Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (785 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
The exposure to potentially harmful chemical, physical, or biological agents that occurs as a result of one's occupation.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Exposure, Occupational; Exposures, Occupational; Occupational Exposures.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Environmental Exposure
- Narrower topics
- Maximum Allowable Concentration; Threshold Limit Values; War Exposure
- See also
- Air Pollutants, Occupational; Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 74,326 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Occupational Exposure” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 11,542 of them (15.5%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is 2010-2019 with 22,562 records.
Reviews account for 8,974 records (12.1%) and meta-analyses for 775. Randomized controlled trials number 488 (0.7%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 19,612 |
| 2000-2009 | 20,610 |
| 2010-2019 | 22,562 |
| 2020 onward | 11,542 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 8,974 | 12.1% |
| Meta-analyses | 775 | 1.0% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 488 | 0.7% |
Method: PubMed query "Occupational Exposure"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in public health and nutrition
Population and nutrition studies mostly observe what people eat, breathe or are exposed to and then look for links with health, which shows association and not proof of cause. Self-reported diet is imprecise, people who eat or live differently also differ in other ways, and effects measured across a population may not apply to one person. Check the study design, how exposure was measured, what else was accounted for and the size of the effect, not only whether it was statistically significant.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Association of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with cognitive function in firefighters | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 41882280 · DOI · PMC13331740 |
| Occupational Exposures in the Culinary Underbelly: Air Pollution in Restaurants | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42323817 · DOI · PMC13348163 |
| Subclinical Anthrax Exposure in Railroad Workers Following Soil Disruption in an Endemic Region: A Seroprevalence Study in Kars, Türkiye | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 1 | cc by PMID 42347256 · DOI · PMC13306045 |
Association of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with cognitive function in firefighters [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundEvidence on cognitive function in relation to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure in firefighters is scarce.
- Closing excerpt
- These data could inform analyses in support of workplace exposure reduction efforts and revision of preventive health care for first responders.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (316 words)
BackgroundEvidence on cognitive function in relation to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure in firefighters is scarce.ObjectiveWe conducted a pilot study aiming to explore the associations of individual PFAS analyte and PFAS mixture with domain-specific cognitive performance in firefighters.MethodsFirefighters (n = 65), who were actively serving four cities in Central Texas 2003-2025, were assessed for global cognition and processing speed measured by the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Whole blood samples were collected from these participants and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for 24 PFAS analytes. Linear regression models were used to evaluate associations between cognitive performance and both individual PFAS analytes and the overall 24-PFAS mixture. Additionally, quantile g-computation and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) were applied to investigate associations between 6-PFAS mixture and cognitive performance, with adjustment for potential covariates.ResultsSix PFAS analytes including potassium perfluoro-1-octanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluoro-n-octanoic acid (PFOA), perfluoro-n-heptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluoro-n-nonanoic acid (PFNA), perfluoro-n-decanoic acid (PFDA), and potassium perfluoro-1-hexanesulfonate (PFHxS) were detected in the least 70% of participants. PFOS was negatively associated with scores of processing speed (ß = -0.58 p SignificanceThese preliminary findings may inform future research seeking to clarify the biological pathways linking PFAS exposure to cognitive outcomes and to explore possible modifiable factors related to cognitive health in firefighters. They might also underscore the potential value of continued effort to minimize workplace PFAS exposure for this occupational group.ImpactOur study provides the first data on PFAS exposure and cognitive performance for firefighters. Our analysis revealed that PFOS was the primary contributor among the PFAS mixture (consisting of PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFHpA, PFNA, and PFDA) linked to reduced processing speed scores in firefighters. Our findings pave the way for future, larger studies that observe firefighters for longer duration to develop confident estimates of cognitive health in relation to PFAS exposure. These data could inform analyses in support of workplace exposure reduction efforts and revision of preventive health care for first responders.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41882280 · DOI · PMC13331740
Occupational Exposures in the Culinary Underbelly: Air Pollution in Restaurants [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Occupational exposure to commercial cooking emissions has not been comprehensively studied, particularly in a Western context.
- Closing excerpt
- These data warrant further investigation into the cardiopulmonary health of restaurant workers.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (195 words)
Occupational exposure to commercial cooking emissions has not been comprehensively studied, particularly in a Western context. This investigation measured the concentration and composition of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), and black carbon (BC) in 18 New York City restaurants. Eight-hour gravimetric PM1,2.5,10 mass concentrations were measured in kitchen and dining areas, and PM1 was speciated using X-ray fluorescence. Evacuated canisters and XAD-2 sorbent tubes collected VOCs and PAHs, respectively, and were speciated using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Lastly, spatial concentration gradients for PM2.5 and day-of-the-week effects were considered in eight additional restaurants. A median PM2.5 concentration of 79.6 μg/m3 was found in kitchens, with real-time values spiking into the thousands of micrograms per cubic meter in some restaurants─values below the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 8 h permissible exposure limit of 5 mg/m3 for particles not otherwise regulated (respirable fraction), but well above the 24 h World Health Organization recommended ambient exposure limit of 15 μg/m3 for 2021. Benzene, a known carcinogen, was frequently detected in the kitchen areas, while PAHs were often undetected. These data warrant further investigation into the cardiopulmonary health of restaurant workers.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42323817 · DOI · PMC13348163
Subclinical Anthrax Exposure in Railroad Workers Following Soil Disruption in an Endemic Region: A Seroprevalence Study in Kars, Türkiye [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- During construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad between Kars City in Türkiye and Tbilisi in Georgia, blasting operations in an anthrax-endemic region disrupted a burial pit containing carcasses of cattle that had died of anthrax.
