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Issah I, Duah MS, Arko-Mensah J, Bawua SA, Agyekum TP, Fobil JN. Assessing the combined effect of multiple metal exposures on pregnancy and birth outcomes: Methodological insights in systematic review research. MethodsX 2024; 12:102558. [PMID: 38292318 PMCID: PMC10825682 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2024.102558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
This systematic review focused on pregnant women and aimed to evaluate how exposure to multiple metals impacts their pregnancy and birth outcomes. Previous research has predominantly focused on the effects of individual metal exposures on adverse birth outcomes. However, it is crucial to recognize that real-world scenarios often involve simultaneous exposure to multiple pollutants. Recent studies have emphasized the significance of considering exposure to mixtures of metals to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their collective health impacts. This article outlines the essential steps taken during the systematic review process, which involved synthesizing existing evidence and evaluating the strength and consistency of the relationship between metal mixtures and pregnancy and birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Issah
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
- Department of Surgery, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Mabel S. Duah
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of basic and Applied sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - John Arko-Mensah
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Serwaa A. Bawua
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
| | - Thomas P. Agyekum
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Julius N. Fobil
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra
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Issah I, Duah MS, Arko-Mensah J, Bawua SA, Agyekum TP, Fobil JN. Exposure to metal mixtures and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes: A systematic review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168380. [PMID: 37963536 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal exposure to metal mixtures is associated with adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes like low birth weight, preterm birth, and small for gestational age. However, prior studies have used individual metal analysis, lacking real-life exposure scenarios. OBJECTIVES This systematic review aims to evaluate the strength and consistency of the association between metal mixtures and pregnancy and birth outcomes, identify research gaps, and inform future studies and policies in this area. METHODS The review adhered to the updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) checklist, along with the guidelines for conducting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of observational studies of etiology (COSMOS-E). Our data collection involved searching the PubMed, MEDLINE, and SCOPUS databases. We utilized inclusion criteria to identify relevant studies. These chosen studies underwent thorough screening and data extraction procedures. Methodological quality evaluations were conducted using the NOS framework for cohort and case-control studies, and the AXIS tool for cross-sectional studies. RESULTS The review included 34 epidemiological studies, half of which focused on birth weight, and the others investigated neonate size, preterm birth, small for gestational age, miscarriage, and placental characteristics. The findings revealed significant associations between metal mixtures (including mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), barium (Ba), cesium (Cs), copper (Cu), selenium (Se), and chromium (Cr)) and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, demonstrating diverse effects and potential interactions. CONCLUSION In conclusion, this review consistently establishes connections between metal exposure during pregnancy and adverse consequences for birth weight, gestational age, and other vital birth-related metrics. This review further demonstrates the need to apply mixture methods with caution but also shows that they can be superior to traditional approaches. Further research is warranted to deeper understand the underlying mechanisms and to develop effective strategies for mitigating the potential risks associated with metal mixture exposure during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ibrahim Issah
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Department of Surgery, Tamale Teaching Hospital, Tamale, Ghana.
| | - Mabel S Duah
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - John Arko-Mensah
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Serwaa A Bawua
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Thomas P Agyekum
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi 00233, Ghana
| | - Julius N Fobil
- West Africa Center for Global Environmental & Occupational Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
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Schrenk D, Bignami M, Bodin L, Chipman JK, del Mazo J, Grasl‐Kraupp B, Hogstrand C, Hoogenboom L(R, Leblanc J, Nebbia CS, Nielsen E, Ntzani E, Petersen A, Sand S, Vleminckx C, Wallace H, Barregård L, Benford D, Broberg K, Dogliotti E, Fletcher T, Rylander L, Abrahantes JC, Gómez Ruiz JÁ, Steinkellner H, Tauriainen T, Schwerdtle T. Update of the risk assessment of inorganic arsenic in food. EFSA J 2024; 22:e8488. [PMID: 38239496 PMCID: PMC10794945 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The European Commission asked EFSA to update its 2009 risk assessment on arsenic in food carrying out a hazard assessment of inorganic arsenic (iAs) and using the revised exposure assessment issued by EFSA in 2021. Epidemiological studies show that the chronic intake of iAs via diet and/or drinking water is associated with increased risk of several adverse outcomes including cancers of the skin, bladder and lung. The CONTAM Panel used the benchmark dose lower confidence limit based on a benchmark response (BMR) of 5% (relative increase of the background incidence after adjustment for confounders, BMDL05) of 0.06 μg iAs/kg bw per day obtained from a study on skin cancer as a Reference Point (RP). Inorganic As is a genotoxic carcinogen with additional epigenetic effects and the CONTAM Panel applied a margin of exposure (MOE) approach for the risk characterisation. In adults, the MOEs are low (range between 2 and 0.4 for mean consumers and between 0.9 and 0.2 at the 95th percentile exposure, respectively) and as such raise a health concern despite the uncertainties.
