Scientific Papers by Topic

2018 - 2014

Asthma, Wheeze & COPD

Reduced mouse allergen is associated with epigenetic changes in regulatory genes, but not mouse sensitization, in asthmatic children

Chronic exposure to mouse allergen may contribute greatly to the inner-city asthma burden. We hypothesized that reducing mouse allergen exposure may modulate the immunopathology underlying symptomatic pediatric allergic asthma, and that this occurs through epigenetic regulation. To test this hypothesis, we studied a cohort of mouse sensitized, persistent asthmatic inner-city children undergoing mouse allergen-targeted integrated […]

Citation: Miller, R.L., Zhang, H., Jezioro, J., Saguer, M.D.P., Lovinsky-Desir, S., Liu, X., Perzanowski, M., Divjan, A., Phipatanakul, W. and Matsui, E.C., 2017. Reduced mouse allergen is associated with epigenetic changes in regulatory genes, but not mouse sensitization, in asthmatic children. Environmental Research, 156, pp.619-624.

Short-Term Exposure to PM 2.5 and Vanadium and Changes in Asthma Gene DNA Methylation and Lung Function Decrements Among Urban Children

Abstract Background: Both short and long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollutants have been associated with asthma and reduced lung function. We hypothesized that short-term indoor exposure to fine particulate matter <2.5 μm (PM2.5) and vanadium (V) would be associated with altered buccal cell DNA methylation of targeted asthma genes and decreased lung function among urban […]

Citation: Jung KH, Torrone D, Lovinsky-Desir S, Perzanowski M, Bautista J, Jezioro JR, Hoepner L, Ross J, Perera FP, Chillrud SN, Miller RL. Short-term exposure to PM2. 5 and vanadium and changes in asthma gene DNA methylation and lung function decrements among urban children. Respiratory research. 2017 Dec 1;18(1):63.

Urban Adolescents Readily Comply with a Complicated Asthma Research Protocol

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: March 23, 2014

Purpose: Adolescents are often cited as having poor rates of compliance with medical regimens and research protocols. We quantified compliance in a cohort of urban adolescents participating in a complex research protocol in which measures were obtained without direct supervision by research personnel. Methods: A total of 54 early adolescents ages 10–13 were asked to […]

Citation: Lovinsky-Desir S, Folch C, Jung KH, et al. Urban adolescents readily comply with a complicated asthma research protocol. Clin Med Insights Circ Respir Pulm Med. 2014;8:5-9.

Association of recent exposure to ambient metals on fractional exhaled nitric oxide in 9-11year old inner-city children

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: May 27, 2014

Exposure to ambient metals in urban environments has been associated with wheeze, and emergency room visits and hospitalizations due to respiratory illness. However, the effect of ambient metals exposure on airway inflammation, and how these associations may be modified by seroatopy, has not been determined. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is a reliable proxy marker […]

Citation: Rosa MJ, Perzanowski MS, Divjan A, et al. Association of recent exposure to ambient metals on fractional exhaled nitric oxide in 9-11year old inner-city children. Nitric Oxide. May 27 2014;40C:60-66.

Health benefits of improving air quality in Taiyuan, China

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: August 27, 2014

Since 2000, the government in Shanxi province has mounted several initiatives and mandated factory shutdowns with the goal of reducing coal burning emissions and the environmental impacts of industrialization. We estimated the health benefits associated with air quality improvement from 2001 to 2010 in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province, using disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and monetized the […]

Citation: Tang D, Wang C, Nie J, et al. Health benefits of improving air quality in Taiyuan, China. Environment international. Aug 25 2014;73C:235-242.

Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol A and Adiposity in an Inner-City Birth Cohort

Year Published: 2016, E-Published: April 19, 2016

Background: Early life exposure to the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA) may contribute to development of obesity. Prospective evidence in humans on this topic is limited. Objectives: We examined prenatal and early childhood BPA exposures in relation to childhood measures of adiposity in the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) New York City birth cohort. Methods: BPA […]

Citation: Hoepner LA, Whyatt RM, Widen EM, Hassoun A, Oberfield SE, Mueller NT, Diaz D, Calafat AM, Perera FP, Rundle AG. 2016. Bisphenol A and adiposity in an inner-city birth cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives. Accepted for advance publication.

