Spanish Journal of Environmental Health

News and literature review

M. Luisa González Márquez — 2026-06-15

Not available.

New human cell models to understand how environmental pollutants affect brain development

V. Briz Herrezuelo — 2026-06-15

Not available.

¿Y si llevamos la ciencia a la calle? Los ciudadanos como actores principales de las actividades de investigación

S. Arca de Lafuente — 2026-06-15

Not available.

Environmental Justice and Public Health in the Context of solid Waste

Julio Alejandro Navoni — 2026-06-15

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On Behalf of Children

Fernando Díaz-Barriga — 2026-06-15

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Three decades in environmental health: an inside view

Covadonga Caballo Diéguez — 2026-06-15

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The European Union’s policy on chemical safety: an update

José M. Ordóñez Iriarte — 2026-06-15

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Regarding the “One Health” summit

José M. Ordóñez Iriarte — 2026-06-15

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Moving towards the implementation of health impact assessment in Spain

Andrea Pastor — 2026-06-15

Not available.

Pollen disruption in the atmosphere: an analysis across three cities in south-eastern Spain (2019–2024)

Francisco Aznar — 2026-06-15

The concentration of airborne pollen grains causes allergic diseases, which are monitored by aerobiological networks, in an initiative pending legislative regulation in Spain. Following the guidelines of the Spanish Aerobiology Network, this study quantified pollen grain concentrations in accordance with the standardised method UNE-EN 16868:2020 (EN 16868:2019). This method was used to investigate the concentration of pollen and ruptured pollen between 2010 and 2024 in Cartagena, Lorca and Murcia, cities that make up the Aerobiological Network of the Region of Murcia (REAREMUR). With more than 100 pollen grains/m3 of Annual Pollen Index (APIn), 23 types were identified in Cartagena and 25 in Murcia and Lorca as the most common pollen types. Among the most common types, up to 10 were reported to have ruptured pollen grains. More than 100 ruptured pollen grains/m³were detected as the APIn of the Cupressaceae pollen type in the three cities and only Casuarina in Murcia. The largest contribution to the concentration of ruptured pollen grains was due to the cypress pollen type, whose reproduction and propagation mechanism involves the rupture of the exine, which multiplies the allergenic vectors. This situation indicates the advisability of monitoring ruptured Cupressaceae pollen grains for better information and avoidance of exposure for patients suffering from this allergy.

Prevalence of Legionella spp. and its association with geographic, structural, and time related factors in risk installations in Gipuzkoa (2005–2024)

Mónica Otazua Font — 2026-06-15

Objective: To analyze the results of water samples processed at the Gipuzkoa Public Health Laboratory for the detection of Legionella spp. in facilities at risk for the proliferation and spread of the bacterium.

Methods: A total of 13,493 water samples from facilities in Gipuzkoa were studied between 2005 and 2024. The analysis followed ISO 11731:2017 standards. Serogroup identification was performed using latex agglutination, and phenotypic characterization for the identification of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 subgroups was carried out by indirect immunofluorescence with Dresden monoclonal antibodies. Statistical analysis included a descriptive study, univariate logistic regression, and a multivariable model to identify associations between positive samples and geographic, temporal, or structural variables of the facilities.

Results: Legionella spp. was detected in 12.5 % of samples, with L. pneumophila predominating (87 %). Serogroup 2–14 was the most frequent (45.7 %), followed by SG1 (38.7 %). Among the 252 L. pneumophila serogroup 1 samples typed, 74.6 % were classified as MAb 3/1 negative and 24.6 % as MAb positive. The presence of Legionella varied by region, facility type, season, and sampling year.

Conclusions: The observed prevalence variability of Legionella spp. suggests that environmental and operational factors influence its proliferation. The predominance of clinically non-relevant strains (MAb-negative) highlights that the identification of strains is as important as quantifying the bacteria when implementing more targeted control strategies.

Influence of sedimentable particulate matter linked to the rice industry on the population’s quality of life conditions. A case study of the city of Villa Elisa, Entre Ríos

Tania Micaela Rougier — 2026-06-15

This study evaluates the concentration of sedimentable particulate matter emitted by a rice industry in Villa Elisa, Entre Ríos, and its impact on local quality of life. Using dispersion models, a 500-meter radius of influence was determined, which is now the study area. The results of environmental monitoring and social perception surveys show that particle concentrations increase during the grain drying stage, exceeding legal limits, especially in areas with prevailing wind direction. This affects the respiratory health and daily habits of residents. It is concluded that industrial activity generates air pollution that requires control measures.

Decade of Risk: Contributions of Alternative Surveillance to Chemical Incidents

Gianella Anahí Parra-Rodríguez — 2026-06-15

This study examines the problem of chemical incidents in Ecuador during the period 2013–2023, using information gathered through rumor monitoring and a comprehensive review of newspaper articles. The analysis identifies 39 chemical incidents with a total of 382 victims, with a prevalence in coastal areas due to the intensity of their industrial, fishing, and agricultural activities. The findings reveal critical deficiencies in risk management, such as the lack of a systematic incident registry and weak control and monitoring mechanisms, factors that hinder informed decision-making and effective prevention. Rumor monitoring, as a strategy complementary to formal channels, allows for assessing the true magnitude of the problem and detecting emerging risk patterns. It is imperative to establish a comprehensive chemical management model in Ecuador that encompasses strengthening the regulatory framework, providing technical training for personnel, fostering a safety culture, and investing in technological innovation. Integrating this unconventional monitoring as an additional tool is key to identifying unreported incidents and strengthening official information. Such actions are fundamental to ensuring a safer and more sustainable national environment.