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Free Cortisol Mediates Associations of Maternal Urinary Heavy Metals with Neonatal Anthropometric Measures: A Cross-Sectional Study. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10040167. [PMID: 35448428 PMCID: PMC9032588 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10040167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to heavy metals is known to be associated with adverse birth outcomes and oxidative stress biomarkers. In this study, we examined whether maternal free cortisol or 8-Hydroxy-2-Deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) could mediate associations between maternal heavy metal exposure and birth outcomes. A total of 182 healthy pregnant women were recruited. Heavy metals (including Pb, Hg, and Cd), free-cortisol, and 8-OHdG were analyzed in urine at delivery. Birth outcomes including birth weight, length, Ponderal index, and head circumference were measured. To examine associations of maternal urinary heavy metals with biomarkers and birth outcomes, generalized linear models were employed. Birth length was positively associated with Pb (β = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.09−1.46) and Hg (β = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.23−1.45) (both p < 0.05). The Ponderal index, a measure of a newborn’s leanness, was negatively associated with maternal urinary Pb (β = −0.23, 95% CI: −0.46−−0.07) and Hg (β = −0.26, 95% CI: −0.44−−0.08) (both p < 0.05). No association between maternal Cd and birth outcomes was observed. Most heavy metals showed positive associations with free cortisol and 8-OHdG. Free cortisol was identified as a mediator underlying the observed relationship between Hg and birth length or Ponderal index. This study observed adverse birth outcomes from maternal exposures to Pb and Hg. Increased free cortisol related to Hg exposure was suggested as a possible causal pathway from Hg exposure to birth outcomes such as the Ponderal index.
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Lai Z, He M, Lin C, Ouyang W, Liu X. Interactions of antimony with biomolecules and its effects on human health. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2022; 233:113317. [PMID: 35182796 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Antimony (Sb) pollution has increased health risks to humans as a result of extensive application in diverse fields. Exposure to different levels of Sb and its compounds will directly or indirectly affect the normal function of the human body, whereas limited human health data and simulation studies delay the understanding of this element. In this review, we summarize current research on the effects of Sb on human health from different perspectives. First, the exposure pathways, concentration and excretion of Sb in humans are briefly introduced, and several studies have revealed that human exposure to high levels of Sb will cause higher concentrations in body tissues. Second, interactions between Sb and biomolecules or other nonbiomolecules affected biochemical processes such as gene expression and hormone secretion, which are vital for causing and understanding health effects and mechanisms. Finally, we discuss the different health effects of Sb at the biological level from small molecules to individual. In conclusion, exposure to high levels of Sb compounds will increase the risk of disease by affecting different cell signaling pathways. In addition, the appropriate form and dose of Sb contribute to inhibit the development of specific diseases. Key challenges and gaps in toxicity or benefit effects and mechanisms that still hinder risk assessment of human health are also identified in this review. Systematic studies on the relationships between the biochemical process of Sb and human health are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyang Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Mengchang He
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China.
| | - Chunye Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Wei Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xitao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, No. 19 Xinjiekouwai Street, Beijing 100875, China
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Vengosh A, Coyte RM, Podgorski J, Johnson TM. A critical review on the occurrence and distribution of the uranium- and thorium-decay nuclides and their effect on the quality of groundwater. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 808:151914. [PMID: 34856287 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This critical review presents the key factors that control the occurrence of natural elements from the uranium- and thorium-decay series, also known as naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), including uranium, radium, radon, lead, polonium, and their isotopes in groundwater resources. Given their toxicity and radiation, elevated levels of these nuclides in drinking water pose human health risks, and therefore understanding the occurrence, sources, and factors that control the mobilization of these nuclides from aquifer rocks is critical for better groundwater management and human health protection. The concentrations of these nuclides in groundwater are a function of the groundwater residence time relative to the decay rates of the nuclides, as well as the net balance between nuclides mobilization (dissolution, desorption, recoil) and retention (adsorption, precipitation). This paper explores the factors that control this balance, including the relationships between the elemental chemistry (e.g., solubility and speciation), lithological and hydrogeological factors, groundwater geochemistry (e.g., redox state, pH, ionic strength, ion-pairs availability), and their combined effects and interactions. The various chemical properties of each of the nuclides results in different likelihoods for co-occurrence. For example, the primordial 238U, 222Rn, and, in cases of high colloid concentrations also 210Po, are all more likely to be found in oxic groundwater. In contrast, in reducing aquifers, Ra nuclides, 210Pb, and in absence of high colloid concentrations, 210Po, are more mobile and frequently occur in groundwater. In highly permeable sandstone aquifers that lack sufficient adsorption sites, Ra is often enriched, even in low salinity and oxic groundwater. This paper also highlights the isotope distributions, including those of relatively long-lived nuclides (238U/235U) with abundances that depend on geochemical conditions (e.g., fractionation induced from redox processes), as well as shorter-lived nuclides (234U/238U, 228Ra/226Ra, 224Ra/228Ra, 210Pb/222Rn, 210Po/210Pb) that are strongly influenced by physical (recoil), lithological, and geochemical factors. Special attention is paid in evaluating the ability to use these isotope variations to elucidate the sources of these nuclides in groundwater, mechanisms of their mobilization from the rock matrix (e.g., recoil, ion-exchange), and retention into secondary mineral phases and ion-exchange sites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Joel Podgorski
- Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Dübendorf, Switzerland
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Lazarevic N, Barnett AG, Sly PD, Callan AC, Stasinska A, Heyworth JS, Hinwood AL, Knibbs LD. Prenatal exposure to mixtures of persistent environmental chemicals and fetal growth outcomes in Western Australia. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 240:113899. [PMID: 34883336 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Environmental chemicals have been implicated in the etiology of impaired fetal growth. However, few studies have assessed the effects of chemical mixtures or considered the possibility of non-monotonic exposure-response relationships for chemicals that act through the endocrine system. METHODS We assessed exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers, organochlorine pesticides, metals, and perfluorinated alkyl substances in blood and urine samples collected approximately two weeks prior to delivery in 166 non-smoking pregnant women, and subsequent birth weight, length, and head circumference of neonates who were part of the Australian Maternal Exposures to Toxic Substances (AMETS) study. We used Bayesian structured additive regression models with spike-slab priors to estimate mixture effects, identify important exposures, and model non-linearity in exposure-response relationships. RESULTS Mixtures of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, organochlorine pesticides, metals, and perfluorinated alkyl substances were not associated with fetal growth outcomes. Estimated change in fetal growth outcomes for an increase in exposure from the 25th to 75th percentile suggested no meaningful associations; the strongest evidence was for a small inverse association between birth weight and cesium exposure measured in whole blood (-124 g, 90% credible interval: -240 to -3 g). We identified several chemicals that may be associated with fetal growth non-linearly; however, 90% credible intervals contained small values consistent with no meaningful association. CONCLUSIONS Using a Bayesian penalized regression method, we assessed the shapes of exposure-response relationships, controlled for confounding by co-exposure, and estimated the single and combined effects of a large mixture of correlated environmental chemicals on fetal growth. Our findings, based on a small sample of mother-neonate pairs, suggest that mixtures of persistent chemicals are not associated with birth weight, length, and head circumference. The potential for non-monotonic relationships between environmental chemicals and fetal growth outcomes warrants further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Lazarevic
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Herston, QLD, 4006, Australia; National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, ANU College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia.
