Corrigendum to “Non-invasive welding fumes exposure assessment using exhaled breath condensate” [Environ. Res., vol. 291 (2026), Article number: YENRS_123565] (Environmental Research (2026) 291, (S001393512502818X), (10.1016/j.envres.2025.123565))

The authors regret that the abstract, including keywords, have not been published with the online and PDF versions of the original paper. Here we present the abstract and the keywords corresponding to the original paper. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. ABSTRACT Introduction: Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) has recently gained attention as a non-invasive matrix for occupational exposure assessment. The present study was aimed to evaluate the potential of metals in EBC as biomarkers of welding fume exposure. Methods: We recruited 33 welders from welding shops and a mining facility in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada, and 30 non-exposed participants, including health and safety professionals at welding shops and graduate students at the University of Alberta. Air sampling was conducted throughout shifts in the welder group. EBC sampling was conducted using R-Tubes. Metals in the EBC and air samples were quantified using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Data were analyzed using a multivariate receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis and linear mixed models (LMMs). Results: Post-shift levels of Al, Co, Cu, Mn, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the welders' EBC were significantly higher than those in the non-exposed group (p < 0.05), showing excellent collective discriminative performance in the ROC analysis (AUC = 1). Among welders, V levels were consistently higher post-shift than pre-shift, whereas Pb showed the opposite trend, particularly among smokers. Results from the LMMs identified smoking as the main predictor for pre-shift metal levels, while exposure to high welding fume levels and welding experience primarily predicted post-shift metal levels in the EBC of welders. Conclusion: Our findings indicate the potential use of metals in EBC as biomarkers of welding fume exposure, particularly in high-exposure scenarios. However, standardization of the analytical methods is essential to ensure accurate results. Keywords: Exhaled breath condensate, Exposure, Biomarkers, Welding fumes.