Disease Risks and Toxic Pathway from Environmental Chemical Exposure

Abstract submission deadline

30 January 2025

Manuscript submission deadline

30 March 2025

Viewed by

3821

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Human health can be influenced by many environmental factors, including physical, chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants. Among them, exposure to environmental chemicals is a serious ongoing public health issue. Understanding public health risks posed by environmental chemical exposure is complicated. There are many impact factors including population susceptibility, latencies between exposure and disease manifestations, and background environmental exposure. Relationships between environmental exposure and health outcomes can only be established through well-designed epidemiological, toxicological, and clinical studies. Therefore, along with traditional risk assessment, integrating all available types of data, such as traditional toxicology, environmental epidemiology, and the environmental exposome would approach environmental chemical risk assessment from a new lens. There is an immediate need to develop good research associated with the disease risk and toxicity posed by environmental chemical exposure. This Special Issue aims to explore the perspective of environmental chemical risk assessment. We invite researchers to contribute original research and articles as well as review articles in the scope of this Special Issue. The topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• Public health and health impact assessment and environmental epidemiology
• Environmental risk assessments and management
• Environmental toxicology
• Wastewater-based epidemiology
• Environmental technology for environmental health protection

Dr. Zhenglu Wang
Dr. Chuang Liu
Dr. Jiana Li
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Environments environments	3.5	5.7	2014	25.7 Days	CHF 1800	Submit
International Journal of Molecular Sciences ijms	4.9	8.1	2000	18.1 Days	CHF 2900	Submit
Journal of Xenobiotics jox	6.8	5.3	2011	30 Days	CHF 1600	Submit
Pollutants pollutants	-	-	2021	28.9 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Toxics toxics	3.9	4.5	2013	15.6 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

MDPI Topics is cooperating with Preprints.org and has built a direct connection between MDPI journals and Preprints.org. Authors are encouraged to enjoy the benefits by posting a preprint at Preprints.org prior to publication:

1. Immediately share your ideas ahead of publication and establish your research priority;
2. Protect your idea from being stolen with this time-stamped preprint article;
3. Enhance the exposure and impact of your research;
4. Receive feedback from your peers in advance;
5. Have it indexed in Web of Science (Preprint Citation Index), Google Scholar, Crossref, SHARE, PrePubMed, Scilit and Europe PMC.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Order results

Content type Publication Date

Result details

Normal Extended Compact

Journals

All Environments IJMS JoX Pollutants Toxics

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 773 KiB)

24 pages, 6010 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Toxicity to the Male Reproductive System after Exposure to Polystyrene Nanoplastics: A Macrogenomic and Metabolomic Analysis

by Xue Zhang, Yueping Wu, Xufeng Fu, Shulan He, Liping Shi, Haiming Xu, Xiaojuan Shi, Yue Yang, Yongbin Zhu, Yanrong Wang, Hongyan Qiu, Hongmei Li and Jiangping Li

Toxics 2024, 12(8), 531; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12080531 (registering DOI) - 23 Jul 2024

Abstract

Nanoplastics (NPs) cause serious contamination of drinking water and potential damage to human health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of NPs with different particle sizes and concentrations on the reproductive function of male mice. In this study, free drinking water exposure [...] Read more.

Nanoplastics (NPs) cause serious contamination of drinking water and potential damage to human health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of NPs with different particle sizes and concentrations on the reproductive function of male mice. In this study, free drinking water exposure was used to expose male BALB/C mice to PS-NPs (20 nm, 200 nm, and 1000 nm) at 0.1 mg/L, 1 mg/L, and 5 mg/L for 4 months. The male reproductive function of the mice was assessed after NPs exposure, and fecal and blood samples were collected for macrogenomics and metabolomics. The results showed that PS-NPs resulted in mice with reduced testicular organ coefficients, decreased sperm quality, altered testicular tissue structure, disturbed sex hormone levels, and abnormal levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress. Furthermore, this study found that NP exposure affected the alteration of gut communities and metabolic pathways related to male reproduction, such as Clostridium and glutathione metabolism. Importantly, we found an effect of NP particle size on reproductive function. In the future, more attention should be paid to the smaller particle sizes of NPs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Disease Risks and Toxic Pathway from Environmental Chemical Exposure)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 283 KiB)

