BACKGROUND Low pressure events (LPEs), defined as a water service disruption that presumably lowers system water pressure, can cause drinking water contamination resulting in increased illness risk to consumers. OBJECTIVES Examine whether LPEs increase the risk for highly credible acute gastrointestinal illness (HCGI) and acute respiratory illness (ARI) and compare water quality in exposed and unexposed

BACKGROUND The South Korean humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injury case was one of the worst disasters involving household chemical products, resulting in over 5,800 casualties. Despite the strong association between lung injury and humidifier disinfectants, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. OBJECTIVES We investigated patients with humidifier disinfectant-associated lung

BACKGROUND Environmental factors, such as fluctuations of climatic conditions and land cover, play a pivotal role in driving infectious disease epidemics, particularly those originating from wildlife reservoirs. Orthohantavirus puumalaense, hosted by bank voles in Europe, is the causative agent of a form of haemorrhagic fever and renal syndrome called nephropathia epidemica. Despite two decades of

BACKGROUND Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure is widespread and has been linked with gynecologic disease. To our knowledge, no study has measured PFAS in endometrial tissue. METHODS Eutopic endometrial tissue specimens (n=434) were collected from Investigating Mixtures of Pollutants and Endometriosis in Tissue (IMPLANT) Study participants undergoing laparoscopy or laparotomy for any

BACKGROUND Neurotoxicity of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been documented in animal studies, but related epidemiological investigations are very limited; particularly, those based on biomonitoring data are not available yet. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate the trimester-specific association between maternal urinary concentrations of multiple VOC metabolites (mVOCs) and child

BACKGROUND Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is associated with systemic protein damage in pregnant women. However, its effect on protein damage in human placentas is unclear. OBJECTIVES We estimated the associations of PM2.5 and chemical component exposures with advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) in placental villi tissues before 13 weeks of gestation. METHODS We enrolled 165

BACKGROUND Community engagement in research, including community scientists' (CSs) participation in environmental exposure assessments, promotes the bidirectional flow of information between communities and researchers and improves the development of interventions to reduce environmental health inequities. Nonetheless, Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) with limited experience with CS research tend

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence has implicated built and natural environmental exposures in the etiology and exacerbation of anxiety symptoms. OBJECTIVES Our objective was to assess individual and joint associations between neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES), walkability, greenness, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and temperature and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms

BACKGROUND Representing vulnerability is crucial for informing targeted interventions, but existing vulnerability conceptualizations are too general for heat hazard-specific and place-specific relevance. Examining the key decision criteria centering around data choices, selection of input variables, methodological approaches, and theoretical conceptualizations are integral to progressing toward hazard-specific

BACKGROUND Exposure to light at night (LAN), particularly blue light, is suspected to disrupt circadian rhythm, inhibit melatonin production, and eventually increase the risk of breast cancer. OBJECTIVES We assessed the association between exposure to outdoor LAN and breast cancer risk in the E3N-Générations cohort, a large population-based cohort study of French women followed-up from 1990 to 2011

BACKGROUND Pediatric thyroid cancer incidence has been increasing globally, with environmental exposures being a hypothesized risk factor. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the association between pediatric thyroid cancer risk and perinatal exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and outdoor artificial light at night (O-ALAN). Both are considered environmental carcinogens with evidence of thyroid

BACKGROUND Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) liquids and aerosols contain metals, which can be detrimental to human health. Recently marketed ultrasonic cigarettes (u-cigarettes) claim to be less harmful than e-cigarettes that use heating coils. OBJECTIVES We quantified chemical elements/metals in multiple flavors of SURGE u-cigarettes, JUUL e-cigarettes, and "Other Brands" of pod-style e-cigarettes

BACKGROUND Bisphenol S (BPS) is a substitute for bisphenol A in various commercial products and is increasingly used globally due to restrictions on bisphenol A usage. Consequently, there are increasing public health concerns that substantial effects mediated by synthetic chemicals may impact human health. Recently, epidemiology studies reported associations between bisphenol exposure and non-alcoholic

