Airborne Exposure to Pollutants and Mental Health: A Review with Implications for United States Veterans

Hoisington, Andrew J.; Stearns-Yoder, Kelly A.; Kovacs, Elizabeth J.; Postolache, Teodor T.; Brenner, Lisa A.

doi:10.1007/s40572-024-00437-8

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 183 publications

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“…It contributes to absenteeism, unemployment, and lower productivity [ 73 , 74 ]. Mental health is also negatively influenced by both airborne exposure and dry eye disease [ 75 , 76 ]. Billions of USD in direct and indirect economic costs have been documented [ 77 , 78 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Assessment of the Ocular Toxicity of Two Major Sources of Environmental Exposure

Rauchman,

Kasselman,

Srivastava

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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The effect of airborne exposure on the eye surface is an area in need of exploration, particularly in light of the increasing number of incidents occurring in both civilian and military settings. In this study, in silico methods based on a platform comprising a portfolio of software applications and a technology ecosystem are used to test potential surface ocular toxicity in data presented from Iraqi burn pits and the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. The purpose of this analysis is to gain a better understanding of the long-term impact of such an exposure to the ocular surface and the manifestation of surface irritation, including dry eye disease. In silico methods were used to determine ocular irritation to chemical compounds. A list of such chemicals was introduced from a number of publicly available sources for burn pits and train derailment. The results demonstrated high ocular irritation scores for some chemicals present in these exposure events. Such an analysis is designed to provide guidance related to the needed ophthalmologic care and follow-up in individuals who have been in proximity to burn pits or the train derailment and those who will experience future toxic exposure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Assessment of the Ocular Toxicity of Two Major Sources of Environmental Exposure

Rauchman,

Kasselman,

Srivastava

et al. 2024

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Some of these conditions include congenital heart defects from those exposed to chromium-contaminated drinking water during pregnancy and in-utero development of clubfoot-a malformation that occurs due to a mutation along the neuromuscular unit (49). There also exists an increased prevalence of mental health concerns among those on the AHOBPR but unfortunately, the effects of which are highly underrepresented in veteran-related research and medicine (50). Despite research divulging the potential implications of burn pit exposure on neurological and other health concerns, most studies indicate the importance of needing more research to link many of these negative health outcomes to chronic burn pit emission exposure.…”

Section: Neurological and Other Health Concerns From Chronic Burn Pit...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Burn pit exposure in military personnel and the potential resulting lung and neurological pathologies

Penuelas,

2024

Front. Environ. Health

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IntroductionMilitary personnel and local civilians at various deployment locations are plagued with serious health conditions. Evidence points to burn pit emissions as the cause of these pathologies; however, similar diseases are also caused by environmental exposures, smoking, genetic predispositions, or other comorbidities. Burn pits, which are large smoldering piles of refuse ignited with jet or diesel fuel, contain human and medical waste as well as paint, plastics, ammunition, and other materials—each of which can be attributed to health concerns in other industrial settings. Here we compare various pathologies attributable to toxic aerosol exposures and discuss distinct pathologies that may be linked to burn pit exposures.ObjectivesWe performed a literature review where we provide information on toxic exposures that may pose relevance to burn pit exposure and furthermore, highlight what is already known about burn pit exposures and what steps need to be taken to diagnose and correlate certain respiratory pathologies to chronic exposure from overseas burn pits.Data sourcesWe conducted searches through PubMed and Google Scholar to determine where gaps in our knowledge of burn pit exposure lie. Thorough review on jet-fuel properties and particulate matter were performed as supporting evidence of potential toxins from burn pit emissions.ResultsTo date, studies on burn pit emissions consist mainly of systematic reviews and discussions to address the problem, with very few acute-exposure studies and little to no chronic-exposure studies. We found that symptoms range from respiratory pathologies to neurological deficits, but treatment has been limited as medical facilities, such as the Veterans Administration (VA), require proof that a condition is service-connected.ConclusionsTo determine the effects of burn pit exposure on humans, chronic exposure to mimicked burn pit emissions is necessary to draw definitive conclusions between phenotypic differences in pathologies linked to exposure. By determining phenotypic differences, conclusions can be made about the pathologic origins, potentially leading to future diagnoses and treatments for veterans and affected civilians.

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Acute Neurobehavioral and Glial Responses to Explosion Gas Inhalation in Rats

Liu,

Gao,

Wang

et al. 2024

Environmental Toxicology

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Military personnel, firefighters, and fire survivors exhibit a higher prevalence of mental health conditions such as depression and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) compared to the general population. While numerous studies have examined the neurological impacts of physical trauma and psychological stress, research on acute neurobehavioral effects of gas inhalation from explosions or fires is limited. This study investigates the early‐stage neurobehavioral and neuronal consequences of acute explosion gas inhalation in Sprague–Dawley rats. Rats were exposed to simulated explosive gas and subsequently assessed using behavioral tests and neurobiological analyses. The high‐dose exposure group demonstrated significant depression‐like behaviors, including reduced mobility and exploration. However, neuronal damage was not evident in histological analyses. Immunofluorescence revealed increased density of radial glia and oligodendrocytes in specific brain regions, suggesting hypoxia and axon damage induced by gas inhalation as a potential mechanism for the observed neurobehavioral changes. These findings underscore the acute impact of explosion gas inhalation on mental health, highlighting the habenula and dentate gyrus of hippocampus as the possible target regions. The findings are expected to support early diagnosis and treatment strategies for brain injuries caused by explosion gas, offering insights into early intervention for depression and PTSD in affected populations.

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Airborne Exposure to Pollutants and Mental Health: A Review with Implications for United States Veterans

Cited by 6 publications

References 183 publications

An Assessment of the Ocular Toxicity of Two Major Sources of Environmental Exposure

An Assessment of the Ocular Toxicity of Two Major Sources of Environmental Exposure

Burn pit exposure in military personnel and the potential resulting lung and neurological pathologies

Acute Neurobehavioral and Glial Responses to Explosion Gas Inhalation in Rats

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