Environmental Research Program Research Articles

Empowering Indigenous-Led Contaminant Monitoring through Collaborative Partnerships and Two-Way Capacity Sharing

Climate-driven landscape change, legacy waste and ongoing infrastructural investment are leading to concerns about contaminant release in Arctic Indigenous and Local communities. Sustainable development that considers threats posed by accelerating environmental change requires accessible, appropriate, and sustained environmental data to inform strategic decision-making. Collaborative partnerships and capacity sharing are necessary to promote resilient and sustainable environmental monitoring approaches, however effective collaboration has been hindered by mismatches in priorities and timelines between communities and research programs. We outline the development and later evolution of a community-based environmental research program focused on monitoring contamination threats posed by legacy infrastructure sourced from industry, transportation and domestic waste sites. Capacities and insights from diverse knowledge systems guided each stage of our research approach. Reflections provided by an Indigenous and non-Indigenous Early Career Researcher (ECR) share insights into different aspects of the research process. We highlight how cross-cultural partnerships and capacity sharing have enabled evolving and reflexive community-based contaminant monitoring. Our approach facilitates a structural shift from collaborative monitoring with external analysis to autonomous monitoring that supports equity in research outcomes. Appropriately considered and resourced co-development at regular points of the research process has been critical to developing a complete and effective Indigenous-led research project.

Air quality, chemical mixtures, and local governance: findings from a national environmental health research program in Colombia

Air quality, chemical mixtures, and local governance: findings from a national environmental health research program in Colombia

Novel Nanocatalysts for Simultaneous Ammonia Oxidation and Nitrate Reduction

Throughout recent years, nitrate reduction to ammonia has gained popularity in the scientific world to produce a carbon-free fuel [1]. However, research has primarily focused on low-concentration nitrate reduction, specifically for wastewater remediation. High-concentration effluents, such as ANSOL (Ammonium Nitrate), have emerged as a significant waste byproduct and a threat [2], with explosive characteristics and increasing production rates over the years [3]. This research seeks solutions to incorporate onsite waste treatment for generating electrical power, emphasizing the integration of waste streams as a distinctive opportunity. The integration aims to facilitate both power generation and the provision of clean water, with a focus on developing prototype systems designed to convert challenging Department of Defense (DoD) waste streams containing ANSOL into usable fuels for onsite energy generation.In this presentation, results from two distinct systems employing nanoparticle catalysts for the reduction of nitrates to ammonia, while simultaneously oxidizing ammonia to nitrogen and hydrogen, are discussed. This is particularly relevant in the presence of a high concentration of ammonium nitrate in waste (>0.5 M) with industrially relevant electrochemical performance (>300 mA/cm2 with Faradaic Efficiencies higher than 50%). The initial approach involves the integration of CuNi/C and Pt3Ir/C catalysts for reduction and oxidation, respectively [4]. The subsequent approach underscores pulsed electrodeposition of CuNi [5] for nanoparticle synthesis in the reduction process, coupled with the use of Pt3Ir/C catalyst for oxidation. The effect of different applied potentials was studied for the conversion of NO3 - to NH3 and subsequent H2 production. Electrode stability and process integration were investigated.[1] Kani, N. C., Nguyen, N. H. L., Markel, K., Bhawnani, R. R., Shindel, B., Sharma, K., Kim, S., Dravid, V. P., Berry, V., Gauthier, J. A., Singh, M. R., “Electrochemical Reduction of Nitrates on CoO Nanoclusters-Functionalized Graphene with Highest Mass Activity and Nearly 100% Selectivity to Ammonia,” Adv. Energy Mater. 2023, 13, 2204236.[2] United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Environmental Protection Agency, "Chemical Advisory: Safe Storage, Handling, and Management of Solid Ammonium Nitrate Prills," EPA 550-F-15-001, June 2015.[3] Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) and Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP), "Conversion of Ammonium Nitrate Solutions to Useful Products," SERDP and ESTCP Website, April 5, 2021. [Online].[4] Hariri, M.B., and Botte, G.G., "Simultaneous Removal of Ammonia and Nitrate from Wastewater Using a Pulse Electrolysis Technique," Journal of The Electrochemical Society 170.5. 2023.[5] I. Baskaran, T.S.N. Sankara Narayanan, and A. Stephen, "Pulsed electrodeposition of nanocrystalline Cu–Ni alloy films and evaluation of their characteristic properties," Materials Letters, vol. 60, no. 16, pp. 1990-1995, July 2006.

