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The ubiquitous presence of legacy and emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the environmental matrices poses a potential hazard to the humans and creating public health concerns. The present study aimed to evaluate dioxins, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and chlorinated paraffins (CPs) concentrations in serum of women (postpartum, pregnant and non-pregnant) from Northern Norway to better understand their exposure and contamination status as well as temporal trends across 2007–2009 (MISA 1) to 2019 (MISA 2). Sixty-two blood samples from the MISA 1 cohort and 38 samples from MISA 2 were randomly selected in this study (n = 100). Ninety samples from postpartum (MISA 1) and pregnant women (MISA 2) were randomly combined into 9 pools, with 9–11 individual samples contributing to each pool keeping the groups of pregnant and postpartum women. Remaining 10 samples from non-pregnant women (MISA 2) were allocated into separate group. Geometric mean, minimum and maximum were used to describe the serum concentrations of pooled POPs in MISA cohort. Mann-Whitney U test and independent sample t-test were applied for trend analysis of blood levels of POPs between MISA 1 and MISA 2. We found the serum concentrations of selected POPs in this study to be at lower range. Serum concentrations of dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) (p = 0.010), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) (p = 0.002), dioxins-like PCBs (p = 0.001), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) (p < 0.001) and p,p’-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p’-DDE) (p = 0.002) were decreased between the studied time. In contrast, the serum concentrations of medium chain chlorinated paraffins showed an increasing trend between 2007 and 2009 and 2019 (p = 0.019). Our findings report a particular concern of emerging contaminant medium chain chlorinated paraffin exposure to humans. Future observational studies with repeated measurements of chlorinated paraffins in general populations worldwide and large sample size are warranted., The authors highly acknowledge the participants in the MISA study and the health staff who collected the samples. We acknowledge the contribution of the entire EDCMET team, Norwegian Environment Agency and Fram Centre.

We performed a systematic sampling and analysis of airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA in different hospital areas to assess viral spread. Systematic air filtration was performed in rooms with COVID-19 infected patients, in corridors adjacent to these rooms, to rooms of intensive care units, and to rooms with infected and uninfected patients, and in open spaces. RNA was extracted from the filters and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed using the LightMix Modular SARS-CoV-2 E-gene. The highest occurrence of RNA was found in the rooms with COVID-19 patients (mean 2600 c/m3) and the adjacent corridor (mean 4000 c/m3) which was statistically significant more exposed (p < 0.01). This difference was related to the ventilation systems. As is commonly found in many hospitals, each of the rooms had an individual air inlet and outlet, while in the corridors these devices were located at the distance of every four rooms. There was a significant transfer of viruses from the COVID-19 patients’ rooms to the corridors. The airborne SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the corridors of ICUs with COVID-19 patients or care rooms of uninfected patients were ten times lower, averages 190 c/m3 and 180 c/m3, respectively, without presenting significant differences. In all COVID-19 ICU rooms, patients were intubated and connected to respirators that filtered all exhaled air and prevented virus release, resulting in significantly lower viral concentrations in adjacent corridors. The results show that the greatest risk of nosocomial infection may also occur in hospital areas not directly exposed to the exhaled breath of infected patients. Hospitals should evaluate the ventilation systems of all units to minimize possible contagion and, most importantly, direct monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in the air should be carried out to prevent unexpected viral exposures., Financial support from the European Union Project EDCMET (H2020-HEALTH/0490–825762) is acknowledged.