| | - Adrian G Barnett
- School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, 4059, Australia
| | - Peter D Sly
- Children's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, QLD, 4101, Australia
| | - Anna C Callan
- School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Ania Stasinska
- School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Jane S Heyworth
- School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia
| | - Andrea L Hinwood
- United Nations Environment Programme, Nairobi, Kenya; School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, 6027, Australia
| | - Luke D Knibbs
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
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López-Botella A, Velasco I, Acién M, Sáez-Espinosa P, Todolí-Torró JL, Sánchez-Romero R, Gómez-Torres MJ. Impact of Heavy Metals on Human Male Fertility-An Overview. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10091473. [PMID: 34573104 PMCID: PMC8468047 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10091473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heavy metals are endocrine disruptors which interfere with processes mediated by endogenous hormones of the organism, negatively affecting endocrine functions. Some studies have correlated heavy metal exposure with male infertility. However, the number of studies conducted on humans are limited. Therefore, the aim of this study is to summarize the current knowledge on how heavy metals influence human male fertility. Hence, three distinct databases were consulted—PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science—using single keywords and combinations of them. The total number of identified articles was 636. Nevertheless, by using the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 144 articles were finally included in this work. Results display that the development of adequate instruments for heavy metal assessment may play an important function in human male fertility diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, clinical trials could be useful to confirm the role of heavy metals in human male fertility diagnosis. Overall, further research is required to fully understand the molecular and cellular basis of the influence of environmental and occupational exposure to heavy metals on human male infertility and reproductive outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea López-Botella
- Service of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit of Human Reproduction, FISABIO—San Juan University Hospital, Carretera Alicante-Valencia s/n, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain; (A.L.-B.); (I.V.); (M.A.)
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain;
| | - Irene Velasco
- Service of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit of Human Reproduction, FISABIO—San Juan University Hospital, Carretera Alicante-Valencia s/n, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain; (A.L.-B.); (I.V.); (M.A.)
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain;
| | - Maribel Acién
- Service of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Unit of Human Reproduction, FISABIO—San Juan University Hospital, Carretera Alicante-Valencia s/n, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain; (A.L.-B.); (I.V.); (M.A.)
- Gynecology Division, Faculty of Medicine, Miguel Hernández University, Carretera Alicante-Valencia s/n, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain
| | - Paula Sáez-Espinosa
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain;
| | - José-Luis Todolí-Torró
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain; (J.-L.T.-T.); (R.S.-R.)
| | - Raquel Sánchez-Romero
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Nutrition and Food Sciences, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain; (J.-L.T.-T.); (R.S.-R.)
| | - María José Gómez-Torres
- Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Alicante, Carretera San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain;
- Correspondence:
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Comess S, Donovan G, Gatziolis D, Deziel NC. Exposure to atmospheric metals using moss bioindicators and neonatal health outcomes in Portland, Oregon. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 284:117343. [PMID: 34030082 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Studying the impacts of prenatal atmospheric heavy-metal exposure is challenging, because biological exposure monitoring does not distinguish between specific sources, and high-resolution air monitoring data is lacking for heavy metals. Bioindicators - animal or plant species that can capture environmental quality - are a low-cost tool for evaluating exposure to atmospheric heavy-metal pollution that have received little attention in the public-health literature. We obtained birth records for Portland, Oregon live births (2008-2014) and modeled metal concentrations derived from 346 samples of moss bioindicators collected in 2013. Exposure estimates were assigned using mother's residential address at birth for six metals with known toxic and estrogenic effects (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, lead). Associations were evaluated for continuous (cts) and quartile-based (Q) metal estimates and three birth outcomes (preterm birth (PTB; <37 weeks)), very PTB (vPTB; <32 weeks), small for gestational age (SGA; 10th percentile of weight by age and sex)) using logistic regression models with adjustment for demographic characteristics, and stratified by maternal race. Chromium and cobalt were associated with increased odds of vPTB (chromium - odds ratio (OR)cts = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.17; cobalt - ORQ4vsQ1 = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.71). Cobalt, chromium and cadmium were significantly associated with odds of SGA, although the direction of association differed by metal (cobalt - ORcts = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.07; chromium - ORQ3vsQ1 = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.83, 0.99; cadmium - ORcts = 0.96, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.00). In stratified analyses, odds of SGA were significantly different among non-white mothers compared to white mothers with exposure to chromium, cobalt, lead and nickel. This novel application of a moss-based exposure metric found that exposure to some atmospheric metals is associated with adverse birth outcomes. These findings are consistent with previous literature and suggest that moss bioindicators are a useful complement to traditional exposure-assessment methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskia Comess
- Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
| | - Geoffrey Donovan
- USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station, 620 SW Main, Suite 502, Portland, OR, 97205, USA.
