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IJERPH
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Occupational/Residential Exposure to Toxic Xenobiotics
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Occupational/Residential Exposure to Toxic Xenobiotics

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 24466

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Massimo Moretti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: environmental mutagenesis; genetic toxicology; human biomonitoring; comet assay; micronucleus test
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Milena Villarini

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: human biomonitoring; health promotion; community-based participatory research; comet assay; micronucleus test
Dr. Mattia Acito

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
Interests: human biomonitoring; dietary exposure; food toxicology; comet assay; micronucleus test

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Occupational and/or residential exposure to toxic/genotoxic/carcinogenic xenobiotics represents a serious threat to human health. Causal relationships between exposure to these pollutants—often in complex mixtures—and acute and/or chronic diseases are well reported in literature. Moreover, aside from exposure occurring in the workplace or in the general environment, exposure to toxic/genotoxic/carcinogenic xenobiotics might also occur because of individual lifestyle (e.g., smoking habits, alcohol consumption, diet, etc.).

In addition to chemical analysis, adverse health effects of xenobiotics can be studied on living organisms in ecosystems (e.g., ecogenotoxicology) or in humans. Overall, these approaches play a pivotal role in addressing public health challenges and supporting public health policy aiming to reduce exposure to xenobiotics and prevent adverse human health impacts.

In the last few decades, numerous epidemiological studies have used a molecular approach for improving measurement of exposure and for early detection of health effects. Biomonitoring of genotoxic hazards has been reported in several studies by the use of different genotoxicity endpoints, such as analysis of primary DNA damage (e.g., comet assay), or cytogenetic effects (e.g., micronuclei, chromosomal aberrations, and sister chromatid exchanges).

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) focuses on the current state of knowledge regarding the links between exposure to toxic/genotoxic/carcinogenic xenobiotics and human health. Original research papers (in vitro, in vivo, and human studies), reviews, meta-analyses, are welcome in this issue. Other manuscript types accepted include methodological papers, position papers, brief reports, and commentaries.

We will accept manuscripts from different disciplines, including exposure assessment science, epidemiology, intervention studies, risk and health impact assessment, risk management.

Papers dealing with new biotoxicological approaches aimed at identifying early effects and individual susceptibility through “omics”, including epigenetics, and at measuring and characterizing biological effects from gene–environment interactions will be particularly appreciated.

Prof. Dr. Massimo Moretti
Dr. Milena Villarini
Dr. Mattia Acito
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • occupational and environmental toxicology
  • exposure assessment (including lifestyle-related exposure)
  • human biomonitoring
  • ecogenotoxicology/environmental mutagenesis
  • hazard identification and/or safety assessment of natural/synthetic products
  • air, water and soil pollutants/contaminants (including drinking water disinfection by-products)
  • endocrine disruptors
  • complex mixtures of contaminants

