EDC Science Weekly, Apr. 14-20, 2023

Post author:HEEDS
Post published:April 20, 2023
Post category:EDC Science Weekly

A summary of articles on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) added to PubMed this week.

Highlights: EFSA releases BPA re-evaluation; Testing PFAS in drinking water; PFAS biomonitoring in Europe; PFAS and weight loss relapse

Contents: Regulations/Policy, Methods/Tools/Screening, Commentaries, Reviews, Human Health Studies, Laboratory Studies, Exposure/Environment Studies

Regulations/Policy

Re-evaluation of the risks to public health related to the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in foodstuffs [see related article in Environmental Health News, Europe seeks drastic cut to BPA exposure]

U.S. and International Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Surface Water Quality Criteria: A Review of Current Status, Challenges, and Implications for Use in Chemical Management and Risk Assessment.

Clean air in Europe for all: A call for more ambitious action.

Finding the Balance between Research and Monitoring: When Are Methods Good Enough to Understand Plastic Pollution?

Rethinking of the future sustainable paradigm roadmap for plastic waste management: A multi-nation scale outlook compendium.

Enabling the Polymer Circular Economy: Innovations in Photoluminescent Labeling of Plastic Waste for Enhanced Sorting.

When the weight of evidence doesn’t weigh enough: EFSA’s draft scientific opinion on BPA.

ECHA ARN documents: chemical grouping without a toxicological rationale.

Artificial intelligence and real-world data for drug and food safety – A regulatory science perspective

Methods/Tools/Screening

Methods

Investigating fatty liver disease-associated adverse outcome pathways of perfluorooctane sulfonate using a systems toxicology approach.

Artificial Intelligence That Predicts Sensitizing Potential of Cosmetic Ingredients with Accuracy Comparable to Animal and In Vitro Tests-How Does the Infotechnomics Compare to Other “Omics” in the Cosmetics Safety Assessment?

Liver three-dimensional cellular models for high-throughput chemical testing.

Sensor technologies for the detection and monitoring of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Rapid target screening and quantitative analysis of various environmental pollutants.

Toxicity prediction using target, interactome, and pathway profiles as descriptors.

An investigation of non-informative priors for Bayesian dose-response modeling.

Efficient Validation Strategies in Environmental Analytical Chemistry: A Focus on Organic Micropollutants in Water Samples.

Novel sorptive microextraction approaches in bioanalysis: the paradigm of endocrine disruptors.

A robust reprogramming strategy for generating hepatocyte-like cells usable in pharmaco-toxicological studies.

New approach methodologies in immunotoxicology: challenges and opportunities.

Tools

EDC-Predictor: A Novel Strategy for Prediction of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals by Integrating Pharmacological and Toxicological Profiles.

Synthesis of a new sulfonated-hexachlorobiphenyl standard for environmental analysis, ecotoxicological, and toxicological studies.

Screening

Weight of Evidence for Cross-Species Conservation of Androgen Receptor-Based Biological Activity.

Identification of molecular initiating events (MIE) using chemical database analysis and nuclear receptor activity assays for screening potential inhalation toxicants

Commentaries

Editorial: Interplay between toxicants, natural toxins, and the immune system in animal models. [Intro to a Research Topic in Frontiers in Immunology]

The WHO claims estrogens are ‘carcinogenic’: is this true?

Inside Information: Black Carbon Exposure and the Early-Childhood Gut Microbiome. [Science Selection in EHP]

Comments on “Phthalates and attributable mortality: A population-based longitudinal cohort study and cost analysis”.

The Minus Approach Can Redefine the Standard of Practice of Drinking Water Treatment.

Reviews

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

Sex differences in toxicant-associated fatty liver disease.

BPA/Phenols

Studies of endocrine disruptors: nonylphenol and isomers in biological models.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

PFASs: What can we learn from the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative HBM4EU.

Occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in aquatic environments and their removal by advanced oxidation processes.

Flame Retardants

Organophosphate Esters (OPEs) Flame Retardants in Water: A Review of Photocatalysis, Adsorption, and Biological Degradation.

