Identifying important life stages for monitoring and assessing risks from exposures to environmental contaminants: Results of a World Health Organization review

Hubal, Elaine A. Cohen; Wet, Thea de; Toit, Lilo Du; Firestone, Michael; Ruchirawat, Mathuros; Engelen, Jacqueline van; Vickers, Carolyn

doi:10.1016/j.yrtph.2013.09.008

Cited by 54 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 94 publications

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“…The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as a human under 18 years, unless otherwise noted in a particular country’s laws [126]. Often the research before 2000 focused on of two aspects: (1) comparing exposures in children to those in adults or (2) comparing simply prenatal versus postnatal exposure timeframes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of the Field on Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: A Risk Assessment Approach

Ferguson

Penney

Solo‐Gabriele

2017

IJERPH

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Background: Children must be recognized as a sensitive population based on having biological systems and organs in various stages of development. The processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination of environmental contaminants within a child’s body are considered less advanced than those of adults, making them more susceptible to disease outcomes following even small doses. Children’s unique activities of crawling and practicing increased hand-to-mouth ingestion also make them vulnerable to greater exposures by certain contaminants within specific environments. Approach: There is a need to review the field of children’s environmental exposures in order to understand trends and identify gaps in research, which may lead to better protection of this vulnerable and sensitive population. Therefore, explored here are previously published contemporary works in the broad area of children’s environmental exposures and potential impact on health from around the world. A discussion of children’s exposure to environmental contaminants is best organized under the last four steps of a risk assessment approach: hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment (including children’s activity patterns) and risk characterization. We first consider the many exposure hazards that exist in the indoor and outdoor environments, and emerging contaminants of concern that may help guide the risk assessment process in identifying focus areas for children. A section on special diseases of concern is also included. Conclusions: The field of children’s exposures to environmental contaminants is broad. Although there are some well-studied areas offering much insight into children exposures, research is still needed to further our understanding of exposures to newer compounds, growing disease trends and the role of gene-environment interactions that modify adverse health outcomes. It is clear that behaviors of adults and children play a role in reducing or increasing a child’s exposure, where strategies to better communicate and implement risk modifying behaviors are needed, and can be more effective than implementing changes in the physical environment.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Review of the Field on Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: A Risk Assessment Approach

Ferguson

Penney

Solo‐Gabriele

2017

IJERPH

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“…It is now well understood that health risks from exposure to environmental pollutants are age and life stage related, and that prenatal exposures may have a direct impact not only on birth outcomes and early childhood development but also on health at all life stages of the individual [ 18 ]. It has been shown in animal experiments that prenatal exposure to Cd is a critical window for its toxic effects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prenatal Exposure to Cadmium, Placental Permeability and Birth Outcomes in Coastal Populations of South Africa

et al. 2015

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BackgroundThe impact of prenatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) on birth outcomes is an area of concern. This study aimed to assess an impact of prenatal Cd exposure on birth outcomes in distinct coastal populations of South Africa.MethodsCadmium was measured in maternal blood (CdB) (n = 641), cord blood and in maternal urine (n = 317). This investigation assessed the associations between CdB (non-transformed) and birth outcomes across the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile for birth weight, birth length and head circumference, to test for a linear trend. Associations between natural log-transformed maternal CdB, size at birth and other factors were further evaluated using linear mixed-effects modelling with random intercepts.ResultsThe average gestational age in the total sample was 38 weeks; 47% of neonates were female, average birth weight was 3065 g and 11% were of low birth weight (< 2500 g). The geometric mean (GM) of the maternal CdB level was 0.25 μg/L (n = 641; 95% CI, 0.23–0.27). The cord blood Cd level was 0.27 μg/L (n = 317; 95% CI, 0.26–0.29) and urine (creatinine-corrected) Cd level was 0.27 μg/L (n = 318; 95% CI, 0.24–0.29). The CdB cord:maternal ratio in the sub-cohort was 1, suggesting that the placenta offers no protective mechanism to the foetus. An inverse association was found between CdB and the lower birth weight percentile in female neonates only (β = - 0.13, p = 0.047). Mothers who reported eating vine vegetables daily had lower levels of CdB (β = - 0.55, p = 0.025). Maternal smoking was associated with an elevation in natural log-transformed CdB levels in both male and female cohorts.DiscussionSignificant inverse associations between prenatal Cd exposure and birth anthropometry were found in female neonates but not in male neonates, suggesting potential sex differences in the toxico-kinetics and toxico-dynamics of Cd.

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“…2007; Firestone 2010). The U.S. EPA’s guidance helped inform the development of similar guidance by the World Health Organization (Cohen Hubal et al 2014). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Two Decades of Enhancing Children’s Environmental Health Protection at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Firestone

Berger

Foos

et al. 2016

Environ Health Perspect

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Summary:This article provides an overview of public health efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the past two decades to protect children’s health from environmental hazards. It highlights examples of concrete steps and accomplishments toward improving environmental protection and health outcomes achieved through public policy, rules and regulations, increased scientific understanding, and public health messaging. Additionally, examples of future challenges for better understanding and improving children’s environmental health are discussed.

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Identifying important life stages for monitoring and assessing risks from exposures to environmental contaminants: Results of a World Health Organization review

Cited by 54 publications

References 94 publications

A Review of the Field on Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: A Risk Assessment Approach

A Review of the Field on Children’s Exposure to Environmental Contaminants: A Risk Assessment Approach

Prenatal Exposure to Cadmium, Placental Permeability and Birth Outcomes in Coastal Populations of South Africa

Two Decades of Enhancing Children’s Environmental Health Protection at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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