Search PubMedSearch

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Environmental monitoring”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Neurodevelopmental toxicity of 2-(Methylthio)benzothiazole (MTBT) in zebrafish: Insights into PTGS2- associated dysregulation of the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway.

2-(Methylthio)benzothiazole (MTBT), an important derivative of benzothiazoles, has extensive applications in industrial processes, pharmaceuticals, and environmental monitoring. It can enter aquatic environments through surface runoff and has been detected at relatively high concentrations in various environmental systems. However, studies investigating the aquatic toxicity of MTBT remain limited. In this study, zebrafish embryos were exposed to MTBT at concentrations of 0, 10, 100, and 1000 μg/L for 144 h to evaluate its developmental and neurotoxic effects. MTBT exposure significantly reduced the survival rate, hatching rate, spontaneous movement, and body length of zebrafish larvae. MTBT also impaired locomotor behavior, reduced fluorescence of Tg(huc:eGFP) larvae in the central nervous system and inhibited motor neuron axonal development. Protein-protein interaction network and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses indicated that MTBT-induced neurotoxicity may be associated with disruption of the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway. Further validation experiments revealed that MTBT induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis, suggesting that these adverse effects may underlie its neurodevelopmental toxicity. Collectively, these findings provide biological evidence that MTBT induces neurodevelopmental toxicity in zebrafish larvae and suggest that dysregulation of the PTGS2-related neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway may be involved in this process.

2-(Methylthio)benzothiazole (MTBT)

The chemical landscape of plant surface metabolites: Acylsugars as models of ecological function and structural diversity.

Plants produce a multifunctional assortment of specialized metabolites that play important roles in defense, environmental adaptation, and ecological interactions. Among these compounds, acylsugars, nonvolatile metabolites produced primarily in glandular trichomes of Solanaceae species, have emerged as informative model systems for understanding plant surface chemistry. Differences in acyl chain length, branching pattern, saturation, and attachment position generate extensive chemical diversity that influences herbivore deterrence, pathogen resistance, and the physicochemical properties of leaf surfaces. Recent advances in analytical chemistry, particularly liquid chromatography-ion mobility-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-IM-MS/MS), have greatly improved the ability to separate structurally related acylsugar isomers and characterize metabolite complexity at high resolution. When integrated with genomics, transcriptomics, and emerging spatial metabolomics approaches, these analytical tools provide new insights into acylsugar biosynthesis, pathway regulation, evolutionary diversification, and ecological function across plant species. This review positions acylsugars, particularly those of Solanum species, as model systems for understanding how structural diversity, spatial localization, and specialized metabolism shape ecological and physiological function at plant surfaces. We examine acylsugar structural diversity, biosynthetic pathways, ecological and physiological functions, and interactions with environmental and atmospheric processes. Major challenges, including extensive isomeric complexity, incomplete pathway characterization, and difficulties linking chemical structure to biological function, are discussed alongside emerging opportunities in integrative omics, crop improvement, sustainable pest management, and environmental monitoring. Overall, acylsugars provide a powerful model for linking molecular structure, spatial localization, and ecological function, offering broader insight into how specialized metabolism shapes plant adaptation, defense, and environmental interactions.

Acylsugars

A survey of blood lead levels in dogs and cats.

The blood of 206 dogs and 26 cats was analyzed for lead by non-flame atomic absorption giving mean levels of 6.4 mug/100 ml for dogs and 5.2 mug/100 ml for cats. Statistical treatment of the results using a paired Students' t-test showed significant differences by age for dogs but not for cats. Urban dogs had significantly higher blood lead levels than country dogs (P less than 0.05) thus indicating that dogs can be regarded as useful environmental monitors for lead pollution.

Age Factors

Review of the chemical elements and environmental chemistry--strategies and tactics.