Pesticides

Hazardous impacts of glyphosate on human and environment health: Occurrence and detection in food.

Impact of Pesticide Residues on the Gut-Microbiota-Blood-Brain Barrier Axis: A Narrative Review.

Are encapsulated pesticides less harmful to human health than their conventional alternatives? Protocol for a systematic review of in vitro and in vivo animal model studies.

Microplastics and Nanoplastics Effects on Plant-Pollinator Interaction and Pollination Biology.

Metals/Metalloids

Carcinogenic effect of arsenic in digestive cancers: a systematic review.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials/Plastics

Impact of Microplastics and Nanoplastics on Livestock Health: An Emerging Risk for Reproductive Efficiency.

A framework for systematic microplastic ecological risk assessment at a national scale.

Bio-upcycling of multilayer materials and blends: closing the plastics loop.

Review of microplastics in museum specimens: An under-utilized tool to better understand the Plasticene.

Air Pollution

The Contribution of Environmental Science to Mental Health Research: A Scoping Review.

Pharmaceuticals/Personal Care Products

Direct and gut microbiota-mediated toxicities of environmental antibiotics to fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Advancements in the dominion of fate and transport of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment-a bibliometric study.

Cross-species extrapolation of biological data to guide the environmental safety assessment of pharmaceuticals – The state of the art and future priorities.

Miscellaneous

Benzo (a) pyrene in infant foods: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and health risk assessment.

Pervasiveness, bioaccumulation and subduing environmental health challenges posed by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): A systematic review to settle a one health strategy in Niger Delta, Nigeria.

The effect of environmental stressors on growth in fish and its endocrine control.

Human Health Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

Associations between endocrine disruptor contamination and thyroid hormone homeostasis in Belgian type 1 diabetic children. [phthalates, PFAS, PCBs, BPA]

BPA/Phthalates/Parabens

Urinary concentration of phthalates and bisphenol A during minipuberty is associated with reproductive hormone concentrations in infant boys.

Maternal urinary bisphenols and phthalates in relation to estimated fetal weight across mid to late pregnancy.

Cytokines as mediators of the associations of prenatal exposure to phenols, parabens, and phthalates with internalizing behaviours at age 3 in boys: A mixture exposure and mediation approach.

Distinct metabolic signatures in blood plasma of bisphenol A-exposed women with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Urine phthalate levels were associated with skin barrier dysfunction and atopic sensitization in children.

Co-exposure to parabens and triclosan and associations with cognitive impairment in an elderly population from Shenzhen, China.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Predictors of Maternal Serum Concentrations for Selected Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Pregnant Women and Associations with Birth Outcomes: A Cross-Sectional Study from Southern Malawi.

Association of PKLR gene copy number, expression levels and enzyme activity with 2,3,7,8-TCDD exposure in individuals exposed to Agent Orange/Dioxin in Vietnam.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

Weight loss relapse associated with exposure to perfluoroalkylate substances.

The association of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure and kidney function in Korean adolescents using data from Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) cycle 4 (2018-2020): a cross-sectional study.

Liver and cardiometabolic markers and conditions in a cross-sectional study of three Australian communities living with environmental per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances contamination.

Perfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) exposure and risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in the elderly: results from NHANES 2003-2014.

Pesticides

Pyrethroid and Chlorpyrifos Pesticide Exposure, General Intellectual Abilities, and Executive Functions of School Children from Montevideo, Uruguay.

Metals/Metalloids

Exposure of preterm neonates to toxic metals during their stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and its impact on neurodevelopment at 2 months of age.

Association of multiple blood metals with thyroid function in general adults: A cross-sectional study.

Association of mercury exposure with the serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level in Korean adults.

Cadmium and lead implication in testis cancer; is there a connection?

Interaction between blood cadmium and lead concentration and physical activity on hypertension from the Korean national health and nutrition examination survey in 2008-2013.

Correlation of endocrine disrupting chemicals with essential elements in biological samples of children (1-5 years) with different infectious diseases and impact on sustainable outdoor activities.

