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Zepp RG, Acrey B, Davis MJB, Andrady AL, Locklin J, Arnold R, Okungbowa O, Commodore A. Weathering Effects on Degradation of Low-Density Polyethylene-Nanosilica Composite with Added Pro-oxidant. J Polym Environ 2023; 31:4184-4192. [PMID: 38516540 PMCID: PMC10953814 DOI: 10.1007/s10924-023-02864-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Nanomaterials are increasingly used in polymer composites to enhance their properties, such as mechanical performance and durability, increased electrical conductivity, and improved optical clarity. Here results are presented of a study simulating effects of weathering on degradation of a nanosilica-low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composite. Release of nanosilica from LDPE composites is a potential source of toxic SiO2. Nanosilica based LDPE composites were weathered under carefully controlled conditions by exposure to simulated sunlight. The effects of an added pro-oxidant on weathering was examined. Weathering of the composites with pro-oxidant was determined by quantifying changes in infrared spectroscopic properties (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy / FTIR); mechanical properties, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy and other procedures. Wavelength effects on weathering rates were determined in a series of irradiations using simulated solar radiation passed through light filters that blocked different parts of the ultraviolet spectral region. Rates and spectral irradiance were then analyzed to develop spectral weighting functions (SWFs) that quantify wavelength effects on the sunlight-induced weathering of the pro-oxidant amended composites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard G Zepp
- Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 960 College Station Rd, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Brad Acrey
- Laboratory Services and Applied Science Division (LSASD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Mary J B Davis
- Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 960 College Station Rd, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Anthony L Andrady
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Jason Locklin
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Rachelle Arnold
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Osadolor Okungbowa
- Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 960 College Station Rd, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Adwoa Commodore
- Office of Research and Development (ORD), Center for Environmental Measurement and Modeling (CEMM), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 960 College Station Rd, Athens, GA, USA
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Commodore A, Mukherjee N, Chung D, Svendsen E, Vena J, Pearce J, Roberts J, Arshad SH, Karmaus W. Erratum: Frequency of heavy vehicle traffic and association with DNA methylation at age 18 years in a subset of the Isle of Wight birth cohort. Environ Epigenet 2019; 5:dvz003. [PMID: 30911411 PMCID: PMC6427087 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvz003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvy028.][This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvy028.].
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Commodore A, Mukherjee N, Chung D, Svendsen E, Vena J, Pearce J, Roberts J, Arshad SH, Karmaus W. Frequency of heavy vehicle traffic and association with DNA methylation at age 18 years in a subset of the Isle of Wight birth cohort. Environ Epigenet 2018; 4:dvy028. [PMID: 30697444 PMCID: PMC6343046 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvy028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of changes in DNA methylation (DNA-m) has the potential to identify adverse environmental exposures. To examine DNA-m among a subset of participants (n = 369) in the Isle of Wight birth cohort who reported variable near resident traffic frequencies. We used self-reported frequencies of heavy vehicles passing by the homes of study subjects as a proxy measure for TRAP, which were: never, seldom, 10 per day, 1-9 per hour and >10 per hour. Methylation of cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) dinucleotide sequences in the DNA was assessed from blood samples collected at age 18 years (n = 369) in the F1 generation. We conducted an epigenome wide association study to examine CpGs related to the frequency of heavy vehicles passing by subjects' homes, and employed multiple linear regression models to assess potential associations. We repeated some of these analysis in the F2 generation (n = 140). Thirty-five CpG sites were associated with heavy vehicular traffic. After adjusting for confounders, we found 23 CpGs that were more methylated, and 11 CpGs that were less methylated with increasing heavy vehicular traffic frequency among all subjects. In the F2 generation, 2 of 31 CpGs were associated with traffic frequencies and the direction of the effect was the same as in the F1 subset while differential methylation of 7 of 31 CpG sites correlated with gene expression. Our findings reveal differences in DNA-m in participants who reported higher heavy vehicular traffic frequencies when compared to participants who reported lower frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Commodore
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - N Mukherjee
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - D Chung
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - E Svendsen
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - J Vena
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - J Pearce
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - J Roberts
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - S H Arshad
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
- The David Hide Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, Isle of Wight, UK
| | - W Karmaus
- Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
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Svendsen ER, Gonzales M, Commodore A. The role of the indoor environment: Residential determinants of allergy, asthma and pulmonary function in children from a US-Mexico border community. Sci Total Environ 2018; 616-617:1513-1523. [PMID: 29107378 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 09/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The El Paso Children's Health Study examined environmental risk factors for allergy and asthma among fourth and fifth grade schoolchildren living in a major United States-Mexico border city. Complete questionnaire information was available for 5210 children, while adequate pulmonary function data were available for a subset of 1874. Herein we studied indoor environmental health risk factors for allergy and asthma. Several indoor environmental risk factors were associated with allergy and asthma. In particular, we found that ant and spider pest problems, pet dogs, fireplace heat, central air conditioning, humidifier use, and cooking with gas stoves were positively associated with both allergy and asthma prevalence. With regards to asthma severity, our analysis indicated that exposure to pet dogs increased monotonically with increasing asthma severity while the lack of any heat source and gas stove use for cooking decreased monotonically with increasing asthma severity. Lung function also decreased among children who lived in homes with reported cockroach pest problem in the past year without concurrent use of pesticides. These effects on pulmonary function were present even after excluding children with a current physician's diagnosis of asthma. Clinicians and public health professionals may need to look closely at the contribution of these indoor risk factors on pulmonary health and quality of life among susceptible populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik R Svendsen
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Public Health Sciences, Charleston, SC, USA.
