In many parts of the world, deliberate indoor residual spraying (IRS) of dwellings with insecticides to control malaria transmission remains the only viable option, thereby unintentionally but inevitably also causing exposure to inhabitants.

Worldwide an estimated 7.9 million or more babies are born each year with a birth defect. The causes of birth defects remain largely a mystery, although a few culprits, including some environmental agents, have been identified as contributing factors.

More than 3 million children 10 million child deaths annually throughout the world [World Health Organization (WHO) 2005].

Lead exposure has long been associated with deficits in IQ among children. However, few studies have assessed the impact of lead on specific domains of behavior and cognition. The authors evaluated the associations between lead and different domains of neurobehavior and their relative sensitivity to lead.

The Royal Society reviews options for fighting global warming with geoengineering.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

The goal of the study was to examine whether pesticide exposure during pregnancy was associated with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) was used worldwide until the 1970s, when concerns about its toxic effects, its environmental persistence, and its concentration in the food supply led to use restrictions and prohibitions. In 2001, more than 100 countries signed the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) , committing to eliminate the use of 12 POPs of greatest concern.

No health hazard has been established from exposure to radiofrequency fields up to the levels recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection.

There is growing interest in disentangling the health effects of spatially clustered social and physical environmental exposures and in exploring potential synergies among them, with particular attention directed to the combined effects of psychosocial stress and air pollution.