Suchergebnisse

11 páginas, 4 figuras, 6 tablas. ; Prenatal levels of organohalogen compounds (OHCs), including polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), hexachlorocyclohexanes and DDTs have been investigated in two different cohorts from the Spanish Mediterranean area, Valencia and Menorca, by analysis of cord blood serum. Comparison of the observed median concentrations to other cohorts show low PBDE levels (2.8-6.8 ng/g lipid) but high values of HCB (0.68 ng/ml, 260 ng/g lipid) and PCBs (0.65 ng/ml, 240 ng/g lipid) in the cohort of Menorca indicating that Mediterranean areas, and not only high latitude regions, may contain population groups highly exposed to some of these pollutants. Significant differences in the concentrations of these compounds have been found between the two cohorts. Differences in maternal population such as age or body mass index cannot explain this variation. One possible cause of variability is the seven year time period elapsed between the two cohort recruitments but the strong differences observed do not allow exclusion of local diet differences. Thus, the different average PCB congener distributions between the two cohorts suggests an influence from materials containing diverse PCB mixtures. The congener mixtures found in Menorca could reflect a diet contribution from some western Mediterranean fish species. These results provide baseline information on prenatal OHC background levels in the Mediterranean area. ; The authors are grateful to the mothers who participated in the study and to Hospital La Fe. Funding was received from the Spanish Ministry of Health and Ministry of Science and Innovation (INMA G03/176, Consolider Ingenio GRACCIE, CSD2007-00067, FIS-FEDER: 03/1615, 04/1112, 04/1509, 04/1666, 05/1987, 06/1213 and 09/2647), Council of Health from the Autonomous Valencian Government (Generalitat Valenciana), Fundacio Roger Torne and ArcRisk EU Project (FP7-ENV-2008-1-226534). ; Peer reviewed

PM10 was collected during an EMEP winter campaign of 2017-2018 in two urban background sites in Barcelona (BCN) and Granada (GRA), two Mediterranean cities in the coast and inland, respectively. The concentrations of PM10, organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), and organic molecular tracer compounds such as hopanes, anhydro-saccharides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and several biogenic and anthropogenic markers of secondary organic aerosols (SOA) were two times higher in GRA compared to BCN and related to the atmospheric mixing heights in the areas. Multivariate curve resolution (MCR-ALS) source apportionment analysis identified primary emissions sources (traffic + biomass burning) that were responsible for the 50% and 20% of the organic aerosol contributions in Granada and Barcelona, respectively. The contribution of biomass burning was higher in the holidays than in the working days in GRA while all primary combustion emissions decreased in holidays in BCN. The MCR-ALS identified that oxidative species and SOA formation processes contributed to 40% and 80% in Granada and Barcelona, respectively. Aged SOA was dominant in Granada and Barcelona under stagnant atmospheric conditions and in presence of air pollution. On the other hand, fresh SOA contributions from α-pinene oxidation (cis-pinonic acid) were three times higher in Barcelona than Granada and could be related to new particle formation, essentially due to overall cleaner air conditions and elevated air temperatures. ; Financial support for this study was provided by the Cooperative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-Range Transmission of Air Pollution in Europe (EMEP) and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research project ACTRIS2 (654109) and supported by research projects from the Plan Nacional de IyD of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation INTEMPOL (PGC2018-102288-B-I00), HOUSE (CGL2016-78594-R), and BioCloud (RTI2018.101154.A.I00). IDAEA-CSIC is a Severo Ochoa Centre of Research Excellence (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, CEX2018-000794-S). ; Peer reviewed

