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New Insights into the Effects of Multi-Pollutant Mixtures on the...
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New Insights into the Effects of Multi-Pollutant Mixtures on the Environment and Populations

A special issue of Journal of Xenobiotics (ISSN 2039-4713). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecotoxicology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 2967

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Built Environment, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
2. Environmental Health and Disease Laboratory, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA
Interests: metals; cardiovascular epidemiology; multiple environmental exposures; metals and their effects on environmental and human health; mixed exposures, environmental epidemiology; environmental and urban geochemistry; global health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Exposure to multi-pollutant mixtures represents a reality for many populations and ecosystems, yet studies that model these complex interactions remain limited. This Special Issue aims to address this gap by inviting research that explores the combined effects of multi-pollutant mixtures on environmental and biological systems. By focusing on biological and chemical investigations and supporting these with advanced statistical and computational techniques, we hope to deepen the understanding of multi-pollutant exposures and their impacts on health and ecosystems.

Scope and Themes

Traditional single-pollutant assessments often overlook the interactive, cumulative, and potentially synergistic effects of pollutant mixtures. This Special Issue encourages studies that investigate these interactions, with a focus on biological and chemical analyses as the foundation, while highlighting statistical and computational methods as complementary tools. Submissions on the following themes are welcome:

  • Biological and Chemical Mechanisms: Studies that uncover the biological pathways and chemical interactions of multi-pollutant exposures, enhancing our understanding of their effects on organisms and ecosystems. Research on biomarkers, physiological responses, and mechanisms of action is particularly encouraged.
  • Health and Environmental Impact Studies: Epidemiological and ecotoxicological studies that examine health effects in populations and ecosystems exposed to pollutant mixtures, particularly those at greater risk. Studies exploring physiological and environmental risk profiles are of high interest.
  • Multi-Omics and Biological Pathways: Research that uses multi-omics data (e.g., genomics, proteomics) to reveal biological mechanisms affected by pollutant mixtures, with an emphasis on applications that improve risk assessment and intervention strategies.
  • Environmental Justice and Exposure Disparities: Studies examining socio-demographic disparities in exposure, health outcomes, and ecosystem vulnerability, with an emphasis on equitable risk assessment approaches and environmental justice concerns.
  • Integrative Statistical, Modeling, and Data Science Approaches as Supportive Techniques: Articles that present advanced modeling or data science methods to support biological and chemical analyses, capturing complex interactions, addressing correlated exposures, or enhancing data integration and efficiency in multi-pollutant studies.

This Special Issue invites interdisciplinary work that bridges biological and chemical science with supportive data science and policy insights, advancing holistic understanding of multi-pollutant exposures. By emphasizing biological and chemical research and supporting it with integrative modeling, we hope to inform evidence-based policies and strategies to protect environmental and public health.

Dr. Emmanuel Obeng-Gyasi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Xenobiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • multi-pollutant mixtures
  • health and environmental impact
  • multi-omics and biological pathways
  • environmental justice and exposure disparities
  • integrative statistical, modeling, and data science approaches