Inspite of advanced technology and the availability of adequate basic analytical instrumentation there is a need to improve the quality of data obtained in many programmes of environmental monitoring. Really new approaches are required based upon interdisciplinary, as distinct from pluridisciplinary cooperation; during the early stages individual disciplines need to extend some degree of charity. Scientists have to acknowledge the social implications of many of their studies and face up to controversial issues particularly in relation to pollution of the environment. Today we do not know the significance of levels of most contaminants and pollutants found in the environment, and many have not even been identified. Besides large releases of pollutants, a fundamental problem concerns man's biological response to low doses of various substances over long periods of time; the interval between an initial insult and the detection of detrimental effects for many physical and chemical agents can amount to between 10-30 years. In the absence of an objective interdisciplinary approach the expertise developed in an individual discipline is not available to others in which it may be of value. Many types of instrumentation and techniques developed in one discipline are unknown, or untried, in another; centralised facilities provide an adequate spectrum of tools and skills which are essential in tackling current problems. This approach has been shown to be rewarding in industry and in several private research organisations. In this paper the versatility of some types of modern instrumentation is illustrated in several fields of environmental chemistry and some of the substantial problems are discussed.

Air Pollutants

Cadmium and lead pollution from secondary metal refinery operations.

A study was made of cadmium and lead levels around a small secondary metal recovery factory as part of an environmental monitoring programme in a London borough. Lead levels were essentially typical for an urban environment whereas the levels of cadmium-in-air and in household dust gave rise to very considerable concern. Some of the problems associated with assessing the potential hazard and the steps taken to control the emission are considered. It is suggested that clearly-defined standards and procedures are necessary in order to deal efficiently with similar cases as they are discovered.

Adult

Health implications of increased coal use in the Western States.

The National Energy Plan proposed by President Carter provides for the rapid development of coal resources in the United States, particularly in the West. The potential consequences for health of this development were considered by the Advisory Committee on Health and Environmental Effects of Increased Coal Utilization, reporting to the Department of Energy. Their report recommended rigid adherence to pertinent existing regulations, improved environmental monitoring, expanded research in selected relevant topics and development of procedures for selecting the sites of new coal-fired power plants. Although the report was a major exercise in technology assessment, it is fundamentally a cautious document that proposes no new solutions or approaches. A review of occupational and community health problems associated with coal mining and coal utilization suggests that lessons from past experiences, especially in Appalachia, cannot be applied to the West uncritically. The two regions are fundamentally different in scale, topography and social development. In the West, future problems related to coal are likely to derive from unknown risks associated with coal processing technologies, land reclamation and water quality at the sites of power generation, and extensive social and demographic changes at centers of industrial activity that may have secondary effects on health. Additional considerations should supplement the recommendations of the Advisory Committee report.

Coal

[Relation between environmental concentration, urinary elimination and body burden of chromium in occupationally exposed workers].

Biological and environmental monitoring of chromium exposure was carried out on 20 welders working with special electrodes in the manufacture of tank-cars. The workers were divided in groups, according to the different degree of chromium accumulation, which was determined by renal clearance of diffusible chromium. A closed linear relationship between TWA concentration of hydrosoluble chromium in air and urinary excretion of the metal at the end of exposure was observed. The parameters of regression lines in welders with more (clearance 10 ml/min) or less (clearance 5 ml/min) accumulation of chromium suggest that the renal burden influences not only the basal excretion, but also the excretion at the end of exposure. We underline the difficulty in the determination of correct biological limits if we take them from TLV in air. We must at least consider the degree of accumulation in exposed workers too.

Air Pollutants

From dysbiosis to resilience: Microbiome engineering for sustainable shrimp aquaculture.

