Food Safety

J Econ Entomol. 2026 Oct 14:toag294. doi: 10.1093/jee/toag294. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae decompose several organic wastes into valuable biomass (oil, protein, chitin, and frass) for promising applications. Black Soldier Fly Oil (BSFO) is extracted using a mechanical pressing method, an affordable technique that yields about 24.56% oil. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of oil showed a high content of fatty acids, with 3 predominant fatty acids, oleic acid (40.14%), palmitic acid (24.53%), and lauric acid (10.00%). Black soldier fly oil nanoemulsion (BSFO-NE) exhibited a droplet size of 274.50 ± 7.42 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.29 ± 0.01, a zeta potential of -26.70 ± 1.07 mV, and a spherical droplet morphology of 90.00 ± 10.00 nm, as shown by transmission electron microscopy. The insecticidal activity of BSFO and BSFO-NE was evaluated against the fourth instar of Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel, 1766) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) using the leaf-dipping method, and they showed LC50 of 5.40% and 0.94% (v/v), 48 h post-treatment, respectively. BSFO and BSFO-NE caused severe developmental and morphological alterations. Moreover, they significantly reduced total protein and lipid contents, total antioxidant capacity, and the enzymatic activity of lipase in treated fourth instar A. ipsilon compared to the control (P < 0.05). They significantly stimulated acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-esterase activities relative to untreated (P < 0.05). BSFO-NE induced extensive midgut tissue damage and histolysis. The mode of action was interpreted by molecular docking. This study sheds light on the possible use of BSFO and BSFO-NE as a circular economy approach and sustainable, high-yield insect-derived biopesticides to be integrated into pest management programs.

PMID:42875025 | DOI:10.1093/jee/toag294

Environ Res. 2026 Oct 14:125906. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.125906. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Phenmedipham (PMP), an herbicide registered for various crops across different geographies, is under re-approval in Europe and should be evaluated for potential endocrine-disrupting properties according to the current legislation on pesticide active substances. This paper describes an evidence-based assessment of potential thyroid-mediated effects of PMP in Xenopus laevis as model species for thyroid modality. As an indication of thyroid activity, rat thyroperoxidase inhibition was reported in a single in vitro assay in the US-EPA ToxCast database. The results of a 27-day Extended Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay with X. laevis showed very little evidence of the consequences of potential thyroperoxidase inhibition in vivo. A minor non-statistically significant delay of 0.76 days in the mean time to reach metamorphic climax was estimated for tadpoles from the highest treatment group (0.5 mg/L) which reached the metamorphic climax at a significantly lower rate over time compared to control. As it is within the historical control data variability (± 2.72 days), the estimated developmental delay of 0.76 days is not adverse for individuals, and no population-level impact is therefore expected in field. Other statistically significant low-magnitude effects (e.g. ≤ 4.2 % for reduced survival and growth) were observed at the highest PMP concentration at study termination. Minor statistically significant histopathological changes in the thyroid of tadpoles from the highest treatment group could be explained by the effects on developmental timing. Overall, the response pattern observed in X. laevis was consistent with generalised toxicity and thus, PMP does not meet the endocrine disruption identification criteria for thyroid modality.

PMID:42874900 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.125906

J Environ Manage. 2026 Oct 14;419:131139. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.131139. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The widespread application of agricultural films has resulted in the accumulation of microplastics (MPs) in soils, creating a coexistence with pesticides like atrazine. This study investigates the environmentally relevant interactions between field-aged polyethylene agricultural films (FAPE), virgin polyethylene (VPE), and soil in regulating atrazine adsorption. SEM-EDS and Raman analyses revealed that field aging significantly alters MP properties, introducing roughness, cracks, and oxygen-containing functional groups. Batch experiments demonstrated that the addition of MPs (1 wt%) to black soil enhances the overall adsorption capacity for atrazine, with FAPE exhibiting a higher affinity than VPE. Kinetic and isotherm modeling indicated that adsorption is a multi-step process controlled by intra-particle diffusion and surface heterogeneity. Density functional theory and interaction region indicator analyses further suggested that oxidation-induced functional groups on FAPE facilitate additional intermolecular interactions, including possible hydrogen bonding, beyond the van der Waals interactions dominating VPE. Particle size, MP dosage, and aging degree collectively influenced atrazine partitioning between soil and MPs, highlighting the importance of MP characteristics in regulating pesticide fate. These findings demonstrate that environmental aging substantially alters the adsorption behavior of agricultural-film-derived MPs and should be considered when evaluating the environmental fate and ecological risks of pesticides in agricultural soils.

PMID:42874261 | DOI:10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.131139

Se Pu. 2026 Oct;44(10):1175-1189. doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1123.2025.12010.

ABSTRACT

Recently， magnetic microporous organic networks （MMONs） have emerged as a novel class of adsorbents in magnetic solid-phase extraction （MSPE）. By integrating the unique properties of microporous organic networks （MONs） and magnetic nanoparticles， MMONs exhibit advantages such as designable structures， facile synthesis， diverse architectures， high specific surface area， and excellent stability， garnering widespread attention in the field of sample pretreatment. The current strategies for preparing MMONs mainly include in-situ growth， post-synthetic modification （PSM）， and composite preparation. Among these， the in-situ growth method can be further categorized into direct in-situ growth， indirect in-situ growth， and co-doping methods. The direct in-situ growth method is straightforward to operate， enabling the construction of MMONs with well-defined core-shell structures. It also allows flexible control over the functionality and shell thickness of MMONs by adjusting the type and concentration of monomers， making it the most commonly used preparation method for MMONs. In contrast， the indirect in-situ growth method involves the introduction of an intermediate bridging layer， which complicates the synthesis process. However， the intermediate coating layer and the MONs shell can work synergistically to enhance the extraction efficiency of MMONs for targets. Although PSM requires additional reaction steps and poses challenges in controlling the modification rate and distribution of functional groups， it increases the variety and quantity of modifying groups and molecules， thereby expanding the application range of MMONs in MSPE. Furthermore， MMON composites can integrate the respective advantages of both MMONs and polymers， further broadening the applicability of MMONs. Therefore， each of the three methods mentioned above has its own advantages and disadvantages. Researchers can select the appropriate synthesis method based on the specific requirements of MSPE to prepare the desired MMONs. This review also provides a detailed discussion on the applications of MMONs in the MSPE of various organic pollutants， including pharmaceuticals， pesticides， endocrine-disrupting chemicals， mycotoxins， food additives， and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances， and elucidates the extraction mechanisms （e.g. hydrophobic interaction， π-π stacking， electrostatic attraction， hydrogen-bonding interaction， ion pair interaction， fluorine-fluorine interaction， and π-CF interaction） between MMONs and analytes. In response to the current challenges of MMONs， future research should focus on the following areas： （1） Designing and expanding low-cost functional monomers to enrich the variety and quantity of existing functional monomers， providing other effective PSM methods for synthesizing functionalized MMONs， and introducing other functional composites to prepare MMON composites. （2） Developing target-oriented structural design or functionalization strategies to construct functionalized MMONs， with the aim of improving their selectivity toward specific targets. （3） Advancing other advanced characterization and mechanism investigation techniques to understand the extraction mechanisms of MMONs and guide their structural design or functionalization. In summary， this review aims to deepen the understanding of MMONs-based MSPE methods in the enrichment and detection of various organic pollutants， while offering guidance for the synthesis and application of MMONs.

PMID:42865165 | PMC:PMC13659867 | DOI:10.3724/SP.J.1123.2025.12010

Environ Res. 2026 Oct 13:125878. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.125878. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Exposure to environmental pollutants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in early life is a critical public health issue because it can alter developmental programming that impacts susceptibility to disease throughout life. The prenatal and early postnatal periods are times of vulnerability when exposure to environmental stressors may impact endocrine signalling, placental function, epigenetic regulation, and metabolic homeostasis. There is increasing evidence that exposure to bisphenols, phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, heavy metals, and air pollutants has been associated with pregnancy outcomes, neurodevelopmental disorders, metabolic dysfunction, endocrine abnormalities and reproductive impairments. Exposomics, high-resolution mass spectrometry, biomonitoring, and passive sampling technologies have made crucial advances in characterising complex environmental exposures. At the same time, novel methods such as multi-omics, single-cell sequencing, spatial biology and microbiome studies have yielded more detailed mechanistic understanding of how environmental factors can impact developmental processes via epigenetic, inflammatory, oxidative stress, and endocrine pathways. The placenta has emerged as a valuable biomarker matrix for assessing fetal exposure and developmental programming. Exposure routes, biomonitoring methods, placental processes, molecular and epigenetic modifications, and the impacts of early-life environmental exposures on neurodevelopment, metabolism, endocrine function, and reproduction are all summarised in this review. It also emphasises current advancements in exposure assessment, preventive measures, and policy frameworks, highlighting the importance of life-course perspectives and environmental justice. To identify important windows of susceptibility, improve risk assessment, and develop strategies to safeguard maternal and child health, exposomics in conjunction with systems biology and longitudinal epidemiological approaches will be essential.