| | - Demetrios Gatziolis
- USDA Forest Service, PNW Research Station, 620 SW Main, Suite 502, Portland, OR, 97205, USA
| | - Nicole C Deziel
- Environmental Health Sciences, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
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Gokoel AR, Shankar A, Abdoel Wahid F, Hindori-Mohangoo AD, Covert HH, Wickliffe JK, Harville EW, Zijlmans WCWR, Lichtveld MY. The Cumulative Risk of Prenatal Exposures to Chemical and Non-Chemical Stressors on Birth Outcomes in Suriname. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18147683. [PMID: 34300134 PMCID: PMC8305475 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The cumulative exposure to chemical and non-chemical stressors may have an impact on birth outcomes. The aim of this study is to examine the cumulative exposure of a mixture of chemicals (mercury, lead, selenium and tin) and non-chemical stressors (social support, perceived stress, probable depression and BMI) on birth outcomes (birthweight, gestational age at birth, and Apgar score at 5 min). The study population is a subset (n = 384) of the Caribbean Consortium for Research in Environmental and Occupational Health–MeKiTamara prospective cohort study. Associations between the latent chemical construct, non-chemical stressors and birth outcomes were assessed using path models. The results showed a significant direct relationship between perceived stress and birthweight (β = −0.17), however even though the relationship between perceived stress and depression was significant in all three path models (β = 0.61), the association between depression and birth outcomes was not significant. Perceived stress was significantly associated with community engagement (β = −0.12) and individual resilience (β = −0.12). BMI (β = 0.12) was also significantly directly associated with birthweight. The latent chemical construct did not show an association with the birth outcomes. Our data indicate the need for the development of a support system for pregnant women by involving them in prenatal care programs to reduce maternal stress, which may also influence depression and (in)directly improve the birth outcomes. Interventions regarding weight management for women of childbearing age are necessary to halt obesity and its negative effects on birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisma R. Gokoel
- Scientific Research Center Suriname, Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Paramaribo, Suriname
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname;
- Correspondence:
| | - Arti Shankar
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA;
| | - Firoz Abdoel Wahid
- Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (F.A.W.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Ashna D. Hindori-Mohangoo
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (A.D.H.-M.); (H.H.C.)
- Foundation for Perinatal Interventions and Research in Suriname (Perisur), Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Hannah H. Covert
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (A.D.H.-M.); (H.H.C.)
| | - Jeffrey K. Wickliffe
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA;
| | - Emily W. Harville
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA;
| | - Wilco C. W. R. Zijlmans
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname;
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (A.D.H.-M.); (H.H.C.)
| | - Maureen Y. Lichtveld
- Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; (F.A.W.); (M.Y.L.)
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Dack K, Fell M, Taylor CM, Havdahl A, Lewis SJ. Mercury and Prenatal Growth: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:7140. [PMID: 34281082 PMCID: PMC8297189 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18137140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The intrauterine environment is critical for healthy prenatal growth and affects neonatal survival and later health. Mercury is a toxic metal which can freely cross the placenta and disrupt a wide range of cellular processes. Many observational studies have investigated mercury exposure and prenatal growth, but no prior review has synthesised this evidence. Four relevant publication databases (Embase, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus) were systematically searched to identify studies of prenatal mercury exposure and birth weight, birth length, or head circumference. Study quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool, and results synthesised in a narrative review. Twenty-seven studies met the review criteria, these were in 17 countries and used 8 types of mercury biomarker. Studies of birth weight (total = 27) involving populations with high levels of mercury exposure, non-linear methods, or identified as high quality were more likely to report an association with mercury, but overall results were inconsistent. Most studies reported no strong evidence of association between mercury and birth length (n = 14) or head circumference (n = 14). Overall, our review did not identify strong evidence that mercury exposure leads to impaired prenatal growth, although there was some evidence of a negative association of mercury with birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Dack
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK;
| | - Matthew Fell
- Cleft Collective, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK;
| | - Caroline M. Taylor
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1NU, UK;
| | - Alexandra Havdahl
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0456 Oslo, Norway;
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, 0771 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah J. Lewis
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK;
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK
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12