Air Pollution

Prenatal exposure to air pollution is associated with structural changes in the neonatal brain.

Analysis of the relationship between ambient air pollution and the severity of heart failure decompensations in two Spanish metropolises (Barcelona and Madrid).

Ambient air pollution and incidence, progression to multimorbidity and death of hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease: A national prospective cohort.

Long-term exposure to particulate matter and risk of Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia in Korea: a national population-based Cohort Study.

Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter and incidence of esophageal cancer: a prospective study of 0.5 million Chinese adults.

Systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases and multiple industrial air pollutant emissions: A large general population Canadian cohort analysis.

Sulfur dioxide reduction at coal-fired power plants in North Carolina and associations with preterm birth among surrounding residents.

Alterations to biomarkers related to long-term exposure to diesel exhaust at concentrations below occupational exposure limits in the European Union and the USA.

Short-term exposure to some heavy metals carried with PM₁₀ and cardiovascular system biomarkers during dust storm.

Laboratory Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

Combined exposure to benzo(a)pyrene and dibutyl phthalate aggravates pro-inflammatory macrophage polarization in spleen via pyroptosis involving cathepsin B.

Unraveling the toxicity of tire wear contamination in three freshwater species: From chemical mixture to nanoparticles.

Estrogenic potency of endocrine disrupting chemicals and their mixtures detected in environmental waters and wastewaters.

BPA/Phenols

Combined Toxic Effects of BPA and Its Two Analogues BPAP and BPC in a 3D HepG2 Cell Model.

The passive avoidance task ameliorate the toxic effects of bisphenol A on dopamine D1 receptor density in hippocampus, amygdala, and cerebellum of male rats.

Bisphenol A exposure induces testicular oxidative damage via FTO/m6A/Nrf2 axis during postnatal development in mice.

The roles of membrane permeability and efflux pumps in the toxicity of bisphenol S analogues (2,4-bisphenol S and bis-(3-allyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfone) to Escherichia coli K12.

Phthalates

Di-n-butyl phthalate induces oversecretion of vascular endothelium-derived NAP-2 and promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition of urothelial cells in newborn hypospadias rats.

DBP induced autophagy and necrotic apoptosis in HepG2 cells via the mitochondrial damage pathway.

Accumulation, functional and antioxidant responses to acute exposure to Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) in Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Single-cell transcriptomic dissection of the toxic impact of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate on immature testicular development at the neonatal stage.

Dose-dependent toxic effects of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate in male rats: Focus on behavioral alterations and inducing TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Characterizing the obesogenic and fatty liver-inducing effects of Acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) plasticizer using both in vivo and in vitro models. [a phthalate replacement]

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

Prenatal triclosan exposure impairs mammalian lung branching morphogenesis through activating Bmp4 signaling.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Maternal Polychlorinated biphenyl 126 (PCB 126) exposure modulates offspring gut microbiota irrespective of diet and exercise.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

PFOA, PFHxA and C6O4 differently modulate the expression of CXCL8 in normal thyroid cells and in thyroid cancer cell lines.

Ultrastructural Alterations of the Glomerular Filtration Barrier in Fish Experimentally Exposed to Perfluorooctanoic Acid.

Tissue Bioconcentration Pattern and Biotransformation of Per-Fluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in Cyprinus carpio (European Carp)-An Extensive In Vivo Study.

The novel polyfluoroalkyl benzenesulfonate OBS exposure induces cell cycle arrest and senescence of rat pituitary cell GH3 via the p53/p21/RB pathway.

Effects of subchronic exposure of perfluorooctane sulfonate on cognitive function of mice and its mechanism.

Mechanistic Middle-Out Physiologically Based Toxicokinetic Modeling of Transporter-Dependent Disposition of Perfluorooctanoic Acid in Humans.

Flame Retardants

Combined effects of climate change and BDE-209 dietary exposure on the behavioural response of the white seabream, Diplodus sargus.

Exposure to tris(2,6-dimethylphenyl) phosphate interferes with sexual differentiation via estrogen receptors 2a and 2b in zebrafish.