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 750 KiB  
Article
Prevalence of Exposure to Environmental Metal Mixtures Among Pregnant Women in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2018
by Patricia Ruiz, Po-Yung Cheng, Siddhi Desai, Mikyong Shin, Jeffery M. Jarrett, Cynthia D. Ward and Youn K. Shim
J. Xenobiot. 2025, 15(2), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox15020038 - 1 Mar 2025
Viewed by 785
Abstract
Although exposure to metals remains a public health concern, few studies have examined exposure to combinations of metals. This study characterized prevalent combinations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in women (n = 10,152; aged 20–44 years) who participated in the [...] Read more.
Although exposure to metals remains a public health concern, few studies have examined exposure to combinations of metals. This study characterized prevalent combinations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) in women (n = 10,152; aged 20–44 years) who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2018. To explore relative metal exposures within this population, Cd, Hg, and Pb blood levels were dichotomized as “high” and “low” categories using median values to represent the center of the metal concentrations in the study population, not thresholds for adverse health effects. The prevalence of the three metal combinations at “high” levels (singular, binary, tertiary combinations) was calculated. Multinomial logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for each combination relative to none of these combinations after adjusting for potential confounders. Among the pregnant women (n = 1297), singular Hg was most prevalent (19.2% [95% CI 15.0–23.3]), followed by singular Cd (14.7% [95% CI 11.2–18.2]), tertiary combination Cd/Hg/Pb (11.0% [95% CI 8.7–13.2]), binary combinations Cd/Pb (9.8% [95% CI 7.4–12.2]), Hg/Pb (9.2% [95% CI 6.5–11.8]), Cd/Hg (7.8% [95% CI 6.0–9.6]), and singular Pb (5.5% [95% CI 4.1–6.9]). We found significantly lower odds of having Cd/Hg/Pb (adjusted odds ratio (adjOR) = 0.49: p < 0.001) and Cd/Pb (adjOR = 0.68: p < 0.0364) combinations among pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women. The odds of having higher levels of singular Pb were significantly lower (adjOR = 0.31: p < 0.0001) in women pregnant in their first and second trimesters (n = 563) than in non-pregnant women (n = 6412), whereas, though nonsignificant, the odds were higher for women pregnant in their third trimester (n = 366) (adjOR = 1.25: p = 0.4715). These results indicate the possibility that the fetus might be exposed to higher levels of the metal mixtures due to placental transfer, particularly to Pb, during the early stages of pregnancy. Further research is warranted to understand the relationship between metal combination exposures during pregnancy and maternal and infant health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into the Effects of Multi-Pollutant Mixtures on the Environment and Populations)
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17 pages, 1977 KiB  
Article
Potential Residual Pesticide Consumption: A Stratified Analysis of Brazilian Families
by Yan Lucas Leite, Tayna Sousa Duque, José Barbosa dos Santos and Elizângela Aparecida dos Santos
J. Xenobiot. 2025, 15(2), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox15020037 - 1 Mar 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 706
Abstract
Food safety is essential to ensure that food is safe for human consumption, particularly in light of the growing global and environmental changes, including population growth and climate variations. Meeting the increasing demand for food requires enhancing and protecting agricultural systems. A common [...] Read more.
Food safety is essential to ensure that food is safe for human consumption, particularly in light of the growing global and environmental changes, including population growth and climate variations. Meeting the increasing demand for food requires enhancing and protecting agricultural systems. A common strategy is the use of pesticides, which serve to protect cultivated plants from pests, diseases, and weeds. However, improper and excessive use of these products can lead to negative impacts, spanning economic, environmental, and human health aspects. Concerns about pesticide residues in food are global, as their effects on human health vary depending on exposure and quantity. The main objective of this study was to estimate the potential residual consumption (PRC) of pesticides present in food consumed by Brazilian households. Using a specific methodology, it was identified that pineapple had the highest average PRC (121.01 mg), primarily due to the high residue of the active ingredient ethephon. On the other hand, Dithiocarbamates showed the highest residual quantity. Tebuconazole was the most repeated in the samples. It was observed that the insecticide class was responsible for the highest average PRC in households, estimated at 142.45 mg annually, while higher-income families and those located in rural areas showed a greater propensity for potential residual pesticide consumption due to the higher consumption of fruits and vegetables. Additionally, it was found that households where the head of the family is male, highly educated, and older than 40 years present a higher risk of potential residual pesticide consumption. These results highlight the need for public policies focused on sanitary inspection, the training of professionals in the field, the rational use of pesticides by producers, and proper hygiene practices by consumers to mitigate health risks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into the Effects of Multi-Pollutant Mixtures on the Environment and Populations)
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Graphical abstract

17 pages, 1274 KiB  
Article
Residential Proximity Land Use Characteristics and Exhaled Volatile Organic Compounds’ Impact on Pulmonary Function in Asthmatic Children
by Bo-Yu Hsiao, Chun-Sheng Huang, Chang-Fu Wu, Kuo-Liong Chien and Hsiao-Yu Yang
J. Xenobiot. 2025, 15(1), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/jox15010027 - 5 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1027
Abstract
Background: Urban air pollution adversely affects children’s respiratory systems, but the impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on children’s pulmonary function remains unclear. This study aims to identify exhaled VOCs linked to land use characteristics and reduced pulmonary function in asthmatic children, as [...] Read more.
Background: Urban air pollution adversely affects children’s respiratory systems, but the impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on children’s pulmonary function remains unclear. This study aims to identify exhaled VOCs linked to land use characteristics and reduced pulmonary function in asthmatic children, as well as to explore environmental thresholds influencing VOC exposure levels. Methods: We enrolled 97 asthmatic children, aged 7 to 20, from Changhua County, Taiwan, and collected personal and residential data, collected exhaled VOC samples, and conducted pulmonary function tests. Land use characteristics were derived from the children’s residential addresses. This study used two models to explore the relationships between land use, VOC levels, and pulmonary function. Results: Our results show that m/p-xylene, 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene were key contributors to FEV1/FVC and significantly predicted FEV1/FVC < 90% (AUC = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.53 to 0.79). These VOCs were also linked to major road areas within a 300 m buffer around children’s homes. Conclusions: This study fills a research gap on low-level outdoor VOC exposure and pediatric respiratory health, examining 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and m/p-xylene as potential biomarkers for impaired pulmonary function in children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into the Effects of Multi-Pollutant Mixtures on the Environment and Populations)
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