16 pages, 1750 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Exposure and Neurocognitive Function in the General Population: A Community-Based Study

by Feng-Chieh Su, Yi-Chia Wei, Chiao-Yin Sun, Heng-Jung Hsu, Chin-Chan Lee, Yih-Ting Chen, Heng-Chih Pan, Cheng-Kai Hsu, Yun-An Liu and Chun-Yu Chen

Toxics 2024, 12(7), 514; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12070514 - 17 Jul 2024

Viewed by 382

Abstract

Background: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are pervasive in everyday environments. The impacts of these chemicals, along with EDC-related lifestyle and dietary habits on neurocognitive function, are not well understood. Methods: The Chang Gung Community Medicine Research Center conducted a cross-sectional study involving 887 participants. [...] Read more.

Background: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are pervasive in everyday environments. The impacts of these chemicals, along with EDC-related lifestyle and dietary habits on neurocognitive function, are not well understood. Methods: The Chang Gung Community Medicine Research Center conducted a cross-sectional study involving 887 participants. From this initial cohort, 120 individuals were selected based on their EDC exposure scores for detailed analysis. Among these, 67 participants aged 55 years or older were further chosen to undergo cognitive impairment assessments using the Ascertain Dementia-8 (AD-8) questionnaire. Results: These 67 older participants did not significantly differ in age, albuminuria, or estimated glomerular filtration rate compared to those with lower impairment scores. This study revealed that mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) levels (8.511 vs. 6.432 µg/g creatinine, p = 0.038) were associated with greater risk of cognitive impairment (AD-8 ≥ 2). Statistical models adjusting for age, gender, and diabetes indicated that MEHP levels positively correlated with AD-8 scores, achieving statistical significance in more comprehensive models (β ± SE: 0.160 ± 0.076, p = 0.042). Logistic regression analysis underscored a significant positive association between high MEHP levels and higher AD-8 scores (odds ratio: 1.217, p = 0.006). Receiver operating characteristic curves highlighted the association of high MEHP levels and EDC exposure scores for significant cognitive impairment, with areas under the curve of 66.3% and 66.6%, respectively. Conclusion: Exposure to EDCs, specifically di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, the precursor to MEHP, may be associated with neurocognitive impairment in middle-aged and older adults. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Disease Risks and Toxic Pathway from Environmental Chemical Exposure)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 10777 KiB)

16 pages, 4602 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Age, Gender, and BMI Modulate the Hepatotoxic Effects of Brominated Flame Retardant Exposure in US Adolescents and Adults: A Comprehensive Analysis of Liver Injury Biomarkers

by Tingting Li, Wanjing Xu, Yue Zhang, Xueman Ding, Li Liu, Panpan Xu, Hengrui Xing, Yue Ma, Mulatibieke Keerman and Qiang Niu

Toxics 2024, 12(7), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12070509 - 15 Jul 2024

Viewed by 331

Abstract

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), commonly found in consumer products, have been identified as potential hazards to liver function. While the individual effects of specific BFRs are somewhat understood, there is limited evidence on how mixtures of these chemicals, especially when influenced by demographic [...] Read more.

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs), commonly found in consumer products, have been identified as potential hazards to liver function. While the individual effects of specific BFRs are somewhat understood, there is limited evidence on how mixtures of these chemicals, especially when influenced by demographic factors, interact to affect liver function. This study utilized data from 10,828 participants aged 12 and above from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2016) to investigate the associations between BFRs (both individually and in combinations) and biomarkers of liver injury. The study focused on how age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) modify modulate these effects. Multivariate linear regression, restricted cubic spline function, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and quantile g-computation (qgcomp) models were used to analyze the linear, non-linear, and joint associations between BFR levels and liver function parameters. We found positive associations between the mixed BFRs index and AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, and TBIL levels and a negative association with ALB levels. PBDE28, PBDE47, and PBB153 consistently contributed to the top weight in both the WQS and qgcomp models. Most critically, the study demonstrated that the relationship between co-exposure to BFRs and liver function parameters was modified by age, gender, and BMI. Therefore, our study highlights the importance of considering demographic diversity in assessing the risk of BFR-induced liver damage and supports the implementation of tailored preventive and intervention strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Disease Risks and Toxic Pathway from Environmental Chemical Exposure)

