Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been suggested to contribute to the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, evidence from epidemiological studies remain divergent. The aim of the present study was to evaluate associations between PFAS exposure and prevalent diabetes in a cross-sectional analysis and fasting glucose in a longitudinal analysis. METHODS: In 2373 subjects aged 45-75 years from the EpiHealth study, three PFAS; perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) were analyzed in plasma together with information on prevalent diabetes...

BACKGROUND: The exposure levels of phthalates in humans have dropped dramatically. Little is known about the individual and joint effects of phthalates exposure at low levels on the risk of early miscarriage. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between exposure to phthalates individually or as a mixture and early miscarriage. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted in Shanghai, China during 2019-2020. A total of 291 women seeking medical services due to miscarriage (cases) and 308 women planning to terminate an unintended pregnancy (controls) within 12 gestational weeks were recruited...

BACKGROUND: Prescribed agricultural burning is a common land management practice, but little is known about the health effects from the resulting smoke exposure. OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between smoke from prescribed burning and cardiorespiratory outcomes in the U.S. state of Kansas. METHODS: We analyzed a zip code-level, daily time series of primary cardiorespiratory emergency department (ED) visits for February-May (months when prescribed burning is common in Kansas) in the years 2009-2011 (n = 109,220)...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: African Americans (AAs) experience higher rates of preterm birth and fetal growth restriction relative to other pregnant populations. Differential in utero exposure to environmental chemicals may partially explain these health disparities, as AAs are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards. OBJECTIVE: We examined the individual and mixture effects of non-persistent chemicals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on gestational age at birth and birthweight for gestational age z-scores within a prospective cohort of pregnant AAs...

BACKGROUND: Growing evidence suggests that environmental factors probably play important roles in the development of gastroesophageal cancers (GOC), however, the effects of trace elements on GOC remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of trace elements on GOC and the effect modification by other factors. METHODS: Hair and fingernail samples were collected from GOC cases and controls in a population-based case-control study in Taixing, China, and were used to detect the concentrations of 12 trace elements using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Accurately quantifying people's out-of-home environmental exposure is important for identifying disease risk factors. Several activity space-based exposure assessments exist, possibly leading to different exposure estimates, and have neither considered individual travel modes nor exposure-related distance decay effects. OBJECTIVE: We aimed (1) to develop an activity space-based exposure assessment approach that included travel modes and exposure-related distance decay effects and (2) to compare the size of such spaces and the exposure estimates derived from them across typically used activity space operationalizations...

BACKGROUND: Children are potentially more susceptible to the adverse effects of pesticides due to more sensitive organ systems and lower capacity to metabolize and eliminate chemicals compared to adults. The health risks are particularly concerning children with asthma, living in low-income neighborhoods in multi-family housing because of their impaired respiratory health, and factors associated with low-income, multi-family environments. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between pesticide exposure and asthma morbidity among children 7-12 years residing in low-income, multi-family housing...

BACKGROUND: In Suriname, 20% of pregnancies end in adverse birth outcomes. While prenatal exposure to metals may lead to adverse health outcomes, exposure assessments in Suriname are scant. Environmental contamination from mercury (Hg) used in artisanal goldmining in the Amazonian Interior, and the uncontrolled use of pesticides in suburban regions are of particular concern. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed geographic differences in exposures to metals and essential elements in pregnant Surinamese women...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: The German total diet study (TDS)-BfR MEAL Study-established its food list in 2016 based on food consumption data of children (0.5-<5 years) and adults (14-80 years). The list consists of 356 foods selected for analysis in order to ensure ≥90% coverage of the diet. Recently, new food consumption data for children (0.5-<6 and 6-<12 years) in Germany became available, which raised the opportunity to evaluate the applicability of the MEAL food list 2016 on new data...

BACKGROUND: Disparities in adverse COVID-19 health outcomes have been associated with multiple social and environmental stressors. However, research is needed to evaluate the consistency and efficiency of methods for studying these associations at local scales. OBJECTIVE: To assess socioexposomic associations with COVID-19 outcomes across New Jersey and evaluate consistency of findings from multiple modeling approaches. METHODS: We retrieved data for COVID-19 cases and deaths for the 565 municipalities of New Jersey up to the end of the first phase of the pandemic, and calculated mortality rates with and without long-term-care (LTC) facility deaths...

BACKGROUND: Knowing the geographical and temporal variation in radon concentrations is essential for assessing residential exposure to radon, the leading cause of lung cancer in never-smokers in the United States. Tens of millions of short-term radon measurements, which normally last 2 to 4 days, have been conducted during the past decades. However, these massive short-term measurements have not been commonly used in exposure assessment because of the conflicting evidence regarding their correlation with long-term measurements, the gold standard of assessing long-term radon exposure...

BACKGROUND: Use frequency and times are critical parameters for estimating realistic chemical exposures associated with the use of consumer products. Very limited information is available in the published literature for children's use patterns of art and craft materials at home and school. OBJECTIVE: Conduct a year-long survey of art materials use at home and school by pre-school and elementary school children, teachers, and parents which can be used to refine chemical exposure assessments for these consumer products...

BACKGROUND: While major pathways of human PFAS exposure are thought to be drinking water and diet, other pathways and sources have also been shown to contribute to a person's cumulative exposure. However, the degree of contribution of these other sources to PFAS body burdens is still not well understood and occurrence data for PFAS in conssumer products and household materials are sparse. Questionnaire data concordant with biomonitoring may improve understanding of associations between other PFAS exposure pathways and exposure in human populations...

BACKGROUND: There are over 700,000 hairdressers in the United States, and it is estimated that >90% are female and 31% are Black or Hispanic/Latina. Racial and ethnic minorities in this workforce may be exposed to a unique mixture of potentially hazardous chemicals from products used and services provided. However, previous biomonitoring studies of hairdressers target a narrow list of compounds and few studies have investigated exposures among minority hairdressers. OBJECTIVE: To assess occupational chemical exposures in a sample of US-based Black and Latina hairdressers serving an ethnically diverse clientele by analyzing urine specimens with a suspect screening method...

BACKGROUND: The European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC) Targeted Risk Assessment (TRA) Consumer tool was developed to fill in a methodology gap for a high throughput, screening level tool to support industry compliance with the European Union's Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if the TRA Consumer tool has met its design of being a screening level tool (i...

BACKGROUND: Young children may be exposed to pesticides in child care centers, but little is known about determinants of pesticide contamination in these environments. OBJECTIVE: Characterize pesticide contamination in early care and education (ECE) centers and identify predictors of pesticide concentrations and loading in dust collected from classroom carpets. METHODS: Carpet dust samples were collected from 51 licensed child care centers in Northern California and analyzed for 14 structural and agricultural pesticides...

BACKGROUND: Phthalates are endocrine disrupting chemicals that are used in plastic and personal care products. Phthalate exposure has been linked to reproductive and fertility outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the phthalate exposures using both urinary level of two DEHP metabolites in females and questionnaires. It also aimed to investigate the association between phthalate levels and reproductive and fertility outcomes. METHODS: 325 females with and without fertility problems at gynaecology clinics filled out a questionnaire and provided a urine sample...