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Personal care products can contain phthalates, parabens and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals. However, information on perception of risks from personal care product use and how use varies by race and ethnicity is limited. We evaluated differences in personal care product use and risk perception in a diverse sample of participants recruited from a US college campus and online. A self-administered questionnaire captured information on sociodemographic factors, personal care product use trends and perception of risk associated with them. Pearson’s chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to determine differences in personal care product use and risk perception by race and ethnicity. Ordered logistic regressions were performed to measure associations between personal care product use frequency across racial/ethnic categories. Participant (n = 770) mean age was 22.8 years [standard deviation ± 6.0]. Daily use of make-up (eye = 29.3%; other = 38.0%; all = 33.7%) and skincare products (55%) was most frequently reported among Middle Eastern and North African participants. Non-Hispanic Black participants reported the highest daily use of hairstyling products (52%) and lotion (78%). Daily make-up use was more frequently reported among females (41%) than males (24.6%). Levels of agreement were similar across racial and ethnic groups, that personal care product manufacturers should be required to list all ingredients (≥87%). There were significant associations between the frequency of use of some personal care products and racial/ethnic categories when the use frequencies of participants from other racial/ethnic categories were compared to the use frequency of non-Hispanic White participants. There were significant differences in daily use frequency, levels of trust, perception of safety and health risks associated with personal care products by race and ethnicity, underscoring that there may be different sources of exposure to chemicals in personal care products by race and ethnicity.

Background: Personal care products (PCPs) can contain phthalates, parabens, and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals. However, information on perception of risks from PCP use and how use varies by race and ethnicity is limited. Objective: We evaluated differences in PCP use and risk perception in a diverse sample of participants recruited from a U.S. college campus and online. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire captured information on sociodemographic factors, PCP use trends, and perception of risk associated with PCPs. Pearson's Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to determine differences in PCP use and risk perception by race and ethnicity. Ordered logistic regressions were performed to measure associations between PCP use frequency across racial/ethnic categories. Results: Participant (n=770) mean age was 22.8 years (SD ± 6.0). Daily use of make-up (eye = 29.3%; other=38.0%; all=33.7%) and skincare products (55%) was most frequently reported among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) participants. Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) participants reported the highest daily use of hairstyling products (52%) and lotion (78%). Daily make-up use was more frequently reported among females (41%) than males (24.6%). Levels of agreement were similar across racial and ethnic groups, that PCP manufacturers should be required to list all ingredients (≥87%). There were significant associations between the frequency of use of

Hairdressers are exposed to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), many of which have been linked to acute and chronic health effects. Those hairdressers serving an ethnic clientele may potentially experience disproportionate exposures from frequent use of products containing VOCs or different VOC concentrations contained in products which are marketed to the specific needs of their clientele. However, no biomonitoring studies have investigated occupational exposures in this population. In the present pilot study, we sought to characterize concentrations and exposure determinants for 28 VOC biomarkers in post-shift urine samples among 23 hairdressers primarily serving an ethnic clientele. VOC biomarker concentrations among hairdressers of color were compared to concentrations among a comparison group of 17 office workers and a representative sample of women participating in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. VOC biomarkers were detected in all hairdressers with higher concentrations observed among hairdressers serving a predominantly Black versus Latino clientele, and among hairdressers overall versus office workers and women in the U.S. general population. Median biomarker concentrations for acrolein, 1,3-butadiene, and xylene in hairdressers were more than twice as high as those observed among office workers. Median concentrations for 1-bromopropane, acrolein and 1,3-butadiene were more than four times higher among all hairdressers compared to those reported among women in the U.S. general population. Select salon services (e.g., sister locs, flat ironing, permanent hair coloring, permanent waves or texturizing, Brazilian blowout or keratin treatment, etc.) were also associated with higher VOC biomarker concentrations among hairdressers. This pilot study represents the first biomonitoring analysis to characterize VOC exposures among women hairdressers of color and to provide evidence that this occupational population may experience elevated VOC exposures compared to women in the U.S. general population. Results from our study represent an important first step in elucidating occupational VOC exposures in this understudied occupational group. Larger studies among a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of hairdressers are warranted to confirm our findings and inform future exposure interventions in this understudied occupational population.

