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Soil ecotoxicology has been motivated by the increasing global awareness on environmental issues. Northern Hemisphere has been the main driver of this science branch; however, the number and quality of contributions from the Southern Hemisphere are increasing quickly. In this case study, Brazil is taken as an example of how soil ecotoxicology has developed over the last 30 years. It starts with a brief historical overview depicting the main events on soil ecotoxicology in the country. Following, an overview on the Brazilian legislation related to soil ecotoxicology is given, covering regulations with prospective focus, mainly on the registration of pesticides. Regulations with retrospective focus in contaminated areas are also given. Then, an outline of the actors in soil ecotoxicology and examples of prospective ecotoxicological studies performed with soil organisms and plants are given by stressor groups: pesticides, pharmaceuticals, metals, and residues. Experiences from retrospective studies, mainly looking at the assessment of industrial sites, are also covered. Emphasis is given on methodological aspects, pointing to needed actions, mainly regarding the different biotic and abiotic conditions of a tropical country. Finally, the last session discusses how soil ecotoxicology could be improved in methodological adaptations as well as legal requirements.

Several negative health effects have been associated with environmental pollution. Coal mining activities are related to DNA damage. However, the impact of lifestyle as well as environmental exposure must be considered when evaluating the extent of DNA damage. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to analyze nutritional status, dietary patterns, and the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) among coal miners as well as to investigate the correlation of these variables with DNA damage. We used a questionnaire to assess demographics, health, and dietary habits. The nutritional status was measured in terms of BMI (body mass index) and DNA damage was assessed by the comet assay. The sample population was composed of 158 coal miners from the largest coal mining company in South of Brazil, and majority of them were classified as overweight (51.3%) or obese (28.5%). Hypertension was the most common CNCD (50.6%) and a majority of these workers consumed all groups of foods three or more times a week. There was a significant positive correlation between BMI and DNA damage ( r = 0.1646, p = 0.04) and this association was stronger ( r = 0.2556, p = 0.04) in coal miners with some CNCD. There was no significant correlation between dietary patterns and DNA damage in coal miners. These results suggest that the nutritional status and CNCD increase the extent of DNA damage in coal miners. Since this population is at high occupational risk, specific strategies should be designed to improve the health of these workers, aiming to achieve health equity.

Restriction measures against COVID-19 caused the environmental panorama of cities to change, especially in relation to air pollution. This scenario of severe reduction in the emission of air pollutants led to a flurry of studies about their behavior during the pandemic. The vast majority of studies pointed to a decrease in all pollutants, with the exception of ozone. However, was this highlighted ozone trend really the global trend? This discussion seeks to answer this question while addressing two major considerations that led to this trend: (1) the process of ozone formation and behavior and (2) the main reasons that led to the findings of this trend (region of the studies, meteorological conditions, and the time scale adopted for data collection). From our observations, we emphasize that a trend is not unanimity! The global trend turned out to be the opposite of what the initial studies showed, all this because the observed trend was a regional trend, affected by the reasons discussed. Thus, we raise awareness and concern with the way in which the initial “fever” of the behavior of air pollutants occurred and also toward the act of sampling highly populated areas, as this attitude could have caused biased estimations and disinformation. Graphical abstract

Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent widely used in personal care products and an emerging contaminant with potential to have harmful effects to edaphic organisms. This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of exposure to triclosan on the microbiota, plants, and edaphic animals using isolated bioassays and a microcosm scale representation (multispecies system). Among the isolated bioassays, the phytotoxicity test with Lactuca sativa , avoidance test with Eisenia andrei , and acute toxicity with E. andrei and Armadillidium vulgare were used. The multispecies system used seeds of L. sativa and Sinapis alba , together with earthworms and terrestrial isopods. This system also evaluated microbial activity through alkaline phosphatase and the metabolic profile using Ecoplate™, BIOLOG microplates. Exposure to triclosan impacted seedling growth in the isolated bioassay and germination and root growth in the microcosm scale assay; it also caused mortality in terrestrial isopods, earthworm avoidance and alteration of alkaline phosphatase, and the consumption profile of carbohydrates and carboxylic acids in the microbiota. The ecotoxicological effects evaluated in the multispecies system were perceived even in low concentrations of triclosan, indicating that the interaction of this xenobiotic with the environment and organisms in a more realistic scenario can compromise ecosystem services.

