A widespread monitoring network of Airbox microsensors was implemented since 2016 to provide high-resolution spatial distributions of ground-level PM2.5 data in Taiwan. We developed models for ...estimating ground-level PM2.5 concentrations for all the 3 km × 3 km grids in Taiwan by combining the data from air quality monitoring stations and the Airbox sensors. The PM2.5 data from the Airbox sensors (AB-PM2.5) was used to predict daily mean PM2.5 levels at the grids in 2017 using a semiparametric additive model. The estimated PM2.5 level at the grids was further applied as a predictor variable in the models to predict the monthly mean concentration of PM2.5 at all the grids in the previous year. The modeling–predicting procedures were repeated backward for the years from 2016 to 2006. The model results revealed that the model R2 increased from 0.40 to 0.87 when the AB-PM2.5 data were included as a nonlinear component in the model, indicating that AB-PM2.5 is a significant predictor of ground-level PM2.5 concentration. The cross-validation (CV) results demonstrated that the root of mean squared prediction errors of the estimated monthly mean PM2.5 concentrations were smaller than 5 μg/m3 and the R2 of the CV models of 0.79–0.88 during 2006–2017. We concluded that Airbox sensors can be used with monitoring data to more accurately estimate long-term exposure to PM2.5 for cohorts of small areas in health impact assessment studies.
Display omitted
•Microsensors can significantly improve PM2.5 estimation accuracy.•Microsensors improved historical PM2.5 estimation in grids in Taiwan.•Annual average PM2.5 estimates decreased during 2006–2017 in Taiwan.•Our results provide long-term PM2.5 exposure estimates for cohort studies.
The study results indicated that a wide-spread network of micro sensors is helpful to improving estimates of PM2.5 concentrations in small areas for health impact assessment studies. Long-term exposure to PM2.5 for residents can be accurately estimated by using a two-step predicting procedure.
This study investigates the effects of glyphosate-based herbicide (GLY) and pure emamectin benzoate (EB) insecticide on the brackish copepod Pseudodiaptomus annandalei. The 96h median lethal ...concentration (96 h LC50) was higher in the GLY exposure (male: 3420.96 ± 394.67 μg/L; female: 3093.46 ± 240.67 μg/L) than in the EB (male: 79.10 ± 7.30 μg/L; female: 6.38 ± 0.72 μg/L). Based on the result of 96h LC50, we further examined the effects of GLY and EB exposures at sub-lethal concentrations on the naupliar production of P. annandalei. Subsequently, a multigenerational experiment was conducted to assess the long-term impact of GLY and EB at concentrations 375 μg/L, and 0.025 μg/L respectively determined by sub-lethal exposure testing. During four consecutive generations, population growth, clutch size, prosome length and width, and sex ratio were measured. The copepods exposed to GLY and EB showed lower population growth but higher clutch size than the control group in most generations. Gene expression analysis indicated that GLY and EB exposures resulted in the downregulation of reproduction-related (vitellogenin) and growth-related (myosin heavy chain) genes, whereas a stress-related gene (heat shock protein 70) was upregulated after multigenerational exposure. The results of the toxicity test after post-multigenerational exposure indicated that the long-term GLY-exposed P. annandalei displayed greater vulnerability towards GLY toxicity compared to newly-exposed individuals. Whereas, the tolerance of EB was significantly higher in the long-term exposed copepod than in newly-exposed individuals. This suggests that P. annandalei might have greater adaptability towards EB toxicity than towards GLY toxicity. This study reports for the first time the impacts of common pesticides on the copepod P. annandalei, which have implications for environmental risk assessment and contributes to a better understanding of copepod physiological responses towards pesticide contaminations.
Display omitted
•Copepod P. annandalei showed higher LC50 (96h) in GLY exposure than EB exposure.•P. annandalei showed lower population growth after multigeneration exposure to GLY and EB.•GLY and EB exposures resulted in Vg and MYH downregulation, but HSP70 upregulation.
