Indoor Exposure to Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals and Asthma in School-Aged Children: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

The use of synthetic chemicals in many industrial and agricultural areas causes environmental pollution on a large scale. Known as one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are being released into the environment at an exponential rate due to increasing population, expanding industrial activity, and increasing agricultural practices. Persistent EDCs, which consist of pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides, surfactants, and several industrial chemicals, have hydrophobic and lipophilic properties that enable them to accumulate in the human body. The effects of EDCs on the body are multifaceted and can affect a wide variety of systems and functions. The extent to which these effects occur depends on several variables, including the type of EDCs, the dose and duration of exposure, and the sensitivity of the individual. Since children spend most of their time indoors, they are largely exposed to these chemicals. For this reason, various diseases such as asthma are frequently encountered in young children. The factors that determine the emergence of asthma can be observed in a wide range, from genetics to lifestyle and environmental factors. Environmental factors stand out among the reasons for regional differences in asthma prevalence and recently increasing rates. However, the importance of these factors is still not well known. This study examines the association between exposure to EDCs (Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), alkylphenols and their ethoxylated) in indoor dust and the development of school-aged children's asthma in Türkiye, Ankara. This research is the first study in the region, focusing on dust sample analyses from the homes of 110 case (asthmatic) and 130 control (non-asthmatic) children. By using several statistical analyses such as the Spearman correlation test, Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance and the Positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, we gained a comprehensive understanding of the data, identifying significant differences and factors contributing to those differences. According to the results, 4-5-6 ring PAHs were linked with traffic emissions, likely due to proximity to the main street. 2 and 3-ring PAHs showed associations with different factors, including the heating system, and smoking at home. Household activities and proximity to main streets have been found to have an impact on PCB concentrations. Newly purchased electronics and children's beds produced of wood or plastic had the highest levels of PBDEs. The study also showed that the amount of alkylphenol ethoxylates in dust is highly influenced by household practices and living circumstances. In this study used logistic regression models to examine the impact of family lifestyle and environmental conditions and selected EDCs on the risk of asthma in children. When odd ratio values are examined, living on the first or lower floors, using wallpaper as wall covering, not having a separate kitchen and owning a pet, living in older houses, having more than 4 people at home, frying food two or more times a week, smoking at home, using new furniture, frequency of detergent use, and using wool in the child's bed may affect the development of asthma. The results of this study reveal that environmental factors affect the development and severity of asthma.