Marília Cristina Oliveira Souza

1. According to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, alcohol use represents the leading risk factor for disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) in the 25–49-ye...

Dietary exposure to pesticide mixtures is recognized as an important food safety challenge worldwide, particularly in countries with intensive agricultural production. Regulatory monitoring programs focus primarily on compliance with maximum residue limits (MRLs), whereas cumulative exposure to pesticide mixtures remains insufficiently addressed. This study investigated the occurrence of eleven currently used pesticides in 20 commonly consumed plant-based foods (60 samples) marketed in Brazil and assessed regulatory compliance and human health risks associated with dietary exposure. Residues were determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, and concentrations were compared with Brazilian MRLs and crop authorization status. Risk characterization included the hazard quotient (HQ), the hazard index (HI), and the carcinogenic risk (CRisk), estimated using cumulative assessment groups based on shared toxicological targets. Multiple residues were detected across all commodities, with chlorpyrifos, pirimiphos, imidacloprid, malathion, and fipronil most frequently associated with non-compliant samples. Several residues corresponded to pesticides not authorized for the respective crops, suggesting misuse, environmental contamination, or compliance failures; imidacloprid exceeded its MRL in zucchini by more than 70-fold. The carcinogenic risk from atrazine remained below accepted thresholds. In contrast, cumulative non-carcinogenic risk identified cassava, strawberry, and spinach as the commodities of greatest concern, with an HI of 3.16 for cassava. Fipronil residues drove these results, accounting for 83–99% of the cumulative hazard. These findings indicate that regulatory compliance alone may not capture the health risks of pesticide mixtures. Strengthened monitoring, improved traceability, and cumulative risk approaches are needed to protect consumer health and support evidence-based regulation.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous combustion-derived contaminants that represent a significant cross-cutting threat to human, animal, and environmental health. Viewed through an explicit One Health lens, this review shows how the shared combustion sources, evolutionarily conserved toxicological mechanisms, and food-web linkages connecting environmental contamination to wildlife and human exposure justify an integrated, cross-domain approach to PAH risk assessment and management. PAHs are generated predominantly through incomplete combustion of organic materials and are globally distributed through atmospheric transport, aquatic runoff, and food-web transfer, persisting in soils and sediments for decades. The present review synthesizes current knowledge on PAHs through an explicit One Health lens, examining shared sources, environmental fate, and convergent health effects across species and health domains, while also highlighting the need to move beyond the classical US EPA priority PAHs to include high-molecular-weight PAHs (>302 Da), alkylated homologues, and transformation products such as oxy- and nitro-PAHs. Common pathways such as dietary intake of grilled and smoked foods, inhalation of contaminated air, and occupational exposure create parallel toxicological burdens in both human and wildlife populations, particularly through genotoxic mechanisms mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation and CYP1A1/CYP1B1-catalyzed bioactivation to reactive diol epoxides. The resulting DNA adduct formation links environmental PAH exposure to carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, immunosuppression, and developmental impairment across vertebrate species with remarkable mechanistic consistency. Wildlife, especially fish, marine mammals, and seabirds, serve as critical sentinels for environmental PAH contamination, while simultaneously facing direct health impacts on immune function, reproduction, and population viability. Vulnerable human populations, including children, subsistence communities, occupational workers, and residents near combustion-intensive industries, bear disproportionate burdens reflecting underlying environmental justice concerns. Integrated intervention strategies encompassing source control, dietary exposure reduction, site remediation, and coordinated biomonitoring are urgently needed. By incorporating emerging PAH classes with distinct persistence, trophic behavior, and toxicological potency, the One Health paradigm provides a more comprehensive conceptual framework for modern environmental surveillance, food safety, and integrated risk assessment, recognizing that the health of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is inseparable from that of the animals and humans within them.

The widespread use of diisopentyl phthalate (DiPP) in plastics and consumer products has raised concerns due to its potential endocrine-disrupting effects and detection in human biological samples, including pregnant women. This research focused on the toxicity of chronic DiPP exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations (31.25, 62.5, and 125 µg/L) in adult female zebrafish (Danio rerio) by focusing on reproduction, metabolism, and neurobehavior. The DiPP concentrations in the tank water were analytically confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Chronic DiPP exposure caused oxidative stress at 125 µg/L, indicated by dysregulated antioxidant gene (nrf2a, nfe2l2b, sod, and cat; upregulation in the brain; downregulation in the liver). An increase in the proportion of mature follicles, dysregulation of estrogen signaling genes, and changes in ovarian morphology were also observed. Metabolic analyses revealed alterations in lipid and glucose homeostasis, alongside upregulation of hepatic apoptotic markers and detoxification pathway genes. DiPP also caused anxiety-like behavior and reduced social interaction without motor impairment. Collectively, DiPP caused multi-system toxicity at environmentally relevant concentrations, causing adverse effects on reproduction, metabolism, and neurobehavioral processes in female zebrafish.

Dioxins are legacy and persistent environmental pollutants that pose complex and far-reaching risks to human, animal, and ecosystem health. As unintentional byproducts of industrial and combustion processes, dioxins accumulate in the environment, biomagnify through food webs, and exert toxic effects even at low concentrations. This review applies a One Health lens to synthesize current knowledge on dioxin sources, environmental fate, exposure pathways, and toxicological impacts across species. We have critically examined existing surveillance systems, regulatory frameworks, and policy responses, highlighting both achievements and persistent gaps. A fully integrated One Health approach, linking environmental, animal, and human health domains, is essential for effective monitoring, risk assessment, and mitigation. It includes cross-sectoral collaboration, harmonized biomonitoring, evidence-based policy interventions, and transparent risk communication. Emerging evidence on climate-driven dioxin remobilization and microplastic interactions further underscores the urgency of adaptive, system-based strategies. Strengthening global capacity through such integrative approaches is vital to safeguard planetary health from these enduring contaminants. Quantitative insights and illustrative examples support these conclusions.