Long-term exposure to high-level ambient PM2.5 was associated with increased risks of brain disorders, while the associations remain uncertain of the exposure lower than current air quality standards ...in numerous countries. This study aimed to assess the effects of PM2.5 exposure on the brain system in the population with annual mean concentrations ≤15 μg/m3. We analyzed data from 260,922 participants without preexisting brain diseases at baseline in the UK Biobank. The geographical distribution of PM2.5 in 2010 was estimated by a land use regression model and linked with individual residential address. We investigated associations of ambient PM2.5 with incident neurological (dementia, Parkinson’s diseases PD, epilepsy, and migraine) and psychiatric (major depressive disorder MDD and anxiety disorder) diseases through Cox proportional hazard models. We further estimated the links with brain imaging phenotypes by neuroimaging analysis. Results showed that in the population with PM2.5 concentrations ≤15 μg/m3, each interquartile range (IQR, 1.28 μg/m3) increment in PM2.5 was related to incidence risks of dementia, epilepsy, migraine, MDD, and anxiety disorder with hazard ratios of 1.08 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03, 1.13), 1.12 (1.05, 1.20), 1.07 (1.00, 1.13), 1.06 (1.03, 1.09), and 1.05 (1.02, 1.08), respectively. We did not observe a significant association with PD. The association with dementia was stronger among the population with poor cardiovascular health (measured by Life’s Essential 8) than the counterpart (P for interaction=0.037). Likewise, per IQR increase was associated with specific brain imaging phenotypes, including volumes of total brain (β=-0.036; 95% CI: -0.050, -0.022), white matter (-0.030; -0.046, -0.014), grey matter (-0.030; -0.042, -0.017), respectively. The findings suggest long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 at low-level still has an adverse impact on the neuro-psychiatric system. The brain-relevant epidemiological assessment suggests that each country should update the standard for ambient PM2.5 following the World Health Organization Air Quality Guidelines 2021.
Display omitted
•Low-level PM2.5 exposure was related to risks of dementia•Low-level PM2.5 exposure was associated with risks of mental illness•Males were more vulnerable to the effect of PM2.5 on major depressive disorder•Low-level PM2.5 was associated with shrunken volumes of brain imaging traits
The causes of the physiological effects of microplastic pollution, potentially harming reef-building corals, are unclear. Reasons might include increased energy demands for handling particles and ...immune reactions. This study is among the first assessing the effects of long-term microplastic exposure on coral physiology at realistic concentrations (200 polyethylene particles L−1). The coral species Acropora muricata, Pocillopora verrucosa, Porites lutea, and Heliopora coerulea were exposed to microplastics for 11 months, and energy reserves, metabolites, growth, and photosymbiont state were analyzed. Results showed an overall low impact on coral physiology, yet species-specific effects occurred. Specifically, H. coerulea exhibited reduced growth, P. lutea and A. muricata showed changes in photosynthetic efficiency, and A. muricata variations in taurine levels. These findings suggest that corals may possess compensatory mechanisms mitigating the effects of microplastics. However, realistic microplastic concentrations only occasionally affected corals. Yet, corals exposed to increasing pollution scenarios will likely experience more negative impacts.
•Coral physiology remained largely unaffected by long-term microplastic exposure.•Microplastics occasionally had subtle, species-specific effects on coral physiology.•Increased taurine levels may initiate the translocation of carbon fixation products.•Reduced growth may be a trade-off mitigating the increased energy needs.•Altered photosynthetic efficiency may provide additional energy for compensation.
We examined the association between average annual fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone and first hospital admissions of Medicare participants for stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ...(COPD), pneumonia, myocardial infarction (MI), lung cancer, and heart failure (HF). Annual average PM2.5 and ozone levels were estimated using high-resolution spatio-temporal models. We fit a marginal structural Cox proportional hazards model, using stabilized inverse probability weights (IPWs) to account for the competing risk of death and confounding. Analyses were then repeated after restricting to exposure levels below the current U.S. standards. The results showed that PM2.5 was significantly associated with an increased hazard of admissions for all studied outcomes; the highest observed being a 6.1% (95% CI: 5.9%–6.2%) increase in the hazard of admissions with pneumonia for each μg/m3 increase in particulate levels. Ozone was also significantly associated with an increase in the risk of first hospital admissions of all outcomes. The hazard of pneumonia increased by 3.0% (95% CI: 2.9%–3.1%) for each ppb increase in the ozone level. Our results reveal a need to regulate long-term ozone exposure, and that associations persist below current PM2.5 standards.
