EDC Science Weekly, Jan. 8 – 14, 2020

The journal Reviews on Environmental Health published country reports on children’s environmental health from Malaysia, Botswana, Pakistan, and India.

Human Health Studies

BPA/Phenols

Bisphenol a Exposure, DNA Methylation, and Asthma in Children.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol a and its analogues (bisphenol F and S) and ultrasound parameters of fetal growth.

Association of urinary levels of bisphenols F and S used as bisphenol A substitutes with asthma and hay fever outcomes.

Urinary bisphenol A and its analogues and haemato-biochemical alterations of pregnant women in Korea.

In utero exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals and telomere length at birth. [phenols and phthalates]

Phthalates

Onset and tempo of sexual maturation is differentially associated with gestational phthalate exposure between boys and girls in a Mexico City birth cohort.

Renal function and the exposure to melamine and phthalates in Shanghai adults.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

Association between triclocarban and triclosan exposures and the risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2013-2014).

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Exposure to dietary polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins, and its relationship with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis: The Aragon Workers’ Health Study.

Serum concentrations of DDE, PCBs, and other persistent organic pollutants and mammographic breast density in Triana, Alabama, a highly exposed population.

Organochlorine pesticides residue in placenta and their influence on anthropometric measures of infants.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

Alternatives of perfluoroalkyl acids and hepatitis B virus surface antibody in adults: Isomers of C8 Health Project in China.

Association between serum concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and expression of serum microRNAs in a cohort highly exposed to PFAS from drinking water.

Flame Retardants

Associations between organophosphate esters and sex hormones among 6-19-year old children and adolescents in NHANES 2013-2014.

Pesticides

Organophosphate insecticide exposure and telomere length in U.S. adults.

The association between polymorphisms in tankyrase gene and telomere length in omethoate-exposed workers.

Association of urinary metabolites of organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, and phenoxy herbicides with endometriosis.

Genetic susceptibility of CYP1A1 gene and risk of pesticide exposure in prostate cancer.

Potentially Toxic Elements

PBMC gene expression profiles of female Bangladeshi adults chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water.

Association between chronic arsenic exposure and the characteristic features of asthma.

Prenatal Exposure to Lead and Chromium is Associated with IL-13 Levels in Umbilical Cord Blood and Severity of Atopic Dermatitis: COCOA Study.

Multiple plasma metals, genetic risk and serum C-reactive protein: A metal-metal and gene-metal interaction study.

An association of blood mercury levels and hypercholesterolemia among Korean adolescents.

Environmental exposure pathway analysis of trace elements and autism risk in Pakistani children population.

Hearing loss risk and DNA methylation signatures in preschool children following lead and cadmium exposure from an electronic waste recycling area.

Human arsenic exposure and lung function impairment in coal-burning areas in Guizhou, China.

Air Pollution

Independent and Combined Effects of Heatwaves and PM2.5 on Preterm Birth in Guangzhou, China: A Survival Analysis

Impact of Reductions in Emissions from Major Source Sectors on Fine Particulate Matter-Related Cardiovascular Mortality.

TOC GENERATION TEST: Suicide and Ambient Temperature: A Multi-Country Multi-City Study.

Effects of PM2.5 and PM10 on congenital hypothyroidism in Qingdao, China, 2014-2017: a quantitative analysis.

Long-Term Exposure to Ambient Fine Particulate Matter and Mortality from Renal Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study in Hong Kong.

The association between ambient particulate matters, nitrogen dioxide, and childhood scarlet fever in Hangzhou, Eastern China, 2014-2018.

Urinary monohydroxylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in primiparas from Shenzhen, South China: Levels, risk factors, and oxidative stress.

Sex differences in the association between exposure to indoor particulate matter and cognitive control among children (age 6-14 years) living near coal-fired power plants.

Short-term effects of particulate matter exposure on emergency room visits for cardiovascular disease in Lanzhou, China: a time series analysis.

Comparing the lung cancer burden of ambient particulate matter using scenarios of air quality standards versus acceptable risk levels.

Gender Difference in the Effects of Outdoor Air Pollution on Cognitive Function Among Elderly in Korea.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution, APOE-ε4 status, and cognitive decline in a cohort of older adults in northern Manhattan.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution attenuated the association of physical activity with metabolic syndrome in rural Chinese adults: A cross-sectional study.