BACKGROUND Short-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that are less bioaccumulative have been introduced as replacements for long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) with the intent of reducing health risks. In contrast, alternative PFAS with longer chain lengths may be at least as bioaccumulative and toxic as phased-out long-chain PFAAs. Such alternative PFAS were used and released unbeknownst

BACKGROUND The extensive use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has led to environmental contamination and bioaccumulation of these substances. Previous research linked PFAS exposure to female reproductive disorders, but the mechanism remains elusive. Further, most studies focused on legacy long-chain PFOA and PFOS, yet the reproductive impacts of other long-chain PFAS and short-chain alternatives

BACKGROUND Green and blue spaces (GBS) are assumed to mitigate heat-induced health risks. However, few studies have explored the impact of type-specific GBS changes on heat-related mortality burden. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the effect modifications of different GBS types on heat-related mortality risks, and to estimate the changes in mortality burden in multiple GBS scenarios. METHODS

BACKGROUND The biological mechanisms linking early life phthalate exposure with adverse behaviors and cardiometabolic conditions also impact sleep health, but whether early-life exposure impacts adolescent sleep is unknown. OBJECTIVES We evaluated whether gestational and childhood urinary phthalate metabolite mixtures were associated with sleep characteristics during adolescence. We also examined periods

BACKGROUND Ethylene oxide (EtO) is a recognized carcinogen of concern in occupational and environmental settings, but evidence of cancer risks in humans remains limited. Since new EtO emission standards and mitigation measures have been proposed, further investigation of EtO cancer risks is needed to inform quantitative risk assessment. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to estimate the association between

BACKGROUND Maximum contaminant level violations occur more frequently among some public water systems (PWS) serving marginalized communities across the United States. Spatially resolved PWS service area data are now available, allowing for better understanding of relationships between sociodemographic factors and water quality. OBJECTIVES We examined associations between detection and concentration

BACKGROUND Climate change is one of the greatest health threats facing humanity. Multiple studies have documented the impact of short-term temperature exposure on human health. However, long-term temperature exposures are far less studied. OBJECTIVES We examined whether exposure to higher or lower summer and winter average temperatures compared to long-term average temperatures were associated with

BACKGROUND Exposure to certain chemicals in disinfectants has been associated with vascular dysfunction in toxicological studies, but the association between disinfectant exposure and clinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between occupational exposure to disinfectants and subsequent risk of CVD among United States (US) nurses. METHODS We included

BACKGROUND Pregnant women are exposed to numerous endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Pregnancy-related nausea likely has hormonal etiology and may persist beyond the first trimester. OBJECTIVES Therefore, we aimed to determine the relationship between EDC biomarkers and pregnancy nausea characteristics. METHODS Illinois Kids Development Study (I-KIDS) pregnant women (n=467) reported nausea symptoms

BACKGROUND Children's vulnerability to chemical toxicant exposures demands strong consideration of the chemical composition of products designed for and marketed toward them. Inadequacies in health-protective legislation and lack of mandatory ingredient disclosure in most children's products have created significant gaps in protection and oversight. Scientific literature can provide insight into the

BACKGROUND Innovation in mass spectrometry-based methods to both quantify and perform discovery has blurred the lines between targeted and untargeted assays of biospecimens. Continuous data-concentrations or intensity values generated from both methods-can be used in statistical analysis to determine associations with health outcomes, but concentration values are needed to compare measurements from

BACKGROUND The effects of a mixture of exposures on health outcomes are of interest to public health, but pose methodological hurdles. These exposures may impact the outcome in opposing ways, which we call the positive and negative partial effects of a mixture. There has been growing interest in estimating these partial effects and their ability to inform public health interventions. OBJECTIVES Methods

BACKGROUND Micro/nanoplastics and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are emerging environmental contaminants widely detected in aquatic environments. However, previous research has primarily focused on the interactions between micro/nanoplastics and organic substances or heavy metals, while the interactions and combined toxic effects of micro/nanoplastics with AgNPs remain unclear. OBJECTIVE Our study aimed

