US Environmental Protection Agency Research Articles

Spatio-temporal quasi-experimental methods for rare disease outcomes: the impact of reformulated gasoline on childhood haematologic cancer

Abstract Although some pollutants emitted in vehicle exhaust, such as benzene, are known to cause leukaemia in adults with high exposure levels, less is known about the relationship between traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) and childhood haematologic cancer. In the 1990s, the US EPA enacted the reformulated gasoline program in select areas of the U.S., which drastically reduced ambient TRAP in affected areas. This created an ideal quasi-experiment to study the effects of TRAP on childhood haematologic cancers. However, existing methods for quasi-experimental analyses can perform poorly when outcomes are rare and unstable, as with childhood cancer incidence. We develop Bayesian spatio-temporal matrix completion methods to conduct causal inference in quasi-experimental settings with rare outcomes. Selective information sharing across space and time enables stable estimation, and the Bayesian approach facilitates uncertainty quantification. We evaluate the methods through simulations and apply them to estimate the causal effects of TRAP on childhood leukaemia and lymphoma.

FOSSIL FUEL EMISSION PREDICTION SYSTEM USING MULTIPLE KERNEL GAUSSIAN PROCESS

<p>According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, 81% of greenhouse gas emission is due to Carbon-dioxide. When fossil fuels, solid waste, trees, and wood products are burnt, Carbon-dioxide emission occurs. The concentration of Carbon-dioxide in the atmosphere is reduced when it is absorbed by plants as a part of the biological carbon cycle. The major sources of CO2 emission are from fossil fuel such as coal, natural gas, oil, cement production, gas flares used in industrial plants and bunker fuels used in ships. Increase in CO2 emission leads to the increase in global warming. Climate change, change in seasonal events and decrease in agricultural productivity are the major impacts of global warming. Hence it is important to study and analyse CO2 emission based on the recorded data across the globe. Further the major source of emission must be detected and alert messages must be sent to the pollution control boards in various countries to take necessary remedial actions. This work focuses on predicting the CO2 emission in the near future in various countries based upon the “Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions by Nation” dataset recorded by Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory. This system comprises of data cleaning, data normalization, optimization, and model building. The model built using Multiple Kernel Gaussian Process (MKGP) will predict the concentration of CO2 that may be present in the atmosphere in upcoming years. Based on the prediction the major source of CO2 emission is identified. We have studied the effects of Radial Basis Function kernel, Rational Quadratic, Periodic kernel and combinations of the kernels on India USA and China dataset. We have proposed a Multi-Kernel Gaussian Process for predicting the fossil fuel emission (MKGP - FFE). It has been inferred that combination of kernels performed well when compared to individual kernels in most of the cases.</p>

Evaluating health risks of PM2.5-bound heavy elements in Faridabad, Haryana (India): an industrial perspective.

The present study isfocused on investigating the heavy/toxic metals (Al, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cu, As,Mn, and Zn) of PM2.5 and assessing their associated human health risks. During the study period (July 2022 to July 2023), the PM2.5 samples were collected from two distinct sites in Faridabad (92 samples from site 1 and 85 samples from site 2). In this study, the US EPA's Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS) was followed to evaluate the human health risk associated with PM2.5-bound heavy elements. The annual average of PM2.5 concentrations was 108 ± 16µgm⁻3 at site 1 and 154 ± 11µgm⁻3 at site 2, approximately three to fourtimes higher than the national ambient air quality standards (annual, 40µgm-3). The analysis of enrichment factors (EFs) for the elements Cr, As, Zn, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Ni indicates that the heavy elements associated with PM2.5 primarily originate from anthropogenic sources. The application of the conditional bivariate probability function (CBPF) model for Faridabad revealed local pollution sources contributing to elevated mass concentrations at the receptor site from the southern (S), northwestern (NW), northeastern (NE), southwestern (SW), and southeastern (SE) regions. Furthermore, positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis identified the predominant sources of PM2.5-bound heavy elements as industrial emissions (41%), vehicular emissions (34%), and combustion processes (25%). After a thorough assessment of health hazards, Cr appeared as a significant carcinogenic risk factor. Children with elevated hazard quotient (HQ) values for Mn and Cr indicated non-carcinogenic health problems. Ultimately, this analysis reinforces the necessity for rigorous monitoring and intervention to safeguard public health from the potentially harmful effects of heavy elements.