Autophagy: A newly discovered protective mechanism in the marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis in response to BDE-47 exposure.

Organotins

Embryonic exposure to environmentally relevant levels of tributyltin affects embryonic tributyltin bioaccumulation and the physiological responses of juveniles in cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis).

Pesticides

The triazole fungicide metconazole inhibits the homodimerization of human androgen receptors to suppress androgen-induced transcriptional activation.

Evaluation of perinatal exposure effects to the endocrine disrupting herbicide glyphosate and its mixture with 2,4-D and dicamba οn liver redox status in Wistar rats.

Exposure to Insecticides Modifies Gene Expression and DNA Methylation in Hematopoietic Tissues In Vitro.

Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA) Modulate Glutathione S-Transferase in Non-Tumorigenic Prostate Cells.

Developmental defects and potential mechanisms in F1 generation of parents exposed to difenoconazole at different life stages of zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Effects of glyphosate-based herbicide on gametes fertilization and four developmental stages in Clarias gariepinus.

Pyriproxyfen influences growth as well as thyroid hormone-related and gh/igf-1 gene expression during the early life stage of zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Metals/Metalloids

Route of Arsenic Exposure Differentially Impacts the Expression of Genes Involved in Gut-Mucosa-Associated Immune Responses and Gastrointestinal Permeability.

Cadmium Exposure Is Associated with Behavioral Deficits and Neuroimmune Dysfunction in BTBR T⁺ Itpr3tf/J Mice.

Realistic scenarios of pesticide exposure alters multiple biomarkers in BOANA PULCHELLA (ANURA) Adult Frogs.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials/Plastics

Polypropylene microplastics promote metastatic features in human breast cancer.

Nanoplastics induces oxidative stress and triggers lysosome-associated immune-defensive cell death in the earthworm Eisenia fetida.

Size matters either way: Differently-sized microplastics affect amphibian host and symbiotic microbiota discriminately.

Microplastic exposure induces muscle growth but reduces meat quality and muscle physiological function in chickens.

A method to study the effects of combined stress of cadmium and microplastics on the acute toxicity of Eisenia fetida.

Chronic poly(l-lactide) (PLA)- microplastic ingestion affects social behavior of juvenile European perch (Perca fluviatilis).

Microplastics enhance the toxicity and phototoxicity of UV filter avobenzone on Daphnia magna.

Polylactic acid (PLA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS) microplastics differently affect the gut microbiota of marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) after individual and combined exposure with sulfamethazine.

Short term exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics in mice evokes self-regulation of glycolipid metabolism.

Photoaged microplastics induce neurotoxicity via oxidative stress and abnormal neurotransmission in zebrafish larvae (Danio rerio).

Nickel oxide nanoparticles exposure as a risk factor for male infertility: “In vitro” effects on porcine pre-pubertal Sertoli cells.

Chemical and toxicological assessment of leachates from UV-degraded plastic materials using in-vitro bioassays.

Polystyrene microplastics aggravate acute pancreatitis in mice.

Recycled polyvinyl chloride microplastics: investigation of environmentally relevant concentrations on toxicity in adult zebrafish.

Air Pollution

Preliminary study on the effect of ozone exposure on blood glucose level in rats.

Subchronic co-exposure to particulate matter and fructose-rich-diet induces insulin resistance in male Sprague Dawley rats.

Pharmaceuticals/Personal Care Products

First In Vivo Insights on the Effects of Tempol-Methoxycinnamate, a New UV Filter, as Alternative to Octyl Methoxycinnamate, on Zebrafish Early Development.

Can short-term data accurately model long-term environmental exposures? Investigating the multigenerational adaptation potential of Daphnia magna to environmental concentrations of organic ultraviolet filters.

Transformation and toxicity studies of UV filter diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate in the swimming pools.

Miscellaneous

Benzo[a]pyrene Exposure Reduces Cell-Type Diversity and Stimulates Sex-Biased Damage Pathways in End Organs of Lupus-Prone Mice.