PMID:42869363 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.125878

Environ Res. 2026 Oct 13:125878. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.125878. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Exposure to environmental pollutants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in early life is a critical public health issue because it can alter developmental programming that impacts susceptibility to disease throughout life. The prenatal and early postnatal periods are times of vulnerability when exposure to environmental stressors may impact endocrine signalling, placental function, epigenetic regulation, and metabolic homeostasis. There is increasing evidence that exposure to bisphenols, phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pesticides, heavy metals, and air pollutants has been associated with pregnancy outcomes, neurodevelopmental disorders, metabolic dysfunction, endocrine abnormalities and reproductive impairments. Exposomics, high-resolution mass spectrometry, biomonitoring, and passive sampling technologies have made crucial advances in characterising complex environmental exposures. At the same time, novel methods such as multi-omics, single-cell sequencing, spatial biology and microbiome studies have yielded more detailed mechanistic understanding of how environmental factors can impact developmental processes via epigenetic, inflammatory, oxidative stress, and endocrine pathways. The placenta has emerged as a valuable biomarker matrix for assessing fetal exposure and developmental programming. Exposure routes, biomonitoring methods, placental processes, molecular and epigenetic modifications, and the impacts of early-life environmental exposures on neurodevelopment, metabolism, endocrine function, and reproduction are all summarised in this review. It also emphasises current advancements in exposure assessment, preventive measures, and policy frameworks, highlighting the importance of life-course perspectives and environmental justice. To identify important windows of susceptibility, improve risk assessment, and develop strategies to safeguard maternal and child health, exposomics in conjunction with systems biology and longitudinal epidemiological approaches will be essential.

PMID:42869363 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.125878

Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2026 Oct 7;19:636877. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S636877. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Genetic and lifestyle factors alone cannot explain the rising global burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Growing evidence implicates endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in plastics, pesticides, food packaging, industrial products, and contaminated water as significant environmental contributors to metabolic dysfunction. EDCs, including bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and heavy metals, have been associated with insulin resistance, pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, oxidative stress, mitochondrial impairment, chronic inflammation, and epigenetic modifications that collectively promote T2DM pathogenesis. The gut microbiota has emerged as a potential mediator of EDC-associated metabolic disruption, whereby chemical exposures may alter microbial diversity, disturb the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, impair short-chain fatty acid production, decrease intestinal barrier integrity, driving metabolic endotoxemia and systemic inflammation. This narrative review examines the major EDCs associated with diabetes, their molecular and metabolic mechanisms of action, and their interactions with the gut microbiota, drawing on current experimental and epidemiological evidence. Special emphasis is placed on probiotic supplementation as an emerging therapeutic strategy targeting the EDC-gut microbiota-metabolic axis. Current evidence for probiotics in EDC-associated metabolic dysfunction is predominantly preclinical, with studies suggesting improvements in microbial homeostasis, pancreatic oxidative damage, and glucose metabolism. However, available evidence remains heterogeneous and human clinical trials specifically examining probiotic intervention in EDC-exposed populations at risk of T2DM remain absent, representing a fundamental translational gap that future research must urgently address. Advancing precision medicine approaches, integrating microbiome profiling, metabolomics, epigenetic analysis, and coordinated efforts across toxicology, clinical medicine, and public health, will be essential to reducing the growing global burden of environmentally driven type 2 diabetes.

PMID:42861307 | PMC:PMC13654283 | DOI:10.2147/DMSO.S636877

Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2026 Oct 7;19:636877. doi: 10.2147/DMSO.S636877. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Genetic and lifestyle factors alone cannot explain the rising global burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Growing evidence implicates endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) found in plastics, pesticides, food packaging, industrial products, and contaminated water as significant environmental contributors to metabolic dysfunction. EDCs, including bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and heavy metals, have been associated with insulin resistance, pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, oxidative stress, mitochondrial impairment, chronic inflammation, and epigenetic modifications that collectively promote T2DM pathogenesis. The gut microbiota has emerged as a potential mediator of EDC-associated metabolic disruption, whereby chemical exposures may alter microbial diversity, disturb the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, impair short-chain fatty acid production, decrease intestinal barrier integrity, driving metabolic endotoxemia and systemic inflammation. This narrative review examines the major EDCs associated with diabetes, their molecular and metabolic mechanisms of action, and their interactions with the gut microbiota, drawing on current experimental and epidemiological evidence. Special emphasis is placed on probiotic supplementation as an emerging therapeutic strategy targeting the EDC-gut microbiota-metabolic axis. Current evidence for probiotics in EDC-associated metabolic dysfunction is predominantly preclinical, with studies suggesting improvements in microbial homeostasis, pancreatic oxidative damage, and glucose metabolism. However, available evidence remains heterogeneous and human clinical trials specifically examining probiotic intervention in EDC-exposed populations at risk of T2DM remain absent, representing a fundamental translational gap that future research must urgently address. Advancing precision medicine approaches, integrating microbiome profiling, metabolomics, epigenetic analysis, and coordinated efforts across toxicology, clinical medicine, and public health, will be essential to reducing the growing global burden of environmentally driven type 2 diabetes.

PMID:42861307 | PMC:PMC13654283 | DOI:10.2147/DMSO.S636877

Anal Methods. 2026 Oct 12. doi: 10.1039/d6ay01584k. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Manganese ferrite (MnFe₂O₄) is a promising electrode material because of its redox-active Mn and Fe centers, chemical stability, and tunable spinel structure. However, its practical use in electrochemical sensing may be limited due to its poor electrical conductivity, particle aggregation, and limited access to active sites. This review discusses recent advances in the fabrication of pristine and hybrid MnFe₂O₄-based electrochemical sensors. It is understood that synthesis methods, surface morphology, crystallinity, defects, and interfacial composition influence sensing performance. Various preparation methods such as hydrothermal, sol-gel, co-precipitation, microwave-assisted, sonochemical, electrodeposition, and thermal decomposition have been briefly discussed. The analytical sensing performance of MnFe₂O₄ incorporated with carbon materials, polymers, metal-organic framework-derived materials, chitosan, and noble-metal nanoparticles (NPs) has been discussed for the detection of heavy metals, hydrogen peroxide, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, endocrine disruptors, and biomolecules. It is believed that MnFe₂O₄-based hybrid materials may exhibit improved conductivity, active surface area, analyte adsorption, and selectivity. Therefore, MnFe₂O₄-based hybrid materials demonstrate enhanced sensing performance. Subsequently, challenges and future perspectives have been discussed.

PMID:42861664 | DOI:10.1039/d6ay01584k

Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2026 Oct 12;279:114905. doi: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114905. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

During the first three years of the Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC), we derived health-based human biomonitoring guidance values (HBM-GVs) for 11 substances to enable the direct health-related interpretation of human biomonitoring (HBM) results. HBM-GVs indicate the concentration threshold of the substance or its specific metabolite(s) in human biological samples up to which according to current knowledge no adverse health effects are expected, assuming exposure to the individual substance alone. New HBM-GVs are now available for the pesticides' active ingredients gamma-/lambda-cyhalothrin, acetamiprid, and imidacloprid, the ortho-phthalate diisononyl phthalate (DiNP) and the ortho-phthalate substitute diethylhexyl terephthalate (DEHTP), the UV filters DHHB (diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, Uvinul® A plus) and benzophenone-3, the metals aluminium and its inorganic compounds, methyl mercury and elemental/inorganic mercury, and nickel. In addition, we updated the HBM-GVs, which were derived as part of the European HBM4EU initiative using the mass balance approach, in light of new findings regarding the body mass normalised daily urine volumes and taking into account consistent rounding in the calculation and presentation of the values. For one substance, chromium VI, we updated HBM Exposure Equivalents for Cancer Risk (HBM-EECR) for workers exposed to highly soluble chromates, e.g. in the chrome-plating sector, and newly derived HBM-EECR for workers exposed to chromium (VI) oxides formed under hot conditions, e.g. in welding. In addition, we drew up an HBM-GV-related scoping document for selected per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The main conclusions of the work described above are summarised in this publication.

