Multiple Stressor Effects of Radon and Phthalates in Children: Background Information and Future Research

Abstract

The present paper reviews available background information for studying multiple stressor effects of radon (222Rn) and phthalates in children and provides insights on future directions. In realistic situations, living organisms are collectively subjected to many environmental stressors, with the resultant effects being referred to as multiple stressor effects. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can lead to lung cancers. On the other hand, phthalates are semi-volatile organic compounds widely applied as plasticizers to provide flexibility to plastic in consumer products. Links of phthalates to various health effects have been reported, including allergy and asthma. In the present review, the focus on indoor contaminants was due to their higher concentrations and to the higher indoor occupancy factor, while the focus on the pediatric population was due to their inherent sensitivity and their spending more time close to the floor. Two main future directions in studying multiple stressor effects of radon and phthalates in children were proposed. The first one was on computational modeling and micro-dosimetric studies, and the second one was on biological studies. In particular, dose-response relationship and effect-specific models for combined exposures to radon and phthalates would be necessary. The ideas and methodology behind such proposed research work are also applicable to studies on multiple stressor effects of collective exposures to other significant airborne contaminants, and to population groups other than children.

A Novel Strategy for the Assessment of Radon Risk Based on Indicators

“…Due to its carcinogenicity, radon is a public health concern, and its monitoring in indoor environments for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionizing radiation is recommended by national and international authorities [6]. Thus, a widespread interest has grown in recent decades about an understanding of the complex phenomena of indoor radon accumulation and in the development of policies and methods to monitor and reduce human exposure to 'safety' levels.…”

Chronic Home Radon Exposure Is Associated with Higher Inflammatory Biomarker Concentrations in Children and Adolescents

“…Such illnesses are associated with increasing lifetime burdens for the individual and for society, including school-and work-related losses, medical costs, limitation of physical activities, and overall lower quality of life [64]. Importantly, these chronic conditions are known to be exacerbated in the context of combined exposures to radon and other pollutants (e.g., phthalates, secondhand smoke; [65]). Given that radon is easily mitigated from homes, this seems an easy target to potentially quell the impacts of these lifelong conditions and improve quality of life for a large sect of the population.…”

Unexpected Interacting Effects of Physical (Radiation) and Chemical (Bisphenol A) Treatments on Male Reproductive Functions in Mice

“…The risk assessment of compounds with different modes of action is more complex and difficult to predict. Few studies have evaluated the combination of physical and chemical pollutants and their effects on health, particularly reproductive functions, despite their systematic cooccurrence in our environment [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38].…”