Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease of unknown etiology that is thought to be caused by a complex combination of environmental and/or genetic factors. Air pollution exposure is linked to numerous adverse effects on human health, including brain inflammation and oxidative stress, processes that are believed to contribute to the development and progression of PD. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the epidemiology of air pollution and PD, including evidence of the effects of various pollutants (ozone, PM 10 , PM 2.5, PM 2.5−10 , NO x , NO 2 , CO, traffic air pollution, second-hand smoking) on PD risk. Based on this evidence, promising opportunities for future research are outlined, including: (1) studies of smaller particle sizes that cross the blood-brain barrier, (2) studies of the effects of air pollution on PD mortality and/or progression; (3) studies of interactions of air pollution with gene environment and other environmental factors.

August 15, 2017

Associations of built environment and children’s physical activity: a narrative review

Houshmand E. Masoumi

Page range: 315-331

Abstract

Problem: Childhood obesity has been an epidemic particularly in high-income countries. There is a considerable volume of data and studies depicting the rising number of obese children and adolescents in different countries. As suggested by the literature, physical inactivity is one the main drivers of childhood obesity. This paper addresses the associations of the built environment with physical activity of children in order to find to theoretically facilitate intervention and prevention measures. Literature: There is a large body of literature describing the overall determinants of children’s physical activity. The built environment is one of the influential factors that have been partially examined. Among the physical environment indicators, distance to school has been repeatedly reported to be negatively associated with active travels to school; thus, it indirectly affects physical activity of children. Apart from distance to school, some other built environment indicators have also been less researched, such as population and construction densities, distance to the city center, land use mix, and type of urban fabric (urban, suburban, etc.). Objective: The purpose of this review was to shed light on some of the less-studied areas of the existing literature related to the relationship between the built environment and physical activity of children aged between 3 and 12 years. Method: The English-language publications, majority of which were peer-reviewed journal papers published in recent years, were collected and descriptively analyzed. Two large categories were the backbone of this narrative review: (1) non-school outdoor activities of children that take place in the residential neighborhood and (2) commuting to school and the related interventions such as safe routes to school. Results: Seven areas were synthesized by this review of the literature. Differences in associations of the built environment and physical activity in (1) different types of urban forms and land uses such as urban, suburban, high-density, etc.; (2) different city sizes such as small towns, mid-sized cities, large cities and megacities; (3) different cultures, subcultures and ethnicities in the same city of country, e.g. the Asian minority of London or the Turkish minority of Germany; (4) between perceptions of parents and children and associations with children’s physical activity, e.g. how they perceive safety and security of the neighborhood; (5) associations of the built environment with children’s physical activity in less-studied contexts, e.g. many developing and under-developed countries or eastern European countries; (6) differences in built environment – physical activity associations in different regions of the world, e.g. continents; and finally (7) associations between mobility patterns of parents and their children’s physical activity, for instance, the frequencies of taking public transport or walk as a commute mode. Conclusion: Researchers are recommended to focus their less-researched subtopics mentioned under the Results section in accordance with local conditions observed in less-researched contexts so that measures and interventions are accordingly planned.

October 10, 2017

Decline in lung function among cement production workers: a meta-analysis

Somayeh Rahimi Moghadam, Siavosh Abedi, Mahdi Afshari, Ehsan Abedini, Mahmood Moosazadeh

Page range: 333-341

Abstract

Background: Several studies with different results have been performed regarding cement dust exposure and its pathogenic outcomes during the previous years. This study aims to combine these results to obtain a reliable estimate of the effect of exposure to cement dust. Methods: PubMed and other data banks were searched to identify required electronic articles. The search was extended interviewing with relevant experts and research centers. Point and pooled estimates of outcome with 95% confidence intervals were estimated. Results: Participants were 5371 exposed and 2650 unexposed persons. Total mean differences (95% confidence intervals) were estimated as of −0.48 (−0.71 to −0.25) L for forced vital capacity (FVC), −0.7 (−0.92 to −0.47) L for forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), −0.43 (−0.68 to −0.19) L for FEV1/FVC%, −0.73 (−1.15 to −0.30) L/min for PEFR and −0.36 (−0.51 to −0.21) L/s for FEF25-75. Conclusion: Our meta-analysis showed that cement dust has significant impact on lung function and reduces the indicators of FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEFR and FEF25-75.

