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Ruggieri F, Majorani C, Domanico F, Alimonti A. Mercury in Children: Current State on Exposure through Human Biomonitoring Studies. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14050519. [PMID: 28498344 PMCID: PMC5451970 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14050519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2017] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) in children has multiple exposure sources and the toxicity of Hg compounds depends on exposure routes, dose, timing of exposure, and developmental stage (be it prenatal or postnatal). Over the last decades, Hg was widely recognized as a threat to the children’s health and there have been acknowledgements at the international level of the need of a global policy intervention—like the Minamata treaty—aimed at reducing or preventing Hg exposure and protecting the child health. National human biomonitoring (HBM) data has demonstrated that low levels of exposure of Hg are still an important health concern for children, which no one country can solve alone. Although independent HBM surveys have provided the basis for the achievements of exposure mitigation in specific contexts, a new paradigm for a coordinated global monitoring of children’s exposure, aimed at a reliable decision-making tool at global level is yet a great challenge for the next future. The objective of the present review is to describe current HBM studies on Hg exposure in children, taking into account the potential pathways of Hg exposure and the actual Hg exposure levels assessed by different biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Ruggieri
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Costanza Majorani
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesco Domanico
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Alimonti
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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Tatsuta N, Murata K, Iwai-Shimada M, Yaginuma-Sakurai K, Satoh H, Nakai K. Psychomotor Ability in Children Prenatally Exposed to Methylmercury: The 18-Month Follow-Up of Tohoku Study of Child Development. TOHOKU J EXP MED 2017; 242:1-8. [PMID: 28484113 DOI: 10.1620/tjem.242.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Fish contain nutrients essential to the developing fetal brain, but they are contaminated with methylmercury. The Tohoku Study of Child Development, now underway in the Sanriku coastal area of Miyagi prefecture, Japan, follows mother-child pairs to examine the risks and benefits of fish consumption during pregnancy, especially the effects of prenatal exposures to methylmercury, selenium, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on child neurodevelopment. Children aged 18 months were administered the Bayley Scales of Infant Development second edition (BSID-II) and Kyoto Scale of Psychological Development (KSPD) in 2004-2008. Complete data of cord-blood total mercury (THg), cord-plasma selenium, maternal-plasma DHA, the above test scores, and confounders for 566 mother-child pairs were available. The median cord-blood THg level was 15.7 (range, 2.7-96.1) ng/g. Since the BSID-II and KSPD scores were significantly lower in the 285 boys than in the 281 girls, analyses were conducted separately. The Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) of BSID-II was significantly correlated with cord-blood THg only in the boys, and significance of the association remained unchanged after adjusting for possible confounders; i.e., a 10-fold increase in cord-blood THg was associated with a 8.3-point decrease in the score of the PDI. Other significant correlations of THg were not seen in the boys or girls. Selenium and DHA showed no significant correlations with the BSID-II or KSPD scores in either sex. In conclusion, intrauterine methylmercury exposure may affect psychomotor development, and boys appear to be more vulnerable to the exposure than girls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Tatsuta
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.,Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Katsuyuki Murata
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Miyuki Iwai-Shimada
- Centre for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies
| | - Kozue Yaginuma-Sakurai
- Department of Human Health and Nutrition, Shokei Gakuin University Faculty of Comprehensive Human Science
| | - Hiroshi Satoh
- Environmental Health Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
| | - Kunihiko Nakai
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine
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53
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Trasande L, Koshy TT, Gilbert J, Burdine LK, Attina TM, Ghassabian A, Honda M, Marmor M, Chu DB, Han X, Shao Y, Kannan K. Serum perfluoroalkyl substances in children exposed to the world trade center disaster. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 154:212-221. [PMID: 28104511 PMCID: PMC5328959 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The World Trade Center (WTC) disaster released large amounts of various chemical substances into the environment, including perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs). Yet, no studies have examined exposures in children living or attending schools near the disaster site. We measured serum PFASs in WTC Health Registry (WTCHR) respondents who were ≤8 years of age on September 11, 2001 and a sociodemographically-matched comparison group. We also examined the relationship of PFASs levels with dust cloud exposure; home dust exposure, and with traumatic exposure, the latter to take into account differences related to possible mental health consequences and associated behavioral problems. Serum samples, collected between 2014 and 2016, were analyzed from 123 WTCHR participants and from 185 participants in the comparison group. In the WTCHR group, median perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) levels were 1.81ng/mL and 3.72ng/mL, respectively. Controlling for sex, caloric intake, race/ethnicity, and date of birth, significant increases among WTCHR participants compared with the matched comparison group were detected for perfluorohexanesulfonate (0.23ng/mL increase or 0.24log unit increase, p=0.006); PFOS (0.86ng/mL increase or 0.16log unit increase, p=0.011); PFOA (0.35ng/mL increase or 0.18log unit increase, p<0.001); perfluorononanoic acid (0.12ng/mL increase or 0.17log unit increase, p=0.003); perfluorodecanoic acid (0.06ng/mL increase or 0.42log unit increase, p<0.001); and perfluoroundecanoic acid (0.03ng/mL increase or 0.32log unit increase, p=0.019). Stronger associations were identified for home dust exposures and traumatic exposures than dust cloud. These findings highlight the importance of conducting longitudinal studies in this population to assess possible cardiometabolic and renal consequences related to these exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; NYU Wagner School of Public Service, New York, NY, USA; NYU College of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Tony T Koshy
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Joseph Gilbert
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lauren K Burdine
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Teresa M Attina
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Akhgar Ghassabian
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Masato Honda
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Michael Marmor
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dinh Binh Chu
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Xiaoxia Han
- Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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54
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Begani RK, Begani AZ. Alluvial Gold Mining Sites as Exposure Pathways for Methyl Mercury Toxicity in Children: A Systematic Review. Health (London) 2017. [DOI: 10.4236/health.2017.96066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Groth E. Scientific foundations of fish-consumption advice for pregnant women: Epidemiological evidence, benefit-risk modeling, and an integrated approach. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 152:386-406. [PMID: 27475784 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Revised: 06/06/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pregnant women need fish consumption advice that increases seafood intake and simultaneously reduces methylmercury (MeHg) exposure. Two disciplines, epidemiology and benefit-risk modeling, can support such advice. Some current models suggest that fish consumption during pregnancy has only net beneficial effects. In contrast, many recent epidemiological studies have associated adverse effects on cognitive development with ordinary fish intake and MeHg doses routinely encountered by up to one in six US women of childbearing age. Proposed federal fish-consumption advice is based solely on a benefit-risk model. A more complete assessment integrating both types of evidence is needed. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS The goal of this paper is to use a model to rank seafood items by their relative benefits and risks, producing consumer seafood choice recommendations that are also consistent with epidemiological observations. Recent epidemiological studies and benefit-risk models are reviewed, and model results are compared with one another and with epidemiological observations to identify commonalities that support inter-calibration. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Both approaches quantify MeHg doses at which harm slightly exceeds benefit. A model from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) predicts adverse effects at fish intakes containing, on average, more than 16 times the the US Reference Dose (RfD) for MeHg. Epidemiological results indicate that the RfD itself approximates a minimal adverse dose. This conceptual similarity allows FDA's model to be calibrated with the epidemiological results to generate fish intake recommendations that both the model and the epidemiology suggest should have substantially positive public health impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Groth
- Groth Consulting Services, 455 Beacon Street, Apt. 6, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Weihe P, Debes F, Halling J, Petersen MS, Muckle G, Odland JØ, Dudarev A, Ayotte P, Dewailly É, Grandjean P, Bonefeld-Jørgensen E. Health effects associated with measured levels of contaminants in the Arctic. Int J Circumpolar Health 2016; 75:33805. [PMID: 27974137 PMCID: PMC5156856 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v75.33805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The Human Health Assessment Group has over the past decade recommended that effect studies be conducted in the circumpolar area. Such studies examine the association between contaminant exposure in the Arctic populations and health effects. Because foetuses and young children are the most vulnerable, effect studies are often prospective child cohort studies. The emphasis in this article is on a description of the effects associated with contaminant exposure in the Arctic. The main topics addressed are neurobehavioural, immunological, reproductive, cardiovascular, endocrine and carcinogenic effect. For each topic, the association between exposure and effects is described, and some results are reported for similar studies outside the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pál Weihe
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands;
| | - Fróði Debes
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Jónrit Halling
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Maria Skaalum Petersen
- Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Gina Muckle
- École de psychologie, Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec, Québec, City, QC, Canada
| | - Jon Øyvind Odland
- Department of Community Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromso, Norway
| | - Alexey Dudarev
- Northwest Public Health Research Center, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | | | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Medicine, Univerisity of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
| | - Eva Bonefeld-Jørgensen
- Centre for Arctic Health, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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57
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Llop S, Ballester F, Murcia M, Forns J, Tardon A, Andiarena A, Vioque J, Ibarluzea J, Fernández-Somoano A, Sunyer J, Julvez J, Rebagliato M, Lopez-Espinosa MJ. Prenatal exposure to mercury and neuropsychological development in young children: the role of fish consumption. Int J Epidemiol 2016; 46:827-838. [DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyw259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
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58
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Murcia M, Ballester F, Enning AM, Iñiguez C, Valvi D, Basterrechea M, Rebagliato M, Vioque J, Maruri M, Tardon A, Riaño-Galán I, Vrijheid M, Llop S. Prenatal mercury exposure and birth outcomes. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 151:11-20. [PMID: 27448728 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 07/03/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Results regarding the association between mercury exposure and anthropometry at birth, gestational length and placental weight are inconsistent, as is the role of seafood intake in these associations. OBJECTIVE We assessed whether prenatal mercury exposure is associated with anthropometry at birth, placental weight and gestational length in a population with a relatively high exposure to mercury from seafood consumption. METHODS Total mercury (T-Hg) was determined in cord blood from 1869 newborns with birth outcome measures, within the Spanish multicenter INMA cohort from 2004 to 2008. We adjusted cohort specific linear and Cox regression models to evaluate the association between T-Hg and birth anthropometry (weight, length, and head circumference), placental weight and gestational length. Non-spontaneous labor was taken to be censoring in the survival analysis. Final estimates were obtained using meta-analysis. RESULTS Geometric mean T-Hg was 8.2μg/L. A doubling of T-Hg was associated with a 7.7g decrease in placental weight (95% CI: -13.6, -1.8) and marginally with head circumference (beta: -0.052cm, 95% CI: -0.109, 0.005). T-Hg was also inversely related to weight and length, although with weaker estimates. Mercury exposure was not associated with the length of gestation. The inverse relation between T-Hg and growth was enhanced when the intake of different seafood groups was adjusted for in the models. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal mercury exposure may be associated with reduced placental and fetal growth. Confounding by fish intake should be considered when assessing these relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Murcia
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Ferran Ballester
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Nursing Department, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ashley Michel Enning
- ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Iñiguez
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Damaskini Valvi
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
| | - Mikel Basterrechea
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Public Health Division of Gipuzkoa, San Sebastián, Spain; Health Research Institute (BIODONOSTIA), San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Marisa Rebagliato
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Medicine Department, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Jesús Vioque
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Universidad Miguel Hernández, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Maite Maruri
- OSI Goierri-Alto Urola, Centro de Salud de Azkoitia, Spain
| | - Adonina Tardon
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; IUOPA-Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
| | - Isolina Riaño-Galán
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Pediatric Unit, Hospital San Agustin, Aviles, Spain
| | - Martine Vrijheid
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; ISGlobal, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sabrina Llop
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Spain; Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
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Wang A, Padula A, Sirota M, Woodruff TJ. Environmental influences on reproductive health: the importance of chemical exposures. Fertil Steril 2016; 106:905-29. [PMID: 27513554 PMCID: PMC5158104 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.07.1076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Revised: 07/12/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Chemical exposures during pregnancy can have a profound and life-long impact on human health. Because of the omnipresence of chemicals in our daily life, there is continuous contact with chemicals in food, water, air, and consumer products. Consequently, human biomonitoring studies show that pregnant women around the globe are exposed to a variety of chemicals. In this review we provide a summary of current data on maternal and fetal exposure, as well as health consequences from these exposures. We review several chemical classes, including polychlorinated biphenyls, perfluoroalkyl substances, polybrominated diphenyl ethers, phenols, phthalates, pesticides, and metals. Additionally, we discuss environmental disparities and vulnerable populations, and future research directions. We conclude by providing some recommendations for prevention of chemical exposure and its adverse reproductive health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aolin Wang
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Institute for Computational Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Amy Padula
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Marina Sirota
- Institute for Computational Health Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California.
