Exposure of children to brominated flame retardants and heavy metals in Morocco: Urine and blood levels in association with global cytosine and adenine methylation.

Persistent pollutants, namely brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and heavy metals, are compounds that are added to a wide range of products and materials for preventing ignition, increasing the functionality of materials or improving their performance, e.g. electric conductivity. The exposure of children might consequently be inferred, through indoor dust and hand-to-mouth or toy-chewing behaviors. The current study is aimed at assessing the exposure of Moroccan children to BFRs and heavy metal elements, and evaluating their associations with global DNA methylation. First, parents responded to a questionnaire pertaining to children's lifestyle, then blood and urine samples were collected from (n = 93) children aged between 5 and 11 years for biomonitoring and DNA methylation analysis. BFRs were detected in 54.84% of samples with a median concentration of 0.01 nmol/mL (range: 0.004-0.051 nmol/mL) while metal elements were detected in more than 90% of samples. BFRs showed no variations with global DNA methylation, unlike metal elements, which revealed significant associations with global DNA methylation markers, namely 5-mC, 5-hmC and N6-mA levels. Moroccan children may be exposed to flame retardants and heavy metals through several routes. Further research is required to assess the exposure and the health impacts of environmental pollutants and ultimately protect the Moroccan population by the prevention of adverse health effects.

Development and Validation of Vitamin D- Food Frequency Questionnaire for Moroccan Women of Reproductive Age: Use of the Sun Exposure Score and the Method of Triad's Model.

This cross-sectional study aimed to develop and validate a vitamin D food frequency questionnaire (VitD-FFQ) to assess vitamin D intake in Moroccan women of reproductive age. Using the method of triads, the VitD-FFQ was validated against seven-day dietary records (7d-FR) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) as a biomarker of vitamin D status in 152 women (aged 18-45 years). Participants' sun exposure scores (SES) were assessed using a specific questionnaire (SEQ). Predictors of vitamin D status were identified via linear regression models. Several statistical tests were applied to evaluate the criterion validity of the FFQ against two references methods (7d-FR and the biomarker-serum 25(OH)D). Median (Interquartile range) intakes were 7.10 ± 6.95 µg /day and 6.33 ± 5.02 µg/ day, respectively, for VitD-FFQ and 7d-FR. Vitamin D status was mainly determined by SES (R = 0.47) and vitamin D absolute food intakes derived by the VitD-FFQ (R = 0.56), which demonstrated a more significant prediction ability compared to 7d-FR (R = 0.36). An agreement was observed between the VitD-FFQ and 7d-FR (BA index of 3.29%) with no proportional bias (R2 = 0.002, p = 0.54). <10% of participants were incorrectly classified, and weighted kappa statistics showed that VitD-FFQ had an acceptable ranking ability compared to the 7d-FR and the biomarker. The validity coefficient for the VitD-FFQ was high: ρQR = 0.90 (95%CI: 0.89-0.92), and a range from 0.46 to 0.90. Adjustment for the participants' SES and BMI (body mass index) improved the biomarker's validity coefficient (ρRB 0.63 (95% CI 0.39-0.82). Our results indicate that the VitD-FFQ is valid for estimating absolute vitamin D intake in Moroccan women of reproductive age.

Sun Exposure Score and Vitamin D Levels in Moroccan Women of Childbearing Age.

Sunlight exposure is an essential source of vitamin D for many humans. However, hypovitaminosis D is a global public health problem. This study aimed to develop and validate a sun exposure score (SES) and correlate it with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in women of childbearing age. One hundred and sixty women aged 18 to 45 years residing in Meknes, Morocco, were included. A questionnaire estimating the sun exposure score and blood analysis of serum 25-OHD concentration were performed. The questionnaire's reliability and construct validity were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and factor analysis. Spearman's test was used to assess the correlation between SES and 25-OHD levels. The score's reliability and construct validity were good, with Cronbach's alpha values >0.70 and factorial saturation ranging from 0.696 to 0.948. Serum 25-OHD levels were significantly associated with the total sun exposure score, and all SES domains (Rho was 0.615 (p < 0.0001), 0.307 (p < 0.0001), 0.605 (p < 0.0001), and 0.424 (p < 0.0001) for total SES, indoor exposure domain, outdoor exposure domain, and sun protection practice domain, respectively). In addition, median 25-OHD levels increased significantly when sun exposure was changed from insufficient to sufficient (p < 0.0001). The results suggest that the sun exposure score could be used as a clinical tool to assess vitamin D levels in women of childbearing age.

Exposure of children to glyphosate in Morocco: Urinary levels and predictors of exposure.