8 pages, 4 pages.-- PMID: 19797353 [PubMed].-- Printed version published Nov 2009. ; While KRAS activation is a fundamental initiating event in the aetiopathogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), environmental factors influencing the occurrence and persistence of KRAS mutations remain largely unknown. The objective was to test the hypothesis that in PDA there are aetiopathogenic relationships among concentrations of some organochlorine compounds (OCs) and the mutational status of the KRAS oncogene, as well as among the latter and coffee intake. Incident cases of PDA were interviewed and had blood drawn at hospital admission (N = 103). OCs were measured by high-resolution gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Cases whose tumours harboured a KRAS mutation had higher concentrations of p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 138, 153 and 180 than cases with wild-type KRAS, but differences were statistically significant only for p,p′-DDT and PCBs 138 and 153. The association between coffee intake and KRAS mutations remained significant (P-trend < 0.015) when most OCs where accounted for. When p,p′-DDT, PCB 153, coffee and alcohol intake were included in the same model, all were associated with KRAS (P = 0.042, 0.007, 0.016 and 0.025, respectively). p,p′-DDT, p,p′-DDE and PCB 138 were significantly associated with the two most prevalent KRAS mutations (Val and Asp). OCs and coffee may have independent roles in the aetiopathogenesis of PDA through modulation of KRAS activation, acquisition or persistence, plausibly through non-genotoxic or epigenetic mechanisms. Given that KRAS mutations are the most frequent abnormality of oncogenes in human cancers, and the lifelong accumulation of OCs in humans, refutation or replication of the findings is required before any implications are assessed. ; Government of Catalonia (2009 SGR 1350); 'Red temática de investigación cooperativa de centros en Cáncer' (C03/10); 'Red temática de investigación cooperativa de centros en Epidemiología y salud pública' (C03/09); CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Government of Spain. ; Peer reviewed

Objective: To present and evaluate simple, cost-effective tests to determine the amount of insecticide on treated materials. Methods: We developed and evaluated a competitive immunoassay on two different platforms: a label-free impedimetric biosensor (EIS biosensor) and a lateral flow. Both approaches were validated by gas chromatography (GC) and ELISA, gold standards for analytical methods and immunoassays, respectively. Finally, commercially available pyrethroid-treated ITN samples were analysed. Different extraction methods were evaluated. Results: Insecticide extraction by direct infusion of the ITN samples with dichloromethane and dioxane showed recovery efficiencies around 100% for insecticide-coated bednets, and >70% for insecticide-incorporated bednets. These results were comparable to those obtained with standard sonication methods. The competitive immunoassay characterisation with ELISA presented a dynamic range between 12 nm and 1.5 μm (coefficient of variation (CV) below 5%), with an IC50 at 138 nm, and a limit of detection (LOD) of 3.2 nm. EIS biosensor had a linear range between 1.7 nm and 61 nm (CV around 14%), with an IC50 at 10.4 nm, and a LOD of 0.6 nm. Finally, the lateral flow approach showed a dynamic range between 150 nm and 1.5 μm, an IC50 at 505 nm and a LOD of 67 nm. Conclusions: ELISA can replace chromatography as an accurate laboratory technique to determine insecticide concentration in bednets. The lateral flow approach developed can be used to estimate ITN insecticide concentration in the field. This new technology, coupled to the new extraction methods, should provide reliable guidelines for ITN use and replacement in the field. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd ; Project funded by the CERCA Institutes Integration Program (SUMA 2013) [promoted and managed by the Secretariat for Universities and Research of the Ministry Economy and Knowledge of the Government of Catalonia (SUR), the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) and the CERCA Institute]. The research performed has also count with the support of the EC-FP7 SEA-ON A CHIP project (FP7-OCEAN-2013-1-614168). The Nb4D group is a consolidated research group (Grup de Recerca) of the Generalitat de Catalunya and has support from the Departament d'Universitats, Recerca i Societat de la Informaci? de la Generalitat de Catalunya (expedient: 2014 SGR 1484). CIBER-BBN is an initiative funded by the Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2013?2016, Iniciativa Ingenio 2010, Consolider Program, CIBER Actions are financed by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III with assistance from the European Regional Development Fund. The authors would like to thank Professor Bruce Hammock and Shirley Gee, from the Department of Entomology of University of California Davis, for providing the immunoreagents for deltamethrin detection used in this study. Interceptor and LifeNet bednets were kindly provided by BASF and BAYER, respectively. ; Peer reviewed