►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

9 pages, 1854 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA), a Glyphosate Metabolite, Decreases Plasma Cholinesterase Activity in Rats

by Jesús Chávez-Reyes, Fernando Saráchaga-Terrazas, Oliver Alejandro Colis-Arenas, Carlos H. López-Lariz, Carlos M. Villalón and Bruno A. Marichal-Cancino

J. Xenobiot. 2024, 14(2), 604-612; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox14020035 - 7 May 2024

Viewed by 1031

Abstract

Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, is linked to a plethora of deleterious effects in both clinical and preclinical studies. Nevertheless, the effects of its main metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), whose half-life in soil is even longer than that of glyphosate, have been little [...] Read more.

Glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, is linked to a plethora of deleterious effects in both clinical and preclinical studies. Nevertheless, the effects of its main metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), whose half-life in soil is even longer than that of glyphosate, have been little explored. On this basis, as a first approach, in this work, we report that intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of AMPA or glyphosate (at 10, 56, and 100 mg/kg) decreased, to a similar extent, plasma cholinesterase (ChE) activity in acutely exposed rats. Moreover, we designed an experimental protocol to analyze and compare the effects of AMPA and glyphosate on human plasma ChE activity; this protocol consisted of adding these compounds to human plasma to subsequently test the effects of this plasma on the contraction to acetylcholine (ACh) in the frog rectus abdominis muscle (an indirect estimate of ChE activity). Accordingly, this muscular contraction to ACh was evaluated before and after pre-incubation of ACh with (i) plasma alone, (ii) plasma with AMPA, and (iii) plasma with glyphosate. Our results indicate that AMPA, like glyphosate, decreased ChE activity in the plasma of rats (when given i.p.) and humans (when added in vitro), suggesting that both xenobiotics may exert similar toxicological effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Disease Risks and Toxic Pathway from Environmental Chemical Exposure)

►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

attachment

Supplementary material:
Supplementary File 1 (ZIP, 76 KiB)

12 pages, 297 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Air Pollution and Primary DNA Damage among Zagreb (Croatia) Residents: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Marko Gerić, Gordana Pehnec, Katarina Matković, Jasmina Rinkovec, Ivana Jakovljević, Ranka Godec, Silva Žužul, Ivan Bešlić, Ante Cvitković, Luka Delić, Pascal Wild, Irina Guseva Canu, Nancy B. Hopf and Goran Gajski

J. Xenobiot. 2024, 14(1), 368-379; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox14010023 - 13 Mar 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1166

Abstract

More than eight million premature deaths annually can be attributed to air pollution, with 99% of the world’s population residing in areas below recommended air quality standards. Hence, the present study aimed to examine the association between primary DNA damage and air pollution [...] Read more.

More than eight million premature deaths annually can be attributed to air pollution, with 99% of the world’s population residing in areas below recommended air quality standards. Hence, the present study aimed to examine the association between primary DNA damage and air pollution data among 123 participants enrolled between 2011 and 2015 in Zagreb, Croatia. While most measured air pollutants adhered to regulatory limits, benzo[a]pyrene concentrations bound to PM₁₀ exceeded them. Factorial analysis narrowed down air pollution data to four exposure factors (particulate matter, two metal factors, and other pollutants). Despite the absence of significant positive associations between modeled air pollution exposure factors and comet assay descriptors (tail length, tail intensity, tail moment, and highly damaged nuclei), the critical health implications of air pollution warrant further investigations, particularly with biomarkers of exposure and different biomarkers of effect in populations facing air pollution exposure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Disease Risks and Toxic Pathway from Environmental Chemical Exposure)

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Plain Text BibTeX BibTeX (without abstracts) Endnote Endnote (without abstracts) Tab-delimited RIS

 

Error

Oops... you haven't selected anything for export.

Ok

clear

Displaying articles 1-5