Environmental footprint of hospital care: Review of evidence and current trends

Mayra Samara Ordoñez Diaz — 2026-06-15

Introduction: Hospitals contribute 4-5 % of global greenhouse gas emissions, creating a paradox between their health preservation mission and environmental impact. This study examines current evidence on hospital environmental footprint and mitigation strategies. Methodology: Narrative review of 30 studies selected from multiple academic databases with complementary Elicit analysis, prioritizing methodological quality and geographic diversity. Results: Environmental impact varies considerably across hospital services. Operating theaters show highest emissions (up to 814 kg CO₂e per procedure), where anesthetic gases represent 44.7 % of impact and disposable materials 78 %. Imaging departments generate 0.5-17.5 kg CO₂e per study. Poor waste management produces 441 kg daily biocontaminated waste, while 992 pharmaceuticals contaminate environmental matrices globally. During COVID-19, environmental indices increased 17.2 %. Regionally, Latin America faces supply chain challenges, while Europe focuses on optimizing transportation and materials. Conclusions: Hospital sustainability is technically feasible and economically beneficial. Most promising interventions include local sourcing, safe material reuse, anesthetic optimization, and comprehensive environmental management systems. Transformation requires recognizing environmental health as an essential component of care quality—not as restriction, but as natural evolution of medical excellence.

Trends in blood lead concentrations in children: new analytical challenges and public health challenges

Montserrat González-Estecha — 2026-06-15

Introduction: Lead (Pb) is a neurotoxic heavy metal with no known biological function in humans. Despite legislative progress and the global phase-out of leaded gasoline, childhood exposure remains a critical environmental health challenge due to residual sources and obsolete infrastructure. Objective: To analyze lead toxicity in childhood, the evolution of reference values, modern laboratory analytical challenges, and current public health challenges. Approach: The article reviews the mechanisms of gastrointestinal absorption, enhanced by iron and calcium deficiencies, and neurotoxicity at low levels. The importance of pre-analytical conditions to prevent contamination is discussed, as well as the technological transition toward more sensitive analytical methods and the need to standardize measurement units (μg/L). Furthermore, the impact of new regulations on the drinking water quality is detailed. Conclusions: There is no safe exposure threshold for lead. Clinical laboratories, primary care, and environmental health must be coordinated. Public health must transition from a secondary prevention model to a total primary prevention model, focused on eliminating the source before biological contact, to protect the neurocognitive potential of future generations.

Inequalities in children’s environmental health: an intersectional perspective

Mauricio León Arce — 2026-06-15

Children’s environmental health is shaped by the interaction between environmental, social, and territorial conditions that generate differentiated exposures from early stages of the life course. In contexts characterized by poverty, social marginalization, and specific productive activities, these exposures tend to accumulate and become normalized, producing persistent health inequalities. This study analyzes inequalities in children’s environmental health from an intersectional approach, considering the articulation between age, gender, and territory, through the application of the Humanitarian Scenarios Index (HSI) in two rural communities in Mexico with contrasting characteristics.

The HSI integrates structural, environmental, direct, and cultural components, allowing the identification of complex territorial configurations of environmental and health-related demand. The results show that, although the global HSI values do not always differ significantly between women and men, there are differentiated internal configurations of risk according to age group and territory. Childhood presents particular characteristics within the Humanitarian Scenario, with relevant burdens in the cultural and environmental dimensions. Through an intersectional reading, the analysis transcends sex disaggregation and positions gender as a socially organized experience of risk, linked to everyday practices, care arrangements, and differentiated positions within the territory.

Additionally, the integration of child perception tools through the analysis of drawings reveals processes of normalization of environmental risk in the imaginaries of girls and boys, complementing the quantitative reading of the HSI and reinforcing the need for community-based interventions sensitive to territory, gender, and the life course.

EJFC Scheme: Environmental Justice for Children

Angélica Torres Díaz — 2026-06-15

Humanity is currently facing a triple planetary crisis, climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, which, in interaction with social inequalities, gives rise to syndemic scenarios that disproportionately affect children. This study examines child environmental injustice from a syndemic perspective and introduces the EJFC framework (Environmental Justice for Children) as a comprehensive intervention strategy. The proposed framework integrates human rights principles, transgenerational and intergenerational equity, the precautionary principle, normative anti-ageism, and a caring civic ethic. The JAPI framework was applied in a brick-making settlement, where environmental exposure pathways, social determinants of health, and violations of fundamental rights were identified. Findings indicate that the convergence of environmental and social risks produces sites of child environmental injustice that negatively impact children’s development. The study concludes that the JAPI approach constitutes a useful and replicable analytical and practical tool for making child environmental injustice visible and for promoting preventive actions aimed at safeguarding present and future generations.

Epidemiological surveillance of lead exposure in pregnant and breastfeeding women in northern Mexico

Efraín Ríos Sánchez — 2026-06-15

Pregnant and breastfeeding women constitute a population vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead, due to the transfer of this contaminant to the fetus and infant. The objective of this study was to describe the annual trends and blood lead concentrations (BLC) in a population of pregnant and breastfeeding women residing in the city of Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico. Venous BLC were quantified by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 13,589 samples corresponding to 6,946 individuals collected between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2024. Overall, 5.5% of pregnant women and 9.0% of breastfeeding women had BLCs above 5 μg/dL. BLC reached their lowest level between 2016 and 2017 followed by a slightly increased thereafter. Statistically significant differences were observed between groups (p<0.00001), with considerably higher BLC levels in breastfeeding women (median=2.1 μg/dL) compared with pregnant women (median=1.7 μg/dL). BLC levels increased in 57.9% of women during lactation compared to their levels during pregnancy. In conclusion, although an overall decline in BLC was observed in the environmentally exposed population, this decreasing trend has been interrupted, with BLC levels higher during lactation. Therefore, it is important to maintain epidemiological surveillance of pregnant, breastfeeding, and women of childbearing age.