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Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants
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Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Toxicology and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 October 2023) | Viewed by 17320

Special Issue Editor

Dr. María Gemma Albendín

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Toxicology Laboratory, University Institute of Marine Research (INMAR), International Campus of Excellence of the Sea (CEI MAR), Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, 11510 Cádiz, Spain
Interests: environmental analytical chemistry; toxicity pesticides; biological pest control; aquatic toxicology; pest control; pesticide analysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The effects of different human activities on human beings and the environment have been studied for a long time. Human activities have a negative effect on the environment by polluting water, air, and soil. Furthermore, human beings and other living organisms are exposed to thousands of chemical compounds. These compounds are released into the atmosphere, water, or soils without full knowledge of their behavior and their effects on the environment. Another aspect to take into account is climate change, which is induced by anthropogenic activities. The consequence of climate change on the environmental distribution and toxicity of chemical pollutants could be an important risk for all organisms. Therefore, more research is needed to investigate the adverse effects of these factors on organisms. In addition, the presence of substances such as microplastics, particle matters, nanoparticles from different origins, pharmaceutical compounds, and their metabolites as well as other substances related to personal hygiene habits or even illegal drugs should be studied to understand the toxicological and health effects in humans and ecosystems. This presence in the environment and its possible combination with other substances in it can affect organisms with processes such as bioaccumulation and biomagnification that end up affecting the health of human beings. Topics of interest include but are not limited to environmental and health impacts of air pollution, toxic effects of pollutants on human and/or other living organisms, effects on health and/or living organisms of exposure to the combination of diverse compounds, clinical and behavioral effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to emerging contaminants and endocrinal disruptors, and biomarkers for monitoring environmental and toxicological effects.

Dr. María Gemma Albendín
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • endocrine disruption
  • biomarkers
  • emergence contaminants
  • microplastics
  • pesticides
  • metals
  • pharmaceutical products
  • particulate matter (PM)
  • air pollution
  • climate change

