Impaired gross motor development in infants with higher PFAS concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112392. [PMID: 34800539 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Industrial produced perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are environmentally persistent and found in humans around the globe. PFAS is transferred from mother to child during pregnancy and lactation and PFAS concentrations are high in infants. PFAS exposure in early life has been linked to a range of negative health effects. In the present study we have investigated PFAS concentrations in mothers (pregnancy week 18, 28 and 36 and six weeks, four and six months postpartum, n = 114) and in infants at six months age (n = 94), and studied the effects of PFAS status on infant gross motor development by Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) at age six months. PFAS concentrations declined in the mothers during pregnancy and postpartum period, and the highest concentrations were seen in infants aged six months. Parity was a strong negative predictor and fish intake a strong positive predictor of maternal PFAS status, while maternal concentrations of PFAS in pregnancy week 18 and months of exclusive breastfeeding determined the PFAS concentrations in infants at six months. Infants who scored below the median on gross motor development had higher PFAS concentrations than infants with a better gross motor development. Ninety percent of the women reported having fish for dinner at least once a week, with fatty fish as the most popular choice (72%). A higher maternal fish intake in pregnancy week 18 was associated with a poorer gross motor development in the infants at six months. Infant gross motor development is a marker of later cognitive outcome and our findings indicate that higher PFAS concentrations in young infants and maternal fatty fish intake may impair neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Varsi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
| | | | - Sandra Huber
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Maria Averina
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway; Department of Community Medicine, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jan Brox
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anne-Lise Bjørke-Monsen
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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6
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Parvez SM, Jahan F, Brune MN, Gorman JF, Rahman MJ, Carpenter D, Islam Z, Rahman M, Aich N, Knibbs LD, Sly PD. Health consequences of exposure to e-waste: an updated systematic review. Lancet Planet Health 2021; 5:e905-e920. [PMID: 34895498 PMCID: PMC8674120 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(21)00263-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Electronic waste (e-waste) contains numerous chemicals harmful to human and ecological health. To update a 2013 review assessing adverse human health consequences of exposure to e-waste, we systematically reviewed studies reporting effects on humans related to e-waste exposure. We searched EMBASE, PsycNET, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PubMed for articles published between Dec 18, 2012, and Jan 28, 2020, restricting our search to publications in English. Of the 5645 records identified, we included 70 studies that met the preset criteria. People living in e-waste exposed regions had significantly elevated levels of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants. Children and pregnant women were especially susceptible during the critical periods of exposure that detrimentally affect diverse biological systems and organs. Elevated toxic chemicals negatively impact on neonatal growth indices and hormone level alterations in e-waste exposed populations. We recorded possible connections between chronic exposure to e-waste and DNA lesions, telomere attrition, inhibited vaccine responsiveness, elevated oxidative stress, and altered immune function. The existence of various toxic chemicals in e-waste recycling areas impose plausible adverse health outcomes. Novel cost-effective methods for safe recycling operations need to be employed in e-waste sites to ensure the health and safety of vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarker M Parvez
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia; Environmental Intervention Unit, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Farjana Jahan
- Environmental Intervention Unit, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Marie-Noel Brune
- Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julia F Gorman
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Musarrat J Rahman
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David Carpenter
- School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Zahir Islam
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- Environmental Intervention Unit, Infectious Diseases Division, icddr,b, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nirupam Aich
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Luke D Knibbs
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter D Sly
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
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7
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van den Dries MA, Keil AP, Tiemeier H, Pronk A, Spaan S, Santos S, Asimakopoulos AG, Kannan K, Gaillard R, Guxens M, Trasande L, Jaddoe VWV, Ferguson KK. Prenatal Exposure to Nonpersistent Chemical Mixtures and Fetal Growth: A Population-Based Study. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2021; 129:117008. [PMID: 34817287 PMCID: PMC8612241 DOI: 10.1289/ehp9178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to mixtures of nonpersistent chemicals is universal. Most studies examining these chemicals in association with fetal growth have been restricted to single exposure models, ignoring their potentially cumulative impact. OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess the association between prenatal exposure to a mixture of phthalates, bisphenols, and organophosphate (OP) pesticides and fetal measures of head circumference, femur length, and weight. METHODS Within the Generation R Study, a population-based cohort in Netherlands (n=776), urinary concentrations of 11 phthalate metabolites, 3 bisphenols, and 5 dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites were measured at <18, 18-25, and >25 weeks of gestation and averaged. Ultrasound measures of head circumference, femur length, and estimated fetal weight (EFW) were taken at 18-25 and >25 weeks of gestation, and measurements of head circumference, length, and weight were performed at delivery. We estimated the difference in each fetal measurement per quartile increase in all exposures within the mixture with quantile g-computation. RESULTS The average EFW at 18-25 wk and >25wk was 369 and 1,626g, respectively, and the average birth weight was 3,451g. Higher exposure was associated with smaller fetal and newborn growth parameters in a nonlinear fashion. At 18-25 wk, fetuses in the second, third, and fourth quartiles of exposure (Q2-Q4) had 26g [95% confidence intervals (CI):-38, -13], 35g (95% CI: -55, -15), and 27g (95% CI: -54, 1) lower EFW compared with those in the first quartile (Q1). A similar dose-response pattern was observed at >25wk, but all effect sizes were smaller, and no association was observed comparing Q4 to Q1. At birth, we observed no differences in weight between Q1-Q2 or Q1-Q3. However, fetuses in Q4 had 91g (95% CI: -258, 76) lower birth weight in comparison with those in Q1. Results observed at 18-25 and >25wk were similar for femur length; however, no differences were observed at birth. No associations were observed for head circumference. DISCUSSION Higher exposure to a mixture of phthalates, bisphenols, and OP pesticides was associated with lower EFW in the midpregnancy period. In late pregnancy, these differences were similar but less pronounced. At birth, the only associations observed appeared when comparing individuals from Q1 and Q4. This finding suggests that even low levels of exposure may be sufficient to influence growth in early pregnancy, whereas higher levels may be necessary to affect birth weight. Joint exposure to nonpersistent chemicals may adversely impact fetal growth, and because these exposures are widespread, this impact could be substantial. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP9178.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michiel A van den Dries
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Alexander P Keil
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Anjoeka Pronk
- Department Risk Analysis for Products in Development, Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Suzanne Spaan
- Department Risk Analysis for Products in Development, Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Susana Santos
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Romy Gaillard
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Mònica Guxens
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
- Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Vincent W V Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Kelly K Ferguson
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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8
