Seasonal patterns of birth outcomes have been observed worldwide, and there was increasing evidence that ambient temperature played as a trigger of adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW), and stillbirth. To systematically review updated epidemiological evidence about the relationship between temperature exposure during pregnancy and PTB, LBW, and stillbirth, we searched for related studies published in English from electronic databases and references of identified papers. We only included original articles that directly reported the effects of prenatal temperature exposure on birth outcomes. The characteristics and main findings of included studies were examined. A total of 36 epidemiological studies were finally included in this review. Most of these studies focused on PTB and LBW, while less attention has been paid to stillbirth that was relatively rare in the occurrence. Several designs including ecological (e.g., descriptive and time-series) and retrospective cohort studies (e.g., case-crossover and time-to-event) were applied to assess temperature effects on birth outcomes. Temperature metrics and exposure windows varied greatly in these investigations. Exposure to high temperature was generally found to be associated with PTB, LBW, and stillbirth, while several studies also reported the adverse impact of low temperature on birth outcomes of PTB and LBW. Despite no conclusive causality demonstrated, the current evidence for adverse effect on birth outcomes was stronger for heat than for cold. In summary, the evidence linking birth outcomes with ambient temperature was still very limited. Consequently, more related studies are needed worldwide and should be conducted in diversified climate zones, so as to further ascertain the association between temperature and birth outcomes. Future studies should focus on more sophisticated study designs, more accurate estimation of temperature exposure during pregnancy, and more efficient methods to find out the exposure windows, as well as cold-related effects on birth outcomes.

Acrylamide-induced immunotoxicity and allergic dermatitis have been reported in animal experiments and clinical reports, respectively. However, epidemiological evidence from the general population is limited.The purpose of the present study was to estimate the associations between acrylamide exposure and allergy-related outcomes in the general US population.A total of 6982 subjects were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005–2006 (NHANES). Internal exposure was measured by the hemoglobin adducts of acrylamide (HbAA) and its metabolite glycidamide (HbGA). Allergy-related outcomes including asthma, hay fever, allergy, itchy rash, sneeze, wheeze and eczema were obtained by self-administered questionnaires. Allergic sensitization was assessed by the total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. The associations of HbAA and HbGA quartiles with allergy-related outcomes were calculated using logistic regression models with multivariable adjustments. Analyses were additionally stratified according to age, gender and serum cotinine levels.When setting quartile 1 of HbAA as reference, the odds ratios (ORs) [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] of quartile 2 to 4 for eczema were 1.18 (0.79–1.76), 1.14 (0.73–1.78) and 1.58 (1.14–2.18), respectively (ptrend = 0.002). Individuals at the highest quartile of HbGA had significantly elevated likelihoods of itchy rash (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.02–1.83, ptrend = 0.032) and eczema (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.06–1.97, ptrend = 0.044). The stratification analyses indicated various results in different subgroups.This study indicated significant associations between HbAA and HbGA levels and the likelihoods of allergy-related outcomes in the general US population, depending on age, gender and smoke exposure status. These findings suggested potential public health concerns for the widespread exposure to acrylamide.

We estimated the sample size (the number of samples) required to evaluate the concentration of radiocesium (¹³⁷Cs) in Japanese fir (Abies firma Sieb. & Zucc.), 5 years after the outbreak of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. We investigated the spatial structure of the contamination levels in this species growing in a mixed deciduous broadleaf and evergreen coniferous forest stand. We sampled 40 saplings with a tree height of 150 cm–250 cm in a Fukushima forest community. The results showed that: (1) there was no correlation between the ¹³⁷Cs concentration in needles and soil, and (2) the difference in the spatial distribution pattern of ¹³⁷Cs concentration between needles and soil suggest that the contribution of root uptake to ¹³⁷Cs in new needles of this species may be minor in the 5 years after the radionuclides were released into the atmosphere. The concentration of ¹³⁷Cs in needles showed a strong positive spatial autocorrelation in the distance class from 0 to 2.5 m, suggesting that the statistical analysis of data should consider spatial autocorrelation in the case of an assessment of the radioactive contamination of forest trees. According to our sample size analysis, a sample size of seven trees was required to determine the mean contamination level within an error in the means of no more than 10%. This required sample size may be feasible for most sites.

