Open research questions in Carcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment

What the literature leaves open

• The absence of a significant association between rectal temperature and micronucleus frequency. The lack of direct measurement of individual exposure to 2,4-D. The absence of an untreated control group.

  Evaluation of nuclear abnormalities in buccal mucosa cells of grazing cattle from pastures routinely treated with 2,4-D: an exploratory field study · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of direct measurement of individual exposure to 2,4-D and the absence of an untreated control group limit the interpretation of the findings. The potential genotoxic effects of 2,4-D on non-target organisms, such as grazing cattle, are not well understood.

  Evaluation of nuclear abnormalities in buccal mucosa cells of grazing cattle from pastures routinely treated with 2,4-D: an exploratory field study · 2026 · DOI

• further research on BTEX exposure and pollution in Nigeria, - development of areas of research to improve public health safety from BTEX pollution, - research on the vulnerability of petrol station workers and other Nigerians occupationally exposed to BTEX pollution

  Exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) at Nigeria's petrol stations: a review of current status, challenges and future directions · 2024 · DOI

• The gap is the lack of adequate occupational health and safety measures to protect workers from BTEX exposure. The gap is the limited understanding of the health and safety concerns of workers exposed to BTEX pollution. The gap is the need for further research to address the health and safety concerns of workers exposed to BTEX pollution.

  Exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) at Nigeria's petrol stations: a review of current status, challenges and future directions · 2024 · DOI

• However, few studies have assessed exposure to AAs during pregnancy, and no human studies have examined associations between AAs and infant cognition, despite in vitro evidence of neurotoxicity.

  Prenatal exposure to aromatic amines and associations with infant cognition in the ECHO.CA.IL cohorts · 2026 · DOI

• Future research should focus on renal cells sensitivity to T-2 toxin, exploring key molecules in T-2 toxin's nephrotoxicity, renal injury's impact on other organs, and better detoxification methods.

  T-2 Toxin Nephrotoxicity: Toxic Effects, Mechanisms, Mitigations, and Future Perspectives · 2025 · DOI

• Studies of these pollutants' toxic effects on embryonic development have not fully elucidated the potential underlying mechanisms.

  Integrated mRNA- and miRNA-sequencing analyses unveil the underlying mechanism of tobacco pollutant-induced developmental toxicity in zebrafish embryos · 2024 · DOI

• The study faced challenges in evaluating exposure sources due to its small pilot design. The study had limited data on contemporaneous US biomonitoring for naphthalene.

  High levels of urinary naphthalene metabolites measured in a sample of California schoolchildren: a call to expand monitoring and identify exposure sources · 2026 · DOI

• The study was a small pilot study not specifically designed to focus on naphthalene. The study was not able to fully evaluate exposure sources. The study had a limited sample size of 18 children.

  High levels of urinary naphthalene metabolites measured in a sample of California schoolchildren: a call to expand monitoring and identify exposure sources · 2026 · DOI

• Toluene's high volatility makes inhalation the primary exposure route. The compound's ability to accumulate in biological systems and disrupt normal physiological functions over time. The need to understand the mechanisms of toluene's toxicity.

  Biochemical and and Lipid Profile Alterations in Wistar Rats Following Toluene Exposure · 2026 · DOI

• The study had a limited sample size, with all animals in groups 6-10 dying early in the experiment. The study only examined the effects of toluene exposure on female Wistar rats.

  Biochemical and and Lipid Profile Alterations in Wistar Rats Following Toluene Exposure · 2026 · DOI

• The toxicology profile of a drug often only includes underneath health conditions and probably co-drugs in combination therapy and previous drugs used. There is a need to assess the risks from combined exposures to both drugs and toxic xenobiotics.

  Aggravative influence of benzene exposure on cyclophosphamide-induced hepatic and myeloid oxidative toxicity in murine model · 2026 · DOI

• There is a need for a protective agent for haematological and biochemical changes. The toxicity effect of anthracene is dose-specific and exposure-specific.

  Protective Effects of Piroxicam Against Anthracene-Induced Haematological and Biochemical Alteration in Female Rats · 2026 · DOI

• Optimization of the smoke composition with dyes for colored variants. Standardization of production methods to ensure the quality of the final product.