Objective: To investigate the possible association between birth size or gestational length and maternal serum concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in a population exposed to background levels. Methods: A total of 1568 mother-child pairs recruited in three Spanish areas (INMA Project) from 2004 to 2008 participated in the study. Multivariate analysis was performed between birth weight and length, weeks of gestation, preterm birth or small for gestational age and HCB concentrations in maternal serum. Results: The median concentration of HCB was 45.45. ng/g lipids. No association was found between HCB exposure levels and birth weight (β 50.42 [109.88; 9.04]), birth length (β: 0.07 [0.32; 0.18]), gestation age (HR: 1.07 [0.94; 1.22]), small for gestational age (OR: 0.95 [0.56; 1.61]) and preterm birth (OR: 0.60 [0.29; 1.28]). Results remain similar after adjustment for other organochlorines. Conclusion: Our findings support the idea that exposure to low levels of HCB does not affect the intrauterine growth nor the duration of gestation. ; a Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, Basque Government, Spain b Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain c Health Research Institute, Biodonostia, San Sebastián, Spain d University of the Basque Country, Spain e Unit of Environment and Health, Centre for Public Health Research (CSISP), Valencia, Spain f University of Valencia, Spain g Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain h Public Health Laboratory, Basque Government, Spain i Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain j University of Granada, San Cecilio Universitary Hospital, Granada, Spain ; No

Urinary metabolites of organophosphate (OP) and pyrethroid (PYR) pesticides from seven years old children of a birth cohort study (n=199; PHIME cohort of Trieste, Italy) have been measured. Six OP and two PYR metabolites have been investigated, 2-diethylamino-6-methylpyrimidin-4-ol (DEAMPY, pirimiphos metabolite) was the one found at higher concentrations, median 3.4 ng/mL specific gravity adjusted (SG adjusted), followed by 4-nitrophenol (PNP, median 1.4 ng/mL SG adjusted) and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (TCPY, median 0.36 ng/mL SG adjusted), parathion and chlorpyriphos metabolites, respectively. TCPY concentrations were low in comparison to other distributions of OP metabolites in children from other studies. Accordingly, the PHIME cohort showed a distinct OP metabolite distribution with high concentrations of pirimiphos and parathion. Another specific characteristic of this cohort was the high concentration of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-BPA, median 0.36 ng/mL SG adjusted), a general metabolite of PYR pesticides. Evaluation of anthropometric and socio-demographic characteristics of children and families only showed a positive association between family educational level and urinary concentrations of DEAMPY metabolite (p<0.05), which could reflect distinct dietary habits depending on the educational level. Estimated daily intakes were evaluated, all studied metabolites were found within safe levels. © 2019 Elsevier Inc. ; Authors are grateful to the women who participated in our study as well as the people who helped in the recruitment in the different countries. This work was supported by the EU through its Sixth Framework Programme for RTD project PHIME (contract no FOOD-CT-2006- 016253), by GRANT LIFE 2012 ENV/GR/001040 "Crome Life - Cross Mediterranean Environment and Health Network", by European Union projects HEALS (FP7-ENV-2013- 603946) and Neurosome (H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017 SEP-210411486), by RC 12/12 of Institute for Maternal and Child Health -IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo" – Trieste – Italy funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. ; Peer reviewed