The EMPOWER program: a history and guide for increasing diversity using integrated research and education.

The prevalence and pervasive nature of emerging chemicals of concern have created widespread environmental injustice apprehensions in vulnerable communities. To alleviate and address these concerns, identifying, engaging, and training a diverse environmental health research workforce will be critical and necessary steps to combat and prevent the consequences of environmental injustice. While there is an obvious need to enhance diversity in environmental health research, this process is hampered by facets of systemic racism that reduce access to educational resources needed to build interest and knowledge in students and teachers. We present here a historical perspective to offer a guide for building programs and relationships with underserved schools to help overcome limiting factors that have plagued certain public school systems. With the proper training and mentorship, the untapped workforce present within these schools will be empowered to understand and address current and emerging environmental health and safety threats. Through this transformative 8-week high school research program, we will develop well-prepared, ethical researchers committed to scientific inquiry, intensive fieldwork, and collaborative problem solving to address environmental health challenges. Following the four-step risk assessment process, students, teachers, and faculty mentors will work collaboratively to identify toxicants, potential hazards and risks, and environmental disparities in urban neighborhoods, which provides the necessary training to formulate critical thinking skills for use in academic or nonacademic careers.NEW & NOTEWORTHY The Engaging Multidisciplinary Professional Opportunities for Women in Environmental Research (EMPOWER) program is a one-of-a-kind research summer experience for minority female high school students in the state of Georgia. In addition, this program provides high school teachers with hands-on experiences that can be adapted to use in the classrooms. This combination of lab and field research immerses participants in understanding urban environmental exposures and their health effects. The EMPOWER program was established to meet the critical need for increasing diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The impact of environmental research networks on green exports: An analysis of a sample of European countries

This paper studies the impact of environmental research networks on green exports by providing a unique contribution to the studies on the role of collaborative innovation for international competitiveness. Specifically, we adopt the technology gap model of international trade to study the impact of green innovation and the participation in European environmental research programs on green exports for 26 European countries over the period 2003 - 2015. We find that both environmental innovation and research networks positively impact on green exports and that they have a complementary effect that highlights the importance of green absorptive capacity. Moreover, all institutional sectors involved in the networks (firms, universities and public research centers) matter for green competitiveness, with universities playing a major role for institutional complementarities.

MIGRATION AND BURIAL TENDENCIES OF VARIABLE DENSITY MUNITIONS: INITIAL RESULTS FROM A LARGE-SCALE STUDY

Past military activity close to the coast has discarded numerous ordnances in the nearshore environment. These ordinances (some of them unexploded; also called UXOs or munitions) are transported by waves and currents and may become exposed on beaches. The increased intensity of storm events may lead to a subsequent increase in UXO exposure and migration. Prolonged exposure of UXOs to ocean conditions leads to surface growth that alters their bulk density. Hence, it is essential to understand the influence of bulk density on mobility characteristics. This study, funded by the Strategic Environment Research and Development Program (SERDP), aims to quantify the processes that affect the mobility and burial of variable density munitions in the surf and swash zones during scaled extreme forcing.

The ECO framework: advancing evidence-based science engagement within environmental research programs and organizations

Abstract Despite widespread interest in science communication, public engagement with science, and engaged research, a large gap exists between the theories behind science engagement and how it is practiced within the scientific community. The scholarship of science engagement is also fractured, with knowledge and insights fragmented across discourses related to science communication, informal science learning, participatory research, and sustainability science. In the present article, we share a planning tool for integrating evidence and theory from these discourses into effective programs and projects. The ECO framework promotes three distinct and interacting modes of science engagement practice: formative engagement (listening and relationship building), codesign and coproduction (action-oriented partnerships), and broader outreach (expanding networks and dissemination). By planning engagement activities with attention to these three modes of engagement, scientists and scientific research organizations will be better poised to address urgent needs for stronger connections between science and society and increased use of scientific research in decision-making.

