Triclosan Levels Research Articles

Association between triclosan levels and white blood cell counts in US adults from NHANES, 2011–2012

Triclosan is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent used in a multitude of healthcare and consumer products. Epidemiological studies link triclosan exposure to several adverse health outcomes including alterations in thyroid function and an increased risk for allergies and asthma suggesting an immunomodulatory role for the endocrine disrupting synthetic chemical. The effects of triclosan on the human immune system, particularly on the levels and function of white blood cells, have yet to be fully characterized. Using cross-sectional data from the NHANES 2011–2012 survey, we examined the relationship between triclosan exposure levels and white blood cell counts in adults 18–65 years of age. Results from multivariable linear regression analysis show lack of a statistically signficant association between urinary triclosan levels and white blood cell counts (β = −0.0007, p = 0.90, 95% CI = −0.012, 0.010). Findings may demonstrate an absence of association or may indicate that triclosan exposure levels were too low to have a significant detectable impact on white blood cell counts. Considering that prior animal and epidemiological studies have established links between triclosan exposure and alterations in immune system parameters and susceptibility to allergic diseases, the effects of triclosan exposure on the immune system should continue to be evaluated.

Triclosan (TCS) Exposure in Neonatal Mice Leads to ER Stress, Inflammation and Lipid Accumulation in Liver

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial agent used in multiple personal care products and is represented as an emerging environmental contaminant worldwide. Recent findings have demonstrated that TCS can accumulate in human breast milk. Neonatal humanized UGT1 (hUGT1) mice, which exhibit severe levels of total serum bilirubin (TSB), were breastfed from females fed with a diet containing 120 ppm TCS. Newborn mice exhibited levels of TCS in their serum that were comparable to those quantitated in human blood samples. After 14 days, TSB levels decreased dramatically in TCS exposed neonates and UGT1A1 was significantly induced (13‐fold) in liver. The nuclear receptors, CAR, PXR and PPARα, when activated can induce UGT1A1 expression, were upregulated in TCS breastfed mice. The environmental sensor NRF2 is also increased in TCS breastfed mice along with target genes, Ho‐1 and Nqo‐1. At day 21, TCS neonates showed an increase in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers such as p‐eIF2α and ATF4 when compared to control mice. Caspase‐1 and p20 are also increased, together with a host of cytokines indicating pyroptosis in liver. TCS neonates at 21 days also present a reduction in fatty acid oxidation genes (Pparα, Cyp4a10, Cyp4a14, Cpt1a) and an increase in fatty acid synthase genes (Fasn and Srebp1‐c). At this age TCS mice presented accumulation of lipids in liver with an increase in triglyceride contents. These results suggest that activation of nuclear receptors induce hepatic UGT1A1 following TCS exposure by lactation while eliciting early signs of oxidative stress that leads to ER stress and inflammation that may be linked to fatty liver.Support or Funding InformationSupported by National Institute of Health Grants (ES010337 and GM126074) and seed grant from the UCSD BreastMilk MoMI CORE.

Associations of lifestyle factors with phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A, parabens, and triclosan concentrations in breast milk of Korean mothers

The toxicity of endocrine disruptors depends on the synergistic interactions of biological, environmental, and behavioral factors. The specific effects of diet, consumer product use, and behaviors, however, are debated in the literature, particularly with regard to endocrine disruptors found in breast milk. This study aimed to measure the levels of phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A, parabens, and triclosan in breast milk and to investigate their associations with various lifestyle factors. The breast milk samples as well as surveys were collected from 221 first-time mothers throughout South Korea and each sample was analyzed for the presence of 15 endocrine disruptors. Phthalate metabolites were detected in 5.4–83.3% of the samples, with median concentrations of 0.08–1.72 μg/L, while bisphenol A, parabens, and triclosan were detected in 25.8–88.2% of the samples, with median concentrations of 0.12–1.47 μg/L. High levels of endocrine disruptors were associated with frequent consumption of fish and cup noodles; the use of plastic and disposable food containers; the use of air fresheners, lotions and make-up; the purchase of new furniture; and socioeconomic status. We also observed the potential role of moderate walking activity on the reduction of these chemicals in breast milk. Our data provide evidence of the potential effects of diet, consumer products, and behavior on the presence of phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A, parabens, and triclosan in breast milk. Future studies should include community or regional impact on a mothers’ exposure to endocrine disruptors, to assess the joint contribution of both individual and neighborhood factors.

