Environmental Protection Agency's National Research Articles

Estimating biotic integrity to capture existence value of freshwater ecosystems

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses a water quality index (WQI) to estimate benefits of proposed Clean Water Act regulations. The WQI is relevant to human use value, such as recreation, but may not fully capture aspects of nonuse value, such as existence value. Here, we identify an index of biological integrity to supplement the WQI in a forthcoming national stated preference survey that seeks to capture existence value of streams and lakes more accurately within the conterminous United States (CONUS). We used literature and focus group research to evaluate aquatic indices regularly reported by the EPA's National Aquatic Resource Surveys. We chose an index that quantifies loss in biodiversity as the observed-to-expected (O/E) ratio of taxonomic composition because focus group participants easily understood its meaning and the environmental changes that would result in incremental improvements. However, available datasets of this index do not provide the spatial coverage to account for how conditions near survey respondents affect their willingness to pay for its improvement. Therefore, we modeled and interpolated the values of this index from sampled sites to 1.1 million stream segments and 297,071 lakes across the CONUS to provide the required coverage. The models explained 13 to 36% of the variation in O/E scores and demonstrate how modeling can provide data at the required density for benefits estimation. We close by discussing future work to improve performance of the models and to link biological condition with water quality and habitat models that will allow us to forecast changes resulting from regulatory options.

Shifts in the composition of nitrogen deposition in the conterminous United States are discernable in stream chemistry

Across the conterminous United States (U.S.), the composition of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is changing spatially and temporally. Previously, deposition was dominated by oxidized N, but now reduced N (ammonia [NH3] + ammonium [NH4+]) is equivalent to oxidized N when deposition is averaged across the entire nation and, in some areas, reduced N dominates deposition. To evaluate if there are effects of this change on stream chemistry at the national scale, estimates of N deposition form (oxidized or reduced) from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program Total Deposition data were coupled with stream measurements from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Rivers and Streams Assessments (three stream surveys between 2000 and 2014). A recent fine-scaled N input inventory was used to identify watersheds (<1000 km2) where atmospheric deposition is the largest N source (n = 1906). Within these more atmospherically-influenced watersheds there was a clear temporal shift from a greater proportion of sites dominated by oxidized N deposition to a greater proportion of sites dominated by reduced forms of N deposition. We found a significant positive correlation between oxidized N deposition and stream NO3− concentrations, whereas the correlation between reduced N deposition and stream NO3− concentrations were significant but weaker. Sites dominated by atmospheric inputs of reduced N forms had higher stream total organic N and total N despite lower total N deposition on average. This higher stream concentration of total N is mainly driven by the higher concentration of total organic N, suggesting an interaction between elevated reduced N in deposition and living components of the ecosystem or soil organic matter dynamics. Regardless of the proportion of reduced to oxidized N forms in deposition, stream NH4+ concentrations were generally low, suggesting that N deposited in a reduced form is rapidly immobilized, nitrified and/or assimilated by watershed processes.

MOFs-based Fe@YAU-101/GCE electrochemical sensor platform for highly selective detecting trace multiplex heavy metal ions

The construction of sensors with specific recognition functions can easily, sensitively and efficiently detect heavy metal ions, which is a demand in the field of electrochemical sensing and an important topic in the detection of environmental pollutants. An electrochemical sensor based on MOFs composites was developed for sensing of multiplex metal ions. The large surface area, adjustable porosities and channels in MOFs facilitate successful loading of sufficient quantities highly active units. The active units and pore structures of MOFs are regulated and synergetic with each other to enhance the electrochemical activity of MOFs composites. Thus, the selectivity, sensitivity and reproducibility of MOFs composites have been improved. Fortunately, after characterization, Fe@YAU-101/GCE sensor with strong signal was successfully constructed. In the presence of target metal ions in solution, the Fe@YAU-101/GCE can efficiently and synchronously identify Hg2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+. The detection limits (LOD) are 6.67 × 10−10 M(Cd2+), 3.33 × 10−10 M(Pb2+) and 1.33 × 10−8 M (Hg2+), and are superior to the permissible limits set by the National Environmental Protection Agency. The electrochemical sensor is simple without sophisticated instrumentation and testing processes, hence promising for practical applications.