Using Supplemental Instruction through the EMPOWER Program to Increase Diversity in STEM Fields

The underrepresentation of women and racial minorities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields is of national concern. Despite recent increases, females continue to be underrepresented in math, physical science, and engineering related fields compared to their male counterparts. There is also evidence showing a troubling inequity trend in enrollment of most graduate and all post graduate degrees in STEM fields. These factors ultimately impact the workforce with women less likely than men with similar degrees to actually be employed in these fields, constituting 23% of the science and engineering labor force and only 10 % of employed physicists. Well-structured interventions are needed to support African American women in overcoming barriers to increase their representation in STEM. What is Needed to Make a Difference? Extracurricular instruction in the form of supplemental educational programming is needed to identify, engage and retain African American female students to ensure their level of post-secondary education STEM success and beyond. The R25 Summer Research Education Program is designed to support education activities that complement and or enhance the training of a workforce to meet the nation’s biomedical, behavioral, and clinical research needs. Methods: The Engaging Multidisciplinary Professional Opportunities for Women in Environmental Research (EMPOWER) program was created to address the diversity in STEM. This summer research experience program was developed to educate high school science teachers in tandem with outstanding African American and Hispanic women from metro Atlanta high schools in the research approaches and competencies required for a deeper understanding of how to measure and assess environmental exposures, including air and water in the urban environment and link them to health effects. Results/Discussion: Students and teachers participated in a four-week summer program. The primary objectives of EMPOWER were two-fold including:1) Enhance teaching capacity within the sciences and assist in the development of public and environmental health curriculum along with in class activities intended to promote interest in STEM. 2) Provide African-American and LatinX women opportunities to engage in faculty lead research projects, obtain hands-on training in tandem with professional and soft skill development. EMPOWER’s major contribution will be to continue to enhance STEM education in high schools leading to higher quality post-secondary opportunities and greater workforce diversity. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

20 YEARS OF AMS 14C DATING USING THE ARTEMIS FACILITY AT THE LMC14 NATIONAL LABORATORY: REVIEW OF SERVICE AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

ABSTRACT In 2001, five French public organizations (CNRS, CEA, IRD, IRSN, and the Ministère de la Culture) signed an agreement to purchase a new accelerator mass spectrometer to provide radiocarbon dating services at the national level. The Laboratoire de Mesure du Carbone 14 (LMC14) was set up in Saclay (France) around ARTEMIS, an AMS system based on a 3MV Pelletron from NEC and installed in early 2003. In 2015, the LMC14 joined the Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, making it possible to develop research projects in addition to the service activity and since 2021, the LMC14 has been a member of the IAEA Collaborating Centre “Atoms for Heritage” at the Université Paris-Saclay. Since 2003, 70,000 samples have been measured. Two-thirds of the samples have been prepared on site and one-third in two associated laboratories in Paris and Lyon. Over the past years, the LMC14 has participated in several international inter-comparisons and has continuously improved its capabilities by developing new protocols for preparation and measurement. In this paper, the radiocarbon dating services of the last 20 years for research institutions, museums and environmental monitoring are reviewed and recent results from environmental and archaeological research programs are highlighted.

3D finite element modeling techniques and application to underwater target scattering

Underwater acoustic target scattering measurements rely on high fidelity modeling for experimental comparison and understanding. Three-dimensional (3D) finite element models are well suited for this purpose, as they can account for arbitrary or unknown target properties and configurations/orientations within complex and asymmetrical seafloor environments. High acoustic frequencies and large physical distances associated with in situ scattering measurements pose challenges to 3D modeling efforts in terms of model sizes and runtimes. Certain model considerations must be made to keep the 3D model computationally efficient, yet accurate in predictive capability. Numerically determined Green’s functions are demonstrated to permit 3D model reduction, while still preserving far-field scattering prediction capability through the Helmholtz-Kirchhoff integral. By determining Green’s functions within the model, they need not be known or estimated for complex ocean environments a priori. Nontraditional scattering formulations and a survey of boundary truncation methods also are explored and implemented for maximal accuracy within small 3D computational domains. Model results for canonical elastic targets within varying seafloor environments are shown and compared to theory and experimentation. [This work has been supported by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, and by the Office of Naval Research, Ocean Acoustics.]

Migraine and its association with pubertal maturation and behavioral traits among adolescent girls.

