Jul 2026· Environmental Science and Technology· Vol 60, pp. 20197 - 20212· 1 citation· 85 references
Medicine
TL;DR
It is demonstrated that consumer products contribute to complex exposure mixtures with reproductive health implications during preconception, as well as health hazard assessment, which identified 107 high-risk EDCs and 47 compounds predicted to have medium-to-high impacts on reproductive outcomes.
Abstract
In the United States (U.S.), 15% of couples attempting pregnancy experience infertility, and 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. Environmental chemical exposures, particularly endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from consumer products, may contribute to reproductive health challenges. We mailed wearable passive samplers (Fresh Air wristbands) to 132 female participants across 39 U.S. states and 24 of their male partners in the Pregnancy Study Online (PRESTO) to characterize exposure among couples trying to conceive between January and October 2021. Wristbands were analyzed using thermal desorption gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry with targeted and nontargeted approaches. Nontargeted analysis revealed exposure to 491 chemicals, predominantly benzenoids (36.9%) and organoheterocyclic compounds (18.3%). Health hazard assessment identified 107 high-risk EDCs and 47 compounds predicted to have medium-to-high impacts on reproductive outcomes, including galaxolide, salicylates, and phthalates. Targeted analysis quantified 43 chemicals, revealing universal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalates. Lifestyle factors influenced exposures: frequent sunscreen users had up to 3.1 times higher ultraviolet filter exposures, while dog owners had 1.2–2.6 times higher exposure to fragrance compounds. Among cohabitating couples, few similarities were observed, despite shared environments. The findings demonstrate that consumer products contribute to complex exposure mixtures with reproductive health implications during preconception.
BACKGROUND
Phthalates are lipid-like molecules that are used in a variety of household and commercial products, which expose humans to contaminated food, water, and soil. After exposure, phthalates are metabolized to molecules that can act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs can disrupt a multitude of biological processes, including neurological, metabolic, and reproductive, which results in a variety of health complications. Reproductive hormones, which play a vital role in development, metabolism, and reproductive health in men, are affected by phthalates.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between toxic environmental exposure to phthalates and the effect on estradiol levels in males aged 20 years and older in the US.
METHODS
Dataset cycles 2013-2016 were utilized from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Multiple statistical analyses were conducted using R software, version 4.2.3.
RESULTS
This study observed a bi-directional relationship between phthalate exposure and estradiol levels in US males aged 20 years and older. MEP (odds ratio [OR] 1.412, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.026-1.944) and MHNCH (ORs 1.416 and 1.461, 95% CI: 1.008-2.062) demonstrated a statistically significant positive correlations with estradiol levels, and MEP (OR 0.612, 95% CI: 0.375-1.000), MHP (ORs 0.357-0.365, 95% CI: 0.131-0.986), MECPP (OR 0.559, 95% CI: 0.314-0.998), MCP (OR 0.467, 95% CI: 0.224-0.971), and MEHP (ORs 0.501-0.599, 95% CI: 0.259-0.974) demonstrated statistically significant negative correlations with estradiol levels. Demographic factors of race and ethnicity, marital status, country of origin, body mass index, and smoking status were correlated with abnormal estradiol levels.
Humairat H. Rahman, Weston R. Stokey, S. Munson-McGee· Reproductive Toxicology· 0 citations
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are ubiquitous, and exposure to them has been associated with adverse reproductive health in both animals and humans. While the adverse effects of maternal EDC exposures on pregnancy outcomes have been extensively investigated, an increasing body of literature is now examining the role of paternal exposure, given its potential impact on sperm epigenetics. This review summarizes human studies examining associations between paternal exposure to several EDCs and couples’ pregnancy outcomes. Biomarker-based studies suggest potential negative associations between paternal preconception exposure to certain phthalates and couples’ pregnancy outcomes, whereas studies for bisphenol A and parabens have shown little to no associations. The evidence regarding benzophenones, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and flame-retardant chemicals remains limited and inconclusive. Given the critical knowledge gaps in this field, additional couple-based studies with repeated preconception exposure measurements are needed to clarify the effects of paternal exposure to individual EDCs and their mixtures on couples’ pregnancy outcomes. Additional studies on potential biological mechanisms that may explain these associations (e.g., sperm epigenome) are also warranted.