Publicly Available September 15, 2017

Air pollution, aeroallergens and suicidality: a review of the effects of air pollution and aeroallergens on suicidal behavior and an exploration of possible mechanisms

Renee-Marie Ragguett, Danielle S. Cha, Mehala Subramaniapillai, Nicole E. Carmona, Yena Lee, Duanduan Yuan, Carola Rong, Roger S. McIntyre

Page range: 343-359

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Abstract

Objective: Risk factors for suicide can be broadly categorized as sociodemographic, clinical and treatment. There is interest in environmental risk and protection factors for suicide. Emerging evidence suggests a link between environmental factors in the form of air pollution and aeroallergens in relation to suicidality. Methods: Herein, we conducted a systematic review of 15 articles which have met inclusion criteria on the aforementioned effects. Results: The majority of the reviewed articles reported an increased suicide risk alongside increased air pollutants or aeroallergens (i.e. pollen) increase; however, not all environmental factors were explored equally. In specific, studies that were delimited to evaluating particulate matter (PM) reported a consistent association with suicidality. We also provide a brief description of putative mechanisms (e.g. inflammation and neurotransmitter dysregulation) that may mediate the association between air pollution, aeroallergens and suicidality. Conclusion: Available evidence suggests that exposure to harmful air quality may be associated with suicidality. There are significant public health implications which are amplified in regions and countries with greater levels of air pollution and aeroallergens. In addition, those with atopic sensitivity may represent a specific subgroup that is at risk.

Mini Review

September 15, 2017

Toxicological profile of organochlorines aldrin and dieldrin: an Indian perspective

Noopur Sharma, Deepali Garg, Roumi Deb, Ratika Samtani

Page range: 361-372

Abstract

Several epidemiological studies have suggested various environmental factors as a possible cause for increased incidence of various abnormalities. Of the various environmental contaminants, the most prevalent and the most discussed are the endocrine disrupting chemicals. Contact of such disruptors with humans has become inevitable today. They are cosmopolitan and present from agriculture to industrial sectors, even in day-to-day consumer products. Aldrin and dieldrin belong to one such class of substances which are known to have a toxic effect on various physiological systems of the human body. Despite an imposed ban on their manufacture and commercial use, these pesticides could still be detected in probable areas of consumption like agriculture. The present review discusses the known possible toxic effects of aldrin and dieldrin and their current existence in the ecosystem across India.

Original Article

August 30, 2017

Evaluation of the carcinogenic risks at the influence of POPs

Aiman Nazhmetdinova, Adlet Kassymbayev, Altinay Chalginbayeva

Page range: 373-378

Abstract

Introduction: Kazakhstan is included in the list of environmentally vulnerable countries and Kyzylorda oblast in particular. This is due to its geographical, spatial and temporal and socioeconomic features. Materials and methods: As part of the program “Integrated approaches in the management of public health in the Aral region”, we have carried out an expertise on many samples of natural environments and products. Samples were selected in accordance with sampling procedures according to regulatory documents by specialists of the Pesticide Toxicology Laboratory. It is accredited by the State Standard of the Republic of Kazakhstan, for compliance with ST RK ISO/IEC 17025-2007 “General requirements for the competence of test and calibration laboratories”. Gas chromatograph was used for the determination of residues of organochlorine pesticides. For the determination of dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyl was conducted on the gas chromatomass spectrometer with quadruple detector produce by Agilent Company, USA. To assess the risk, we carried out the mathematical calculations according to the risk of chemicals polluting (No P 2.1.10.1920-04, Russia). Calculation of the carcinogenic risk was carried out with the use of data on the size of the exposure and meanings of carcinogenic potential factors (slope factor and unit risk). Results and discussion: The evaluation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), based on the previous results of the research concerning water, soil and food products, was held in five population settlements in Kyzylorda oblast villages: Ayteke bi, Zhalagash, Zhosaly, Shieli and Aralsk town. Pollution with the POPs in the environmental objects by means of exposition and evaluation of the carcinogenic risk to human health is confirmed by the data of the statistical reporting about some morbidity in Kyzylorda oblast, such as skin diseases and subcutaneous tissue, endocrine system diseases, pregnancy complications etc. Conclusion: The received levels of carcinogenic risks, which were first carried out in the Republic of Kazakhstan in the village of Shieli, meet the third-risk range, which is not acceptable to the life of the population that again shows the problem of the Aral Sea, called the zone of ecological disaster.

Corrigendum

Publicly Available December 5, 2017

Corrigendum to: Functional brain MRI in patients complaining of electrohypersensitivity after long term exposure to electromagnetic fields

Gunnar Heuser, Sylvia A. Heuser

Page range: 379-380

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About this journal

Objective
Reviews on Environmental Health is an international peer-reviewed journal that aims to fill the need for publication of review articles on hot topics in the field of environmental health. It is intended to be an inspiring forum for scientists, environmentalists, physicians, engineers, and students who are concerned with aspects of human health, including quality of life, that are determined by physiological and psychosociological interactions between humans and physical, chemical, biological, and social factors in the environment.
Reviews on Environmental Health is an important niche not served by any other journal, namely, a place to publish thoughtful reviews on a variety of topics related to both health and the environment. One challenge is to link the research on environmental causes of disease to the clinical practice of medicine. Reviews on Environmental Health is a source of integrated information on environmental health topics that will be of value to the broad scientific community, whether students, junior and senior professionals, or clinicians.

Topics

Environmental toxicology
Neurotoxicology
Immunology
Oncology
Dermatology
Epidemiology
Molecular biology
Pharmacogenetics
Child health
Medicine, occupational health and risk assessment
Water, air, and soil quality control
Methods for biomonitoring and remediation

Article formats
Reviews, Letters to the Editor, Editorials