To determine if the ages at pubertal milestones are associated with the prevalence of adolescent migraine. Migraine headaches are a common disease in adolescent girls. Past studies have evaluated the relationship between age of onset of menarche and migraine headache, but none have studied earlier pubertal milestones such as thelarche and pubarche. In this cross-sectional study, a previously validated questionnaire was administered to girls (15-18years) in Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program puberty cohort to ascertain if they met criteria for migraine over the past year. Ages of pubertal development were ascertained by serial examinations beginning at 6-8years of age and ending in late puberty. Logistic regression analyses determined if age of onset of each pubertal milestone (thelarche, pubarche, menarche separately) was associated with adolescent migraine after adjusting for other risk factors. Of 761girls, 222 (29.2%) met the criteria for migraine. Later thelarche was associated with a lower odds of adolescent migraine (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.72-0.97, p = 0.019). In models further adjusted for BASC-2 internalizing problems (n = 490), both later thelarche (OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.64-0.96, p = 0.016) and later menarche (OR 0.81; 95%CI 0.67-0.98, p = 0.026) were associated with a lower migraine prevalence. Internalizing problems (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.03-1.07) externalizing problems (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.02-1.07) and behavioral symptoms (OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.03-1.08) were associated with increased prevalence of migraine in separate models. Age of onset of thelarche and menarche, and internalizing, externalizing, and behavioral symptoms were all associated with adolescent migraine.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-free aqueous film forming foam formulations: Chemical composition and biodegradation in an aerobic environment

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been historically used in fire-suppression activities, including aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), given their unique structures and characteristics. However, the same properties that make them durable, resistant, and valuable also make them persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. This has led to recent investigations on alternative PFAS-free AFFF formulations for suppression of hydrocarbon-based fires. Such foams should contain certain classes of chemicals to remain effective, while being more environmentally friendly; part of the latter involves thoroughly characterizing the constituents and performing necessary biodegradability and toxicity studies. As part of the Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), we performed comprehensive constituents’ characterization and assessed the biodegradability of seven PFAS-free AFFF and a reference PFAS-based AFFF. We discovered that most of PFAS-free formulations share similar constituents with similar biodegradability through a 28-day reaction period. In PFAS-based AFFF, 4:2 and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonates (6:2 FTS) were identified with 6:2 FTS concentration at ∼ 9000 ng/mL. In biodegradation studies, the concentrations of 4:2 FTS and 6:2 FTS decreased while generating some perfluoroalkyl acids (PFCAs). These results increase the current knowledge on the biodegradability of AFFF alternatives but also highlight the need for future efforts on development of novel PFAS-free AFFF formulations that are more biodegradable than PFAS-based AFFF.

Characterization of Urinary Pesticide Metabolite Concentrations of Pregnant Women in Suriname.

Prenatal exposure to pesticides and the association with adverse health outcomes have been examined in several studies. However, the characterization of pesticide exposure among Surinamese women during pregnancy has not been assessed. As part of the Caribbean Consortium of Research in Environmental and Occupational Health research program, 214 urine samples were collected from pregnant women living in three regions in Suriname with different agricultural practices: capital Paramaribo, the rice producing district Nickerie, and the tropical rainforest, the Interior. We used isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry to quantify urinary concentrations of biomarkers of three pesticide classes, including phenoxy acid herbicides and organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides, all of which are commonly used in agricultural and residential settings in Suriname. We observed that participants residing in Nickerie had the highest urinary metabolite concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and pyrethroids compared to those from Paramaribo or the Interior. Paramaribo had the highest concentrations of organophosphate metabolites, specifically dialkyl phosphate metabolites. Para-nitrophenol was detected in samples from Paramaribo and the Interior. Samples from Nickerie had higher median urinary pesticide concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (1.06 μg/L), and the following metabolites, 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (1.26 μg/L), 2-isopropyl-4-methyl-6-hydroxypyrimidine (0.60 μg/L), and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (1.34 μg/L), possibly due to residential use and heavy rice production.

