Int. J. Environ. Med., Volume 1, Issue 2 (June 2026) – 2 articles

Environmental exposure to particulate matter, including PM_2.5 and engineered nanomaterials, is a major global health concern. Although acute toxic effects have been widely documented, new evidence suggests that the retained particle burden arising from incomplete clearance, tissue retention, and redistribution plays a key role in long-term health outcomes. This review synthesizes knowledge on particle accumulation at multiple biological levels. It examines how particles are retained in pulmonary and lymphoid tissues, their uptake by immune cells, and their sequestration within organelles, particularly the endo-lysosomal system. The mechanisms by which lysosomal dysfunction can cause mitochondrial stress, redox and metabolic disturbances, and impaired autophagy are also discussed. These disruptions can alter the status of immune cells and disturb immune homeostasis. This review also examines how immune perturbation from accumulation may contribute to chronic lung diseases. Understanding these mechanisms explains the persistent health effects associated with low-dose exposure and supports more effective risk assessment and prevention. Full article

Flooding is an increasingly frequent climate hazard with the potential to mobilize environmental contaminants and elevate human health risks. In this study, we assessed heavy metals and metalloids across five sites arranged along a flood-risk gradient from low to high. Six replicate samples per site (n = 30 per contaminant) were collected in a single sampling event. Contaminants were evaluated using the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) risk assessment framework to calculate chronic daily intake (CDI), hazard quotients (HQs), and lifetime cancer risk. Arsenic, chromium, and nickel emerged as the most concerning cancer drivers, with nickel cancer risk consistently exceeding 1 × 10⁻³ (equivalent to one additional cancer case per 1000 exposed individuals) and arsenic at 4.4 × 10⁻⁴ (about 1 in 2250). Lead posed non-cancer risks (HQ = 0.912, near the threshold of concern), while cobalt demonstrated a significant decreasing gradient with increasing flood-risk (p = 0.018). Arsenic and thallium more than doubled in concentration at high-flood sites relative to low-flood sites, while cadmium, cobalt, and nickel decreased. These findings suggest flooding may mobilize arsenic, lead, and thallium, while diluting or displacing other metals such as cadmium, cobalt, and nickel. Organs of concern include the liver and kidneys for arsenic, cadmium, nickel, and cobalt, the brain and bones for lead, and the lungs and liver for chromium. Although statistical significance was limited by the small sample size, effect sizes and fold-changes indicate meaningful flood-related differences. This study highlights the importance of considering flood-risk in contaminant hazard assessments and the need for flood-adaptive risk management strategies in vulnerable communities. Full article