Occurrence of the Persistent Antimicrobial Triclosan in Microwave Pretreated and Anaerobically Digested Municipal Sludges under Various Process Conditions.

Treatment of emerging contaminants, such as antimicrobials, has become a priority topic for environmental protection. As a persistent, toxic, and bioaccumulative antimicrobial, the accumulation of triclosan (TCS) in wastewater sludge is creating a potential risk to human and ecosystem health via the agricultural use of biosolids. The impact of microwave (MW) pretreatment on TCS levels in municipal sludge is unknown. This study, for the first time, evaluated how MW pretreatment (80 and 160 °C) itself and together with anaerobic digestion (AD) under various sludge retention times (SRTs: 20, 12, and 6 days) and temperatures (35 and 55 °C) can affect the levels of TCS in municipal sludge. TCS and its potential transformation products were analyzed with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Significantly higher TCS concentrations were detected in sludge sampled from the plant in colder compared to those in warmer temperatures. MW temperature did not have a discernible impact on TCS reduction from undigested sludge. However, AD studies indicated that compared to controls (no pretreatment), MW irradiation could make TCS more amenable to biodegradation (up to 46%), especially at the elevated pretreatment and digester temperatures. At different SRTs studied, TCS levels in the thermophilic digesters were considerably lower than that of in the mesophilic digesters.

Association between triclocarban and triclosan exposures and the risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2013–2014)

BackgroundThere has been increasing interest in the concept that exposure to environmental chemicals may be contributing factors to epidemics of diabetes mellitus (DM). Triclocarban and triclosan (TCs) are synthetic antibacterial chemicals that are widely used in personal care products. Studies have shown that TCs are endocrine disruptors that alter metabolic conditions. However, it remains unclear whether exposure to TCs is a risk factor for impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). ObjectiveWe explored the hypothesis that TCs exposure is associated with an increased risk of IGT and T2DM. MethodTo test our hypothesis, we analyzed the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) cross-sectional data from 2013 to 2014. IGT and T2DM were diagnosed based on an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and the WHO standards. The levels of urinary TCs were measured using an HPLC-MS/MS method that NHANES investigators developed. The association between urinary TCs status and IGT and T2DM was examined separately in men and women using multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for age, race, BMI, education, ratio of family income to poverty, smoking, exercise and hypertension. ResultsNine hundred US participants (429 men and 471 women) were included in the analysis, of whom 242 (26.89%) were diagnosed with T2DM and 117 (13.00%) had IGT. Among women, there was a significant positive association between triclocarban, but not triclosan exposure and T2DM (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.05) after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Among men, no significant association between TCs exposure and IGT or T2DM was observed. ConclusionsTriclocarban exposure may increase the risk of T2DM in the women, although additional studies are needed to confirm the results of this study and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Exposure to triclosan among pregnant women in northern China: urinary concentrations, sociodemographic predictors, and seasonal variability.