Simulation of Neighborhood‐Scale Air Quality With Two‐Way Coupled WRF‐CMAQ Over Southern Lake Michigan‐Chicago Region

AbstractThe southern Lake Michigan region of the United States, home to Chicago, Milwaukee, and other densely populated Midwestern cities, frequently experiences high pollutant episodes with unevenly distributed exposure and health burdens. Using the two‐way coupled Weather Research Forecast and Community Multiscale Air Quality Model (WRF‐CMAQ), we investigate criteria pollutants over a southern Lake Michigan domain using 1.3 and 4 km resolution hindcast simulations. We assess WRF‐CMAQ's performance using data from the National Climatic Data Center and Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System. Our 1.3 km simulation slightly improves on the 4 km simulation's meteorological and chemical performance while also resolving key details in areas of high exposure and impact, that is, urban environments. At 1.3 km, we find that most air quality‐relevant meteorological components of WRF‐CMAQ perform at or above community benchmarks. WRF‐CMAQ's chemical performance also largely meets community standards, with substantial nuance depending on the performance metric and component assessed. For example, hourly simulated NO2 and O3 are highly correlated with observations (r &gt; 0.6) while PM2.5 is less so (r = 0.4). Similarly, hourly simulated NO2 and PM2.5 have low biases (&lt;10%), whereas O3 biases are larger (&gt;30%). Simulated spatial pollutant patterns show distinct urban‐rural footprints, with urban NO2 and PM2.5 20%–60% higher than rural, and urban O3 6% lower. We use our 1.3 km simulations to resolve high‐pollution areas within individual urban neighborhoods and characterize seasonal changes in O3 regimes across tight spatial gradients. Our findings demonstrate both the benefits and limitations of high‐resolution simulations, particularly over urban settings.

Association of community walkability and glycemic control among pregnant individuals with pregestational diabetes mellitus

Neighborhood walkability is a community-level social determinant of health that measures whether people who live in a neighborhood walk as a mode of transportation. Whether neighborhood walkability is associated with glycemic control among pregnant individuals with pregestational diabetes remains to be defined. This study aimed to evaluate the association between community-level neighborhood walkability and glycemic control as measured by hemoglobin A1c (A1C) among pregnant individuals with pregestational diabetes. This was a retrospective analysis of pregnant individuals with pregestational diabetes enrolled in an integrated prenatal and diabetes care program from 2012 to 2016. Participant addresses were geocoded and linked at the census-tract level. The exposure was community walkability, defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency National Walkability Index (score range 1-20), which incorporates intersection density (design), proximity to transit stops (distance), and a mix of employment and household types (diversity). Individuals from neighborhoods that were the most walkable (score, 15.26-20.0) were compared with those from neighborhoods that were less walkable (score <15.26), as defined per national Environmental Protection Agency recommendations. The outcomes were glycemic control, including A1C <6.0% and <6.5%, measured both in early and late pregnancy, and mean change in A1C across pregnancy. Modified Poisson regression and linear regression were used, respectively, and adjusted for maternal age, body mass index at delivery, parity, race and ethnicity as a social determinant of health, insurance status, baseline A1C, gestational age at A1C measurement in early and late pregnancy, and diabetes type. Among 417 pregnant individuals (33% type 1, 67% type 2 diabetes mellitus), 10% were living in the most walkable communities. All 417 individuals underwent A1C assessment in early pregnancy (median gestational age, 9.7 weeks; interquartile range, 7.4-14.1), and 376 underwent another A1C assessment in late pregnancy (median gestational age, 30.4 weeks; interquartile range, 27.8-33.6). Pregnant individuals living in the most walkable communities were more likely to have an A1C <6.0% in early pregnancy (15% vs 8%; adjusted relative risk, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.16), and an A1C <6.5% in late pregnancy compared with those living in less walkable communities (13% vs 9%; adjusted relative risk, 1.33; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.63). For individuals living in the most walkable communities, the median A1C was 7.5 (interquartile range, 6.0-9.4) in early pregnancy and 5.9 (interquartile range, 5.4-6.4) in late pregnancy. For those living in less walkable communities, the median A1C was 7.3 (interquartile range, 6.2-9.2) in early pregnancy and 6.2 (interquartile range, 5.6-7.1) in late pregnancy. Change in A1C across pregnancy was not associated with walkability. Pregnant individuals with pregestational diabetes mellitus living in more walkable communities had better glycemic control in both early and late pregnancy. Whether community-level interventions to enhance neighborhood walkability can improve glycemic control in pregnancy requires further study.