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Haggerty DK, Upson K, Pacyga DC, Franko JE, Braun JM, Strakovsky RS. REPRODUCTIVE TOXICOLOGY: Pregnancy exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: implications for women's health. Reproduction 2021; 162:F169-F180. [PMID: 34486984 PMCID: PMC8511181 DOI: 10.1530/rep-21-0051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Women are ubiquitously exposed to non-persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from food contact materials and personal care products. Understanding the impacts of exposure to these chemicals on pregnancy and long-term health outcomes in women is a critical area of research that has been largely overlooked. This brief review focuses on the epidemiologic literature exploring associations of non-persistent EDCs - including phthalates, parabens, bisphenols, and triclosan - with maternal pregnancy outcomes and long-term health outcomes in women. We focus on the challenges of this research, particularly assessing non-persistent EDC exposures, aspects of study design, and statistical approaches. We conclude by reviewing the best practices for non-persistent EDC research with regards to pregnancy and women's health. Though limited, we found some evidence indicating that exposure to non-persistent EDCs is associated with pregnancy health. However, findings from these studies have been inconsistent and require corroboration. Recent studies have also proposed that non-persistent EDC exposures in pregnancy may adversely affect postnatal maternal health. To date, only a few studies have been conducted and have only focused on postpartum weight. More research is needed in this area to inform efforts to promote optimal health across the lifespan of women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana K. Haggerty
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Kristen Upson
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, College of Human Medicine, State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Diana C. Pacyga
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
- Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - J. Ebba Franko
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Box G-S121-2, Providence, Rhode Island 02903, United States
| | - Rita S. Strakovsky
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
- Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States
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9
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Urinary Concentrations of Bisphenol Mixtures during Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes: The MAKE Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph181910098. [PMID: 34639400 PMCID: PMC8508042 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph181910098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Bisphenols are endocrine disruptors that may be associated with altered fetal growth in humans, and they have similar biological functions to mimic hormones. In addition, aggregated chemicals showed an adverse effect although individual concentration was at a low level. However, most studies between bisphenols and birth outcomes have focused on the effect of individual bisphenol. Thus, we explored the associations of urinary bisphenol mixtures with birth outcomes. We conducted a prospective birth cohort study in South Korea. One hundred eighty mother-infant pairs were recruited from 2017 to 2019. Bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS) in one spot urine were analyzed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We used two statistical approaches to examine potential associations of BPA, BPF, and BPS with birth weight and gestational age: (1) multivariable linear regression; (2) Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). The geometric means of BPA, BPF, and BPS were 2.1, 0.2, and 0.1 μg/L, respectively. In stratified linear analyses by each median value, a higher BPF was positively associated with birth weight (g) (β = 125.5; 95% CI: 45.0 to 205.9). Mixture analyses using BKMR suggested an inverse association between bisphenol mixtures and birth weight. Our findings suggest that in utero bisphenol exposure may influence birth weight and that such relationships may differ considering non-linearity and the combined effect.
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10
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Bradley PM, LeBlanc DR, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Focazio MJ, Cardon MC, Clark JM, Conley JM, Evans N, Givens CE, Gray JL, Earl Gray L, Hartig PC, Higgins CP, Hladik ML, Iwanowicz LR, Loftin KA, Blaine McCleskey R, McDonough CA, Medlock-Kakaley EK, Weis CP, Wilson VS. Public and private tapwater: Comparative analysis of contaminant exposure and potential risk, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 152:106487. [PMID: 33752165 PMCID: PMC8268049 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Humans are primary drivers of environmental contamination worldwide, including in drinking-water resources. In the United States (US), federal and state agencies regulate and monitor public-supply drinking water while private-supply monitoring is rare; the current lack of directly comparable information on contaminant-mixture exposures and risks between private- and public-supplies undermines tapwater (TW) consumer decision-making. METHODS We compared private- and public-supply residential point-of-use TW at Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where both supplies share the same groundwater source. TW from 10 private- and 10 public-supply homes was analyzed for 487 organic, 38 inorganic, 8 microbial indicators, and 3 in vitro bioactivities. Concentrations were compared to existing protective health-based benchmarks, and aggregated Hazard Indices (HI) of regulated and unregulated TW contaminants were calculated along with ratios of in vitro exposure-activity cutoffs. RESULTS Seventy organic and 28 inorganic constituents were detected in TW. Median detections were comparable, but median cumulative concentrations were substantially higher in public supply due to 6 chlorine-disinfected samples characterized by disinfection byproducts and corresponding lower heterotrophic plate counts. Public-supply applicable maximum contaminant (nitrate) and treatment action (lead and copper) levels were exceeded in private-supply TW samples only. Exceedances of health-based HI screening levels of concern were common to both TW supplies. DISCUSSION These Cape Cod results indicate comparable cumulative human-health concerns from contaminant exposures in private- and public-supply TW in a shared source-water setting. Importantly, although this study's analytical coverage exceeds that currently feasible for water purveyors or homeowners, it nevertheless is a substantial underestimation of the full breadth of contaminant mixtures documented in the environment and potentially present in drinking water. CONCLUSION Regardless of the supply, increased public engagement in source-water protection and drinking-water treatment, including consumer point-of-use treatment, is warranted to reduce risks associated with long-term TW contaminant exposures, especially in vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Mary C Cardon
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - L Earl Gray
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher P Weis
- U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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11
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Zhuang LH, Chen A, Braun JM, Lanphear BP, Hu JMY, Yolton K, McCandless LC. Effects of gestational exposures to chemical mixtures on birth weight using Bayesian factor analysis in the Health Outcome and Measures of Environment (HOME) Study. Environ Epidemiol 2021; 5:e159. [PMID: 34131620 PMCID: PMC8196215 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Studying the effects of gestational exposures to chemical mixtures on infant birth weight is inconclusive due to several challenges. One of the challenges is which statistical methods to rely on. Bayesian factor analysis (BFA), which has not been utilized for chemical mixtures, has advantages in variance reduction and model interpretation. METHODS We analyzed data from a cohort of 384 pregnant women and their newborns using urinary biomarkers of phthalates, phenols, and organophosphate pesticides (OPs) and serum biomarkers of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). We examined the association between exposure to chemical mixtures and birth weight using BFA and compared with multiple linear regression (MLR) and Bayesian kernel regression models (BKMR). RESULTS For BFA, a 10-fold increase in the concentrations of PCB and PFAS mixtures was associated with an 81 g (95% confidence intervals [CI] = -132 to -31 g) and 57 g (95% CI = -105 to -10 g) reduction in birth weight, respectively. BKMR results confirmed the direction of effect. However, the 95% credible intervals all contained the null. For single-pollutant MLR, a 10-fold increases in the concentrations of multiple chemicals were associated with reduced birth weight, yet the 95% CI all contained the null. Variance inflation from MLR was apparent for models that adjusted for copollutants, resulting in less precise confidence intervals. CONCLUSION We demonstrated the merits of BFA on mixture analysis in terms of precision and interpretation compared with MLR and BKMR. We also identified the association between exposure to PCBs and PFAS and lower birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liheng H. Zhuang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
| | - Aimin Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Joseph M. Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island
| | - Bruce P. Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
| | - Janice M. Y. Hu
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
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12