Dietary exposure to the food preservative tert-Butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) impairs zebrafish (Danio rerio) survival, growth, organ development, and gene expression in Nrf2a-dependent and independent ways.

Exposure/Environment Studies

Numerous Chemicals/Mixtures

The French Mussel Watch: More than two decades of chemical contamination survey in Mediterranean coastal waters.

Metals, pesticides, and emerging contaminants on water bodies from agricultural areas and the effects on a native amphibian.

BPA/Phenols

Risk assessment of bisphenol A (BPA) in Irish meat and meat products.

Occurrence of multiple bisphenol S analogues in children from Shantou, China.

Phthalates

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Phthalate Esters in Tea Plants Growing Different Geographical Environments and an Attempt on Their Risk Assessment.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Spatial characteristics, sources and exposure risk of polychlorinated biphenyls in dusts and soils from an urban environment in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

70 analyte PFAS test method highlights need for expanded testing of PFAS in drinking water.

Concentrations and isomer profiles of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates in house rats (Rattus norvegicus) and human blood: Implication for human exposure sources.

The exposure of Czech firefighters to perfluoroalkyl substances and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: CELSPAC – FIREexpo case-control human biomonitoring study.

PFAS-Contaminated Soil Site in Germany: Nontarget Screening before and after Direct TOP Assay by Kendrick Mass Defect and FindPFΔS.

Flame Retardants

Serum polybrominated diphenyl ether exposure and influence factors in blood donors of Wuxi adults from 2013 to 2016.

Exposure to nitrogenous based flame retardants in Chinese population: Evidence from a national-scale study.

Organophosphate Esters (OPEs) Flame Retardants in Water: A Review of Photocatalysis, Adsorption, and Biological Degradation.

First study of bromophenols and hexabromocyclododecanes in seafood from North Africa (case of Bizerte Lagoon, Tunisia): occurrence and human health risk.

Pesticides

Characterization of Arsenic and Atrazine Contaminations in Drinking Water in Iowa: A Public Health Concern.

Factors affecting urinary organophosphate pesticide metabolite levels among Californian agricultural community members.

Quantitative analysis of the minimum days of dietary survey to estimate dietary pesticide exposure: Implications for dietary pesticide sampling strategy.

The widespread presence of triazole fungicides in greenhouse soils in Shandong Province, China: A systematic study on human health and ecological risk assessments.

Metals/Metalloids

Estimated Daily Intake and Health Risk Assessment of Toxic Elements in Infant Formulas.

Risk assessment of combined exposure to lead, cadmium, and total mercury among the elderly in Shanghai, China.

Biomonitoring California Protocol for Following up on Elevated Levels of Urinary Arsenic.

Microplastics/Nanomaterials

Microplastic ingestion by common terns (Sterna hirundo) and their prey during the non-breeding season.

The intestinal microbiota of a Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus): possible relationships with starvation raised by macro-plastic ingestion.

Evaluation of levels and sources of microplastics and phthalic acid esters and their relationships in the atmosphere of highly industrialized and urbanized Gebze, Türkiye.

Risk assessment of silver and microplastics release from antibacterial food containers under conventional use and microwave heating.

Air Pollution

Social Inequities in Exposure to Traffic-Related Air and Noise Pollution at Public Schools in Texas.

Pharmaceuticals/Personal Care Products

Chemical prioritization of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in an urban tributary of the Potomac River.

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This list is not meant to be exhaustive, and generally does not include studies on detection, remediation, or treatment of EDCs. Note that journal publication dates may be different from dates added to PubMed. To see the searchable archives, please email me and ask to join the EDC Science Weekly group EDC_research@googlegroups.com. The searchable archives are at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/edc_research or online at https://heeds.org/category/edc-science-weekly/. Compiled by Sarah Howard of Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies (HEEDS), a program of Environmental Health Sciences.

If you enjoy this newsletter, please feel free to donate here! Thank you!