PMID:42863434 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114905

EFSA J. 2026 Oct 8;24(10):e10325. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10325. eCollection 2026 Oct.

ABSTRACT

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessment carried out by the competent authority of the rapporteur Member State, France, for the pesticide active substance cyazofamid are reported. The context of the peer review was that requested by the European Commission following the submission and evaluation of confirmatory information with regard to the endocrine disruption potential of cyazofamid for humans and wild mammals for the EATS modalities and for non-target organisms other than mammals. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative uses of cyazofamid as a fungicide on potatoes, tomatoes and cucurbits. The reliable endpoints concluded as being appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment, derived from the available studies and/or literature in the dossier peer reviewed, are presented. Assessments not finalised, together with the missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework, are listed.

PMID:42852149 | PMC:PMC13647298 | DOI:10.2903/j.efsa.2026.10325

Anal Methods. 2026 Oct 9. doi: 10.1039/d6ay01206j. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Metal-organic frameworks have emerged as a highly versatile class of crystalline porous materials demonstrating exceptional potential as luminescent sensors for monitoring environmental and food safety contaminants. This review explores various synthetic strategies of MOF fabrication, from conventional solvothermal and hydrothermal routes to advanced green alternatives, such as microwave-assisted, sonochemical, mechanochemical, ionothermal and microfluidic synthesis. Despite their outstanding analytical sensitivity, transitioning these platforms to field-deployable commercial devices faces major technical limitations. Primary challenges include hydrolytic degradation under humid conditions or extreme pH environments, and framework collapse due to thermal or mechanical stress. To overcome these challenges, we discuss optimization strategies designed to enhance the chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability of MOFs. Furthermore, recent progress in engineering MOFs as fluorescent probes for the trace-level detection of environmental pollutants (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), toxic heavy metals and agricultural pesticides) and food contaminants (mycotoxins and prohibited additives) is summarized. Ultimately, these advancements are expected to bridge the gap between academic research and practical deployment in real-world monitoring applications.

PMID:42853185 | DOI:10.1039/d6ay01206j

Front Public Health. 2026 Sep 23;14:1918334. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1918334. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria associated with food systems is commonly attributed to antimicrobial use in clinical medicine and animal production, yet food-production and processing environments are also exposed to metals, biocides, pesticides, pharmaceutical residues, microplastics, sewage, and industrial effluents. These pressures can influence bacterial survival, biofilm persistence, antimicrobial susceptibility, and the maintenance or transfer of resistance determinants across soil, water, animals, crops, processing environments, markets, and households. This Perspective considers environmental pollutants as modifiers of AMR risk rather than sufficient evidence of causation or clinically relevant human transmission. Public-health concern is greatest where four elements converge: selective pollutant pressure, viable pathogens or clinically relevant colonizing or opportunistic organisms, mobile or expressed resistance determinants, and a credible human exposure pathway. This convergence model complements established One Health surveillance frameworks by explicitly linking environmental chemistry and pollutant mixtures with viability, resistance phenotype, mobile-element context, exposure, source attribution, and intervention evaluation. Evidence from antibiotic residues, metals, pesticides, biocides, microplastics, wastewater, genomic surveillance, and source-attribution studies indicates that biological plausibility alone is insufficient to establish human health risk. A pathway-based interpretation can distinguish environmental AMR signals from those supported by stronger evidence of food-system exposure and clinical relevance, while identifying surveillance and intervention priorities that can be tested across settings.

PMID:42846149 | PMC:PMC13642269 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2026.1918334

Annu Rev Anim Biosci. 2026 Oct 7. doi: 10.1146/annurev-animal-031325-104351. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Pesticides are widely used in agricultural systems globally, and wild vertebrates are commonly exposed to them in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. This review synthesizes current knowledge on pesticide classes, environmental fate, exposure pathways, and their effects across major nonhuman vertebrate taxa. We highlight both direct toxic effects, including neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and oxidative stress, and indirect exposure mediated through food web alterations. Aquatic vertebrates, particularly fish and amphibians, emerge as highly vulnerable due to continuous exposure of sensitive developmental stages. Despite growing evidence, significant knowledge gaps persist, notably for reptiles and in understanding chronic and mixture exposure. Current regulatory frameworks remain limited by their focus on model species and acute toxicity endpoints. We argue that pesticides play a substantial, though context dependent, role in vertebrate declines and emphasize the need for integrative, ecologically realistic approaches to improve risk assessment and biodiversity conservation.

PMID:42842840 | DOI:10.1146/annurev-animal-031325-104351

Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2026 Oct 6:1-8. doi: 10.1080/19440049.2026.2739979. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

A targeted analytical method for seven short- and ultra-short chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was developed and validated in grain products using LC-MS/MS. The method is simple and robust, with validation results demonstrating acceptable recoveries and reproducibility. The validated method was applied to a variety of grain products commonly consumed in the United States, including flour, rice, corn, oats, and pasta, with both conventional and organic products represented. Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) was detected in 92 out of 95 samples with concentrations ranging from not detectable to 356 ng/g. To evaluate the impact of cooking, selected grains were prepared according to typical household practices and analysed alongside the corresponding cooking water. TFA concentrations generally decreased after cooking, accompanied by transfer into the cooking water. Among all tested grain products, flour contained the highest TFA levels (range: 36.6-356 ng/g), followed by oats (27.5-292 ng/g), pasta (13.6-265 ng/g), and rice (8.52-77.8 ng/g). Historical grain samples collected between 2016 and 2019 were also analysed, providing a retrospective view of TFA occurrence, and analysis of identical products purchased in 2026 indicated an overall upward trend in TFA levels. Estimated dietary intake of TFA from cooked grains was below the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) acceptable daily intake of 0.014 mg/kg body weight.

PMID:42836965 | DOI:10.1080/19440049.2026.2739979

Environ Res. 2026 Nov 15;309(Pt 1):125817. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.125817. Epub 2026 Oct 1.

ABSTRACT

Sentinel species provide a vital One Health perspective on ecosystem contamination driven by rising global chemical production. We evaluated white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus; n = 54, 24 states, six matrices) as nationwide bioindicators for PFAS, pesticides, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, and microbiome diversity. PFAS were detected in 100% of deer samples (26 compounds identified overall; non-detect to 12.3 ng/g ww), with preferential accumulation in the liver, indicating widespread systemic exposure. Neither region, landscape, nor source proximity predicted liver PFAS concentrations, whereas landscape had a significant, albeit weak, effect on spleen concentrations. This overall absence of strong spatial drivers suggests ubiquitous background contamination rather than localized point-source exposure. Conversely, 13 pesticides/transformation products (ranging from non-detect to 88.6 ng/g ww; highest in scat) were detected in only 28% of samples, despite widespread national use. Since not all possible transformation products were measured, these data reflect the accumulation of the target compound rather than total pesticide exposure. Driven by the rapid metabolism and excretion of herbicides, persistent insecticides dominated tissue samples. Additionally, biological threats were prevalent with eight distinct AMR genes identified in WTD scat, frequently featuring the florfenicol resistance gene (flo_st, 33%). The presence of synthetic compounds and AMRs in game meat and scat pose a direct One Health risk to the human food chain. These findings highlight the value of using a single, widely distributed sentinel species as an early warning system for the ecological and public health threats posed by global chemical pollution.