The intensification of shrimp aquaculture has increased exposure to disease, environmental perturbations, and antimicrobial pressure, making microbial stability increasingly relevant to sustainable production. Microbiome stability-encompassing resistance to disturbance and resilience of functional recovery-provides an ecological framework for understanding how shrimp and culture-environment microbial communities respond to intensive farming. This review examines the transition from microbial homeostasis to dysbiosis and evaluates how microbiome engineering could redirect disrupted communities towards resilient states. Evidence is integrated across the intestine, hepatopancreas, rearing water, sediment and biofloc to assess how host genetics, ontogeny, diet, culture conditions, antibiotics and pollutants shape microbiome assembly and destabilization. Disease-associated changes in acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease, white faeces syndrome, Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei infection, and white spot syndrome virus infection are critically evaluated, with explicit separation of associations, pathogen-induced dysbiosis, and community-level causality. Established and emerging interventions-including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, functional diets, biofloc management, phages, postbiotics, microbiota transplantation and synthetic microbial communities-are assessed according to their capacity to modify microbial function, persistence and recovery rather than taxonomic change alone. We further examine how multi-omics, microbiome-informed breeding, and environmental monitoring could support biomarker development, predictive decision support and context-specific intervention. We argue that progress requires a shift from taxonomic description to function-guided engineering, from endpoint comparisons to direct measurement of resilience, and from laboratory efficacy to reproducible farm-scale validation. Overall, microbiome management may contribute to more disease-resilient and sustainable shrimp production, provided that its effectiveness can be validated under commercial farming conditions.

Dysbiosis

A MIL-88@Ru-based molecularly imprinted electrochemiluminescence sensor for highly selective and sensitive detection of enrofloxacin residues in animal-derived foods.

Using a metal-organic framework (MOF) - supported Ru(bpy)32+ (MIL-88@Ru) composite luminescent material, this study innovatively adopted electropolymerization to fabricate a molecularly imprinted polymer-based electrochemiluminescent (MIP-ECL) sensor for enrofloxacin (ENR) detection in animal-derived foods. Systematic investigation of the ECL luminescence and ENR's quenching mechanism confirmed that the sensor integrates ECL's high sensitivity and MIP's high specificity, enabling rapid and accurate recognition of ENR. Experimental results show a good linear response in the range of 1 nmol/L-20 μmol/L (R2 = 0.99), a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.28 nmol/L, as well as excellent selectivity and stability. Recoveries of ENR in all investigated matrices ranged from 97.7% to 106.4%, confirming the reliability of the established method. This ECL-MIP coupling strategy provides a new technical approach and application references for the efficient detection of trace pollutants in food safety and environmental monitoring fields.

Enrofloxacin

Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) analysis and 16S rRNA gene sequencing of indoor air pollutants in a 3000-capacity religious auditorium.

A thorough molecular and environmental evaluation of microbial isolates and indoor air quality (IAQ) at a place of worship is presented in this work. The study used a dual-methodological approach, including systematic environmental monitoring to assess occupant health concerns and 16S rRNA gene sequencing for taxonomic identification. Four different bacterial isolates were successfully identified by molecular analysis using BLAST and phylogenetic reconstruction: Bacillus tropicus (A11), Leclercia adecarboxylata (A12), Acinetobacter sp. (A13), and Escherichia coli (A14). The evolutionary position of isolate A13 indicated possible horizontal gene transfer, underscoring the existence of flexible, opportunistic pathogens within the indoor environment, whereas isolates A11 and A14 demonstrated significant genetic stability. Concurrently, six sessions of air quality monitoring showed a thermally demanding environment, with humidity (56.00-70.51%) and temperatures (29.21-33.79 °C) continuously surpassing ASHRAE guidelines. The average pollutant concentrations are within WHO and USEPA safety criteria, however, there were outliers that may suggest sporadic pollutant penetration (outdoor) or resuspension of dust. The results demonstrate a clear relationship between increased chemical pollutants (TVOCs) and reduced thermal comfort. To reduce the congregation's acute respiratory and cardiovascular risks, optimal ventilation systems and source-control measures are urgently needed, as evidenced by the presence of clinically relevant microorganisms combined with dangerous pollution levels.

Analysis

Complex genotype-phenotype relationships in neurodevelopmental disorders.

With the advent of sequencing technologies in recent years, hundreds of high-confidence risk genes have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). However, individuals carrying pathogenic variants in the same gene frequently exhibit diverse clinical presentations, including varied symptoms and diagnoses. We propose that this heterogeneity arises from different interacting factors that modulate the phenotypic outcomes of pathogenic variants, including variant-level features, modifying variation across the genome, prenatal and early-life environmental exposures, and developmental noise. Resolving these factors requires integrative approaches that combine population-scale genetics and functional genomics with environmental monitoring and quantitative assessments of stochastic developmental variation. Advancing our understanding of these factors is critical to elucidating the etiology of NDDs and improving diagnostic and personalized therapeutic strategies.