The most common mass spectrometry approach analyzing contamination of the environment deals with targeted analysis, i.e. detection and quantification of the selected (priority) pollutants. However non-targeted analysis is becoming more often the method of choice for environmental chemists. It involves implementation of modern analytical instrumentation allowing for comprehensive detection and identification of the wide variety of compounds of the environmental interest present in the sample, such as pharmaceuticals and their metabolites, musks, nanomaterials, perfluorinated compounds, hormones, disinfection by-products, flame retardants, personal care products, and many others emerging contaminants. The paper presents the results of detection and identification of previously unreported organic compounds in snow samples collected in Moscow in March 2016. The snow analysis allows evaluation of long-term air pollution in the winter period. Gas chromatography coupled to a high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer has enabled us with capability to detect and identify such novel analytes as iodinated compounds, polychlorinated anisoles and even Ni-containing organic complex, which are unexpected in environmental samples. Some considerations concerning the possible sources of origin of these compounds in the environment are discussed.

With the progress of global industrialization and environmental deterioration, the relationship between human health and the living environment has become an increasing focus of attention. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, including dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls), as part of the organic chlorine contaminants, have been suspected as playing a role in the etiopathogenesis of endometriosis. Several population-based studies have proposed that exposure to PCBs may increase the risk of developing endometriosis, while some epidemiological studies have failed to find any association between PCBs and endometriosis. The purpose of this review is to discuss the potential pathophysiological relationship between endometriosis and PCBs with a focus on both dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls and non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls.

In this paper problems associated with preparation of aqueous standard of highly hydrophobic compounds such as partial precipitation, being lost on the surfaces, low solubility in water and limited sample volume for accurate determination of their distribution coefficients are addressed. The following work presents two approaches that utilize blade thin film microextraction (TFME) to investigate partitioning of UV filters and biocides to humic acid (dissolved organic carbon) and sediment. A steady-state concentration of target analytes in water was generated using a flow-through aqueous standard generation (ASG) system. Dialysis membranes, a polytetrafluoroethylene permeation tube, and a frit porous (0.5 μm) coated by epoxy glue were basic elements used for preparation of the ASG system. In the currently presented study, negligible depletion TFME using hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) and octadecyl silica-based (C18) sorbents was employed towards the attainment of free concentration values of target analytes in the studied matrices. Thin film geometry provided a large volume of extraction phase, which improved the sensitivity of the method towards highly matrix-bound analytes. Extractions were performed in the equilibrium regime so as to prevent matrix effects and with aims to reach maximum method sensitivity for all analytes under study. Partitioning of analytes on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was investigated in ASG to facilitate large sample volume conditions. Binding percentages and DOC distribution coefficients (Log KDOC) ranged from 20 to 98% and 3.71–6.72, respectively. Furthermore, sediment-water partition coefficients (Kd), organic-carbon normalized partition coefficients (Log KOC), and DOC distribution coefficients (Log KDOC) were investigated in slurry sediment, and ranged from 33 to 2860, 3.31–5.24 and 4.52–5.75 Lkg-1, respectively. The obtained results demonstrated that investigations utilizing ASG and TFME can yield reliable binding information for compounds with high log KOW values. This information is useful for study of fate, transport, and ecotoxicological effects of UV filters and biocides in aquatic environment.

Many regulatory screening level exposure assessments are based on simple large scale conceptual scenarios. However, exposure, and therefore risks associated with chemicals, are characterised by high spatial variability. The Scenario assembly tool (ScenAT) is a global screening level model to enable spatially resolved local predictions of environmental concentrations of home and personal care chemicals. It uses the European Union Technical Guidance Document (TGD) equation to predict local scale freshwater concentrations (predicted environmental concentrations - PECs) of chemicals discharged via wastewater. ScenAT uses Geographic Information System (GIS) layers for the underlying socio-economic (population) and environmental parameters (per capita water use, sewage treatment plant connectivity, dilution factor). Using a probabilistic approach, we incorporate sources of uncertainty in the input data (tonnage estimation, removal in sewage treatment plants and seasonal variability in dilution factors) for two case-study chemicals: the antimicrobial triclosan (TCS) and the anionic surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS). We then compare model estimates of wastewater and freshwater concentrations of TCS and LAS to UK monitoring data. Comparison showed that modeled PECs were on average higher than mean measured data for TCS and LAS by a factor 1.8 and 1.4, respectively. Considering the uncertainty associated with both model and monitoring data, the use of a probabilistic approach using the ScenAT model for screening assessment is reasonable. The combination of modelled and monitoring data enables the contextualisation of monitoring data. Spatial PECs can be used to identify areas of elevated concentration for further refined assessment.A probabilistic approach for large scale screening assessments to contextualise monitoring data for risk assessment.

