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Kreutz A, Oyetade OB, Chang X, Hsieh JH, Behl M, Allen DG, Kleinstreuer NC, Hogberg HT. Integrated Approach for Testing and Assessment for Developmental Neurotoxicity (DNT) to Prioritize Aromatic Organophosphorus Flame Retardants. TOXICS 2024; 12:437. [PMID: 38922117 PMCID: PMC11209292 DOI: 10.3390/toxics12060437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) are abundant and persistent in the environment but have limited toxicity information. Their similarity in structure to organophosphate pesticides presents great concern for developmental neurotoxicity (DNT). However, current in vivo testing is not suitable to provide DNT information on the amount of OPFRs that lack data. Over the past decade, an in vitro battery was developed to enhance DNT assessment, consisting of assays that evaluate cellular processes in neurodevelopment and function. In this study, behavioral data of small model organisms were also included. To assess if these assays provide sufficient mechanistic coverage to prioritize chemicals for further testing and/or identify hazards, an integrated approach to testing and assessment (IATA) was developed with additional information from the Integrated Chemical Environment (ICE) and the literature. Human biomonitoring and exposure data were identified and physiologically-based toxicokinetic models were applied to relate in vitro toxicity data to human exposure based on maximum plasma concentration. Eight OPFRs were evaluated, including aromatic OPFRs (triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), isopropylated phenyl phosphate (IPP), 2-ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate (EHDP), tricresyl phosphate (TMPP), isodecyl diphenyl phosphate (IDDP), tert-butylphenyl diphenyl phosphate (BPDP)) and halogenated FRs ((Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP)). Two representative brominated flame retardants (BFRs) (2,2'4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) and 3,3',5,5'-tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)) with known DNT potential were selected for toxicity benchmarking. Data from the DNT battery indicate that the aromatic OPFRs have activity at similar concentrations as the BFRs and should therefore be evaluated further. However, these assays provide limited information on the mechanism of the compounds. By integrating information from ICE and the literature, endocrine disruption was identified as a potential mechanism. This IATA case study indicates that human exposure to some OPFRs could lead to a plasma concentration similar to those exerting in vitro activities, indicating potential concern for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kreutz
- Inotiv, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA; (A.K.); (O.B.O.); (X.C.); (D.G.A.)
| | - Oluwakemi B. Oyetade
- Inotiv, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA; (A.K.); (O.B.O.); (X.C.); (D.G.A.)
| | - Xiaoqing Chang
- Inotiv, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA; (A.K.); (O.B.O.); (X.C.); (D.G.A.)
| | - Jui-Hua Hsieh
- NIH/NIEHS/DTT/PTB, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA;
| | - Mamta Behl
- Neurocrine Biosciences Inc., San Diego, CA 92130, USA;
| | - David G. Allen
- Inotiv, Research Triangle Park, NC 27560, USA; (A.K.); (O.B.O.); (X.C.); (D.G.A.)
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vom Saal FS, Antoniou M, Belcher SM, Bergman A, Bhandari RK, Birnbaum LS, Cohen A, Collins TJ, Demeneix B, Fine AM, Flaws JA, Gayrard V, Goodson WH, Gore AC, Heindel JJ, Hunt PA, Iguchi T, Kassotis CD, Kortenkamp A, Mesnage R, Muncke J, Myers JP, Nadal A, Newbold RR, Padmanabhan V, Palanza P, Palma Z, Parmigiani S, Patrick L, Prins GS, Rosenfeld CS, Skakkebaek NE, Sonnenschein C, Soto AM, Swan SH, Taylor JA, Toutain PL, von Hippel FA, Welshons WV, Zalko D, Zoeller RT. The Conflict between Regulatory Agencies over the 20,000-Fold Lowering of the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for Bisphenol A (BPA) by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:45001. [PMID: 38592230 PMCID: PMC11003459 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended lowering their estimated tolerable daily intake (TDI) for bisphenol A (BPA) 20,000-fold to 0.2 ng / kg body weight ( BW ) / day . BPA is an extensively studied high production volume endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) associated with a vast array of diseases. Prior risk assessments of BPA by EFSA as well as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have relied on industry-funded studies conducted under good laboratory practice protocols (GLP) requiring guideline end points and detailed record keeping, while also claiming to examine (but rejecting) thousands of published findings by academic scientists. Guideline protocols initially formalized in the mid-twentieth century are still used by many regulatory agencies. EFSA used a 21st century approach in its reassessment of BPA and conducted a transparent, but time-limited, systematic review that included both guideline and academic research. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) opposed EFSA's revision of the TDI for BPA. OBJECTIVES We identify the flaws in the assumptions that the German BfR, as well as the FDA, have used to justify maintaining the TDI for BPA at levels above what a vast amount of academic research shows to cause harm. We argue that regulatory agencies need to incorporate 21st century science into chemical hazard identifications using the CLARITY-BPA (Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on BPA Toxicity) nonguideline academic studies in a collaborative government-academic program model. DISCUSSION We strongly endorse EFSA's revised TDI for BPA and support the European Commission's (EC) apparent acceptance of this updated BPA risk assessment. We discuss challenges to current chemical risk assessment assumptions about EDCs that need to be addressed by regulatory agencies to, in our opinion, become truly protective of public health. Addressing these challenges will hopefully result in BPA, and eventually other structurally similar bisphenols (called regrettable substitutions) for which there are known adverse effects, being eliminated from all food-related and many other uses in the EU and elsewhere. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13812.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederick S. vom Saal
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Michael Antoniou
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London School of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Scott M. Belcher
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ake Bergman
- Department of Environmental Science (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ramji K. Bhandari