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Goto Y, Mandai M, Nakayama T, Yamazaki S, Nakayama SF, Isobe T, Sato T, Nitta H. Association of prenatal maternal blood lead levels with birth outcomes in the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS): a nationwide birth cohort study. Int J Epidemiol 2021; 50:156-164. [PMID: 33141187 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite dramatic declines in prenatal maternal blood lead levels (BLLs) in most developed countries, little is known about the effects of extremely low-level (<1.0 µg/dL) lead exposure on fetal growth. METHODS We measured maternal BLL during the second or third trimester of pregnancy and assessed birth outcomes, including birthweight, preterm birth (<37 gestational weeks) risk, small for gestational age births (SGA; birthweight <10th percentile) and low birthweight (LBW; <2500 g). The association between birthweight and maternal BLL was estimated using linear and quadratic spline models. Multivariable logistic models were used to examine the risk of binary responses. RESULTS From 103 099 pregnant women, 20 000 blood samples were randomly selected for analysis. The maternal BLL range was 0.16-7.4 µg/dL, and the median was 0.63 µg/dL. After adjusting for covariates, the linear model showed that each 0.1 μg/dL increase in maternal BLL was associated with a 5.4 g decrease in mean birthweight [95% confidence interval (CI), 3.4 to 7.5 g]. The risk of SGA [adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.05) and LBW (aOR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.05) increased, whereas the risk of preterm delivery did not (aOR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.02). CONCLUSIONS Even at a maternal BLL below 1.0 µg/dL, prenatal lead exposure was associated with decreased birthweight and increased risk of SGA and LBW, but not preterm delivery. The adverse effect estimates of prenatal lead exposure on birth outcomes were quantitatively small and clinically limited at this low level.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marie Mandai
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Takeo Nakayama
- Department of Health Informatics, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Shin Yamazaki
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shoji F Nakayama
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Isobe
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tosiya Sato
- Department of Biostatistics, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nitta
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
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13
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Signes-Pastor AJ, Desai G, García-Villarino M, Karagas MR, Kordas K. Exposure to a mixture of metals and growth indicators in 6-11-year-old children from the 2013-16 NHANES. EXPOSURE AND HEALTH 2021; 13:173-184. [PMID: 34151044 PMCID: PMC8210664 DOI: 10.1007/s12403-020-00371-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and fluoride (F) exposure during childhood is of concern owing to their toxicity. Also, evidence suggests that high and low exposure levels to manganese (Mn) and selenium (Se) during this vulnerable period are associated with an increased risk of adverse health effects. A reduced growth is associated with high Pb and F exposure; however, little is known about their impact on children's body size, and there is a lack of consensus on the effects of Hg, Mn, and Se exposure on children's anthropometric measures. This is particularly true for childhood metal co-exposures at levels relevant to the general population. We investigated the joint effects of exposure to a metal mixture (Pb, Mn, Hg, and Se in blood and F in plasma) on 6-11-year-old US children's anthropometry (n = 1,634). Median F, Pb, Mn, Hg, and Se concentrations were 0.3 μmol/L, 0.5 μg/dL, 10.2 μg/L, 0.3 μg/L, and 178.0 μg/L, respectively. The joint effects of the five metals were modeled using Bayesian kernel machine and linear regressions. Pb and Mn showed opposite directions of associations with all outcome measured, where Pb was inversely associated with anthropometry. For body mass index and waist circumference, the effect estimates for Pb and Mn appeared stronger at high and low concentrations of the other metals of the mixture, respectively. Our findings suggest that metal co-exposures may influence children's body mass and linear growth indicators, and that such relations may differ by the exposure levels of the components of the metal mixture.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gauri Desai
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
| | - Miguel García-Villarino
- Unit of Molecular Cancer Epidemiology- IUOPA-CIBERESP, Department of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Oviedo
| | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH
| | - Katarzyna Kordas
- Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
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14
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Paternal Exposure to Non-essential Heavy Metal Affects Embryo Cleavage and Implantation in Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) Cycles: Evidence for a Paradoxical Effect. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:2550-2561. [PMID: 33683670 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00510-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Although the adverse effects of non-essential heavy metals on semen quality have been demonstrated in experimental animal models and occupational human exposure studies, little is known about the reproductive efficiency of exposed sperm during the process of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Our study aims to evaluate the effect of paternal exposure to non-essential heavy metals on embryo efficiency outcomes (embryo cleavage, fragmentation, implantation, and live birth) in ICSI cycle. Ninety-five heterosexual couples who underwent 95 ICSI cycles and 78 fresh embryo transfers between January 2003 and December 2009 were evaluated. Men whose female partner was undergoing ICSI were asked to provide semen and blood samples. Heavy metal levels (Pb, Cd, As, Hg, Ba, and U) were analyzed using an ion-coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS; Agilent 7500 ce, Agilent Technologies, Germany) equipped with a cell dynamic range (CDR). Paternal exposure to trace heavy metals was found to influence intermediate reproductive endpoints in ICSI cycles. After adjusting for paternal and maternal confounders, paternal blood concentrations of Cd [-0.30(-0.11,-0.02)], As [-0.26(-0.16,-0.11)], and U [-0.22(-0.24,-0.02)] were inversely associated with embryo cell cleavage on day 3. Counterintuitively, paternal blood and semen Pb levels [0.26(0.01,0.22); 0.25(0.03,0.14)] as well as semen U levels [0.27(0.01,0.19)] were positively associated with the proportion of implanted embryos. There were no significant associations observed for clinical pregnancy and live birth rates with any paternal heavy metal concentrations in semen and blood. These findings highlight the importance of paternal health for embryo efficiency outcomes in ICSI treatment cycles and the need for more male partner inclusive counseling in fertility practice. They also underline a paradoxical positive association between some heavy metal pollutants at low exposure levels and reproductive outcomes.