Although triclosan (TCS) use is widespread in China, little is known about levels of exposure to TCS in pregnant women and its potential predictors, sources, and seasonal variability. We assessed urinary TCS levels of 466 pregnant women in a Chinese cohort. The estimated daily intake (EDI) and hazard quotient (HQ) were calculated. Potential predictors and sources were collected through a questionnaire and the seasonal variability was recorded based on the time of sampling. The geometric mean of urinary TCS concentration was 0.81 μg/g. The 95th EDI was 0.15 μg/kg BW per day and the corresponding HQ was 3.23 × 10-3. Women with a household monthly salary between RMB (¥) 1000 and 3000 and between RMB (¥) 3000 and 5000 had 0.52 μg/g (95% CI 0.08, 0.75) and 0.58 μg/g (95% CI 0.17, 0.79) lower urinary TCS levels than those with a household monthly salary of < RMB (¥) 1000, respectively. Urine samples collected in winter had lower TCS levels (geometric mean 0.72 μg/g) than in spring, summer, and autumn (geometric mean 0.82, 0.84, and 0.86 μg/g), although they were non-significant (P = 0.648). No association was found between drinking water and food consumed during pregnancy and TCS levels. The study population was ubiquitously exposed to a relatively low and safe dose of TCS. Women with lower household income tended to be exposed to higher levels of TCS.

Early life triclosan exposure and neurodevelopment of children at 3 years in a prospective birth cohort.

Early life exposure to triclosan, an emerging endocrine disrupting chemical, may adversely impact childhood neurodevelopment, but limited epidemiologic studies have examined the associations. We evaluated the associations between prenatal and postnatal triclosan exposure and child neurodevelopment at 3 years. The study included 377 mother-child pairs who participated in Sheyang Mini Birth Cohort Study (SMBCS), a longitudinal birth cohort in China. Triclosan concentrations in maternal and 3-year-old child urine samples were quantified using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Gesell Developmental Schedules (GDS) were used to assess child neurodevelopment at 3 years of age. Multivariate linear regression models were applied to estimate associations of prenatal and postnatal urinary triclosan concentrations with children's developmental quotients (DQs). Detection frequencies of triclosan in maternal and childhood urine samples were 100% and 99.5%, respectively. The median values of prenatal and postnatal urinary triclosan levels were 0.65 and 0.44μg/L, respectively. One ln-unit increase of maternal urinary triclosan concentration was associated with increase of DQ scores in motor area of children (regression coefficient, β=0.28, 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.03, 0.54; p=0.03). In sex-stratified analyses, maternal urinary triclosan levels were significantly related to increases in DQ scores in motor area among boys (β=0.25, 95%CI: 0.01, 0.50; p=0.04), while postnatal urinary triclosan concentrations were inversely associated with DQ scores in social area in boys (β=-0.37, 95%CI: -0.72, -0.03; p=0.03). The findings suggested that prenatal triclosan exposure predicted increases in motor scores, while postnatal triclosan exposure was related to reductions in social scores of 3-year-old children. These associations were only observed in boys. The biological mechanisms linking triclosan exposure to neurodevelopment await further studies.

Removal of triclosan during wastewater treatment process and sewage sludge composting—A case study in the middle reaches of the Yellow River

Triclosan (TCS) is widely used as an antibacterial disinfectant in personal care products, especially in rapidly-urbanizing countries, such as China. Almost all TCS enters wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), but the fate of the TCS in the WWTPs is unclear. TCS may be present in sewage sludge or in effluent, and the discharge of TCS into an ecosystem can pose environmental risks. In the present study, influent, effluent, and sewage sludge were collected from four typical urban WWTPs, and the fate of TCS in the plants was investigated. The study was conducted in Zhengzhou, a city in the middle reaches of the Yellow River in China. The sewage sludge was used for aerobic composting to study the influences of different ventilation treatments on the biodegradation effects of TCS and the changes in the microbial community during the composting process. The results showed that the mean concentration of TCS in the influent of the four typical WWTPs was 397.1 ng/L. The mean level of TCS in the effluent was 8.0 ng/L. The mean concentration of TCS in the sewage sludge was 814.4 ng/g. For the four WWTPs, the percentages of TCS removal were 97.6% (Nansanhuan), 97.6% (Xinzheng), 98.8% (Wulongkou), and 97.9% (Chenyu), respectively. The sewage sludge enrichment rates for TCS ranged between 36.4% and 49%. Therefore, there is a need to focus on the environmental risks from sewage sludge. During aerobic composting, the TCS was effectively degraded under three ventilation strategies. Thus, improved ventilation could enhance the degradation rate of TCS. Moreover, TCS degradation occurred in the mesophilic period and in the early stage of the thermophilic phase period. Finally, the degradation rates of TCS in sewage sludge samples composted with low-, medium-, and high-ventilation treatments were 48.1%, 59.0%, and 59.5%, respectively. Thus, high ventilation could provide enough oxygen for the pile and enhanced microorganism activity, benefiting the degradation of TCS. In addition, the microbial communities change during the composting process, and a diversity index of the changes can help explain the composting process.