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Linda S. Birnbaum
- Scientist Emeritus and Former Director, National Toxicology Program (NTP), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Scholar in Residence, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aly Cohen
- Integrative Rheumatology Associates, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Terrence J. Collins
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Barbara Demeneix
- Comparative Physiology Laboratory, Natural History Museum, Paris, France
| | - Anne Marie Fine
- Environmental Medicine Education International, Mancos, Colorado, USA
| | - Jodi A. Flaws
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana—Champaign, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Veronique Gayrard
- ToxAlim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), University of Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - William H. Goodson
- California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Andrea C. Gore
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Jerrold J. Heindel
- Healthy Environment and Endocrine Disruptor Strategies, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Patricia A. Hunt
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | - Taisen Iguchi
- Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Christopher D. Kassotis
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Andreas Kortenkamp
- Centre for Pollution Research and Policy, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, UK
| | - Robin Mesnage
- Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London School of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jane Muncke
- Food Packaging Forum Foundation, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Angel Nadal
- Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación en Biotecnología Sanitaria de Elche (IDiBE) and CIBERDEM, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, Elche, Alicante, Spain
| | - Retha R. Newbold
- Scientist Emeritus, NTP, NIEHS, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Vasantha Padmanabhan
- Department of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Paola Palanza
- Unit of Neuroscience, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Parmigiani
- Unit of Evolutionary and Functional Biology, Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Lyn Patrick
- Environmental Medicine Education International, Mancos, Colorado, USA
| | - Gail S. Prins
- Department of Urology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Cheryl S. Rosenfeld
- Biomedical Sciences, Thompson Center for Autism and Neurobehavioral Disorders, University of Missouri—Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- MU Institute of Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri—Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Niels E. Skakkebaek
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carlos Sonnenschein
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ana M. Soto
- Department of Immunology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shanna H. Swan
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Julia A. Taylor
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Pierre-Louis Toutain
- Royal Veterinary College, University of London, London, UK
- NTHERES, INRAE, ENVT, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Frank A. von Hippel
- Department of Community, Environment & Policy, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Wade V. Welshons
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri—Columbia, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Daniel Zalko
- ToxAlim (Research Centre in Food Toxicology), University of Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - R. Thomas Zoeller
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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Harmon O'Driscoll J, McGinley J, Healy MG, Siggins A, Mellander PE, Morrison L, Gunnigle E, Ryan PC. Stochastic modelling of pesticide transport to drinking water sources via runoff and resulting human health risk assessment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 918:170589. [PMID: 38309350 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
A modelling framework was developed to facilitate a probabilistic assessment of health risks posed by pesticide exposure via drinking water due to runoff, with the inclusion of influential site conditions and in-stream processes. A Monte-Carlo based approach was utilised to account for the inherent variability in pesticide and population properties, as well as site and climatic conditions. The framework presented in this study was developed with an ability to integrate different data sources and adapt the model for various scenarios and locations to meet the users' needs. The results from this model can be used by farm advisors and catchment managers to identify lower risk pesticides for use for given soil and site conditions and implement risk mitigation measures to protect water resources. Pesticide concentrations in surface water, and their risk of regulatory threshold exceedances, were simulated for fifteen pesticides in an Irish case study. The predicted concentrations in surface water were then used to quantify the level of health risk posed to Irish adults and children. The analysis indicated that herbicides triclopyr and MCPA occur in the greatest concentrations in surface water, while mecoprop was associated with the highest potential for health risks. The study found that the modelled pesticides posed little risk to human health under current application patterns and climatic conditions in Ireland using international acceptable intake values. A sensitivity study conducted examined the impact seasonal conditions, timing of application, and instream processes, have on the transport of pesticides to drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Harmon O'Driscoll
- Discipline of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - J McGinley
- Civil Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - M G Healy
- Civil Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - A Siggins
- Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - P-E Mellander
- Agricultural Catchments Programme, Teagasc Environmental Research Centre, Johnstown Castle, Co. Wexford, Ireland
| | - L Morrison
- Ryan Institute, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland; Earth and Ocean Sciences, Earth and Life Sciences, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
| | - E Gunnigle
- APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - P C Ryan
- Discipline of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, University College Cork, Ireland; Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork T23 XE10, Ireland.