8 pages, 3 tables.-- PMID: 16911019 [PubMed]. ; The INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente [Environment and Childhood]) is a population-based cohort study in different Spanish cities, that focuses on prenatal environmental exposures and growth, development and health from early fetal life until childhood. The study focuses on five primary areas of research: (1) growth and physical development; (2) behavioural and cognitive development; (3) asthma and allergies; (4) sexual and reproductive development; and (5) environmental exposure pathways. The general aims of the project are: (1) to describe the degree of individual prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants, and the internal dose of chemicals during pregnancy, at birth and during childhood in Spain; (2) to evaluate the impact of the exposure to different contaminants on fetal and infant growth, health and development; (3) to evaluate the role of diet on fetal and infant growth, health and development; and (4) to evaluate the interaction between persistent pollutants, nutrients and genetic determinants on fetal and infant growth, health and development ; Extensive assessments will be carried out on 3100 pregnant women and children. Data will be collected by physical examinations, questionnaires, interviews, ultrasound and biological samples. Pregnant women are being assessed at 12, 20 and 32 weeks of gestation to collect information about environmental exposures and fetal growth. The children will be followed until the age of 4 years. ; We are grateful to all the mothers, their partners and the children who are taking part in the INMA Study, and to the midwives, obstetricians and paediatricians for their co-operation and help in recruitment and following up of the cohorts. This study could not have been undertaken without the financial support of the 'Instituto de Salud Carlos III' (G03/176) and 'RCESP' (C03/09). This study has also been supported in part by the 'Fundació "La Caixa"' for the Ribera d'Ebre cohort (97/009-00 and 00/077-00), the 'Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria' for the Valencia cohort (FIS 031615), the Menorca cohort (97/0588 and 00/0021-02), Asturias cohort (PI04-2018) and other PI04-1436, PI041509, PI041705, PI041666, PI041931, PI 04/2646, and the European Union Commission (QLK4-1999-01422) and Junta de Andalucía SAS (202/04) for the Granada cohort, and the Menorca cohort (QLK4-2000-00263). ; Peer reviewed

Our aim was to investigate the relation between PBDEs and fetal growth or newborn anthropometry in a Spanish cohort (2003-2008). PBDE congeners (BDE-47, -99, -153, -154, and -209) were determined in serum of 670 mothers at gestational week 12 and in 534 umbilical cord samples. Abdominal circumference (AC), estimated fetal weight (EFW), femur length (FL), and biparietal diameter (BPD) during gestation were measured by ultrasounds. At birth, weight (BW), head circumference (HC), and length (BL) were also measured. We assessed growth in the intervals between 12-20 and 20-34 weeks of gestation and size at birth by standard deviation (SD)-scores adjusted for constitutional characteristics. We conducted multivariate linear regression analyses between PBDE congeners and their sum (ΣPBDEs) and outcomes. We found statistically significant inverse associations between ΣPBDEs and AC, EFW, and BPD at weeks 20-34 and HC at birth. Regarding congeners, the association was clearer with BDE-99, with inverse associations being found with AC, EFW, and BPD at weeks 20-34, and with BW and HC at delivery. These outcomes decreased between 1.3% and 3.5% for each 2-fold PBDE increase. Concerning matrices, we found statistically significant inverse associations with BPD, HC, and BW when using maternal serum, and for AC and EFW with cord serum. In conclusion, PBDEs may impair fetal growth in late pregnancy and reduce birth size. © 2015 American Chemical Society. ; The authors are grateful to mothers who participated in the study and to San Agustin Hospital in Aviles and La Fe Hospital in Valencia. This work was supported by grants from the European Union (FP7-ENV-2011 cod 282957 and HEALTH.2010.2.4.5-1), and grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III in Spain (Red INMA G03/176, CB06/02/0041, and FIS-FEDER PI03/1615, PI04/1509, PI04/1112, PI04/1931, PI04/2018, PI05/1079, PI05/1052, PI06/1213, PI07/0314, PI09/02647, PI09/02311, PI11/01007, PI11/02591, PI11/02038, MS11/0178, PI13/1944, PI13/02429, PI14/00891, and PI14/01687), Conselleria de Sanitat of the Generalitat Valenciana, Obra Social Cajastur and University of Oviedo. ; Peer reviewed