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 8266 KiB  
Article
Adhesion Molecules in Lung Inflammation from Repeated Glyphosate Exposures
by Upkardeep Pandher, Shelley Kirychuk, David Schneberger, Brooke Thompson, Gurpreet Aulakh, R. S. Sethi and Baljit Singh
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(8), 5484; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20085484 - 12 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2284
Abstract
Glyphosate is an active ingredient in herbicides. Exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides has been associated with respiratory dysfunctions in agricultural workers. The ability of inhaled glyphosate to induce lung inflammation is not well understood. Further, the role of adhesion molecules in glyphosate-induced lung inflammation [...] Read more.
Glyphosate is an active ingredient in herbicides. Exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides has been associated with respiratory dysfunctions in agricultural workers. The ability of inhaled glyphosate to induce lung inflammation is not well understood. Further, the role of adhesion molecules in glyphosate-induced lung inflammation has not been studied. We evaluated lung inflammatory responses from single and repeated glyphosate exposures. Male C57BL/6 mice were intranasally exposed to glyphosate (1 μg/40 μL) for 1 day or once daily for 5 days or 10 days. Lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid were collected and analyzed. Repeated exposure to glyphosate for 5 days and 10 days resulted in an increase in neutrophils in BAL fluid and higher eosinophil peroxidase levels in lungs, with leukocyte infiltration further confirmed through lung histology. Repetitive exposure to glyphosate increased IL-33 and Th2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13. A single glyphosate treatment revealed expression for ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and vWF adhesion molecules in the perivascular region of lung sections; with repeated treatment (5 and 10 days), adhesion molecule expression was found in the perivascular, peribronchiolar, and alveolar regions of the lungs. Repetitive exposure to glyphosate induced cellular inflammation in which adhesion molecules may be important to the lung inflammatory process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants)
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14 pages, 2219 KiB  
Article
Changes Caused by Bisphenols in the Chemical Coding of Neurons of the Enteric Nervous System of Mouse Stomach
by Krystyna Makowska and Slawomir Gonkowski
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 5125; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065125 - 14 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1781
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA), an organic chemical compound which is widely used in the production of plastics, can severely damage live organisms. Due to these findings, the plastic industry has started to replace it with other substances, most often with bisphenol S (BPS). Therefore, [...] Read more.
Bisphenol A (BPA), an organic chemical compound which is widely used in the production of plastics, can severely damage live organisms. Due to these findings, the plastic industry has started to replace it with other substances, most often with bisphenol S (BPS). Therefore, during the present investigation, with the use of double immunofluorescence labeling, we compared the effect of BPA and BPS on the enteric nervous system (ENS) in the mouse corpus of the stomach. The obtained results show that both studied toxins impact the amount of nerve cells immunoreactive to substance P (SP), galanin (GAL), vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT is used here as a marker of cholinergic neurons) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). Changes observed under the impact of both bisphenols depended on the neuronal factor, the type of the enteric ganglion and the doses of bisphenols studied. Generally, the increase in the percentage of neurons immunoreactive to SP, GAL and/or VIP, and the decrease in the percentage of VAChT-positive neurons, was noted. Severity of changes was more visible after BPA administration. However, the study has shown that long time exposure to BPS also significantly affects the ENS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants)
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21 pages, 4510 KiB  
Article
Endocrine Disruption of Propylparaben in the Male Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis): Tissue Injuries and Abnormal Gene Expressions of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal-Liver Axis
by Yun Ma, Yujing Li, Xiaohong Song, Tao Yang, Haiqin Wang, Yanpeng Liang, Liangliang Huang and Honghu Zeng
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3557; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043557 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2160
Abstract
Propylparaben (PrP) is a widely used preservative that is constantly detected in aquatic environments and poses a potential threat to aquatic ecosystems. In the present work, adult male mosquitofish were acutely (4d) and chronically (32d) exposed to environmentally and humanly realistic concentrations of [...] Read more.
Propylparaben (PrP) is a widely used preservative that is constantly detected in aquatic environments and poses a potential threat to aquatic ecosystems. In the present work, adult male mosquitofish were acutely (4d) and chronically (32d) exposed to environmentally and humanly realistic concentrations of PrP (0, 0.15, 6.00 and 240 μg/L), aimed to investigate the toxic effects, endocrine disruption and possible mechanisms of PrP. Histological analysis showed time- and dose-dependent manners in the morphological injuries of brain, liver and testes. Histopathological alterations in the liver were found in 4d and severe damage was identified in 32d, including hepatic sinus dilatation, cytoplasmic vacuolation, cytolysis and nuclear aggregation. Tissue impairments in the brain and testes were detected in 32d; cell cavitation, cytomorphosis and blurred cell boundaries appeared in the brain, while the testes lesions contained spermatogenic cell lesion, decreased mature seminal vesicle, sperm cells gathering, seminiferous tubules disorder and dilated intercellular space. Furthermore, delayed spermatogenesis had occurred. The transcriptional changes of 19 genes along the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal–liver (HPGL) axis were investigated across the three organs. The disrupted expression of genes such as Ers, Ars, Vtgs, cyp19a, star, hsd3b, hsd17b3 and shh indicated the possible abnormal steroidogenesis, estrogenic or antiandrogen effects of PrP. Overall, the present results provided evidences for the toxigenicity and endocrine disruptive effects on the male mosquitofish of chronic PrP exposure, which highlights the need for more investigations of its potential health risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants)
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10 pages, 346 KiB  
Article
Chronic Kidney Disease: Combined Effects of Gene Polymorphisms of Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinase 3, Total Urinary Arsenic, and Blood Lead Concentration
by Ying-Chin Lin, Ya-Li Huang, Horng-Sheng Shiue, Sheng-Lun Hsu and Yu-Mei Hsueh
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1886; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031886 - 19 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1493
Abstract
The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) is known to be an anti-fibrotic factor. Arsenic, lead, and cadmium exposure and selenium intake may affect TIMP3 expression. The downregulation of TIMP3 expression is related to kidney fibrosis. Genotypes of TIMP3 are related to hypertension [...] Read more.
The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) is known to be an anti-fibrotic factor. Arsenic, lead, and cadmium exposure and selenium intake may affect TIMP3 expression. The downregulation of TIMP3 expression is related to kidney fibrosis. Genotypes of TIMP3 are related to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, this study explored whether TIMP3 polymorphism is associated with hypertension-related chronic kidney disease (CKD). In addition, the combined effects of TIMP3 polymorphism and total urinary arsenic, blood lead and cadmium, and plasma selenium concentrations on CKD, were investigated. This was a case-control study, with 213 CKD patients and 423 age- and sex-matched controls recruited. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to determine TIMP3 gene polymorphisms. The concentrations of urinary arsenic species, plasma selenium, and blood lead and cadmium were measured. The odds ratio (OR) of CKD in the TIMP3rs9609643 GA/AA genotype was higher than that of the GG genotype at high levels of total urinary arsenic and blood lead; the OR and 95% confidence interval (CI) were 0.57 (0.31–1.05) and 0.52 (0.30–0.93), respectively, after multivariate adjustment. High blood lead levels tended to interact with the TIMP3rs9609643 GG genotype to increase the OR of CKD, and gave the highest OR (95% CI) for CKD of 5.97 (2.60–13.67). Our study supports a possible role for the TIMP3rs9609643 risk genotype combined with high total urinary arsenic or with high blood lead concentration to increase the OR of CKD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants)
15 pages, 1857 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Actual Toxicity of Engine Exhaust Gas Emissions from Euro 3 and Euro 6 Compliant Vehicles with the BAT-CELL Method Using In Vitro Tests
by Aleksandra Kęska, Anna Janicka, Maciej Zawiślak, Justyna Molska, Radosław Włostowski, Adriana Włóka, Joanna Świeściak and Kacper Ostrowski
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14138; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114138 - 29 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1631
Abstract
Legal restrictions on vehicle engine exhaust gas emission control do not always go hand in hand with an actual reduction in the emissions of toxins into the atmosphere. Moreover, the methods currently used to measure exhaust gas emissions do not give unambiguous results [...] Read more.
Legal restrictions on vehicle engine exhaust gas emission control do not always go hand in hand with an actual reduction in the emissions of toxins into the atmosphere. Moreover, the methods currently used to measure exhaust gas emissions do not give unambiguous results on the impact of the tested gases on living organisms. The method used to assess the actual toxicity of gases, BAT-CELL Bio-Ambient-Tests using in vitro tests, takes into account synergistic interactions of individual components of a mixture of gases without the need to know its qualitative and quantitative composition and allows for determination of the actual toxicity of the gas composition. Using the BAT-CELL method, exhaust gases from passenger vehicles equipped with spark-ignition engines complying with the Euro 3 and Euro 6 emission standards were tested. The results of toxicological tests were correlated with the results of chromatographic analysis. It was shown that diverse qualitative composition of the mixture of hydrocarbons determining the exhaust gases toxicity may decrease the percentage value of cell survival. Additionally, it was proven that the average survival of cells after exposure to exhaust gases from tested vehicles meeting the more restrictive Euro 6 standard was lower than for vehicles meeting the Euro 3 standard thus indicating the higher toxicity of exhaust gases from newer vehicles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants)
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25 pages, 3904 KiB  
Article
Beyond a Spray: Pesticide Application Management in Rural China Based on Quadrilateral Evolutionary Game
by Zilu Zhao and Bo Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12096; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912096 - 24 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1411
Abstract
Organic pesticides (OP) produce very little environmental contamination compared with conventional pesticides, but their use is low in rural China. Interest conflicts among participants are analysed for the first time to improve pesticide application management (PAM). Retailers, whose roles are usually little-mentioned, were [...] Read more.
Organic pesticides (OP) produce very little environmental contamination compared with conventional pesticides, but their use is low in rural China. Interest conflicts among participants are analysed for the first time to improve pesticide application management (PAM). Retailers, whose roles are usually little-mentioned, were found to be irreplaceable and so were included in the model as players. A quadrilateral evolutionary game is constructed for PAM and used data from field research in servey representative areas in rural China to estimate the future situation. It demonstrates that OP cannot be chosen by most farmers under the current policy and market environment. The simulation showed that: (i) The probability and economic loss of retailers when providing high-concentration pesticide recommendations positively impact OP application. (ii) The organic certification cost and the successful application probability both benefit environmental recovery in the short term, while the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in the long run. (iii) The cost of strict regulations negatively correlate with OP application; while the purchase price and the corresponding premium provided by intermediates positively/negatively correlates with OP application. This suggests that the environment would be better protected by increasing farmers’ pesticide knowledge, reducing retailers’ monopoly of influence, and providing subsidies and guidance for organic certification. Moreover, shortening the food supply chain and reducing regulatory costs would also help. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants)
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Review