Evaluation of Health Risk and Heavy Metal Pollution Caused by Dust Storms in Zabol City.

This study investigated the concentrations and compositions of specific elements in total suspended particulate (TSP) samples and the associated ecological, carcinogenic, and non-carcinogenic risks related to the inhalation, ingestion, and dermal absorption of heavy metals. The study focused on adult and pediatric populations in the highly dust-polluted city of Zabol, Iran, during 2022-2023. The samples were analyzed by using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The concentration of metals in milligram per kilogram (mg/kg) was as follows: Al (75053) > Ca (8206) > Fe (5439) > Mg (5323) > Zn (15.27) > Pb (3.66) > Cr (3.38) > Cd (0.011); according to the results, the highest amount of metals related to aluminum and calcium in dust particles. The calculated individual indices, including the ecological risk index (ERI), pollution factor (Cfi), and geographic accumulation index (Igeo), indicated that calcium exhibited minimal pollution, while the metal samples (Al, Mg, Fe, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Zn) were categorized as uncontaminated. The results revealed that the ecological risk factor (Er) is below 40, indicating a low level of contamination. Additionally, the pollution level determined by the ecological risk potential (RI) was less than 150, suggesting a low probability of contamination. Ingestion posed the highest average hazard quotient (HQ) values for both children and adults in terms of non-carcinogenic risk assessment, while cutaneous and inhalation exposures showed lower values. Furthermore, the hazard index (HI) for heavy metals remained below the safe threshold of 1. The risk index (RI) values for lead, cadmium, and chromium were all below 1 × 10-6 in both adult and pediatric populations. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guidelines suggest an acceptable level of carcinogenicity for all heavy metals, indicating a potential risk of cancer associated with the presence of these metals in suspended particles in Zabol.

Domestic groundwater wells in Appalachia show evidence of low-dose, complex mixtures of legacy pollutants.

Lack of water quality data for private drinking water sources prevents robust evaluation of exposure risk for communities co-located with historically contaminated sites and ongoing industrial activity. Areas of the Appalachian region of the United States (i.e., Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia) contain extensive hydraulic fracturing activity, as well as other extractive and industrial technologies, in close proximity to communities reliant on private drinking water sources, creating concern over potential groundwater contamination. In this study, we characterized volatile organic compound (VOC) occurrence at 307 private groundwater well sites within Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The majority (97%) of water samples contained at least one VOC, while the average number of VOCs detected at a given site was 5 ± 3. The majority of individual VOC concentrations fell below applicable U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Maximum Contamination Levels (MCLs), except for chloroform (MCL of 80 μg L-1; n = 1 at 98 μg L-1), 1,2-dibromoethane (MCL of 0.05 μg L-1; n = 3 ranging from 0.05 to 0.35 μg L-1), and 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (MCL of 0.2 μg L-1; n = 7 ranging from 0.20 to 0.58 μg L-1). To evaluate well susceptibility to VOCs from industrial activity, distance to hydraulic fracturing site was used to assess correlations with contaminant occurrences. Proximity to closest hydraulic fracturing well-site revealed no statistically significant linear relationships with either individual VOC concentrations, or frequency of VOC detections. Evaluation of other known industrial contamination sites (e.g., US EPA Superfund sites) revealed elevated levels of three VOCs (chloroform, toluene, benzene) in groundwaters within 10 km of those Superfund sites in West Virginia and Ohio, illuminating possible point source influence. Lack of correlation between VOC concentrations and proximity to specific point sources indicates complex geochemical processes governing trace VOC contamination of private drinking water sources. While individual concentrations of VOCs fell well below recommended human health levels, the low dose exposure to multiple VOCs occurring in drinking supplies for Appalachian communities was noted, highlighting the importance of groundwater well monitoring.

Occurrence, transformation, and transport of PFAS entering, leaving, and flowing past wastewater treatment plants with diverse land uses