BACKGROUND Placental abruption, a rare disorder of unclear etiology, lacks evidence to illustrate its relationship with exposure to air pollution and temperature. OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between exposure to ambient pollutants and temperatures and placental abruption, so as to identify susceptible time windows and subpopulations. METHODS A nested case-control study was based on a live

BACKGROUND Traffic-related exposures, such as air pollution and noise, show long-term associations with brain alterations in children and adolescents. The associations with functional connectivity have been studied using static approaches of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) (i.e., average connectivity between regions across the scanning session). OBJECTIVES Our aim was

BACKGROUND Cumulative risk assessment (CRA) is key to characterizing health risks in fenceline and disadvantaged communities, which face environmental pollution and challenging socioeconomic conditions. Traditional approaches for inclusion of mixtures in CRA are limited and only assess the most sensitive target organ system for each chemical. METHODS We developed an expanded approach to cumulative

BACKGROUND Zearalenone (ZEN) is an estrogenic mycotoxin ('mycoestrogen') that contaminates global grain crops leading to detectable concentrations of ZEN and its metabolites, including the synthetic version alpha-zearalanol (ZER), in human populations. Despite in vitro and in vivo animal evidence of endocrine disruption by ZEN, there has been limited investigation in humans. OBJECTIVES To examine markers

BACKGROUND Some synthetic phenols alter hormonal pathways involved in successful pregnancy and fetal development. Despite high within-subject temporal variability of phenols, previous studies mostly utilized spot urine samples to assess pregnancy exposure. Herein we investigated associations between pregnancy exposure to eight phenols assessed in multiple pooled urine samples and steroid hormones assessed

BACKGROUND For years, children in the Republic of Georgia, have experienced elevated blood lead levels (BLLs). From September 2023 to April 2024, the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health in Georgia piloted a national surveillance program for lead in children in two western regions of the country, using volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) to measure BLLs. OBJECTIVES To monitor

BACKGROUND Transboundary PM2.5 pollution is causing significant environmental conflicts among China, South Korea, and Japan. However, efforts to address these conflicts have been impeded by a lack of a comprehensive understanding of source-receptor relationships of PM2.5 pollution and associated health impacts among these countries. OBJECTIVES We quantify the extent to which transboundary PM2.5 pollution

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence identifies ambient particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5μm (PM2.5) as a modifiable risk factor for dementia, but the potential health benefits gained by enacting regulations that reduce PM2.5 remain unclear. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to estimate the total effects of hypothetical ambient PM2.5 interventions starting in late life on the risk of dementia in

BACKGROUND Uterine leiomyomata (UL), hormone-dependent neoplasms, are a major source of gynecologic morbidity. Metals are hypothesized to influence UL risk through endocrine disruption, and their effects may vary by vitamin D status. OBJECTIVE We estimated associations of a metal mixture with incident UL, overall and by vitamin D status. METHODS We analyzed data from the Study of Environment, Lifestyle

BACKGROUND Toenails are promising biomarkers of long-term metal exposure in epidemiological studies, but their accuracy may be compromised by systematic and random errors associated with heterogeneous toenail sample masses, as well as by substantial variability across laboratory batches. OBJECTIVES We propose a novel modeling approach to calibrate toenail metal concentrations for the heterogeneity

BACKGROUND Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide, and increasing evidence suggests that exposure to environmental pollutants is associated with the increased incidence of MASLD. The farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays an important role in the development of MASLD by regulating bile acids (BAs) and lipid metabolism. However, whether

BACKGROUND Environmental epidemiologists strive to conduct research that will lead to actions that improve public health outcomes. The risk assessment process is the bridge between scientific research and policies that can impact public health. Historically, epidemiologic studies have not frequently been used to inform US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessments outside of the context of air

BACKGROUND Given the difficulty of collecting air pollution measurements for individuals, researchers use mobile monitoring to develop accurate models that predict long-term average exposure to air pollution, allowing the investigation of its association with human health. Although recent mobile monitoring studies focused on predictive models' abilities to select optimal designs, cost is also an important