Air Quality Integrated Assessment: Environmental Impacts, Risks and Human Health Hazards

The monitoring and evaluation of air quality is a topic of great global interest as, with the decline of air quality, there are negative effects on human health and ecosystems. Thus, the purpose of this paper was to evaluate the air quality over 11 years, in the period 2011–2021, in four cities in Romania, reported as most polluted, namely, Brasov, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, and Timisoara. Pollutants of interest included arsenic, carbon monoxide, and PM2.5. The measured concentrations of the selected pollutants were collected from the National Environmental Protection Agency public reports. The database considered the daily measurements for the selected pollutants, from three monitoring stations in each city so that the air quality and trends for the last 11 years and impact assessment could be developed. Therefore, the input data were statistically analyzed to identify the trends of air quality, and then, on this basis, the environmental impacts and risks and health hazards were quantified. High concentrations of PM2.5 were recorded for Iasi city, while for Timisoara city, significant concentrations of arsenic were reported. The results regarding the air quality aggregate index, air pollution index, and health hazard index were in the regular range, but in the case of sensitive, vulnerable targets such as children, they were triple compared to adults. The results show that the alert threshold value for PM2.5 was exceeded every year in all four cities, while in the case of Timisoara city, the arsenic air pollution proved to be at a significant level with a major risk for human health.

Pediatric Cancer in the Northeast United States-Letter.

To the Editor,Rees and colleagues (1) examined whether the pediatric cancer rate in the Northeast region is higher than in other regions of the United States. In June 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report indicating that New Hampshire's (NH) pediatric cancer rate is the highest in the United States (2). The NH Department of Health and Human Services determined that the pediatric incidence rate of two rare cancers was significantly higher than expected in a five-town area of NH (3). Understanding whether cancer rates are significantly higher in any particular region and/or state is an important component of identifying and modifying causal risk factors.Rees and colleagues concluded that the pediatric cancer rate in the Northeast region is statistically significantly higher than in other regions. Furthermore, they conclude that the causal risk factor(s) for NH pediatric cancers are likely regional, not localized, deemphasizing environmental contributors while noting that NH and the northeast region have more United States Environmental Protection Agency National Priorities List sites per capita than other regions of the United States.While we are grateful for the attention to the alarming CDC report, we take strong issue with the conclusions drawn by the authors. The hypothesis did not test whether the NH pediatric cancer rate is different than other states within the Northeast region or whether the regional cancer rate is driven primarily by NH. The conclusions in this article are an overextension of the analysis and are a disservice to the important task of identifying and modifying localized causal risk factors for cancer prevention.A significantly elevated regional risk of pediatric cancer in the Northeast is a valuable finding and one piece of a larger puzzle of data analysis and interpretation. The high incidence rate in the Northeast and NH demands further investigation. There are many contextual effects of pediatric cancers to explore; there are also geographic community-level exposures that potentially contribute to an increased risk of cancer [e.g., perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-contaminated drinking water and air]. The authors have access to individual-level data which would facilitate analysis of possible community-level contextual effects contributing to elevated cancer risk. For example, we recently found an elevated risk of several types of cancer in a community with known PFAS contamination in groundwater (4).Finally, it is worth noting that the authors used a Bonferroni correction to avoid type 1 error, in which the null hypothesis is rejected for spurious associations resulting from multiple comparisons. A conservative alpha of 0.01, rather than the standard alpha of 0.05, was used to assess statistical significance. Biostatisticians debate the necessity of conservative alphas, given large adjustments to avoid a type 1 error increase the likelihood of a type 2 error, where meaningful group differences are missed. We suggest a more prudent approach rather than one that risks an unwarranted trade-off in the likelihood of type 1 and 2 errors. In fact, the CDC used a 95% confidence interval when they determined that the pediatric cancer rate in NH is the highest in the nation.A full and transparent assessment of the environmental and public health damage is an essential step in that process since most cancer diagnoses could be prevented by minimizing environmental causes (5). The field would be well served by using resources to inspect internal surveillance, policies, and regulations to prevent environmental exposure and focus attention and resources on prevention and mitigation. We sincerely hope that Rees and colleagues, and others, direct resources to identifying and modifying localized factors contributing to cancers while focusing on prevention. We owe it to NH children who experience the highest risk of pediatric cancer in the nation.See the Response, p. 150No disclosures were reported.