Bisphenol A exposure and behavioral problems among inner city children at 7-9 years of age

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: February 21, 2015

BACKGROUND: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a ubiquitous endocrine disrupting compound. Several experimental and epidemiological studies suggest thatgestational BPA exposure can lead to neurodevelopmental and behavioral problems in early-life, but results have been inconsistent. We previously reported that prenatal BPA exposure may affect child behavior and differently among boys and girls at ages 3-5 years. OBJECTIVES: We […]

Citation: Roen EL, Wang Y, Calafat AM, et al. Bisphenol A exposure and behavioral problems among inner city children at 7-9 years of age. Environ Res. Feb 21 2015.

Climate Change

The Case of Juliana v. U.S. Children and the Health Burdens of Climate Change

  • On June 4, 2019, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in Juliana v. United States to determine whether the case will proceed to trial in district court in Oregon. Nearly 4 years ago, 21 children and adolescents between 8 and 19 years of age, including Kelsey Juliana from Oregon, filed suit against the federal government, charging that the government’s inaction on addressing climate change violated their constitutional right to life, liberty, and property.1 To date, no such lawsuit against the federal government has succeeded in the United States, despite a sharp increase in the number of similar suits filed by young people, municipalities, and state governments. Indeed, none of these lawsuits has gone to trial. 

As the Juliana plaintiffs argue — and we agree — climate change is the greatest public health emergency of our time and is particularly harmful to fetuses, infants, children, and adolescents.2,3 

Citation: Renee N. Salas, M.D., M.P.H., 

Wendy Jacobs, J.D., 

and Frederica Perera, Dr.P.H., Ph.D. May 30, 2019 N Engl J Med 2019; 380:2085-2087 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp1905504

DNA Methylation

A powerful and flexible weighted distance-based method incorporating interactions between DNA methylation and environmental factors on health outcomes.

Abstract: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation plays a crucial role in human health. Studies have demonstrated associations between DNA methylation and environmental factors with evidence also supporting the idea that DNA methylation may modify the risk of environmental factors on health outcomes. 

Citation: Wang Y, Qian M, Tang D, Herbstman J, Perera F, Wang S. A powerful and flexible weighted distance-based method incorporating interactions between DNA methylation and environmental factors on health outcomes, Bioinformatics, Volume 36, Issue 3, 1 February 2020, Pages 653–659, https://doi.org/10.1093/bioinformatics/btz630

Physical activity, black carbon exposure, and DNA methylation in the FOXP3 promoter

Background: Physical activity is associated with improvement in lung function; however, pollution exposure during physical activity can lead to a transient reduction in lung function. This paradoxical relationship may be linked to altered T regulatory (Treg) cell activity, which increases with exercise and suppresses airway inflammation, but decreases in association with exposure to air pollution. To […]

Citation: Rundle AG, Yan B, Torrone DZ, Perera FP, Jezioro JR, Jung KH, de Planell-Saguer M, Perzanowski MS, Miller RL, Lovinsky-Desir S, Chillrud SN. Physical activity, black carbon exposure, and DNA methylation in the FOXP3 promoter. Clinical epigenetics. 2017 Dec;9(1):65.

Effect of Personal Exposure to Black Carbon on Changes in Allergic Asthma Gene Methylation Measured 5 Days Later in Urban Children: Importance of Allergic Sensitization

Abstract Background: Asthma gene DNA methylation may underlie the effects of air pollution on airway inflammation.  However, the temporality and individual susceptibility to environmental epigenetic regulation of asthma has not been fully elucidated. Our objective was to determine the timeline of black carbon (BC) exposure, measured by personal sampling, on DNA methylation of allergic asthma […]

Citation: Jung KH, Lovinsky-Desir S, Yan B, Torrone D, Lawrence J, Jezioro JR, Perzanowski M, Perera FP, Chillrud SN, Miller RL. Effect of personal exposure to black carbon on changes in allergic asthma gene methylation measured 5 days later in urban children: importance of allergic sensitization. Clinical Epigenetics. 2017 Jun 2;9(1):61.

