EDC Science Weekly, Apr. 29 – May 5, 2020

Post author:HEEDS
Post published:May 5, 2020
Post category:EDC Science Weekly

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

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

Webinars

Glyphosate: Review of Animal Carcinogenicity Data and Epigenetic Impacts May 13, 1pm EDT. Sponsored by the EDC Strategies Partnership.

Exposure to Phthalates and Aging May 14, 1pm EDT. Sponsored by the Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies (HEEDS) Young EDC Scientists Showcase (YESS), a new series of webinars for young EDC scientists.

Chemical Mixtures and Cancer May 20, 1pm EDT. Sponsored by the Collaborative for Health and the Environment (CHE) as part of their Cancer and the Environment series.

Exposures and Latent Disease Risk series of May and June webinars sponsored by the NIEHS Superfund Research Program.

Methods/Screening

Integrative Strategy of Testing Systems for Identification of Endocrine Disruptors Inducing Metabolic Disorders-An Introduction to the OBERON Project.

Removing Critical Gaps in Chemical Test Methods by Developing New Assays for the Identification of Thyroid Hormone System-Disrupting Chemicals-The ATHENA Project.

The EDCMET Project: Metabolic Effects of Endocrine Disruptors.

Suspect and non-targeted screening of chemicals of emerging concern for human biomonitoring, environmental health studies and support to risk assessment: From promises to challenges and harmonisation issues.

Recommendations for international harmonisation, implementation and further development of suitable scientific approaches regarding the assessment of mixture effects.

Retrospective Risk Assessment of Chemical Mixtures in the Big Data Era: An Alternative Classification Strategy to Integrate Chemical and Toxicological Data.

Factors affecting sampling strategies for design of an effects-directed analysis for endocrine-active chemicals.

Reviews/Commentaries

Commentaries/Conference Summaries

Lipophilic Environmental Chemical Mixtures Released During Weight-Loss: The Need to Consider Dynamics. [also see related commentary, Weight Loss Strategies for Type 2 Diabetic Patients: Can Dietary Interventions That Reduce Circulating Persistent Organic Pollutants Improve Cardiovascular Outcomes?]

Human exposure to synthetic endocrine disrupting chemicals (S-EDCs) is generally negligible as compared to natural compounds with higher or comparable endocrine activity. How to evaluate the risk of the S-EDCs? [“the assumption that the much lower human exposures to synthetic EDCs may induce observable endocrine effects is not plausible”] also see related: Editorial on editorial: Human exposure to synthetic endocrine disrupting chemicals (S-EDCs) is generally negligible as compared to natural compounds with higher or comparable endocrine activity. How to evaluate the risk of the S-EDCs?

Pollutant removal and the health effects of environmental pollution [on the 1st Euro-Mediterranean Conference for Environmental Integration (EMCEI)]

Marine coastal ecosystem and ecotoxicology. [conference report]

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor as a target of environmental stressors – Implications for pollution mediated stress and inflammatory responses.

Pesticides

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in organophosphate pesticide-induced neurotoxicity and its amelioration: a review.

Potentially Toxic Elements

Exposure to heavy metals and the risk of osteopenia or osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Microplastics

Zebrafish: An emerging model to study microplastic and nanoplastic toxicity.

Air Pollution

SARS-CoV-2 spread in Northern Italy: what about the pollution role?

Exposure to air pollutants and the gut microbiota: a potential link between exposure, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Indoor Air Pollution, Related Human Diseases, and Recent Trends in the Control and Improvement of Indoor Air Quality.

Effects of prenatal exposure to NO2 on children’s neurodevelopment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of case-crossover and time-series studies of short term outdoor nitrogen dioxide exposure and ischemic heart disease morbidity.

Ambient air pollution and its influence on human health and welfare: an overview.

Pharmaceuticals

Leachables from plastic materials in contact with drugs. State of the art and review of current analytical approaches.

Mixtures

Combined Impacts of Prenatal Environmental Exposures and Psychosocial Stress on Offspring Health: Air Pollution and Metals.