PMID:42822635 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.125817

Food Chem Toxicol. 2026 Oct 1;218:116419. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2026.116419. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) represent a formidable class of persistent synthetic chemicals whose contamination of the global food supply, particularly through animal products, constitutes a major and direct route of human exposure. This review synthesizes the current scientific understanding of PFAS entry into food animal production systems including livestock, poultry, and aquaculture via contaminated feed, water, and soil. We detail the subsequent toxicokinetics in animals, which lead to pronounced tissue-specific bioaccumulation. Two distinct and non-interchangeable rankings are therefore applied throughout this review. On a concentration basis (ng g^-1 wet weight in the edible matrix), liver and kidney consistently exceed muscle by approximately one to two orders of magnitude within the same animal, while among marketed commodities the descending order is generally offal > certain seafood > eggs > milk and dairy ≈ muscle meat. On a population dietary-intake basis (ng kg^-1 body weight week^-1), the ranking reverses for several commodities because intake is the product of concentration and consumption: seafood, muscle meat, eggs and dairy dominate total intake in most national diets, whereas offal contributes episodic high-dose exposure in a minority of consumers. The analysis confirms that animal-derived foods are a dominant contributor to dietary PFAS intake. Epidemiological studies report consistent positive associations between the consumption of these commodities and human serum concentrations; such associations characterize internal exposure and source attribution, and are distinguished here from formal risk characterization, which requires comparison of estimated intakes with health-based guidance values such as the EFSA tolerable weekly intake of 4.4 ng kg^-1 body weight week^-1 for the sum of PFOA, PFNA, PFHxS and PFOS. We critically examine the fragmented and lagging regulatory landscape governing PFAS in food, highlighting significant data gaps concerning novel replacement compounds and mixture effects. The review concludes that mitigating this public health threat requires an integrated "Farm-to-Fork" strategy, encompassing source control in agriculture, proactive food safety monitoring, and the development of harmonized international standards. Addressing PFAS contamination in food animals is therefore not merely an environmental issue but an urgent imperative for safeguarding food security and public health.

PMID:42822638 | DOI:10.1016/j.fct.2026.116419

Ecotoxicology. 2026 Sep 30;35(8):175. doi: 10.1007/s10646-026-03155-z.

ABSTRACT

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have emerged as pervasive contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, with global inputs to the oceans projected to rise from 11 million metric tons in 2016 to 44 million tons by 2060. Originating from single-use plastics, textiles, fishing gear, industrial waste, and other sources, these particles enter water bodies via urban runoff, wastewater effluents, and atmospheric deposition, ultimately accumulating in sediments. Crustaceans, due to their benthic foraging behavior, wide ecological distribution, and trophic relevance, are highly susceptible to MP/NP exposure and serve as effective bioindicators of plastic pollution. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the occurrence, bioaccumulation, and multifaceted toxicological impacts of MPs and NPs in crustaceans. Evidence confirms uptake through ingestion, gill filtration, and dermal contact (primarily during the molting period), leading to biodistribution in the hepatopancreas, gut, gills, and hemolymph, even in edible tissues. Exposure triggers a broad range of sublethal effects, progressing from physical obstruction and cellular-level damage (oxidative stress, DNA damage, and histopathological lesions) to physiological disruptions (immune suppression, gut microbiome dysbiosis, endocrine disruption, osmoregulatory dysfunction, metabolic imbalance, and impaired growth and molting), and ultimately manifesting as behavioral alterations and reproductive disorders. Critically, the toxicity of MPs/NPs is often exacerbated by co-exposure to environmental stressors such as heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other pollutants, with plastics acting as vectors that enhance contaminant bioavailability. Despite growing research, significant gaps remain in standardized methodologies, long-term monitoring, and understanding of trophic transfer, particularly in freshwater and aquaculture settings. This review emphasizes the urgent need for integrated risk assessment frameworks that account for particle characteristics, environmental variables, and multi-stressor interactions to safeguard aquatic ecosystems and the services they provide.

PMID:42814189 | DOI:10.1007/s10646-026-03155-z

Ecotoxicology. 2026 Sep 30;35(8):175. doi: 10.1007/s10646-026-03155-z.

ABSTRACT

Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) have emerged as pervasive contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, with global inputs to the oceans projected to rise from 11 million metric tons in 2016 to 44 million tons by 2060. Originating from single-use plastics, textiles, fishing gear, industrial waste, and other sources, these particles enter water bodies via urban runoff, wastewater effluents, and atmospheric deposition, ultimately accumulating in sediments. Crustaceans, due to their benthic foraging behavior, wide ecological distribution, and trophic relevance, are highly susceptible to MP/NP exposure and serve as effective bioindicators of plastic pollution. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the occurrence, bioaccumulation, and multifaceted toxicological impacts of MPs and NPs in crustaceans. Evidence confirms uptake through ingestion, gill filtration, and dermal contact (primarily during the molting period), leading to biodistribution in the hepatopancreas, gut, gills, and hemolymph, even in edible tissues. Exposure triggers a broad range of sublethal effects, progressing from physical obstruction and cellular-level damage (oxidative stress, DNA damage, and histopathological lesions) to physiological disruptions (immune suppression, gut microbiome dysbiosis, endocrine disruption, osmoregulatory dysfunction, metabolic imbalance, and impaired growth and molting), and ultimately manifesting as behavioral alterations and reproductive disorders. Critically, the toxicity of MPs/NPs is often exacerbated by co-exposure to environmental stressors such as heavy metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other pollutants, with plastics acting as vectors that enhance contaminant bioavailability. Despite growing research, significant gaps remain in standardized methodologies, long-term monitoring, and understanding of trophic transfer, particularly in freshwater and aquaculture settings. This review emphasizes the urgent need for integrated risk assessment frameworks that account for particle characteristics, environmental variables, and multi-stressor interactions to safeguard aquatic ecosystems and the services they provide.

PMID:42814189 | DOI:10.1007/s10646-026-03155-z

Environ Res. 2026 Sep 29;309(Pt 1):125813. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2026.125813. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Pesticides have been widely used in agricultural practices, as well as in the prevention of vector-borne and other communicable diseases. Although the ecotoxicology and adverse effects on human health are known, recent studies have shown that some types of pesticides may interact with therapeutic drugs, a fact that should be recognized by public health authorities as a new public health issue. The current review was intended to provide an overview of the present knowledge of different groups of pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides), as well as their mechanisms of action, which could influence both human health and the action of therapeutic drugs. These mechanisms affect ADME processes and share similar pharmacodynamic targets with drugs acting at the level of the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, endocrine glands, or Parkinson's disease. Importantly, these mechanisms of action of pesticides are also relevant for drug pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and may result in interactions between pesticides and therapeutic drugs, very much like typical drug-drug interactions. However, vulnerable groups such as farmers, pregnant women, children, and people suffering from chronic conditions are especially vulnerable. Oxidative stress turns out to be a common pathology that ties exposure to pesticides to brain cell degeneration, infertility, and reduced pharmacodynamics. Despite the availability of safer substitutes, such as biopesticides, human-based research is vital in terms of mixtures and modulators. It is imperative to acknowledge pesticides as environmental factors influencing drug responsiveness for optimal pharmacological treatment.

PMID:42810660 | DOI:10.1016/j.envres.2026.125813

Pest Manag Sci. 2026 Sep 29. doi: 10.1002/ps.71328. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In order to achieve intelligent and sustainable delivery of tea tree oil (TTO) for tea pest control, we developed a soil-disintegrable, pH-responsive microcapsule system (TMS) with an average particle size of 2.05 μm using 15.6% tea saponin as the shell precursor via interfacial polymerization.

RESULTS: Optimized TMS (1-2 μm) achieved 97.4% encapsulation efficiency. The system exhibited accelerated TTO release under acidic conditions (78.8% at pH 5.0), enabling targeted delivery to fungal infection sites. It demonstrated superior foliar adhesion and rainfastness (84.5% retention) compared to free TTO. Biological evaluations revealed potent dual bioactivity: antifungal efficacy against Colletotrichum camelliae [median effective concentration (EC₅₀) = 0.87 mg mL^-1] and Phyllosticta theaefolia (EC₅₀ = 2.3 mg mL^-1), alongside significant insecticidal activity against Ectropis obliqua larvae (90.0% mortality at 3 mg mL^-1).

CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates substantial macroscopic disintegration and no apparent phytotoxicity, with the potential to reduce persistent microplastic accumulation, providing a potential strategy to improve its formulation and delivery while retaining its biological activity. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

PMID:42808653 | DOI:10.1002/ps.71328

Environ Int. 2026 Sep 21;216:110535. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2026.110535. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) incidence has increased over recent decades. Environmental risk factors may contribute, but little information is available on cumulative exposures to environmental chemicals in human thyroid tumors. This pilot study screened for and characterized environmental chemicals in DTC and non-cancer cadaver thyroid tissues, and explored differences in chemical profiles between tumor types as a secondary goal. Surgical samples from patients undergoing total or subtotal thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer in Atlanta, GA (USA) were procured from a biorepository (N = 60 representing three types: papillary thyroid carcinoma [PTC], follicular thyroid carcinoma [FTC], and invasive encapsulated follicular variant of PTC [IEFVPTC]; n = 20/type), along with cadaveric non-cancer thyroids for comparison (n = 8). An exposomics analysis was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to screen for chemicals from a library of 709 xenobiotic compounds. Overall, 442 environmental chemicals were annotated, including insecticides, herbicides, chemical synthesis intermediates, dye intermediates, flavoring or fragrance agents, plasticizers, solvents, combustion byproducts, fungicides, flame retardants, preservatives, polychlorinated biphenyls, lubricants, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Of these, 40 % were potential endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Twenty-nine identified chemicals differed between types; PTC samples in particular had higher levels of several combustion byproducts, insecticides and pesticides, and herbicides, many of which were known, likely, or possible carcinogens. However, no type-specific differences remained significant following correction for multiple comparisons. Two IARC Group 1 carcinogens, o-toluidine and 4-aminobiphenyl, were higher in tumors than in non-cancer thyroids. This study provides evidence for accumulation of environmental chemicals in human DTC and posits that specific pollutants may influence type-specific carcinogenesis. Larger and more geographically diverse cohorts are needed to determine the generalizability of these findings.