The composition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), and organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) present in the gas-phase fraction of the atmosphere of Barcelona was analyzed during the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) lockdown and prior to this period. The changes in daily concentrations of CO, NO, NO2, O3 and particulate matter smaller than 10 μm (PM10) were considered for comparison. Bayesian analysis considering serial dependencies and seasonality showed statistically significant decreases of CO, NO, NO2, and PM10 (between −28 and −76%) and O3 increases (+45%) during lockdown. However, the lockdown concentration decreases of PeCB (−90.5%, from 8.5 to 0.8 pg m–3), HCB (−79%, 25.5–5.4 pg m–3) and some PAHs, such as benz[a]anthracene (−87%, 120–17 pg m–3) and pyrene (−81%, 3,500–680 pg m–3), were even stronger. The PAH depletion ranged between −68 and −87% that could be primarily associated with the strong reduction of traffic mobility during this period (−80%). Besides traffic reduction, the observed air quality improvements could be related to lower generation of solid urban residues (−25%) and the subsequent decrease of urban waste incineration (between −25 and −28%). Tributyl phosphate also showed a reduction in concentration during lockdown but the other OPFRs were seemingly not affected by this restriction, possibly as a result of the uniform release from the emission sources, e.g., construction material, industrial applications, and household products., This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Projects: CUANTOX CTM2015-71832-P and INTEMPOL PGC2018-10228-B-I00). RP also acknowledges financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (BES-2016-076339).

The abrupt nature of warming events recorded in Greenland ice-cores during the last glacial has generated much debate over their underlying mechanisms. Here, we present joint marine and terrestrial analyses from the Portuguese Margin, showing a succession of cold stadials and warm interstadials over the interval 35–57 ka. Heinrich stadials 4 and 5 contain considerable structure, with a short transitional phase leading to an interval of maximum cooling and aridity, followed by slowly increasing sea-surface temperatures and moisture availability. A climate model experiment reproduces the changes in western Iberia during the final part of Heinrich stadial 4 as a result of the gradual recovery of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. What emerges is that Greenland ice-core records do not provide a unique template for warming events, which involved the operation of both fast and slow components of the coupled atmosphere–ocean–sea-ice system, producing adjustments over a range of timescales., We thank Russell Drysdale and Eric Wolff for comments on specific aspects of the paper. Financial support was provided by Natural Environment Research Council grants NE/C514758/1 (to P.C.T., held at the University of Leeds) and NE/J00653X/1 (to D.A.H.), and Australian Research Council grant FT180100606 (to L.M.). E.C. acknowledges financial support from the ChronoClimate project, funded by the Carlsberg Foundation and MME from the Research Council of Norway and from COFUND – Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions FP7, project numbers 274429 and 223259. B.M. acknowledges support from the CSIC Ramón y Cajal postdoctoral programme RYC-2013-14073 and LINKA20102. We wish to acknowledge use of the Ferret program for generating the maps in Fig. 7 and Supplementary Fig. 2 in this paper. Ferret is a product of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (information is available at http://ferret.pmel.noaa.gov/Ferret/).

Biotransport is often associated with migration patterns of species, including large, anadromous salmonids. Several studies have reported biotransport of persistent organic pollutants in the Northern Hemisphere, but there is no published information on biotransport ocurring south of the equator. Chile’s Patagonia is one of the last largely intact natural areas in the world. The objective of this study was to determine whether persistent organic pollutants are transported by the invasive Pacific Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) from the Pacific Ocean to Chilean Patagonia. Samples of juvenile and adult Chinook salmon were analyzed for polychlorinated biphenyls, pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The results revealed that concentrations of POPs in adults migrating into Patagonian rivers were significantly higher than those found in juveniles migrating seaward. A mass balance analysis indicates that Chinook salmon are a source of persistent organic pollutants to Chilean Patagonia inland waters. Capsule: Biotransport of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) by Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) from the Pacific Ocean to Chilean Patagonia has been confirmed by mass balance of POPs., This work was supported by Fondecyt No. 1080294 and Fondecyt 1110719. This work was made possible with the cooperation of Jimena Ibarra, Katherine Solis and Ignacio Rudolph.

