Exposures to Contemporary and Emerging Chemicals among Children Aged 2 to 4 Years in the United States Environmental Influences on the Child Health Outcome (ECHO) Cohort
Prenatal and early life exposure to environmental chemicals can increase the risk of multiple adverse child health outcomes. However, biomonitoring data for young children remain limited. This study leveraged the nationwide Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort to assess chemical exposures in 201 children aged 2-4 years between 2010 and 2021. A total of 111 analytes across multiple chemical classes were simultaneously quantified in single spot urine specimens collected from each child and their mother during pregnancy, and concentrations were compared between child and prenatal maternal samples. Among the 111 analytes, 96 were detected in at least five children and 48 analytes in over 50% of children. Thirty-four were ubiquitously detected (>90%), nine of which have not been included in U.S. national biomonitoring: benzophenone-1, triethyl phosphate, and metabolites of six phthalates and one alternative plasticizer. Concentrations of bisphenol S, three pesticide biomarkers, and two phthalate biomarkers were higher in children than in mothers, while those of triclosan and monoethyl phthalate were higher in mothers. This study reveals frequent exposure to multiple chemicals in young U.S. children, often exceeding prenatal levels. Expanded biomonitoring of emerging chemicals of concern and studies of their health effects in this vulnerable population are warranted.
Authors
- Edo D. Pellizzari
- Christian Douglas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8902-0531)
- Sheela Sathyanarayana
- Julie Beth Herbstman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5531-163X)
- Rebecca J. Schmidt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1582-2747)
- Tracey J. Woodruff (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3622-1297)
- Theresa M. Bastain (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0029-5641)
- Kurunthachalam Kannan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1926-7456)
- Rachel A. Morello-Frosch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1153-7287)
- Jessie Poulin Buckley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7976-0157)
- Irva Hertz‐Picciotto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6952-2390)
- Frank D. Gilliland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9033-7269)
- Jiwon Oh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1091-444X)
- Deborah H. Bennett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6698-2316)
- Anne Lang Dunlop (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5092-8136)
- Christina A. Porucznik (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1973-2917)
- Catherine Karr
- Rachel Miller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4766-9898)
Institutions
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- University of Southern California (US)
- Seattle Children's Hospital (US)
- New York State Department of Health (US)
- State University of New York (US)
- Wadsworth Center (US)
- Emory University (US)
- RTI International (US)
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- University of Utah (US)
- California Southern University (US)
- University at Albany, State University of New York (US)
- Public Health Department (IN)
- Columbia University (US)
- University of California, Davis (US)
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Environmental Science & Technology
- Published
- 2025-06-30
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c13605
- Citations
- 7
- Primary Topic
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.40
Funders
- NIH Office of the Director