DNA methylation of BDNF as a biomarker of early-life adversity

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: November 10, 2014

Early-life adversity increases the risk for psychopathology in later life. The underlying mechanism(s) is unknown, but epigenetic variation represents a plausible candidate. Early-life exposures can disrupt epigenetic programming in the brain, with lasting consequences for gene expression and behavior. This evidence is primarily derived from animal studies, with limited study in humans due to inaccessibility […]

Citation: Kundakovic M, Gudsnuk K, Herbstman JB, Tang D, Perera FP, Champagne FA. DNA methylation of BDNF as a biomarker of early-life adversity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Nov 10 2014.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

The associations between prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon metabolites, umbilical cord blood mitochondrial DNA copy number, and children's neurobehavioral development

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during pregnancy is a risk factor for adverse neurobehavioral development outcomes. Mitochondrial DNA are sensitive to environmental toxicants due to the limited ability of repairing. The change of mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) might be a biologically mechanism linking PAH exposure and children's neurobehavioral impairment. Our aims are to explore whether PAH metabolites in maternal urine were associated with children's neurobehavioral development at 2 years old and umbilical cord blood mtDNAcn, and whether mtDNAcn was a mediator of PAH-related neurobehavioral development. 

Citation: Cao X, a1, Lia J, 1, Chenga L, Denga, Y, Lia Y, Yana Z, Duana L, Yanga, J, Niua Q, Perer F ab, Nie J ab, Tang D b. 2020, April 16.

a Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Shanxi Medical University, Xinjiannan Road 56, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, Chinab Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722W. 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons modifies the effects of early life stress on attention and Thought Problems in late childhood.

Abstract: Risk for childhood psychopathology is complex and multifactorial, implicating direct and interacting effects of familial and environmental factors. The role of environmental neurotoxicants in psychiatric risk is of growing concern, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), common in air pollution. 

Citation: Pagliaccio D, Herbstman JB, Perera F, Tang D, Goldsmith J, Peterson BS, Rauh V, Margolis AE. Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons modifies the effects of early life stress on attention and Thought Problems in late childhood. J Child Psychology Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 7. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13189.

Environmental Pollutants and Neurodevelopment: Review of Benefits From Closure of a Coal-Burning Power Plant in Tongliang, China

Abstract Background. Understanding preventable causes of neurodevelopmental disorders is a public health priority. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) from combustion of fossil fuel, lead, and mercury are among known neurodevelopmental toxicants. Method. For the first time, we comprehensively review the findings from a study by the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health and Chinese partners that followed […]

Citation: Kalia V, Perera F, Tang D. Environmental Pollutants and Neurodevelopment: Review of Benefits From Closure of a Coal-Burning Power Plant in Tongliang, China. Global Pediatric Health. 2017 Jul 27;4:2333794X17721609.

Maternal prenatal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and visual recognition memory among infants at 27 weeks

Abstract Background Prior research has demonstrated inverse associations between maternal prenatal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and cognitive development assessed in preschool and school-aged children. While there are a limited number of studies that evaluated these associations during infancy, no study has evaluated whether these associations exist when using the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence (FTII), […]

Citation: Ipapo KN, Factor-Litvak P, Whyatt RM, Calafat AM, Diaz D, Perera F, Rauh V, Herbstman JB. Maternal prenatal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and visual recognition memory among infants at 27 weeks. Environmental research. 2017 May 31;155:7-14.

Longitudinal Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollutants on Self- Regulatory Capacities and Social Competence

Year Published: 2016, E-Published: March 17, 2016

Background: We evaluated the influence of prenatal exposure to widespread urban air pollutants on the development of self-regulation and social competence in a longitudinal prospective cohort of children born to nonsmoking minority women in New York City. Methods: Air pollutant exposure was estimated categorically by level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-DNA adducts in maternal blood collected at […]

Citation: Margolis AE, Herbstman JB, Davis KS, Thomas VK, Tang D, Wang Y, et al. 2016. Longitudinal effects of prenatal exposure to air pollutants on self-regulatory capacities and social competence. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Prenatal airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure, LINE1 methylation and child development in a Chinese cohort

Year Published: 2016, E-Published: December 24, 2016

Background Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are carcinogenic, neurotoxic environmental pollutants generated during incomplete combustion of fossil fuel and other organic material. PAH exposure has been associated with adverse fetal development and epigenetic alterations in cord blood. Several molecular epidemiology studies have established PAH-DNA adducts as biomarkers of PAH exposure. Objectives We investigated the relationship between […]

Citation: Lee, Joan, et al. "Prenatal airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure, LINE1 methylation and child development in a Chinese cohort." Environment International (2016).