Maternal air pollution exposure associated with risk of congenital heart defect in pre-pregnancy overweighted women.

Inverse probability weighted distributed lag effects of short-term exposure to PM2.5 and ozone on CVD hospitalizations in New England Medicare participants – Exploring the causal effects.

Air pollution is associated with depressive symptoms in elderly women with cognitive impairment.

Shrinking lakes, air pollution, and human health: Evidence from California’s Salton Sea.

Long-term effects of air pollution: an exposome meet-in-the-middle approach.

The associations of particulate matters with fetal growth in utero and birth weight: A birth cohort study in Beijing, China.

Mixtures

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons modifies the effects of early life stress on attention and Thought Problems in late childhood.

Laboratory Studies

BPA/Phenols

Bisphenol A and polychlorinated biphenyls enhance the cancer stem cell properties of human ovarian cancer cells by activating the WNT signaling pathway.

Perinatal exposure to bisphenol A impacts in the mammary gland morphology of adult Mongolian gerbils.

The estrogenic proliferative effects of two alkylphenols and a preliminary mechanism exploration in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Protective role of lycopene against metabolic disorders induced by chronic bisphenol A exposure in rats.

Alleviating impact of hydroethanolic Murraya koenigii leaves extract on bisphenol A instigated testicular lethality and apoptosis in mice.

Cuscuta chinensis flavonoids down-regulate the DNA methylation of the H19/Igf2 imprinted control region and estrogen receptor alpha promoter of the testis in bisphenol A exposed mouse offspring.

Bisphenol A (BPA) induces progesterone receptor expression in an estrogen receptor α-dependent manner in perinatal brain.

4-Nonylphenol and 4-tert-octylphenol induce anxiety-related behaviors through alternation of 5-HT receptors and transporters in the prefrontal cortex.

Phthalates

The endocrine disruptor DEHP and the ECS: analysis of a possible crosstalk.

Effects of phthalate acid esters on zebrafish larvae: Development and skeletal morphogenesis.

Environmentally-relevant exposure to diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) alters regulation of double-strand break formation and crossover designation leading to germline dysfunction in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Increased m6A RNA modification is related to the inhibition of the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response in di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced prepubertal testicular injury.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate Exposure Impairs the microRNAs Expression Profile During Primordial Follicle Assembly.

Role of the 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase signalling pathway in di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate-induced ovarian dysfunction: An in vivo study.

Zinc supplement ameliorates phthalates-induced reproductive toxicity in male rats.

Mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate induces oxidative stress and lipid accumulation in zebrafish liver cells.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

PI3K/Akt/FoxO pathway mediates glycolytic metabolism in HepG2 cells exposed to triclosan (TCS).

Triclosan treatment to pregnant albino rats affects offspring numbers and the liver of both the pregnant rats and their offspring, and these effects are ameliorated by co-treatment with bee honey.

Isobutylparaben negatively affects porcine oocyte maturation through increasing oxidative stress and cytoskeletal abnormalities.

Toxicity assessment of parabens in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Targeted metabolomics reveals that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran exposure induces hepatic steatosis in male mice.

Low-concentration exposure to organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in L6 myotubes and RIN-m5F pancreatic beta cells induces disorders of glucose metabolism.

Identification of California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) estrogen receptor variants and their activation by xenoestrogens.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

Accumulation and phytotoxicity of perfluorooctanoic acid and 2,3,3,3-tetrafluoro-2-(heptafluoropropoxy)propanoate in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana.

The emerging PFOS alternative OBS exposure induced gut microbiota dysbiosis and hepatic metabolism disorder in adult zebrafish.

Perfluorooctane Sulfonate Alters Gut Microbiota-Host Metabolic Homeostasis in Mice.

Chlorinated Polyfluoroalkylether Sulfonic Acids Exhibit Stronger Estrogenic Effects than Perfluorooctane Sulfonate by Activating Nuclear Estrogen Receptor Pathways.

Developing a roadmap to determine per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances-microbial population interactions.

Microbial responses to perfluoroalkyl substances and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) desulfurization in the Antarctic marine environment.

Flame Retardants

Developmental circulatory failure caused by metabolites of organophosphorus flame retardants in zebrafish, Danio rerio.

Evaluation of structurally different brominated flame retardants interacting with the transthyretin and their toxicity on HepG2 cells.