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Rothenberg SE, Yu X, Liu J, Biasini FJ, Hong C, Jiang X, Nong Y, Cheng Y, Korrick SA. Maternal methylmercury exposure through rice ingestion and offspring neurodevelopment: A prospective cohort study. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2016; 219:832-842. [PMID: 27503636 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dietary methylmercury intake can occur not only through fish ingestion but also through rice ingestion; however, rice does not contain the same beneficial micronutrients as fish. OBJECTIVES In rural China, where rice is a staple food, associations between prenatal methylmercury exposure (assessed using maternal hair mercury) and impacts on offspring neurodevelopment were investigated. METHODS A total of 398 mothers were recruited at parturition at which time a sample of scalp hair was collected. Offspring (n=270, 68%) were assessed at 12 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II, yielding age-adjusted scores for the Mental Developmental Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI). RESULTS Among 270 mothers, 85% ingested rice daily, 41% never or rarely ingested fish/shellfish and 11% ingested fish/shellfish at least twice/weekly. Maternal hair mercury averaged 0.41μg/g (median: 0.39μg/g, range: 0.079-1.7μg/g). In unadjusted models, offspring neurodevelopment (both MDI and PDI) was inversely correlated with hair mercury. Associations were strengthened after adjustment for fish/shellfish ingestion, rice ingestion, total energy intake (kcal), and maternal/offspring characteristics for both the MDI [Beta: -4.9, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): -9.7, -0.12] and the PDI (Beta: -2.7, 95% CI: -8.3, 2.9), although confidence intervals remained wide for the latter. CONCLUSIONS For 12-month old offspring living in rural China, prenatal methylmercury exposure was associated with statistically significant decrements in offspring cognition, but not psychomotor development. Results expose potential new vulnerabilities for communities depending on rice as a staple food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Rothenberg
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
| | - Xiaodan Yu
- MOE-Shanghai Key Lab of Children's Environmental Health, XinHua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jihong Liu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Fred J Biasini
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Chuan Hong
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Xu Jiang
- Department of Psychology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Yanfen Nong
- Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Daxin, China
| | - Yue Cheng
- Department of Public Health, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, China
| | - Susan A Korrick
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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61
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Nelson JW, Edhlund BL, Johnson J, Rosebush CE, Holmquist ZS, Swan SH, Nguyen RHN. Assessing a New Method for Measuring Fetal Exposure to Mercury: Newborn Bloodspots. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:E692. [PMID: 27409626 PMCID: PMC4962233 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13070692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Revised: 06/28/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Measuring mercury in newborn bloodspots to determine fetal exposures is a novel methodology with many advantages. Questions remain, however, about its reliability as an estimate of newborn exposure to mercury. METHODS We studied mercury concentrations in paired bloodspots and cord blood from a convenience sample of 48 Minnesota women and infants. RESULTS The limit of detection for bloodspots was higher than for cord blood (0.7 and 0.3 μg/L in bloodspots and cord blood, respectively) with the result that mercury was detected in only 38% of newborn bloodspots compared to 62% of cord blood samples. The geometric mean mercury concentration in cord blood was 0.6 μg/L. Mercury concentrations were almost uniformly lower in bloodspots than in cord blood (mean ratio (±SD) = 0.85 ± 0.4), their mean value was significantly less than that for the cord blood (p = 0.02), and the two methods were highly correlated (r = 0.82). CONCLUSION These preliminary findings indicate that newborn bloodspot mercury measurements have utility; however, until bloodspot analyses are more sensitive, they are likely to underestimate in utero exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica W Nelson
- Environmental Tracking and Biomonitoring Program, Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, MN 55164, USA.
| | - Betsy L Edhlund
- Public Health Laboratory, Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, MN 55164, USA.
| | - Jean Johnson
- Environmental Tracking and Biomonitoring Program, Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, MN 55164, USA.
| | - Christina E Rosebush
- Environmental Tracking and Biomonitoring Program, Minnesota Department of Health, St. Paul, MN 55164, USA.
| | - Zachary S Holmquist
- Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA.
| | - Shanna H Swan
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Ruby H N Nguyen
- Division of Epidemiology & Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA.
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Oken E, Rifas-Shiman SL, Amarasiriwardena C, Jayawardene I, Bellinger DC, Hibbeln JR, Wright RO, Gillman MW. Maternal prenatal fish consumption and cognition in mid childhood: Mercury, fatty acids, and selenium. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2016; 57:71-78. [PMID: 27381635 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Revised: 06/24/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies of maternal prenatal fish intake have included biomarkers of exposure to mercury, long-chain n-3 fatty acids, and selenium, which are hypothesized to mediate associations with child neurodevelopment. OBJECTIVES Examine associations of maternal prenatal fish intake with child neurodevelopment accounting for biomarkers. METHODS In 1999-2002 we enrolled pregnant women into the Project Viva cohort. At median 27.9weeks gestation, we estimated maternal fish intake using food frequency questionnaires, and collected blood. We assayed erythrocytes for total mercury and selenium, and plasma for fatty acids including n-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In mid-childhood (median 7.7years), we administered cognitive tests including the Kauffman Brief Intelligence Test (KBIT). We performed multivariable linear regression analyses adjusting for maternal and child characteristics including home environment and maternal intelligence. RESULTS Among 1068 pairs (872 with blood), mean (SD) exposures were: maternal fish intake 1.7 (1.5)servings/week, mercury 4.0 (3.6)ng/g, DHA+EPA 98.4 (41.8)mcg/ml, selenium 205.6 (34.6)ng/ml. Child KBIT verbal scores (mean 112.2, SD 15.0) were not related to any exposures: maternal fish intake (0.15; 95% CI: -0.50, 0.79), mercury (0.08; -0.18, 0.35), DHA+EPA (0.01; -0.22, 0.24), and selenium (0.20; -0.09, 0.50). Associations with KBIT nonverbal scores and tests of memory and visual motor abilities were similarly null. Mutual adjustment for each of the exposure measures did not substantially change estimates. CONCLUSIONS In this population with an average fish consumption of about 1 1/2 weekly servings, we did not see any evidence for an association of maternal prenatal fish intake, or of mercury, DHA+EPA, or selenium status, with verbal or non-verbal intelligence, visual motor function, or visual memory at median 7.7years of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Oken
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chitra Amarasiriwardena
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Innocent Jayawardene
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David C Bellinger
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph R Hibbeln
- Section on Nutritional Neurosciences, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthew W Gillman
- Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Vejrup K, Schjølberg S, Knutsen HK, Kvalem HE, Brantsæter AL, Meltzer HM, Alexander J, Magnus P, Haugen M. Prenatal methylmercury exposure and language delay at three years of age in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2016; 92-93:63-69. [PMID: 27058928 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal methylmercury (MeHg) exposure and its possible neurodevelopmental effects in susceptible children are of concern. Studies of MeHg exposure and negative health outcomes have shown conflicting results and it has been suggested that co-exposure to other contaminants and/or nutrients in fish may confound the effect of MeHg. Our objective was to examine the association between prenatal exposure to MeHg and language and communication development at three years, adjusting for intake of fish, n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) and co-exposure to dioxins and dioxin like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs). We used data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) collected between 2002 and 2008. The study sample consisted of 46,750 mother-child pairs. MeHg exposure was calculated from reported fish intake during pregnancy by a FFQ in mid-pregnancy. Children's language and communication skills were measured by maternal report on the Dale and Bishop grammar rating and the Ages and Stages communication scale (ASQ). We estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using logistic regressions. Median MeHg exposure was 1.3μg/day, corresponding to 0.14μg/kgbw/week. An exposure level above the 90th percentile (>2.6μg/day, >0.29μg/kgbw/week) was defined as the high MeHg exposure. Results indicated an association between high MeHg exposure and unintelligible speech with an adjusted OR 2.22 (1.31, 3.72). High MeHg exposure was also associated with weaker communication skills adjusted OR 1.33 (1.03, 1.70). Additional adjustment for fish intake strengthened the associations, while adjusting for PCBs and n-3 LCPUFA from diet or from supplements had minor impact. In conclusion, significant associations were found between prenatal MeHg exposure above the 90th percentile and delayed language and communication skills in a generally low exposed population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Vejrup
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway.