Many countries and regional political unions have regulatory and policy frameworks for managing chemicals and waste associated with human activities to minimize harms to human health and the environment. These frameworks are complemented and expanded by joint international action, particularly related to pollutants that undergo long-range transport via air, water, and biota; move across national borders through international trade of resources, products, and waste; or are present in many countries (1). Some progress has been made, but the Global Chemicals Outlook (GCO-II) from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (1) has called for "strengthen[ing] the science-policy interface and the use of science in monitoring progress, priority-setting, and policy-making throughout the life cycle of chemicals and waste." With the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) soon meeting to discuss how to strengthen the science-policy interface on chemicals and waste (2), we analyze the landscape and outline recommendations for establishing an overarching body on chemicals and waste. The world has seen a tremendous increase in the amount and variety of chemicals in use, with continuous growth expected; global chemical sales reached over US$5.6 trillion in 2017 and are projected to almost double by 2030 (1). Similar trends are also true for waste generation; for example, global plastic waste entering the ocean is estimated to increase from 4.8 to 12.7 million tonnes in 2010 to some 100 to 250 million tonnes by 2025 (1). When chemicals and waste are poorly managed, not only are valuable resources lost, but chemical pollution can cause a wide range of adverse effects on human and ecosystem health at local, regional, and global levels. The latest Global Burden of Disease study estimated that exposure to lead and occupational exposure to 12 chemicals or groups of chemicals (a tiny fraction of the more than 100,000 chemicals in use) contributed to over 1.3 million premature human deaths in 2017 (3). Chemical pollution has also caused stratospheric ozone depletion, and it plays an important role in climate change (e.g., synthetic halogenated gases contributed over 10% of the global radiative forcing in 2011) (4) and ecosystem degradation (e.g., through the application of hazardous pesticides) (1). ; Peer reviewed

18 pages, 2 figures, 3 tables.-- PMID: 15913055 [PubMed]. ; [ESP] Cada vez existe mayor evidencia de la influencia de la dieta y de la exposición a dosis bajas de tóxicos durante la etapa prenatal y primera infancia sobre la salud y el bienestar en etapas posteriores de la vida. Siguiendo las recomendaciones de la OMS y de la Unión Europea en el año 2003 se constituyó la Red de Investigación Cooperativa Infancia y Medio Ambiente para estudiar los efectos del medio ambiente y la dieta en el desarrollo fetal e infantil en diversas zonas geográficas en España. La Red integra diversos grupos multidisciplinares de investigación y está constituida por seis cohortes, tres preexistentes y tres de novo, que seguirán de forma prospectiva a 3.600 mujeres embarazadas, desde el inicio del embarazo hasta los 4-6 años del niño. Los objetivos generales de la red son: (1) Describir la exposición individual a tóxicos ambientales durante la gestación y la primera infancia. (2) Evaluar los efectos de la exposición a tóxicos y de la dieta en el desarrollo fetal e infantil. (3) Evaluar la interacción entre factores tóxicos, nutricionales y genéticos en el desarrollo fetal e infantil. El seguimiento se realiza en cada trimestre de la gestación, al nacimiento, al año y hasta los cuatro o seis años del niño. La información se recoge mediante cuestionarios, datos clínicos, exploración física, ecografías, biomarcadores y mediciones ambientales. En este trabajo se presentan las características generales de la red y se describe la situación actual de cada una de las cohortes. ; [ENG] Increasingly greater evidence exists as to the influence which diet and exposure to low doses of toxic substances during the prenatal stage and early childhood has on health and well-being throughout later stages of life. Following the WHO and European Union recommendations in 2003, the Cooperative Environment and Childhood Research Network was set up to study the effects of the environment and diet on fetal and early childhood development in different geographical areas of Spain. This Network integrates different multidisciplinary research groups and is comprised of six cohorts - three pre-existing and three de novo - which will follow up prospectively 3,600 pregnant women, from the start of pregnancy up to age 4-6 years of the child. This network's general objectives are: (1) To describe individual exposure to toxic substances in the environment during gestation and early childhood. (2) To evaluate the effects of exposure to toxic substances and diet on fetal and early childhood development. (3) To evaluate the interaction among toxic, nutritional and genetic factors in fetal and early childhood development. The follow-up is done every three months during gestation, at birth, at age one and up to age four or six. The information is gathered by means of questionnaires, clinical data, physical examinations, echographs, biomarkers and environmental measurements. The general characteristics of the network and a description of the current situation of each one of the cohorts are provided in this study. ; La Red no se hubiera podido poner en marcha sin el apoyo económico del Instituto de Salud Carlos III (G03/176). El Estudio INMA ha recibido también ayudas de «Fundació La Caixa» para la cohorte de Ribera d'Ebre (97/009-00 and 00/077-00); de la Comisión de la Unión Europea (QLK4-1999-01422) para la cohorte de Granada; del «Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria» (FIS 031615), del Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (SAF 2002-03508), de la Generalitat Valenciana, Conselleria d'Empresa, Universitat i Ciencia (g03/136) para la cohorte de Valencia; del «Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria» (97/0588 y 00/0021-02) y de la Comisión de la Unión Europea (QLK4-2000-00263) para la cohorte de Menorca. ; Peer reviewed

