A multi-congener physiologically based pharmacokinetic approach for human polychlorinated biphenyl exposure through tuna consumption in Japan

Whole-cell microbial biosensors for detecting persistent organic pollutants.

Biomagnification of persistent organic pollutants from diets and microplastics to a seabird species (Sula sula).

Spatial distribution, retention and transport of hexachlorobutadiene in Arctic permafrost soils.

Male reproductive health is declining globally, reflected by reduced sperm counts, impaired semen quality, increasing infertility, and a rising incidence of testicular cancer. Endocrine‑disrupting chemicals include metabolic disruptors, within which obesogens represent a specific subgroup that dysregulate lipid metabolism and cellular energy homeostasis and are increasingly implicated in these adverse trends. Although obesogens act across multiple tissues, their lipid‑metabolism‑related effects on testicular cells remain comparatively understudied. We investigated male reprotoxicity of an environmentally and human‑relevant organochlorine mixture (OC‑MIX), consisting of 20 persistent contaminants, including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane/dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (DDT/DDE), originally identified in ringed seal blubber and representative of Arctic food‑chain exposures. Although OC‑MIX has shown male reproductive toxicity in animal models, its cellular mechanisms in Sertoli cells remain insufficiently defined. Using immature murine Sertoli TM4 cells, we demonstrated that OC‑MIX (5-50µg/mL) disrupted lipid homeostasis and induced oxidative stress, culminating in lipotoxicity, processes known to compromise Sertoli cell support of spermatogenesis. These responses differed from those elicited by a fatty acid mixture or the lipotoxicant amiodarone and did not appear to involve androgen receptor, aryl hydrocarbon receptor, or peroxisome proliferator‑activated α signaling, suggesting distinct lipid‑centered mechanisms. Comparative profiling in immature murine Leydig TM3 cells revealed cell‑type‑specific responses, likely reflecting intrinsic differences in lipid composition. Notably, OC‑MIX selectively altered phospholipid and lysophospholipid species in Sertoli TM4 cells, indicating interference with membrane remodeling and lipid‑dependent signaling. Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that persistent organochlorines act as testicular obesogens, contributing to male reproductive dysfunction through selective, lipid‑disrupting mechanisms.

Prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants and body mass index trajectories from birth to age 13.

Exposure to airborne polychlorinated biphenyls during childhood and risk of asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, atopic eczema, and respiratory infections: a register-based cohort study.

Extracellular polymeric substances enhanced persulfate treatment of polychlorinated biphenyls in soil: Removal efficiency and mechanistic insights.

Polluted sediments affected by historic discharges of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pose risks to wildlife due to their bioaccumulative and toxic properties. Here, we propose an analytical method based on gas chromatography coupled to Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-Orbitrap-HRMS) to investigate the presence of multiple contaminants in sediments from the Flix chlor-alkali plant hotspot and to assess their impact on birds from the Ebro Delta Natural Park using eggs of Audouin's gull (Larus audouinii) as biomonitors. A combined target/suspect approach was optimised to (i) perform the quantitative analysis of 45 target persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and PAHs and evaluate quality parameters including recoveries, reproducibility, sensitivity, selectivity, and uncertainty measurement, and (ii) apply a suspect screening workflow using the high-resolution NIST library database to identify additional contaminants. Differences in compound patterns were observed between the matrices. In sediments, 4,4'-DDT was the predominant compound detected, reaching a maximum concentration of 49,386 ng g-1 dry weight (dw), while PCB congeners ranged from 0.06 to 1376 ng g-1 dw. In gull eggs, 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (4,4'-DDE) was detected from 1426 to 3473 ng g-1 dw, and PCBs levels ranged from 0.40 to 2190 ng g-1 dw. The suspect screening revealed 88 contaminants in the sediments (73 PCBs) and 43 compounds in the gull eggs (33 PCBs). Additional contaminants identified were plasticizers, industrial chemicals, and agrochemicals. This work demonstrates the importance of comprehensive contaminant characterisation in pollution hotspots to improve our understanding of potential impacts on wildlife inhabiting natural ecosystems.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as ubiquitous persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pose substantial threats to the physiological and ecological homeostasis of aquatic organisms. To minimize cross-contamination and better simulate fluctuating pollutant exposure dynamics in natural aquatic ecosystems, an intermittent exposure regime was employed in this study. This study investigated the effects of PCB-153 (2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl) on growth, ingestion, and the antioxidant-detoxification system in Artemia via dietary (4:20 stress:non-stress, 4 days) and waterborne (22:2 stress:non-stress, 6 days) pathways. Both exposure routes concentration-dependently suppressed Artemia growth and grazing rate, accompanied by impaired reactive oxygen species scavenging capacity and aggravated lipid peroxidation. The 96-h LC50 of PCB-153 was 45.71 μg/L. Notably, glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity showed the opposite trend: being enhanced under waterborne exposure but inhibited under dietary exposure. With respect to other antioxidant and detoxification pathways, dietary exposure resulted in a typical activation-then-inhibition pattern of the glutathione cycle. Under waterborne exposure, hydrogen peroxide scavenging was impaired, and the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) detoxification system exhibited a biphasic induction-inhibition response. Overall, PCB-153 exerted adverse effects on Artemia survival, ingestion, and antioxidant-detoxification homeostasis through both pathways. Under the experimental conditions of this study, Artemia exposed via the waterborne route tended to show more pronounced responses in survival, growth, and ingestion than those exposed via the dietary route, based on preliminary observations. Meanwhile, GST activity showed opposite patterns between the two exposure groups. These findings clarify the ecotoxicological effects and mechanisms of PCBs on Artemia, a keystone species in aquatic food webs, and highlight their ecological risks under realistic exposure scenarios.