Introduction COVID-19 pandemic promoted some lifestyle changes because of the disease’s contagiousness and the urgency for treatments. Among these is the self-medication (SM)—the consume of medicines without a prescription—that was practiced for population aiming protection or cure of coronavirus infection. Objectives Our study aimed to evaluate the practice of self-medication among undergraduate students in southern Brazil and how the pandemic period influenced it. Design and setting Through an online questionnaire applied in 2020, 1553 responses were collected. The results were analyzed using the chi-square test and Poisson test. Results A prevalence of 97.2% of self-medication was found during the regular period of life, but during the pandemic, this rate significantly decreased to 57.2%. Most students practiced SM before the pandemic and continued during this period (58.7%), while a significant portion of the sample stopped self-medicating during the pandemic (41.3%). Being female, studying at a public university, perceiving a decline in health status, and noticing new symptoms or diseases during the pandemic were associated with a lower probability of stopping SM. Conversely, living alone during the pandemic was associated with a higher probability of discontinuing SM. Headache was the most frequently reported symptom. The sources of information varied, but consulting the internet, family or friends’ opinions, and pharmacists were the most cited. Different reasons for SM were identified, but the most prevalent justification was having experienced the symptom before and knowing what medication to use. Conclusions Despite being one of the groups most affected by the pandemic, university students showed varied behavior when it came to self-medication, demonstrating continued consumption of medicines but also a reduction in this practice. These data help identify behavioral changes promoted by stressful periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic and provide opportunities to implement health education actions to reinforce self-medication’s danger.

Air pollution remains a major global public health concern, with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) recognized as an important environmental risk factor for lung cancer. This ecological study assessed lung cancer mortality attributable to long-term PM2.5 exposure in the 26 Brazilian state capitals and the Federal District (Brasília) from 2014 to 2023. Annual mean PM2.5 concentrations were estimated using reanalysis-based PM2.5 concentration estimates and atmospheric reanalysis data, ensuring consistent spatial and temporal coverage. Mortality data were obtained from the Brazilian Mortality Information System (SIM/DATASUS). Health impacts attributable to PM2.5 exposure were estimated using the World Health Organization’s AirQ+ model, based on exposure–response functions from the Global Burden of Disease framework. During the study period, 97.41% of annual PM2.5 means exceeded the WHO Air Quality Guideline of 5 µg/m3, and 28.52% surpassed the current Brazilian regulatory limit. Higher concentrations were observed mainly in capitals from the North and Southeast regions, reflecting the influence of biomass burning, urbanization, and regional atmospheric processes. Approximately 13.56% of lung cancer deaths in Brazilian capitals were attributable to PM2.5 exposure, with the highest absolute numbers concentrated in the Southeast region. These findings demonstrate a substantial and spatially heterogeneous lung cancer burden associated with urban air pollution in Brazil and highlight the need for strengthened air quality management and targeted urban public health policies.

Air pollution, particularly particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10), poses a significant environmental health risk globally. This study evaluates the predictive performance of three machine learning algorithms, Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), and Random Forest (RF), for forecasting particulate matter concentrations in four Brazilian cities (Porto Alegre, Recife, Goiânia, and Belém), which share similar demographic and urbanization characteristics but differ in geographic and climatic conditions. Using data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, daily concentrations of PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 were modeled based on meteorological variables, including air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and accumulated precipitation. The models were tested under two climate change scenarios (+2 °C and +4 °C temperature increases). The results indicate that RF consistently outperformed the other models, achieving low RMSE values, around 0.3 µg/m3, across all cities, regardless of their geographic and climatic differences. KNN showed stable performance under moderate temperature increases (+2 °C) but exhibited higher errors under more extreme warming, while SVM demonstrated higher sensitivity to temperature changes, leading to greater variability in bivariate contexts. However, in multivariate contexts, SVM adjusted better, improving its predictive performance by accounting for the combined influence of multiple meteorological variables. These findings underscore the importance of selecting suitable machine learning models, with RF proving to be the most robust approach for particulate matter prediction across diverse environmental contexts. This study contributes valuable insights for the development of region-specific air quality management strategies in the face of climate change.