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Hershberger KA, Rooney JP, Turner EA, Donoghue LJ, Bodhicharla R, Maurer LL, Ryde IT, Kim JJ, Joglekar R, Hibshman JD, Smith LL, Bhatt DP, Ilkayeva OR, Hirschey MD, Meyer JN. Early-life mitochondrial DNA damage results in lifelong deficits in energy production mediated by redox signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans. Redox Biol 2021; 43:102000. [PMID: 33993056 PMCID: PMC8134077 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2021.102000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The consequences of damage to the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) are poorly understood, although mtDNA is more susceptible to damage resulting from some genotoxicants than nuclear DNA (nucDNA), and many environmental toxicants target the mitochondria. Reports from the toxicological literature suggest that exposure to early-life mitochondrial damage could lead to deleterious consequences later in life (the “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” paradigm), but reports from other fields often report beneficial (“mitohormetic”) responses to such damage. Here, we tested the effects of low (causing no change in lifespan) levels of ultraviolet C (UVC)-induced, irreparable mtDNA damage during early development in Caenorhabditis elegans. This exposure led to life-long reductions in mtDNA copy number and steady-state ATP levels, accompanied by increased oxygen consumption and altered metabolite profiles, suggesting inefficient mitochondrial function. Exposed nematodes were also developmentally delayed, reached smaller adult size, and were rendered more susceptible to subsequent exposure to chemical mitotoxicants. Metabolomic and genetic analysis of key signaling and metabolic pathways supported redox and mitochondrial stress-response signaling during early development as a mechanism for establishing these persistent alterations. Our results highlight the importance of early-life exposures to environmental pollutants, especially in the context of exposure to chemicals that target mitochondria. Early life mtDNA damage led to lifelong deficits in mitochondrial function. C. elegans developed slowly and were sensitive to chemical exposures as adults. Redox signaling is a mechanism that establishes these persistent alterations. Data are consistent with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen A Hershberger
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - John P Rooney
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Elena A Turner
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lauren J Donoghue
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rakesh Bodhicharla
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Laura L Maurer
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ian T Ryde
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jina J Kim
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rashmi Joglekar
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan D Hibshman
- Duke University Department of Biology and University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Latasha L Smith
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Joel N Meyer
- Duke University, Nicholas School of the Environment, Integrated Toxicology and Environmental Health Program, Durham, NC, USA.
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13
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Uhl M, Santos RR, Costa J, Santos O, Virgolino A, Evans DS, Murray C, Mulcahy M, Ubong D, Sepai O, Lobo Vicente J, Leitner M, Benda-Kahri S, Zanini-Freitag D. Chemical Exposure: European Citizens' Perspectives, Trust, and Concerns on Human Biomonitoring Initiatives, Information Needs, and Scientific Results. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:1532. [PMID: 33562859 PMCID: PMC7914422 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Over the last few decades, citizen awareness and perception of chemical products has been a topic of interest, particularly concerning national and international policy decision makers, expert/scientific platforms, and the European Union itself. To date, few qualitative studies on human biomonitoring have analysed communication materials, made recommendations in terms of biomonitoring surveillance, or asked for feedback in terms of specific biomonitoring methods. This paper provides in-depth insight on citizens' perceptions of knowledge of biomonitoring, impact of chemical exposure on daily life, and claims on how results of research should be used. Four semi-structured focus groups were held in Austria, Portugal, Ireland, and the United Kingdom (UK). The cross-sectional observational qualitative design of this study allows for better understanding of public concern regarding chemicals, application, and use of human biomonitoring. The main findings of this study include citizens' clear articulation on pathways of exposure, the demand on stakeholders for transparent decision-making, and sensitivity in communication of results to the public. Validated and trustful communication is perceived as key to empowering citizens to take action. The results can be used to facilitate decision-making and policy development, and feeds into the awareness needs of similar and future projects in human biomonitoring. Furthermore, it also brings to light ideas and concepts of citizens' in shaping collaborative knowledge between citizens', experts, scientists, and policy makers on equal terms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Uhl
- Environment Agency Austria, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.L.); (S.B.-K.)
| | - Ricardo R. Santos
- Environmental Health Behaviour Lab, Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.R.S.); (J.C.); (O.S.); (A.V.)
| | - Joana Costa
- Environmental Health Behaviour Lab, Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.R.S.); (J.C.); (O.S.); (A.V.)
| | - Osvaldo Santos
- Environmental Health Behaviour Lab, Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.R.S.); (J.C.); (O.S.); (A.V.)
- Unbreakable Idea Research, 2550-426 Painho, Portugal
| | - Ana Virgolino
- Environmental Health Behaviour Lab, Instituto de Saúde Ambiental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal; (R.R.S.); (J.C.); (O.S.); (A.V.)
| | - David S. Evans
- Health Service Executive, Department of Public Health, Merlin Park Regional Hospital, H91N973 Galway, Ireland;
| | - Cora Murray
- Health Service Executive, Environmental Health Service, H91EW40 Galway, Ireland; (C.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Maurice Mulcahy
- Health Service Executive, Environmental Health Service, H91EW40 Galway, Ireland; (C.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Dorothy Ubong
- Public Health England, London SE1 8UG, UK; (D.U.); (O.S.)
| | - Ovnair Sepai
- Public Health England, London SE1 8UG, UK; (D.U.); (O.S.)
| | | | - Michaela Leitner
- Environment Agency Austria, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (M.L.); (S.B.-K.)
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14
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Li N, Liu Y, Papandonatos GD, Calafat AM, Eaton CB, Kelsey KT, Cecil KM, Kalkwarf HJ, Yolton K, Lanphear BP, Chen A, Braun JM. Gestational and childhood exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and cardiometabolic risk at age 12 years. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 147:106344. [PMID: 33418195 PMCID: PMC7856172 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may adversely influence cardiometabolic risk. However, few studies have examined if the timing of early life PFAS exposure modifies their relation to cardiometabolic risk. We examined the influence of gestational and childhood PFAS exposure on adolescents' cardiometabolic risk. METHODS We quantified concentrations of four PFAS (perfluorooctanoate [PFOA], perfluorooctane sulfonate [PFOS], perfluorononanoate [PFNA], and perfluorohexane sulfonate [PFHxS]) in sera collected during pregnancy, at birth, and at ages 3, 8, and 12 years from 221 mother-child pairs in the HOME Study (enrolled 2003-06, Cincinnati, Ohio). We measured cardiometabolic risk factors using physical examinations, fasting serum biomarkers, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans at age 12 years. Cardiometabolic risk summary scores were calculated by summing age- and sex-standardized z-scores for individual cardiometabolic risk factors. We used multiple informant models to estimate covariate-adjusted associations of serum PFAS concentrations (log2-transformed) at each visit with cardiometabolic risk scores and their individual components, and tested for differences in associations across visits. RESULTS The associations of serum PFOA concentrations with cardiometabolic risk scores differed across visits (P for heterogeneity = 0.03). Gestational and cord serum PFOA concentrations were positively associated with cardiometabolic risk scores (βs and 95% confidence intervals [95% CIs]: gestational 0.8 [0.0, 1.6]; cord 0.9 [-0.1, 1.9] per interquartile range increase). These positive associations were primarily driven by homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance index (β = 0.3 [0.1, 0.5]) and adiponectin to leptin ratio (β = -0.5 [-1.0, 0.0]). Other individual cardiometabolic risk factors associated with gestational PFOA included insulin and waist circumference. Gestational and cord PFHxS were also associated with higher cardiometabolic risk scores (βs: gestational 0.9 [0.2, 1.6]; cord 0.9 [0.1, 1.7]). CONCLUSION In this cohort of children with higher gestational PFOA exposure, fetal exposure to PFOA and PFHxS was associated with unfavorable cardiometabolic risk in adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Li
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
| | - Yun Liu
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
| | - George D Papandonatos
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
| | - Antonia M Calafat
- National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States.