Assessing Electrolyte Transport through an Aircraft Coating System Using EIS

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is frequently employed to nondestructively evaluate coating systems. However, there are several challenges associated with this approach. One of these challenges is associated with isolating the physical processes that are contributing to the measured impedance. We attempted to address this concern by measuring several of the coating system components before starting the exposures and attempted in-situ measurements of some properties during the course of the exposures.In this work, we analyze impedance data obtained from a two-layer coating system that was applied to AA 2024 substrates that were subjected to either immersion and simulated outdoor exposure conditions. The impedance data from the full coating system is compared with data obtained from coating systems in which gold electrodes were inserted between the layers of the coating system that could be used to monitor changes in each coating layer. Several equivalent circuit models were evaluated before settling on a modified coatings equivalent model. Using this approach, we were able to estimate several coating system parameters, including electrolyte penetration depth as a function of temperature, and solution concentration from the values obtained from the equivalent circuit model. Acknowledgments The Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) sponsored this project under work unit 5399. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Navy, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

Acute Toxicity of Eight Aqueous Film-Forming Foams to 14 Aquatic Species.

Researchers have developed numerous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-free aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) formulations to replace PFAS-containing AFFF used for fire suppression. As part of the Department of Defense's Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), we examined the direct lethal effects of seven PFAS-free AFFF and a PFAS-containing AFFF on 14 aquatic species using a series of lethal concentration (LC50) tests. We assessed the LC10, LC50, and LC90 values using log-logistic and logit analyses. Across all aquatic species tested, we discovered that exposure to at least one PFAS-free AFFF was more or as toxic as exposure to the PFAS-containing AFFF. For most cases, National Foam Avio F3 Green KHC 3% and Buckeye Platinum Plus C6MILSPEC 3% were the most and least toxic formulations, respectively. Moreover, we found consistency among results from multiple experiments using the same minnow species (Pimephales promelas) and among closely related taxa (e.g., daphnids, amphibians). Lastly, the LC50 values for AFFF formulations trended lower for tested marine species as compared to those of freshwater species. These results dramatically increase the current knowledge on the potentially toxic effects of AFFF but also highlight the need for additional research and the development of new PFAS-free AFFF that are more "ecologically friendly" than those containing persistent PFAS.

3D finite element modeling techniques and application to underwater target scattering

Underwater acoustic target scattering measurements rely on high-fidelity modeling for experimental comparison and understanding. Three-dimensional (3D) finite element models are well suited for this purpose, as they can account for arbitrary or unknown target properties and configurations/orientations within complex and asymmetrical seafloor environments. High acoustic frequencies and large physical distances associated with in situ scattering measurements pose challenges to 3D modeling efforts in terms of model sizes and runtimes. Certain model considerations must be made to keep the 3D model computationally efficient, yet accurate in predictive capability. Numerically determined Green’s functions are demonstrated to permit 3D model reduction, while still preserving far-field scattering prediction capability through the Helmholtz–Kirchhoff integral. By determining Green’s functions within the model, they need not be known or estimated for complex ocean environments a priori. Nontraditional scattering formulations and a survey of boundary truncation methods also are explored and implemented for maximal accuracy within small 3D computational domains. Model results for canonical elastic targets within varying seafloor environments are shown and compared to theory and experimentation. [Work supported by the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program and by the Office of Naval Research, Ocean Acoustics.]

Prediction of Mobility and Burial of Objects on Sandy Seafloor

A numerical model was developed to predict mobility and burial of seafloor cylindrical objects. The model contains four components: 1) object's physical parameters such as diameter, length, mass, and rolling moment; 2) dynamics of rolling cylinder around its major axis; 3) empirical sediment scour model; and 4) seabed environmental characteristics such as currents, waves (peak period, significant wave height), sediment density, and medium sediment grain size. Under the sponsorship of the Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, a field experiment was conducted from April 21 to May 23, 2013 off the coast of Panama City, FL, USA to measure both objects' mobility using sector scanning and pencil beam sonars and simultaneous environmental time-series data of the boundary layer hydrodynamics and sediment transport conditions for driving mobility. Comparison between modeled and observed data shows the model capability. Future work needs to consider more realistic object shapes and motions such as pitch and yaw, and wavy seabed.