Cobalt (Co) is an essential trace element but may cause toxic effects upon occupational or environmental exposure. The present study is aimed to determine the urine concentrations of Co in four years-old children in the INMA-Asturias cohort (Spain) and to assess the factors determining the observed levels. This cohort is located in a heavily industrialized zone with strong potential for metal exposure. Some diet components such as consumption of sweets were meaningfully associated with higher urine Co concentrations. Traffic pollution also showed a noteworthy positive association with Co levels. Family tobacco consumption did not show substantial association with the urine concentrations of this metal in the INMA-Asturias children. A significant inverse association between urine Co and venous blood ferritin was found. Iron deficiency anemic children had significantly higher concentrations of Co than those with normal levels, e.g. median values 1.9 μg/g creatinine and 1.0 μg/g creatinine, respectively. This association could be explained by an increased expression of DMT1, a divalent metal transporter that captures higher levels of iron in deficiency states of this metal. This transporter is non-specific and not only captures iron but also other divalent metals such as Co. The presence of this metal in iron deficiency anemic children may represent an additional disturbing health factor that must be considered during treatment., The authors would particularly like to thank all the participants for their generous collaboration and the staff from Hospital San Agustin in Aviles for their effort. This study was funded by grants from CIBERESP, FIS-FEDER (PI04/2018, PI09/02311, PI13/02429, PI18/00909), Obra Social Cajastur/Fundación Liberbank and Oviedo University. This paper was also supported by funding from the European Union project: EDC-MET (H2020-HEALTH/0490–825762).

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), introduced in June 2008, was adopted to achieve a Good Environmental Status (GES) in the EU's marine waters and to protect resources of socio-economic interest. The MSFD exerts to the marine area over which a Member State exercises jurisdictional rights in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including the deep-sea waters, seafloor and sub-seafloor of the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). However, currently the MSFD focuses on coastal habitats and the shallow-water seafloor to the detriment of the deeper habitats. Despite the huge dimension of the deep sea (below 200 m of depth) covering more than 65% of the Earth's surface and including >95% of the global biosphere, the relevance of the dark portion of the seas and oceans is still almost completely neglected. Given the important bi-directional links between shallow and deep ecosystems, there is a clear need for extending the implementation of the MSFD into the deep sea, to define a sound ecosystem-based approach for the management and protection of deep-sea ecosystems and attain GES. We assembled data on drivers, anthropogenic pressures and impacts concerning the MSFD descriptors pertaining to the Mediterranean deep sea. We list deep-sea monitoring activities and the main sources providing benchmark conditions, and discuss knowledge and geographic coverage gaps. MSFD descriptors apply to the deep sea as to coastal waters, and ought to be monitored contemporaneously. We provide recommendations for guidelines for future deep-sea monitoring in the Mediterranean Sea., This study has been supported by the DG ENV project IDEM (Implementation of the MSFD to the Deep Mediterranean Sea; contract EU No 11.0661/2017/750680/SUB/EN V.C2). MC and AS-V from University of Barcelona acknowledge support from the Spanish government through Red BAMAR (ref.: CGL2016-81854-REDT), a network on marine litter, and RTD projects NUREIEV (ref. CTM2013-44598-R) and NUREIEVA (ref. CTM2016-75953-C2-1-R) on far-field and near-field impacts of the Portman Bay, SE Spain, coastal submarine mine tailings disposal site. Generalitat de Catalunya autonomous government funding to CRG Marine Geosciences (ref. 2017 SGR 315) within its support scheme to excellence research groups is equally acknowledged.

Inhalable particulate matter (size p-Xylene) and n-Pentane (5–15 μg/m3). ƩBTEX concentrations were, This work is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness with FEDER funds (BUSAIR CGL2016-79132-R) and by CSIC with the “Proyecto Intramural: Exposición a compuestos organicos volatiles en el interior de autobuses de transporte publico urbano” (201730I003). We are grateful to Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) for their co-operation throughout the whole project. Funding from the Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR 2017 SGR41) is also acknowledged.