| | - Synnve Schjølberg
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Anne Lise Brantsæter
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Jan Alexander
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Per Magnus
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
| | - Margaretha Haugen
- Norwegian Institute of Public Health, P.O. Box 4404 Nydalen, NO-0403 Oslo, Norway
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64
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Taylor CM, Golding J, Emond AM. Blood mercury levels and fish consumption in pregnancy: Risks and benefits for birth outcomes in a prospective observational birth cohort. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2016; 219:513-20. [PMID: 27252152 PMCID: PMC4970655 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Background To avoid exposure to mercury, government advice on fish consumption during pregnancy includes information on fish species to avoid and to limit, while encouraging consumption of least two portions of fish per week. Some women may, however, chose to avoid fish completely during pregnancy despite potential benefits to the fetus. Objectives Our aims were to evaluate the effects of blood mercury levels in pregnant women on birth outcomes in the UK, and to compare outcomes in those who ate fish with those who did not. Methods Pregnant women were enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Whole blood samples for singleton pregnancies with a live birth were analysed for Hg by inductively coupled plasma dynamic reaction cell mass spectrometry (n = 4044). Fish intake was determined by a food frequency questionnaire during pregnancy. Data collected on the infants included anthropometric variables and gestational age at delivery. Regression models were adjusted for covariates using SPSS v23. Results There were no significant associations of maternal blood Hg level with birthweight, head circumference or crown–heel length in adjusted linear regression models. Similarly, there were no increased odds of low birthweight or preterm delivery in adjusted logistic regression models. When the models were repeated after stratification into fish-eaters and there were no associations except for a negative association with birthweight in non-fish-eaters (unstandardised B coefficient −58.4 (95% confidence interval −113.8, −3.0) g, p = 0.039). Conclusion Moderate mercury levels in pregnancy were not associated with anthropometric variables, or on the odds of low birthweight or preterm birth. Fish consumption may have a protective effect on birthweight. Consumption of fish in line with government guidelines during pregnancy should be encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M Taylor
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Jean Golding
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Alan M Emond
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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65
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Wells EM, Herbstman JB, Lin YH, Jarrett J, Verdon CP, Ward C, Caldwell KL, Hibbeln JR, Witter FR, Halden RU, Goldman LR. Cord Blood Methylmercury and Fetal Growth Outcomes in Baltimore Newborns: Potential Confounding and Effect Modification by Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Selenium, and Sex. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:373-9. [PMID: 26115160 PMCID: PMC4786979 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1408596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methylmercury (MeHg) may affect fetal growth; however, prior research often lacked assessment of mercury speciation, confounders, and interactions. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to assess the relationship between MeHg and fetal growth as well as the potential for confounding or interaction of this relationship from speciated mercury, fatty acids, selenium, and sex. METHODS This cross-sectional study includes 271 singletons born in Baltimore, Maryland, 2004-2005. Umbilical cord blood was analyzed for speciated mercury, serum omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n-3 HUFAs), and selenium. Multivariable linear regression models controlled for gestational age, birth weight, maternal age, parity, prepregnancy body mass index, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, selenium, n-3 HUFAs, and inorganic mercury (IHg). RESULTS Geometric mean cord blood MeHg was 0.94 μg/L (95% CI: 0.84, 1.07). In adjusted models for ponderal index, βln(MeHg) = -0.045 (g/cm(3)) × 100 (95% CI: -0.084, -0.005). There was no evidence of a MeHg × sex interaction with ponderal index. Contrastingly, there was evidence of a MeHg × n-3 HUFAs interaction with birth length [among low n-3 HUFAs, βln(MeHg) = 0.40 cm, 95% CI: -0.02, 0.81; among high n-3 HUFAs, βln(MeHg) = -0.15, 95% CI: -0.54, 0.25; p-interaction = 0.048] and head circumference [among low n-3 HUFAs, βln(MeHg) = 0.01 cm, 95% CI: -0.27, 0.29; among high n-3 HUFAs, βln(MeHg) = -0.37, 95% CI: -0.63, -0.10; p-interaction = 0.042]. The association of MeHg with birth weight and ponderal index was affected by n-3 HUFAs, selenium, and IHg. For birth weight, βln(MeHg) without these variables was -16.8 g (95% CI: -75.0, 41.3) versus -29.7 (95% CI: -93.9, 34.6) with all covariates. Corresponding values for ponderal index were -0.030 (g/cm(3)) × 100 (95% CI: -0.065, 0.005) and -0.045 (95% CI: -0.084, -0005). CONCLUSION We observed an association of increased MeHg with decreased ponderal index. There is evidence for interaction between MeHg and n-3 HUFAs; infants with higher MeHg and n-3 HUFAs had lower birth length and head circumference. These results should be verified with additional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen M. Wells
- School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
- Address correspondence to E.M. Wells, Purdue University, School of Health Sciences; Hampton Hall of Civil Engineering 1269; 550 Stadium Mall Dr.; West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA. Telephone: (765) 496-3535. E-mail:
| | - Julie B. Herbstman
- Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Yu Hong Lin
- Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffery Jarrett
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Carl P. Verdon
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Cynthia Ward
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Kathleen L. Caldwell
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Joseph R. Hibbeln
- Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Frank R. Witter
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Rolf U. Halden
- Center for Environmental Security, Biodesign Institute, Global Security Initiative, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Lynn R. Goldman
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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Golding J, Gregory S, Iles-Caven Y, Hibbeln J, Emond A, Taylor CM. Associations between prenatal mercury exposure and early child development in the ALSPAC study. Neurotoxicology 2016; 53:215-222. [PMID: 26880023 PMCID: PMC4819890 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2016.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Revised: 02/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is evidence that high levels of mercury exposure to the pregnant woman can result in damage to the brain of the developing fetus. However there is uncertainty as to whether lower levels of the metal have adverse effects on the development of the infant and whether components of fish consumption and/or the selenium status of the woman is protective. METHODS In this study we analysed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) (n=2875-3264) to determine whether levels of total blood mercury of pregnant women collected in the first half of pregnancy are associated with the development of the offspring at ages 6, 18, 30 and 42 months. The developmental measures used maternal self-reported scales for individual types of development (fine and gross motor, social and communication skills) and total scores. Multiple and logistic regression analyses treated the outcomes both as continuous and as suboptimal (the lowest 15th centile). The statistical analyses first examined the association of prenatal mercury exposure with these developmental endpoints and then adjusted each for a number of social and maternal lifestyle factors; finally this model was adjusted for the blood selenium level. RESULTS Total maternal prenatal blood mercury and selenium ranged from 0.17 to 12.76 and 17.0 to 324μg/L respectively. We found no evidence to suggest that prenatal levels of maternal blood mercury were associated with adverse development of the child, even when the mother had consumed no fish during pregnancy. In general, the higher the mercury level the more advanced the development of the child within the range of exposure studied. For example, the fully adjusted effect sizes for total development at 6 and 42 months were +0.51 [95%CI +0.05, +1.00] and +0.43 [95%CI +0.08, +0.78] points per SD of mercury. For the risk of suboptimal development the ORs at these ages were 0.90 [95%CI 0.80, 1.02] and 0.88 [95%CI 0.77, 1.02]. In regard to the associations between blood mercury and child development there were no differences between the mothers who ate fish and those who did not, thus implying that the benefits were not solely due to the beneficial nutrients in fish. CONCLUSIONS We found no evidence of adverse associations between maternal prenatal blood mercury and child development between 6 and 42 months of age. The significant associations that were present were all in the beneficial direction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Golding
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Steven Gregory
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Yasmin Iles-Caven
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Joseph Hibbeln
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Alan Emond
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Caroline M Taylor
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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Ruiz JDC, Quackenboss JJ, Tulve NS. Contributions of a Child's Built, Natural, and Social Environments to Their General Cognitive Ability: A Systematic Scoping Review. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0147741. [PMID: 26840411 PMCID: PMC4739499 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0147741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The etiology of a child’s cognitive ability is complex, with research suggesting that it is not attributed to a single determinant or even a defined period of exposure. Rather, cognitive development is the product of cumulative interactions with the environment, both negative and positive, over the life course. The aim of this systematic scoping review was to collate evidence associated with children’s cognitive health, including inherent factors as well as chemical and non-chemical stressors from the built, natural, and social environments. Three databases were used to identify recent epidemiological studies (2003–2013) that examined exposure factors associated with general cognitive ability in children. Over 100 factors were evaluated from 258 eligible studies. We found that recent literature mainly assessed the hypothesized negative effects of either inherent factors or chemical exposures present in the physical environment. Prenatal growth, sleep health, lead and water pollutants showed consistent negative effects. Of the few studies that examined social stressors, results consistently showed cognitive development to be influenced by both positive and negative social interactions at home, in school or the community. Among behavioral factors related to diet and lifestyle choices of the mother, breastfeeding was the most studied, showing consistent positive associations with cognitive ability. There were mostly inconsistent results for both chemical and non-chemical stressors. The majority of studies utilized traditional exposure assessments, evaluating chemical and non-chemical stressors separately. Collective evidence from a limited number of studies revealed that cumulative exposure assessment that incorporates multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors over the life course may unravel the variability in effect on cognitive development and help explain the inconsistencies across studies. Future research examining the interactions of multiple stressors within a child’s total environment, depicting a more real-world exposure, will aid in understanding the cumulative effects associated with a child’s ability to learn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jazmin Del Carmen Ruiz
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Research Participation Program, Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America
- Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States of America
- * E-mail: ;
| | - James J. Quackenboss
- Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, NV, United States of America
| | - Nicolle S. Tulve
- Human Exposure and Atmospheric Sciences Division, National Exposure Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States of America
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Gaskin J, Rennie C, Coyle D. Reducing Periconceptional Methylmercury Exposure: Cost-Utility Analysis for a Proposed Screening Program for Women Planning a Pregnancy in Ontario, Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2015; 123:1337-1344. [PMID: 26024213 PMCID: PMC4671232 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1409034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The assessment of neurodevelopmental effects in children associated with prenatal methylmercury exposure, from contaminated fish and seafood in the maternal diet, has recently been strengthened by adjustment for the negative confounding resulting from co-exposure to beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the cost-effectiveness of a periconceptional screening program of blood mercury concentration for women planning to become pregnant in Ontario, Canada. Fish intake recommendations would be provided for those found to have blood mercury levels above the intervention threshold. METHODS Analysis was conducted using a combined decision tree/Markov model to compare the proposed screening intervention with standard care from a societal perspective over a lifetime horizon. We used the national blood mercury distributions of women 20-49 years of age reported in the Canadian Health Measures Survey from 2009 through 2011 to determine the cognitive deficits associated with prenatal methylmercury exposure for successful planned pregnancies. Outcomes modeled included the loss in quality of life and the remedial education costs. Value of information analysis was conducted to assess the underlying uncertainty around the model results and to identify which parameters contribute most to this uncertainty. RESULTS The incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained for the proposed screening intervention was estimated to be Can$18,051, and the expected value for a willingness to pay of Can$50,000/QALY to be Can$0.61. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that the proposed periconceptional blood mercury screening program for women planning a pregnancy would be highly cost-effective from a societal perspective. The results of a value of information analysis confirm the robustness of the study's conclusions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Gaskin
- Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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González-Estecha M, Bodas-Pinedo A, Guillén-Pérez JJ, Rubio-Herrera MÁ, Martínez-Álvarez JR, Herráiz-Martínez MÁ, Martell-Claros N, Ordóñez-Iriarte JM, Sáinz-Martín M, Farré-Rovira R, Martínez-Astorquiza T, García-Donaire JA, Calvo-Manuel E, Bretón-Lesmes I, Prieto-Menchero S, Llorente-Ballesteros MT, Martínez-García MJ, Moreno-Rojas R, Salas-Salvadó J, Bermejo-Barrera P, Cuadrado-Cenzual MÁ, Gallardo-Pino C, Fuentes MB, Torres-Moreno M, Trasobares-Iglesias EM, Martín BB, Arroyo-Fernández M, Calle-Pascual A. Consensus document on the prevention of methylmercury exposure in Spain: Study group for the prevention of Me-Hg exposure in Spain (GEPREM-Hg). J Trace Elem Med Biol 2015; 32:122-34. [PMID: 26302920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2015.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The beneficial effects of fish consumption in both children and adults are well known. However, the intake of methylmercury, mainly from contaminated fish and shellfish, can have adverse health effects. The study group on the prevention of exposure to methylmercury (GEPREM-Hg), made up of representatives from different Spanish scientific societies, has prepared a consensus document in a question and answer format, containing the group's main conclusions, recommendations and proposals. The objective of the document is to provide broader knowledge of factors associated with methylmercury exposure, its possible effects on health amongst the Spanish population, methods of analysis, interpretation of the results and economic costs, and to then set recommendations for fish and shellfish consumption. The group sees the merit of all initiatives aimed at reducing or prohibiting the use of mercury as well as the need to be aware of the results of contaminant analyses performed on fish and shellfish marketed in Spain. In addition, the group believes that biomonitoring systems should be set up in order to follow the evolution of methylmercury exposure in children and adults and perform studies designed to learn more about the possible health effects of concentrations found in the Spanish population, taking into account the lifestyle, eating patterns and the Mediterranean diet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jordi Salas-Salvadó
- Spanish Federation of Nutrition, Food and Dietetics Societies (FESNAD), Spain
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Di Renzo GC, Conry JA, Blake J, DeFrancesco MS, DeNicola N, Martin JN, McCue KA, Richmond D, Shah A, Sutton P, Woodruff TJ, van der Poel SZ, Giudice LC. International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics opinion on reproductive health impacts of exposure to toxic environmental chemicals. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2015; 131:219-25. [PMID: 26433469 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgo.2015.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to toxic environmental chemicals during pregnancy and breastfeeding is ubiquitous and is a threat to healthy human reproduction. There are tens of thousands of chemicals in global commerce, and even small exposures to toxic chemicals during pregnancy can trigger adverse health consequences. Exposure to toxic environmental chemicals and related health outcomes are inequitably distributed within and between countries; universally, the consequences of exposure are disproportionately borne by people with low incomes. Discrimination, other social factors, economic factors, and occupation impact risk of exposure and harm. Documented links between prenatal exposure to environmental chemicals and adverse health outcomes span the life course and include impacts on fertility and pregnancy, neurodevelopment, and cancer. The global health and economic burden related to toxic environmental chemicals is in excess of millions of deaths and billions of dollars every year. On the basis of accumulating robust evidence of exposures and adverse health impacts related to toxic environmental chemicals, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) joins other leading reproductive health professional societies in calling for timely action to prevent harm. FIGO recommends that reproductive and other health professionals advocate for policies to prevent exposure to toxic environmental chemicals, work to ensure a healthy food system for all, make environmental health part of health care, and champion environmental justice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeanne A Conry
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jennifer Blake
- Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Mark S DeFrancesco
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Nathaniel DeNicola
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, USA
| | - James N Martin
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Kelly A McCue
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Washington, DC, USA
| | - David Richmond
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, UK
| | - Abid Shah
- Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, UK
| | - Patrice Sutton
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | | | - Linda C Giudice
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Dzwilewski KLC, Schantz SL. Prenatal chemical exposures and child language development. JOURNAL OF COMMUNICATION DISORDERS 2015; 57:41-65. [PMID: 26255253 PMCID: PMC4548902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 07/16/2015] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The goal of this review is to summarize the evidence that prenatal and/or early postnatal exposure to certain chemicals, both manmade (insulating materials, flame retardants, pesticides) and naturally occurring (e.g., lead, mercury), may be associated with delays or impairments in language development. We focus primarily on a subset of more extensively studied chemicals-polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), lead, and methyl mercury-for which a reasonable body of literature on neurodevelopmental outcomes is available. We also briefly summarize the smaller body of evidence for other chemicals including polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (PBDEs) and organophosphate pesticides. Very few studies have used specific assessments of language development and function. Therefore, we included discussion of aspects of cognitive development such as overall intellectual functioning and verbal abilities that rely on language, as well as aspects of cognition such as verbal and auditory working memory that are critical underpinnings of language development. A high percentage of prospective birth cohort studies of PCBs, lead, and mercury have reported exposure-related reductions in overall IQ and/or verbal IQ that persist into middle or late childhood. Given these findings, it is important that clinicians and researchers in communication sciences and disorders are aware of the potential for environmental chemicals to impact language development. LEARNING OUTCOMES The goal of this review is to summarize the evidence that prenatal and/or early postnatal exposure to certain chemicals may be associated with delays or impairments in language development. Readers will gain an understanding of the literature suggesting that early exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), lead, and mercury may be associated with decrements in cognitive domains that depend on language or are critical for language development. We also briefly summarize the smaller body of evidence regarding polybrominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (PBDEs) and organophosphate pesticides. Very few studies of exposure to these chemicals have used specific assessments of language development; thus, further investigation is needed before changes in clinical practice can be suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey L C Dzwilewski
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Neuroscience Program, 405 North Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Susan L Schantz
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Comparative Biosciences, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
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Jacobson JL, Muckle G, Ayotte P, Dewailly É, Jacobson SW. Relation of Prenatal Methylmercury Exposure from Environmental Sources to Childhood IQ. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2015; 123:827-33. [PMID: 25757069 PMCID: PMC4529008 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1408554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although prenatal methylmercury exposure has been linked to poorer intellectual function in several studies, data from two major prospective, longitudinal studies yielded contradictory results. Associations with cognitive deficits were reported in a Faroe Islands cohort, but few were found in a study in the Seychelles Islands. It has been suggested that co-exposure to another contaminant, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), may be responsible for the positive findings in the former study and that co-exposure to nutrients in methylmercury-contaminated fish may have obscured and/or protected against adverse effects in the latter. OBJECTIVES We aimed to determine the degree to which co-exposure to PCBs may account for the adverse effects of methylmercury and the degree to which co-exposure to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may obscure these effects in a sample of Inuit children in Arctic Québec. METHODS IQ was estimated in 282 school-age children from whom umbilical cord blood samples had been obtained and analyzed for mercury and other environmental exposures. RESULTS Prenatal mercury exposure was related to poorer estimated IQ after adjustment for potential confounding variables. The entry of DHA into the model significantly strengthened the association with mercury, supporting the hypothesis that beneficial effects from DHA intake can obscure adverse effects of mercury exposure. Children with cord mercury ≥ 7.5 μg/L were four times as likely to have an IQ score < 80, the clinical cut-off for borderline intellectual disability. Co-exposure to PCBs did not alter the association of mercury with IQ. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first study to document an association of prenatal mercury exposure with poorer performance on a school-age assessment of IQ, a measure whose relevance for occupational success in adulthood is well established. This association was seen at levels in the range within which many U.S. children of Asian-American background are exposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
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73
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McKean SJ, Bartell SM, Hansen RL, Barfod GH, Green PG, Hertz-Picciotto I. Prenatal mercury exposure, autism, and developmental delay, using pharmacokinetic combination of newborn blood concentrations and questionnaire data: a case control study. Environ Health 2015; 14:62. [PMID: 26198445 PMCID: PMC4508765 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-015-0045-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methylmercury (MeHg), known for well over a century as a neurotoxin in adults, has more recently been studied for potential detrimental effects during early brain development. While several studies have estimated mercury exposure, they usually rely on either a single biomarker or questionnaire data, each of which has limitations. The goal of this paper was to develop a toxicokinetic model that incorporates both biomarker and questionnaire data to estimate the cumulative exposure to MeHg through seafood consumption using data collected from the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) study. METHODS We utilized a previously described discrete-time model that estimates blood MeHg concentration given a piecewise-constant ingestion rate and single-compartment pharmacokinetics. We measured newborn bloodspot Hg concentrations and obtained information pertaining to maternal fish consumption using a questionnaire. Using MeHg concentration estimates from the toxicokinetic model, cumulative MeHg exposure was estimated in children with autism, children with developmental delay, and typically developing children. Median estimated cumulative MeHg was compared among diagnostic groups using the Kruskal-Wallis Test. Multinomial logistic regression models were constructed to assess the association between cumulative MeHg concentration and the risk of autism and developmental delay (vs. typical development). RESULTS The estimated average MeHg concentration of for all fish species consumed by mothers was 42 ppb. Median cumulative MeHg over gestation was similar across diagnostic groups (p-values raged from 0.91 to 0.98). After adjusting for potential confounding, we found no association between cumulative MeHg exposure and the risk of autism (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.12) or developmental delay (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.13). CONCLUSIONS The toxicokinetic model described in this paper yielded fish MeHg concentration estimates that are consistent with fish species containing lower levels of MeHg. Overall, cumulative MeHg exposure does not appear to detectably elevate the risk of autism or developmental delay. Based on the regression standard error for the association between ASD and TD, we would have reported statistical significance for an adjusted odds ratio of 1.09 or larger. This method can easily be extended to other epidemiologic studies in which there is a biomarker measurement and questionnaire data regarding exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Scott M Bartell
- Program in Public Health and Department of Statistics, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA.
| | - Robin L Hansen
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
| | - Gry H Barfod
- Interdisciplinary Center for Plasma Mass Spectrometry, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA.
| | - Peter G Green
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
| | - Irva Hertz-Picciotto
- MIND Institute, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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74
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Vieira HC, Morgado F, Soares AMVM, Abreu SN. Fish consumption recommendations to conform to current advice in regard to mercury intake. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 22:9595-9602. [PMID: 25948385 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-4635-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews fish consumption data, mercury tolerable intake values, and mercury (Hg) content in fish, based on several reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization and European Union. The study assumptions are valid based on the current established USEPA reference dose (RfD). Combining the number of meals (per week), amount of fish ingested (by meal), and levels of MeHg in fish, this study calculates and presents isocurves indicating the maximum number of fishmeal per week without exceeding the USEPA RfD for methylmercury (MeHg). RfD are assumed to be the "exposure dose that is likely to be without deleterious effect even if continued exposure occurs over a lifetime." The study points out that even considering a single 50-g fish meal per week, the USEPA RfD would be exceeded, triggered by values above 0.84 μg g(-1) of MeHg in fish, and this despite being allowed levels up to 1.0 μg g(-1) of MeHg in fish consumption!-Have we a health risk? Fish consumption is expected to be relatively stable, while anthropogenic mercury emissions are expected to stabilize or even to increase beyond current values. How many meals of fish per week can we have, combining the number of fish meals per week, amount of fish ingested by meal, and levels of MeHg in fish?