Miscellaneous

Perspective: Childhood Obesity Requires New Strategies for Prevention.

Challenges for Safe and Healthy Drinking Water in China.

Current Trends in the Application of Nanomaterials for the Removal of Emerging Micropollutants and Pathogens from Water.

Human Health Studies

BPA/Phenols

Human exposure to bisphenol A through dietary sources and development of diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study in Pakistani population.

Urinary bisphenol A and its interaction with ESR1 genetic polymorphism associated with non-small cell lung cancer: findings from a case-control study in Chinese population.

Phthalates

Gene expression profiles for low-dose exposure to diethyl phthalate in rodents and humans: a translational study with implications for breast carcinogenesis.

Mediating role of oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers in the associations between phthalate exposure and thyroid function in Taiwanese adults.

Associations of exposure to phthalates and environmental phenols with gynecological disorders.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials/PCPs

Perinatal urinary benzophenone-3 concentrations and glucose levels among women from a fertility clinic.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

DNA methylation level in blood and relations to breast cancer, risk factors and environmental exposure in Greenlandic Inuit women.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

Modeled prenatal exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in association with child autism spectrum disorder: A case-control study.

Flame Retardants

Association between fetal growth restriction and maternal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

Pesticides

Urinary organophosphate metabolites and oxidative stress in children living in agricultural and urban communities.

Association between cholinesterase’s inhibition and cognitive impairment: A basis for prevention policies of environmental pollution by organophosphate and carbamate pesticides in Chile.

Farming, well water consumption, rural living, and pesticide exposure in early life as the risk factors for Parkinson disease in Igdir province.

Dicamba use and cancer incidence in the agricultural health study: an updated analysis.

Increased risk of atherosclerosis associated with pesticide exposure in rural areas in Korea.

Assessment of genetic effects and pesticide exposure of farmers in NW Greece.

Potentially Toxic Elements

Mercury exposure and premature mortality in the Grassy Narrows First Nation community: a retrospective longitudinal study.

Associations of Blood Heavy Metals with Uric Acid in the Korean General Population: Analysis of Data from the 2016-2017 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Examining the Relationship Between Low Birth Weight Occurrence and Passive Measures of Environmental Arsenic by Census Tract in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Florida.

Exploratory study of the association in the United Kingdom between hypertension and inorganic arsenic (iAs) intake from rice and rice products.

A case-control study of arsenic exposure with the risk of primary ovarian insufficiency in women.

Association of Urinary and Blood Concentrations of Heavy Metals with Measures of Bone Mineral Density Loss: a Data Mining Approach with the Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Refinement Impairments of Verbal-Performance Intelligent Quotient in Children Exposed to Fluoride Produced by Coal Burning.

Individual species and cumulative mixture relationships of 24-hour urine metal concentrations with DNA methylation age variables in older men.

Outdoor Air Pollution

Association between maternal exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) and adverse pregnancy outcomes in Lima, Peru.

Exposure to particulate matter (PM2.5) and prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Indonesia.

Association between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter and prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Iran: an ecological study.

Associations of exposure to fine particulate matter during pregnancy with maternal blood glucose levels and gestational diabetes mellitus: Potential effect modification by ABO blood group.

The global and national burden of chronic kidney disease attributable to ambient fine particulate matter air pollution: a modelling study.

Leveraging Existing Cohorts to Study Health Effects of Air Pollution on Cardiometabolic Disorders: India Global Environmental and Occupational Health Hub.

Personal exposure to particulate air pollution and vascular damage in peri-urban South India.

Influence of air pollution on renal activity in patients with childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus.

The long-term impact of restricting cycling and walking during high air pollution days on all-cause mortality: Health impact Assessment study.

Effect of Particulate Matter Exposure on Respiratory Health of e-Waste Workers at Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana.

Particulate Air Pollution, Clock Gene Methylation, and Stroke: Effects on Stroke Severity and Disability.

Association of fine particulate matter exposure with acute noncardiovascular critical illnesses and in-hospital outcomes in patients receiving intensive cardiac care.