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is valued for its fibers and nutrient-rich seeds, which are increasingly consumed for their health benefits. However, flaxseeds can also accumulate potentially toxic elements (PTEs), raising concerns about safety. This study quantified 11 essential elements (e.g., Ca, Fe, Mg, and Zn) and 9 PTEs (e.g., Al, Cd, Pb, and Ni) in commercial flaxseed samples using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry. Two intake scenarios (15 g/day and 30 g/day) were analyzed to estimate dietary exposure, with health risks assessed through the target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI). The results showed that organic flaxseeds had higher levels of certain elements (e.g., Cu, K, and Pb), while Al and Ni were more abundant in conventional samples. Cadmium levels in both remained below the EU regulatory limit. The highest estimated daily intakes were for K, Mg, and Ca, highlighting the seeds’ nutritional value. However, HI values suggested that Al and Pb could pose health risks. These findings emphasize flaxseeds’ dual nature as both beneficial and potentially harmful, particularly given the lack of specific regulatory limits and limited data on elemental composition. Continued monitoring and risk assessment are recommended to safeguard public health.

Fish are an important food and economic source in the Amazon region. However, several researches report high levels of mercury, mainly methylmercury (MeHg), in these animals. MeHg is capable of biomagnifying in the ecosystem and negatively affect human health. Amazon region is recognized for its great diversity of fish species and high daily consumption of fish, extremely vulnerable to the toxic effects of MeHg. Therefore, this study aimed to carried out a systematic review on MeHg in Amazon fishes by their eating habits and estimate the human exposure of MeHg by fish consumption. The search was carried out according to registered search protocol in the electronic databases PubMed/Medline and Web of Science. After screening selection, only five studies were included in this review. Carnivore/piscivore fishes showed the highest concentrations of MeHg (0.51±0.37 mg kg−1), followed by planktivores/iliophages (0.45±0.32 mg kg−1). Herbivore fish have the lowest MeHg concentration (0.11±0.09 mg kg−1). Both indexes (estimated weekly intake-EWI and provisional tolerable weekly intake-PTWI) were higher among women. EWI/PTWI ratio was higher than 1 for all eating habits, suggesting a risk to MeHg associated with the consumption of fish in the region, with higher rates in carnivorous/piscivorous fish, which may cause serious health problems to Amazon population. Thus, it is necessary to establish public politics to minimize exposure to MeHg in this region and to guarantee food and nutritional security.

The aim of this study was to verify the prevalence of use of psychoactive substances (PS) and its associated factors in undergraduate students of a university in southern Brazil. The study was carried out with 830 undergraduate students in the year 2016. The individuals answered a self-administered questionnaire about the PS and its prevalence of daily use, in the last 30 days or at any time of their lives, as well as socioeconomic conditions and academic variables. Caffeine-based energy drinks was the most consumed psychoactive substance (96.3%) among undergraduates in the last 30 days, followed by alcohol (64.0%). Among the illicit drugs most consumed in the last 30 days was marijuana (17.3%), while anxiolytics and amphetamines were the most prevalent psychoactive medicaments in the last 30 days. The prevalence of lifetime illicit drugs used by these students was 41.5%, where we highlight besides marijuana (38.6%) the high consumption of cocaine (7.8%), ecstasy (9.3%) and solvents. Socioeconomic and demographic factors such as gender, have children, religion, and financial background as well as academic variables were associated to recent consumption of these substances. This study concluded there is a high prevalence of use of PS among the undergraduate students, including illicit drugs.