Vehicle interior air quality (VIAQ) was investigated inside 14 diesel/non-diesel taxi pairs operating simultaneously and under normal working conditions over six weekday hours (10.00–16.00) in the city of Barcelona, Spain. Parameters measured included PM 10 mass and inorganic chemistry, ultrafine particle number (N) and size, lung surface deposited area (LDSA), black carbon (BC), CO 2 , CO, and a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most taxi drivers elected to drive with windows open, thus keeping levels of CO 2 and internally-generated VOCs low but exposing them to high levels of traffic-related air pollutants entering from outside and confirming that air exchange rates are the dominant influence on VIAQ. Median values of N and LDSA (both sensitive markers of VIAQ fluctuations and likely health effects) were reduced to around 10 4 #/cm 3 and < 20 µm 2 /cm 3 respectively under closed conditions, but more than doubled with windows open and sometimes approached 10 5 #/cm 3 and 240 µm 2 /cm 3 . In exceptional traffic conditions, transient pollution peaks caused by outside infiltration exceeded N = 10 6 #/cm 3 and LDSA= 1000 µm 2 /cm 3 . Indications of self-pollution were implicated by higher BC and CO levels, and larger UFP sizes, measured inside diesel taxis as compared to their non-diesel pair, and the highest concentrations of CO (>2 ppm) were commonly associated with older, high-km diesel taxis. Median PM 10 concentrations (67 µg/m 3 ) were treble those of urban background, mainly due to increased levels of organic and elemental carbon, with source apportionment calculations identifying the main pollutants as vehicle exhaust and non-exhaust particles. Enhancements in PM 10 concentrations of Cr, Cu, Sn, Sb, and a “High Field Strength Element” zircon-related group characterised by Zr, Hf, Nb, Y and U, are attributed mainly to the presence of brake-derived PM. Volatile organic compounds display a mixture which reflects the complexity of traffic-related organic carbon emissions infiltrating the taxi interior, with 2-methylbutane and n-pentane being the most abundant VOCs, followed by toluene, m-xylene, o-xylene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene, benzene, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene. Internally sourced VOCs included high monoterpene concentrations from an air freshener, and interior off-gassing may explain why the youngest taxi registered the highest content of alkanes and aromatic compounds. Carbon dioxide concentrations quickly climbed to undesirable levels (>2500 ppm) under closed ventilation conditions and could stay high for much of the working day. Taxi drivers face daily occupational exposure to traffic-related air pollutants and would benefit from a greater awareness of VIAQ issues, notably the use of ventilation, to encourage them to minimise possible health effects caused by their working environment. © 2019 The Author(s), This work was supported by the ACS Foundation contributing to the dissemination of good environmental practices and environmental protection activities, the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and FEDER funds within the I+D Project CGL2016–79132 (BUSAIR), and the IMPROVE LIFE project ( LIFE13ENV/ES/000263 ). We thank the Barcelona Metropolitan Taxi Institute (IMET) for their enthusiastic help and collaboration in this project.