Planktonic foraminifer oxygen isotopes through MIS 12 were analysed from Ocean Drilling Program Site 977 in the Alboran Sea. After the correction of the sea surface temperature (SST) effect on the δ18O composition of foraminiferal calcite, the resulting seawater δ18O (δ18Ow) was used to reconstruct variations in the δ18Ow of the Atlantic inflow into the Mediterranean. A synchronous record from the KC01B core, in the Ionian Sea, was used to evaluate changes in the oxygen isotope gradient within the Mediterranean due to hydrological variations during MIS 12. Instead of the glacial δ18Ow enrichment expected for the Mediterranean, lower values than today have been observed both in the Alboran and the Ionian seas, especially between 455 ka and the end of MIS 12 (424 ka). These negative oxygen isotope anomalies must have been caused by a flux of freshwater to the Mediterranean during MIS 12. Although the largest fraction of the freshwater anomalies entered the Mediterranean through the Atlantic inflow, especially during Heinrich stadials, the Mediterranean δ18Ow gradient allowed us to identify other sources of freshwater to the eastern basin. One of these sources was probably the meltwater generated at the southern margin of the Fennoscandian ice-sheet that entered via the Caspian and Black seas. However, the proximity of core KC01B to the Adriatic Sea points to meltwater delivered from the Alpine ice-sheet and transported through the Po river into the Mediterranean as the main cause of the Ionian Sea 18O depletions. ; This work was funded by the FPU contract of the Ministry of Education and Professional Formation FPU2015/03283 awarded to Lucia A. Azibeiro and project RTI 2018-099489-B-100 of the Ministry of Science, innovation and Universities of the Spain government granted to the Grupo de Geociencias Oceánicas (GGO) of the University of Salamanca. The Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Severo Ochoa Project CEX2018-000794-S is likewise acknowledged. We are very grateful to IODP for providing the samples used in this study and appreciate the work of Jose Ignacio Martin Cruz in the picking of planktonic foraminifers for isotope analyses and Marta Casado, Yolanda Gonzalez-Quinteiro, Bibiano Hortelano, Walter Hale and Inma Fernandez for laboratory assistance. We thank the scientific data provided by Samuel Toucanne. The authors thank Philip Hughes and other anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments and suggestions. ; Peer reviewed