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Dorsey ER, Bloem BR. Parkinson's Disease Is Predominantly an Environmental Disease. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2024; 14:451-465. [PMID: 38217613 PMCID: PMC11091623 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease is the world's fastest growing brain disorder, and exposure to environmental toxicants is the principal reason. In this paper, we consider alternative, but unsatisfactory, explanations for its rise, including improved diagnostic skills, aging populations, and genetic causes. We then detail three environmental toxicants that are likely among the main causes of Parkinson's disease- certain pesticides, the solvent trichloroethylene, and air pollution. All three environmental toxicants are ubiquitous, many affect mitochondrial functioning, and all can access humans via various routes, including inhalation and ingestion. We reach the hopeful conclusion that most of Parkinson's disease is thus preventable and that we can help to create a world where Parkinson's disease is increasingly rare.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Ray Dorsey
- Center for Health + Technology and Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Bastiaan R. Bloem
- Department of Neurology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Centre of Expertise for Parkinson and Movement Disorders, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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5
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Schäffer A, Groh KJ, Sigmund G, Azoulay D, Backhaus T, Bertram MG, Carney Almroth B, Cousins IT, Ford AT, Grimalt JO, Guida Y, Hansson MC, Jeong Y, Lohmann R, Michaels D, Mueller L, Muncke J, Öberg G, Orellana MA, Sanganyado E, Schäfer RB, Sheriff I, Sullivan RC, Suzuki N, Vandenberg LN, Venier M, Vlahos P, Wagner M, Wang F, Wang M, Soehl A, Ågerstrand M, Diamond ML, Scheringer M. Conflicts of Interest in the Assessment of Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:19066-19077. [PMID: 37943968 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Pollution by chemicals and waste impacts human and ecosystem health on regional, national, and global scales, resulting, together with climate change and biodiversity loss, in a triple planetary crisis. Consequently, in 2022, countries agreed to establish an intergovernmental science-policy panel (SPP) on chemicals, waste, and pollution prevention, complementary to the existing intergovernmental science-policy bodies on climate change and biodiversity. To ensure the SPP's success, it is imperative to protect it from conflicts of interest (COI). Here, we (i) define and review the implications of COI, and its relevance for the management of chemicals, waste, and pollution; (ii) summarize established tactics to manufacture doubt in favor of vested interests, i.e., to counter scientific evidence and/or to promote misleading narratives favorable to financial interests; and (iii) illustrate these with selected examples. This analysis leads to a review of arguments for and against chemical industry representation in the SPP's work. We further (iv) rebut an assertion voiced by some that the chemical industry should be directly involved in the panel's work because it possesses data on chemicals essential for the panel's activities. Finally, (v) we present steps that should be taken to prevent the detrimental impacts of COI in the work of the SPP. In particular, we propose to include an independent auditor's role in the SPP to ensure that participation and processes follow clear COI rules. Among others, the auditor should evaluate the content of the assessments produced to ensure unbiased representation of information that underpins the SPP's activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Schäffer
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, 210023 Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-Environment, Chongqing University, 400045 Chongqing, China
| | - Ksenia J Groh
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Gabriel Sigmund
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - David Azoulay
- Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Washington, D.C. 20005, United States
| | - Thomas Backhaus
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Michael G Bertram
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå 907 36, Sweden
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm 114 18, Sweden
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
| | - Bethanie Carney Almroth
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, 40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ian T Cousins
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alex T Ford
- Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO4 9LY, United Kingdom
| | - Joan O Grimalt
- Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Yago Guida
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Ibaraki, Japan
- Institute of Biophysics Carlos Chagas Filho, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria C Hansson
- The Centre for Environmental and Climate Science (CEC), Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Yunsun Jeong
- Division of Environmental Health, Korea Environment Institute (KEI), 30147 Sejong, Republic of Korea
| | - Rainer Lohmann
- Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02881, United States
| | - David Michaels
- Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 20052, United States
| | - Leonie Mueller
- Institute for Environmental Research, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jane Muncke
- Food Packaging Forum Foundation, 8045 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gunilla Öberg
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Marcos A Orellana
- Global Toxics and Human Rights Project, American University Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C. 20016, United States
| | - Edmond Sanganyado
- Department of Applied Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, United Kingdom
| | - Ralf Bernhard Schäfer
- Institute for Environmental Sciences Landau, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Ishmail Sheriff
- School of Civil Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia
| | - Ryan C Sullivan
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15217, United States
| | - Noriyuki Suzuki
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba 305-8506, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, United States
| | - Marta Venier
- Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Penny Vlahos
- Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Martin Wagner
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Fang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Mengjiao Wang
- Greenpeace Research Laboratories, Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4RN, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Soehl
- International Panel on Chemical Pollution, 8044 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marlene Ågerstrand
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Miriam L Diamond
- Department of Earth Sciences and School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto M5S 3B1, Canada
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
- RECETOX, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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