Neighborhood Emission Mapping Operation (NEMO): A 1-km anthropogenic emission dataset in the United States

We present an unprecedented effort to map anthropogenic emissions of air pollutants at 1 km spatial resolution in the contiguous United States (CONUS). This new dataset, Neighborhood Emission Mapping Operation (NEMO), is produced at hourly intervals based on the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) National Emission Inventories 2017. Fine-scale spatial allocation was achieved through distributing the emission sources using 108 spatial surrogates, factors representing the portion of a source in each 1 km grid. Gaseous and particulate pollutants are speciated into model species for the Carbon Bond 6 chemical mechanism. All sources are grouped in 9 sectors and stored in NetCDF format for air quality models, and in shapefile format for GIS users and air quality managers. This dataset shows good consistency with the USEPA benchmark dataset, with a monthly difference in emissions less than 0.03% for any sector. NEMO provides the first 1 km mapping of air pollution over the CONUS, enabling new applications such as fine-scale air quality modeling, air pollution exposure assessment, and environmental justice studies.

Air Pollution and Maximum Temperature Are Associated with Neurodevelopmental Regressive Events in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Neurodevelopmental regression (NDR) is an enigmatic event associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during which a child loses previously acquired skills and develops ASD symptoms. In some, a trigger which precedes the NDR event, such as a fever, can be identified, but in many cases no trigger is obvious. We hypothesize that air pollution (PM2.5) may trigger NDR, especially in those children without an identified trigger. Average daily PM2.5, ozone, precipitation and maximum temperature (Tmax) were derived from Environmental Protection Agency models and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration monitors based on zip-code information from 83 ASD participants during the six-weeks following the onset month of an NDR event and a reference period defined as one year before and one year after the event. Seasonally adjusted logistic regression (LR) and linear mixed models (LMM) compared cases (with a history of NDR) and matched controls (without a history of NDR). LR models found that the risk of NDR was related to higher PM2.5 during 3 to 6 weeks of the NDR event period, particularly in those without a trigger. Overall, both models converged on NDR being related to a higher PM2.5 and lower Tmax both during the NDR event period as well as the reference period, particularly in those without a known trigger. This temporal pattern suggests that environmental triggers, particularly PM2.5, could be related to NDR, especially in those without an identifiable trigger. Further studies to determine the underlying biological mechanism of this observation could help better understand NDR and provide opportunities to prevent NDR.

Associations of maternal anthropometrics with newborn anogenital distance and the 2:4 digit ratio.

Are maternal anthropometrics associated with anogenital distance (AGD) and 2:4 digit ratio (2:4D) in newborns? Select maternal anthropometrics indicative of obesity or increased adiposity are associated with elongated AGD in daughters. Excessive maternal weight or adiposity before or in early pregnancy may impact child reproductive, and other hormonally mediated, development. AGD and 2:4D are proposed markers of in utero reproductive development. This study includes 450 mother/newborn dyads participating in the Illinois Kids Development Study (I-KIDS), a prospective pregnancy cohort from Champaign-Urbana, IL, USA. Participants included in the current study enrolled between 2013 and 2018. Most mothers in this study were college-educated (82%) and non-Hispanic White (80%), and 55% were under- or normal weight before pregnancy. Pregnant women aged 18-40 years reported pre-pregnancy weight and height to calculate pre-pregnancy BMI. At 8-15 weeks gestation, we measured waist and hip circumference, and evaluated weight, % body fat, visceral fat level, % muscle and BMI using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Within 24 h of birth, we measured newborn 2nd and 4th left/right digits to calculate the 2:4D. In daughters, we measured AGDAF (anus to fourchette) and AGDAC (anus to clitoris). In sons, we measured AGDAS (anus to scrotum) and AGDAP (anus to base of the penis). Select maternal anthropometrics were positively associated with AGD in newborn daughters, but not sons. For example, AGDAC was 0.73 mm (95% CI: 0.15, 1.32) longer for every interquartile range (IQR) increase in pre-pregnancy BMI and 0.88 mm (95% CI: 0.18, 1.58) longer for every IQR increase in hip circumference, whereas AGDAF was 0.51 mm (95% CI: 0.03, 1.00) and 0.56 mm (95% CI: 0.03, 1.09) longer for every IQR increase in hip and waist circumference, respectively. Quartile analyses generally supported linear associations, but additional strong associations emerged in Q4 (versus Q1) of maternal % body fat and visceral fat levels with AGDAC. In quartile analyses, we observed only a few modest associations of maternal anthropometrics with 2:4D, which differed by hand (left versus right) and newborn sex. Although there is always the possibility of spurious findings, the associations for both measures of female AGD were consistent across multiple maternal anthropometric measures, which strengthens our conclusions. Our study sample was racially and ethnically homogenous, educated and relatively healthy, so our study may not be generalizable to other populations. Additionally, we may not have been powered to identify some sex-specific associations, especially for 2:4D. Increased maternal weight and adiposity before and in early pregnancy may lengthen the female AGD, which warrants further investigation. This publication was made possible by the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences (NIH/NIEHS) grants ES024795 and ES022848, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant R03HD100775, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant RD83543401 and National Institute of Health Office of the Director grant OD023272. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the grantee and do not necessarily represent the official views of the US EPA or NIH. Furthermore, the US EPA does not endorse the purchase of any commercial products or services mentioned in the publication. This project was also supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and Michigan AgBioResearch. The authors declare no competing interests. N/A.

