News archive

Exhaust emissions from kerosene‑powered aircraft contain ultrafine particles and several substances that are known or suspected to be carcinogenic. They should therefore be classified as presumed carcinogenic to humans.

Occupational exposure to wood dust can entail a high risk of nasal cancer even at levels close the current Swedish occupational exposure limit. This is shown in a new scientific evaluation from the Nordic Expert Group for Criteria Documentation of Health Risks from Chemicals (NEG) and the Dutch expert committee DECOS, in which researchers at the Institute of Environmental Medicine (IMM) had a leading role.

A health impact assessment from the Institute of Environmental Medicine shows that proposed changes to Sweden’s traffic noise regulations could lead to adverse health effects. The proposal, developed by the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning, includes removing the requirement for a quiet side in noise-exposed dwellings.

A study from the Institute of environmental Medicine (IMM) at Karolinska Institutet shows that the chemical di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), which is found in many plastic products, has clear negative effects on hormones and fertility endpoints relevant to female fertility.

KI-researcher Pauliina Damdimopoulou has been awarded a EUR 2 million ERC Consolidator Grant (European Research Council) for the SAFER project (SAfeguarding female FERtility-development of human-relevant in vitro tools for reproductive toxicity). The research will investigate the impact of commonly occurring environmental chemical contaminants on women's reproductive health. The grant is awarded under Horizon Europe, the EU's programme for research and innovation.

A study by researchers at Institute of Environmental Medicine shows that in vitro new approach methodologies (NAMs) can be a useful tool to improve cancer risk assessment (CRA) strategies in the context of complex environmental mixtures as such air pollution.

EU's new Partnership for the Assessment of Risks from Chemicals (PARC) is a 7-year partnership, aimed at reducing exposure to hazardous chemicals and their effects on human health and the environment.

Every day, people are exposed to large number of pollutants, but the problem of how to assess the dangers of the chemical “cocktail effect” has long frustrated both scientists and public authorities. A collaborative study involving researchers from Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Science now presents a new strategy that combines population studies with experiments using cell and animal models.

Children born to women who underwent gastric bypass surgery before becoming pregnant had a lower risk of major birth defects than children born to women who had severe obesity at the start of their pregnancy. That’s according to a matched cohort study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Örebro University published in the scientific journal JAMA. The findings indicate that weight-loss and improved blood sugar control could reduce the risk of major birth defects.