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Vieira
- Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal,
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75
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Thomas S, Arbuckle TE, Fisher M, Fraser WD, Ettinger A, King W. Metals exposure and risk of small-for-gestational age birth in a Canadian birth cohort: The MIREC study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 140:430-9. [PMID: 25967284 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/28/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic are some of the most common toxic metals to which Canadians are exposed. The effect of exposure to current low levels of toxic metals on fetal growth restriction is unknown. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine relationships between exposure to lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic during pregnancy, and risk of small for gestational age (SGA) birth. METHODS Lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic levels were measured in blood samples from the first and third trimesters in 1835 pregnant women from across Canada. Arsenic species in first trimester urine were also assessed. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using log binomial multivariate regression. Important covariates including maternal age, parity, pre-pregnancy BMI, and smoking, were considered in the analysis. An exploratory analysis was performed to examine potential effect modification of these relationships by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in GSTP1 and GSTO1 genes. RESULTS No association was found between blood lead, cadmium or arsenic and risk for SGA. We observed an increased risk for SGA for the highest compared to the lowest tertile of exposure for mercury (>1.6 µg/L, RR=1.56.; 95% CI=1.04-2.58) and arsenobetaine (>2.25 µg/L, RR=1.65; 95% CI=1.10-2.47) after adjustment for the effects of parity and smoking. A statistically significant interaction was observed in the relationship between dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) levels in urinary arsenic and SGA between strata of GSTO1 A104A (p for interaction=0.02). A marginally significant interaction was observed in the relationship between blood lead and SGA between strata of GSTP1 A114V (p for interaction=0.06). CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a small increase in risk for SGA in infants born to women exposed to mercury and arsenic. Given the conflicting evidence in the literature this warrants further investigation in other pregnant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shari Thomas
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tye E Arbuckle
- Population Studies Division, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada.
| | - Mandy Fisher
- Population Studies Division, Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, Ottawa, Canada
| | - William D Fraser
- Sainte Justine University Hospital Research Center, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada
| | - Adrienne Ettinger
- Center for Perinatal, Pediatric & Environmental Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Will King
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
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76
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Debes F, Weihe P, Grandjean P. Cognitive deficits at age 22 years associated with prenatal exposure to methylmercury. Cortex 2015; 74:358-69. [PMID: 26109549 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2015.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2014] [Revised: 05/03/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to mercury has been associated with adverse effects on child neurodevelopment. The present study aims to determine the extent to which methylmercury-associated cognitive deficits persist into adult age. In a Faroese birth cohort originally formed in 1986-1987 (N = 1,022), prenatal methylmercury exposure was assessed in terms of the mercury concentration in cord blood and maternal hair. Clinical examinations of 847 cohort members at age 22 years were carried out in 2008-2009 using a panel of neuropsychological tests that reflected major functional domains. Subjects with neurological and psychiatric diagnoses were excluded from the data analysis, thus leaving 814 subjects. Multiple regression analysis included covariates previously identified for adjustment. Deficits in Boston Naming Test (BNT) and other tests of verbal performance were significantly associated with the cord-blood mercury concentration. Deficits were also present in all other tests applied, although most were not statistically significant. Structural equation models were developed to ascertain the possible differences in vulnerability of specific functional domains and the overall association with general intelligence. In models for individual domains, all of them showed negative associations, with crystallized intelligence being highly significant. A hierarchical model for general intelligence based on all domains again showed a highly significant negative association with the exposure, with an approximate deficit that corresponds to about 2.2 IQ points at a 10-fold increased prenatal methylmercury exposure. Thus, although the cognitive deficits observed were smaller than at examinations at younger ages, maternal diets with contaminated seafood were associated with adverse effects in this birth cohort at age 22 years. The deficits affected major domains of brain functions as well as general intelligence. Thus, prenatal exposure to this marine contaminant appears to cause permanent adverse effects on cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frodi Debes
- Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Pal Weihe
- Faroese Hospital System, Torshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Philippe Grandjean
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
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Ou L, Chen C, Chen L, Wang H, Yang T, Xie H, Tong Y, Hu D, Zhang W, Wang X. Low-level prenatal mercury exposure in north China: an exploratory study of anthropometric effects. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2015; 49:6899-908. [PMID: 25936461 DOI: 10.1021/es5055868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In order to investigate anthropometric effects of mercury (Hg) exposure, we examined the status of human prenatal exposure to Hg species, including total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) and inorganic mercury (IHg), in North China, as well as their potential effects on fetal and infant growth. Hg concentrations in various bioindicators were measured from 50 Chinese women and newborns in 2011. The participants were followed for 12 months to collect anthropometric information. Linear and two-level regression analyses were performed to determine the associations between Hg levels and body growth. The geometric mean levels of THg in the placenta, cord blood, fetal hair, and maternal blood, hair, and urine were 25.88 μg/kg dry wt, 2.73 μg/L, 572.98 μg/kg, 2.29 μg/L, 576.54 μg/kg, and 0.58 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Nearly 100% of Hg presented as IHg in urine, and the percentage of IHg in other bioindicators was 14.86-48.73%. We observed significantly negative associations between Hg levels in some matrixes and anthropometry of neonates (weight and height) and infants (height) (p < 0.05). THg levels in maternal hair were also negatively associated with infant growth rate of weight during 12 months after delivery (p = 0.017). This study suggests that low-level prenatal Hg exposure could play a role in attenuating fetal and infant growth, and the effects of MeHg and IHg are different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Langbo Ou
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Cen Chen
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Long Chen
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Huanhuan Wang
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Tianjun Yang
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Han Xie
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Yindong Tong
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Dan Hu
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- ‡School of Environment and Natural Resources, Renmin University of China, Beijing, 100872, China
| | - Xuejun Wang
- †Ministry of Education Laboratory of Earth Surface Process, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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The Complex Interaction between Home Environment, Socioeconomic Status, Maternal IQ and Early Child Neurocognitive Development: A Multivariate Analysis of Data Collected in a Newborn Cohort Study. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0127052. [PMID: 25996934 PMCID: PMC4440732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The relative role of socioeconomic status (SES), home environment and maternal intelligence, as factors affecting child cognitive development in early childhood is still unclear. The aim of this study is to analyze the association of SES, home environment and maternal IQ with child neurodevelopment at 18 months. METHODS The data were collected prospectively in the PHIME study, a newborn cohort study carried out in Italy between 2007 and 2010. Maternal nonverbal abilities (IQ) were evaluated using the Standard Progressive Matrices, a version of the Raven's Progressive Matrices; a direct evaluation of the home environment was carried out with the AIRE instrument, designed using the HOME (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment) model; the socioeconomic characteristics were evaluated using the SES index which takes into account parents occupation, type of employment, educational level, homeownership. The study outcome was child neurodevelopment evaluated at 18 months, with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Third Edition (BSID III). Linear regression analyses and mediation analyses were carried out to evaluate the association between the three exposures, and the scaled scores of the three main scales of BSID III (cognitive, language and motor scale), with adjustment for a wide range of potential explanatory variables. RESULTS Data from 502 mother-child pairs were analyzed. Mediation analysis showed a relationship between SES and maternal IQ, with a complete mediation effect of home environment in affecting cognitive and language domains. A direct significant effect of maternal IQ on the BSID III motor development scale and the mediation effect of home environment were found. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that home environment was the variable with greater influence on neurodevelopment at 18 months. The observation of how parents and children interact in the home context is crucial to adequately evaluate early child development.
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Concentration of lead, mercury, cadmium, aluminum, arsenic and manganese in umbilical cord blood of Jamaican newborns. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:4481-501. [PMID: 25915835 PMCID: PMC4454921 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120504481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2015] [Revised: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to characterize the concentrations of lead, mercury, cadmium, aluminum, and manganese in umbilical cord blood of Jamaican newborns and to explore the possible association between concentrations of these elements and certain birth outcomes. Based on data from 100 pregnant mothers and their 100 newborns who were enrolled from Jamaica in 2011, the arithmetic mean (standard deviation) concentrations of cord blood lead, mercury, aluminum, and manganese were 0.8 (1.3 μg/dL), 4.4 (2.4 μg/L), 10.9 (9.2 μg/L), and 43.7 (17.7 μg/L), respectively. In univariable General Linear Models, the geometric mean cord blood aluminum concentration was higher for children whose mothers had completed their education up to high school compared to those whose mothers had any education beyond high school (12.2 μg/L vs. 6.4 μg/L; p < 0.01). After controlling for maternal education level and socio-economic status (through ownership of a family car), the cord blood lead concentration was significantly associated with head circumference (adjusted p < 0.01). Our results not only provide levels of arsenic and the aforementioned metals in cord blood that could serve as a reference for the Jamaican population, but also replicate previously reported significant associations between cord blood lead concentrations and head circumference at birth in other populations.
