BACKGROUND: The few studies that have investigated the relationship between emissions from municipal solid-waste incinerators and adverse pregnancy outcomes have had conflicting results. We conducted a study to assess the effects of air emissions from the eight incinerators currently in operation in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy on reproductive outcomes (sex ratio, multiple births, preterm births, and small for gestational age [SGA] births). METHODS: We considered all births (n = 21,517) to women residing within a 4-km radius of an incinerator at the time of delivery during the period 2003-2010 who were successfully linked to the Delivery Certificate database. This source also provided information on maternal characteristics and deliveries. Each newborn was georeferenced and characterized by a specific level of exposure to incinerator emissions, categorized in quintiles of PM10, and other sources of pollution (NOx quartiles), evaluated by means of ADMS-Urban system dispersion models. We ran logistic regression models for each outcome, adjusting for exposure to other pollution sources and maternal covariates. RESULTS: Incinerator pollution was not associated with sex ratio, multiple births, or frequency of SGA. Preterm delivery increased with increasing exposure (test for trend, P < 0.001); for the highest versus the lowest quintile exposure, the odds ratio was 1.30 (95% confidence interval = 1.08-1.57). A similar trend was observed for very preterm babies. Several sensitivity analyses did not alter these results. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal exposure to incinerator emissions, even at very low levels, was associated with preterm delivery.
BACKGROUND: The few studies that have investigated the relationship between emissions from municipal solid-waste incinerators and adverse pregnancy outcomes have had conflicting results. We conducted a study to assess the effects of air emissions from the eight incinerators currently in operation in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy on reproductive outcomes (sex ratio, multiple births, preterm births, and small for gestational age [SGA] births). METHODS: We considered all births (n = 21,517) to women residing within a 4-km radius of an incinerator at the time of delivery during the period 2003-2010 who were successfully linked to the Delivery Certificate database. This source also provided information on maternal characteristics and deliveries. Each newborn was georeferenced and characterized by a specific level of exposure to incinerator emissions, categorized in quintiles of PM10, and other sources of pollution (NOx quartiles), evaluated by means of ADMS-Urban system dispersion models. We ran logistic regression models for each outcome, adjusting for exposure to other pollution sources and maternal covariates. RESULTS: Incinerator pollution was not associated with sex ratio, multiple births, or frequency of SGA. Preterm delivery increased with increasing exposure (test for trend, P < 0.001); for the highest versus the lowest quintile exposure, the odds ratio was 1.30 (95% confidence interval = 1.08-1.57). A similar trend was observed for very preterm babies. Several sensitivity analyses did not alter these results. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal exposure to incinerator emissions, even at very low levels, was associated with preterm delivery.
Authors: Kaylon L Bruner-Tran; Juan Gnecco; Tianbing Ding; Dana R Glore; Virginia Pensabene; Kevin G Osteen Journal: Reprod Toxicol Date: 2016-07-14 Impact factor: 3.143
Authors: Kaylon L Bruner-Tran; Tianbing Ding; Kallie B Yeoman; Anthony Archibong; Joe A Arosh; Kevin G Osteen Journal: PLoS One Date: 2014-08-15 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Shilpa Mokshagundam; Tianbing Ding; Jelonia T Rumph; Madison Dallas; Victoria R Stephens; Kevin G Osteen; Kaylon L Bruner-Tran Journal: Birth Defects Res Date: 2020-06-09 Impact factor: 2.661
Authors: Philippa Douglas; Anna Freni-Sterrantino; Maria Leal Sanchez; Danielle C Ashworth; Rebecca E Ghosh; Daniela Fecht; Anna Font; Marta Blangiardo; John Gulliver; Mireille B Toledano; Paul Elliott; Kees de Hoogh; Gary W Fuller; Anna L Hansell Journal: Environ Sci Technol Date: 2017-06-16 Impact factor: 9.028