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25 pages, 2078 KiB  
Review
Chlorpyrifos Occurrence and Toxicological Risk Assessment: A Review
by Elżbieta Wołejko, Bożena Łozowicka, Agata Jabłońska-Trypuć, Marta Pietruszyńska and Urszula Wydro
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12209; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912209 - 26 Sep 2022
Cited by 49 | Viewed by 5782
Abstract
Chlorpyrifos (CPF) was the most frequently used pesticide in food production in the European Union (EU) until 2020. Unfortunately, this compound is still being applied in other parts of the world. National monitoring of pesticides conducted in various countries indicates the presence of [...] Read more.
Chlorpyrifos (CPF) was the most frequently used pesticide in food production in the European Union (EU) until 2020. Unfortunately, this compound is still being applied in other parts of the world. National monitoring of pesticides conducted in various countries indicates the presence of CPF in soil, food, and water, which may have toxic effects on consumers, farmers, and animal health. In addition, CPF may influence changes in the population of fungi, bacteria, and actinomycete in soil and can inhibit nitrogen mineralization. The mechanisms of CPF activity are based on the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. This compound also exhibits reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, and genotoxicity. The problem seems to be the discrepancy between the actual observations and the final conclusions drawn for the substance’s approval in reports presenting the toxic impact of CPF on human health. Therefore, this influence is still a current and important issue that requires continuous monitoring despite its withdrawal from the market in the EU. This review traces the scientific reports describing the effects of CPF resulting in changes occurring in both the environment and at the cellular and tissue level in humans and animals. It also provides an insight into the hazards and risks to human health in food consumer products in which CPF has been detected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxicological and Health Effects of Environmental Contaminants)
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