Exposures to low-levels of fine particulate matter are associated with acute changes in heart rate variability, cardiac repolarization, and circulating blood lipids in coronary artery disease patients

Exposure to air pollution is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, disease risk factors, and mortality. Specifically, particulate matter (PM), and to some extent ozone, are contributors to these effects. In addition, exposures to these pollutants may be especially dangerous for susceptible populations. In this repeated-visit panel study, cardiovascular markers were collected from thirteen male participants with stable coronary artery disease. For 0–4 days prior to the health measurement collections, daily concentrations of fine PM (PM2.5) and ozone were obtained from local central monitoring stations located near the participant's homes. Then, single (PM2.5) and two-pollutant (PM2.5 and ozone) models were used to assess whether there were short-term changes in cardiovascular health markers. Per interquartile range increase in PM2.5, there were decrements in several heart rate variability metrics, including the standard deviation of the normal-to-normal intervals (lag 3, -5.8%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −11.5, 0.3) and root-mean squared of successive differences (five day moving average, −8.1%, 95% CI = −15.0, −0.7). In addition, increases in PM2.5 were also associated with changes in P complexity (lag 1, 4.4%, 95% CI = 0.5, 8.5), QRS complexity (lag 1, 4.9%, 95% CI = 1.4, 8.5), total cholesterol (five day moving average, −2.1%, 95% CI = −4.1, −0.1), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (lag 2, -1.6%, 95% CI = −3.1, −0.1). Comparisons to our previously published work on ozone were conducted. We found that ozone affected inflammation and endothelial function, whereas PM2.5 influenced heart rate variability, repolarization, and lipids. All the health changes from these two studies were found at concentrations below the United States Environmental Protection Agency's National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Our results imply clear differences in the cardiovascular outcomes observed with exposure to the two ubiquitous air pollutants PM2.5 and ozone; this observation suggests different mechanisms of toxicity for these exposures.

How Should Vehicle Miles Traveled Displaced by E-Scooter Trips be Calculated?

A dominant practice in assessing mode shift for scooter sharing is to survey scooter riders on what transportation mode they otherwise would have taken. Trip share displacing car modes and average scooter trip distance are common metrics used to support calculations like vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and emissions reductions. This practice assumes a 1:1 relationship between trip and mile replacement, implying no relationship between mode replaced and scooter trip distance. In our study, we test this assumption. An in-app end of trip survey was answered by nearly 12,000 e-scooter riders using Spin e-scooter sharing in four U.S. cities: San Francisco, Tampa, Washington D.C., and Portland. Trip GPS breadcrumb distance was linked to survey responses, enabling scooter distance traveled to be calculated by mode displaced. We calculate scooter distance share and average trip distance conditional on mode displaced for scooter trips that displaced personal car, taxi, and transportation network company trips as alternative metrics to trip share and average trip distance, respectively. To account for the effects of built environment, we cluster scooter trips on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Walkability Index for trip start location. We find that across cities and walkability index clusters, the conventional trip share and average trip distance metrics consistently overestimate walk-mode shift and underestimate car VMT displacement by e-scooter use. To ensure an accurate representation of mode shift, we recommend that cities, operators, and researchers report average trip distance conditional on mode displaced or scooter distance share. The mode shift observed across the four cities in this study, for example, revealed that about one-third of the distance travelled by scooters displaced car VMT.