•Few studies look at the non-fatal effects of long-term exposure to air pollution.•Long-term exposure effect estimates are typically higher than short-term ones.•PM2.5 and ozone both associated with increased hospital admissions.•Inverse probability weights can account for both confounding and competing risks.•Most associations persist at exposure levels below federal standards.
Cr‐free paints applied on different aluminum alloys were exposed for 5 years at different atmospheric weathering sites worldwide. By image analysis, the extent, and the type of corrosion (filiform or ...blistering) were determined after 1, 2, and 5 years. In that way, it was possible to rank the different systems as a function of their resistance to corrosion. The kinetics of degradation of each system at all sites was also determined. From the results, it is shown that the kinetics of degradation is system dependent. It is also shown that it is the combination of several climatic parameters which contributes to the corrosivity of the site and not only one single parameter such as chloride deposition, relative humidity, and so on.
The corrosion behavior of Cr‐free painted aluminum alloys is studied in 8 different locations representing different climatic conditions for 5 years. In that way, it is possible to determine if only one parameter affects the corrosion or the combination of several factors.
Inorganic nanoparticles provide the opportunity to localize bioactive agents to the target sites and protect them from degradation. In many cases, acute toxicities of inorganic nanoparticles used for ...delivery applications have been investigated. However, little information is available regarding the long-term toxicity of such materials. This review focuses on the importance of subchronic and chronic toxicity assessment of inorganic nanoparticles investigated for delivery applications. We have attempted to provide a comprehensive review of the available literature for chronic toxicity assessment of inorganic nanoparticles. Where possible correlations are made between particle composition, physiochemical properties, duration, frequency and route of administration, as well as the sex of animals, with tissue and blood toxicity, immunotoxicity and genotoxicity. A critical gap analysis is provided and important factors that need to be considered for long-term toxicology of inorganic nanoparticles are discussed.
Display omitted
The association between ambient coarse particulate matter (PM2.5–10) and mortality in multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients has not yet been studied. The modifying effects of ...temperature and humidity on this association are completely unknown.
To evaluate the effects of long-term PM2.5–10 exposures, and their modifications by temperature and humidity on mortality among MDR-TB patients.
A Chinese cohort of 3469 MDR-TB patients was followed up from diagnosis until death, loss to follow-up, or the study's end, averaging 2567 days per patient. PM2.5–10 concentrations were derived from the difference between PM10 and PM2.5. Cox proportional hazard models estimated hazard ratios (HRs) per 3.74 μg/m3 (interquartile range, IQR) exposure to PM2.5–10 and all-cause mortality for the full cohort and individuals at distinct long-term and short-term temperature and humidity levels, adjusting for other air pollutants and potential covariates. Exposure-response relationships were quantified using smoothed splines.
Hazard ratios of 1.733 (95% CI, 1.407, 2.135) and 1.427 (1.114, 1.827) were observed for mortality in association with PM2.5–10 exposures for the full cohort under both long-term and short-term exposures to temperature and humidity. Modifying effects by temperature and humidity were heterogenous across sexes, age, treatment history, and surrounding environment measured by greenness and nighttime light levels. Nonlinear exposure-response curves suggestes a cumulative risk of PM2.5–10-related mortality starting from a low exposure concentration around 15 μg/m3.
Long-term exposure to PM2.5–10 poses significant harm among MDR-TB patients, with effects modified by temperature and humidity. Immediate surveillance of PM2.5–10 is crucial to mitigate the progression of MDR-TB severity, particularly due to co-exposures to air pollution and adverse weather conditions.
Display omitted
•3469 patients with MDR-TB were closely followed-up for nearly 14 years.•PM2.5–10 is associated with increased risks for mortality in MDR-TB patients.•Low temperature could enhance PM2.5–10 effects on risks for MDR-TB mortality.•Cumulative exposure to PM2.5–10 shows a non-linear link to MDR-TB mortality.•Reducing PM2.5–10 exposure may benefit MDR-TB severity outcomes.
PDF