PMID:42805002 | DOI:10.1016/j.envint.2026.110535

ACS Sens. 2026 Sep 27. doi: 10.1021/acssensors.6c01115. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The last decade has witnessed a marked increase in interest in mitochondria, whose dysfunction leads to the development of multiple diseases. Mitochondria are unique as they are highly compartmentalized organelles that are composed of two closely apposed membranes. Here, we developed a series of bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET)-based localization sensors that accurately report the localization and orientation of mitochondrial proteins (TOM20, TOM22, VDAC1, MICU1, ATP5F1C, OTC, and SIRT3) within their respective mitochondrial compartments. These biosensors also dynamically detect stressor-induced translocation of cytosolic proteins, such as Drp1 and BAX, to mitochondria. Screening of a series of endocrine disruptors with our BRET sensors uncovered deleterious effects of paraquat, di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol, and 4-hydroxynonenal on mitochondrial protein localization. Altogether, the localization sensors provide noninvasive tools to monitor mitochondrial protein localization in a time-resolved manner, with nanometer-scale resolution, in intact cells exposed to diverse cellular stressors.

PMID:42801737 | DOI:10.1021/acssensors.6c01115

Toxics. 2026 Aug 22;14(9):737. doi: 10.3390/toxics14090737.

ABSTRACT

Numerous types of environmental toxicants alter human metabolomics, directly or indirectly, through gut microbial dysbiosis, upsetting immune homeostasis. Environmental toxicants capable of these direct and indirect effects have included heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The cell and molecular events induced by some diverse toxicants are reviewed, along with their potential additive, synergistic, and antagonistic effects on immune homeostasis (increasing proinflammatory immune cell activation and suppressing immunoregulation), which leads to systemic oxidative stress (OS). As people are exposed in varying degrees to countless chemicals and environmental factors over a lifetime, it is challenging to correlate specific diagnoses to any single toxicant or exposure, which is often a key challenge in linking environmental exposure to health outcomes. However, many toxicants have the common mechanistic effect of OS. The effects of toxicants are more pronounced with aging due to cumulative exposures and immunoaging (immunosenescence), with chronic low-grade inflammation referred to as "inflammaging". The cell and molecular mechanisms of toxicants include altered calcium flux, mitochondrial dysfunction, and increased levels of damage-associated molecular patterns (alarmins) that trigger an inflammatory response and possibly promote autoimmune and neurological disorders. OS skews type-1 immunity for defenses against pathogens and cancers more toward type-2 immune responses to self-antigens (autoimmunity). The toxicants may directly affect the innate and adaptive immune cells inducing this skewing, or they may modify portions of gut microbial species and strains and their production of metabolites that indirectly affect systemic immunity. These latter toxicant influences require metabolomic analysis of the differential structures and activities of the microbial metabolites. The damaging effects of OS and inflammation disrupting immune homeostasis and leading to disorders are reviewed and discussed. The need for well-designed studies that allow for standardized comparison of exposures and related effects are emphasized, and their real-world limitations noted.

PMID:42797656 | PMC:PMC13611812 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14090737

Toxics. 2026 Aug 26;14(9):755. doi: 10.3390/toxics14090755.

ABSTRACT

Nonylphenol (NP) is a chemical compound belonging to the class of alkylphenols (APs), known for its widespread environmental distribution and endocrine-disrupting properties. It is commonly used in the production of detergents, pesticides, and plastic materials and, owing to these properties, it can accumulate in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. As a xenoestrogenic compound, NP can bind steroid receptors, including estrogen receptors (ERs), thereby activating ER-dependent pathways. In this work, we investigated the effects of NP alone and in combination with the endogenous hormones 17β-oestradiol (E2) and/or testosterone (T) on a human non-tumoral prostate cell line (PNT1A). Cell viability and migration assays, together with analysis of ER expression and localization, were carried out to assess the xenoestrogenic activity of NP, particularly in the presence of E2 and T. Our results showed that NP retained its endocrine-disrupting features in the mixtures, positively affecting cell viability, except for the NP+E2 mixture, in which cell viability did not significantly differ from control, suggesting an antagonistic interaction between NP and E2. The mixtures also interfered with steroid receptor dynamics, affecting receptor expression and delaying receptor localization and activation kinetics. Moreover, all mixtures negatively affected cell migration compared with treatment with endogenous hormones alone. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that NP retains its xenoestrogenic behavior in mixture, inducing a significant alteration in prostate cell homeostasis.

PMID:42797675 | PMC:PMC13611316 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14090755

Toxics. 2026 Sep 7;14(9):790. doi: 10.3390/toxics14090790.

ABSTRACT

Environmental contaminants (ECs) may impair skeletal health through endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, inflammation, and altered mineral homeostasis. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the associations between EC exposure and osteoporosis-related outcomes in adults. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched in April 2026 for English-language studies published from 2016 onward. Study selection followed PRISMA guidelines, while methodological quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Evaluated contaminant classes encompassed ambient air pollution (PM2.5, PM10, PM1, NO₂, NO_x, SO₂, CO, O₃), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals and trace elements (e.g., cadmium, lead), pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs, dioxins, PCBs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and water disinfection by-products. Random-effects meta-analyses using restricted maximum likelihood estimation were conducted when at least 3 studies were available. Forty-eight studies involving 4,510,868 participants were included. Air contaminants showed the most consistent associations with reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis, followed by selected PFAS and cadmium exposures. Evidence for pesticides, PAHs, phthalates, volatile organic compounds VOCs, POPs, flame retardants, and water disinfection by-products was less consistent. PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased osteoporosis risk (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.02-1.51), and to a lesser extend also PM10 (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.96-1.42). The analyses showed extreme heterogeneity and sensitivity to influential studies. ECs, particularly fine particulate matter, may contribute to skeletal deterioration, although the findings require cautious interpretation. PROSPERO ID: CRD420261460078.

PMID:42797709 | PMC:PMC13611147 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14090790

Toxics. 2026 Sep 7;14(9):790. doi: 10.3390/toxics14090790.

ABSTRACT

Environmental contaminants (ECs) may impair skeletal health through endocrine disruption, oxidative stress, inflammation, and altered mineral homeostasis. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the associations between EC exposure and osteoporosis-related outcomes in adults. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched in April 2026 for English-language studies published from 2016 onward. Study selection followed PRISMA guidelines, while methodological quality was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklist and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Evaluated contaminant classes encompassed ambient air pollution (PM2.5, PM10, PM1, NO₂, NO_x, SO₂, CO, O₃), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), heavy metals and trace elements (e.g., cadmium, lead), pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), persistent organic pollutants (POPs, dioxins, PCBs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), and water disinfection by-products. Random-effects meta-analyses using restricted maximum likelihood estimation were conducted when at least 3 studies were available. Forty-eight studies involving 4,510,868 participants were included. Air contaminants showed the most consistent associations with reduced bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis, followed by selected PFAS and cadmium exposures. Evidence for pesticides, PAHs, phthalates, volatile organic compounds VOCs, POPs, flame retardants, and water disinfection by-products was less consistent. PM2.5 exposure was associated with increased osteoporosis risk (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.02-1.51), and to a lesser extend also PM10 (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.96-1.42). The analyses showed extreme heterogeneity and sensitivity to influential studies. ECs, particularly fine particulate matter, may contribute to skeletal deterioration, although the findings require cautious interpretation. PROSPERO ID: CRD420261460078.