BACKGROUND There are indications that fluoride exposure considered to be beneficial for dental health may not be safe from a neurodevelopmental perspective. OBJECTIVE We assessed the impact of prenatal and childhood fluoride exposure on cognitive abilities at 5 and 10 years of age. METHODS We studied 500 mother-child pairs from the MINIMat (Maternal and Infant Nutrition Interventions in Matlab) birth

BACKGROUND Fine particulate matter [particulate matter (PM) with aerodynamic diameter of ≤2.5μm (PM2.5)] is considered a major component of ambient PM. Exposure to PM2.5 was shown to be associated with male reproductive system injury. Ferroptosis is regarded as an iron-dependent programmed cell death that is associated with the pathological process. It has been reported that SIRT1 has protective effects

BACKGROUND Plastic cutting boards are commonly used in food preparation, increasing human exposure to microplastics (MPs). However, the health implications are still not well understood. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to assess the impacts of long-term exposure to MPs released from cutting boards on intestinal inflammation and gut microbiota. METHODS MPs were incorporated into mouse diets

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence has suggested negative associations between maternal urinary fluoride adjusted for specific gravity (MUFsg) and offspring intelligence quotient (IQ). Two prior studies report the MUFsg of pregnant women in the US, both in California, and more information is needed on population levels of MUFsg. OBJECTIVES The primary objective was to measure MUFsg in a large pregnancy cohort

BACKGROUND Environmental contamination by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has created serious public health, ecological, and regulatory concerns. Prenatal exposures can affect a wide range of developing organ systems and are associated with adverse changes to behavior, metabolism, fertility, and disease risk in the adult. The most serious and puzzling observation for some EDC exposures is the

BACKGROUND Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and smoking of tobacco products are two of the most important threats to global human health. Both are associated with millions of deaths every year. Surprisingly, the immediate interactions between these two threats remain poorly understood. OBJECTIVES We aimed to elucidate the effect of toxic compounds from cigarette smoke, ashes, and filters on the spread

BACKGROUND Younger generations are projected to experience more severe climate exposure impacts during their lifetimes than older generations as global warming progresses. Despite the increasing evidence of the recent temporal changes in heat-related mortality risks, there remains a lack of research exploring this association from a cohort perspective. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to quantify the variation

BACKGROUND Studies evaluating how water, sanitation, and/or handwashing (WASH) interventions in low- and middle-income countries impact diarrheal diseases have shown inconsistent results. The prevalence of enteric pathogen infections and diarrhea are highly seasonal and climate-sensitive, which could explain heterogeneous findings. Understanding how season influences the effectiveness of WASH interventions

BACKGROUND Telomere length (TL) and mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) variations are linked to age-related diseases and are associated with environmental exposure and nutritional status. Limited data, however, exist on the associations with mercury exposure, particularly early in life. OBJECTIVE We examined the association between prenatal mercury (Hg) exposure and TL and mtDNAcn in 1,145 Seychelles

BACKGROUND People who live near airports are exposed to higher concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFPs) from aviation. Pregnant women and their fetuses, in particular, are considered to be highly susceptible to environmental exposures. OBJECTIVE Using existing national databases, we investigated associations between adverse birth outcomes and exposure to UFPs from aviation (UFP-aviation) at the

BACKGROUND The 10 key characteristics (KCs) of carcinogens form the basis of a framework to identify, organize, and evaluate mechanistic evidence relevant to carcinogenic hazard identification. The 10 KCs are related to mechanisms by which carcinogens cause cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Monographs programme has successfully applied the KCs framework for the mechanistic

BACKGROUND The widespread use of bisphenol A (BPA) has led to universal exposure among the population, raising concerns about its health effects. Epidemiological studies have linked environmentally relevant levels of BPA exposure to obesity. OBJECTIVES We aimed to uncover the complex mechanisms by which oral exposure during pregnancy with BPA affects the offspring. METHODS We conducted a two-stage

BACKGROUND Sugarcane burning is an agricultural practice that is implemented to increase sugar yields. However, sugarcane burning produces air pollutants associated with adverse health outcomes. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the defined exposures and health effects associated with sugarcane burning and identifies research gaps. METHODS A scoping review was conducted using PubMed,