  Development of safe pyrotechnic smoke compositions: chemical aspect and toxicological assessment · 2026 · DOI

• There is a need to develop safer and environmentally friendlier pyrotechnic smoke formulations. Traditional pyrotechnic smoke compositions pose significant health risks due to toxic combustion products.

  Development of safe pyrotechnic smoke compositions: chemical aspect and toxicological assessment · 2026 · DOI

• Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) such as tributyl phosphate (TBP) are widely used industrial additives increasingly detected in the environment and human tissues, yet their inhalation toxicity remains poorly characterized.

  Acute or repeated exposure of aerosolized flame retardants induces molecular and structural alterations in lung slices · 2026 · DOI

• The study does not investigate the effects of PCB exposure on human subjects. The research is limited to a single mouse model, and may not be generalizable to other species or populations.

  Developmental exposure to a human-relevant PCB mixture: impacts on PCB congeners, metabolites, and drug-metabolizing enzymes in the bladder of post-weaning mice · 2026 · DOI

• Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of PCB exposure on human subjects. Research should examine the potential role of environmental exposures in the development of LUTS. Studies should investigate the metabolism and distribution of PCBs in the body, and their potential impact on human health.

  Developmental exposure to a human-relevant PCB mixture: impacts on PCB congeners, metabolites, and drug-metabolizing enzymes in the bladder of post-weaning mice · 2026 · DOI

• Current chemical mixture approaches are largely data-driven without considering shared biological mechanisms among mixture components. The study of environmental mixtures presents significant statistical challenges due to the high-dimensional nature of the data.

  Development of a Biology-Informed Chemical Mixture Index for Oxidative Stress and Mortality in NHANES 2005-2010: A Survey-Weighted Quantile G-Computation Approach · 2026 · DOI

• The health impacts of non-exhaust traffic emissions, particularly organics derived from tire and brake wear particles, are not well understood. Epigenetic mechanisms underlying the health effects of traffic-related organic pollutants are not well characterized.

  Epigenetic mechanisms linking traffic-related organic pollutants to pulmonary damage: insights from tire and brake wear · 2026 · DOI

• Addressing the identified research gaps requires a coordinated, multi-scale strategy that integrates advanced exposure assessment, mechanistic toxicology, epigenomics, and population-based epidemiology, while also accounting for emerging regulatory challenges associated with the transition to electric mobility. Advancing standardized and real-world exposure assessment. Future studies should prioritize the development of standardized methodologies for characterizing non-exhaust traffic emissions, particularly TBWPs, across laboratory, animal, and population-based research. This includes harmonized protocols for particle collection, physicochemical characterization, and exposure metrics that reflect realworld traffic environments. Given that traffic-related pollutants rarely occur in isolation, experimental designs should increasingly incorporate realistic exposure scenarios involving complex pollutant mixtures to better capture combined and dose-dependent effects. Such approaches will enhance the ecological validity of toxicological findings and improve the accuracy of health risk assessments. Multi-omics integration to elucidate epigenetic mechanisms. Integrative multi-omics approaches represent a critical pathway for bridging the mechanistic gap between TBWPs exposure and disease development. Future research should strengthen the precise detection and functional validation of epigenetic biomarkers in human-relevant models, including lung organoids, and ex vivo tissue systems. airway epithelial cells, Particular emphasis should be placed on profiling miRNA expression patterns, m6A RNA modifications, and regulatory changes in epigenetic enzymes such as DNMTs and HATs. High-resolution techniques, including ChIP-seq, bisulfite sequencing, and miRNA sequencing, should be systematically applied to determine whether TBWPs exposure promotes pulmonary fibrosis, epithelial barrier dysfunction, or chronic inflammatory phenotypes through epigenetic reprogramming. These efforts may help identify early molecular events in lung pathogenesis and establish mechanistically anchored biomarkers of exposure and effect.

  Epigenetic mechanisms linking traffic-related organic pollutants to pulmonary damage: insights from tire and brake wear · 2026 · DOI

• The study aims to address the gap in understanding the effects of mixtures of contaminants on human health. The study investigates the genotoxicity of benzo[a]pyrene and aflatoxin B1 in HepaRP cells, which is a relevant model for human exposure.