PMID:42797709 | PMC:PMC13611147 | DOI:10.3390/toxics14090790

Vet Med Int. 2026 Sep 25;2026:9865544. doi: 10.1155/vmi/9865544. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate (OP) pesticide, is used worldwide in agriculture as an insecticide; its exposure has been linked to neurological disorder, endocrine disruption, cardiovascular disease, etc. Nigella sativa (NS), also known as black seed or black cumin, has been a part of traditional medicine and is used to treat a wide range of ailments from digestive and respiratory problems to topical skin disease. This study aims to investigate the potential protective role of the ethanolic seed extract of NS on chlorpyrifos-induced neurotoxicity and testicular toxicity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 36 male Wistar rats were divided into six groups, which included Group 1 as Control group, Group 2 as CPF 7.5 mg/kg, Group 3 as CPF 7.5 mg/kg + ATR 10 mg/kg, Group 4 as CPF 7.5 mg/kg + NS 2.5 mg/kg, Group 5 as CPF 7.5 mg/kg + NS 5 mg/kg, and Group 6 as CPF 7.5 mg/kg + NS 10 mg/kg. NS and CPF in their respective doses were administered orally, and ATR was given as intraperitoneal injection every day for 28 days. Neurotoxicity was assessed by measuring oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde [MDA], a marker of lipid peroxidation), antioxidant status (reduced glutathione [GSH]), inflammatory markers (interleukin-1β [IL-1β]), and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Cognitive function was assessed using the Morris Water Maze test. Testicular toxicity was evaluated through sperm count and histopathology assessment.

RESULTS: The treatment with NS at a dose of 10 mg/kg showed neuroprotective effect through elevation in AChE activity, significant decrease in IL-β levels, dose-dependent decrease, and increase in MDA and GSH levels, respectively, and improved spatial memory as evidenced by increase in escape latency and the number of entries in the Morris water maze test. However, there was no significant effect in testicular toxicity.

CONCLUSION: The results of the present study indicate that the ethanolic seed extract of NS has significant neuroprotective activity against CPF-induced neurotoxicity, mainly at the dose of 10 mg/kg, as portrayed by the improvement in AChE activity and cognitive performance combined with its anti-inflammatory effect through a decrease in IL-1β levels and antioxidant effect through increase in GSH and reduction in MDA levels. However, the NS extract did not show any significant protective effect against CPF-induced testicular toxicity. These results indicate the potential therapeutic role of NS in mitigating OP-induced neurological damage, justifying further studies to elucidate its mechanisms and extended benefits.

PMID:42798804 | PMC:PMC13613096 | DOI:10.1155/vmi/9865544

Front Public Health. 2026 Sep 11;14:1841967. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1841967. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

Climate change is increasingly recognized as a major determinant of human health, yet its implications for breast cancer prevention, progression, and healthcare delivery remain insufficiently integrated into global cancer control strategies. Breast cancer, the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among women worldwide, is influenced by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, environmental, and socioeconomic factors, many of which are being reshaped by climate change. This narrative review examines the intersections between climate change, environmental exposures, and breast cancer within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action). Current evidence indicates that climate-driven environmental changes-including worsening air pollution, wildfire emissions, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, pesticide exposure, water contamination, and food system disruptions-may contribute to breast carcinogenesis through mechanisms involving oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, endocrine perturbation, and epigenetic modification. The review further highlights that susceptibility may differ across molecular subtypes, with endocrine-disrupting chemicals having greater relevance to hormone receptor-positive disease, while inflammatory and immune-mediated pathways may influence more aggressive phenotypes, although subtype-specific evidence remains limited. Beyond biological mechanisms, climate-related disasters disrupt breast cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment continuity, and survivorship care, disproportionately affecting socioeconomically disadvantaged populations through interactions with established determinants of health, including healthcare access, lifestyle factors, and structural inequities. The review critically evaluates the current alignment between SDG 13 and breast cancer control, identifying important gaps in the integration of oncology into national climate adaptation policies while highlighting opportunities for climate-resilient health systems, green oncology, exposomics, artificial intelligence, and precision environmental health.

PMID:42799105 | PMC:PMC13613978 | DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2026.1841967

Curr Issues Mol Biol. 2026 Aug 29;48(9):878. doi: 10.3390/cimb48090878.

ABSTRACT

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk reflects genetic susceptibility and modifiable environmental exposures acting during fetal and early postnatal critical periods. Building on our prior two-path model, in which folate receptor autoantibody-driven cerebral folate deficiency and oxidative stress/neuroinflammation converge on disrupted neurodevelopment, this review provides the first full mechanistic treatment of environmental pollutants within that framework. We synthesize evidence across seven exposure categories: micro/nanoplastics, plastic-associated endocrine-disrupting chemicals, ambient/indoor air pollution, tire wear particles and 6PPD-quinone, heavy metals and pesticides, industrial chemicals and persistent organic pollutants, and ultra-processed food intake as a parallel, non-pollutant contributor to the same inflammatory pathway. Human biomonitoring of micro/nanoplastics has progressed beyond detection in the placenta, brain and breast milk to direct evidence of placental genotoxicity and fetal endocrine disruption, complementing rodent data linking early-life exposure to impaired corticogenesis, disrupted microglial synaptic pruning, and ASD-relevant behavioral deficits. Across categories, oxidative stress, barrier disruption, neuroinflammation, endocrine disruption, and epigenetic modification recur as convergent mechanisms acting on trimester- and age-specific windows of vulnerability. Genetic variation in folate pathway and mitochondrial genes, as well as folate/vitamin B sufficiency, are proposed as candidate effect modifiers rather than established protective factors to modify susceptibility to this pollutant burden. Most evidence is associational or mechanistic rather than trial-based; we grade evidence strength and translate findings into biomarker-guided clinical and population-level policy guidance.

PMID:42793234 | PMC:PMC13605344 | DOI:10.3390/cimb48090878

Int J Mol Sci. 2026 Sep 18;27(18):8323. doi: 10.3390/ijms27188323.

ABSTRACT

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) remains one of the most emblematic and enduring persistent organic pollutants of the 20th century. Although prohibited for agricultural use in most industrialized nations during the 1970s-1980s on the grounds of its persistence, bioaccumulation, and carcinogenicity, DDT was reintroduced by the World Health Organization in 2006 for indoor residual spraying against vector-borne diseases. Consequently, its environmental burden continues to be replenished rather than diminished. Biomonitoring surveys confirm the near-ubiquity of DDT residues in human populations. Low-dose human exposure to DDT occurs predominantly through contaminated food. Its main health risk is the ability of DDT to disrupt endocrine function. Numerous reports show negative effects of DDT on the reproductive system, the thyroid gland, and immune defense. Affection of the nervous system is sufficiently less studied. This article presents known mechanisms of endocrine disruption and summarizes current data on the disruption of the adrenal medulla by low-dose exposure to DDT. The review focuses on the three main aspects of chromaffin cell biology. The first one is endocrine function, including synthesis of catecholamines, secretory machinery and release of catecholamines into circulation. The second is embryonic and postnatal development of the adrenal medulla, and the third one is physiological cell renewal and maintenance of cell population, a novel enigmatic aspect of endocrine disruption. In conclusion, the authors present integrated mechanisms of disruption and indicate gaps in knowledge and directions for further investigations.

PMID:42794750 | PMC:PMC13607560 | DOI:10.3390/ijms27188323

Talanta. 2026 Sep 23;313(Pt B):130667. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2026.130667. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Emerging and priority organic contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals and personal care products, endocrine-disrupting compounds, pesticides, and phenolic pollutants, are often present in natural and engineered water systems at trace or ultratrace levels. Their detection is affected by matrix components, including natural organic matter, inorganic ions, suspended particles, structurally related compounds, and background optical or electrochemical signals. These interferences hinder conventional single-mode sensors from providing stable and reliable responses in real water samples. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), with tailor-made recognition sites, chemical robustness, and compatibility with enrichment and sensing interfaces, provide a platform for improving selectivity in complex matrices. When integrated with dual-mode readout, MIP-based sensors can improve analytical reliability through signal cross-validation, internal correction, or coupled amplification. This review summarizes recent advances in molecularly imprinted dual-mode sensors for water pollutant detection, emphasizing their adaptation to complex water matrices. After outlining research trends through bibliometric analysis, we discuss MIP-based pretreatment and recognition interfaces, recognition-induced signal transduction, and the synergistic logic of representative dual-mode systems. The applications of these systems to PFAS, phenolic and halogenated phenolic compounds, pesticides and herbicides, and antibiotics are compared in terms of analytical demands, real-sample validation, signal division, and application boundaries. Finally, we discuss challenges related to interfacial antifouling, long-term recognition stability, dual-signal cross-talk, standardized evaluation, green preparation, portable devices, and intelligent data analysis. This perspective highlights reliability-oriented evaluation as a central criterion for developing MIP-based dual-mode sensors in complex water matrices, with particular attention to pollutant-specific recognition chemistry, matrix-induced signal bias, and regulatory-oriented validation.