| | - Charles B Eaton
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; Department of Family Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; Kent Memorial Hospital, Warwick, Rhode Island, United States.
| | - Karl T Kelsey
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
| | - Kim M Cecil
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Radiology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
| | - Heidi J Kalkwarf
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, United States.
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Aimin Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
| | - Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
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15
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Lee YJ, Jung HW, Kim HY, Choi YJ, Lee YA. Early-Life Exposure to Per- and Poly-Fluorinated Alkyl Substances and Growth, Adiposity, and Puberty in Children: A Systematic Review. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:683297. [PMID: 34566884 PMCID: PMC8458955 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.683297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of synthetic polyfluorinated compounds, are widely used in consumer products. Ubiquitous exposures to PFAS, in consideration of their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicities have led to concerns regarding possible harmful effects during critical periods of development in early-life and long-term consequences on health. The potential effects of PFAS depend on various factors including the type of PFAS and the timing and level of exposure. We performed a systematic review of the epidemiologic literature to assess the effects of early-life PFAS exposure on prenatal and postnatal growth, adiposity, and puberty in children and adolescents. For birth size, most studies indicated that prenatal PFAS exposure, in particular long-chain PFAS, may impair fetal growth, albeit some reports of null associations with maternal PFAS. For growth within 2 years of age, prenatal PFAS exposure showed no associations with height and either null or negative associations with weight. However, postnatal PFAS exposures were inversely related to height and weight at 2 years in a cross-sectional study. For postnatal adiposity, prenatal PFAS may mostly have negative associations with body mass index in the first 2 years of life, but positive relationships with adiposity in childhood and adolescence, although some studies showed null associations. For puberty, the evidence for associations between early-life PFAS exposure and pubertal development or sex hormone levels were limited and inconclusive. From experimental studies, plausible mechanisms through which PFAS may affect early-life growth and puberty include PFAS-induced activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, alterations of thyroid or steroid hormone synthesis and metabolism, and their weak estrogenic or anti-androgenic properties. Although the published literature suggests possible effects of PFAS exposures on early-life growth, adiposity, and puberty, current human evidence is limited in establishing PFAS-induced effects on early-life physical development. Further investigation is warranted to clarify PFAS-induced effects on growth and physical development in consideration of the critical time-window of exposure, concomitant exposure to chemical mixtures including various PFAS types, and possible non-monotonic dose-response relationship for growth and adiposity trajectories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Jeong Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hae Woon Jung
- Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hwa Young Kim
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoon-Jung Choi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- Environmental Health Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Young Ah Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Children’s Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
- *Correspondence: Young Ah Lee,
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16
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Bradley PM, Argos M, Kolpin DW, Meppelink SM, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Focazio MJ, Allen JM, Dietze JE, Devito MJ, Donovan AR, Evans N, Givens CE, Gray JL, Higgins CP, Hladik ML, Iwanowicz LR, Journey CA, Lane RF, Laughrey ZR, Loftin KA, McCleskey RB, McDonough CA, Medlock-Kakaley E, Meyer MT, Putz AR, Richardson SD, Stark AE, Weis CP, Wilson VS, Zehraoui A. Mixed organic and inorganic tapwater exposures and potential effects in greater Chicago area, USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020. [PMID: 32126404 DOI: 10.5066/p9voobwt] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Safe drinking water at the point of use (tapwater, TW) is a public-health priority. TW exposures and potential human-health concerns of 540 organics and 35 inorganics were assessed in 45 Chicago-area United States (US) homes in 2017. No US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level(s) (MCL) were exceeded in any residential or water treatment plant (WTP) pre-distribution TW sample. Ninety percent (90%) of organic analytes were not detected in treated TW, emphasizing the high quality of the Lake Michigan drinking-water source and the efficacy of the drinking-water treatment and monitoring. Sixteen (16) organics were detected in >25% of TW samples, with about 50 detected at least once. Low-level TW exposures to unregulated disinfection byproducts (DBP) of emerging concern, per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and three pesticides were ubiquitous. Common exceedances of non-enforceable EPA MCL Goal(s) (MCLG) of zero for arsenic [As], lead [Pb], uranium [U], bromodichloromethane, and tribromomethane suggest potential human-health concerns and emphasize the continuing need for improved understanding of cumulative effects of low-concentration mixtures on vulnerable sub-populations. Because DBP dominated TW organics, residential-TW concentrations are potentially predictable with expanded pre-distribution DBP monitoring. However, several TW chemicals, notably Pb and several infrequently detected organic compounds, were not readily explained by pre-distribution samples, illustrating the need for continued broad inorganic/organic TW characterization to support consumer assessment of acceptable risk and point-of-use treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Argos
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael J Devito
- U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Andrea R Putz
- City of Chicago, Department of Water Management, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Alan E Stark
- City of Chicago, Department of Water Management, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christopher P Weis
- U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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17
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Bradley PM, Argos M, Kolpin DW, Meppelink SM, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Focazio MJ, Allen JM, Dietze JE, Devito MJ, Donovan AR, Evans N, Givens CE, Gray JL, Higgins CP, Hladik ML, Iwanowicz LR, Journey CA, Lane RF, Laughrey ZR, Loftin KA, McCleskey RB, McDonough CA, Medlock-Kakaley E, Meyer MT, Putz AR, Richardson SD, Stark AE, Weis CP, Wilson VS, Zehraoui A. Mixed organic and inorganic tapwater exposures and potential effects in greater Chicago area, USA. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 719:137236. [PMID: 32126404 PMCID: PMC9140060 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Safe drinking water at the point of use (tapwater, TW) is a public-health priority. TW exposures and potential human-health concerns of 540 organics and 35 inorganics were assessed in 45 Chicago-area United States (US) homes in 2017. No US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enforceable Maximum Contaminant Level(s) (MCL) were exceeded in any residential or water treatment plant (WTP) pre-distribution TW sample. Ninety percent (90%) of organic analytes were not detected in treated TW, emphasizing the high quality of the Lake Michigan drinking-water source and the efficacy of the drinking-water treatment and monitoring. Sixteen (16) organics were detected in >25% of TW samples, with about 50 detected at least once. Low-level TW exposures to unregulated disinfection byproducts (DBP) of emerging concern, per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and three pesticides were ubiquitous. Common exceedances of non-enforceable EPA MCL Goal(s) (MCLG) of zero for arsenic [As], lead [Pb], uranium [U], bromodichloromethane, and tribromomethane suggest potential human-health concerns and emphasize the continuing need for improved understanding of cumulative effects of low-concentration mixtures on vulnerable sub-populations. Because DBP dominated TW organics, residential-TW concentrations are potentially predictable with expanded pre-distribution DBP monitoring. However, several TW chemicals, notably Pb and several infrequently detected organic compounds, were not readily explained by pre-distribution samples, illustrating the need for continued broad inorganic/organic TW characterization to support consumer assessment of acceptable risk and point-of-use treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Argos