  AhR activation triggers the synergistic genotoxicity between benzo[a]pyrene and aflatoxin B1 in metabolic-competent HepaRP cells · 2026 · DOI

• The study has a small sample size of 24 rats. The experiment is limited to a single compound and a specific dose range.

  Microscopic studies of the internal organs of rats with prolonged use of phosphonium salt · 2026 · DOI

• This context allowed us to test protection motivation theory (PMT) as well as other predictors such as health anxiety, morbidity, and distance from the site in a population-type that has been understudied in environmental risk research.

  Silver Spoons in Toxic Soups: Predictors of Protective Action in Affluent Neighborhoods near a Contaminated Research Facility · 2026 · DOI

• BACKGROUND: Exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been increasingly linked to mental health disorders, but the relationship between VOCs exposure and suicidal ideation (SI) remains unclear.

  Exposure to volatile organic compounds and suicidal ideation: Insights from a U.S. population-based study · 2025 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Carcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment

• House Dust Concentrations of Organophosphate Flame Retardants in Relation to Hormone Levels and Semen Quality Parameters · Environmental Health Perspectives · 2009 · 646 citations
• Key Characteristics of Carcinogens as a Basis for Organizing Data on Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis · Environmental Health Perspectives · 2015 · 589 citations
• Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT): ubiquity, persistence, and risks. · Environmental Health Perspectives · 2002 · 564 citations
• Lung Cancer Risk after Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: A Review and Meta-Analysis · Environmental Health Perspectives · 2004 · 530 citations
• In Vitro Screening of Environmental Chemicals for Targeted Testing Prioritization: The ToxCast Project · Environmental Health Perspectives · 2009 · 522 citations
• Bladder Cancer and Exposure to Water Disinfection By-Products through Ingestion, Bathing, Showering, and Swimming in Pools · American Journal of Epidemiology · 2006 · 510 citations
• Urinary Concentrations of Triclosan in the U.S. Population: 2003–2004 · Environmental Health Perspectives · 2007 · 503 citations
• Optimization of the Hemolysis Assay for the Assessment of Cytotoxicity · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2023 · 448 citations
• Role of Human Cytochromes P450 in the Metabolic Activation of Chemical Carcinogens and Toxins · Drug Metabolism Reviews · 1994 · 384 citations
• THE HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS OF DDT (DICHLORODIPHENYLTRICHLOROETHANE) AND PCBS (POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS) AND AN OVERVIEW OF ORGANOCHLORINES IN PUBLIC HEALTH · Annual Review of Public Health · 1997 · 366 citations

Most recent work

• Molecular dosimetry of hemoglobin adducts in mice exposed to ethylene oxide · Archives of Toxicology · 2026
• The prevalence and persistence of DNA in vehicles from incidental drivers and other occupants, and their associates, including after reuse by regular drivers · Forensic Science International · 2026
• High levels of urinary naphthalene metabolites measured in a sample of California schoolchildren: a call to expand monitoring and identify exposure sources · Frontiers in Public Health · 2026
• Chemical augmentation of the validated HepaRGTM CYP enzyme induction test method Part 1: The Goliath two laboratory study · bioRxiv · 2026
• Developmental exposure to a human-relevant PCB mixture: impacts on PCB congeners, metabolites, and drug-metabolizing enzymes in the bladder of post-weaning mice · Archives of Toxicology · 2026
• Drinking Water Contaminant Exposures and Risk of Uterine Cancer · JAMA Network Open · 2026
• Ecotoxic and genotoxic potential of eluates from dental composite dust - an in vitro study · Dental Materials · 2026
• Urinary 8‑OHdG and MDA as rapid biodosimetry markers in the lethal/sublethal dose range · Molecular Medicine Reports · 2026
• Antimutagenic Potential of Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles from Martynia annua Fruit Extract against DMBA-Induced Mutagenicity in Swiss Albino Mice · Asian Journal of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · 2026
• Benzene-induced growth restriction and compensatory rebound in mouse fetuses and placentas · Reproductive Toxicology · 2026

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