Han Han, R. Hauser, L. Mínguez-Alarcón· Current Environmental Health...· 0 citations
Air pollution control has lowered major criteria pollutants, yet airborne organic pollutants remain understudied, particularly regarding biomarkers and risks in pregnancy. We characterized 20 urinary biomarkers of airborne organic pollutants, including p-phenylenediamines, nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenylguanidines, benzothiazoles/benzotriazoles, and cotinine, in pregnant women from the prospective Towards Improved Maternal and Fetal health via Multipoint Exposure Monitoring (TIMFEM) study in China. Morning urine samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Epidemiologic associations were integrated with in vitro screening in human trophoblast cells using a leave-one-out approach at human-exposure-guided doses. Among 1425 mother-infant pairs, 18 biomarkers were detected in >40% of participants. Each natural log-unit increase in N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) and its quinone (6PPD-Q) was associated with 27% and 23% higher risk of small-for-gestational-age (SGA), respectively. Mixture models identified 1,2,3-triphenylguanidine (TPG), cotinine, and 1-aminopyrene as additional key contributors. Although seven priority pollutants showed minimal effects on cell proliferation, they reduced pyruvate entry into the tricarboxylic acid cycle and limited isocitrate-to-α-ketoglutarate conversion, indicating impaired placental energy metabolism. Overall risk ranking highlighted cotinine, TPG, and 6PPD-Q. Maternal coexposure to airborne organic pollutants was associated with elevated SGA risk, with metabolic disruption, rather than acute cytotoxicity, suggesting a plausible mechanistic pathway.
Chang Gao, Wei-Tian Tang, Nan Sun et al.· Environmental Science and Te...· 0 citations
Overall, biomonitoring results indicate group-specific concentration patterns of PMs and TCS among children with T1D, HPRD and OB groups compared to the control group, and this is the first study to assess PM and TCS concentrations in children across clinical groups, using hair matrix.
M. Koukakis, Stella Baliou, A. Alegakis et al.· Journal of Xenobiotics· 0 citations
Plastics are ubiquitous in the environment and are widely used in food packaging, medicine, agriculture, construction and other sectors. However, the plasticizers they contain pose a substantial threat to environmental safety and human health. Phthalates represent the most important class of plasticizers and are classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), capable of causing adverse effects even at very low exposure levels. Extensive in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that phthalates and their metabolites exhibit reproductive toxicity, leading to reduced sperm motility and count, hormonal dysregulation, ovarian failure, preterm birth and other detrimental outcomes. This review synthesizes current evidence on the association between phthalate exposure and various reproductive system disorders. Epidemiological studies show that phthalate exposure is linked to impaired sperm quality, prostate disease and erectile dysfunction in males, suggesting a contributing role in the pathogenesis of infertility. However, the association with shortened anogenital distance remains unclear. In females, phthalate exposure has been associated with endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, premature ovarian failure, infertility and miscarriage, although the epidemiological evidence is inconsistent. In conclusion, paying attention to the reproductive health risks posed by phthalate exposure is of critical importance, particularly for vulnerable groups including women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and children.
Bin-Yu Sun, Hongbeichen Shi, Xin Liu et al.· Drug and chemical toxicology...· 0 citations
Preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, yet the role of chemical exposures in its etiology remains poorly understood. We hypothesized that untargeted chemical profiling of paired maternal serum and placenta would reveal distinct exposure signatures and metabolic disruptions associated with preterm birth. We analyzed paired maternal serum and placenta samples from 83 pregnant women in New York City, USA, including 30 who delivered preterm (<37 weeks), by non-targeted analysis (NTA) using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Orbitrap HRMS). We confirmed 29 chemicals (Level 1), 28 of them exogenous, tentatively identified 1012 peak features (Level 2), and annotated 1180 peak features via in silico simulation (Level 3). Five Level 1 confirmed exogenous chemicals (i.e., dodecyltrimethylammonium, N,N-dimethyldecylamine oxide, rimsulfuron, triphenylphosphine oxide, and 2,6-dichlorobenzamide) and 208 tentatively identified Level 2 chemicals detected in this study appear not to have been previously detected in human blood samples. We identified 119 and 170 significantly differentially enriched features in serum and placenta, respectively (BH-corrected p < 0.05). Serum samples showed changes in glutathione, tryptophan, pyruvate, arachidonic acid, and phospholipid pathways in preterm birth. Our data suggest that chemical exposures might collectively amplify metabolic vulnerabilities in oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and amino acid catabolism relevant to preterm birth.
Xiao-Wen Ji, Mathusa Lakuleswaran, Wenjie Lyu et al.· Environment & Health· 0 citations
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