Background: Breastfed children absorb persistent and toxic chemicals such as organohalogen compounds (OHCs) during the entire lactation period. Nursing is a main contributor to the burden of these pollutants in the first years of life, hence further assessments on the OHC load processes are needed. Objectives: To identify the determinants of OHC increase in children at four years of age, considering concentration gains, maternal venous concentrations and breastfeeding time. Methods: Concentrations of 19 organochlorine compounds (OCs) and 14 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were analyzed in maternal venous (n = 466), cord blood (n = 326) and children venous serum at four years of age (n = 272) in the Asturias INMA cohort representing the Spanish general population. Data were evaluated considering the socio-demographic and individual information collected at recruitment and follow up surveys, as well as the OHC physical-chemical constants. Results: The four years-old children concentration gains of the most abundant OHCs showed strong correlations (R2 = 0.65–0.93) with the maternal concentrations during pregnancy and lactation period. The child gain/maternal transfer rates of most correlated pollutants were similar. Discussion: Between 65 and 93% of the variance of OCs in four years-old children was explained by the maternal concentrations during pregnancy and the lactation period. The compounds with log(Kow) > 3.7 (hydrophobic) showed analogous child gain/maternal transfer rates indicating similar processes of membrane lipid dissolution and passive diffusion from the epithelial cells into the milk. Molecular weight of these pollutants did not influence on these rates. Compounds with low log(Koa) such as hexachlorobenzene are more volatile and less retained, involving lower child gain/maternal transfer rates. These results may be useful to anticipate the increase of the concentrations of OCs in children using the maternal concentration of these compounds during pregnancy and the planned lactation period and to implement prophylactic measures in mothers with high venous pollutant concentrations. © 2019 The Authors, The authors would particularly like to thank all the participants for their generous collaboration and the staff from Hospital San Agustin in Aviles for their effort. This study was funded by grants from CIBERESP , FIS-FEDER ( PI04/2018 , PI09/02311 , PI13/02429 , PI18/00909 ), Obra Social Cajastur/Fundación Liberbank and Oviedo University . This paper was also supported by funding from the European Union projects: HEALS (FP7-ENV-2013- 603946), Neurosome (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017_SEP-210411486) and EDC-MET (H2020-HEALTH/0490-825762). Appendix A

Introduction: Prenatal exposure to organochlorine compounds (OCs) can increase the risk of reported respiratory symptoms in children. It remains unclear whether these compounds can also impact on lung function. We assessed the association between prenatal exposure to OCs and lung function during childhood. Methods: We included 1308 mother-child pairs enrolled in a prospective cohort study. Prenatal concentrations of p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [p,p′-DDT], p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene [p,p′-DDE], hexachlorobenzene [HCB], and seven polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs] were measured in cord blood. Spirometry was performed in the offspring at ages 4 (n = 636) and 7 years (n = 1192). Results: More than 80% of samples presented quantifiable levels of p,p′-DDE, HCB, PCB-138, PCB-153, and PCB-180; p,p′-DDE was the compound with the highest median concentrations. At 4 years, prenatal p,p′-DDE exposure was associated with a decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) in all quartiles of exposure (e.g., third quartile [0.23–0.34 ng/mL]: β for FEV1 −53.61 mL, 95% CI −89.87, −17.35, vs. the lowest). Prenatal p,p′-DDE levels also decreased forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC, but associations did not reach statistical significance in most exposure quartiles. At 7 years, p,p′-DDE was associated with a decrease in FVC and FEV1 in only the second quartile of exposure (e.g. β for FEV1 −36.96 mL, 95% CI −66.22, −7.70, vs. the lowest). Prenatal exposure to HCB was associated with decreased FVC and FEV1, but in only the second quartile and at 7 years (e.g. [0.07–0.14 ng/mL]: β for FEV1 −25.79 mL, 95% CI −55.98, 4.39, vs. the lowest). PCBs were not consistently associated with lung function. Conclusion: Prenatal exposure to p,p′-DDE may decrease lung function during childhood, especially FEV1 and at medium levels of exposure. Further and deeper knowledge on the impact of environmental chemicals during pregnancy on lung development is needed. © 2019 The Authors, Funding text #1 This study was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III ( FIS-PI06/0867 and FIS-PI09/00090 ), CIBERESP, Department of Health of the Basque Government ( 2005111093 , 2009111069 , 2013111089 and 2015111065 ), and the Provincial Government of Gipuzkoa ( DFG06/002 , DFG08/001 and DFG15/221 ) and annual agreements with the municipalities of the study area (Zumarraga, Urretxu, Legazpi, Azkoitia y Azpeitia y Beasain). Funding text #2 This study was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III ( Red INMA G03/176 ; CB06/02/0041 ; PI041436 ; PI081151 incl. FEDER funds; CP16/00128 ), CIBERESP , Generalitat de Catalunya - CIRIT 1999SGR 00241 , Generalitat de Catalunya- AGAUR 2009 SGR 501 , Fundació La marató de TV3 ( 090430 ), EU Commission ( 261357 ). ISGlobal is a member of the CERCA Programme, Generalitat de Catalunya. Funding text #3 This study was funded by Grants from UE ( FP7-ENV-2011 cod 282957 and HEALTH.2010.2.4.5-1 ), Instituto de Salud Carlos III ( G03/176 ; FIS-FEDER : PI11/01007 , PI11/02591 , PI11/02038 , PI12/00610 , PI13/1944 , PI13/2032 , PI14/00891 , PI14/01687 , PI16/1288 , and PI17/0663 ; Miguel Servet -FEDER CP11/00178 , CP15/00025 , and MSII16/00051 ), Alicia Koplowitz Foundation 2017, and Generalitat Valenciana : FISABIO ( UGP 15-230 , UGP-15-244 , and UGP-15-249 ).