Humans

The measurement of low concentrations of radon-222 daughters in air, with emphasis on RaA assessment.

A number of methods exist for the measurement of the activity concentrations of radon-222 daughters in air but in most cases interest is centred on determining the Working Levels. In those instances where individual daughter activity concentrations are assessed the precision of the assessment of RaA (218Po) is poor unless spectrometry is used. In environmental monitoring the measurement of RaA activity concentrations is a reliable indicator of radon activity concentrations. Following a brief review of established methods of radon daughter activity concentration measurement, a method is given which enables activity concentrations as low as 0.05 pCi l-1 (50 pCim-3) of RaA to be measured with simple readily transportable equipment. The method presented here also measures RaB (214Pb) and RaC (214 Bi) activity concentrations and Working Levels with improved precision compared with established methods.

Air Pollutants

Measurement of the responses of individuals to environmental stress and pollution: studies with bivalve molluscs.

Certain physiological differences between individuals in different populations of the mussel, Mytilus edulis, are described. In particular, the scope for growth differs in space and time and may be used to assess the animals' physiological condition. When the required measurements are made in the field, the rates of growth predicted from the physiological data agree well with observed rates of growth. An alternative approach utilizes mussels transplanted to various waters, with indices of condition then measured in then measured in the laboratory under standard conditions; an example of this approach is illustrated. Laboratory experiments are used to equate various levels of physiological condition with fecundity, in an attempt to equate physiological effects on the individual with likely population damage. A cytochemical index of stress is described, based on the latency of lysosomal enzymes; spatial variability in this index, and its relation with the scope for growth, are discussed. Finally, the results of some experiments on the effects of petroleum hydrocarbons on mussels are described and the presence of inducible activity of NADPH-dependent tetrazolium reductase in the blood cells is demonstrated. Certain considerations that apply in adopting similar measurements of biological effects of pollution in environmental monitoring programmes are discussed.

Animals

Clinical measurement in Quebec chrysotile miners: use for future protection of workers.

There is a relationship between dust exposure, on the one hand, and serious disease and death, on the other, in chrysotile asbestos mine and mill workers of Quebec. Studies in current working populations indicate that prevalence of abnormality increases with increasing exposure. However, the relationship is weak and offers only a partial explanation of between-subject variability. In addition, there is no certain way to detect or predict change. Because of the relative nonspecificity of the health measurements examined and their poor relationship to exposure, control should be based on environmental monitoring, with biologic monitoring considered in a complementary role. This leaves the clinician with the dilemma of how best to advise the worker in whom questionable changes have been detected. At present, there appears little doubt that the decision must remain essentially clinical, based, on one hand, on all available information about the man, his job, and the plant or mine in which he works, from which an estimate of likely outcome must be made, and, on the other hand, on the social and human factors concerned, including the fact that removal from exposure does not necessarily prevent the appearance of abnormality.

Asbestos

Comprehensive in silico genomics analysis of global trends and host-specific emergence of aminoglycoside resistance in Staphylococcus aureus: a One-Health perspective.