Case Study of the Evidence of PM1&amp; PM2.5 Contribution on PM10 from Podul De Piatra– Iasi City

Abstract The importance of air quality monitoring has been strongly demonstrated in numerous scientific studies. This study, carried out in an intense circular intersection, brings additional arguments that the monitoring of the fine particles like PM1 and PM2.5 that influence in more than 80% the concentration of PM10 particles must be measured at several points. Few were the cases [approx. 20%] in which the increase of PM10 concentrations is given by particles with diameters from 2.5 to 10 μm, most likely caused by the re-suspension of dust particles. Grimm Aerosol Technik Germany and SC INOESY SRL conducted a campaign for monitoring the air quality [PM1, PM2.5, PM10] in Iasi, Stone Bridge area, from 8 to 22 February 2018. The monitoring point was located close (150 m) to the APMIS-01 station of the National Environmental Protection Agency.

Trends of Ground-Level Ozone in New York City Area during 2007–2017

The spatiotemporal patterns of ground level ozone (O3) concentrations in the New York City (NYC) metropolitan region for the 2007–2017 period were examined conjointly with local emissions of O3 precursors and the frequency of wildfires. Daily 8-h and 1-h O3 and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations were retrieved from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Air Data. Annual emission inventories for 2008 and 2017 were acquired from EPA National Emissions Inventory (NEI). The number and area burnt by natural and human-ignited wildfires were acquired from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The highest daily 8-h max O3 concentrations varied from 90 to 111 parts per billion volume (ppbv) with the highest concentrations measured perimetrically to NYC urban agglomeration. The monthly 8-h max O3 levels have been declining for most of the peri-urban sites but increasing (from +0.18 to +1.39 ppbv/year) for sites within the urban agglomeration. Slightly higher O3 concentrations were measured during weekend than those measured during the weekdays in urban sites probably due to reduced O3 titration by NO. Significant reductions of locally emitted anthropogenic nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may have triggered the transition from VOC-limited to NOX-limited conditions, with downwind VOCs sources being critically important. Strong correlations between the monthly 8-h max O3 concentrations and wildfires in Eastern US were computed. More and destructive wildfires in the region were ignited by lightning for years with moderate and strong La Niña conditions. These findings indicate that climate change may counterbalance current and future gains on O3 precursor’s reductions by amending the VOCs-to-NOx balance.

Association of endocrine disrupting chemicals levels in serum, environmental risk factors, and hepatic function among 5- to 14-year-old children

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) might increase the risk of childhood diseases by disrupting hormone-mediated processes that are critical for growth and development during childhood, however, the association among the exposure level of EDCs such as Nonylphenol (NP), Bisphenol A (BPA), Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) in children and environmental risk factors, as well as hepatic function has not been elaborated. This study aimed to discuss this interesting relationship among NP, BPA, DMP concentrations in serum, environmental risk factors, hepatic function of 5- to 14-year-old children in industrial zone, residential zone and suburb in northern district of Guizhou Province, China. In Zunyi city, 1006 children participated in cross-sectional health assessments from July to August 2018, and their parents completed identical questionnaires on the environmental risk factors of EDCs exposure to mothers and children. Serum NP, BPA and DMP concentrations were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), AST/ALT, total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL) and indirect bilirubin (IBIL) were detected with automatic biochemical analyzer. The median concentrations of serum NP, BPA, and DMP in the participants were 45.85 ng/mL, 26.31 ng/mL and 31.62 ng/mL, respectively, which were higher than the environmental concentration limits of the U.S. National Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Hair gels used during pregnancy, types of domestic drinking water, nail polish and cosmetics used by children were significantly positive correlated with serum NP concentration (P < 0.05). Gender, feeding pattern, plastic water cup used during pregnancy, hair spray and perfume use for children, duration of children birth, materials for baby bottle or cup and ways to plastic products were significantly positively correlated with serum BPA concentration (P < 0.05). Gender, perms used during pregnancy, hair spray and perfume use for children, using plastic lunch box during pregnancy, duration of children birth, exposure to pesticides, parents’ occupations were significantly positively correlated with serum DMP concentrations (P < 0.05). Serum NP (β = 0.296, P = 0.036) and DMP (β = 0.316, P = 0.026) concentrations and TBIL level were significantly positively correlated. Serum NP concentration and the levels of IBIL (β = 0.382, P = 0.006) are significantly positively correlated. Cosmetics used during pregnancy significantly increased AST level (β = 2.641, P = 0.021). There was a positive correlation between the frequency of hair spray and perfume use for children and the AST (β = 4.241, P = 0.022). NP, BPA and DMP, which were commonly detected in the serum of children aged 5−14 years old in Zunyi City, Northern Guizhou Province, China, were closely related to the environmental risk factors of exposure environment during pregnancy, infancy and school age. Exposure to NP, BPA and DMP would have negative effects on hepatic function, and these effects showed differences in gender and geographical location. Notably,The relationships were more evident in girls than in boys.