Behavior of selected organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) and their influence on rhizospheric microorganisms after short-term exposure in integrated vertical-flow constructed wetlands (IVCWs).

Early postnatal decabromodiphenyl ether exposure reduces thyroid hormone and astrocyte density in the juvenile mouse dentate gyrus

Organotins

Tributyltin and triphenyltin induce 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 expression and activity through activation of retinoid X receptor α.

Pesticides

Mucosal-associated invariant T-Cell (MAIT) activation is altered by chlorpyrifos- and glyphosate-treated commensal gut bacteria.

Chronic High-Dose Neonicotinoid Exposure Decreases Overwinter Survival of Apis mellifera L.

Deltamethrin induces liver fibrosis in quails via activation of the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway.

Subchronic administration of Parastar insecticide induced behavioral changes and impaired motor coordination in male Wistar rats.

Adult exposure to insecticides causes persistent behavioral and neurochemical alterations in zebrafish.

Multi-scale impact of chronic exposure to environmental concentrations of chlordecone in freshwater cnidarian, Hydra circumcincta.

Quantitative elucidation of maternal-to-fetal transfer of neonicotinoid pesticide clothianidin and its metabolites in mice.

Impacts of herbicide pendimethalin on sex steroid level, plasma vitellogenin concentration and aromatase activity in teleost Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus).

Sensitivity of Boana pulchella (Anura: Hylidae) tadpoles to environmentally relevant concentrations of chlorpyrifos: effects at the individual and biochemical level.

Inhibition of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase by Chlorpyrifos in Juvenile Rats Results in Altered Exploratory and Social Behavior as Adolescents.

Impact of juvenile hormone analogue insecticides on the water flea Moina macrocopa: Growth, reproduction and transgenerational effect.

The immunotoxicity and neurobehavioral toxicity of zebrafish induced by famoxadone-cymoxanil.

Adverse effects of atrazine, DCMU and metolachlor on phytoplankton cultures and communities at environmentally relevant concentrations using Fast Repetition Rate Fluorescence.

Potentially Toxic Elements

Paternal cadmium exposure increases the susceptibility to diet-induced testicular injury and spermatogenic disorders in mouse offspring.

Epigenetic dysregulation of Mdr1b in the blood-testis barrier contributes to dyszoospermia in mice exposed to cadmium.

Anti-Müllerian hormone participates in ovarian granulosa cell damage due to cadmium exposure by negatively regulating stem cell factor.

Acute oral methylmercury exposure perturbs the gut microbiome and alters gut-brain axis related metabolites in rats.

Modulation of Superoxide Dismutase Activity by Mercury, Lead, and Arsenic.

Bioaccumulation And Toxicity Of Cadmium, Copper, Nickel, And Zinc And Their Mixtures To Aquatic Insect Communities.

Second generation effects of larval metal pollutant exposure on reproduction, longevity and insecticide tolerance in the major malaria vector Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae).

Effects of Arsenic on Trichloroethene-Dechlorination Activities of Dehalococcoides mccartyi 195.

Tissue- and Region-Specific Accumulation of Arsenic Species, Especially in the Brain of Mice, After Long-term Arsenite Exposure in Drinking Water.

Immune disruption occurs through altered gut microbiome and NOD2 in arsenic induced mice: Correlation with colon cancer markers.

Microplastics

Polystyrene microplastic exposure disturbs hepatic glycolipid metabolism at the physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic levels in adult zebrafish.

Adsorption and Desorption of Steroid Hormones by Microplastics in Seawater.

Toxicological effects of polystyrene microplastics on earthworm (Eisenia fetida).

Microplastic ingestion rates are phenotype-dependent in juvenile anemonefish.

Pharmaceuticals

Effects of new generation progestins, including as mixtures and in combination with other classes of steroid hormones, on zebrafish early life stages.

Aquatic Phytotoxicity to Lemna minor of Three Commonly Used Drugs of Addiction in Australia.

Effect of lycopene on testicular androgenic and anti-oxidative enzymes in cyproterone acetate-induced male infertile Wistar strain albino rats: An in vitro study.

Developmental Programming: Prenatal Testosterone-induced Epigenetic Modulation and its Effect on Gene Expression in Sheep Ovary.

Sex-specific estrogen regulation of hypothalamic astrocyte estrogen receptor expression and glycogen metabolism in rats.