Using a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model to evaluate aggregated exposure to PCDD/Fs and PCBs via ingestion in children.

Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) to support the implementation of silicone passive sampler-based monitoring of hydrophobic contaminants.

This study provides a comparative analysis of concentrations and spatial distribution patterns of DDT (including its metabolites) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bottom sediments from three rivers with contrasting environmental and anthropogenic settings: the Salgir (Russia), the Asi (Orontes, Syrian Arab Republic), and the Fatala (Republic of Guinea). Surface and sediment-core samples collected in 2023 revealed substantial spatial heterogeneity in POPs contamination. In the Salgir River, ∑DDT concentrations reached up to 562ng/g, with DDT/DDE ratios > 0.79 indicating recent inputs, likely from legacy pesticide storage sites. ∑6PCB concentrations (sum of six indicator congeners) reached 252ng/g, with evidence of ongoing inputs in industrial zones. The Asi River exhibited the highest ∑6PCB levels (up to 863ng/g), particularly near industrial facilities, with a congener profile dominated by highly chlorinated forms (hexa- to octachlorobiphenyls), consistent with technical PCB mixtures. The distribution of these contaminants is primarily associated with long-term significant anthropogenic loads of various nature in the Asi River region, although identifying direct sources of PCBs entering the ecosystem of the river requires additional research. The Fatala River showed minimal contamination (∑6PCB < 2.6ng/g; DDTs below detection limits), reflecting background conditions. Sediment-core profiles confirmed historical PCB contamination peaks in the Salgir River corresponding to the 1960s-1990s, based on established geochronology, and indicated continued PCB accumulation in surface layers of both the Salgir and Asi rivers. Comparison with national and international sediment quality guidelines indicates that the observed contamination levels in the Salgir and Asi rivers substantially exceed ecologically safe values, highlighting their potential impact on the ecosystem.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) remain a major concern in marine ecosystems, where bioaccumulation in fish occurs as complex congener mixtures whose dynamics challenge conventional indicator approaches. This study develops and evaluates a data-driven framework for refining mixture-based indicators of PCB contamination by integrating ensemble machine learning with explainable artificial intelligence. Focusing on PCB-138 as a target indicator of cumulative PCB burden, we analyse concentrations of 24 organochlorines together with biological covariates in four Mediterranean edible pelagic fish species (sardine, anchovy, horse mackerel, and chub mackerel). Comparative evaluation of indicator performance shows that alternative congener combinations, including i4 PCBs (-138, -153, -170, -180), i6 PCBs (-138, -153, -170, -180, -118, -123), and mixtures incorporating DDD and DDE, more effectively represent total PCB burden than traditional indicator groups. Clustering identifies two distinct bioaccumulation settings, characterized by high-concentration coherent congener effects and low-concentration heterogeneous responses, demonstrating that indicator performance depends on concentration range and mixture context. The study illustrates how interpretable machine learning approaches can serve as formal tools for indicator evaluation and optimisation, strengthening long-term monitoring and management of legacy contaminants in marine ecosystems, particularly under conditions of persistent exposure and renewed inputs from sediment remobilization and riverine transport.

Obesity is a growing global health concern. Some evidence suggests that exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, may play a role in weight gain, but human prospective data are limited and have shown inconsistent results. Therefore, this study investigate the association between dietary exposure to dioxins and PCBs and changes in weight and in waist circumference after 5 years of follow-up in a large prospective cohort. We included 215,556 participants recruited between 1992 and 2000; of whom 99,046 provided data on waist circumference. Body weight or waist circumference were measured at recruitment and self-reported at follow-up. Intakes of dioxins and PCBs were estimated using country-specific dietary questionnaires collected at baseline, and food contamination concentrations based on a European Food Safety Authority database. Associations were estimated using multilevel mixed linear regression models. Higher intake of both dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (dioxins + DL-PCBs) (Q4vsQ1 = 0.07kg/5-years (95%CI 0.01, 0.13)), and non-dioxin like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) (Q4vsQ1 = 0.27kg/5-years (95%CI 0.20, 0.35), p-trend<0.001)) were associated with weight gain. Inverse associations were observed between dietary intake of dioxins + DL-PCBs and NDL-PCBs and waist circumference change (Q4vsQ1 = -0.44cm/5-years (95%CI -0.56, -0.31), p-trend<0.001 and Q4vsQ1 = -0.21cm/5-years (95%CI -0.34, -0.07), p-trend<0.001, respectively). These inverse associations were primarily caused by a subset of participants from one country who provided most of the waist circumference data. Results were consistent across stratified and sensitivity analyses. Results obtained in this large prospective study show a positive association between dietary intake of both dioxins + DL-PCBs and NDL- PCBs and weight gain. Although the observed associations were small and there may be measurement errors, the consistency of these associations across multiple stratified analyses and sensitivity analyses strengthens the validity of the findings. The findings suggest that the effect of dioxins and PCBs are still present in the food chain despite regulatory bans. Efforts should be strengthened to reduce the exposure levels in the general population not only to lower the risk of obesity, but also to prevent various chronic conditions.

Serum polychlorinated biphenyls and risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease: Cross-sectional and prospective analyses from the Dongfeng-Tongji cohort.

First investigation into occurrence, trophodynamics, and risk implication of polychlorinated naphthalenes and polychlorinated biphenyls in a terrestrial food chain from Tibetan Plateau.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) exposure and cognitive function in adults: A systematic review of epidemiologic evidence and risk of bias assessment.

High-entropy metal-organic framework as an efficient fiber coating for headspace solid-phase microextraction of polychlorinated biphenyls.

Influence of artificial beach nourishment on human health risk and sediment quality: The case of the Fortaleza seafront (Ceará, Brazil).