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15
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Inadera H, Takamori A, Matsumura K, Tsuchida A, Cui ZG, Hamazaki K, Tanaka T, Ito M, Kigawa M, Origasa H, Michikawa T, Nakayama SF, Isobe T, Takeuchi A, Sato T, Nitta H, Yamazaki S. Association of blood cadmium levels in pregnant women with infant birth size and small for gestational age infants: The Japan Environment and Children's study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:110007. [PMID: 32768474 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing evidence of an association between cadmium (Cd) and unfavorable birth outcomes. The effect of Cd exposure on anthropometric measures at birth or small for gestational age (SGA) infants in a large, nationwide Japanese cohort remains to be clarified. OBJECTIVES To analyze the association between maternal blood Cd levels at different sampling times and sex-dependent infant birth size, weight, body length, chest, and head circumferences, in addition to SGA. METHODS Data of 17,584 pregnant women in the Japan Environment and Children's Study were analyzed for anthropometric measurements. For SGA determination, 13,969 cases of vaginal delivery were analyzed after excluding infants born by cesarean section. Maternal blood Cd levels were categorized into quartiles (Q1-Q4), and the Q1 was used as a reference. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed for anthropometric measurements, and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association of maternal blood Cd levels with the risk of SGA. RESULTS Birth weight tended to decrease according to the increase in quartiles of blood Cd levels (15.63 g decrease [95% confidence level (CI): -33.26, 2.01] for Q4). The overall analysis revealed no decreases in body length and head and chest circumference, but subgroup analysis revealed that chest circumference tended to decrease according to the increase in quartiles in the female sex/third-trimester stratification (0.16 cm decrease [95% CI: -0.32, 0.00] for Q4). SGA risk was also higher and paralleled the increase in blood Cd levels associated with the female sex/third-trimester group (Odds Ratio 1.90 [95% CI: 1.23, 2.94] for Q4). CONCLUSION Our results provide further evidence of sex-specific health risks associated with Cd exposure in early life in a large Japanese pregnancy cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidekuni Inadera
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Ayako Takamori
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Clinical Research Center, Saga University Hospital, Saga, Japan
| | - Kenta Matsumura
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Akiko Tsuchida
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Zheng-Guo Cui
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Kei Hamazaki
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Tomomi Tanaka
- Toyama Regional Center for JECS, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Mika Ito
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Mika Kigawa
- Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan; Department of Liberal Arts and Human Development, Kanagawa University of Human Services, Yokosuka, Japan
| | - Hideki Origasa
- Department of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan
| | - Takehiro Michikawa
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shoji F Nakayama
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Isobe
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Ayano Takeuchi
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tosiya Sato
- Department of Biostatistics, Kyoto University School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nitta
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Shin Yamazaki
- Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan.
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16
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Ma M, Wang R, Xu L, Xu M, Liu S. Emerging health risks and underlying toxicological mechanisms of uranium contamination: Lessons from the past two decades. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 145:106107. [PMID: 32932066 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Uranium contamination is a global health concern. Regarding natural or anthropogenic uranium contamination, the major sources of concern are groundwater, mining, phosphate fertilizers, nuclear facilities, and military activities. Many epidemiological and laboratory studies have demonstrated that environmental and occupational uranium exposure can induce multifarious health problems. Uranium exposure may cause health risks because of its chemotoxicity and radiotoxicity in natural or anthropogenic scenarios: the former is generally thought to play a more significant role with regard to the natural uranium exposure, and the latter is more relevant to enriched uranium exposure. The understanding of the health risks and underlying toxicological mechanisms of uranium remains at a preliminary stage, and many controversial findings require further research. In order to present state-of-the-art status in this field, this review will primarily focus on the chemotoxicity of uranium, rather than its radiotoxicity, as well as the involved toxicological mechanisms. First, the natural or anthropogenic uranium contamination scenarios will be briefly summarized. Second, the health risks upon natural uranium exposure, for example, nephrotoxicity, bone toxicity, reproductive toxicity, hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and pulmonary toxicity, will be discussed based on the reported epidemiological cases and laboratory studies. Third, the recent advances regarding the toxicological mechanisms of uranium-induced chemotoxicity will be highlighted, including oxidative stress, genetic damage, protein impairment, inflammation, and metabolic disorder. Finally, the gaps and challenges in the knowledge of uranium-induced chemotoxicity and underlying mechanisms will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minghao Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ruixia Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lining Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Sijin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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17
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Jukic AMZ, Zuchniak A, Qamar H, Ahmed T, Mahmud AA, Roth DE. Vitamin D Treatment during Pregnancy and Maternal and Neonatal Cord Blood Metal Concentrations at Delivery: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial in Bangladesh. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:117007. [PMID: 33226277 PMCID: PMC7682582 DOI: 10.1289/ehp7265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vitamin D improves absorption of calcium; however, in animal studies vitamin D also increases the absorption of toxic metals, such as lead and cadmium. OBJECTIVES We examined maternal and neonatal cord blood levels of lead, cadmium, manganese, and mercury after supplementation with vitamin D during pregnancy. METHODS The Maternal Vitamin D for Infant Growth trial was a randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-arm study of maternal vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy in Dhaka, Bangladesh (NCT01924013). Women were randomized during their second trimester to blinded weekly doses of placebo or 4,200, 16,800, or 28,000 IU of vitamin D3 throughout pregnancy. Each group had 118-239 maternal blood specimens and 100-201 cord blood samples analyzed. Metals were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Unadjusted estimates from linear regression models were expressed as percentage differences. Cord blood cadmium was analyzed as detectable or undetectable with log-binomial regression. RESULTS Maternal cadmium, mercury, and manganese levels were nearly identical across groups. Maternal lead levels were 6.3%, 7.4%, and 6.0% higher in the treatment groups (4,200, 16,800, and 28,000 IU, respectively) vs. placebo; however, 95% confidence intervals (CIs) showed that differences from 4.1% lower to 20% higher were compatible with the data. In treatment groups (4,200, 16,800, 28,000 IU) vs. placebo, neonatal cord blood lead levels were 8.5% (95% CI: - 3.5 , 22), 16% (95% CI: 3.3, 30), and 11% (95% CI: 0.4, 23) higher and had higher risk of detectable cadmium, relative risk ( RR ) = 2.2 (95% CI: 1.3, 3.7), RR = 1.4 (95% CI: 0.8, 2.5), RR = 1.7 (95% CI: 1.0, 2.9). DISCUSSION Vitamin D supplementation from the second trimester of pregnancy did not influence maternal cadmium, mercury, or manganese levels at delivery. Vitamin D was associated with nonsignificant increases in maternal lead and with significant increases in cord blood lead and cadmium. These associations were not dose dependent. Given that there are no safe levels of metals in infants, the observed increases in cord blood lead and cadmium require further exploration. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7265.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Marie Z. Jukic
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anna Zuchniak
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Global Child Health and SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Huma Qamar
- Centre for Global Child Health and SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tahmeed Ahmed
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Abdullah Al Mahmud
- International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Daniel E. Roth
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Centre for Global Child Health and SickKids Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Paediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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18
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Hoover JH, Erdei E, Begay D, Gonzales M, Jarrett JM, Cheng PY, Lewis J. Exposure to uranium and co-occurring metals among pregnant Navajo women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 190:109943. [PMID: 32750552 PMCID: PMC7530024 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Navajo Nation residents are at risk for exposure to uranium and other co-occurring metals found in abandoned mine waste. The Navajo Birth Cohort Study (NBCS) was initiated in 2010 to address community concerns regarding the impact of chronic environmental exposure to metals on pregnancy and birth outcomes. The objectives of this paper were to 1) evaluate maternal urine concentrations of key metals at enrollment and delivery from a pregnancy cohort; and 2) compare the NBCS to the US general population by comparing representative summary statistical values. Pregnant Navajo women (N = 783, age range 14-45 years) were recruited from hospital facilities on the Navajo Nation during prenatal visits and urine samples were collected by trained staff in pre-screened containers. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health's (NCEH) Division of Laboratory Sciences (DLS) analyzed urine samples for metals. Creatinine-corrected urine concentrations of cadmium decreased between enrollment (1st or 2nd trimester) and delivery (3rd trimester) while urine uranium concentrations were not observed to change. Median and 95th percentile values of maternal NBCS urine concentrations of uranium, manganese, cadmium, and lead exceeded respective percentiles for National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey (NHANES) percentiles for women (ages 14-45 either pregnant or not pregnant.) Median NBCS maternal urine uranium concentrations were 2.67 (enrollment) and 2.8 (delivery) times greater than the NHANES median concentration, indicating that pregnant Navajo women are exposed to metal mixtures and have higher uranium exposure compared to NHANES data for women. This demonstrates support for community concerns about uranium exposure and suggests a need for additional analyses to evaluate the impact of maternal metal mixtures exposure on birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph H Hoover
- Montana State University BIllings, Billings, MT, United States.
| | - Esther Erdei
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - David Begay
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Melissa Gonzales
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, Albuquerque, NM, United States; University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jeffery M Jarrett
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Po-Yung Cheng
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Johnnye Lewis
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, College of Pharmacy, Community Environmental Health Program, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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19
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Butts CD, Bloom MS, McGough A, Lenhart N, Wong R, Mok-Lin E, Parsons PJ, Galusha AL, Yucel RM, Feingold BJ, Browne RW, Fujimoto VY. Seafood consumption is associated with higher follicular fluid arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) concentrations in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 188:109753. [PMID: 32554271 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Human exposure to non-essential toxic metals such as cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb), and metalloids such as arsenic (As) commonly occurs through diet. Toxic trace element exposures have been reported in association with fertility and fecundity in epidemiologic studies even at low to moderate levels. While most previous studies employed blood and urine biomarkers of exposure, few have assessed toxic trace elements in ovarian follicular fluid (FF), which surrounds the developing oocyte and hence may better reflect concentrations potentially affecting reproductive outcomes. Our objective was to identify dietary predictors of FF toxic trace elements in n = 56 women (mean age: 38.3 years) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) at the University of California at San Francisco. We determined As, Hg, Cd, and Pb in 197 FF specimens, collected on the day of oocyte retrieval, using inductively coupled plasma tandem mass spectrometry. A comprehensive food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the weekly and annual dietary "patterns" of participants. Consumption of specific seafood items and turkey were correlated with individual FF toxic trace elements. We also found that each unit higher seafood consumption in the past week dominated by mollusks, shrimp, and bass was associated with 60% higher FF As (95% confidence interval (CI): 25%, 105%) and FF Hg (95%CI: 7%, 136%) concentrations. Higher annual seafood consumption dominated by urchin, crab, and trout was associated with 16% higher FF As (95%CI: -2%, 38%) and 31% higher FF Hg (95%CI: 7%, 60%) concentrations per unit intake. No associations were noted between diet and Cd and Pb levels in FF. Overall, our results suggest that higher seafood consumption contributes to elevated levels of As and Hg in FF. These findings are consistent with previous IVF studies that assessed toxic trace element exposures in blood and urine. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report that diet might be a source of As, Hg, Cd, and Pb in FF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste D Butts
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States
| | - Michael S Bloom
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States; Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States.