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected ubiquitously throughout the environment. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been identified as potential hotspots for the introduction of PFAS into the environment. Therefore, the occurrence, transformation, and transport of 18 PFAS in two WWTPs with varying treatment processes, prevailing land uses, and during two distinct time periods were investigated. Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS) were installed at two WWTPs in Central Kentucky during April and July of 2022. PFAS concentrations typically increased from influent to effluent at both WWTPs, regardless of wastewater treatment processes, but changes in surface water concentrations from upstream to downstream of the effluent mixing zones varied. Both WWTPs discharged the 18 PFAS at higher loads than received, indicating prevalent transformation of PFAS precursors and non-measured PFAS analytes into measurable PFAS. Nearly all measured PFAS persisted in aqueous (86–98%) compartments rather than sediment or biosolids (2–14%). All biosolids had low content of PFAS with the dominant compound being PFOS (1.59–2.60 ng/g). Based on recent US EPA proposed maximum contaminant levels, hazard indexes for drinking water were exceeded in effluent and downstream surface waters at both WWTPs. The WWTP located in a heavily developed area and downstream from a firefighting training facility, had significantly higher concentrations of most PFAS species at most monitoring sites and was less impacted by sampling period compared to the WWTP located in a moderately developed, pastured area. Findings support the importance of WWTPs and land use practices as contributing to PFAS impact to downstream ecosystems along with potentially increasing strains on downstream drinking water source waters in regions that are surface water dependent.

Pillar[5]arene-based Polymer Network for Efficiently Removing Perfluorooctanoic Acid through Synergistic Binding Interactions.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is currently one of the most important chemicals posing environmental risks, and there is an urgent need to find methods to efficiently remove PFOA from environmental media. Here, two decaamino-pillar[5]arene-based fluorine-rich polymer networks, called FA2P-P and FA6P-P, were constructed using a convenient method. FA6P-P had an excellent ability to take up PFOA, and had a capacity of 1423 (mg PFOA) (g FA6P-P)-1, which is the second highest adsorption capacity reported for any PFOA sorbent. FA6P-P removed >99 % of the PFOA from a solution and decreased the PFOA concentration from 1000 μg L-1 in 5 min at an exceedingly low adsorbent loading of 0.7 mg L-1, giving a final PFOA concentration <4 ng L-1, which is lower than the most recent enforceable maximum concentration set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. A high rate constant (kobs) of 55.8 g mg-1 h-1 was observed. Pillar[5]arene gives the material hydrophobic properties and also amino sites and hydrophobic chains, which are synergistic PFOA binding sites. The polymer was very stable and readily regenerated. The results indicated that pillar[5]arene-based porous organic polymer sorbents are excellent candidates for capturing PFOA.

Highly effective fluorescence detection of UO22+ ions by an anionic Na/Eu heterometallic metal–organic framework with Lewis basic chelating sites

Uranium is a serious radioactive contaminant that can easily migrate into groundwater and surface water, posing a deadly threat to human health. Despite the development of various materials for detecting uranyl ions in water, rational design and synthesis of new uranium sensors with sensitivity, selectivity, and fast response remain challenging. Herein, we demonstrate a novel strategy for obtaining highly sensitive and selective UO22+ sensors by constructing heterometallic metal–organic framework with both an anionic skeleton and abundant chelating sites. Namely, the first anionic Na/Eu heterometallic metal–organic framework (Na/Eu-MOF) based UO22+ sensor is successfully synthesized by using sodium salt and europium salt as reactants, and abundant ether groups were introduced into its porous structure as chelating Lewis basic sites. Beneficial from the synergistic effect between the anionic skeleton and the chelating sites, Na/Eu-MOF achieved rapid, selective adsorption and fluorescence quenching toward uranyl ion. The detection limits of Na/Eu-MOF in deionized and lake water were determined to be 49.7 nM and 113.0 nM, respectively, which are lower than the maximum concentration of 130.0 nM in drinking water proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, indicating potential environmental applications. The detection capability of Na/Eu-MOF is attributed to the combination system of energy competition and interactions between UO22+ ions and Na/Eu-MOF. This work offers a feasible strategy to construct an anionic heterometallic metal–organic framework with chelating sites for uranyl detection in an aqueous solution.

Effects of fine particulate matter from wildfire and non-wildfire sources on emergency-department visits in people who were housed and unhoused in San Diego County (CA, USA) during 2012–20: a time-stratified case–crossover study

