New Insights on Environmental Chemical Exposure and Toxicological Mechanism

A special issue of Toxics (ISSN 2305-6304). This special issue belongs to the section "Exposome Analysis and Risk Assessment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 July 2024) | Viewed by 8240

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
Interests: environmental health & toxicology

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Environment and Resource, Research Center for Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
Interests: air pollution and human health risk; environmental chemical exposure and toxicological mechanism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental chemical exposure is a significant public health concern and an environmental issue worldwide. Many environmental chemicals have been shown to pose risks to human health, ranging from developmental abnormalities and cancer to neurological disorders and immune dysfunction. However, the exposure patterns and the toxic mechanisms of emerging environmental pollutants remain need to be further examined. Understanding the extent of exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment can help us identify potential sources of contamination and develop strategies for exposure reduction.

Topics of interest include but are not limited to: the identification and characterization of toxic chemicals, especially thoes of the emerging environmental pollutants, in the environment, the assessment of exposure routes and levels, the analysis of toxicological pathways and their underlying mechanisms, and the development of new approaches for risk assessment and management.

Dr. Huifeng Yue
Prof. Dr. Nan Sang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • environmental exposure
  • emerging environmental pollutants
  • toxicological pathways
  • mechanisms
  • exposure levels

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 2182 KiB  
Article
Plant Root Secretion Alleviates Carbamate-Induced Molecular Alterations of Dissolved Organic Matter
by Zihan Niu, Chao Chen, Qijun Ruan, Yingming Duan, Shuqin Liu and Da Chen
Toxics 2024, 12(9), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12090654 - 5 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 721
Abstract
Studying the interaction between pesticide contamination in the plant system and the dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition is important to understand the impact of pesticides and plants on the ecological function of DOM. The present study investigated the effects of DOM on the [...] Read more.
Studying the interaction between pesticide contamination in the plant system and the dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition is important to understand the impact of pesticides and plants on the ecological function of DOM. The present study investigated the effects of DOM on the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of carbamates in plants, carbamate exposure on DOM composition, and plant root secretion on the interaction between DOM and carbamates. The concentrations of carbamates and their metabolites in living cabbage plants were continuously tracked through an in vivo analytical method. The presence of DOM was found to reduce the highest bioconcentrations and shorten the time it took to reach the highest bioaccumulated amounts of isoprocarb and carbofuran in plants, while it showed no significant effect on the uptake behavior of carbaryl. DOM profiling results indicated that carbamate exposure substantially decreased the number and molecular diversity of DOM. Notably, plant root secretion alleviated carbamate-induced DOM molecular alterations by inducing a higher turnover rate of DOM compared to that in the uncontaminated group, highlighting the role of plants in mitigating the effects of exogenous pesticide exposure on DOM composition and maintaining DOM molecular homeostasis. Full article
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10 pages, 2084 KiB  
Article
New Perspectives on the Risks of Hydroxylated Polychlorinated Biphenyl (OH-PCB) Exposure: Intestinal Flora α-Glucosidase Inhibition
by Guoqiang Qin, Ruoyong Jia, Juntang Xue, Li Chen, Yang Li, Weiming Luo, Xiaomin Wu, Tianfeng An and Zhongze Fang
Toxics 2024, 12(4), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics12040237 - 24 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1256
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of colorless and odorless environmental pollutants with a wide range of toxic effects. Some PCBs, especially less chlorinated ones, will rapidly undergo phase I metabolism after entering the body, and hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) are the main [...] Read more.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of colorless and odorless environmental pollutants with a wide range of toxic effects. Some PCBs, especially less chlorinated ones, will rapidly undergo phase I metabolism after entering the body, and hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) are the main metabolites of PCBs. Intestinal flora α-glucosidase is a common carbohydrate-active enzyme which is ubiquitous in human intestinal flora. It can convert complex dietary polysaccharides into monosaccharides, assisting the body in degrading complex carbohydrates and providing energy for the survival and growth of bacterial flora. The present study aims to investigate the inhibition of the activity of intestinal flora α-glucosidase by OH-PCBs. 4-Nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (PNPG) was used as a probe substrate for α-glucosidase, and in vitro incubation experiments were conducted to study the inhibition of 26 representative OH-PCBs on α-glucosidase. Preliminary screening of in vitro incubation was performed with 100 μM of OH-PCBs. The results showed that 26 OH-PCBs generally exhibited strong inhibition of α-glucosidase. The concentration-dependent inhibition and half inhibition concentrations (IC50s) of OH-PCBs on α-glucosidase were determined. 4′-OH-PCB 86 and 4′-OH-PCB 106 were chosen as representative OH-PCBs, and the inhibition kinetic parameters (Kis) of inhibitors for α-glucosidase were determined. The inhibition kinetic parameters (Kis) of 4′-OH-PCB 86 and 4′-OH-PCB 106 for α-glucosidase are 1.007 μM and 0.538 μM, respectively. The silico docking method was used to further analyze the interaction mechanism between OH-PCBs and α-glucosidase. All these results will help us to understand the risks of OH-PCB exposure from a new perspective. Full article
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Review

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38 pages, 1819 KiB  
Review
Invisible Hand behind Female Reproductive Disorders: Bisphenols, Recent Evidence and Future Perspectives
by Xiaoyun Wu, Yuchai Tian, Huizhen Zhu, Pengchong Xu, Jiyue Zhang, Yangcheng Hu, Xiaotong Ji, Ruifeng Yan, Huifeng Yue and Nan Sang
Toxics 2023, 11(12), 1000; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxics11121000 - 7 Dec 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5734
Abstract
Reproductive disorders are considered a global health problem influenced by physiological, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. The increased exposure to bisphenols, a chemical used in large quantities for the production of polycarbonate plastics, has raised concerns regarding health risks in humans, particularly their [...] Read more.
Reproductive disorders are considered a global health problem influenced by physiological, genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. The increased exposure to bisphenols, a chemical used in large quantities for the production of polycarbonate plastics, has raised concerns regarding health risks in humans, particularly their endocrine-disrupting effects on female reproductive health. To provide a basis for future research on environmental interference and reproductive health, we reviewed relevant studies on the exposure patterns and levels of bisphenols in environmental matrices and humans (including susceptible populations such as pregnant women and children). In addition, we focused on in vivo, in vitro, and epidemiological studies evaluating the effects of bisphenols on the female reproductive system (the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and vagina). The results indicate that bisphenols cause structural and functional damage to the female reproductive system by interfering with hormones; activating receptors; inducing oxidative stress, DNA damage, and carcinogenesis; and triggering epigenetic changes, with the damaging effects being intergenerational. Epidemiological studies support the association between bisphenols and diseases such as cancer of the female reproductive system, reproductive dysfunction, and miscarriage, which may negatively affect the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Altogether, this review provides a reference for assessing the adverse effects of bisphenols on female reproductive health. Full article
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