Utilizing nanoscale particulate matter from the combustion of diesel fuels as a carbonaceous anode electrode for Li-ion batteries

According to the Environmental Protection Agency's National Emissions Inventory Report, hundreds of thousands of tons of particulate matter (PM2.5) are released by diesel combustion per year (Enviromental Protection Agency 2020; Hammer et al., 2020). The toxic PM2.5 air pollution causes serious public health problems and is responsible for millions of worldwide deaths each year (Apte et al., 2015). In this study, we investigate the electrochemical energy storage capability of annealed soot PM originating from diesel exhaust. Soot composite electrodes were utilized as anode electrodes and cycled against Li counter electrodes. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy showed the graphitized carbon structure of the annealed soot particles. The cycle life and rate capability of the electrodes were investigated via galvanostatic cycling tests. The electrodes exhibited excellent rate performance with discharge capacities of 235, 195, 150, 120, and 80 mAh/g when cycled at rates of 1C, 2C, 5C, 10C, and 20C, respectively. The electrode demonstrated an initial discharge capacity of 154 mAh/g at a 4C rate with a capacity retention of almost 77% after 500 cycles. Raman analysis confirms the retention of structural ordering in the soot carbon after 500 cycles. Kinetic analysis, obtained through cyclic voltammetry at different scan rates, indicates pseudocapacitive charging behavior in the soot composite electrode. Our study provides a viable pathway towards a sustainable energy environment by converting an abundant toxic pollutant into a valuable electrode material for Li-ion batteries.

Systematic Review of Ozone Effects on Human Lung Function, 2013 Through 2020

BackgroundOzone effects on lung function are particularly important to understand in the context of the air pollution-health outcomes epidemiologic literature, given the complex relationships between ozone and other air pollutants with known lung function effects.Research QuestionWhat has been learned about the association between ozone exposures and lung function from epidemiology studies published from 2013 through 2020?Study Design and MethodsOn March 18, 2018, and September 8, 2020, PubMed was searched using the terms health AND ozone, filtering to articles in English and about humans, from 2013 or later. An additional focused review searching for ozone AND (lung function OR FEV1OR FVC) was performed June 26, 2021. Articles were selected for this review if they reported a specific relationship between a lung function outcome and ozone exposure.ResultsOf 3,271 articles screened, 53 ultimately met criteria for inclusion. A systematic review with assessment of potential for bias was conducted, but a meta-analysis was not carried out because of differences in exposure duration and outcome quantification. Consistent evidence exists of small decreases in children’s lung function, even associated with very low levels of short-term ozone exposure. The effects on adult lung function from exposure to low-level, short-term ozone are less clear, although ozone-associated decrements may occur in the elderly. Finally, long-term ozone exposure decreases both lung function and lung function growth in children, although few new studies have examined long-term ozone and lung function in adults.InterpretationMuch of this literature involves concentrations below the current US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 70 parts per billion over an 8-h averaging time, suggesting that this current standard may not protect children adequately from ozone-related decrements in lung function.

Technical Challenges of Utilizing Ground Tire Rubber in Asphalt Pavements in the United States.