Being unhoused can increase vulnerability to adverse health effects due to air pollution. We aimed to quantify changes in emergency-department visits during and after exposure to wildfire-specific and non-wildfire particulate matter 2·5 μm or less in diameter (PM2·5) in San Diego County (CA, USA) in people who were both unhoused and housed. For this time-stratified case-crossover study, we used data on exposure to wildfire-specific PM2·5 in California and individual-level data for people admitted to the emergency departments of two hospitals (UC San Diego Health emergency departments at La Jolla and Hillcrest, San Diego) in San Diego County between July 1, 2012, and Dec 31, 2020. People with a postcode outside of San Diego County were excluded. Demographic information was age group, race or ethnicity, and transport to the emergency department. Wildfire-specific PM2·5 concentration at the postcode level was previously estimated using an ensemble model that combined multiple machine-learning algorithms and explanatory variables obtained via data on 24-h mean PM2·5 concentrations from the US Environmental Protection Agency Air Quality System. Conditional logistic regression models were applied, adjusting for specific humidity, wind velocity, and maximum temperature extracted from the US Gridded Surface Meteorological Dataset. Housing status was established by registration staff or triage nurses on arrival at the emergency department. For people who were unhoused, exposure was defined based on the weighted mean PM2·5 concentration at the city level proportional to the number of people who were unhoused in each specific city across urban centres in San Diego County. For people who were housed, we used residence postcode to measure exposure. We assessed the association between PM2·5 from wildfire and non-wildfire sources and emergency-department visits in people who were housed and unhoused. There were 587 562 emergency-department visits at the two hospitals, 76 407 (13·0%) of which were by people who were unhoused. People who were housed had a higher exposure to overall PM2·5 (24-h mean over the study period of 9·904 mg/m3, SD 3·445) and non-wildfire PM2·5 (9·663, 2·977) than people who were unhoused (9·863, 3·221; 9·557, 2·599). However, people who were unhoused had a higher exposure to wildfire-specific PM2·5 (0·305, 1·797) than people who were housed (0·240, 1·690). Overall PM2·5 exposure was associated with increased odds of emergency-department visits for both people who were housed (odds ratio 1·003, 95% CI 1·001-1·004 per 1 μg/m3 PM2·5 for 0-3 days after exposure) and people who were unhoused (1·004, 1·000-1·008 for 0-3 days after exposure). We found that non-wildfire PM2·5 was associated with emergency-department visits among people who were housed (1·003, 1·002-1·005 for 0-3 days after exposure) and wildfire-specific PM2·5 was associated with emergency-department visits in people who were unhoused (1·006, 1·001-1·011 for 0-3 days after exposure). People who were unhoused in San Diego County were more likely to visit emergency departments after exposure to increased wildfire-specific PM2·5. As the intensity and frequency of wildfires increase, understanding risk factors for vulnerable populations, such as people who are unhoused, is crucial to develop effective adaptation strategies. US National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging.

Comprehensive Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Soil-Plant Systems and Health Risks from Wastewater-Irrigated Vegetables

A research study examined the origins, human health impacts, and risks associated with pollutants in vegetables grown in soil irrigated with wastewater. The study analyzed 164 samples from water sources, irrigated soil, and harvested vegetables for eight heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The focus was on the potential health effects of consuming heavy metal-contaminated vegetables grown in wastewater-irrigated soil. The findings revealed significant accumulation of heavy metals in soil and plants from Mianwali, Pakistan, posing potential health risks to consumers. When compared to vegetables produced with freshwater irrigation, the concentration levels of heavy metals in the soil irrigated with untreated wastewater were significantly greater (P≤0.001) and above the recommended limits set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The results showed that heavy metals in the soil had significantly increased, and crops had subsequently absorbed these metals. Produce raised in soil watered with wastewater showed higher levels of heavy metals than the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the WHO recommended. Among the veggies, lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) were found to have higher Hazardous Quotient Indices (HRIs) than one. This indicates that both adults and children may have been exposed to dangerous levels of these metals. Additionally, for Brassica oleracea, Raphanus sativus, and Spinacia oleracea, nickel (Ni) surpassed HRIs larger than 1, indicating a significant health risk connected to these veggies' ingestion.

Multidimensional structural racism and estimated cancer risk from traffic-related air pollution.