PMID:42790288 | DOI:10.1016/j.talanta.2026.130667

J Hazard Mater. 2026 Sep 13;517:143569. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.143569. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Fine particulate matter (PM₂_.₅) is associated with severe human health effects, yet its organic fraction remains only partially characterized. This study aimed to expand the current understanding of airborne contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in urban PM₂_.₅ using liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS)-based non-target analysis (NTA). PM₂.₅ samples were collected from eight monitoring stations across Barcelona (Spain) representing traffic, urban background, and port areas. After pressurized liquid extraction, samples were analysed by data-dependent LC-HRMS, followed by suspect screening and semiquantification. A total of 40 CECs were confidently annotated (identification level 2 A), including industrial chemicals, personal care products, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and drugs of abuse. To our knowledge, 21 compounds are reported for the first time in urban air. Concentrations generally ranged from pg/m⁻³ to ng/m⁻³ , with industrial chemicals (e.g., dicyclohexylamine, tributyl phosphate) and the repellent N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DEET) reaching the highest levels. Several identified compounds are classified as irritants, endocrine disruptors, or suspected carcinogens. Transformation products and metabolites were also detected. These findings reveal the ubiquity and chemical diversity of organic CECs in urban PM₂_.₅, highlighting their potential relevance for human health and their likely role as a pathway for environmental contamination via atmospheric deposition.

PMID:42790034 | DOI:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.143569

Talanta. 2026 Sep 23;313(Pt B):130667. doi: 10.1016/j.talanta.2026.130667. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Emerging and priority organic contaminants, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), pharmaceuticals and personal care products, endocrine-disrupting compounds, pesticides, and phenolic pollutants, are often present in natural and engineered water systems at trace or ultratrace levels. Their detection is affected by matrix components, including natural organic matter, inorganic ions, suspended particles, structurally related compounds, and background optical or electrochemical signals. These interferences hinder conventional single-mode sensors from providing stable and reliable responses in real water samples. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), with tailor-made recognition sites, chemical robustness, and compatibility with enrichment and sensing interfaces, provide a platform for improving selectivity in complex matrices. When integrated with dual-mode readout, MIP-based sensors can improve analytical reliability through signal cross-validation, internal correction, or coupled amplification. This review summarizes recent advances in molecularly imprinted dual-mode sensors for water pollutant detection, emphasizing their adaptation to complex water matrices. After outlining research trends through bibliometric analysis, we discuss MIP-based pretreatment and recognition interfaces, recognition-induced signal transduction, and the synergistic logic of representative dual-mode systems. The applications of these systems to PFAS, phenolic and halogenated phenolic compounds, pesticides and herbicides, and antibiotics are compared in terms of analytical demands, real-sample validation, signal division, and application boundaries. Finally, we discuss challenges related to interfacial antifouling, long-term recognition stability, dual-signal cross-talk, standardized evaluation, green preparation, portable devices, and intelligent data analysis. This perspective highlights reliability-oriented evaluation as a central criterion for developing MIP-based dual-mode sensors in complex water matrices, with particular attention to pollutant-specific recognition chemistry, matrix-induced signal bias, and regulatory-oriented validation.

PMID:42790288 | DOI:10.1016/j.talanta.2026.130667

J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2026 Sep 14;13(9):462. doi: 10.3390/jcdd13090462.

ABSTRACT

Hypertension remains one of the leading causes of global morbidity and mortality and is the leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease worldwide. The inability of conventional risk factors alone to fully explain the global prevalence of hypertension, together with accumulating evidence implicating endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the pathogenesis of hypertension, has led to growing scientific interest in this field over recent years. EDCs are exogenous environmental chemicals capable of disrupting hormone synthesis, transport, metabolism, and signaling pathways, thereby adversely affecting vascular and metabolic homeostasis. In particular, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), bisphenol A, phthalates, PCBs, heavy metals, and pesticides have been associated with hypertension and may influence blood pressure regulation through multiple interconnected mechanisms, including oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, epigenetic modifications, and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Moreover, prenatal exposure to EDCs has been associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, with potential implications for long-term maternal cardiovascular health. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the experimental and epidemiological evidence linking endocrine-disrupting chemicals to hypertension, with particular emphasis on the underlying molecular mechanisms, emerging clinical evidence, and future research directions.

PMID:42783069 | PMC:PMC13607198 | DOI:10.3390/jcdd13090462

J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2026 Sep 14;13(9):462. doi: 10.3390/jcdd13090462.

ABSTRACT

Hypertension remains one of the leading causes of global morbidity and mortality and is the leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease worldwide. The inability of conventional risk factors alone to fully explain the global prevalence of hypertension, together with accumulating evidence implicating endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the pathogenesis of hypertension, has led to growing scientific interest in this field over recent years. EDCs are exogenous environmental chemicals capable of disrupting hormone synthesis, transport, metabolism, and signaling pathways, thereby adversely affecting vascular and metabolic homeostasis. In particular, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), bisphenol A, phthalates, PCBs, heavy metals, and pesticides have been associated with hypertension and may influence blood pressure regulation through multiple interconnected mechanisms, including oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, epigenetic modifications, and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Moreover, prenatal exposure to EDCs has been associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, with potential implications for long-term maternal cardiovascular health. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the experimental and epidemiological evidence linking endocrine-disrupting chemicals to hypertension, with particular emphasis on the underlying molecular mechanisms, emerging clinical evidence, and future research directions.

PMID:42783069 | PMC:PMC13607198 | DOI:10.3390/jcdd13090462

Carbohydr Polym. 2026 Nov 1;391:125811. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125811. Epub 2026 Sep 4.

ABSTRACT

β-Cyclodextrin (β-CD) is a versatile supramolecular host whose hydrophobic cavity and chemically accessible exterior enable selective interactions with diverse contaminants. However, the limited recoverability, structural stability, and reusability of free β-CD restrict its direct application in aqueous treatment systems. Immobilization, crosslinking, and hybridization with polymers, biomass, carbonaceous materials, magnetic particles, metal-organic and covalent organic frameworks, photocatalysts, and membrane substrates improve porosity, mechanical stability, separation, and pollutant-removal performance. This review critically examines advances in β-CD-based composites for removing pharmaceuticals, dyes, pesticides, heavy metals, PFAS, and other emerging contaminants from water and wastewater reported between 2021 and 2026. Attention is given to structure-performance relationships, host-guest inclusion and complementary interfacial interactions, adsorption, photocatalytic degradation, membrane separation, regeneration, and performance in complex water matrices. Emerging computational approaches, including density functional theory, molecular dynamics, molecular docking, and artificial intelligence, are also discussed in relation to molecular-level interpretation, performance prediction, and process optimization. Finally, the review evaluates the principal barriers to practical implementation, including non-standardized testing, limited continuous-flow and real-wastewater validation, component leaching, regeneration-related waste, synthesis cost, scalability, and insufficient techno-economic and life-cycle assessment. This integrated perspective provides guides the development of more effective, durable, and practically viable β-CD-based water-treatment materials.

PMID:42785860 | DOI:10.1016/j.carbpol.2026.125811

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2026 Sep 22;324:120823. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120823. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Agricultural intensification zones-especially pesticide-intensive, ponded rice drainage belts-are overlooked hotspots for plastic and pesticide pollution. Rice-fish co-culture is now widely promoted; crucian carp is the principal co-stocked species that provides food and supports crop yield yet experiences high plastic-pesticide exposure. Imidacloprid (IMI) is among the most widely used crop pesticides and fish therapeutics, while polystyrene (PS) constitutes a major share of agricultural plastics. Juvenile carp were exposed for 28 days to PS microplastics (MP) or nanoplastics (NP) at 100μg/L, IMI at 200μg/L, and their mixtures; gills were assessed by histology, physiology, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. Exposure caused treatment-dependent gill injury. MP, NP, IMI, and NP + IMI showed positive oxidative-phosphorylation enrichment, accompanied by treatment-dependent increases in Rhesus (Rh)-family gene expression. In contrast, MP + IMI lacked this response and showed reduced Rh-family expression with the highest gill ammonia content. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified a co-expression module associated with reduced glutathione (GSH) after false discovery rate correction, with enrichment in p53 and apoptosis-related pathways. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) further supported apoptosis-associated injury of pavement cells in the MP + IMI group. Integrated omics highlighted purine-related metabolite signals in MP and MP + IMI, and xanthine oxidase activity was higher in MP + IMI than in MP. Overall, this study simulated a plastic-IMI co-exposure scenario relevant to contamination hotspots in agricultural aquaculture waters and revealed pronounced branchial structural, redox-metabolic, and ammonia-homeostatic disturbances, highlighting the potential risks of plastic-pesticide mixtures in these environments.