Background: Animal studies suggest that organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) may be environmental obesogens. While prenatal OP exposures have been associated with altered infant glucose metabolism, associations with pediatric adiposity remain unknown. Methods: We summed concentrations of three dimethylphosphate (∑DMP) and three diethylphosphate (∑DEP) metabolites of OPs measured in third trimester spot urine samples collected from pregnant women enrolled in New York City, 1998–2002. We measured percent fat mass using bio-electrical impedance analysis and calculated age- and sex-standardized body mass index (BMI) z-scores from anthropometric measurements collected at approximately 4, 6, and 7–9 years of age (166 children, 333 observations). We assessed covariate-adjusted associations of OPs with repeated adiposity measures using linear mixed models and evaluated effect measure modification (EMM) by sex and paroxonase (PON) 1 –108C/T and Q192R polymorphisms measured in maternal peripheral blood samples. Results: The geometric mean urinary concentration of ∑DMP metabolites (29.9 nmol/L, IQR: 105.2 nmol/L) was higher than ∑DEP metabolites (8.8 nmol/L, IQR: 31.2 nmol/L). Adjusted associations were null, with differences in fat mass per 10-fold increase in prenatal ∑DMP and ∑DEP concentrations of 0.7% (95% CI: −0.6, 2.0) and 0.8% (95% CI: −0.4, 2.0), respectively. Maternal PON1-108C/T polymorphisms modified relationships of prenatal ∑DMP with percent fat mass (EMM p-value = 0.18) and ∑DEP with BMI z-scores (EMM p-value = 0.12). For example, ∑DMP was modestly associated with increased percent fat mass among children of mothers with the at-risk CT or TT genotype (β = 1.2%, 95% CI: −0.6, 3.0) but not among those whose mothers had the CC genotype (β = −0.4%, 95% CI: −2.4, 1.5). Associations were not modified by sex or maternal PON1 Q192R polymorphisms. Conclusions: We observed little evidence of a relationship between prenatal OP exposures and child adiposity, although there was some suggestion of increased risk among offspring of mothers who were slow OP metabolizers. Larger studies are warranted to further evaluate possible associations of prenatal OP exposures with child adiposity and differences by maternal PON1 genotype, which regulates OP metabolism and may increase susceptibility to exposure.

Abstract Background Neonicotinoids are a class of systemic insecticides widely used on food crops globally. These pesticides may be found in “off-target” food items and persist in the environment. Despite the potential for extensive human exposure, there are limited studies regarding the prevalence of neonicotinoid residues in foods sold and consumed in the United States. Methods Residue data for seven neonicotinoid pesticides collected between 1999 and 2015 by the US Department of Agriculture’s Pesticide Data Program (PDP) were collated and summarized by year across various food commodities, including fruit, vegetable, meat, dairy, grain, honey, and baby food, as well as water to qualitatively describe and examine trends in contamination frequency and residue concentrations. Results The highest detection frequencies (DFs) for neonicotinoids by year on all commodities were generally below 20%. Average DFs over the entire study period, 1999–2015, for domestic and imported commodities were similar at 4.5%. For all the samples (both domestic and imported) imidacloprid was the neonicotinoid with the highest overall detection frequency at 12.0%. However, higher DFs were observed for specific food commodity-neonicotinoid combinations such as: cherries (45.9%), apples (29.5%), pears (24.1%) and strawberries (21.3%) for acetamiprid; and cauliflower (57.5%), celery (20.9%), cherries (26.3%), cilantro (30.6%), grapes (28.9%), collard greens (24.9%), kale (31.4%), lettuce (45.6%), potatoes (31.2%) and spinach (38.7%) for imidacloprid. Neonicotinoids were also detected in organic commodities, (DF