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Michael J Devito
- U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Nicola Evans
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Andrea R Putz
- City of Chicago, Department of Water Management, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Alan E Stark
- City of Chicago, Department of Water Management, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Christopher P Weis
- U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Buckley JP, Barrett ES, Beamer PI, Bennett DH, Bloom MS, Fennell TR, Fry RC, Funk WE, Hamra GB, Hecht SS, Kannan K, Iyer R, Karagas MR, Lyall K, Parsons PJ, Pellizzari ED, Signes-Pastor AJ, Starling AP, Wang A, Watkins DJ, Zhang M, Woodruff TJ. Opportunities for evaluating chemical exposures and child health in the United States: the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2020; 30:397-419. [PMID: 32066883 PMCID: PMC7183426 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-020-0211-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program will evaluate environmental factors affecting children's health (perinatal, neurodevelopmental, obesity, respiratory, and positive health outcomes) by pooling cohorts composed of >50,000 children in the largest US study of its kind. Our objective was to identify opportunities for studying chemicals and child health using existing or future ECHO chemical exposure data. We described chemical-related information collected by ECHO cohorts and reviewed ECHO-relevant literature on exposure routes, sources, and environmental and human monitoring. Fifty-six ECHO cohorts have existing or planned chemical biomonitoring data for mothers or children. Environmental phenols/parabens, phthalates, metals/metalloids, and tobacco biomarkers are each being measured by ≥15 cohorts, predominantly during pregnancy and childhood, indicating ample opportunities to study child health outcomes. Cohorts are collecting questionnaire data on multiple exposure sources and conducting environmental monitoring including air, dust, and water sample collection that could be used for exposure assessment studies. To supplement existing chemical data, we recommend biomonitoring of emerging chemicals, nontargeted analysis to identify novel chemicals, and expanded measurement of chemicals in alternative biological matrices and dust samples. ECHO's rich data and samples represent an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate environmental chemical research to improve the health of US children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie P Buckley
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Paloma I Beamer
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Deborah H Bennett
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Bloom
- Departments of Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Timothy R Fennell
- Discovery Sciences, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William E Funk
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ghassan B Hamra
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephen S Hecht
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Ramsunder Iyer
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Patrick J Parsons
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Edo D Pellizzari
- Fellows Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Anne P Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Aolin Wang
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Deborah J Watkins
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mingyu Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Forns J, Verner MA, Iszatt N, Nowack N, Bach CC, Vrijheid M, Costa O, Andiarena A, Sovcikova E, Høyer BB, Wittsiepe J, Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Ibarluzea J, Hertz-Picciotto I, Toft G, Stigum H, Guxens M, Liew Z, Eggesbø M. Early Life Exposure to Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) and ADHD: A Meta-Analysis of Nine European Population-Based Studies. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:57002. [PMID: 32378965 PMCID: PMC7263458 DOI: 10.1289/ehp5444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To date, the evidence for an association between perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is inconclusive. OBJECTIVE We investigated the association between early life exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and ADHD in a collaborative study including nine European population-based studies, encompassing 4,826 mother-child pairs. METHODS Concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were measured in maternal serum/plasma during pregnancy, or in breast milk, with different timing of sample collection in each cohort. We used a validated pharmacokinetic model of pregnancy and lactation to estimate concentrations of PFOS and PFOA in children at birth and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months of age. We classified ADHD using recommended cutoff points for each instrument used to derive symptoms scores. We used multiple imputation for missing covariates, logistic regression to model the association between PFAS exposure and ADHD in each study, and combined all adjusted study-specific effect estimates using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS A total of 399 children were classified as having ADHD, with a prevalence ranging from 2.3% to 7.3% in the studies. Early life exposure to PFOS or PFOA was not associated with ADHD during childhood [odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 0.96 (95% CI: 0.87, 1.06) to 1.02 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.11)]. Results from stratified models suggest potential differential effects of PFAS related to child sex and maternal education. CONCLUSION We did not identify an increased prevalence of ADHD in association with early life exposure to PFOS and PFOA. However, stratified analyses suggest that there may be an increased prevalence of ADHD in association with PFAS exposure in girls, in children from nulliparous women, and in children from low-educated mothers, all of which warrant further exploration. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5444.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joan Forns
- Department of Environmental Exposure and Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marc-Andre Verner
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
- Université de Montréal Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Nina Iszatt
- Department of Environmental Exposure and Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nikola Nowack
- Department of Developmental Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Cathrine Carlsen Bach
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Viborg Regional Hospital, Viborg, Denmark
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- Global Health Institute Barcelona (ISGlobal), Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Univeristat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
| | - Olga Costa
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of Valencia Region (FISABIO)-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ainara Andiarena
- Health Research Institute BIODONOSTIA, Donostia-San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
- Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Eva Sovcikova
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Slovak Medical University, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
| | - Birgit Bjerre Høyer
- Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jürgen Wittsiepe
- Department of Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research of Valencia Region (FISABIO)-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
- Department of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jesus Ibarluzea
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
- Health Research Institute BIODONOSTIA, Donostia-San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
- Faculty of Psychology, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis (UC Davis), Davis, California, USA
- UC Davis Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders Institute, UC Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Gunnar Toft
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hein Stigum
- Department of Environmental Exposure and Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Mònica Guxens
- Global Health Institute Barcelona (ISGlobal), Institute for Global Health, Barcelona, Spain
- Univeristat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Spain
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology, Erasmus University Medical Centre, Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Zeyan Liew
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Center for Perinatal, Pediatric, and Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Merete Eggesbø