Mixtures

Neurological effects of subchronic exposure to dioctyl phthalate (DOP), lead, and arsenic, individual and mixtures, in immature mice.

Evaluation of combined developmental neurological toxicity of di (n-butyl) phthalates and lead using immature mice.

Persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in human follicular fluid stimulate IGF1 secretion by adult ovarian granulosa cell tumor spheroids and thereby increase proliferation of non-cancer ovarian granulosa cells. [PFASs, PCBs, DDE, HCB]

Microplastic particles increase arsenic toxicity to rice seedlings.

Dose addition in chemical mixtures inducing craniofacial malformations in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos.

Miscellaneous

In vitro and in vivo immunotoxicity of PEGylated Cd-free CuInS2/ZnS quantum dots.

Repeated administrations of Mn3O4 nanoparticles cause testis damage and fertility decrease through PPAR-signaling pathway.

Toxicity mechanisms of selected engineered nanoparticles on human neural cells in vitro.

An in silico structural approach to characterize human and rainbow trout estrogenicity of mycotoxins: Proof of concept study using zearalenone and alternariol.

Exposure/Environment Studies

Phthalates

A Pilot Biomonitoring Study of Cumulative Phthalates Exposure among Vietnamese American Nail Salon Workers.

Plasticizer migration from children’s toys, child care articles, art materials, and school supplies.

Phthalate esters contamination in vegetable-soil system of facility greenhouses in Jingmen, central China and the assessment of health risk.

Parabens/Triclosan/Antimicrobials

Concentration and distribution of parabens, triclosan, and triclocarban in pregnant woman serum in China.

Persistent Organic Pollutants: PCBs, Dioxin, OCPs

Occurrence and distribution of anthropogenic persistent organic pollutants in coastal sediments and mud shrimps from the wetland of central Taiwan.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Sediments and Fish Tissues Collected from a Protected Lagoon Region.

First evaluation of legacy persistent organic pollutant contamination status of stranded Yangtze finless porpoises along the Yangtze River Basin, China.

Assessment of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in sediments of the Eastern Indian Ocean.

Influence of overwinter distribution on exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in seabirds, ancient murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus), breeding on the Pacific coast of Canada.

Perfluoroalkyl Substances

Environmental pollutants in blood donors: The multicentre Norwegian donor study. [PFAS and metals]

Risk assessment of PFASs in drinking water using a probabilistic risk quotient methodology.

Flame Retardants

Urinary organophosphate ester concentrations in relation to ultra-processed food consumption in the general US population.

Traditional and emerging organophosphate esters (OPEs) in indoor dust of Nanjing, eastern China: Occurrence, human exposure, and risk assessment.

Assessment of Tetrabromobisphenol and Hexabromocyclododecanes exposure and risk characterization using occurrence data in foods.

Pesticides

Wastewater-based epidemiology approach to assess population exposure to pesticides: a review of a pesticide pharmacokinetic dataset.

Pesticide residues in tomato and tomato products marketed in Majmaah province, KSA, and their impact on human health.

Multi-class and multi-residue screening of veterinary drugs and pesticides in infant formula using Quadrupole-Orbitrap MS with PRM scan mode.

Evaluating national ecological risk of agricultural pesticides from 2004 to 2017 in China.

Simulating spray series of pesticides in agricultural practice reveals evidence for accumulation of environmental risk in soil.

Potentially Toxic Elements

Vitamin B-6 Intake Is Modestly Associated with Arsenic Methylation in Uruguayan Children with Low-Level Arsenic Exposure.

Spatiotemporal trends of recovery from lead contamination in Flint, MI as revealed by crowdsourced water sampling.

Variation of different metabolites and heavy metals in Oryza sativa L., related to chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology in Sri Lanka.

Evaluation of human health risk assessment of potential toxic metals in commonly consumed crayfish (Palaemon hastatus) in Nigeria.

A preliminary study of heavy metals pollution in the sandy dust storms and its human risk assessment from middle and south of Iraq.

Potential toxic elements in groundwater and their health risk assessment in drinking water of Limpopo National Park, Gaza Province, Southern Mozambique.

Potentially Toxic Element Concentration in Fruits Collected from Markazi Province (Iran): A Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment.

Cadmium and chromium levels in water and edible herbs in a risk assessment study of rural residents living in Eastern Iran.

Heavy metal toxicity in the water column and benthic sediments of a degraded tropical stream.