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) may be associated with adverse health effects in the developing fetus; however, little is known about predictors of BPA exposure during pregnancy. We examined BPA exposure in 491 pregnant women from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) cohort and explored the role of living in the United States on significant dietary predictors of BPA exposure. Women provided urine samples up to two times during pregnancy (n = 866 total samples). We computed the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to evaluate variability in concentrations between collections and used generalized estimating equation (GEE) models to assess predictors of exposure. Geometric mean (GSD) BPA concentrations were 0.9 (2.8) μg/L and 1.0 (2.6) μg/L at the first and second prenatal visits, respectively. We observed greater within- than between-woman variability in urinary BPA concentrations (ICC = 0.22). GEE models suggest that women who lived in the United States their entire life had 38% (CI: −0.1, 89.3) higher urinary BPA concentrations compared with other immigrant women. Additionally, women who consumed ≥3 sodas per day or hamburgers three times a week or more had 58% (CI: 18.0, 112.1) and 20% (CI: −0.2, 45.2) higher urinary BPA concentrations, respectively, compared with women who consumed no sodas or hamburgers. A higher percentage of women who lived their entire life in the United States reported increased consumption of sodas and hamburgers compared with other immigrant women. Independent of other factors, BPA urinary concentrations were slightly higher when the sample was collected later in the day. As in previous studies, high within-woman variability in urinary BPA concentrations confirms that several samples are needed to properly characterize exposure during pregnancy. Results also suggest that some factors could be modified to minimize exposures during pregnancy in our study participants (e.g., reducing soda and hamburger intake) and that factors associated with acculturation might increase BPA concentrations. Keywords: Bisphenol A, Prenatal, Pregnancy, Mexican–American

BACKGROUND:U.S. natural gas production increased 40% from 2000 to 2015. This growth is largely related to technological advances in horizontal drilling and high-volume hydraulic fracturing. Environmental exposures upon impacted communities are a significant public health concern. Noise associated with natural gas compressor stations has been identified as a major concern for nearby residents, though limited studies exist. OBJECTIVES:We conducted a pilot study to characterize noise levels in 11 homes located in Doddridge County, West Virginia, and determined whether these levels differed based on time of day, indoors vs. outdoors, and proximity of homes to natural gas compressor stations. We also compared noise levels at increasing distances from compressor stations to available noise guidelines, and evaluated low frequency noise presence. METHODS:We collected indoor and outdoor 24-hour measurements (Leq, 24hr) in eight homes located within 750 meters (m) of the nearest compressor station and three control homes located >1000m. We then evaluated how A-weighted decibel (dBA) exposure levels differed based on factors outlined above. RESULTS:The geometric mean (GM) for 24-hour outdoor noise levels at homes located

California residents may experience the highest polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardant exposures in the United States, the nation with the highest body burdens worldwide. It is hypothesized that Californians' high exposures are due to the state's strict furniture flammability standards. Ingestion of PBDE-contaminated dust, to which children may be particularly susceptible, is a dominant exposure pathway. Low-income populations may also face disparately high exposures due to the presence of older, deteriorated or poorly manufactured furniture treated with PBDEs. We collected up to two dust samples per home (54 samples total), several days apart, from low-income California households in the urban community of Oakland (n=13 homes) and the agricultural community of Salinas (n=15 homes). We measured BDE-47, BDE-99 and BDE-100, the major constituents of the penta-PBDE flame retardant formulation commonly used in furniture. All three PBDE congeners were detected in every sample with concentrations (loadings) ranging from 185 to 126,000 ng/g (621–264,000 ng/m2), 367–220,000 ng/g (1550–457,000 ng/m2), and 84–41,100 ng/g (257–85,700 ng/m2) for BDE-47, BDE-99 and BDE-100, respectively. Median concentrations (loadings) observed in Salinas homes for BDE-47, BDE-99 and BDE-100 were 3100 ng/g (10,800 ng/m2), 5480 ng/g (19,500 ng/m2), and 1060 ng/g (3810 ng/m2), respectively, and in Oakland homes 2780 ng/g (10,700 ng/m2), 4450 ng/g (19,100 ng/m2), and 1050 ng/g (4000 ng/m2), respectively. Maximum concentrations for BDE-47 and BDE-99 are the highest reported to date. Indoor concentrations and loadings did not significantly differ between communities; concentrations and loadings were strongly correlated between collections for all three congeners (Spearman rho=0.79–0.97, p