Time trends of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in New York City from 2001 to 2012: assessed by repeat air and urine samples

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: April 5, 2014

BACKGROUND: Exposure to air pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and specifically pyrene from combustion of fuel oil, coal, traffic and indoor sources, has been associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes. However, time trends of airborne PAH and metabolite levels detected via repeat measures over time have not yet been characterized. We hypothesized that PAH […]

Citation: Jung KH, Liu B, Lovinsky-Desir S, et al. Time trends of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in New York City from 2001 to 2012: assessed by repeat air and urine samples. Environ Res. May 2014;131:95-103.

Significant interactions between maternal PAH exposure and haplotypes in candidate genes on B[a]P-DNA adducts in a NYC cohort of non-smoking African-American and Dominican mothers and newborns

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: October 31, 2013

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are a class of chemicals common in the environment. Certain PAH are carcinogenic, although the degree to which genetic variation influences susceptibility to carcinogenic PAH remains unclear. Also unknown is the influence of genetic variation on the procarcinogenic effect of in utero exposures to PAH. Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a well-studied […]

Citation: Iyer, Shoba, et al. "Significant interactions between maternal PAH exposure and haplotypes in candidate genes on B [a] P-DNA adducts in a NYC cohort of non-smoking African-American and Dominican mothers and newborns." Carcinogenesis 35.1 (2014): 69-75.

Estimation of chronic personal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: May 14, 2015

Background: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) exposure from solid fuel burning represents an important public health issue for the majority of the global population. Yet, understanding of individual-level exposures remains limited. Objectives: To develop regionally adaptable chronic personal exposure model to pro-carcinogenic PAH (c-PAH) for the population in Kraków, Poland. Methods: We checked the assumption of […]

Citation: Choi H, Zdeb M, Perera F, Spengler J. Estimation of chronic personal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Science of the Total Environment. 2015, 527–528: 252–261. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.04.085

Prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, antioxidant levels and behavioral development of children ages 6-9

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: April 7, 2015

Purpose: Prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure has been shown to increase DNA adduct levels and to affect neurodevelopment. Micronutrients may modify the adverse effect of PAH on neurodevelopment. Thus, we examined if micronutrient concentrations modified the association between PAH exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods: 151 children from a birth cohort who had micronutrient concentrations […]

Citation: Genkinger JM, Stigter L, Jedrychowski W et al. Prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposure, antioxidant levels and behavioral development of children ages 6-9. Environmental Research. 2015; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2015.03.017.

Repeatedly high polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and cockroach sensitization among inner-city children

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: May 29, 2015

Background: Exposures to traffic-related air pollutants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been associated with the development and exacerbation of asthma. However, there is limited evidence on whether these pollutants are associated with the development of cockroach sensitization, a strong risk factor for urban asthma. We hypothesized that repeatedly high PAH exposure during child-hood would […]

Citation: Jung KH, Lovinsky-Desir S, Perzanowski M. Repeatedly high polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure and cockroach sensitization among inner-city children. Environmental Research (2015), http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935115001735.

Combined Effects of Prenatal Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Material Hardship on Child IQ

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: April 23, 2015

Importance: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are common carcinogenic and neurotoxic urban air pollutants. Toxic exposures, including air pollution, are disproportionately high in communities of color and frequently co-occur with chronic economic deprivation. Objectives: We examined whether the association between child IQ and prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons differed between groups of children whose mothers reported high vs. […]

Citation: Julia Vishnevetsky, Deliang Tang, Hsin-Wen Chang, Emily L. Roen, Ya Wang, Virginia Rauh, Shuang Wang, Rachel L. Miller, Julie Herbstman, Frederica P. Perera, Combined Effects of Prenatal Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Material Hardship on Child IQ, Neurotoxicology and Teratology (2015), doi: 10.1016/j.ntt.2015.04.002

phthalate and urinary metabolite concentrations. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2015.

Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollutants on Development of Brain White Matter, Cognition, and Behavior in Later Childhood

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: March 25, 2015

Importance:  Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous and neurotoxic environmental contaminants. Prenatal PAH exposure is associated with subsequent cognitive and behavioral disturbances in childhood. Objectives:  To identify the effects of prenatal PAH exposure on brain structure and to assess the cognitive and behavioral correlates of those abnormalities in school-age children. Design, Setting, and Participants: Cross-sectional […]

Citation: Peterson BS, Rauh VA, Bansal R, et al. Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollutants (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) on the Development of Brain White Matter, Cognition, and Behavior in Later Childhood. JAMA psychiatry. Mar 25 2015.

Depressed height gain of children associated with intrauterine exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals: The cohort prospective study.

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: November 20, 2014

Fetal exposure to environmental toxicants may program the development of children and have long-lasting health impacts. The study tested the hypothesis that depressed height gain in childhood is associated with prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals (lead and mercury). The study sample comprised 379 children born to non-smoking mothers among […]

Citation: Jedrychowski WA, Perera FP, Majewska R, et al. Depressed height gain of children associated with intrauterine exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals: The cohort prospective study. Environmental research. Jan 2015;136:141-147.

Early-Life Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and ADHD Behavior Problems

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: November 5, 2014

IMPORTANCE: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are widespread urban air pollutants from combustion of fossil fuel and other organic material shown previously to be neurotoxic. OBJECTIVE: In a prospective cohort study, we evaluated the relationship between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder behavior problems and prenatal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure, adjusting for postnatal exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Children of nonsmoking African-American and […]

Citation: Perera FP, Chang HW, Tang D, et al. Early-life exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and ADHD behavior problems. PloS one. 2014;9(11):e111670.

Long term effects of prenatal and postnatal airborne PAH exposures on ventilatory lung function of non-asthmatic preadolescent children. Prospective birth cohort study in Krakow

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: October 6, 2014

The main goal of the study was to test the hypothesis that prenatal and postnatal exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are associated with depressed lung function in non-asthmatic children. The study sample comprises 195 non-asthmatic children of non-smoking mothers, among whom the prenatal PAH exposure was assessed by personal air monitoring in pregnancy. At […]

Citation: Jedrychowski WA, Perera FP, Maugeri U, et al. Long term effects of prenatal and postnatal airborne PAH exposures on ventilatory lung function of non-asthmatic preadolescent children. Prospective birth cohort study in Krakow. The Science of the total environment. Oct 6 2014;502C:502-509.

Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and cognitive dysfunction in children

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: September 26, 2014

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widespread environmental pollutants produced by combustion of fossil fuel and other organic materials. Both experimental animal and human studies have reported the harmful impacts of PAH compounds on fetal growth and neurodevelopment, including verbal IQ of children. Here, we have assessed the association between cognitive function of children and prenatal PAH exposures. The study is part […]

Citation: Jedrychowski WA, Perera FP, Camann D, et al. Prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and cognitive dysfunction in children. Environmental science and pollution research international. Sep 26 2014.

Antihistamine medication may alleviate negative effects of prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on lung function in children

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: August 22, 2014

The main purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the depressed lung growth attributable to prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) may be modified by the intake of antihistamine medications. Individual prenatal PAH exposure was assessed by personal air monitoring in 176 children who were followed over nine years, in […]

Citation: Jedrychowski WA, Perera FP, Maugeri U, et al. Antihistamine medication may alleviate negative effects of prenatal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) on lung function in children. Birth cohort prospective study. Pediatric pulmonology. Aug 22 2014.

Prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and IQ: Estimated benefit of pollution reduction

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: May 8, 2014

Outdoor air pollution, largely from fossil fuel burning, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, costing billions of dollars every year in health care and loss of productivity. The developing fetus and young child are especially vulnerable to neurotoxicants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) released to ambient air by […]

Citation: Perera F, Weiland K, Neidell M, Wang S. Prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and IQ: Estimated benefit of pollution reduction. Journal of Public Health Policy. 2014.

Molecular and Neurodevelopmental Benefits to Children of Closure of a Coal Burning Power Plant in China

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: March 19, 2014

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are major toxic air pollutants released during incomplete combustion of coal. PAH emissions are especially problematic in China because of their reliance on coal-powered energy. The prenatal period is a window of susceptibility to neurotoxicants. To determine the health benefits of reducing air pollution related to coal burning, we compared molecular […]

Citation: Tang D, Lee J, Muirhead L, et al. Molecular and neurodevelopmental benefits to children of closure of a coal burning power plant in china. PLOS ONE. 2014;9(3):e91966.