Nano-aluminium oxide (nAl2O3) is one of the most widely used nanomaterials. However, nAl2O3 toxicity mechanisms and potential beneficial effects on terrestrial plant physiology remain poorly understood. Such knowledge is essential for the development of robust nAl2O3 risk assessment. In this study, we studied the influence of a 10-d exposure to a total selected concentration of 98 μM nAl2O3 or to the equivalent molar concentration of ionic Al (AlCl3) (196 μM) on the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana on the physiology (e.g., growth and photosynthesis, membrane damage) and the transcriptome using a high throughput state-of-the-art technology, RNA-seq. We found no evidence of nAl2O3 toxicity on photosynthesis, growth and lipid peroxidation. Rather the nAl2O3 treatment stimulated root weight and length by 48% and 39%, respectively as well as photosynthesis opening up the door to the use of nAl2O3 in biotechnology and nano agriculture. Transcriptomic analyses indicate that the beneficial effect of nAl2O3 was related to an increase in the transcription of several genes involved in root growth as well as in root nutrient uptake (e.g., up-regulation of the root hair-specific gene family and root development genes, POLARIS protein). By contrast, the ionic Al treatment decreased shoot and root weight of Arabidopsis thaliana by 57.01% and 45.15%, respectively. This toxic effect was coupled to a range of response at the gene transcription level including increase transcription of antioxidant-related genes and transcription of genes involved in plant defense response to pathogens. This work provides an integrated understanding at the molecular and physiological level of the effects of nAl2O3 and ionic Al in Arabidopsis.

We aimed to clarify the effects of ozone (O3) on photosynthetic ability of upper and lower canopy leaves of Fagus crenata Blume seedlings grown under different soil nutrient conditions. To accomplish this objective, we analyzed the response of photosynthetic parameters such as maximum carboxylation rate (Vcmax) to cumulative stomatal O3 uptake (ΣFst) and reduction rate of Vcmax per unit ΣFst as an index of detoxification capacity for O3. The seedlings of Fagus crenata were grown for two growing seasons (2014–2015) in nine treatments comprised of a combination of three levels of gas treatments (charcoal-filtered air or 1.0- or 1.5-times ambient O3 concentration) and three levels of soil nutrient treatments (non-fertilized or a supply of relatively low or high concentrations of compound fertilizer). The nutrient supply significantly increased the degree of O3-induced reduction in Vcmax in September. However, nutrient supply did not significantly increase ΣFst and reduce the detoxification capacity for O3. On the other hand, the degree of O3-induced reduction in Vcmax of upper canopy leaves was higher as compared with that of lower canopy leaves in August due to the higher ΣFst. However, the reduction rate of Vcmax per unit ΣFst in lower canopy leaves was higher than that in upper canopy leaves, indicating lower detoxification capacity for O3 in lower canopy leaves. Reduction rate of Vcmax per unit ΣFst over the threshold, which is assumed to be proportional to gross photosynthetic rate, was similar between upper and lower canopy leaves. Therefore, capacity of photosynthetic CO2 assimilation is likely to be associated with detoxification capacity for O3 in upper and lower canopy leaves of F. crenata seedlings grown under different soil nutrient conditions.

Scientifically sound risk assessment strategies and derivations of environmental quality standards for metals present in freshwater environments are currently hampered by insufficient chronic toxicity data collected from natural ecosystems, as well as inadequate information on metal speciation. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of freshwater containing multiple metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) on the chronic toxicity (72h) to the alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and compare the observed toxicity results to the total and free metal concentration of the samples. Based on the information obtained herein, an additive inhibitory free multi-metal ion concentration index, calculated as the sum of the equivalent toxicities to the free metal ion concentration of each sample, was developed. The proposed index was well correlated to the observed chronic toxicity results, indicating that the concentration addition, when expressed as the free-ion activity, can be considered a reliable indicator for the evaluation of ecological risk assessments for natural waters containing multiple metals.