Development of a Novel Monoclonal Antibody–Based Indirect Competitive ELISA with Immunoaffinity Cleanup for the Detection of Triclosan in Chickens

Triclosan (TCS) was quantitatively analyzed for the first time in chicken samples using immunoaffinity cleanup followed by indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA). Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against TCS were prepared. The mAb 6E1 showed high sensitivity and specificity in phosphate-buffered saline buffer, with a half maximal inhibition concentration value of 1.77 ng mL−1 and a limit of detection of 0.09 ng mL−1. The average recovery in spiked chicken muscle samples was 84.4–114.8%, with a relative standard deviation below 8.1%. To validate the developed icELISA method, samples spiked with different levels of TCS were analyzed by icELISA and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS). The consistency of results detected by icELISA and UPLC–MS/MS demonstrated that immunoaffinity cleanup followed by icELISA could also be used for other food matrices.

Triclosan enhances short-chain fatty acid production from sludge fermentation by elevating transcriptional activity of acidogenesis bacteria

Triclosan (TCS) is an emerging contaminant in waste activated sludge (WAS). However, the effects of TCS on WAS anaerobic fermentation is still unknown. Herein, we investigated the impacts of different TCS levels on the short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) accumulation. TCS at 100 mg/kg TSS (total suspended solids) significantly (p < 0.05) enhanced SCFA production by 35.8 ± 4.1% through increasing the production of propionic and butyric acid, while the higher TCS level inhibited the SCFA production processes. The results of batch tests with real sludge showed that 100 mg/kg TSS TCS enhanced acidogenesis process and had no significant impact on other processes, while higher TCS level caused negative effects on acidogenesis, acetogenesis and methanogenesis. Generally, 2,4-dichlorophenol was considered as the main metabolic product of TCS under anaerobic condition. However, in this study, TCS was found to be converted into (Z)-4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)penta-1,3-dien-3-ol, 2,4-dichloro-1-(4-chloro-2-methoxyphenoxy)benzene and other substances, and its hypothetical metabolic pathway were reformulated. The microbial community structure in the WAS anaerobic fermentation system did not significantly change with TCS addition, but 100 mg/kg TSS TCS contributed to the modest enrichment of SCFA producers. Further analyses of key enzyme activity and abundance of enzyme-encoded genes revealed that TCS at 100 mg/kg TSS up-regulated the expression of enzyme-coding genes (i.e. butyrate kinase (BK) and oxaloacetic acid carboxylase (OAATC)), and this is the primary reason for the increased SCFA production. This work provides a new insight for pollutant effects in WAS anaerobic fermentation, which will help to reveal the impact of emerging contaminants and relearn the role of conventional pollutants.