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80
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Marques RC, Bernardi JVE, Abreu L, Dórea JG. Neurodevelopment outcomes in children exposed to organic mercury from multiple sources in a tin-ore mine environment in Brazil. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2015; 68:432-441. [PMID: 25425160 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-014-0103-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2014] [Accepted: 11/03/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (from fresh-water fish) and ethylmercury [from thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs)] are the most prevalent source of neurotoxic exposure during early life in families consuming fish and using these vaccines. But children living in Amazonian mining environments are exposed to additional toxic metals in waste materials. We studied mercury (Hg) exposure and neurodevelopment in 294 children (105 boys and 189 girls) from Bom Futuro (Rondonia, Brazil), the epicenter of a tin-ore open-pit mine. Hair-Hg (HHg) concentrations and total ethylmercury (from TCVs) were taken from infants and respective mothers during pregnancy. We used bivariate analysis to determine the effect of sex and linear mixed models to assess the association of prenatal and postnatal organic Hg exposures with children's Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) as psychomotor developmental index and mental developmental index (MDI) at 6 and 24 months of age as well as milestones achievements (age of walking and age of talking). Significant differences between boys and girls were observed for both MDI score (p = 0.0073) and MDI score (p = 0.0288) at 6 months but not at 24 months. Regression analysis showed that only in boys was there a significant interaction between MDI score with family income (β = 0.288, p = 0.018) and with birth weight (β = -0.216, p = 0.036) at 6 months; at 24 months, however, only boys showed a significant association of both MDI score (β = -0.222, p = 0.045) and MDI score (β = -0.222, p = 0.045) with neonatal HHg. In boys, age of walking was associated with HHg (β = 0.188, p = 0.019) and breastfeeding (β = -0.282, p = 0.000), whereas for girls, age of walking was only associated with breastfeeding (β = -0.275, p = 0.001). In this mining environment, with only a weak association for prenatal Hg exposure, there was a significant sex difference in neurodevelopment, with boys showing more sensitivity related to BSID delays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rejane C Marques
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 27930-560, Brazil,
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81
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Llop S, Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Murcia M, Alvarez-Pedrerol M, Vioque J, Aguinagalde X, Julvez J, Aurrekoetxea JJ, Espada M, Santa-Marina L, Rebagliato M, Ballester F. Synergism between exposure to mercury and use of iodine supplements on thyroid hormones in pregnant women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 138:298-305. [PMID: 25749125 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2015.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2014] [Revised: 02/16/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between mercury exposure and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3) and free thyroxine (FT4) levels during pregnancy as well as to explore if there is any synergic action between mercury and intake of iodine from different sources. METHODS The study population was 1407 pregnant women participating in the Spanish INMA birth cohort study. Total mercury concentrations were analyzed in cord blood. Thyroid hormones (THs) were measured in serum samples collected at 13.2±1.5 weeks of gestation. The association between mercury and TH levels was evaluated with multivariate linear regression models. Effect modification caused by iodine intake from supplements and diet was also evaluated. RESULTS The geometric means of TSH, TT3, FT4 and mercury were 1.1μU/L, 2.4nmol/L, 10.5pmol/L and 7.7μg/L, respectively. Mercury levels were marginally significantly associated with TT3 (β: -0.05; 95%CI: -0.10, 0.01), but were neither associated with TSH nor FT4. The inverse association between mercury and TT3 levels was stronger among the iodine supplement consumers (-0.08; 95%CI: -0.15, -0.02, interaction p-value=0.07). The association with FT4 followed the same pattern, albeit not significant. CONCLUSION Prenatal mercury exposure was inversely associated with TT3 levels among women who took iodine supplements during pregnancy. These results could be of public health concern, although further research is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Llop
- FISABIO-Universitat de València-Universitat Jaume I Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa
- FISABIO-Universitat de València-Universitat Jaume I Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Murcia
- FISABIO-Universitat de València-Universitat Jaume I Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Mar Alvarez-Pedrerol
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jesús Vioque
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Universidad Miguel Hernandez, Avenida de Alicante KM 87, 03550 Sant Joan d´Alacant, Spain
| | - Xabier Aguinagalde
- Laboratorio de Salud Pública de Alava, Santiago 11, 01002 Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Jordi Julvez
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Doctor Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan J Aurrekoetxea
- Departamento de Sanidad Gobierno Vasco, Subdirección de Salud Pública de Gipuzkoa, Avenida de Navarra 4, 20013 San Sebastián, Spain; Biodonostia, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica, Doctor Begiristain, s/n, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain; Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Apartado 1599, 20014 San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Mercedes Espada
- Laboratorio de Salud Pública de Bizkaia, Departamento de Salud del Gobierno Vasco, Parque Tecnológico de Bizkaia, C/Ibaizabal, Edificio 502, 1ª Pt, 48160 Derio, Spain
| | - Loreto Santa-Marina
- Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Sanidad Gobierno Vasco, Subdirección de Salud Pública de Gipuzkoa, Avenida de Navarra 4, 20013 San Sebastián, Spain; Biodonostia, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica, Doctor Begiristain, s/n, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Marisa Rebagliato
- FISABIO-Universitat de València-Universitat Jaume I Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Universitat Jaume I, Av. de Vicent Sos Baynat, s/n, 12071 Castelló de la Plana, Spain
| | - Ferran Ballester
- FISABIO-Universitat de València-Universitat Jaume I Joint Research Unit of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Av. Catalunya 21, 46020 Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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82
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Gilman CL, Soon R, Sauvage L, Ralston NVC, Berry MJ. Umbilical cord blood and placental mercury, selenium and selenoprotein expression in relation to maternal fish consumption. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2015; 30:17-24. [PMID: 25744505 PMCID: PMC4352208 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2015.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2014] [Revised: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Seafood is an important source of nutrients for fetal neurodevelopment. Most individuals are exposed to the toxic element mercury through seafood. Due to the neurotoxic effects of mercury, United States government agencies recommend no more than 340g (12oz) per week of seafood consumption during pregnancy. However, recent studies have shown that selenium, also abundant in seafood, can have protective effects against mercury toxicity. In this study, we analyzed mercury and selenium levels and selenoprotein mRNA, protein, and activity in placenta of a cohort of women in Hawaii in relation to maternal seafood consumption assessed with dietary surveys. Fish consumption resulted in differences in mercury levels in placenta and cord blood. When taken as a group, those who consumed no fish exhibited the lowest mercury levels in placenta and cord blood. However, there were numerous individuals who either had higher mercury with no fish consumption or lower mercury with high fish consumption, indicating a lack of correlation. Placental expression of selenoprotein mRNAs, proteins and enzyme activity was not statistically different in any region among the different dietary groups. While the absence of seafood consumption correlates with lower average placental and cord blood mercury levels, no strong correlations were seen between seafood consumption or its absence and the levels of either selenoproteins or selenoenzyme activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christy L Gilman
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, United States
| | - Reni Soon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, United States
| | - Lynnae Sauvage
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, United States
| | - Nicholas V C Ralston
- Energy & Environmental Research Center, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks ND 58202, United States
| | - Marla J Berry
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, United States.
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83
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Ng S, Lin CC, Jeng SF, Hwang YH, Hsieh WS, Chen PC. Mercury, APOE, and child behavior. CHEMOSPHERE 2015; 120:123-30. [PMID: 25014903 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2013] [Revised: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/01/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxicant and may have an adverse impact on child behavior. However, this impact was found to be inconsistent in fish-eating populations. Although the positive effects of the nutrients provided by a fish diet may overcome the effect of MeHg, the possibility of genetic variants influencing an individual's response to MeHg has also been discussed. The role of the Apolipoprotein E (APOE) epsilon 4 allele (ε4) on MeHg related neurotoxicity is still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the role of APOE variants in the relationship between cord blood mercury (Hg) and child behavior. A total of 166 subjects were recruited at delivery, and their cord blood was collected for laboratory analyses of Hg and the APOE genotype. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was administered to the subjects when they reached the age of two years. An increase in cord blood Hg concentrations in APOE ε4 carriers was consistently associated with an increased score for all CBCL syndromes. After controlling for potential confounding factors, the group of ε4 carriers with an elevated cord blood Hg concentration had significantly higher scores in the syndrome categories of general internalizing, emotionally reactive, and anxiety/depression as well as CBCL total scores. Furthermore, general externalizing and aggressive syndromes were borderline significantly higher in this group. In conclusion, we suggest that APOE may modify the toxicity of MeHg. APOE ε4 carriers may be more vulnerable to the effects of MeHg on child behavior at the age of two years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Ng
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chun Lin
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Suh-Fang Jeng
- The School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yaw-Huei Hwang
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wu-Shiun Hsieh
- Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pau-Chung Chen
- Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Taiwan University College of Public Health, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
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84
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Early exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines and children's cognitive development. A 9-year prospective birth cohort study in Poland. Eur J Pediatr 2015; 174:383-91. [PMID: 25185528 PMCID: PMC4334107 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-014-2412-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2014] [Revised: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The controversial topic of the early exposure to mercury is regarding ethylmercury, which is present in the thimerosal-containing vaccines (TCVs). The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the early exposure to TCVs and cognitive development in children during the first 9 years of life. The cohort included 318 children vaccinated in an early period (neonatal and up to 6 months) against hepatitis B and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) using formulation with or without thimerosal. The children's development was assessed using the Fagan test (6th month of life), the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID)-II (12th-36th month), the Raven test (5th, 8th year), and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-R) (6th, 7th, 9th year). Results were determined by multivariable linear and logistic regression, adjusted to potential confounders. Children exposed and not exposed to TCVs in the neonatal period had similar outcomes of cognitive-developmental tests; only the results of BSID-II at the 36th month and WISC-R at the 9th year were significantly higher for those exposed to TCVs. Developmental test results in children exposed to TCVs up to the 6th month of life also did not depend on thimerosal dose. CONCLUSION TCV administration in early infancy did not affect children's cognitive development.
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85
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Jedrychowski WA, Perera FP, Majewska R, Mrozek-Budzyn D, Mroz E, Roen EL, Sowa A, Jacek R. Depressed height gain of children associated with intrauterine exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals: the cohort prospective study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 136:141-7. [PMID: 25460630 PMCID: PMC4262637 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.08.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2014] [Revised: 08/12/2014] [Accepted: 08/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Fetal exposure to environmental toxicants may program the development of children and have long-lasting health impacts. The study tested the hypothesis that depressed height gain in childhood is associated with prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and heavy metals (lead and mercury). The study sample comprised 379 children born to non-smoking mothers among whom a total of 2011 height measurements were carried out over the 9-year follow-up period. Prenatal airborne PAH exposure was assessed by personal air monitoring of the mother in the second trimester of pregnancy and heavy metals were measured in cord blood. At the age of 3 residential air monitoring was done to evaluate the level of airborne PAH, and at the age 5 the levels of heavy metals were measured in capillary blood. The effect estimates of prenatal PAH exposure on height growth over the follow-up were adjusted in the General Estimated Equation (GEE) models for a wide set of relevant covariates. Prenatal exposure to airborne PAH showed a significant negative association with height growth, which was significantly decreased by 1.1cm at PAH level above 34.7 ng/m(3) (coeff.=-1.07, p=0.040). While prenatal lead exposure was not significantly associated with height restriction, the effect of mercury was inversely related to cord blood mercury concentration above 1.2 μg/L (coeff.=-1.21, p=0.020), The observed negative impact of prenatal PAH exposure on height gain in childhood was mainly mediated by shorter birth length related to maternal PAH exposure during pregnancy. The height gain deficit associated with prenatal mercury exposure was not seen at birth, but the height growth was significantly slower at later age.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Frederica P Perera
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School Public Health, Columbia University, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Elżbieta Mroz
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Emily L Roen
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Mailman School Public Health, Columbia University, NY, USA
| | - Agata Sowa
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Ryszard Jacek
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
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86
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Koletzko B, Boey CCM, Campoy C, Carlson SE, Chang N, Guillermo-Tuazon MA, Joshi S, Prell C, Quak SH, Sjarif DR, Su Y, Supapannachart S, Yamashiro Y, Osendarp SJM. Current information and Asian perspectives on long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnancy, lactation, and infancy: systematic review and practice recommendations from an early nutrition academy workshop. ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM 2014; 65:49-80. [PMID: 25227906 DOI: 10.1159/000365767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The Early Nutrition Academy supported a systematic review of human studies on the roles of pre- and postnatal long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) published from 2008 to 2013 and an expert workshop that reviewed the information and developed recommendations, considering particularly Asian populations. An increased supply of n-3 LC-PUFA during pregnancy reduces the risk of preterm birth before 34 weeks of gestation. Pregnant women should achieve an additional supply ≥200 mg docosahexaenic acid (DHA)/day, usually achieving a total intake ≥300 mg DHA/day. Higher intakes (600-800 mg DHA/day) may provide greater protection against early preterm birth. Some studies indicate beneficial effects of pre- and postnatal DHA supply on child neurodevelopment and allergy risk. Breast-feeding is the best choice for infants. Breast-feeding women should get ≥200 mg DHA/day to achieve a human milk DHA content of ∼0.3% fatty acids. Infant formula for term infants should contain DHA and arachidonic acid (AA) to provide 100 mg DHA/day and 140 mg AA/day. A supply of 100 mg DHA/day should continue during the second half of infancy. We do not provide quantitative advice on AA levels in follow-on formula fed after the introduction of complimentary feeding due to a lack of sufficient data and considerable variation in the AA amounts provided by complimentary foods. Reasonable intakes for very-low-birth weight infants are 18-60 mg/kg/day DHA and 18-45 mg/kg/day AA, while higher intakes (55-60 mg/kg/day DHA, ∼1% fatty acids; 35-45 mg/kg/day AA, ∼0.6-0.75%) appear preferable. Research on the requirements and effects of LC-PUFA during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood should continue. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berthold Koletzko
- Early Nutrition Academy, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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87
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Bellinger
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
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88
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Karimi R, Silbernagel S, Fisher NS, Meliker JR. Elevated blood Hg at recommended seafood consumption rates in adult seafood consumers. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2014; 217:758-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2014.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Revised: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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89
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Bashore CJ, Geer LA, He X, Puett R, Parsons PJ, Palmer CD, Steuerwald AJ, Abulafia O, Dalloul M, Sapkota A. Maternal mercury exposure, season of conception and adverse birth outcomes in an urban immigrant community in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2014; 11:8414-42. [PMID: 25153469 PMCID: PMC4143869 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110808414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2014] [Revised: 07/23/2014] [Accepted: 08/04/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Adverse birth outcomes including preterm birth (PTB: <37 weeks gestation) and low birth weight (LBW: <2500 g) can result in severe infant morbidity and mortality. In the United States, there are racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence of PTB and LBW. We investigated the association between PTB and LBW with prenatal mercury (Hg) exposure and season of conception in an urban immigrant community in Brooklyn, New York. We recruited 191 pregnant women aged 18-45 in a Brooklyn Prenatal Clinic and followed them until delivery. Urine specimens were collected from the participants during the 6th to 9th month of pregnancy. Cord blood specimens and neonate anthropometric data were collected at birth. We used multivariate logistic regression models to investigate the odds of LBW or PTB with either maternal urinary mercury or neonate cord blood mercury. We used linear regression models to investigate the association between continuous anthropometric outcomes and maternal urinary mercury or neonate cord blood mercury. We also examined the association between LBW and PTB and the season that pregnancy began. Results showed higher rates of PTB and LBW in this cohort of women compared to other studies. Pregnancies beginning in winter (December, January, February) were at increased odds of LBW births compared with births from pregnancies that began in all other months (OR7.52 [95% CI 1.65, 34.29]). We observed no association between maternal exposure to Hg, and either LBW or PTB. The apparent lack of association is consistent with other studies. Further examination of seasonal association with LBW is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia J Bashore
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, Room 2234F, College Park, MD 20742-2611, USA.