- Department of Environmental Exposure and Epidemiology, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Tanner E, Lee A, Colicino E. Environmental mixtures and children's health: identifying appropriate statistical approaches. Curr Opin Pediatr 2020; 32:315-320. [PMID: 31934891 PMCID: PMC7895326 DOI: 10.1097/mop.0000000000000877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Biomonitoring studies have shown that children are constantly exposed to complex patterns of chemical and nonchemical exposures. Here, we briefly summarize the rationale for studying multiple exposures, also called mixture, in relation to child health and key statistical approaches that can be used. We discuss advantages over traditional methods, limitations and appropriateness of the context. RECENT FINDINGS New approaches allow pediatric researchers to answer increasingly complex questions related to environmental mixtures. We present methods to identify the most relevant exposures among a high-multitude of variables, via shrinkage and variable selection techniques, and identify the overall mixture effect, via Weighted Quantile Sum and Bayesian Kernel Machine regressions. We then describe novel extensions that handle high-dimensional exposure data and allow identification of critical exposure windows. SUMMARY Recent advances in statistics and machine learning enable researchers to identify important mixture components, estimate joint mixture effects and pinpoint critical windows of exposure. Despite many advantages over single chemical approaches, measurement error and biases may be amplified in mixtures research, requiring careful study planning and design. Future research requires increased collaboration between epidemiologists, statisticians and data scientists, and further integration with causal inference methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Tanner
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elena Colicino
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Sharma E, Jacob P, Murthy P, Jain S, Varghese M, Jayarajan D, Kumar K, Benegal V, Vaidya N, Zhang Y, Desrivieres S, Schumann G, Iyengar U, Holla B, Purushottam M, Chakrabarti A, Fernandes GS, Heron J, Hickman M, Kartik K, Kalyanram K, Rangaswamy M, Bharath RD, Barker G, Orfanos DP, Ahuja C, Thennarasu K, Basu D, Subodh BN, Kuriyan R, Kurpad SS, Kumaran K, Krishnaveni G, Krishna M, Singh RL, Singh LR, Toledano M. Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalizing Disorders and Addictions (cVEDA): A developmental cohort study protocol. BMC Psychiatry 2020; 20:2. [PMID: 31898525 PMCID: PMC6941284 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-019-2373-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Low and middle-income countries like India with a large youth population experience a different environment from that of high-income countries. The Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalizing Disorders and Addictions (cVEDA), based in India, aims to examine environmental influences on genomic variations, neurodevelopmental trajectories and vulnerability to psychopathology, with a focus on externalizing disorders. METHODS cVEDA is a longitudinal cohort study, with planned missingness design for yearly follow-up. Participants have been recruited from multi-site tertiary care mental health settings, local communities, schools and colleges. 10,000 individuals between 6 and 23 years of age, of all genders, representing five geographically, ethnically, and socio-culturally distinct regions in India, and exposures to variations in early life adversity (psychosocial, nutritional, toxic exposures, slum-habitats, socio-political conflicts, urban/rural living, mental illness in the family) have been assessed using age-appropriate instruments to capture socio-demographic information, temperament, environmental exposures, parenting, psychiatric morbidity, and neuropsychological functioning. Blood/saliva and urine samples have been collected for genetic, epigenetic and toxicological (heavy metals, volatile organic compounds) studies. Structural (T1, T2, DTI) and functional (resting state fMRI) MRI brain scans have been performed on approximately 15% of the individuals. All data and biological samples are maintained in a databank and biobank, respectively. DISCUSSION The cVEDA has established the largest neurodevelopmental database in India, comparable to global datasets, with detailed environmental characterization. This should permit identification of environmental and genetic vulnerabilities to psychopathology within a developmental framework. Neuroimaging and neuropsychological data from this study are already yielding insights on brain growth and maturation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eesha Sharma
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Preeti Jacob
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Pratima Murthy
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Sanjeev Jain
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Mathew Varghese
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Deepak Jayarajan
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Keshav Kumar
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Vivek Benegal
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Nilakshi Vaidya
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, MRC SGDP Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Yuning Zhang
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, MRC SGDP Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Sylvane Desrivieres
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, MRC SGDP Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Gunter Schumann
- Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, MRC SGDP Centre, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Udita Iyengar
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Bharath Holla
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Meera Purushottam
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Amit Chakrabarti
- Regional Occupational Health Centre (ROHC), Eastern, ICMR-National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH), Kolkata, West Bengal India
| | - Gwen Sascha Fernandes
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jon Heron
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Matthew Hickman
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Kamakshi Kartik
- Rishi Valley Rural Health Centre, Madanapalle, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh India
| | - Kartik Kalyanram
- Rishi Valley Rural Health Centre, Madanapalle, Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh India
| | | | - Rose Dawn Bharath
- Department of Neuroimaging and Interventional Radiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Gareth Barker
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | | | - Chirag Ahuja
- Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Kandavel Thennarasu
- Department of Biostatistics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka India
| | - Debashish Basu
- Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - B. N. Subodh
- Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Rebecca Kuriyan
- Division of Nutrition, St John’s Research Institute, Bengaluru, India
| | - Sunita Simon Kurpad
- Department of Psychiatry and Department of Medical Ethics, St. John’s Medical College and Hospital, Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Ghattu Krishnaveni
- Epidemiology Research Unit, CSI Holdsworth Memorial Hospital, Mysore, India
| | - Murali Krishna
- Foundation for Research and Advocacy in Mental Health, Mysore, India
| | - Rajkumar Lenin Singh
- Department of Psychiatry, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, Manipur India
| | - L. Roshan Singh
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal, Manipur India
| | - Mireille Toledano
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College, London, UK
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23
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Braun JM, Kalloo G, Kingsley SL, Li N. Using phenome-wide association studies to examine the effect of environmental exposures on human health. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 130:104877. [PMID: 31200158 PMCID: PMC6682449 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.05.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
The field of environmental epidemiology has been using "-omics" technologies, including the exposome, metabolome, and methylome, to understand the potential effects and biological pathways of a number of environmental pollutants. However, the majority of studies have focused on a single disease or phenotype, and have not systematically considered patterns of multimorbidity and whether environmental pollutants have pleiotropic effects. These questions could be addressed by examining the relation between environmental exposures and the phenome - the patterns and profiles of human health that individuals experience from birth to death. By conducting Phenome Wide Association Studies (PheWAS), we can generate new hypotheses about new or poorly understood exposures, identify novel associations for established toxicants, and better understand biological pathways affected by environmental pollutants. In this article, we provide a conceptual framework for conducting PheWAS in environmental epidemiology and summarize some of the advantages and challenges to using the PheWAS to study environmental pollutant exposures. Ultimately, by adding the PheWAS to our "-omics" toolbox, we could substantially improve our understanding of the potential health effects of environmental pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America.