- Closing excerpt
- In anthrax-endemic regions, therefore, construction activities that involve blasting or large-scale excavation may pose risks of occupational exposure to Bacillus anthracis spores.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (274 words)
During construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad between Kars City in Türkiye and Tbilisi in Georgia, blasting operations in an anthrax-endemic region disrupted a burial pit containing carcasses of cattle that had died of anthrax. Railroad workers expressed concerns that release of this material could result in them developing anthrax infection. We therefore undertook a seroprevalence study six months later to seek evidence of exposure to Bacillus anthracis spores. We used an optimised Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to screen serum for antigen-specific IgG antibodies to the anthrax toxin subunits Protective Antigen (PA) and Lethal Factor (LF). Stepwise linear regressions and t-tests were performed to compare results from railroad workers (n = 64) with a group of long-term Kars City residents (urban dwellers, n = 16), who had no history of possible contact with anthrax antigens. Anti-PA IgG concentrations were higher (p = 0.038) in railroad workers than in urban dwellers, but anti-LF IgG concentrations did not differ (p = 0.932) between the two groups. The anti-PA response is known to be dominant, and the difference was small. The lack of LF response did not preclude an antibody response to B. anthracis. Following the blasting operations, no cases of anthrax infection occurred in either railroad workers or villagers living nearby, suggesting that the spore exposure (evidenced by higher antibody titres) was at levels insufficient to initiate clinical infection. The elevated PA-specific antibody responses in railroad workers compared with urban dwellers might be consistent with the former having had previous subclinical exposure to B. anthracis. In anthrax-endemic regions, therefore, construction activities that involve blasting or large-scale excavation may pose risks of occupational exposure to Bacillus anthracis spores.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 42347256 · DOI · PMC13306045
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article A systematic review including meta-analysis of work environment and burnout symptoms [4]
- Research article Contemporary Occupational Carcinogen Exposure and Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis [5]
- Research article Pesticide exposure and risk of Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis [6]
- Research article Cancer incidence and mortality among firefighters [7]
- Research article Occupational exposure to pesticides and Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies [8]
- Research article Occupational exposure to pesticides and risk of hematopoietic cancers: meta-analysis of case-control studies [9]
References
- Pan X, Pollitt KJG, Liu S, Armstrong F, Amin B. Association of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with cognitive function in firefighters. . 2026. PMID 41882280 · DOI · PMC13331740
- Saporito AF, Hashmi M, Yu W, Michanowicz DR, Lebel ED, Lucha N, et al.. Occupational Exposures in the Culinary Underbelly: Air Pollution in Restaurants. . 2026. PMID 42323817 · DOI · PMC13348163
- Celebi O, Dyson H, Laws TR, Buyuk F, Doganay M, Sahin M, et al.. Subclinical Anthrax Exposure in Railroad Workers Following Soil Disruption in an Endemic Region: A Seroprevalence Study in Kars, Türkiye. . 2026. PMID 42347256 · DOI · PMC13306045
- Aronsson G, Theorell T, Grape T, Hammarström A, Hogstedt C, Marteinsdottir I, et al.. A systematic review including meta-analysis of work environment and burnout symptoms. BMC Public Health. 2017. PMID 28302088 · DOI · PMC5356239
- Cumberbatch MG, Cox A, Teare D, Catto JW. Contemporary Occupational Carcinogen Exposure and Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Oncol. 2015. PMID 26448641 · DOI
- Yan D, Zhang Y, Liu L, Yan H. Pesticide exposure and risk of Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2016. PMID 27581992 · DOI · PMC5007474
- Jalilian H, Ziaei M, Weiderpass E, Rueegg CS, Khosravi Y, Kjaerheim K. Cancer incidence and mortality among firefighters. Int J Cancer. 2019. PMID 30737784 · DOI
- Van Maele-Fabry G, Hoet P, Vilain F, Lison D. Occupational exposure to pesticides and Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Environ Int. 2012. PMID 22698719 · DOI
- Merhi M, Raynal H, Cahuzac E, Vinson F, Cravedi JP, Gamet-Payrastre L. Occupational exposure to pesticides and risk of hematopoietic cancers: meta-analysis of case-control studies. Cancer Causes Control. 2007. PMID 17874193 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.