Urinary metabolites of organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) pesticides from seven years old children of a birth cohort study (n=199; PHIME cohort of Trieste, Italy) have been measured. Six OP and two PYR metabolites have been investigated, 2-diethylamino-6-methylpyrimidin-4-ol (DEAMPY, pirimiphos metabolite) was the one found at higher concentrations, median 3.4 ng/mL specific gravity adjusted (SG adjusted), followed by 4-nitrophenol (PNP, median 1.4 ng/mL SG adjusted) and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY, median 0.36 ng/mL SG adjusted), parathion and chlorpyriphos metabolites, respectively. TCPY concentrations were low in comparison to other distributions of OP metabolites in children from other studies. Accordingly, the PHIME cohort showed a distinct OP metabolite distribution with high concentrations of pirimiphos and parathion. Another specific characteristic of this cohort was the high concentration of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-BPA, median 0.36 ng/mL SG adjusted), a general metabolite of PYR pesticides. Evaluation of anthropometric and socio-demographic characteristics of children and families only showed a positive association between family educational level and urinary concentrations of DEAMPY metabolite (p, Authors are grateful to the women who participated in our study as well as the people who helped in the recruitment in the different countries. This work was supported by the EU through its Sixth Framework Programme for RTD project PHIME (contract no FOOD-CT-2006- 016253), by GRANT LIFE 2012 ENV/GR/001040 "Crome Life - Cross Mediterranean Environment and Health Network”, by European Union projects HEALS (FP7-ENV-2013- 603946) and Neurosome (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017 SEP-210411486), by RC 12/12 of Institute for Maternal and Child Health -IRCCS “Burlo Garofolo” – Trieste – Italy funded by the Italian Ministry of Health.

Background: Swimming in pools is a healthy activity that entails exposure to disinfection by-products (DBPs), some of which are irritant and genotoxic. Objectives: We evaluated exposure to DBPs during swimming in a chlorinated pool and the association with short-term changes in genotoxicity and lung epithelium permeability biomarkers. Methods: Non-smoker adults (N = 116) swimming 40 min in an indoor pool were included. We measured a range of biomarkers before and at different times after swimming: trihalomethanes (THMs) in exhaled breath (5 min), trichloroacetic acid (TCAA) in urine (30 min), micronuclei in lymphocytes (1 h), serum club cell protein (CC16) (1 h), urine mutagenicity (2 h) and micronuclei in reticulocytes (4 days in a subset, N = 19). Several DBPs in water and trichloramine in air were measured, and physical activity was extensively assessed. We estimated interactions with polymorphisms in genes related to DBP metabolism. Results: Median level of chloroform, brominated and total THMs in water was 37.3, 9.5 and 48.5, μg/L, respectively, and trichloramine in air was 472.6 μg/m3. Median exhaled chloroform, brominated and total THMs increased after swimming by 10.9, 2.6 and 13.4, μg/m3, respectively. Creatinine-adjusted urinary TCAA increased by 3.1 μmol/mol. Micronuclei in lymphocytes and reticulocytes, urine mutagenicity and serum CC16 levels remained unchanged after swimming. Spearman correlation coefficients showed no association between DBP exposure and micronuclei in lymphocytes, urine mutagenicity and CC16. Moderate associations were observed for micronuclei in reticulocytes and DBP exposure. Conclusions: The unchanged levels of the short-term effect biomarkers after swimming and null associations with personal estimates of exposure to DBPs suggest no measurable effect on genotoxicity in lymphocytes, urine mutagenicity and lung epithelium permeability at the observed exposure levels. The moderate associations with micronuclei in reticulocytes require cautious interpretation given the reduced sample size. © 2019 The Authors, We are grateful to all volunteers and the swimming pool facility. This work was funded by the EU 7th Framework Programme EXPOSOMICS Project (grant agreement 308610 ). We thank the Parc de Salut Mar Biobank (MARBiobanc) for providing support to the project. MARBiobanc is supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III / FEDER ( RD09/0076/00036 and PT13/0010/0005 ) and the “Xarxa de Bancs de tumors” sponsored by Pla Director d'Oncologia de Catalunya (XBTC). ISGlobal is a member of the CERCA Programme, Generalitat de Catalunya. We appreciate the work by Kate Jones (Health & Safety Laboratory, UK) for urinary TCAA analysis.

