Emerging environmental exposures and pulmonary diseases
- 1ivision of Pulmonary, Allergy, Sleep and Respiratory Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, United States
Abstract
BackgroundEnvironmental exposures are emerging as major contributors to pulmonary disease yet remain under characterized compared with traditional air pollutants. This review aims to synthesize the major sources, exposure routes, toxicokinetic, detection methods, disease outcomes, regulatory status, knowledge gaps, and top research priorities for: microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, indoor air pollutants, and pesticides.MethodsThis paper selected multiple original research and regulatory sources based on selected keywords related to emerging environmental exposures and pulmonary outcomes.ResultsAcross the exposures, pathobiology links them to airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrotic remodeling, with associations ranging from exacerbation of pre-existing lung conditions to asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and lung cancer. Data on human exposure remains limited to preclinical findings, and direct exposure-response relationships are poorly defined.DiscussionThis review highlights the growing burden of respiratory conditions in response to rapidly emerging environmental exposures and addresses the critical gap between this growth and existing clinical and regulatory guidelines. Standardized prospective human studies, paired with coordinated policy action, are needed to close this gap and generate effective mitigation strategies.
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BibTeX
@article{baig2026emerging,
title = {{Emerging environmental exposures and pulmonary diseases}},
author = {Hassan Baig and Deepika Karki and Shivanjali Santosh Gore and Paola Gutierrez-Gallegos and Regina M. Murillo-Torres and Tatiana A. Rojas-Zapata and Alejandra Yu Lee-Mateus and Abubakr Bajwa and Scott Helgeson and Augustine Lee},
journal = {Frontiers in Environmental Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fenvh.2026.1964110},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvh.2026.1964110},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Emerging environmental exposures and pulmonary diseases
AU - Hassan Baig
AU - Deepika Karki
AU - Shivanjali Santosh Gore
AU - Paola Gutierrez-Gallegos
AU - Regina M. Murillo-Torres
AU - Tatiana A. Rojas-Zapata
AU - Alejandra Yu Lee-Mateus
AU - Abubakr Bajwa
AU - Scott Helgeson
AU - Augustine Lee
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Frontiers in Environmental Health
DO - 10.3389/fenvh.2026.1964110
UR - https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvh.2026.1964110
AB - BackgroundEnvironmental exposures are emerging as major contributors to pulmonary disease yet remain under characterized compared with traditional air pollutants. This review aims to synthesize the major sources, exposure routes, toxicokinetic, detection methods, disease outcomes, regulatory status, knowledge gaps, and top research priorities for: microplastics, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, indoor air pollutants, and pesticides.MethodsThis paper selected multiple original research and regulatory sources based on selected keywords related to emerging environmental exposures and pulmonary outcomes.ResultsAcross the exposures, pathobiology links them to airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and fibrotic remodeling, with associations ranging from exacerbation of pre-existing lung conditions to asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, and lung cancer. Data on human exposure remains limited to preclinical findings, and direct exposure-response relationships are poorly defined.DiscussionThis review highlights the growing burden of respiratory conditions in response to rapidly emerging environmental exposures and addresses the critical gap between this growth and existing clinical and regulatory guidelines. Standardized prospective human studies, paired with coordinated policy action, are needed to close this gap and generate effective mitigation strategies.
SN - 2813-558X
ER -