Developing an environmental research platform in the Karoo at the Square Kilometre Array

A part of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be constructed in the northern Karoo of South Africa on approximately 135 000 ha of land. This land is formerly privately owned rangelands (farms) that were purchased by the South African National Research Foundation (NRF), on which the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, as part of the global SKA project, will erect the SKA infrastructure. Additionally, a long-term environmental research programme will be established to investigate various dryland ecosystem components at a landscape scale. Livestock has been removed from the farms, and the area is now managed by the South African National Parks (SANParks) as the Meerkat National Park. The land-use and land cover changes present an unprecedented opportunity to study ecosystem dynamics. The property will be established as an NRF science park, incorporating an SKA research platform for radio astronomy and an environmental research platform of the South African Environmental Observation Network, with additional environmental research conducted by SANParks and their collaborators. We briefly describe current knowledge of the area’s environment, and report on past and contemporary changes in this part of the Karoo. We present a conceptual model for the larger landscape which considers possible future land-use scenarios, the projected trajectories of change under these scenarios, and factors influencing these trajectories. These deliberations represent the foundation for future research in this landscape and the development of an environmental observation research platform in the Karoo at SKA.Significance: We summarise an extensive environmental baseline report on the SKA property and surrounding areas. Withdrawal of livestock and other changes – such as clearing of alien invasive plants, reduced predator control and reduction in water-point maintenance – are expected to bring about changes in ecological processes and plant and animal communities. We present a conceptual model of scenarios to test possible future trajectories as a first step towards an earth system science research platform in the NRF science park.

The Impact of Macronutrient Intake on Sex Steroids During Onset of Puberty

IntroductionIncreased fiber intake has been associated with decreased breast cancer risk, while increased animal protein intake with increased risk. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship of dietary fiber and protein intake to estrogen and sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations at puberty onset. MethodsThese analyses were conducted using the Cincinnati puberty cohort of the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program, with girls followed every 6 months from ages 6 and 7. The analyses included serum measurements at 6-month intervals for estrogen and SHBG concentrations, from 18 months prior to breast stage 2 (onset of puberty). Dietary intake was documented via 24-hour dietary recalls every 3 months. Dietary factors of interest included total energy intake; total and animal protein; total, soluble, and insoluble fiber; and lignan and flavanol intake. ResultsThis study included 260 participants who generated 871 serum specimens and 3,000 days of diet intake. In longitudinal models, estradiol was associated inversely with insoluble fiber intake; estrone positively with animal protein intake; SHBG with greater insoluble fiber and lower total protein intake; and ratio of estrone to SHBG, a measure of bioavailable estrogen, positively with animal protein. ConclusionsGreater protein intake, especially animal protein, led to greater estrogen concentrations and lower SHBG; greater animal protein and greater caloric intake led to increased bioavailable estrogen. This relationship may have served an evolutionary advantage in the past for greater fertility with adequate high-quality protein; in contemporary women, a modest decrease in animal protein may be beneficial in reducing breast cancer risk.

Association between urinary dialkylphosphate metabolites and dyslexia among children from three cities of China: The READ program

Exposure to organophosphate (OP) insecticides has been found to be related to neurodevelopmental disorders in children. However, no study has examined the association between OP insecticide exposure and the risk of dyslexia among children. We aimed to explore the association between OP insecticide exposure, indicated by urinary dialkylphosphate metabolites (DAPs), and the risk of dyslexia among Chinese Han children from three cities. A total of 845 children (422 dyslexics and 423 non-dyslexics) from Tongji Reading Environment and Dyslexia research program were included in the current case-control study. We measured six DAPs in urine samples, collected from November 2017 to December 2020. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between DAPs and dyslexia risk, adjusting for potential confounders. The detection frequencies of DAPs were above 97.5%, except for diethyldithiophosphate and dimethyldithiophosphate. Diethyl phosphate metabolites (DEs) were significantly associated with the risk of dyslexia. Compared with the lowest quartile, the adjusted ORs of dyslexia risk for the highest quartile of urinary diethylthiophosphate (DETP) and diethylphosphate (DEP) were 1.82 (1.04, 3.20) and 1.85 (1.08, 3.17), respectively. In addition, the adjusted ORs for dyslexia per 10-fold of urinary DEP, DETP, and ∑DEs concentration were 1.87 (1.12, 3.13), 1.55 (1.03, 2.35), and 1.91 (1.13, 3.21), respectively. Analyses stratified by gender indicated that such associations were more significant among boys. This study suggested that exposure to OP insecticides may be related to dyslexia among Chinese Han children from the three studied cities. However, our results should be interpreted with caution because of the case-control design and the fact that only one-spot urine sample was collected from the children. More studies with children living in China are necessary concerning the relatively high levels of urinary OP metabolites in our study.