Background: One of the most worrying consequence of the production and use of persistent organohalogen pollutants (POPs) is the high accumulation in Arctic populations because of long-range transport. Study of the effects in these populations may illustrate human impacts that are difficult to assess in other locations with lower exposure to these compounds and more diverse pollutant influences. Objective: We aimed to identify the main maternal characteristics influencing on the accumulation of these compounds and the effects on the newborns in a highly exposed Arctic population (Chukotka, Russia). Methods: Organochlorine and organobromine compounds were analysed in maternal venous serum (n = 250). The study included data on residence, educational level, age, parity and body mass index (BMI) from self-reported questionnaires and measured anthropometric characteristics of newborns. Results: Concentrations of β-hexachlorocyclohexanes, hexachlorobenzene, 4,4′-DDT and polychlorobiphenyls were high when compared with those generally found in adult populations later than year 2000. The polybromodiphenyl ethers were negligible. These POP concentrations were higher than in Alaska and Arctic Norway and similar to those in Canada. The Chukotka mothers living in inland areas showed significant lower concentrations than those living in the coast (p < 0.001) except for 4,4′-DDT. The population from the Chukotsky District, a specific coastal area, showed the highest concentrations. Residence was therefore a main concentration determinant (p < 0.001) followed by maternal age, and in some cases parity and BMI (p < 0.05). 4,4′-DDT showed an association with the anthropometric characteristics of the newborns (p < 0.05). Mothers with higher 4,4′-DDT concentrations had longer gestational ages and gave birth to infants with higher weight and length. Conclusions: The maternal accumulation patterns of POPs were mainly related with residence. Most of these compounds were found in higher concentration in women living at coastal areas except 4,4′-DDE and 4,4′-DDT which were of inland origin. This last pesticide was the pollutant showing positive associations with gestational age and newborn's weight and length. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting statistically significant associations between maternal 4,4′-DDT exposure and anthropometric characteristics of the newborns. © 2019 The Authors, The authors are grateful to all women who participated in the study and the health staff who collected the samples. This study was partially funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP). Additional funding from the EU projects NEUROSOME ( H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017-766251 ), HEALS ( FP7-ENV-2013-603946 ) and EDCMET ( H2020-SC1-BHC-2018-SEP-210505108 ) is also acknowledged.