EHN EHN

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: hazards and opportunities (ECHO) course
by Sarah Howard on October 31, 2024 at 2:50 pm
This course focuses on the chemical, biological, and societal challenges of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and new opportunities for moving forward. ECHO is a two-week intensive bootcamp-style career development course for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and professionals in the field. It is held at Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Lou Guillette Jr. Memorial Symposium
by Sarah Howard on October 22, 2024 at 1:30 pm
On March 14-15, 2025, HEEDS is hosting the Lou Guillette Jr. Memorial Symposium on endocrine disrupting science at the University of Florida. It will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Guillette, gather together his trainees and colleagues, and focus on the research topics that Lou made famous. Information here.
Webinar: The overturning of Chevron deference: impacts on environmental health decision making
by Sarah Howard on October 17, 2024 at 4:21 pm
In this Nov. 13 webinar, legal experts will discuss the implications of the overturning of Chevron deference and its profound impact on science, public health and decision-making. Sponsored by CHE and UCSF's EaRTH Center.

EHN EHN

Ultra-processed foods and plastic packaging make for the ultimate toxic pair, scientists say
by Katherine McMahon,Sarah Howard on October 25, 2024 at 10:37 am
A recent paper published in Globalization and Health explores the relationship between ultra-processed foods (UPFs), plastic packaging, and their combined threat to public health. “Consumers do not have the power to solve a problem of this scale, and thus it is the responsibility of policymakers to ensure that transitions away from unhealthy, unsustainable foods are accompanied by structural measures that support demand and access to healthy foods.”
Microplastic exposure linked to reduced sperm quality in humans
by Katherine McMahon,Sarah Howard on October 23, 2024 at 4:29 pm
Exposure to microplastics is associated with a decrease in sperm concentration, motility, and shape, according to a new study published in The Lancet. “The identification of non-stick pan coating material PTFE as a particularly hazardous microplastic for male fertility underscores the importance of targeted interventions to reduce exposure to this and similar substances.”
Exposure to PFAS in ski wax may be linked to high cholesterol
by Katherine McMahon,Sarah Howard on October 16, 2024 at 7:42 pm
According to a new study published in Environmental Research, skiers and snowboarders may face health risks from their exposure to PFAS via ski wax, which can contain up to 100% PFAS by mass. “Interventions to remove PFAS from fluorinated wax could decrease direct exposure to skiers and reduce PFAS release into the environment.”

EHN EHN

Stricter toxic chemical rules reduce Californians’ exposures
by Kristina Marusic on October 31, 2024 at 11:25 am
Californians have lower levels of toxic chemicals linked to cancer, birth defects and reproductive harm in their bodies than people in the rest of the country, according to a new study. The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives and conducted by researchers at Silent Spring Institute, a nonprofit scientific research organization, and the University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley), looked at nationwide data on the levels of 37 toxic chemicals in people’s blood before and after California introduced its stringent regulations. It found that for 18 of these chemicals, Californians have lower levels in their bodies than the rest of the country.
EPA dismissed data on the neurotoxicity of common insecticides
by Katherine McMahon,Sarah Howard on October 30, 2024 at 5:56 pm
A recent paper in Frontiers in Toxicology examined research submitted by industry to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the neurotoxicity of neonicotinoids - the most widely used class of insecticides in the U.S. and worldwide - and found that the data was evaluated improperly by the agency. Why this matters: Neonicotinoids are widely used not only for commercial agriculture but also for more personal uses like home gardens and in some flea and tick treatments for pets. Humans are regularly exposed to neonicotinoids – which are structurally similar to nicotine – through the environment, food and water. Neonicotinoids’ popularity partly comes from the belief that their harmful effects are mostly limited to insects, but studies like this one demonstrate that mammals may also be harmed by the chemicals, and highlight the urgent need for stronger regulations around their use.
Pesticide regulations ignore critical threats to insect health and ecosystems
by EHN Curators on October 30, 2024 at 10:26 am
In a study revealing regulatory gaps, researchers found that pesticides impact insect behavior and survival at non-lethal doses, especially in warmer temperatures, calling into question the effectiveness of current pesticide safety protocols. Dave Goulson writes for The Conversation.