PMID:42777653 | DOI:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120823

On 22 May 2011, Germany reported a significant increase in the number of patients with haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and bloody diarrhoea caused by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Since 2 May, over 400 HUS cases and over 1000 STEC cases been reported in Germany. Additional HUS and STEC cases linked to the outbreak have been reported in several other EU/EEA countries; Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain...

Environ Pollut. 2026 Sep 22:129220. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2026.129220. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

There is a paucity of research examining the impact of environmental chemical (EC) mixtures on sleep and the role of body mass index (BMI) in this association. We prospectively evaluated 1) the association between EC exposure (bio)marker-mixtures during peri-pregnancy and sleep outcomes after pregnancy, and 2) mediation by BMI. We studied ∼393 mothers from the PROGRESS cohort with 52 EC (bio)markers measured during pregnancy (estimated air pollutants, blood/urinary metal(loid)s, urinary high- and low-molecular-weight phthalate [HMWP, LMWP] and pesticide metabolites) and 1-month postpartum (serum perfluoroalkyl substances), and with sleep outcomes measured ∼8 years after pregnancy. Sleep duration and efficiency were calculated using actigraphy data, and self-reported sleep disturbance and impairment were estimated from validated NIH-Toolbox questionnaires. Covariate-adjusted BWQS regressions were used to assess EC (bio)marker-mixture associations (by chemical group and overall) with sleep outcomes. Sensitivity BKMR and mediation analyses by BMI were also implemented. Mothers were ∼28.2 (SD:5.5) years old at baseline and had an average sleep duration of 6.9 (SD:0.95) hours at the 8-year follow-up visit. Several EC (bio)marker-mixtures during pregnancy were associated with sleep outcomes post-pregnancy. A quartile increase in the air pollutant-mixture was associated with an ∼8-minute lower sleep duration [β=-0.14 hours (95%CrIs: -0.29, 0.00)]. Similarly, a quartile increase in the non-essential metals/metalloids-mixture was associated with lower sleep efficiency [β=-0.95% (95%CrIs: -1.81%, -0.17%)]. A negative marginal association was also found between the HMWP-mixture and sleep efficiency [β=-0.62% (95%CrIs: -1.28%, 0.02%)]. Furthermore, the pesticide-mixture was associated with higher self-reported sleep disturbance T-scores [β=1.16 (95%CrIs: 0.22, 2.07)]. No evidence of non-linear trends was found. No significant mediation by BMI was observed, although BMI was a weak potential mediator in the association between the HMWP mixture and sleep efficiency (indirect effect p=0.22). In summary, several EC exposure (bio)markers during the period of pregnancy were linked to poorer sleep later in life.

PMID:42772438 | DOI:10.1016/j.envpol.2026.129220

Anal Chim Acta. 2026 Nov 8;1422:346095. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2026.346095. Epub 2026 Aug 11.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Microplastics (MPs) pose a significant global pollution concern due to their widespread distribution, persistence, and ability to absorb organic pollutants (OPs) and transport contaminants in aquatic environments. The interactions between OPs and MPs are influenced by factors such as organic matter, pH, and ionic strength. Traditional methods used to study these interactions often perturb partitioning equilibria, potentially affecting the accuracy of the findings.

RESULTS: This study proposes an innovative, automated, solvent-free approach using negligible depletion solid-phase microextraction (nd-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to investigate sorption equilibria of pesticides onto polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs by overcoming common limitations of traditional methodologies. Method development and optimization were performed to avoid steps such as filtration, centrifugation, or dilution of the sample, commonly reported in the literature, thereby positioning this approach as a non-depletive method for studying contaminant-microplastic interactions. Pesticide sorption onto MPs was explored in real-time through automated sampling. The influence of key parameters, including organic matter content, sample pH, and ionic strength, was examined. Sorption kinetics of pesticides onto MPs followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, while the adsorption isotherms were best described by both the Henry and the Freundlich models.

SIGNIFICANCE: This work introduces a fundamentally non-perturbative strategy for investigating contaminant-microplastic interactions, addressing a critical gap in current methodologies that rely on sample manipulation and may affect native partitioning equilibria.

PMID:42763155 | DOI:10.1016/j.aca.2026.346095

Redox Biol. 2026 Sep 17;97:104407. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2026.104407. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Environmental chemical exposures are primary drivers of declining male reproductive health. Sertoli cells (SCs), indispensable for spermatogenesis and blood-testis barrier (BTB) integrity, are preferential targets for toxicant-induced oxidative injury across chemically diverse classes. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis organised around an a priori Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP): toxicant interaction with SC mitochondria or NADPH oxidases (Molecular Initiating Event) → ROS elevation (Key Event 1, KE1) → SC cellular dysfunction including apoptosis, ferroptosis, and BTB disruption (Key Event 2, KE2) → impaired spermatogenesis (Adverse Outcome). Searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception to January 2026, we identified 1458 records, of which 96 met inclusion criteria for qualitative synthesis and 29 provided extractable data for meta-analysis. All six chemical classes examined - air pollutants (PM₂.₅), endocrine-disrupting chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, mycotoxins, and emerging contaminants - significantly elevated SC oxidative stress relative to controls. Metals produced the largest pooled standardised mean difference (SMD > 2.0) and air pollutants the second largest (SMD ∼1.8). The direction of effect was uniformly positive across all 29 studies. Cross-study ecological regression supported the AOP linkage between ROS elevation (KE1) and SC apoptosis (KE2; R² = 0.77, p < 0.001). One Health subgroup analysis showed directionally consistent effect sizes across rodent, livestock, and in vitro evidence streams. These findings position SC oxidative stress as a convergent, chemically non-specific, and phylogenetically conserved hazard endpoint warranting formalisation within tiered reproductive toxicity test strategies.

PMID:42762776 | DOI:10.1016/j.redox.2026.104407

Toxicology. 2026 Sep 19;527:154589. doi: 10.1016/j.tox.2026.154589. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Human populations and ecosystems are continuously exposed to complex mixtures of environmental contaminants rather than to individual chemicals in isolation. These mixtures include pesticides, metals and metalloids, persistent organic pollutants, endocrine-disrupting chemicals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, pharmaceuticals, plastic-associated compounds, air pollutants, nanomaterials, and numerous poorly characterized substances. Their combined effects may be additive, synergistic, or antagonistic, and are strongly influenced by dose, component ratio, timing, exposure sequence, and biological susceptibility. Experimental evaluation of all environmentally relevant mixtures is infeasible because the number of possible combinations increases combinatorially. Artificial intelligence (AI) offers a possible way to address this limitation. Machine learning, deep learning, graph neural networks, Bayesian approaches, and natural-language processing can integrate heterogeneous data, including chemical structures, molecular descriptors, toxicokinetics, high-throughput screening results, omics profiles, adverse outcome pathways, biomonitoring data, and epidemiological findings. However, the evidence base is uneven. Relatively few studies have applied AI directly to experimentally characterized mixtures, and much of the current optimism is extrapolated from single-chemical toxicology. This review distinguishes explicitly between applications demonstrated in mixtures, proof-of-concept mixture applications, and approaches whose mixture use remains prospective. It further examines the methodological requirements for mixture prediction, including dose and ratio representation, additivity reference models, applicability domains, external validation, and mechanistic interpretability, and proposes a framework for regulatory-grade implementation. Current evidence does not support autonomous AI-driven regulation of mixtures. AI should complement, not replace, experimental and expert evaluation, supporting a transition toward more predictive, mechanism-informed assessment of real-world chemical exposures.

PMID:42762870 | DOI:10.1016/j.tox.2026.154589