Urinary phenols exposure in early to mid-pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus

TPS 743: Health effects in pregnancy, Exhibition Hall, Ground floor, August 26, 2019, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Background/Aim: Certain phenols as endocrine disruptors have been linked to type 2 diabetes among non-pregnant populations, but their roles in gestational diabetes (GDM) remain elusive due to scarce data. We investigated the associations of urinary phenols during early-to-mid pregnancy with GDM risk. Methods: Within the prospective Pregnancy Environment and Lifestyle Study, we conducted a nested case-control study of 111 GDM cases at gestational weeks (GW) 24-28 and 222 non-GDM controls, matched on age, GW at urine collection, and race/ethnicity (Asian/non-Asian, given high proportion of Asian cases). Urinary bisphenols A, F, S (BPA, BPF, BPS), benzophenone-3, and triclosan were assessed at GW 10-13 and 16-19. Conditional logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (aOR) of GDM in relation to phenols, adjusting for pre-pregnancy body mass index, urinary creatinine, and race/ethnicity (White/Black/Hispanic/Asian). Results: Women with versus without GDM had higher levels of BPF and BPS at GW 10-13 and triclosan at GW 10-13 and 16-19 (all P <0.05). BPS in the middle and highest tertiles versus lowest tertile at GW 10-13 had a 2.10-fold (95% CI 1.08-4.10) and 1.96-fold (0.96-4.03) increased risk of GDM, respectively, after adjusting for covariates, with no association at GW 16-19; no associations were observed for other phenols. Effect modification by race/ethnicity was observed for BPA, BPS, and TCS (all P-for-interaction <0.10). We observed only among non-Asians associations of GDM with BPA in the highest tertile at GW 10-13 (aOR 2.69; 95% CI 1.00-7.19) and in the middle tertile at GW 16-19 (4.71; 1.31-17.0), BPS in the highest tertile at GW 10-13 (3.90; 1.41-10.8), and triclosan in the highest tertile at GW 10-13 (3.26; 1.27-8.35). Conclusions: Elevated urinary BPA, BPS, and triclosan levels, as early as in the first trimester, were associated with increased risk of GDM, only among non-Asians. Further investigations are needed to understand these racial/ethnic differences.

Occurrence and removal of triclosan in Canadian wastewater systems.

Triclosan (TCS) is an antimicrobial agent used in many personal care and cleaning products. It has been detected in most environmental compartments and the main entry pathway is wastewater effluents and biosolids. TCS was analyzed in 300 samples of raw influent, final effluent, and biosolids from 13 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across Canada representing five types of typical wastewater treatment systems. TCS was almost always detected in influent (median 1480ng/L), effluent (median 107ng/L), and biosolids (median 8000ng/g dry weight) samples. Removals of TCS from lagoons as well as secondary and advanced treatment facilities were significantly higher than primary treatment facilities (p < 0.001). TCS removal was strongly correlated with organic nitrogen removal. TCS removals at most lagoons and plants that use biological treatment were higher during summer compared with winter. However, no seasonal or temperature effects were observed at the two primary facilities, likely due to the absence of biological activity. Aerobically digested solids contained the lowest levels (median 555ng/g) while anaerobically digested primary solids contained the highest levels of TCS (median 22,700ng/g). The results of this large comprehensive study demonstrate that TCS is consistently present in wastewater and biosolids at relatively high concentrations and that removal from wastewater and levels in biosolids are strongly influenced by the wastewater and solids treatment types.

Investigating exposure to endocrine disruptors via hair analysis of pregnant women

The aim of this study was the monitoring of the levels of parabens (PBs) and triclosan (TCS) in head hair samples of women collected during the first months of their pregnancy. Personal details concerning somatometric and demographic characteristics, dietary habits, use of personal care products and the medical and obstetrical history of the pregnant women as well as infants' somatometric characteristics and health condition were recorded through relevant questionnaires. Ninety five hair samples were collected, extracted by solid–liquid extraction and analysed using a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry system (LC-MS). Analysis revealed high percentage of positive samples for all tested compounds (90–100% except from BePB (15.8%)). The mean concentration levels were 4501.2 pg/mg (17.6–27,437.0 pg/mg) for MePB; 510.1 pg/mg (11.0–4224.5 pg/mg) for EtPB; 22.9 pg/mg (2.1–66.6 pg/mg) for BePB; 237.1 pg/mg (1.8–2513.7 pg/mg) for BuPB and 245.0 pg/mg (8.8–8070.2 pg/mg) for TCS. Statistical analysis of both analytical results and questionnaires' data showed that the frequent use of personal care and hygiene products, such as makeup, hairspray and sunscreens, is correlated with higher levels of PBs in hair of the pregnant women. Additionally, positive correlation was observed between the BePB levels in hair and the infants' height. Finally, no other correlation was observed between endocrine disruptors' levels in maternal hair and infants' somatometric characteristics or health condition. Our study is the first one that determined PBs and TCS levels in hair samples, simultaneously. At the same time, correlation of the detected levels with the use of personal care products was accomplished, leading to significant association of BePB levels in hair of pregnant women with infants’ height.