Machine learning approaches to predict peak demand days of cardiovascular admissions considering environmental exposure.

Assessing short-term impact of PM10 on mortality using a semiparametric generalized propensity score approach.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with coronary artery calcification among asymptomatic adults.

Short-term air pollution exposure is a risk factor for acute coronary syndromes in an urban area with low annual pollution rates: Results from a retrospective observational study (2011-2015).

Substantial changes in PM2.5 pollution and corresponding premature deaths across China during 2015-2019: A model prospective.

Effects of ambient PM2.5 and particle-bound metals on the healthy residents living near an electric arc furnace: A community- based study.

Air pollution and brain health [comment on Long-term exposure to air pollution and trajectories of cognitive decline among older adults, previously sent]

Air pollution, climate and cardiac arrest [comment on Effect of meteorological factors and air pollutants on out-of-hospital cardiac arrests: a time series analysis.]

Indoor Air Pollution

Design and Rationale of the HAPIN Study: A Multicountry Randomized Controlled Trial to Assess the Effect of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Stove and Continuous Fuel Distribution.

Design and Rationale of the Biomarker Center of the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) Trial.

Air Pollutant Exposure and Stove Use Assessment Methods for the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) Trial.

Laboratory Studies

BPA/Phenols

Bisphenol S induces ectopic angiogenesis in embryos via VEGFR2 signaling, leading to lipid deposition in blood vessels of larval zebrafish.

Exposure to the environmental pollutant bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) causes cell over-proliferation in Drosophila.

In Utero Exposure to Bisphenol a Promotes Mammary Tumor Risk in MMTV-Erbb2 Transgenic Mice Through the Induction of ER-erbB2 Crosstalk.

Bisphenol A triggers the malignancy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells via activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway.

Molecular interactions of thyroxine binding globulin and thyroid hormone receptor with estrogenic compounds 4-nonylphenol, 4-tert-octylphenol and bisphenol A metabolite (MBP).

Bisphenol A exposure disrupts aspartate transport in HepG2 cells.

Females are more susceptible than male mice to thermal hypernociceptive behavior induced by early-life bisphenol-A exposure: Effectiveness of diphenyl diselenide.

Triclosan

Exposure of Triclosan in Porcine Oocyte Leads to Superoxide Production and Mitochondrial-Mediated Apoptosis During In Vitro Maturation.

Triclosan induces immunosuppression and reduces survivability of striped catfish Pangasianodon hypophthalmus during the challenge to a fish pathogenic bacterium Edwardsiella tarda.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Assessment of endocrine-disrupting effects of emerging polyhalogenated carbazoles (PHCZs): In vitro, in silico, and in vivo evidence.

Evaluating the Role of the Steroid and Xenobiotic Receptor (SXR/PXR) in PCB-153 Metabolism and Protection against Associated Adverse Effects during Perinatal and Chronic Exposure in Mice.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

Effects of per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances on pancreatic and endocrine differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells.

Flame Retardants

Sex- and age-dependent effects of maternal organophosphate flame-retardant exposure on neonatal hypothalamic and hepatic gene expression.

Pesticides

Characterization of organophosphate-induced brain injuries in a convulsive mouse model of diisopropylfluorophosphate exposure.

Exposure to a Glyphosate-based Herbicide Alters the Expression of Key Regulators of Mammary Gland Development on Pre-pubertal Male Rats.

The selected epigenetic effects of aminomethylphosphonic acid, a primary metabolite of glyphosate on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (in vitro).

Glyphosate induces epithelial mesenchymal transition-related changes in human endometrial Ishikawa cells via estrogen receptor pathway.

Ipomoea aquatica extract reduces hepatotoxicity by antioxidative properties following dichlorvos administration in rats.

Monocrotophos, an organophosphorus insecticide, induces cortical and trabecular bone loss in Swiss albino mice.

Toxicity evaluation of pesticide chlorpyrifos in male Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica).

Stereoselective uptake and metabolism of prothioconazole caused oxidative stress in zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Naringenin Attenuates Toxicity and Oxidative Stress Induced by Lambda-cyhalothrin in Liver of Male Rats.

