Purpose of Review
Endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure during pregnancy is linked to adverse maternal and child health outcomes that are racially/ethnically disparate. Personal care products ...(PCP) are one source of EDCs where differences in racial/ethnic patterns of use exist. We assessed the literature for racial/ethnic disparities in pregnancy and prenatal PCP chemical exposures.
Recent Findings
Only 3 studies explicitly examined racial/ethnic disparities in pregnancy and prenatal exposure to PCP-associated EDCs. Fifty-three articles from 12 cohorts presented EDC concentrations stratified by race/ethnicity or among homogenous US minority populations. Studies reported on phthalates and phenols. Higher phthalate metabolites and paraben concentrations were observed for pregnant non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic women. Higher concentrations of benzophenone-3 were observed in non-Hispanic White women; results were inconsistent for triclosan.
Summary
This review highlights need for future research examining pregnancy and prenatal PCP-associated EDCs disparities to understand and reduce racial/ethnic disparities in maternal and child health.
Layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition of polyelectrolytes was used to modify a gold substrate with polydiallyl dimethylammonium chloride and an Ultem-type poly(amic acid) salt. Following ...deposition, heat treatment converted the poly(amic acid) salt into a polyimide. A decrease in the thin film thickness and a substantial increase in the interfacial contact angle accompanied thermal treatment. Results from cyclic voltammetry measurements also show that the imidized surface had a decreased dielectric constant relative to an unmodified or a poly(amic acid)-modified interface. Each of these results is consistent with formation of the polyimide. Infrared spectra of the thin films formed by the electrostatic deposition were virtually identical with spectra obtained when the polyimide was formed by the normal spin casting procedure. These results suggest that the electrostatic method for depositing precursors of polyimides followed by heat treatment produces thin films that have structural and physical properties consistent with those of spin cast polyimide thin films.