Triclosan and Female Reproductive Health: A Preconceptional Cohort Study.

Triclosan (2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxy-diphenyl ether) is widely used in personal care and household products. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies showed that triclosan may affect female reproductive health. However, evidence from human studies is scarce. To assess the potential effects of triclosan on women's reproductive health. A prospective cohort study recruited 1,182 couples who planned to conceive and presented to preconception care clinics for physical examination in Shanghai, China, between 2013 and 2015. These couples were then prospectively followed every 2 months for 12 months. Triclosan was quantified in preconception urine samples at enrollment. The outcomes of interest included menstruation and fecundity. Normal menstruation was defined as a woman who had normal cycle duration between 21 and 35 days, duration of menstrual bleeding between 3 and 7 days, and self-reported normal amount of menstrual bleeding. A total of 698 women were included in the analysis on the association between triclosan and menstruation. Compared with low triclosan levels, high triclosan levels were associated with increased risks of abnormal menstruation [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.47; 95% confidence interval = 1.05, 2.06] and prolonged menstrual cycle (OR = 2.08; 95% confidence interval = 1.00, 2.31). In the analysis on the association between triclosan and fecundability, 648 women were included. Compared with the lowest tertile of triclosan level (<1.1 ng/mL), the highest level (>4.5 ng/mL) was associated with a 23% of reduction in fecundability and there tended to be a dose-response pattern. Our findings suggest that triclosan may affect menstruation and reduce female fecundity.

Processes for the removal of triclosan in the environment and engineered systems: a review

Triclosan (TCS) is a synthetic chlorinated aromatic compound and a typical antibacterial agent widely used in a diverse range of personal care products. Generally, after normal use, TCS is flushed into the sewage system through drainage. However, because of its incomplete removal in wastewater treatment plants, the remaining TCS enters the environmental surroundings via treated effluent as well as through sludge disposal. This not only increases TCS concentrations in the environment, but it can also lead to the bioaccumulation of detectable levels of TCS in food webs from aquatic organisms to humans. Experimental evidence has shown the potential negative effects of TCS and its metabolites to a range of marine and terrestrial organisms. This review systematically summarizes the current state of knowledge on occurrence, negative effects, and degradation mechanisms of TCS by abiotic and biotic processes. We finish by discussing research efforts aimed at identifying knowledge gaps between biochemistry and degradation pathways of TCS.

Mothers and children are related, even in exposure to chemicals present in common consumer products