| | - Geetika Kalloo
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Samantha L Kingsley
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
| | - Nan Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States of America
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Early life exposure of a biocide, CMIT/MIT causes metabolic toxicity via the O-GlcNAc transferase pathway in the nematode C. elegans. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2019; 376:1-8. [PMID: 31100289 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2019.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/13/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Unusual cases of fatal lung injury, later determined to be a result of exposure to chemicals used as humidifier disinfectants, were reported among Korean children from 2006 to 2011. This resulted in considerable study of the pulmonary toxicity of humidifier disinfectant chemicals to establish the causal relationship between exposure and lung disease. However, the systemic toxicity of the former and health effects other than lung disease are not fully understood. Here, we investigated the effect of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (CMIT/MIT), among the humidifier disinfectants used in the accidents, on the development of metabolic toxicity in the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans using an exposure scenario comparison. We screened the potential of CMIT/MIT to induce metabolic toxicity using C. elegans oga-1(ok1207) and ogt-1(ok1474) mutants. We also performed a pathway analysis based on C. elegans transcription factor RNAi library screening to identify the underlying toxicity mechanisms. Finally, to understand the critical window of exposure for metabolic toxicity, responses to exposure during different periods in the life cycles of the worms were compared. We determined that CMIT/MIT could induce metabolic toxicity through O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase and early life seems to be the critical window for exposure for metabolic toxicity for this substance. The O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase pathway is conserved from worms to humans; our results thus insinuate that early-life exposure to CMIT/MIT could cause metabolic health problems during adult life in humans. We therefore suggest that a systemic toxicity approach should be considered to comprehensively understand the adverse health effects of humidifier disinfectant misuse.
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Wiener RC, Waters C. Perfluoroalkyls/polyfluoroalkyl substances and dental caries experience in children, ages 3-11 years, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013-2014. J Public Health Dent 2019; 79:307-319. [PMID: 31286520 DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The objective of this research is to determine the association of seven perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances versus dental caries experience in US children, ages 3-11 years. METHODS A cross-sectional study design was used in the analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014 serological data of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The seven perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances were: 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide) acetic acid; perfluorodecanoic acid; perfluorononanoic acid; perfluorohexane sulfonic acid; linear isomers of perfluorooctanoate; linear perfluorooctane sulfonate; and monomethyl branched isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonate. Two summative variables were created: monomethyl branch isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid with linear isomer of perfluorooctane and branch isomers of perfluorooctanoate with linear isomer perfluorooctonate. RESULTS In unadjusted logistic regression, in which the comparison was between the less than 75th percentile reference group and the 75th and above percentile group, higher perfluorodecanoic acid was associated with dental caries experience [unadjusted odds ratio: 1.79 (95% CI: 1.19, 2.46; P = 0.0069); adjusted odds ratio: 1.54 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.30; P = 0.0385)]. CONCLUSIONS Of the seven examined perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, only perfluorodecanoic acid had an association with dental caries experience in an unadjusted model and adjusted logistic regression model.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Constance Wiener
- Dental Practice and Rural Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Christopher Waters
- Department of Dental Research, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
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Statistical Approaches for Investigating Periods of Susceptibility in Children's Environmental Health Research. Curr Environ Health Rep 2019; 6:1-7. [PMID: 30684243 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-019-0224-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Children's environmental health researchers are increasingly interested in identifying time intervals during which individuals are most susceptible to adverse impacts of environmental exposures. We review recent advances in methods for assessing susceptible periods. RECENT FINDINGS We identified three general classes of modeling approaches aimed at identifying susceptible periods in children's environmental health research: multiple informant models, distributed lag models, and Bayesian approaches. Benefits over traditional regression modeling include the ability to formally test period effect differences, to incorporate highly time-resolved exposure data, or to address correlation among exposure periods or exposure mixtures. Several statistical approaches exist for investigating periods of susceptibility. Assessment of susceptible periods would be advanced by additional basic biological research, further development of statistical methods to assess susceptibility to complex exposure mixtures, validation studies evaluating model assumptions, replication studies in different populations, and consideration of susceptible periods from before conception to disease onset.
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Abstract
Comparative endocrinology has traditionally focused on studies of the evolution of endocrine systems, regulation of hormone actions in animals, development of model systems, and the role of the environment in controlling hormone functions related to major life-history events. Comparative endocrinology also has made important contributions to basic research and clinical endocrinology. In recent years there has been a shift to a focus on anthropogenic chemical factors and their alteration of major life history events through endocrine disruption. During the 21st century, environmental comparative endocrinologists must play an important role in the identification and assessment of endocrine disruption on vertebrate and invertebrate animals and their environment as well as in monitoring remediation. All comparative biologists are encouraged to communicate their understanding of threats to biological systems to non-scientists to facilitate their understanding of the human impacts of various kinds of pollution and habitat destruction on wildlife and ecosystems as well as their long-term consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- David O Norris
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, 354 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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Patel NB, Xu Y, McCandless LC, Chen A, Yolton K, Braun J, Jones RL, Dietrich KN, Lanphear BP. Very low-level prenatal mercury exposure and behaviors in children: the HOME Study. Environ Health 2019; 18:4. [PMID: 30626382 PMCID: PMC6325670 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-018-0443-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mercury is toxic to the developing brain, but the lowest concentration associated with the development of behavior problems is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between very low-level mercury exposure during fetal development and behavior problems in children. METHODS We used data from 389 mothers and children in a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort study. We defined mean prenatal mercury concentration as the mean of total whole blood mercury concentrations in maternal samples collected at 16- and 26-weeks of gestation, delivery, and neonatal cord blood samples. We assessed parent-reported child behavior up to five times from two to 8 years of age using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2). At 8 years of age, we assessed self-reported child anxiety using the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS). We used multiple linear mixed models and linear regression models to estimate the association between mean prenatal mercury concentrations and child behavior and anxiety, respectively. RESULTS The median prenatal total blood mercury concentrations was 0.67 μg/L. Overall, we did not find statistically significant associations between mean prenatal mercury concentrations and behavior problems scores, but a 2-fold increase in mercury concentrations at 16-weeks gestation was associated with 0.83 point (95% CI: 0.05, 1.62) higher BASC-2 anxiety scores. Maternal and cord blood mercury concentrations at delivery were associated with parent-reported anxiety at 8 years. CONCLUSION We found limited evidence of an association between very-low level prenatal mercury exposure and behaviors in children, with an exception of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimesh B. Patel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4 Canada
| | - Yingying Xu
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | | | - Aimin Chen