Traffic-related air pollutants have been associated with a variety of adverse human health impacts, including cancers. In the United States, numerous studies have documented racial inequities in neighborhood exposures to traffic-related air pollution. Emerging evidence suggests that structural racism may influence neighborhood exposures to air pollutants. However, existing research has largely focused on residential racial segregation, one indicator of structural racism. This study developed a multidimensional measure of structural racism to examine the relationship between structural racism and estimated cancer risk from air pollutants in Georgia. Carcinogenic air toxics data were obtained from the US Environmental Protection Agency's 2019 Air Toxics Screening Assessment and sociodemographic data from the American Community Survey. Guided by stakeholder input, county-level data on residential segregation, education, employment, incarceration, economic status, political participation, and homeownership were used to create a multidimensional county-level structural racism index. Relative risks (RRs) were estimated for associations between structural racism and elevated (top 10% in Georgia) estimated cancer risk from air toxics. Multilevel analyses revealed a significant association between multidimensional structural racism and exposure to carcinogenic traffic-related air pollutants. Neighborhoods in the highest quartile of structural racism exhibited an elevated cancer risk from traffic-related air pollutants (RR,7.84; 95% CI,5.11-12.05) compared to neighborhoods with lower levels of structural racism. Multidimensional structural racism was associated with estimated cancer risk from traffic-related air pollution in Georgia. Findings can inform future studies and policy interventions that address racial inequalities in exposure to traffic-related air pollution.

Mitigation of phosphorus contamination from livestock farms with La-containing hydrochar adsorbent

Phosphorus releases from livestock and poultry farms cause environmental contamination that must be mitigated through robust and effective recycle technologies. Lanthanum-modified hydrochars (La-HCN) prepared via mechanochemical modification had 96.8 mg g−1 phosphorus adsorption capacities and unprecedented fast uptake rates (half-maximum absorption capacity in 1.5 min). Presence of nitrogen in the hydrochars enhanced ion electrostatic interactions between lanthanum and carbon and accelerated phosphorus adsorption, which was confirmed theoretically with density functional theory calculations. Life cycle assessment (LCA) on a one-animal one-year basis revealed that production of La-containing hydrochar required fewer resources, had lower greenhouse gas emissions (171 kg CO2) and lower environmental impact than comparable adsorbent materials. Phosphorus removal levels achieved using the La-HCN adsorbent on actual wastewater from livestock and poultry breeding farms reached an adsorption rate of 93.6 %, exceeded sewage effluent standards of China, US EPA and EU, thus, demonstrate the practicality and scope of the developed technology.

Conversion of recovered phosphorus tailings into high-value lightweight ceramic materials and evaluation of environmental safety

In recent years, the substantial production and underutilization of phosphorus tailings have prompted an intensified search for innovative strategies to mitigate their accumulation and the associated hazards they present. This investigation the utilization of phosphorus tailings as a raw material for the cost-effective production of lightweight ceramic materials using the foaming-gel casting method. The impact of the stirring process on lightweight ceramic materials was investigated, encompassing mineral composition, pore structure, properties, and environmental safety assessment. The investigation utilized slurry volumetric foaming rate, XRD, SEM, ICP-MS, and potential ecological risk index (RI) for analysis. The findings suggested that the lightweight ceramic material, obtained by stirring at 1300rpm for 15min, exhibited the densest structure and excellent properties. It had a porosity of 79.19%, a bulk density of 0.59g/cm3, and a compressive strength of 6.08MPa. Besides, the leaching concentration and RI of lightweight ceramic materials complied with national (GB 8978-1996) and US EPA standards. This study aimed to enhance the sustainable production capacity of lightweight ceramic materials and offered data support for the value-added application and performance optimization of phosphorus tailings in the production of lightweight ceramic materials.

Elucidation of molecular mechanisms involved in tadpole toxicity employing QSTR and q-RASAR approach

Tadpoles, as early developmental stages of frogs, are vital indicators of toxicity and environmental health in ecosystems exposed to harmful organic compounds from industrial and runoff sources. Evaluating each compound individually is challenging, necessitating the use of in-silico methods like Quantitative Structure Toxicity Relationship (QSTR) and Quantitative Read-Across Structure Activity Relationship (q-RASAR). Utilizing the comprehensive US EPA's ECOTOX database, which includes acute LC50 toxicity and chronic endpoints, we extracted crucial data such as study types, exposure routes, and chemical categories. Regression-based QSTR and q-RASAR models were developed from this dataset, emphasizing key chemical descriptors. Lipophilicity and unsaturation were significant for predicting acute toxicity, while electrophilicity, nucleophilicity, and molecular branching were crucial for chronic toxicity predictions. Additionally, q-RASAR models integrated with the "intelligent consensus" algorithm were employed to enhance predictive accuracy. The performance of these models was rigorously compared across various approaches. These refined models not only predict the toxicity of untested compounds but also reveal underlying structural influences. Validation through comparison with existing literature affirmed the relevance and robustness of our approach in ecotoxicology.