BackgroundPhthalates, bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) are detectable in the vast majority of people. Most humans are continuously exposed to these chemicals due to their presence in food or in everyday consumer products. The measurement of these compounds in family members may help to explore the impact of major lifestyle factors on exposure. Mothers and (young) children are especially interesting to study, as they mostly share considerable parts of daily life together. Materials and methodsPhthalate metabolites, bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) were measured in first morning void urine, collected in mother-child pairs (n = 129) on the same day. The mothers (27-45y) and their children (6-11y) were recruited in the Brussels agglomeration and rural areas of Belgium in the context of the European COPHES-DEMOCOPHES human biomonitoring project. Face-to-face questionnaires gathered information on major exposure sources and lifestyle factors. Exposure determinants were assessed by multiple linear regression analysis. ResultsThe investigated compounds were detectable in nearly all mothers (92.8–100%) and all children (95.2–100%). The range (P90 vs. P10) of differences in urinary concentrations within each age group was for most compounds around 10–20 fold, and was very high for TCS up to 35 and 350-fold in children and mothers respectively. Some participants exceeded the tolerable daily intake guidelines as far as they were available from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Overall, for BPA, the urinary concentrations were similar among both age groups. Most urinary phthalate metabolites were higher in children compared to the mothers, except for monoethyl phthalate (MEP). TCS levels were generally higher in the mothers. Despite the difference in mothers' and children's urinary concentrations, the creatinine-corrected levels were correlated for all biomarkers (Spearman rank r = 0.32 to 0.66, p < 0.001). Furthermore, for phthalates, similar home and lifestyle factors were associated with the urinary concentrations in both age groups: home renovation during last two years or redecoration during the last year for di-ethyl phthalate (DEP); PVC in home for di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), di-iso-butyl phthalate (DiBP) and butyl benzyl phthalate (BBzP), and personal care products use for DiBP and DnBP. Based on questionnaire information on general food type consumption patterns, the exposure variability could not be explained. However, comparing the phthalate intake from the current study with earlier assessed Belgian food intake calculations for both ages, food in general was estimated to be the major intake source for di-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), with diminishing importance for BBzP, DiBP and DnBP. ConclusionOur results confirm, that children and their mothers, sharing diets and home environments, also share exposure in common consumer products related chemicals. By collecting morning urine levels on the same day, and using basic questionnaires, suspected exposure routes could be unraveled.

Variations, Determinants, and Coexposure Patterns of Personal Care Product Chemicals among Chinese Pregnant Women: A Longitudinal Study.

Exposure to mixtures of personal care product chemicals (PCPCs) is commonplace among the Chinese population; yet, limited data are available on the variations, determinants, and coexposure patterns of PCPCs, particularly among pregnant women at multiple time points during gestation. Here, we measured concentrations of 11 most common PCPCs (five parabens, five benzophenones, and triclosan) in 2823 urine samples collected from 941 pregnant women over three trimesters. Based on the quantification results, we calculated the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to assess within-person variability of targeted compounds, applied linear mixed mode models to explore associations between urinary concentrations of PCPCs and exposure-related factors, and used percentile analysis to evaluate exposure to specific or multiple chemicals at one or three trimesters. Seven targeted compounds: methylparaben (MeP), ethylparaben (EtP), propylparaben (PrP), 4-hydroxybenzophenone (4-OH-BP), 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone (BP-1), 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (BP-3), and triclosan (TCS) were detected in over 66% of samples. The median urinary concentrations (ng/mL) of MeP, EtP, PrP, 4-OH-BP, BP-1, BP-3, and TCS were 15.44, 0.49, 0.61, 0.16, 0.25, 0.53, and 0.48, respectively. We observed that benzophenones (ICC: 0.46-0.55) and triclosan (ICC: 0.50) were less variable than parabens (ICC: 0.35-0.40). Urinary levels of parabens were related to physical activity frequency; urinary levels of benzophenones were associated with the refurbishment of homes and household income, and urinary levels of triclosan were contingent upon the personal basic information (prepregnancy body mass index and age). Notably, higher levels of benzophenones and triclosan but lower paraben levels were observed in summer than in winter. Both coexposure to high percentiles of multiple pollutants at one trimester and exposure to one pollutant at high-dose through three trimesters were rare in the study population. Our findings suggest that these exposure-related factors should be taken into consideration, and health risks should be assessed on mixtures of pollutants in future epidemiological studies.

Fluorescence Optosensing of Triclosan by Upconversion Nanoparticles with Potassium Permanganate.