Influence of bifentrin, a pyrethriod pesticide, on human colorectal HCT-116 cells attributed to alterations in oxidative stress involving mitochondrial apoptotic processes.

Environmentally relevant concentrations of bifenthrin induce changes in behaviour, biomarkers, histological characteristics, and the transcriptome in Corbicula fluminea.

Effects of imidacloprid on the oxidative stress, detoxification and gut microbiota of Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis.

Neonicotinoid insecticides hinder the pupation and metamorphosis into adults in a crabronid wasp.

Endosulfan induces endothelial inflammation and dysfunction via IRE1α/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Potentially Toxic Elements

Thyroid disruption and developmental toxicity caused by Cd2+ in Schizopygopsis younghusbandi larvae.

Protective effect of quercetin on rat testes against cadmium toxicity by alleviating oxidative stress and autophagy.

Acute toxic effects of lead (Pb2+) exposure to rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus) revealed by histopathological examination and transcriptome analysis.

Microplastics

Experimental ingestion of fluorescent microplastics by pacific oysters, Crassostrea gigas, and their effects on the behaviour and development at early stages.

Microplastics disrupt hermit crab shell selection.

Toxicological effects of micronized tire crumb rubber on mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus) and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas).

Toxicological effects of nano- and micro-polystyrene plastics on red tilapia: Are larger plastic particles more harmless?

Shift in Immune Parameters After Repeated Exposure to Nanoplastics in the Marine Bivalve Mytilus.

Potential toxicity of polystyrene microplastic particles.

Is the development of Daphnia magna neonates affected by short-term exposure to polyethylene microplastics?

Microplastics enhance the developmental toxicity of synthetic phenolic antioxidants by disturbing the thyroid function and metabolism in developing zebrafish.

Air Pollution

Exposure to Traffic-Related Particulate Matter 2.5 Triggers Th2-Dominant Ocular Immune Response in a Murine Model.

Mixtures

Combined neurodevelopmental exposure to deltamethrin and corticosterone is associated with Nr3c1 hypermethylation in the midbrain of male mice.

Combined toxicity of imidacloprid and cadmium on histopathology and acetylcholinesterase activity in aquatic oligochaetes (Tubifex tubifex Müller, 1774).

Miscellaneous

In vitro intestinal toxicity of commercially available spray disinfectant products advertised to contain colloidal silver.

Structural binding perspectives of a major tobacco alkaloid, nicotine, and its metabolite cotinine with sex-steroid nuclear receptors.

Persistent Exposure to Environmental Levels of Microcystin-LR Disturbs Cortisol Production via Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Interrenal (HPI) Axis and Subsequently Liver Glucose Metabolism in Adult Male Zebrafish (Danio rerio).

Exposure/Environment Studies

Phthalates

Reconstruction of phthalate exposure and DINCH metabolites from biomonitoring data from the EXHES cohort of Tarragona, Spain: A case study on estimated vs reconstructed DEHP using the PBPK model.

Predictors with regard to ingestion, inhalation and dermal absorption of estimated phthalate daily intakes in pregnant women: The Barwon infant study.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Levels of Octachlorostyrene in Mothers’ Milk and Potential Exposure Among Infants in Sendai City, Japan 2012.

Dietary exposure to selected chemical contaminants in fish for the Danish population.

Levels and distribution of polychlorinated biphenyls in two edible fish species from Izmir Bay (eastern Aegean): a health risk assessment.

Occurrence of Organochlorine Pesticides in Human Tissues Assessed Using a Microextraction Procedure and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Potential Human Health Risks of Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Associated with Fish Consumption in Anhui Province, China.

Polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs) and – dibenzofurans (PBDFs) in cod (Gadus morhua) liver-derived products from 1972 to 2017.

Quantification of persistent organic pollutants in dietary supplements using stir bar sorptive extraction coupled with GC-MS/MS and isotope dilution mass spectrometry.