Objective To examine the effects of prenatal exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) on rapid growth in the first 6 months of life and overweight at 14 months of age. Design and Methods In a Spanish birth cohort study, the POPs dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs - congeners 153, 138, 180) were measured in maternal serum collected in the first trimester of pregnancy during 2003-2008. Rapid growth was defined as a z-score weight gain >0.67 SD between 6 months of age and birth. Overweight at 14 months was defined as a BMI z-score ≥85th percentile. Generalized linear models examined the association between POPs and rapid growth (N = 1285) and overweight (N = 1198). Results The analysis population included 24% rapid growers and 30% overweight infants. DDE and HCB were positively associated with rapid growth and with overweight. There was some indication that infant sex and exclusive breastfeeding duration may modify the effects of DDE, and that maternal prepregnancy BMI status may influence the effects of HCB. PCBs were not related to postnatal growth. Conclusion Prenatal exposure to DDE and HCB may be associated with early postnatal growth. Further research is needed to evaluate the persistence of these associations at older ages. ; a Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain b Hospital de Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain c CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Barcelona, Spain d Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona, Spain e Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North North Carolina, Carolina, Chapel Hill, United States f Centre for Public Health Research (CSISP-FISABIO), Valencia, Spain g School of Nursing, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain h Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, Basque Government, Gipuzkoa, Spain i Donostia Biomedical Research Institute (BIODONOSTIA), Gipuzkoa, Spain j Public Health Laboratory of Gipuzkoa, Gipuzkoa, Spain k Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDÆA-CSIC), Barcelona, Spain l Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Oviedo, Asturias, Spain ; Peer reviewed

The carbon cycle of the Arctic Ocean is tightly regulated by land-atmosphere-cryosphere-ocean interactions. Characterizing these environmental exchanges and feedbacks is critical to facilitate projections of the carbon cycle under changing climate conditions. The environmental drivers of sinking particles including organic carbon (OC) to the deep-sea floor are investigated with four moorings including sediment traps and currentmeters at the Arctic gateway in the eastern Fram Strait, which is the area where warm anomalies are transported northwards to the Arctic. Particles fluxes were collected over one year (July 2010-July 2011) and have been analysed to obtain the content of the lithogenic fraction, calcium carbonate, OC and its stable isotopes, opal, and the grain size. Records of near bottom current speed and temperature along with satellite observations of sea ice extent and chlorophyll-a concentration have been used for evaluation of the environmental conditions.We found increased lithogenic fluxes (up to 9872mgm-2d-1) and coarsening grain size of settling particles in late winter-early spring. At the same time, intensifications of the northward flowing west Spitsbergen current (WSC) were recorded. The WSC was able to resuspend and transport northwards sediments that were deposited at the outlet of Storfjordrenna and on the upper slope west of Spitsbergen. The signal of recurrent winnowing of fine particles was also detected in the top layer of surface sediments. In addition, an increased arrival of sea ice transported ice rafted detritus (>414 detrital carbonate mineral grains larger than 1mm per m2) from the southern Spitsbergen coast along with terrestrial organic matter was observed beyond 1000m of water depth during winter months. Finally, the downward particle fluxes showed typical temporal variability of high latitudes, with high percentages of the biogenic compounds (opal, organic carbon and calcium carbonate) linked to the phytoplankton bloom in spring-summer. However, on an annual basis local planktonic production was a secondary source for the downward OC, since most of the OC was advected laterally by the WSC. Overall, these observations demonstrated the sensitivity of the downward flux of particles to environmental conditions such as hydrodynamics, sea ice rafting, and pelagic primary production. Future alteration of the patterns of natural drivers due to climate change is thus expected to cause major shifts in the downward flux of particles, including carbon, to the deep sea ecosystems. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. ; This research has been supported by the projects HERMIONE (FP7-ENV-2008-1-226354) and GRACCIE-CONSOLIDER (CSD2007-00067), and a Catalan Government Grups de Recerca Consolidats grant (2009 SGR 1305). LL was partly supported by the CNR-DTA project SNOW (Sensor Network for Oceanography in shallow Water - Kongsfjord experiment), and AS by a "Ramon y Cajal" contract from MICINN. BF is affiliated with the Centre of Excellence: Arctic Gas hydrate, Environment and Climate (CAGE) funded by the Norwegian Research Council (grant no. 223259). We are grateful to S. Buenz and the crew of RV Helmer Hansen (University of Tromsø) for their valuable support during the cruises, and R. Duran, S. Kunesch, J. Carbonne, A. Rumin, S. Aliani, and X. Rayo who assisted with the field and laboratory work. This is contribution N. XXXX of the CNR-ISMAR of Bologna. ; Peer reviewed