Environmental health reform in a synthetic world.
Environmental health reform in a synthetic world.
复制标题
合成世界中的环境卫生改革。
DOI：
10.1038/pr.2017.168
复制
发表时间：
2017
影响因子：
3.6
通讯作者：
Brumberg,Heather
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Shah,Shetal;Wong,Shale;Bearer,Cynthia;Brumberg,Heather
Avoidance of pollutants, defined as manmade chemicals, is virtually impossible in the modern era. Worldwide, there are up to 100,000 chemicals used commercially, and production of each and development of new ones are annually increasing (1). Use of agricultural pesticides reached 2.4 billion kilograms globally (2). Use of these pollutants imparts significant healthcare associated worldwide. Cost of pesticide use in Africa is estimated at $66 billion, and predicted cost to treat the impact of a small number of these chemicals in Europe is $179 billion annually (1, 3). In the United States, 12.25 trillion kilograms were produced or imported in the first part of the decade, and~ 80,000 chemicals were used, incurring $76.6 billion in pediatric environmental healthcare costs (4, 5). In this issue, three articles utilizing different populations underscore the potential vulnerabilities of children to environmental pollutants. In the first article, using data from three mother–baby cohorts that assessed markers of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in cord blood and/or breastmilk, de Cock et al.(6) found a nonlinear association between levels of polychlorinated biphenyl-153 and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene with lower neonatal thyroid-stimulating hormone values on heel prick screening. In the second article, Harley et al.(7) found positive associations between prenatal levels of urinary phthalates, which are used in personal care products and plastics, and subsequent obesity in offspring at 12 years of age. Finally, in the third article, Chang et al.(8) found a link between prenatal maternal exposure to volatile organic compounds that can be released from substances such as solvents and paints, and reduced birthweight (9). Children are uniquely susceptible to chemical exposures (1, 4, 10, 11). These three studies highlight several key aspects of environmental pollutants on child health:(1) They illustrate that toxic exposure may occur at detectable levels through multiple portals of entry, including air, skin, and ingestion.(2) The developing fetus may be especially sensitive to potential health effects from transplacental passage or preconceptual exposure (1, 4, 12).(3) The effects of exposure during development may not be realized until adolescence and/or adulthood.