| | - Laura A Geer
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Downstate School of Public Health, State University of New York, Box 43,450 Clarkson Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11203-2533, USA.
| | - Xin He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Maryland College Park School of Public Health, 2234H SPH Building, College Park, MD 20742-2611, USA.
| | - Robin Puett
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, Room 2234F, College Park, MD 20742-2611, USA.
| | - Patrick J Parsons
- Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, Department of Health, New York State University, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA.
| | - Christopher D Palmer
- Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, Department of Health, New York State University, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA.
| | - Amy J Steuerwald
- Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, Department of Health, New York State University, Albany, NY 12201-0509, USA.
| | - Ovadia Abulafia
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, 445 Lenox Road, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
| | - Mudar Dalloul
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center, 445 Lenox Road, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA.
| | - Amir Sapkota
- Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, Room 2234F, College Park, MD 20742-2611, USA.
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90
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Yau VM, Green PG, Alaimo CP, Yoshida CK, Lutsky M, Windham GC, Delorenze G, Kharrazi M, Grether JK, Croen LA. Prenatal and neonatal peripheral blood mercury levels and autism spectrum disorders. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2014; 133:294-303. [PMID: 24981828 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.04.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2013] [Revised: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal and early-life exposures to mercury have been hypothesized to be associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). OBJECTIVES This study investigated the association between ASDs and levels of total mercury measured in maternal serum from mid-pregnancy and infant blood shortly after birth. METHODS The study sample was drawn from the Early Markers for Autism (EMA) Study. Three groups of children who were born in Orange County, CA in 2000-2001 were identified: children with ASD (n=84), children with intellectual disability or developmental delay (DD) (n=49), and general population controls (GP) (n=159). Maternal serum specimens and newborn bloodspots were retrieved from the California Department of Public Health prenatal and newborn screening specimen archives. Blood mercury levels were measured in maternal serum samples using mass spectrometer and in infant bloodspots with a 213 nm laser. RESULTS Maternal serum and infant blood mercury levels were significantly correlated among all study groups (all correlations >0.38, p<0.01). Adjusted logistic regression models showed no significant associations between ASD and log transformed mercury levels in maternal serum samples (ASD vs. GP: OR [95% CI]=0.96 [0.49-1.90]; ASD vs. DD: OR [95% CI]=2.56 [0.89-7.39]). Results for mercury levels in newborn blood samples were similar (ASD vs. GP: OR [95% CI]=1.18 [0.71-1.95]; ASD vs. DD: OR [95% CI]=1.96 [0.75-5.14]). CONCLUSIONS Results indicate that levels of total mercury in serum collected from mothers during mid-pregnancy and from newborn bloodspots were not significantly associated with risk of ASD, though additional studies with greater sample size and covariate measurement are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent M Yau
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Peter G Green
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Christopher P Alaimo
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - Marta Lutsky
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Gayle C Windham
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | | | - Martin Kharrazi
- Genetic Disease Screening Program, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | - Judith K Grether
- Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Public Health, Richmond, CA, USA
| | - Lisa A Croen
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, CA, USA.
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91
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Tatsuta N, Nakai K, Murata K, Suzuki K, Iwai-Shimada M, Kurokawa N, Hosokawa T, Satoh H. Impacts of prenatal exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls, methylmercury, and lead on intellectual ability of 42-month-old children in Japan. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2014; 133:321-6. [PMID: 24998460 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2014.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2013] [Revised: 05/08/2014] [Accepted: 05/27/2014] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The age-specific impacts of perinatal exposures to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), methylmercury (MeHg), and lead on child neurodevelopment remain controversial. Since we have already reported the prenatal effects of these chemicals on neurodevelopment in 3-day-old and 30-month-old children of a birth cohort, the following effects were analyzed in the 42-month-old children in the same cohort. METHODS The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC), comprised of four scales, was used to assess their intelligence and achievement. The relationships between the chemicals and K-ABC scores were analyzed using multivariate analyses. RESULTS The median values of chemicals in cord blood of 387 children were 46.5 (5th and 95th percentiles, 16.7-115.7)ng/g-lipid for total PCB, 10.1 (4.3-22.2)ng/g for total mercury (THg), and 1.0 (0.5-1.8) μg/dL for lead. Of the highly chlorinated PCB homologs, 9 CBs was negatively correlated with the sequential and mental processing score of the K-ABC (p<0.05). There were no significant correlations between any K-ABC score and either THg or lead. The negative effect of 9 CBs remained even after adjusting for THg, lead, and other confounders. The K-ABC scores were significantly lower in the boys than in the girls, and the standardized β of 9 CBs for the sequential and mental processing scores in multiple regression analysis was statistically significant in boys. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that intellectual ability in the developmental stage may be impaired by prenatal exposures to highly chlorinated PCB homologs, especially in Japanese boys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Tatsuta
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Miyagi, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Kunihiko Nakai
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1 Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Miyagi, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
| | - Katsuyuki Murata
- Environmental Health Sciences, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita 010-8543, Japan
| | - Keita Suzuki
- Environmental Health Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Miyuki Iwai-Shimada
- Environmental Health Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Naoyuki Kurokawa
- Environmental Health Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Toru Hosokawa
- Human Development and Disabilities, Tohoku University Graduate School of Education, Sendai 980-8576, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Satoh
- Environmental Health Sciences, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
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92
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Groth E. Fish consumption and blood mercury levels. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2014; 122:A120. [PMID: 24787462 PMCID: PMC4014770 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1307997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
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93
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Sheehan MC, Burke TA, Navas-Acien A, Breysse PN, McGready J, Fox MA. Global methylmercury exposure from seafood consumption and risk of developmental neurotoxicity: a systematic review. Bull World Health Organ 2014; 92:254-269F. [PMID: 24700993 PMCID: PMC3967569 DOI: 10.2471/blt.12.116152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Revised: 10/15/2013] [Accepted: 11/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine biomarkers of methylmercury (MeHg) intake in women and infants from seafood-consuming populations globally and characterize the comparative risk of fetal developmental neurotoxicity. METHODS A search was conducted of the published literature reporting total mercury (Hg) in hair and blood in women and infants. These biomarkers are validated proxy measures of MeHg, a neurotoxin found primarily in seafood. Average and high-end biomarkers were extracted, stratified by seafood consumption context, and pooled by category. Medians for average and high-end pooled distributions were compared with the reference level established by a joint expert committee of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). FINDINGS Selection criteria were met by 164 studies of women and infants from 43 countries. Pooled average biomarkers suggest an intake of MeHg several times over the FAO/WHO reference in fish-consuming riparians living near small-scale gold mining and well over the reference in consumers of marine mammals in Arctic regions. In coastal regions of south-eastern Asia, the western Pacific and the Mediterranean, average biomarkers approach the reference. Although the two former groups have a higher risk of neurotoxicity than the latter, coastal regions are home to the largest number at risk. High-end biomarkers across all categories indicate MeHg intake is in excess of the reference value. CONCLUSION There is a need for policies to reduce Hg exposure among women and infants and for surveillance in high-risk populations, the majority of which live in low-and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary C Sheehan
- Risk Sciences and Public Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America (USA)
| | - Thomas A Burke
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Patrick N Breysse
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - John McGready
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Mary A Fox
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
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Boucher O, Muckle G, Jacobson JL, Carter RC, Kaplan-Estrin M, Ayotte P, Dewailly É, Jacobson SW. Domain-specific effects of prenatal exposure to PCBs, mercury, and lead on infant cognition: results from the Environmental Contaminants and Child Development Study in Nunavik. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2014; 122:310-6. [PMID: 24441767 PMCID: PMC3948023 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1206323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2012] [Accepted: 01/08/2014] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), methylmercury (MeHg), and lead (Pb) are environmental contaminants known for their adverse effects on cognitive development. OBJECTIVES In this study we examined the effects of prenatal exposure to PCBs, MeHg, and Pb on cognitive development in a sample of Inuit infants from Arctic Québec. METHODS Mothers were recruited at local prenatal clinics. PCBs, mercury (Hg), Pb, and two seafood nutrients-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and selenium (Se)-were measured in umbilical cord blood. Infants (n = 94) were assessed at 6.5 and 11 months of age on the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence (FTII), A-not-B test, and Bayley Scales of Infant Development-2nd Edition (BSID-II). RESULTS Multiple regression analyses revealed that higher prenatal PCB exposure was associated with decreased FTII novelty preference, indicating impaired visual recognition memory. Prenatal Hg was associated with poorer performance on A-not-B, which depends on working memory and is believed to be a precursor of executive function. Prenatal Pb was related to longer FTII fixation durations, indicating slower speed of information processing. CONCLUSIONS PCBs, MeHg, and Pb each showed specific and distinct patterns of adverse associations with the outcomes measured during infancy. By contrast, none of these exposures was associated with performance on the BSID-II, a global developmental measure. The more focused, narrow band measures of cognitive function that appeared to be sensitive to these exposures also provide early indications of long-term impairment in specific domains that would otherwise not likely be evident until school age. CITATION Boucher O, Muckle G, Jacobson JL, Carter RC, Kaplan-Estrin M, Ayotte P, Dewailly É, Jacobson SW. 2014. Domain-specific effects of prenatal exposure to PCBs, mercury, and lead on infant cognition: results from the Environmental Contaminants and Child Development Study in Nunavik. Environ Health Perspect 122:310-316; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1206323.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Boucher
- Centre de Recherche du Centre hospitalier universitaire de Québec, Québec City, Québec, Canada
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95
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Sex-dependent and non-monotonic enhancement and unmasking of methylmercury neurotoxicity by prenatal stress. Neurotoxicology 2014; 41:123-40. [PMID: 24502960 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2014.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2013] [Revised: 01/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) and prenatal stress (PS) are risk factors for neurotoxicity that may co-occur in human populations. Because they also share biological substrates and can produce common behavioral deficits, this study examined their joint effects on behavioral and neurochemical effects in male and female rats. Dams had access to 0, 0.5 or 2.5ppm MeHg chloride drinking water from two to three weeks prior to breeding through weaning. Half of the dams in each of these treatment groups also underwent PS on gestational days 16-17. This yielded 6 groups/gender: 0-NS, 0-PS, 0.5-NS, 0.5-PS, 2.5-NS, and 2.5-PS. Behavioral testing began in young adulthood and included fixed interval (FI) schedule-controlled behavior, novel object recognition (NOR) and locomotor activity, behaviors previously demonstrated to be sensitive to MeHg and/or mediated by brain mesocorticolimbic dopamine glutamate systems targeted by both MeHg and PS. Behavioral deficits were more pronounced in females and included impaired NOR recognition memory only under conditions of combined MeHg and PS, while non-monotonic reductions in FI response rates occurred, with greatest effects at the 0.5ppm concentration; the less reduced 2.5ppm FI response rates were further reduced under conditions of PS (2.5-PS). Correspondingly, many neurochemical changes produced by MeHg were only seen under conditions of PS, particularly in striatum in males and in hippocampus and nucleus accumbens in females, regions of significance to the mediation of FI and NOR performance. Collectively these findings demonstrate sex-dependent and non-monotonic effects of developmental MeHg exposure that can be unmasked or enhanced by PS, particularly for behavioral outcomes in females, but for both sexes in neurochemical changes, that were observed at MeHg exposure concentrations that did not influence either reproductive outcomes or maternal behavior. Thus, assessment of risks associated with MeHg may be underestimated in the absence of other extant risk factors with which it may share common substrates and effects.