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Joseph Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | | | - Kim N. Dietrich
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Bruce P. Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC Canada
- Child and Family Research Institute, BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC Canada
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Bradley PM, Kolpin DW, Romanok KM, Smalling KL, Focazio MJ, Brown JB, Cardon MC, Carpenter KD, Corsi SR, DeCicco LA, Dietze JE, Evans N, Furlong ET, Givens CE, Gray JL, Griffin DW, Higgins CP, Hladik ML, Iwanowicz LR, Journey CA, Kuivila KM, Masoner JR, McDonough CA, Meyer MT, Orlando JL, Strynar MJ, Weis CP, Wilson VS. Reconnaissance of Mixed Organic and Inorganic Chemicals in Private and Public Supply Tapwaters at Selected Residential and Workplace Sites in the United States. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:13972-13985. [PMID: 30460851 PMCID: PMC6742431 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b04622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Safe drinking water at the point-of-use (tapwater, TW) is a United States public health priority. Multiple lines of evidence were used to evaluate potential human health concerns of 482 organics and 19 inorganics in TW from 13 (7 public supply, 6 private well self-supply) home and 12 (public supply) workplace locations in 11 states. Only uranium (61.9 μg L-1, private well) exceeded a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation maximum contaminant level (MCL: 30 μg L-1). Lead was detected in 23 samples (MCL goal: zero). Seventy-five organics were detected at least once, with median detections of 5 and 17 compounds in self-supply and public supply samples, respectively (corresponding maxima: 12 and 29). Disinfection byproducts predominated in public supply samples, comprising 21% of all detected and 6 of the 10 most frequently detected. Chemicals designed to be bioactive (26 pesticides, 10 pharmaceuticals) comprised 48% of detected organics. Site-specific cumulative exposure-activity ratios (∑EAR) were calculated for the 36 detected organics with ToxCast data. Because these detections are fractional indicators of a largely uncharacterized contaminant space, ∑EAR in excess of 0.001 and 0.01 in 74 and 26% of public supply samples, respectively, provide an argument for prioritized assessment of cumulative effects to vulnerable populations from trace-level TW exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M. Bradley
- United States Geological Survey, Columbia, South Carolina 29210, United States
| | - Dana W. Kolpin
- United States Geological Survey, Iowa City, Iowa 52240, United States
| | - Kristin M. Romanok
- United States Geological Survey, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648, United States
| | - Kelly L. Smalling
- United States Geological Survey, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 08648, United States
| | | | | | - Mary C. Cardon
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Kurt D. Carpenter
- United States Geological Survey, Portland, Oregon 97201, United States
| | - Steven R. Corsi
- United States Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, United States
| | - Laura A. DeCicco
- United States Geological Survey, Middleton, Wisconsin 53562, United States
| | - Julie E. Dietze
- United States Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas 66049, United States
| | - Nicola Evans
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Edward T. Furlong
- United States Geological Survey, Lakewood, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Carrie E. Givens
- United States Geological Survey, Lansing, Michigan 48911, United States
| | - James L. Gray
- United States Geological Survey, Lakewood, Colorado 80225, United States
| | - Dale W. Griffin
- United States Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, United States
| | | | - Michelle L. Hladik
- United States Geological Survey, Sacramento, California 95819, United States
| | - Luke R. Iwanowicz
- United States Geological Survey, Kearneysville, West Virginia 25430, United States
| | - Celeste A. Journey
- United States Geological Survey, Columbia, South Carolina 29210, United States
| | | | - Jason R. Masoner
- United States Geological Survey, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73159, United States
| | | | - Michael T. Meyer
- United States Geological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas 66049, United States
| | - James L. Orlando
- United States Geological Survey, Sacramento, California 95819, United States
| | - Mark J. Strynar
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
| | - Christopher P. Weis
- United States National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Vickie S. Wilson
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Durham, North Carolina 27709, United States
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Environmental Carcinogenesis and Transgenerational Transmission of Carcinogenic Risk: From Genetics to Epigenetics. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2018; 15:ijerph15081791. [PMID: 30127322 PMCID: PMC6121489 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15081791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The dominant pathogenic model, somatic mutation theory (SMT), considers carcinogenesis as a ‘genetic accident’ due to the accumulation of ‘stochastic’ DNA mutations. This model was proposed and accepted by the scientific community when cancer mainly affected the elderly, but it does not explain the epidemiological observation of the continuous increase in cancer incidence among children and young adults. Somatic mutation theory has been proposed for a revision based on the emerging experimental evidence, as it does not fully address some issues that have proven to be crucial for carcinogenesis, namely: the inflammatory context of cancer; the key role played by the stroma, microenvironment, endothelial cells, activated macrophages, and surrounding tissues; and the distorted developmental course followed by the neoplastic tissue. Furthermore, SMT is often not able to consider either the existence of specific mutations resulting in a well-defined cancer type, or a clear relationship between mutations and tumor progression. Moreover, it does not explain the mechanism of action of the non-mutagenic and environmental carcinogens. In the last decade, cancer research has highlighted the prominent role of an altered regulation of gene expression, suggesting that cancer should be considered as a result of a polyclonal epigenetic disruption of stem/progenitor cells, mediated by tumour-inducing genes. The maternal and fetal exposure to a wide range of chemicals and environmental contaminants is raising the attention of the scientific community. Indeed, the most powerful procarcinogenic mechanisms of endocrine disruptors and other pollutants is linked to their potential to interfere epigenetically with the embryo-fetal programming of tissues and organs, altering the regulation of the genes involved in the cell cycle, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and other key signaling pathways. The embryo-fetal exposure to environmental, stressful, and proinflammatory triggers (first hit), seems to act as a ‘disease primer’, making fetal cells and tissues more susceptible to the subsequent environmental exposures (second hit), triggering the carcinogenic pathways. Furthermore, even at the molecular level, in carcinogenesis, ‘epigenetics precedes genetics’ as global DNA hypomethylation, and the hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes are common both in cancerous and in precancerous cells, and generally precede mutations. These epigenetic models may better explain the increase of cancer and chronic/degenerative diseases in the last decades and could be useful to adopt appropriate primary prevention measures, essentially based on the reduction of maternal-fetal and child exposure to several procarcinogenic agents and factors dispersed in the environment and in the food-chains, as recently suggested by the World Health Organization.
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Abstract
Obesity is a worldwide pandemic in adults as well as children and adds greatly to health care costs through its association with type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and cancers. The prevailing medical view of obesity is that it results from a simple imbalance between caloric intake and energy expenditure. However, numerous other factors are important in the etiology of obesity. The obesogen hypothesis proposes that environmental chemicals termed obesogens promote obesity by acting to increase adipocyte commitment, differentiation, and size by altering metabolic set points or altering the hormonal regulation of appetite and satiety. Many obesogens are endocrine disrupting chemicals that interfere with normal endocrine regulation. Endocrine disrupting obesogens are abundant in our environment, used in everyday products from food packaging to fungicides. In this review, we explore the evidence supporting the obesogen hypothesis, as well as the gaps in our knowledge that are currently preventing a complete understanding of the extent to which obesogens contribute to the obesity pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerrold J Heindel
- Program on Endocrine Disruption Strategies, Commonweal, Bolinas, California 94924, USA
| | - Bruce Blumberg
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA;
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Affiliation(s)
- Liza Gross
- Public Library of Science, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (LG); (LSB)
| | - Linda S. Birnbaum
- National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
- * E-mail: (LG); (LSB)
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