Glyphosate is one of the most frequently used organophosphorus plant protection products worldwide, and has recently been classified as probably carcinogenic to humans by the International Agency for Research and Cancer (IARC). We aimed to evaluate the urinary levels of glyphosate and its metabolite aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) in Moroccan children, to identify the main predictors and to perform a risk assessment. Data was collected during a cross sectional study of 48 children from an intensive agricultural area. Measurements included a questionnaire on life-style, socio-demographic and herbicide exposures. Urinary glyphosate and AMPA were extracted using solid phase extraction (SPE) and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Overall, glyphosate and AMPA were detected in 73% and 75% of urine samples, respectively. The mean concentrations were 0.97 µg L-1 (2.06 µg/gcreatinine) for glyphosate and 0.79 µg L-1 (1.52 µg/gcreatinine) for AMPA. Children younger than 5 years had a higher AMPA and glyphosate urine concentration (mean = 2.24 µg L-1; estimation coefficient (EC) = 1.39; 95% CI: 0.54-2.24) (mean = 4.05 µg L-1; EC = 2.92; 95% CI: 1.68-4.15), respectively, than children aged 6-12. Children living near the pesticide spraying fields (<50 m) had 14.91 µg L-1 and 2.35 µg L-1 more glyphosate and AMPA, respectively, than children living in urban counties (95% CI: 8.14-20.91 for glyphosate and 95% CI: 0.55-4.14 for AMPA). AMPA concentration varied significantly with the source of drinking water, AMPA was higher among children that used water from open water sources (mean = 1.49 µg L-1; EC = 2.98; 95% CI/0.67-5.78) compared to those using water from closed water sources. There were also non-significant associations found, such as total household net income, current parental job description, and dietary intake. With the regard to the health risk assessment, estimated daily intake (EDIs), hazard quotient (HQs), and a hazard index (HI) were calculated. The GMs of EDI were 4.38 and 2.26 µg/kg of body weight BW/day for glyphosate and AMPA, respectively. The HQs were calculated considering 0.5 mg/kg BW/day as an acceptable daily intake (ADI), which EFSA has established as a health-based reference value for both analytes. The value obtained were lower than 1, and therefore, low health risk due to glyphosate and AMPA was expected for the target population under the study. This study provides further evidence on factors associated with glyphosate exposure, especially in developing countries.

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Morocco: Applying the Health Belief Model.

To identify factors that influenced Moroccans' intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine, a cross-sectional survey among a Moroccan sample was conducted based on Health Belief Model constructs. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, cues to action, and intention to receive vaccine data were collected and analyzed using a structural equation model (SEM). The survey was completed by 3800 individuals; 57.2% were men, 44.5% were aged 30 to 44, and 44.6% were married. After controlling for confounders, being a woman and having a chronic disease were associated with higher acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. The strongest predictor for the intention of receiving a vaccine was participants who were married. Most of the HBM constructs were shown to be significantly associated with vaccine acceptance. Susceptibility and Benefits were the strongest predictors of acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine (standardized path coefficient, SPC = 0.23), followed by Severity (SPC = 0.22). Conversely, given the negative correlation between barriers and intention (SPC = -0.08), it is necessary to maintain a high level of transparency regarding the vaccines' safety. Our study provides guidance for an implementation of vaccination strategies, intending to bolster the overall COVID-19 immunization program.

The Parental Pesticide and Offspring's Epigenome Study: Towards an Integrated Use of Human Biomonitoring of Exposure and Effect Biomarkers.

In Morocco, due to the lack of education and the presence of a counterfeit market, pesticides constitute a major problem to be addressed by occupational and environmental health agencies. This paper aims to introduce the PaPOE (Parental Pesticides and Offspring Epigenome) prospective study and its goals, to motivate the study rationale and design, and to examine comprehensively whether multi-residue exposure to commonly used pesticides could induce epigenetic alterations through the oxidative stress pathway. The PaPOE project includes a cross-sectional study assessing the occupational exposure among 300 farmworkers in Meknes, and initiates a birth cohort of 1000 pregnant women. Data and biological samples are collected among farmworkers, and throughout pregnancy, and at birth. Oxidative stress biomarkers include Glutathione, Malondialdehyde, and 8-OHdG. Global and gene-specific DNA methylation is assessed. The study began enrollment in 2019 and is ongoing. As of 30 June 2021, 300 farmworkers and 125 pregnant women have enrolled. The results are expected to showcase the importance of biomonitoring for understanding individual risks, and to identify a number of regions where DNA methylation status is altered in the pesticides-exposed population, paving the way for an integrated biomonitoring system in Morocco and Africa to assess environmental exposures and their long-term health consequences.

MAROCOVID: Snapshot Monitoring of Knowledge and Perceptions of Safety Behaviors during the COVID-19 Outbreak in Morocco.

To assess whether knowledge, attitude, and perceptions of the COVID-19 pandemic predicted changes in behaviors among the general Moroccan population, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted between 30 March and 20 April involving a total of 14,157 participants. The statistical analysis of the data included univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Our results suggest that less than ten days after the Moroccan government announced "Health state of Emergency" response to the COVID-19 outbreak, public knowledge, attitude and responses to the pandemic were relatively high. More than half the respondents (63.2%) reported that they complied with more than five of nine recommended safety measures, including avoiding going out (93.2%), and frequent handwashing with soap and water (78.2%). Factors associated with an increased likelihood to adopt safety measures included perceptions that COVID-19 was a human health risk, the pandemic will continue for a long time, availability of clear information, and a lack of medicine. The largest predictor of safety behavior change was age; participants older than 55 were more likely to adopt recommended safety behaviors. Although knowledge and perception among the general public was reasonable, more encouragement from government via health education programs is needed to maintain appropriate behaviors.

Health and ecological risk assessment based on pesticide monitoring in Saïss plain (Morocco) groundwater.

In many countries, including Morocco, groundwater contamination with pesticides such as globally banned organochlorides (e.g., dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)) and some accredited organophosphates and pyrethroids poses ecological and human health risks. To assess these risks, we herein monitored pesticides in Saïss plain groundwater (Morocco) during the summer of 2017 and the winter of 2018 using polar organic chemical integrative samplers. The two types of passive samplers were deployed in 22 traditional wells for 14-20 days and subjected to solid-phase extraction. The extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry using a multiresidue method, and 27 pesticides were detected in total. In the summer campaign, 22 pesticides with individual concentrations ranging from