Residual effects of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in an e-waste recycling area compared with heavy metal pollution.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

Temporal trends and determinants of serum concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances among Northern California mothers with a young child, 2009-2016.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in paired dust and carpets from childcare centers.

An (Eco)Toxicity Life Cycle Impact Assessment Framework for Per- And Polyfluoroalkyl Substances.

Trophodynamics of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in the Food Web of a Large Atlantic Slope River.

The Flows, Stock, and Emissions of Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in California Carpet in 2000-2030 under Different Scenarios.

Wastewater Treatment Lagoons: Local Pathways of Perfluoroalkyl Acids and Brominated Flame Retardants to the Arctic Environment.

Flame Retardants

Elevated occupational exposure to chlorinated phosphate esters at a construction materials manufacturing plant.

Distribution and leaching behavior of organophosphorus and brominated flame retardants in soil in Chengdu.

Modeling gas/particle partitioning of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the atmosphere: A review.

Occurrence and Trophic Magnification of Organophosphate Esters in an Antarctic Ecosystem: Insights into the Shift from Legacy to Emerging Pollutants.

Pesticides

Concentration Distribution and Analysis of Urinary Glyphosate and Its Metabolites in Occupationally Exposed Workers in Eastern China.

Assessment of residential exposures to agricultural pesticides: A scoping review.

Effect of plant hedgerows on agricultural non-point source pollution: a meta-analysis.

Dietary exposure of Tunisian adult population aged from 19 to 65 years old to pesticides residues.

Spatiotemporal variation in occurrence and co-occurrence of pesticides, hormones, and other organic contaminants in rivers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, United States.

Remediating Indoor Pesticide Contamination from Improper Pest Control Treatments: Persistence and Decontamination Studies.

Potentially Toxic Elements

Transport of arsenolipids to the milk of a nursing mother after consuming salmon fish.

Determination of the Level of Selected Elements in Canned Meat and Fish and Risk Assessment for Consumer Health.

Exposure to Heavy Metals in Electronic Waste Recycling in Thailand.

Quantificational Exposure, Sources and Health Risks Posed by Heavy Metals in Indoor and Outdoor Household Dust in a Typical Smelting Area in China.

Assessing Cadmium and Chromium Concentrations in Drinking Water to Predict Health Risk in Malaysia.

A Review of the Health Implications of Heavy Metals in Food Chain in Nigeria.

Salivary Levels of Titanium, Nickel, Vanadium, and Arsenic in Patients Treated with Dental Implants: A Case-Control Study.

Investigation into the utility of flying foxes as bioindicators for environmental metal pollution reveals evidence of diminished lead but significant cadmium exposure.

Multi-element Analysis of Brain Regions from South African Cadavers.

Temporal changes in metal concentrations in Andean condor feathers: a potential influence of volcanic activity.

Microplastics

Seafloor microplastic hotspots controlled by deep-sea circulation.

Air Pollution

Patterns of distributive environmental inequity under different PM2.5 air pollution scenarios for Salt Lake County public schools.

A preliminary assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on environment – A case study of China.

Air quality status during 2020 Malaysia Movement Control Order (MCO) due to 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) pandemic.

The impact of COVID-19 partial lockdown on the air quality of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Mixtures

Influence of emission sources and tributaries on the spatial and temporal patterns of micropollutant mixtures and associated effects in a small river.

Miscellaneous

Assessment of the chemical pollution status of the Dniester River Basin by wide-scope target and suspect screening using mass spectrometric techniques.

2-Mercaptobenzothiazole in urine of children and adolescents in Germany – Human biomonitoring results of the German Environmental Survey 2014-2017 (GerES V).

Fate of typical endocrine active compounds in full-scale wastewater treatment plants: Distribution, removal efficiency and potential risks.

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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 than dates added to PubMed. To see the searchable archives, please email me at Sarah@healthandenvironment.org and ask to join the group EDC_research@googlegroups.com. Archives are at https://groups.google.com/d/forum/edc_research. Compiled by Sarah Howard, Diabetes and Environment Program and HEEDS at Commonweal.

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.