Health Risk Assessment of Ambient Air Benzene Among Primary School Children in Urban and Rural Areas in Johor, Malaysia

Introduction: It is a fact that children are vulnerable, and are at risk from benzene, a volatile, carcinogenic organic compound. The aim of our study is to determine the levels of ambient air benzene and examine the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks involved Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two urban and two rural primary schools in Johor, Malaysia. Benzene concentrations were measured using BUCK Libra L-4 pumps and analyzed in the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Data were collected from 334 10-12 year old children, to calculate the exposure levels based on their body weights and heights. The hazard quotient (HQ) served to evaluate the non-carcinogenic risks, whereas the lifetime cancer risk (LCR) was determined with the aid of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Results and Discussion: Benzene concentrations were higher in rural than urban areas, surpassing the European Union (EU) standard of 5 μg/m³. It was also established that the highest average levels recorded were 6.89 ± 6.68 μg/m³. The HQ values, nonetheless, had indicated no immediate non-carcinogenic risk, while LCR estimates were found to be within a tolerable range across all sites. Findings showed that although the immediate risk from benzene exposure is low, long-term exposure still poses a significant cancer risk to children; even low levels of chronic exposure can heighten the likelihood of children to develop cancers. Conclusion: This study has produced a revelation that there are elevated benzene levels in rural areas in Johor. Despite the low, immediate non-carcinogenic risks, further investigation on the potential for long-term cancer risks is warranted. These risks can be addressed by conducting stricter air quality monitoring, enhancing vehicle emission standards, and introducing educational programs that can raise awareness about benzene exposure.

Dynamic Rare-Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks Based on Molecular Rotor Linkers with Efficient Emissions and Ultrasensitive Optical Sensing Performance.

4,4',4″-Triphenylamine tricarboxylate (TPA-COOH) with a distinct molecular rotor structure was reacted with rare-earth (RE) metal ions to obtain seven dynamic RE-based luminescent MOFs (RE-LMOFs) (i.e., emission colors in the blue, yellow-green, red, and near-infrared regions and emission peak wavelengths between 400 and 1600 nm) via the effective transfer of absorbed energy from TPA-COOH to the RE metal ions through the antenna effect. Due to the large energy level difference between RE ions, it was rare in the early days to use the same ligand to construct energy-level matching RE-LMOF homologues with multiple RE metal centers. The uncoordinated oxygen atoms on the molecular rotor linkers in RE-LMOFs provide active sites that can specifically capture highly toxic metal ions and strong oxidative pollutants. The limit of detection (LOD) of RE-LMOF for Al(III) ions is far below the maximum concentration of Al(III) ions in drinking water stipulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and that for H2O2 is much lower than the H2O2 content in cancer cells, showing excellent application potential for diagnosing early cell cancelation.

Simulated Surface‐Column NO2 Connections for Satellite Applications

AbstractObservations of near‐surface NO2 show a diurnal pattern with midday minima and daily maxima in the morning and evening. These surface cycles are dependent on chemical processing, transport, and emissions. We evaluate these cycles with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) community multiscale air quality (CMAQ) model data from the EPA Air Quality Time Series (EQUATES) project, compared with ground‐based measurements from the EPA air quality system, two Pandora measurement sites, and satellite data from TROPOMI. We find that the morning vertical column density (VCD) lags surface concentrations by 1 hr on average, where this lag varies with location and day. The peak VCD can also lead the surface maximum concentration, especially in the evening, responding to transport and afternoon compression of the boundary layer. Modeled NO2 VCD is sensitive to column calculation technique. With hourly daytime satellite‐based NO2 observations newly available from the TEMPO instrument, the timing and magnitude of cycles in near‐surface NO2 versus column NO2 will help inform the utilization of hourly satellite data. This work will help inform the timing of surface‐column connections to better interpret new hourly satellite observations for health and air quality applications, including emissions characterization.