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96
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Copat C, Vinceti M, D'Agati MG, Arena G, Mauceri V, Grasso A, Fallico R, Sciacca S, Ferrante M. Mercury and selenium intake by seafood from the Ionian Sea: A risk evaluation. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2014; 100:87-92. [PMID: 24433795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2013.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2013] [Revised: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/13/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The subject of the present study is the evaluation of the concentrations of mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) in fish and shellfish from the Gulf of Catania (Ionian Sea) and the assessment of related risk-based consumption limits per single contaminant in adults and children. In contrast to the potential harm from Hg, Se is an essential element that is normally found in high levels in seafood. If the amount of Hg is high enough, it could bind Se and irreversibly inhibit selenium-dependent enzymes. Thus, adequate levels of Se need to be available to replace the amount of Se lost to Hg sequestration, thereby maintaining normal selenoprotein synthesis. Hg analysis was conducted using a flow injection analysis system coupled with an atomic adsorption spectrometer, and Se analysis was conducted using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Of the trace elements investigated, only Hg has a limit set by the European Community for human consumption, and this was never exceeded. Nevertheless, based on Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) over 1, and on the Estimated Daily Intake per meal (EDIm) higher than the Provisional Tolerable Intake (PTI) suggested by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additive (JECFA), Hg oral exposure derived from consumption of the benthonic fish and of the bigger pelagic fish species analyzed, could follow the occurrence of systemic effects. Se was found always in molar excess respect to Hg in all pelagic fish and in the shellfish, nearly equimolar in the benthonic fish. Determining the evidence that foods, such as pelagic fish, with high molar excess of Se, could contribute to replace the amount of Se bound to Hg and thereby maintaining normal selenoprotein synthesis, is useful for a better understanding of the seafood safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Copat
- Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA), Department of Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Marco Vinceti
- Department of Diagnostic and Clinical Medicine and of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia D'Agati
- Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA), Department of Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Giovanni Arena
- Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA), Department of Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Valeria Mauceri
- Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA), Department of Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Alfina Grasso
- Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA), Department of Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Roberto Fallico
- Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA), Department of Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Sciacca
- Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA), Department of Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Margherita Ferrante
- Environmental and Food Hygiene Laboratory (LIAA), Department of Hygiene and Public Health "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy.
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97
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van Wijngaarden E, Harrington D, Kobrosly R, Thurston SW, O'Hara T, McSorley EM, Myers GJ, Watson GE, Shamlaye CF, Strain JJ, Davidson PW. Prenatal exposure to methylmercury and LCPUFA in relation to birth weight. Ann Epidemiol 2014; 24:273-8. [PMID: 24525104 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2014.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Revised: 12/24/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiologic studies have been inconclusive regarding the impact of coexposure to long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) and methylmercury (MeHg) from fish consumption during pregnancy on measures of fetal development. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the association between birth weight and prenatal maternal LCPUFA status and MeHg exposure in the Republic of Seychelles. METHODS We measured LCPUFA in maternal whole blood collected at 28 weeks of gestation and following delivery and MeHg in maternal hair obtained at delivery. There were 230 births with complete data on birth weight and covariates. Multiple linear regression models controlled for infant sex, gestational age, maternal age, smoking during pregnancy, intrapartum weight gain, prepregnancy body mass index, maternal socioeconomic status, parity, gestational diabetes, and alcohol use during pregnancy. RESULTS The average birth weight was 3252 g (range 1654-4450) and the average gestational age was 39 weeks (range 34-41). Prenatal MeHg exposure and maternal LCPUFA status were not associated with birth weight. Infant sex and length of gestation were the only predictors, with male sex and increased gestational age consistently associated with greater birth weight. CONCLUSIONS These findings do not support a relationship between prenatal exposure to LCPUFA and/or MeHg from fish consumption and birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin van Wijngaarden
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY.
| | - Donald Harrington
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY
| | - Roni Kobrosly
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY
| | - Sally W Thurston
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY
| | - Todd O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK
| | - Emeir M McSorley
- Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Gary J Myers
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY
| | - Gene E Watson
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Neurology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Eastman Department of Dentistry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY
| | | | - J J Strain
- Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland
| | - Philip W Davidson
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY; Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY
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98
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Zhang H. Advances in Research on the Mechanisms of Selenium–Mercury Interactions and Health Risk Assessment. SPRINGER THESES 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-54919-9_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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99
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Deroma L, Valent F, Parpinel M, Barbone F. Comparison of seafood consumption in a group of Italian mother-child pairs. JOURNAL OF HEALTH, POPULATION, AND NUTRITION 2013; 31:455-61. [PMID: 24592586 PMCID: PMC3905639 DOI: 10.3329/jhpn.v31i4.20000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Seafood is an important component of healthful human diets. Intake of seafood is recommended both for young women and children. In fact, it is a good source of high-quality protein, low in saturated fats, and rich in essential nutrients (e.g. iodine, iron, choline, and selenium) and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs), especially omega-3. However, the relationship between maternal diet and the children's dietary habits is controversial. This study investigated the possible association between the seafood consumption by mothers and that by their 8-11 years old children and compared maternal seafood intakes during pregnancy and about 10 years later. The seafood consumption by 37 pregnant women was assessed in 1999-2001. In 2009, mothers were asked to report their weekly intake and their children's. Mother-child pairs showed a similar consumption pattern: the overall intake was 1.28 +/- 0.77 versus 1.19 +/- 0.64 (p = 0.49) while the sum of specific items was 3.71 +/- 3.01 versus 3.18 +/- 2.90 (p = 0.049). However, it cannot be discerned whether maternal diet affected the children's nutritional habits or vice-versa. In fact, mothers showed to have a higher seafood intake about 10 years after pregnancy (3.71 versus 1.83; p < 0.001), suggesting that a progressive modification of dietary habits occurred after delivery, possibly due to the influence of maternal diet on the nutritional habits of offspring or due to the presence of children in the family unit, that could have influenced maternal dietary habits. This dietary improvement could be brought forward through educational interventions addressed to young women, that could also allow a more informed choice of the healthier species of fish both for them and their children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Deroma
- Centre for Rare Diseases, University Hospital "Santa Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy.
| | - Francesca Valent
- Regional Health Directorate, Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, Udine, Italy
| | - Maria Parpinel
- Department of Medical and Biological Sciences, University of Udine, Italy
| | - Fabio Barbone
- Institute of Hygiene and Clinical Epidemiology, University Hospital "Santa Maria della Misericordia", Udine, Italy
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100
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Lead, cadmium and mercury levels in pregnancy: the need for international consensus on levels of concern. J Dev Orig Health Dis 2013; 5:16-30. [DOI: 10.1017/s2040174413000500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
For heavy metals that have any degree of transfer though the placenta to the fetus, it is unlikely that there are safe limits for maternal blood levels. The only means of reducing fetal exposure is to minimise maternal exposure. There are few recommendations for levels of concern. With the exception of US recommendations for maternal Pb levels, but there are no international levels of concern or cut-off levels specifically for pregnancy for heavy metals, so that comparisons can generally only be made with national reference values relating to similar physiological statuses or age groups. These include recommendations for Cd levels by Germany (reference value for non-smoking adults aged 18–69 years, 1 µg/l) and for Hg by Germany (reference value for adults age 18–60 years with fish intake ⩽3 times per month, 2.0 µg/l) and the USA (cut-off level for women, 5.8 µg/dl). To illustrate the lack of cohesion, we present data on blood Pb, Cd and Hg levels from pregnant women enroled in the UK Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children study and compare the values with present levels of concern and recommended cut-off values. We also compare the levels with those found in other groups of pregnant women worldwide to strengthen the database for the development of levels of concern in pregnancy. The need for clarity of terminology in describing levels of concern is discussed. There is a pressing need for international consensus on levels of concern for all age groups and physiological statuses, particularly for pregnancy.
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