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs/Fame Retardants)

Temporal trends and developmental patterns of plasma polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations over a 15- year period between 1998 and 2013

Abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were used extensively as flame retardants in furniture containing polyurethane foam until they were phased out of use, beginning in 2004. We examined temporal changes in plasma PBDE concentrations from 1998 to 2013 and characterized patterns of exposure over the early lifecourse among 334 children (903 samples) between birth and […]

Citation: Cowell WJ, Sjödin A, Jones R, Wang Y, Wang S, Herbstman JB. Temporal trends and developmental patterns of plasma polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations over a 15-year period between 1998 and 2013. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. 2018.

Determinants of prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) among urban, minority infants born between 1998 and 2006

Abstract Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are environmentally persistent chemicals that structurally resemble legacy pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). PBDEs were added to consumer products for over 30 years, before being phased out due to evidence of toxicity. We examined temporal changes in prenatal exposure to PBDEs, as well as other sources of variation. We […]

Citation: Cowell, W.J., et al., Determinants of prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) among urban, minority infants born between 1998 and 2006. Environmental Pollution, 2018. 233 (Supplement C): p. 774-781.

Prevalence of Historical and Replacement Brominated Flame Retardant Chemicals in New York City Homes

Abstract Background Until their phase-out between 2005 and 2013, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were added to household products including furniture, rugs, and electronics to meet flammability standards. Replacement brominated flame retardant (BFR) chemicals, including 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5- tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) 2,3,4,5-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), which are components of the Firemaster 550® commercial mixture, are now being used to […]

Citation: Cowell WJ, Stapleton HM, Holmes D, Calero L, Tobon C, Perzanowski M, Herbstman JB. Prevalence of historical and replacement brominated flame retardant chemicals in New York City homes. Emerging Contaminants. 2017 Mar 31;3(1):32-9.

Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and child attention problems at 3–7 years

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: September 5, 2015

Introduction: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) comprise a class of halogenated compounds used extensively as flame retardant chemicals in consumer products resulting in nearly ubiquitous human exposure. Mounting evidence suggests that PBDEs are developmental neurotoxicants; however, associations between early life exposure and child behavior have been largely limited to a single developmental time point. Methods: The […]

Citation: Cowell W, Lederman S, Sjodin A, Jones R, Wang S, Perera F, Wang R, Rauh V, Herbstman J. Prenatal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and child attention problems at 3-7 years. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 2015.

Pesticides Organophosphates

Prenatal Organophosphorus Pesticide Exposure and Child Neurodevelopment at 24 Months: An Analysis of Four Birth Cohorts

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: September 29, 2015

Abstract Background: Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) are used in agriculture worldwide. Residential use was common in the United States prior to 2001. Objectives: To conduct a pooled analysis of four birth cohorts (n = 936) to evaluate associations of prenatal exposure to OPs with child development at 24 months. Methods: Using general linear models, we computed […]

Citation: Engel S, Bradman A, Wolff M, Rauh V, Harley K, Yang J, Hoepner L, Boyd Barr D, Yolton K, Vedar M, Xu Y, Hornung R, Wetmur J, Chen J, Holland N, Perera F, Whyatt R, Lanphear B, Eskenazi B. Prenatal Organophosphorous Pesticide Exposure and Child Neurodevelopment at 24 Months: An Analysis of Four Birth Cohorts. Environmental Health Perspectives: 2015.

Tremor in a Population-Based Cohort of Children in New York City

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: October 17, 2014

Phthalates

Perinatal phthalates exposure decreases fine-motor functions in 11-year-old girls: Results from weighted Quantile sum regression.

Abstract: Phthalates are a group of high production chemicals, generally used as plasticizers and odor enhancers. Phthalates cross the blood-placenta barrier and are associated with deficits in cognitive functions and behavior problems in offspring. We previously reported sex-specific associations with motor function when phthalates are considered singly. 

Citation: Daniel S, Balalian AA, Whyatt RM, Liu X, Rauh V, Herbstman J, Factor-Litvak P. Perinatal phthalates exposure decreases fine-motor functions in 11-year-old girls: Results from weighted Quantile sum regression. Environ Int. 2020 Mar;136:105424. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105424.