At least 275 million scrap tires exist in stockpiles in the U.S. The practice of dumping scrap tires in landfills has been an environmental concern. To address this concern, many industries—and regional and national environmental protection agencies—have taken major initiatives to recycle scrap tires. One of the major uses of recycled scrap tires is in crumb rubber products, including rubberized asphalt. Rubberized asphalt is produced by blending ground tire rubber with asphalt to beneficially modify its properties for highway construction. The ground tire rubber (GTR) can be used either as part of the asphalt rubber binder (also known as asphalt rubber), seal coat, cap seal spray, joint and crack sealant or as substitute aggregate (rubber-modified asphalt concrete). Therefore, the largest single market for GTR is asphalt rubber, which consumes approximately 12 million tires, annually. Currently, several Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in the U.S. do not allow use of GTR in asphalt mixes. This is partly due to lack of information, laboratory test data and specifications or special provisions on the use of GTR in asphalt pavements. The current study was undertaken to summarize the available wealth of knowledge, identify research needs, and document the major findings of previous pertinent studies focused on GTR use in asphalt. Significant study findings—consisting of laboratory test results, field observations, and common practices—were documented, including: the use of GTR in asphalt mixes, wet and dry processes, characterization of hot mix asphalt (HMA) containing GTR and GTR performance when combined with virgin materials. In order to promote successful use of GTR, it is imperative to help DOTs develop specifications/special provisions for utilizing rubberized asphalt by collecting data, common practices and specifications utilized by other state DOTs. As a part of this effort, we conducted a survey of construction specifications used by different DOTs that currently allow the use of GTR in asphalt. Since some DOT practices are not readily available in the open literature, this survey proved to be an effective tool for gathering data on the current practices, methods and specifications associated with DOT use of GTR in asphalt pavement.

MiADMSA abrogates sodium tungstate-induced oxidative stress in rats

Tungsten (W) and its compounds have emerged as a relatively new area of environmental health concern in the last decade. Tungsten is environmentally benign due to its increasing use in armour-piercing munitions and as a replacement for lead in other ammunition. It has also been identified in various hazardous waste sites and therefore been proposed for inclusion in the Environmental Protection Agency National Priorities List. The major objective of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of orally administered monoisoamyl 2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (MiADMSA) against tungstate induced oxidative injury in blood, liver and kidneys of male Wistar rats. MiADMSA, a thiol chelator has gained wide recognition recently as a future chelating drug of choice specifically for arsenic and was chosen for this study as tungstate ions too have an affinity toward the –SH group thus, being less bioavailable in the body. We determined the effects of MiADMSA (50 mg/kg, p.o.) against sodium tungstate (500 ppm in drinking water, daily for 28 days) induced biochemical changes indicative of oxidative stress in blood, and other soft tissues of of male Wistar rats. Tungsten exposure led to an increased levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in liver, kidney, spleen and blood accompanied also by an increase in TBARS levels. The GSH: GSSG ratio also showed a decrease on sodium tungstate intoxication. Treatment with MiADMSA restored most of the sodium tungstate-induced alterations in the biomarkers suggestive of oxidative stress. These preliminary results led us to conclude that sub-acute exposure to tungstate-induced oxidative stress could be effectively reduced by the administration of MiADMSA and thus might be a promising antidote for studying in detail its efficacy in reducing body tungstate burden and its excretion post tungstate exposure.

Ambient Air Pollution and Mortality among Older Patients Initiating Maintenance Dialysis

Background: Fine particulate matter (particulate matter with diameter <2.5 µm [PM_2.5]) is associated with CKD progression and may impact the health of patients living with kidney failure. While older (aged ≥65 years) adults are most vulnerable to the impact of PM_2.5, it is unclear whether older patients on dialysis are at elevated risk of mortality when exposed to fine particulate matter. Methods: Older adults initiating dialysis (2010–2016) were identified from US Renal Data System (USRDS). PM_2.5 concentrations were obtained from NASA’s Socioeconomic Data and Application Center (SEDAC) Global Annual PM_2.5 Grids. We investigated the association between PM_2.5 and all-cause mortality using Cox proportional hazard models with linear splines [knot at the current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Ambient Air Quality Standard for PM_2.5 of 12 μg/m³] and robust variance. Results: For older dialysis patients who resided in areas with high PM_2.5, a 10 μg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 was associated with 1.16-fold (95% CI: 1.08–1.25) increased risk of mortality; furthermore, those who were female (aHR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.13–1.42), Black (aHR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.09–1.59), or had diabetes as a primary cause of kidney failure (aHR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.13–1.38) were most vulnerable to high PM_2.5. While the mortality risk associated with PM_2.5 was stronger at higher levels (aHR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.08–1.32), at lower levels (≤12 μg/m³), PM_2.5 was significantly associated with mortality risk (aHR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.00–1.07) among patients aged ≥75 years (P_{slope difference} = 0.006). Conclusions: Older adults initiating dialysis who resided in ZIP codes with PM_2.5 levels >12 μg/m³ are at increased risk of mortality. Those aged >75 were at elevated risk even at levels below the EPA Standard for PM_2.5.