Background Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been proposed as environmental risk factors for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The effects of these pollutants on brain structures potentially involved in the pathophysiology of ADHD are unknown. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of PAHs on basal ganglia volumes and ADHD symptoms in school children. Methods We conducted an imaging study in 242 children aged 8–12 years, recruited through a set of representative schools of the city of Barcelona, Spain. Indoor and outdoor PAHs and benzo[a]pyrene (BPA) levels were assessed in the school environment, one year before the MRI assessment. Whole-brain volumes and basal ganglia volumes (caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen) were derived from structural MRI scans using automated tissue segmentation. ADHD symptoms (ADHD/DSM-IV Scales, American Psychiatric Association 2002) were reported by teachers, and inattentiveness was evaluated with standard error of hit reaction time in the attention network computer-based test. Results Total PAHs and BPA were associated with caudate nucleus volume (CNV) (i.e., an interquartile range increase in BPA outdoor level (67 pg/m3) and indoor level (76 pg/m3) was significantly linked to a decrease in CNV (mm3) (β = − 150.6, 95% CI [− 259.1, − 42.1], p = 0.007, and β = − 122.4, 95% CI [− 232.9, − 11.8], p = 0.030 respectively) independently of intracranial volume, age, sex, maternal education and socioeconomic vulnerability index at home). ADHD symptoms and inattentiveness increased in children with higher exposure to BPA, but these associations were not statistically significant. Conclusions Exposure to PAHs, and in particular to BPA, is associated with subclinical changes on the caudate nucleus, even below the legislated annual target levels established in the European Union. The behavioral consequences of this induced brain change were not identified in this study, but given the caudate nucleus involvement in many crucial cognitive and behavior processes, this volume reduction is concerning for the children's neurodevelopment. © 2017 The Authors, Marion Mortamais is supported by a Marie Sk?odowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014; EU project 656294). This work was supported by the European Research Council under the ERC [grant number 268479]?the BREATHE project. The Agency of University and Research Funding Management of the Catalonia Government participated in the context of Research Group SGR2014-1673. We also thank the Caixa Foundation for their financial support in the PAHs analyses.

The present study reports one of the few cases in which organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) pesticide human exposure is evaluated in family contexts by the analysis of mother/child pair samples. Urinary concentrations of 6 organic metabolites of organophosphates and 2 pyrethroids were measured in mothers and their 7-to 8-year-old children (n = 168) in a general population from the central area of Slovenia. The results were adjusted for specific gravity and creatinine. The most abundant OP metabolite in children was 4-nitrophenol (PNP) (median 0.7 ng/ml) and in mothers (0.45 ng/ml), representing parathion exposure. 3-Phenoxibenzoic acid (3-PBA) (0.26 ng/ml), the general metabolite of pyrethroids, and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY) (0.16 ng/ml; chlorpyriphos) were the second most abundant compounds in children and mothers, respectively. The geometric mean specific gravity adjusted concentrations of OPs and PYRs were statistically significantly higher in children than in their mothers (between 3% and 24% higher), with the exception of TCPY (26% lower). All OP and PYR metabolites found in higher concentration in children showed significant positive correlations with the metabolite concentrations found in the mothers (p < 0.05 and 0.01), involving the fact that higher maternal concentrations were associated with higher children levels. These differential mother-children distributions and significant correlations were observed for the 2 types of pesticides studied, OPs and PYRs, which have different chemical properties. This agreement is consistent with the incorporation of the pesticides because of the general activities developed in the family context, instead of pesticide-dependent specific inputs. Comparison of the estimated daily intakes with the acceptable daily intakes of all detected metabolites revealed no significant risk of adverse health effects from exposure to these pesticides. © 2019 The Authors, The authors are grateful to all women who participated in the study, the participating hospital for the data sampling and all the field workers for their enthusiastic efforts. This paper was supported by the European Union project CROME (LIFE12 ENV/GR/001040 ). Additional funding was received from the European Union projects: HEALS ( FP7-ENV-2013-603946 ), PHIME ( FOOD-CT-2006-016253 ), Neurosome ( H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017 SEP-210411486 ) and EDC-MET ( H2020-HEALTH/0490-825762 ) and the Slovenian Research Agency–ARRS (program P1-0143 ; project NEURODYS–contract no. JZ-9400 ). Appendix A