Toxic Metals Depuration Profiles from a Population Adjacent to a Military Target Range (Vieques) and Main Island Puerto Rico.

Mercury bioaccumulation in zooplankton and its relationship with eutrophication in the waters in the karst region of Guizhou Province, Southwest China.

Dynamics of (total and methyl) mercury in sediment, fish, and crocodiles in an Amazonian Lake and risk assessment of fish consumption to the local population.

Mobility of mercury in soil and its transport into the sea.

Mercury pollution of riverine sediments in a typical irrigation area in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Human bones tell the story of atmospheric mercury and lead exposure at the edge of Roman World.

Mercury and selenium concentrations in fishes of the Upper Colorado River Basin, southwestern United States: A retrospective assessment.

Bald eagle mercury exposure varies with region and site elevation in New York, USA.

Temporal trends in fish mercury concentrations in an Adirondack Lake managed with a continual predator removal program.

Watershed influences on mercury in tributaries to Lake Ontario.

Effects of metal contamination on liver in two fish species from a highly impacted neotropical river: A case study of the Fundão dam, Brazil.

Parvalbumin and Ubiquitin as Potential Biomarkers of Mercury Contamination of Amazonian Brazilian Fish.

Contaminant Concentrations in Sediments, Aquatic Invertebrates, and Fish in Proximity to Rail Tracks Used for Coal Transport in the Pacific Northwest (USA): A Baseline Assessment.

Effect of a Supplementation with Two Quelites on Urinary Excretion of Arsenic in Adolescents Exposed to Water Contaminated with the Metalloid in a Community in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico.

Time scales of arsenic variability and the role of high-frequency monitoring at three water-supply wells in New Hampshire, USA.

The impacts of century-old, arsenic-rich mine tailings on multi-trophic level biological assemblages in lakes from Cobalt (Ontario, Canada).

Arsenic in Latin America: A critical overview on the geochemistry of arsenic originating from geothermal features and volcanic emissions for solving its environmental consequences.

Investigation of the Metal Pollution Sources in Lake Mogan, Ankara, Turkey.

Arsenic Bioaccessibility of Realgar Influenced by the Other Traditional Chinese Medicines in Niuhuang Jiedu Tablet and the Roles of Gut Microbiota.

An Exposure Assessment of Arsenic and Other Trace Elements in Ha Nam Province, Northern Vietnam.

Bioaccumulations and potential human health risks assessment of heavy metals in ppk-expressing transgenic rice.

Selenium and stable mercury isotopes provide new insights into mercury toxicokinetics in pilot whales.

Microplastics

The world is your oyster: low-dose, long-term microplastic exposure of juvenile oysters.

Prevalence of microplastics in animal-based traditional medicinal materials: Widespread pollution in terrestrial environments.

Occurrence and mass loads of biocides in plastic debris from the Pearl River system, South China.

Occurrence and pollution characteristics of microplastics in surface water of the Manas River Basin, China.

Microplastic pollution in the sediment of Jagir Estuary, Surabaya City, Indonesia.

Assessment of micro and macroplastics along the west coast of India: Abundance, distribution, polymer type and toxicity.

Temporal dynamic of anthropogenic fibers in a tropical river-estuarine system.

Greenland Sea Gyre increases microplastic pollution in the surface waters of the Nordic Seas.

Air Pollution

The occurrence of PAHs and flame-retardants in air and dust from Australian fire stations.

Impact of local and regional sources of PAHs on tribal reservation air quality in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.

Pharmaceuticals

Pharmaceuticals in a Mediterranean Basin: The influence of temporal and hydrological patterns in environmental risk assessment.

Identifying targets of potential concern by a screening level ecological risk assessment of human use pharmaceuticals in China.

Pharmaceutical pollution of water resources in Nakivubo wetlands and Lake Victoria, Kampala, Uganda.

Assessing the human risk and the environmental fate of pharmaceutical Tramadol.

Mixtures

Benthic invertebrate and microbial biodiversity in sub-tropical urban rivers: Correlations with environmental variables and emerging chemicals.

Occurrence of estrogens, androgens and progestogens and estrogenic activity in surface water runoff from beef and dairy manure amended crop fields.

Miscellaneous

Opiate and tobacco use and exposure to carcinogens and toxicants in Golestan Cohort Study.

Overview of the analysis, occurrence and ecological effects of hormones in lake waters in Asia. [review]

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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.