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 1071 KiB  
Article
Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity of Senecio vulgaris L. Extracts: An In Vitro Assessment in HepG2 Liver Cells
by Mattia Acito, Carla Russo, Cristina Fatigoni, Federica Mercanti, Massimo Moretti and Milena Villarini
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 14824; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192214824 - 11 Nov 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1742
Abstract
Senecio vulgaris L. is a herbaceous species found worldwide. The demonstrated occurrence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in this species and its ability to invade a great variety of habitats result in a serious risk of contamination of plant material batches addressed to the herbal [...] Read more.
Senecio vulgaris L. is a herbaceous species found worldwide. The demonstrated occurrence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in this species and its ability to invade a great variety of habitats result in a serious risk of contamination of plant material batches addressed to the herbal teas market; this presents a potential health risk for consumers. In light of the above, this work aimed to assess the cytotoxic and genotoxic activity of S. vulgaris extracts in HepG2 cells. Dried plants were ground and extracted using two different methods, namely an organic solvent-based procedure (using methanol and chloroform), and an environmentally friendly extraction procedure (i.e., aqueous extraction), which mimicked the domestic preparation of herbal teas (5, 15, and 30 min of infusion). Extracts were then tested in HepG2 cells for their cytotoxic and genotoxic potentialities. Results were almost superimposable in both extracts, showing a slight loss in cell viability at the highest concentration tested, and a marked dose-dependent genotoxicity exerted by non-cytotoxic concentrations. It was found that the genotoxic effect is even more pronounced in aqueous extracts, which induced primary DNA damage after five minutes of infusion even at the lowest concentration tested. Given the broad intake of herbal infusions worldwide, this experimental approach might be proposed as a screening tool in the analysis of plant material lots addressed to the herbal infusion market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational/Residential Exposure to Toxic Xenobiotics)
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10 pages, 330 KiB  
Article
Urinary Excretion of Cyanuric Acid in Association with Urolithiasis: A Matched Case-Control Study in Shanghai Adults
by Feifei Huang, Qilai Long, Shaojie Liu, Yanyun Chen, Yifei Wang, Hangwei Wang, Ruihua Dong, Jianming Guo and Bo Chen
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8726; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148726 - 18 Jul 2022
Viewed by 1870
Abstract
Melamine (MEL) has raised human concern since the 2008 milk scandal. Co-exposure to MEL and one of its analogues, cyanuric acid (CYA), has been reported to have a synergistic effect on promoting urolithiasis. However, few epidemiological studies have reported urolithiasis in association with [...] Read more.
Melamine (MEL) has raised human concern since the 2008 milk scandal. Co-exposure to MEL and one of its analogues, cyanuric acid (CYA), has been reported to have a synergistic effect on promoting urolithiasis. However, few epidemiological studies have reported urolithiasis in association with exposure to CYA based on our knowledge. We therefore conducted a case-control study to investigate whether cases of urolithiasis had higher excretion of urinary CYA than the controls. Spot urine samples from 70 adult cases and first-morning urine samples from 70 controls (matched by age and sex) were collected for the measurement of MEL, CYA, and other two analogues in urine. The case group also had 2.81-fold higher concentration of urinary CYA than the control group (34.87 versus 12.43 ng/mL, p-value < 0.001). Multivariate conditional logistic regression models adjusting potential confounders of personal characteristics identified the risk factor of urinary CYA as a continuous variable with odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval, 95%CI) of 1.11 (1.02–1.21) (p-value = 0.021) and having meals at restaurants with OR of 5.71 (1.01–32.31) (p-value = 0.049). Compared to the participants having the lowest quartile of CYA concentration in urine, participants at the second, third, and fourth quartile groups had ORs of 13.94, 83.69, and 118.65 with p-values of 0.004, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively. The high excretion of urinary CYA in urolithiasis cases might be the sign of stones in patients consisting of CYA, then proving the attribution of CYA exposure in the etiology of urolithiasis. These findings are important since CYA is a degraded by-product of chlorinated isocyanuric acid disinfectants, which are widely used in daily life not only in swimming pool water but also in other scenarios, such as serving as anti-pandemic disinfectants. Risk assessment of CYA serving as a by-product of disinfectants needs to be conducted in future studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational/Residential Exposure to Toxic Xenobiotics)
14 pages, 1268 KiB  
Article
The Presence of Triclosan in Human Hair Samples in Poland—A Pilot Study
by Slawomir Gonkowski, Manolis Tzatzarakis, Elena Vakonaki, Krystyna Makowska, Aristidis M. Tsatsakis and Joanna Wojtkiewicz
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(7), 3796; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073796 - 23 Mar 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2012
Abstract
Triclosan (TCS) is an organic substance showing antibacterial action, which is commonly used in many branches of industry, including, among others, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and the food industry. TCS may penetrate into living organisms and negatively affect the health of humans and animals. The [...] Read more.
Triclosan (TCS) is an organic substance showing antibacterial action, which is commonly used in many branches of industry, including, among others, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and the food industry. TCS may penetrate into living organisms and negatively affect the health of humans and animals. The majority of previous investigations on TCS biomonitoring in humans have been performed on urine, but currently, studies on hair samples are becoming increasingly important. The aim of this study was to evaluate TCS concentration levels in residents of Olsztyn, a city in northeastern Poland, using a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. The presence of TCS was observed in 96.7% of samples tested, with concentration levels from 37.9 pg/mg to 3386.5 pg/mg. The mean concentration level of TCS in the present study was 402.6 (±803.6) pg/mg, and the median value was 103.3 pg/mg. Although there were some differences in TCS concentration levels between males and females, humans of various ages and humans with colored and natural hair had no statistically significant differences in TCS concentration levels. The obtained results have clearly indicated that people living in northeastern Poland are exposed to TCS to a large degree, and hair analysis, despite some limitations, is a suitable method for TCS biomonitoring in humans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational/Residential Exposure to Toxic Xenobiotics)
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16 pages, 12720 KiB  
Article
In Vitro Effects of Particulate Matter Associated with a Wildland Fire in the North-West of Italy
by Marta Gea, Sara Bonetta, Daniele Marangon, Francesco Antonio Pitasi, Caterina Armato, Giorgio Gilli, Fabrizio Bert, Marco Fontana and Tiziana Schilirò
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(20), 10812; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010812 - 14 Oct 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2372
Abstract
Wildland fires, increasing in recent decades in the Mediterranean region due to climate change, can contribute to PM levels and composition. This study aimed to investigate biological effects of PM2.5 (Ø < 2.5 µm) and PM10 (Ø < 10 µm) collected [...] Read more.
Wildland fires, increasing in recent decades in the Mediterranean region due to climate change, can contribute to PM levels and composition. This study aimed to investigate biological effects of PM2.5 (Ø < 2.5 µm) and PM10 (Ø < 10 µm) collected near a fire occurred in the North-West of Italy in 2017 and in three other areas (urban and rural areas). Organic extracts were assessed for mutagenicity using Ames test (TA98 and TA100 strains), cell viability (WST-1 and LDH assays) and genotoxicity (Comet assay) with human bronchial cells (BEAS-2B) and estrogenic activity using a gene reporter assay (MELN cells). In all sites, high levels of PM10 and PM2.5 were measured during the fire suggesting that near and distant sites were influenced by fire pollutants. The PM10 and PM2.5 extracts induced a significant mutagenicity in all sites and the mutagenic effect was increased with respect to historical data. All extracts induced a slight increase of the estrogenic activity but a possible antagonistic activity of PM samples collected near fire was observed. No cytotoxicity or DNA damage was detected. Results confirm that fires could be relevant for human health, since they can worsen the air quality increasing PM concentrations, mutagenic and estrogenic effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational/Residential Exposure to Toxic Xenobiotics)
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Review