Persistent Associations between Maternal Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates on Child IQ at Age 7 Years

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: December 10, 2014

Background: Prior research reports inverse associations between maternal prenatal urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and mental and motor development in preschoolers. No study evaluated whether these associations persist into school age. Methods: In a follow-up of 328 inner-city mothers and their children, we measured prenatal urinary metabolites of di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), butylbenzyl phthalate(BBzP), di-isobutyl phthalate (DiBP), […]

Citation: Factor-Litvak P, Insel B, Calafat AM, Liu X, Perera F, Rauh VA, Whyatt RM. Persistent Associations between Maternal Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates on Child IQ at Age 7 Years. PLoS One. 2014 Dec 10;9(12):e114003.

Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Childhood Body Size in an Urban Cohort

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: June 8, 2015

Background: Phthalate exposures are hypothesized to increase obesity; however, prior research has been largely cross-sectional. Objective: To evaluate associations between prenatal phthalate exposures and body mass index (BMI) at child ages 5 and 7 years. Methods: Nine metabolites of six phthalates: di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl-, di-iso-butyl-, di-n-butyl-, butylbenzyl-, and diethyl phthalates, were measured in spot urine […]

Citation: Maresca MM, Hoepner LA, Hassoun A, Oberfield SE et al. Prenatal Exposure to Phthalates and Childhood Body Size in an Urban Cohort. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2015; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408750.

Vinyl flooring in the home is associated with children’s airborne butylbenzyl phthalate and urinary metabolite concentrations

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: February 18, 2015

Background: Prior studies have shown that vinyl flooring, as well as the vinyl-softening plasticizers butylbenzyl phthalate (BBzP) and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), are associated with asthma and airway inflammation. While DEHP exposure is primarily dietary, whether home vinyl flooring contributes to indoor air and urinary metabolite concentrations for these two phthalates is unclear. Methods: Exposures to BBzP […]

Citation: Just AC, Miller RL, Perzanowski MS, Rundle AG, Chen Q, Jung KH, et al. Vinyl flooring in the home is associated with children's airborne butylbenzyl 

Weight Gain, Obesity

Gestational weight gain and obesity, adiposity and body size in African–American and Dominican children in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan

Year Published: 2015, E-Published: March 5, 2015

Gestational weight gain (GWG) is potentially modifiable and is associated with infant size and body composition; however, long-term effects on childhood obesity have not been reported among multi-ethnic urban populations.We examined the association between GWG and child anthropometric measures and body composition at 7 years [waist circumference (WC), body mass index z-score (BMIZ), obesity (BMIZ ≥95%ile) and bioelectrical impedance […]

Citation: Widen E, Whyatt R, Hoepner L, Mueller N, Ramirez-Carvey J, Oberfield S, Hassoun A, Perera F, Gallagher D, Rundle A. Gestational weight gain and obesity, adiposity and body size in African American and Dominican children in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan. Maternal & Child Nutrition. 2015.

Prenatal exposure to antibiotics, cesarean section, and risk of childhood obesity

Year Published: 2014, E-Published: October 9, 2014

Background/Objectives:Cesarean section (CS) and antibiotic use during pregnancy may alter normal maternal-fetal microbiota exchange, thereby contributing to aberrant microbial colonization of the infant gut and increased susceptibility to obesity later in life. We hypothesized that i) maternal use of antibiotics in the second or third trimester of pregnancy and ii) CS are independently associated with […]

Citation: Mueller NT, Whyatt R, Hoepner L, et al. Prenatal exposure to antibiotics, cesarean section, and risk of childhood obesity. International journal of obesity. Oct 9 2014.

BACKGROUND: There have been virtually no surveys of the prevalence, clinical features, or correlates of tremor in children and none in the United States. METHODS: A total of 317 children (age 11.0 1.1 years; range, 9.0 to 14.7) underwent an evaluation at one time point. Each drew Archimedes spirals, which were rated by a senior neurologist specializing […]

Citation: Louis ED, Garcia WE, Rauh VA. Tremor in a Population-Based Cohort of Children in New York City. Pediatric neurology. 2015 Feb 28;52(2):187-91.