| | - Melissa Gonzales
- University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Adwoa Commodore
- Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Public Health Sciences, Charleston, SC, USA
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Commodore A, Wilson S, Muhammad O, Svendsen E, Pearce J. Community-based participatory research for the study of air pollution: a review of motivations, approaches, and outcomes. Environ Monit Assess 2017; 189:378. [PMID: 28685368 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-017-6063-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Neighborhood level air pollution represents a long-standing issue for many communities that, until recently, has been difficult to address due to the cost of equipment and lack of related expertise. Changes in available technology and subsequent increases in community-based participatory research (CBPR) have drastically improved the ability to address this issue. However, much still needs to be learned as these types of studies are expected to increase in the future. To assist, we review the literature in an effort to improve understanding of the motivations, approaches, and outcomes of air monitoring studies that incorporate CBPR and citizen science (CS) principles. We found that the primary motivations for conducting community-based air monitoring were concerns for air pollution health risks, residing near potential pollution sources, urban sprawl, living in "unmonitored" areas, and a general quest for improved air quality knowledge. Studies were mainly conducted using community led partnerships. Fixed site monitoring was primarily used, while mobile, personal, school-based, and occupational sampling approaches were less frequent. Low-cost sensors can enable thorough neighborhood level characterization; however, keeping the community involved at every step, understanding the limitations and benefits of this type of monitoring, recognizing potential areas of debate, and addressing study challenges are vital for achieving harmony between expected and observed study outcomes. Future directions include assessing currently unregulated pollutants, establishing long-term neighborhood monitoring sites, performing saturation studies, evaluating interventions, and creating CS databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adwoa Commodore
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon St., CS303, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.
| | - Sacoby Wilson
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Omar Muhammad
- Low Country Alliance for Model Communities, North Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Erik Svendsen
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon St., CS303, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - John Pearce
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Cannon St., CS303, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
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Li Z, Commodore A, Hartinger S, Lewin M, Sjödin A, Pittman E, Trinidad D, Hubbard K, Lanata CF, Gil AI, Mäusezahl D, Naeher LP. Biomonitoring Human Exposure to Household Air Pollution and Association with Self-reported Health Symptoms - A Stove Intervention Study in Peru. Environ Int 2016; 97:195-203. [PMID: 27680405 PMCID: PMC5154792 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2016] [Revised: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Household air pollution (HAP) from indoor biomass stoves contains harmful pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and is a leading risk factor for global disease burden. We used biomonitoring to assess HAP exposure and association with self-reported symptoms in 334 non-smoking Peruvian women to evaluate the efficacy of a stove intervention program. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study within the framework of a community randomized control trial. Using urinary PAH metabolites (OH-PAHs) as the exposure biomarkers, we investigated whether the intervention group (n=155, with new chimney-equipped stoves) were less exposed to HAP compared to the control group (n=179, with mostly open-fire stoves). We also estimated associations between the exposure biomarkers, risk factors, and self-reported health symptoms, such as recent eye conditions, respiratory conditions, and headache. RESULTS We observed reduced headache and ocular symptoms in the intervention group than the control group. Urinary 2-naphthol, a suggested biomarker for inhalation PAH exposure, was significantly lower in the intervention group (GM with 95% CI: 13.4 [12.3, 14.6] μg/g creatinine) compared to control group (16.5 [15.0, 18.0] μg/g creatinine). Stove type and/or 2-naphthol was associated with a number of self-reported symptoms, such as red eye (adjusted OR with 95% CI: 3.80 [1.32, 10.9]) in the past 48h. CONCLUSIONS Even with the improved stoves, the biomarker concentrations in this study far exceeded those of the general populations and were higher than a no-observed-genotoxic-effect-level, indicating high exposure and a potential for increased cancer risk in the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Li
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, USA; Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, Atlanta, USA.
| | | | - Stella Hartinger
- Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Perú; Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú
| | - Michael Lewin
- Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Division of Toxicology and Human Health Sciences, Atlanta, USA
| | - Andreas Sjödin
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, USA
| | - Erin Pittman
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, USA
| | - Debra Trinidad
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, USA
| | - Kendra Hubbard
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, USA
| | | | - Ana I Gil
- Instituto de Investigación Nutricional, Lima, Perú
| | - Daniel Mäusezahl
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luke P Naeher
- Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Perú; University of Georgia, Athens, USA
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