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15 pages, 2515 KiB  
Review
Occurrence of Microplastics in Tap and Bottled Water: Current Knowledge
by Isabella Gambino, Francesco Bagordo, Tiziana Grassi, Alessandra Panico and Antonella De Donno
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5283; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095283 - 26 Apr 2022
Cited by 82 | Viewed by 15465
Abstract
A narrative review was carried out to describe the current knowledge related to the occurrence of MPs in drinking water. The reviewed studies (n = 21) showed the presence of microplastics (MPs) in tap (TW) and bottled (BW) water, increasing concerns for [...] Read more.
A narrative review was carried out to describe the current knowledge related to the occurrence of MPs in drinking water. The reviewed studies (n = 21) showed the presence of microplastics (MPs) in tap (TW) and bottled (BW) water, increasing concerns for public health due to the possible toxicity associated with their polymeric composition, additives, and other compounds or microorganism adsorbed on their surface. The MP concentration increase by decreasing particles size and was higher in BW than in TW. Among BW, reusable PET and glass bottles showed a higher MP contamination than other packages. The lower MP abundance in TW than in natural sources indicates a high removal rate of MPs in drinking water treatment plants. This evidence should encourage the consumers to drink TW instead of BW, in order to limit their exposure to MPS and produce less plastic waste. The high variability in the results makes it difficult to compare the findings of different studies and build up a general hypothesis on human health risk. A globally shared protocol is needed to harmonize results also in view of the monitoring plans for the emerging contaminants, including MPs, introduced by the new European regulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational/Residential Exposure to Toxic Xenobiotics)
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