Estimation of Environmental Burden of Disease related to Arsenic exposure in European Populations

Abstract Background Arsenic (As) exposure poses significant health risks to exposed populations, with exposure occurring predominantly via diet for the general population as recently referred by the European Food Safety Authority. This study assesses the environmental burden of disease (EBD) for three cancer types related to arsenic, across Europe. Methods A literature review was conducted to 1) identify the dose-response function (DRF) to assess the cancer risk in European populations, and 2) define EBD approaches applicable to the available data. Country-specific data (Belgium, Denmark, Portugal) for EBD calculation (exposure, socioeconomic status, health outcomes) were gathered. Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALY) estimations were performed by calculating attributable cases (AC). Results Two main references are used for DRF: the United States Food and Drug Administration DRF for assessing bladder and lung cancer risks, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency DRF for skin cancer. Preliminary results for Belgium indicate that inorganic arsenic dietary exposure ranges from 0.084 [0.080 - 0.088] to 0.102 [0.097 - 0.107] µg/kg body weight per day, varying with education level. Stratified estimates suggest that individuals with higher educational attainment (ISCED levels 5 &amp; 6) have a marginally higher average daily intake of arsenic compared to those with lower educational attainment (ISCED levels 0, 1 &amp; 2). DALY attributable to inorganic arsenic exposure follow the same trend as exposure levels, i.e. individuals with a higher education level bear a higher burden of disease than individuals of the low education stratum. This concerns the three studied cancers. Conclusions This study quantifies DALY related to inorganic arsenic from dietary exposure for different European countries. Our findings will contribute to better target public health policies and interventions for arsenic risk mitigation. Key messages • Exposure to inorganic arsenic is confirmed in European countries. • EBD studies guide action priorities to tackle chemical risk factors.

Elemental composition and health risk assessment of PM10, PM2.5, at different microenvironments: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This study was designed to evaluate the health risks faced by inhabitants living in the slum areas of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 and elemental composition of the PM10 were measured in indoors (in the kitchen and living room) and outdoors (at the roadside). A total of 75 sampling locations (45 indoor and 30 outdoor) were selected for the study. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were determined using an AROCET531S instrument, while an universal air pump was used for the sampling of PM10 for the determination of trace elements by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‒OES). The health impacts of PMs on the inhabitants of twelve microenvironments (MEs), where they spend much of their daily time, were estimated. The total amounts of PM2.5 and PM10, and trace metals in PM10 found in the nine or twelve MEs ranged from 10.6-119, 128-185, and 0.007-0.197 μg m-3, respectively. According to the United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) guidelines, ten of the twelve MEs can cause significant health problems for inhabitants (HI > 1) due to PM2.5 and PM10. Thus, special attention should be given by stakeholders/inhabitants to minimize the health impacts on long-term exposure. This study assessed the risk of levels of trace elements on the inhabitants who spend most of their daily lives. The study revealed that the lifetime cancer risk values for the individual and cumulative trace elements were within the tolerable range set by the USEPA guidelines.

Ambient air pollution exposure is associated with liver fat and stiffness in Latino youth with a more pronounced effect in those with PNPLA3 genotype and more advanced liver disease

BackgroundExposure to ambient air pollutants has emerged as a risk for metabolic-dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). ObjectivesWe sought to examine associations between short-term (prior month) and long-term (prior year) ambient air pollution exposure with hepatic fat fraction (HFF) and liver stiffness in Latino youth with obesity. A secondary aim was to investigate effect modification by patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 3 (PNPLA3) genotype and liver disease severity. MethodsData was analyzed from 113 Latino youth (age 11–19) with obesity in Southern California. Individual exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5μm (PM2.5), ≤ 10μm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), 8-hour maximum ozone (8hrMax-O3), 24-hr O3, and redox-weighted oxidative capacity (Oxwt) were estimated using residential address histories and United States Environmental Protection Agency air quality observations. HFF and liver stiffness were measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Linear models were used to determine associations between short-term and long-term exposure to air pollutants with HFF and liver stiffness. Modification by PNPLA3 and liver disease severity was then examined. ResultsShort-term exposure to 8hrMax-O3 was positively associated with HFF. Relationships between air pollution exposure and HFF were not impacted by PNPLA3 genotype or liver disease severity. Long-term exposure to 8hrMax-O3 and Oxwt were positively associated with liver stiffness. Associations between air pollution exposure and liver stiffness depended on PNPLA3 genotype, such that individuals with GG genotypes exhibited stronger, more positive relationships between short-term exposure to PM10, 8hrMax-O3, 24-hr O3, and Oxwt and liver stiffness than individuals with CC/CG genotypes. In addition, relationships between short-term exposure to NO2 and liver stiffness were stronger in those with severe liver disease. DiscussionAir pollution exposure may be a risk factor for liver disease among Latino youth with obesity, particularly in those with other preexisting risks for liver damage.