It is greatly significant to develop a simple and rapid sensing method for triclosan (TCS) because it is a widely used and a chronically toxic compound that adversely affects biological organisms and human health. This paper presents the design and development of a novel simple optosensor that uses carboxylic group-functionalized NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) coated with potassium permanganate (KMnO4). The sensor enables the rapid, non-autofluorescence, sensitive, and selective detection of TCS based on the “turn off–on fluorescence” technique through fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Under an near-infrared radiation excitation (980 nm), the “turn-off fluorescence” process involves the transfer of fluorescence resonance energy between the UCNPs and KMnO4, whereas the “turn-on fluorescence” process occurs when KMnO4 is reduced in the presence of TCS. TCS was detected by recovering the green emission of UCNPs. Under optimized conditions, the resulting sensor offered an excellent response to TCS with 0.2 μM of a limit of detection. The developed sensor showed higher selectivity to TCS than other phenolic compounds. Moreover, the analytical performance of the proposed probe was practically demonstrated to successfully monitor trace levels of TCS in samples of tap water and personal care products. The developed simple and sensitive method may offer a new approach for determining TCS in environmental applications.

Ecological processes underpinning microbial community structure during exposure to subinhibitory level of triclosan

Ecological processes shaping the structure and diversity of microbial communities are of practical importance for managing the function and resilience of engineered biological ecosystems such as activated sludge processes. This study systematically evaluated the ecological processes acting during continuous exposure to a subinhibitory level of antimicrobial triclosan (TCS) as an environmental stressor. 16S rRNA gene-based community profiling revealed significant perturbations on the community structure and dramatic reduction (by 20–30%) in species diversity/richness compared to those under the control conditions. In addition, community profiling determined the prevalence of the deterministic processes overwhelming the ecological stochasticity. Analysis of both community composition and phenotypes in the TCS-exposed communities suggested the detailed deterministic mechanism: selection of TCS degrading (Sphingopyxis) and resistant (Pseudoxanthomonas) bacterial populations. The analysis also revealed a significant reduction of core activated sludge members, Chitinophagaceae (e.g., Ferruginibacter) and Comamonadaceae (e.g., Acidovorax), potentially affecting ecosystem functions (e.g., floc formation and nutrient removal) directly associated with system performance (i.e., wastewater treatment efficiency and effluent quality). Overall, our study provides new findings that inform the mechanisms underlying the community structure and diversity of activated sludge, which not only advances the current understanding of microbial ecology in activated sludge, but also has practical implications for the design and operation of environmental bioprocesses for treatment of antimicrobial-bearing waste streams.

Effect of temperature on triclosan toxicity in Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (Sauvage, 1878): Hematology, biochemistry and genotoxicity evaluation

The rising level of triclosan (TCS) in aquatic environment is raising concerns and in this context, evaluation of toxicity towards aquatic organisms under varying environmental conditions, especially temperature, is a pre-requisite for a better understanding of the toxic effects on specific metabolic processes. In this report, the mechanistic physiological responses of fish towards varying concentration of TCS at graded temperature were evaluated. The static renewal acute test was performed, and 96 h median lethal concentration (LC50) of TCS for Pangasianodon hypophthalmus was estimated and the values were 848.33, 1181.94 and 1356.96 μg L−1 at 25, 30 and 35 °C respectively. The chronic study was performed for 30 days at 1/5th and 1/10th concentration of the estimated LC50 of TCS at 25, 30 and 35 °C respectively. The chronic effects resulted in significant decrease in total erythrocyte count (TEC), hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean cell volume (MCV), while a significant increase in total leukocyte count (TLC), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RDW) was observed in TCS exposed groups at 25–35 °C. Further, a significant increase in activity of transaminase enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase) (SOD) and catalase (CAT) except glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in liver and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in brain of the TCS exposed fish was recorded in all the above temperature range. Severe damage of DNA in nucleus of blood and liver cells, and high micronuclei frequency (MNi) was noticed in TCS exposed groups at 25 °C. The report provides convincing evidence for the effect of temperature on TCS toxicity. The findings will help in gaining a better insight into the change in toxicity of TCS in a natural environment where diurnal variations in temperature may be crucial in determining the overall extent of toxicity.