Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Humberto Parada, Tarik Benmarhnia, Lawrence S. Engel, Xuezheng Sun, Chiu-Kit Tse, Eunha Hoh, Andrew F. Olshan, Melissa A. Troester
Summary: The study found that exposure to PCB mixtures may increase the risk of breast cancer, with a stronger association in Black women and further research on populations with different exposure profiles is needed.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Moala K. Bannavti, Rachel F. Marek, Craig L. Just, Keri C. Hornbuckle
Summary: In order to reconcile federal and state regulations for PCB concentrations, the relationship between surface emissions and airborne concentrations needs to be characterized. We found that PCB emissions from flooring materials accurately predicted the magnitude and distribution of PCBs in room air.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Iqra Aslam, Mujtaba Baqar, Abdul Qadir, Mehvish Mumtaz, Jun Li, Gan Zhang
Summary: This study conducted a pioneer assessment of PCBs in indoor dust particles from air conditioners in a South Asian urbanized megacity, revealing that tri- and tetra-PCBs were the dominant homologues, accounting for 57.36% of total PCB concentrations. Spatial variation showed higher PCB concentrations near illegal waste burning spots, electrical locomotive workshops, and grid stations. Health risk assessment indicated that toddlers were vulnerable to high cancer risk from PCB exposure through all three routes, while adults faced low to moderate levels of risk.
Article
Ecology
Abiodun Oyewumi Apata, Isaac Ayodele Ololade, Bosede Adenike Alabi, Oluwaranti Olubunmi Ololade
Summary: In this study, sediment samples from major rivers in southwestern Nigeria were analyzed to investigate the seasonal distribution, transport, and ecological risk assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The results showed variations in PCB concentrations between the dry and wet seasons, with 2,2',4,5,5'-PeCB(#101) as the predominant congener. Risk assessment using different indicators indicated potential ecological risks associated with PCB contamination in the rivers.
REGIONAL STUDIES IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Heidelore Fiedler, Ike van der Veen, Jacob de Boer
Summary: In the two rounds of UNEP-coordinated assessments of POPs laboratories, participation varied across global regions with different levels of analytical capacity, particularly limited in Africa and Central and Eastern European countries, but increasing in Latin America. Laboratories using gas chromatographs coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometers had the best results, but encountered challenges with human milk and fish samples in the last round, indicating a need for improved performance, especially at low concentrations in foodstuffs.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peiwen Li, Yali Xu, Zhaoyang Li, Xu Cheng, Chengyong Jia, Shiyang Zhang, Jun An, Xin Zhang, Yan Yan, Meian He
Summary: This study investigated the association between polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) exposure and incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as well as the relationship between PCBs and 5-year fasting blood glucose (FBG) changes. The results showed significant associations between non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) and higher T2DM incidence, as well as positive associations between NDL-PCBs and changes in FBG. It was concluded that PCBs increased T2DM incidence through lipid metabolic pathways.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Li-Hsuan Wang, Li-Ru Chen, Kuo-Hu Chen
Summary: Xenoestrogens (XEs) are substances that mimic endogenous estrogens to affect physiological functions, either synthetic or natural, with endocrine disrupting properties. While XEs may be associated with reproductive disorders and congenital malformations, they are more likely to exhibit tissue-specific and non-genomic actions at relatively low estrogen concentrations.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Cristian Suarez-Oubina, Ivan Alvarez-Freire, Pamela Cabarcos, Ana Maria Bermejo, Pilar Bermejo-Barrera, Antonio Moreda-Pineiro
Summary: The global market for new psychoactive substances (NPSs) is expanding, and the availability of drugs is increasing. Synthetic cannabinoids (SCRAs) are the largest group of NPSs and are often overlooked in illegal drug market control and toxicological-forensic analysis. Membrane-assisted solvent extraction (MASE) has been proposed as a method for extracting SCRAs from urine samples. The method was validated and found to be selective and sensitive, with low limits of quantification (LOQs).
ANALYTICAL METHODS
(2023)
Review
Toxicology
Jens Rengelshausen, Isabella Randerath, Thomas Schettgen, Andre Esser, Andrea Kaifie, Jessica Lang, Thomas Kraus, Patrick Ziegler
Summary: After detecting high PCB exposure in a German recycling company, the HELPcB program was established to investigate potential health effects of PCB exposure through a longitudinal study. More than 300 individuals were enrolled and various assessments were conducted. The program yielded new data on adverse effects of PCB exposure in humans and potential mechanisms. Larger studies are needed to confirm the results and establish causality between PCB exposure and clinical effects in humans.
ARCHIVES OF TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Amelia K. Wesselink, Birgit Claus Henn, Victoria Fruh, Olivia R. Orta, Jennifer Weuve, Russ Hauser, Paige L. Williams, Michael D. McClean, Andreas Sjodin, Traci N. Bethea, Theodore M. Brasky, Donna D. Baird, Lauren A. Wise
Summary: In a prospective cohort study of reproductive-aged Black women in Detroit, plasma PCB concentrations typical of the general population were not significantly associated with an increased risk of fibroids over a 5-year period. The study found little association between PCB concentrations and fibroid incidence, with no notable variations based on hormonal activity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Francesco Donato, Marco Moneda, Nazario Portolani, Angelo Rossini, Sarah Molfino, Silvia Ministrini, Giovanni Battista Contessi, Silvia Pesenti, Giuseppe De Palma, Alice Gaia, Elena Zanardini, Claudio Vito Sileo, Michele Magoni
Summary: This study investigated the association between PCB serum levels and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a PCB-polluted area. The results suggest that PCBs may play a role in the development of HCC.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Thomas Schettgen, Andre Esser, Anne Alt, Isabella Randerath, Thomas Kraus, Patrick Ziegler
Summary: This study investigated the internal exposure of employees in a German silicone rubber facility to decomposition products of 2,4-dichlorobenzoyl peroxide. The results showed a considerable uptake of these products in workers from all work areas, with individual levels depending on the work task. The presence of carcinogenic PCBs in the samples raises concerns for the workers' additional exposure to these substances.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hongyu Dang, Jessica M. Ewald, Timothy E. Mattes
Summary: This research used genome-resolved metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses to investigate the ecology of dehalogenating microbial communities, revealing interactions and support between Dehalococcoides and other microorganisms.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lili Long, Xinghua Tang
Summary: This study investigated the association between exposure to organochlorine pesticides and hearing loss in adults, finding a positive correlation between exposure to certain organochlorine pesticides and hearing loss.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kamila Sredlova, Tomas Cajthaml
Summary: PCBs, despite being restricted in the 1970s, remain hazardous contaminants due to their bioaccumulative and persistent nature. Remediation of historically contaminated matrices is challenging and requires a combination of different techniques and approaches.