BACKGROUND: Aminoglycosides remain clinically valuable against Staphylococcus aureus. Aminoglycoside resistance in S. aureus represents a critical One Health concern and is primarily driven by aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AMEs), which are frequently plasmid-encoded. Although regional studies have provided valuable insights, the global epidemiology of aminoglycoside resistance determinants remains poorly characterized because comprehensive data integrating human, animal, and environmental reservoirs are still lacking. This study addresses this gap by analyzing over 110,000 S. aureus genomes (2000-2025) to map the global resistome, quantify temporal and host-specific trends, and assess the association between genetic determinants and phenotypic resistance. METHODS: We performed a retrospective One Health meta-analysis of 110,309 S. aureus genomes collected between 2000 and 2025 from 128 countries. Genomes were quality-filtered and aminoglycoside resistance determinants were identified using NCBI AMRFinderPlus (v4.0.23). Multilocus sequence typing and host-source harmonization (Human, Animal, Environment, Unknown) enabled clonal and reservoir stratification. Temporal trends in gene prevalence and resistance burden were modeled with robust regression. Geographic and host-associated structuring of key genes was assessed via &#x3c7;2 and enrichment tests. Machine-learning models (elastic-net, random forests, XGBoost) were benchmarked for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) prediction via nested cross-validation, with performance evaluated by mean absolute error, RMSE, and SHAP-based feature importance. All analyses were conducted in R and Python using publicly available, de-identified genomic data. RESULTS: Aminoglycoside resistance-associated genes were dominated by modifying enzyme determinants, with ant(6)-Ia, ant(9)-Ia, aph(3')-IIIa, sat4, aadD1, and aac(6')-Ie/aph(2'')-Ia occurring in 14-22% of isolates worldwide. Temporal analysis revealed significant declines in several major determinants, most notably ant(9)-Ia (-2.22 percentage points per year, p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.001), whereas apmA exhibited a non-significant decreasing trend in animal isolates. Host structuring was marked: human clinical isolates concentrated common determinants, while animal and environmental isolates harbored rare alleles (apmA, spw, str, spd). Geographic mapping confirmed near-universal distribution of common genes but focal restriction of rare ones. Publicly available phenotypic data indicated strong activity of amikacin, whereas gentamicin showed a distinct resistant subpopulation that closely corresponded with AME gene carriage. Genotype-phenotype analyses demonstrated strong concordance, with gene-rich complements predicting resistant MIC strata and absence of determinants predicting susceptibility. Analysis across different gene classes revealed frequent co-occurrence of aminoglycoside resistance genes with determinants from other classes, such as mecA, blaZ, and MLS_B, embedding them within multidrug-resistant (MDR) genomic contexts. CONCLUSION: Over 25&#xa0;years, the prevalence of aminoglycoside resistance-associated genes in S. aureus has declined for several common determinants, while rare veterinary-linked alleles are emerging in animal isolates. Strong genotype-phenotype concordance supports genomic prediction for gentamicin and amikacin, where MIC data are available, although phenotypic confirmation remains essential. The frequent co-occurrence of aminoglycoside resistance genes with other antimicrobial resistance determinants indicates their integration within co-occurrence patterns of MDR genes, defined here as clusters of co-occurring resistance genes often carried on shared mobile genetic elements. These patterns highlight the need for integrated One Health surveillance combining clinical, veterinary, and environmental monitoring with plasmid-context resolution to anticipate emerging threats.

Aminoglycosides

Use of discrimination behavior for the evaluation of toxicants.

This study involved the application of discrimination behavior for the study of effects of environmental contaminants on the behavior of laboratory animals. Polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) was evaluated for effects on the acquisition and performance of a simple auditory discrimination by rats. Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) and carbon monoxide (CO) were evaluated for effects on a delayed match-to-sample discrimination task in the juvenile baboon. All of the contaminants slowed response times and increased extra responses. These findings suggest that discrimination behavior may be of value for the evaluation of environmental contaminants for effects on the central nervous system.

Animals

NCTR computer systems designed for toxicologic experimentation. IV. Experiment information system.

The Experiment Information System (EIS) is a computerized data collection, maintenance, and reporting system for specified information values collected during the lifespan of animals assigned to toxicologic investigations at NCTR. The system records and/or controls experimental variables, which might ultimately affect the results, through the operation and integration of the Diet Preparation Subsystem (DPS), the Environmental Monitoring Subsystem (EMS), the Microbiology Subsystem (MBS), and the Chemistry Data Subsystem (CDS). The fifth component of the EIS, the Experimental Data Collection Subsystem (EDCS), is responsible for handling all data generated by, or attributed to, the animals from assignment until death or removal. Through integration of these five subsystems, the history of an animal while on study is recorded and stored for later recall. In addition, "routine" and "special" reports are made available through the system software which enables stringent control of the experiment by the Principal Investigator, Animal Husbandry, and NCTR Management.

Animals