| | - Alexandra McGough
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States
| | - Nikolaus Lenhart
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States
| | - Rebecca Wong
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States
| | - Evelyn Mok-Lin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States
| | - Patrick J Parsons
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States; Laboratory of Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY, 12201, United States
| | - Aubrey L Galusha
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States; Laboratory of Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY, 12201, United States
| | - Recai M Yucel
- Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States
| | - Beth J Feingold
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place Rensselaer, NY, 12144, United States
| | - Richard W Browne
- Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, 14260, United States
| | - Victor Y Fujimoto
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States
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Khoshhali M, Rafiei N, Farajzadegan Z, Shoshtari-Yeganeh B, Kelishadi R. Maternal Exposure to Cadmium and Fetal Growth: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Biol Trace Elem Res 2020; 195:9-19. [PMID: 31401745 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-019-01819-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
This study aims to review the epidemiological studies on the association between cadmium (Cd) exposure during pregnancy and neonatal anthropometric measures. Electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Collaboration was conducted till end of 2018. Pooled estimates were performed using a fixed-effects model or random-effects model. A total of 22 studies included in the meta-analyses. Subgroup analyses on sample type (maternal urine, maternal blood, cord blood, and placenta), meta-regression, and sensitivity analysis were performed to seek the sources of heterogeneity. In the random-effects meta-analysis of included studies, the pooled correlation coefficient between maternal exposure to Cd with birth weight was - 0.04 [95% CI (- 0.07, - 0.01), with birth length and head circumference as - 0.01 [95% CI (- 0.04, 0.02)] and - 0.02 [95% CI (- 0.06, 0.02)]. Our findings showed significant relationship between Cd exposure of pregnant women with low birth weight, but not with birth length and head circumference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehri Khoshhali
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Nasim Rafiei
- Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Ziba Farajzadegan
- Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Bahareh Shoshtari-Yeganeh
- Environment Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-Communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Roya Kelishadi
- Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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Scott-Richardson M, Ruiz MO, Smith RL. Examining the Relationship Between Low Birth Weight Occurrence and Passive Measures of Environmental Arsenic by Census Tract in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Florida. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2020; 14:1178630220913053. [PMID: 32341650 PMCID: PMC7169366 DOI: 10.1177/1178630220913053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic is a public health concern because of its widespread distribution and high toxicity, even when doses are small. Low birth weight (LBW) occurrence, birth weights less than 2500 g, may be associated with prenatal exposure of arsenic from environmental factors and consuming contaminated drinking water and food. The objective of this study was to examine whether mothers living in areas of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with varying levels of background arsenic in surface soil and water were associated with the occurrence of LBW. Inverse distance weight in ArcGIS was used to interpolate arsenic concentrations from environmental samples and estimate arsenic concentrations by census tracts in the two counties. After excluding multiple births and displaced geocoding addresses, birth data were obtained for the years of 2005 (n = 5845), 2010 (n = 5569), and 2015 (n = 5770) from the Bureau of Vital Statistics at the Florida Department of Health to assess temporal differences. Generalized linear models were used to analyze and compare the association between child and maternal demographic information, socioeconomic characteristics, and the environmental estimates of arsenic with LBW. No significant association was found between environmental arsenic concentration and LBW, suggesting that environmental contamination of the pregnant mother's census tract may not be a useful proxy in assessing risk for LBW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Scott-Richardson
- Maya Scott-Richardson, Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2001 S. Lincoln Ave., Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
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22
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Nyanza EC, Dewey D, Manyama M, Martin JW, Hatfield J, Bernier FP. Maternal exposure to arsenic and mercury and associated risk of adverse birth outcomes in small-scale gold mining communities in Northern Tanzania. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 137:105450. [PMID: 32014788 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 12/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to arsenic and mercury in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) communities is an issue that predominantly affects low and middle-income countries. Large epidemiology studies in these communities are rare, and the impact of such exposures on reproductive outcomes are not well understood. OBJECTIVE To examine associations between prenatal maternal arsenic and mercury exposure and birth outcomes in both ASGM and non-ASGM communities in Northern Tanzania. METHODS This longitudinal prospective study included 961 women (ASGM = 788, non-ASGM = 173) of the original cohort of 1056 who were followed until a pregnancy outcome was registered. Maternal spot urine samples and dried blood spots were used to measure total arsenic (T-As) and total mercury (T-Hg) in the second trimester of pregnancy. Data on adverse birth outcomes were collected in 5 categories: spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm birth, low birth weight, and visible congenital anomalies. Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to test for differences between median T-As and T-Hg by area of residence. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of stillbirth and visible congenital anomalies given maternal T-As and T-Hg levels. Modified Poisson regressions were used to estimate relative risk ratios between maternal T-As and T-Hg levels and composite adverse birth outcome, spontaneous abortion, low birth weight, and preterm birth. RESULTS Statistically significant differences were found in median T-As (9.6 vs. 6.3 µg/L, Mann-Whitney U-tests, Z = -3.50, p < 0.001) and median T-Hg blood concentrations (1.2 vs. 0.70 µg/L, Z = -9.88, p-value < 0.001) between women living in ASGM and non-ASGM areas respectively. In ASGM areas, the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of a composite adverse birth outcome increased with increasing T-As (aRR 1.23, 95%CI: 1.14-1.33, p < 0.0001) and T-Hg (aRR 1.17, 95%CI: 1.1-1.25, p < 0.0001) exposure. Spontaneous abortion (aRR 1.53, 95%CI: 1.28-1.83), stillbirth (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.97, 95%CI: 1.45-2.66) and preterm birth (1.17, 95%CI: 1.01-1.36) were significantly associated with elevated T-As, whereas elevated T-Hg was significantly associated with stillbirth (aOR 2.49, 95%CI: 1.88-3.29) and visible congenital anomalies (aOR 2.24, 95%CI: 1.3-3.87). CONCLUSION Over half (54.7%) of women in ASGM areas of Northern Tanzania had adverse birth outcomes and the risk of adverse birth outcomes was significantly associated with increased prenatal exposure to arsenic and mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias C Nyanza
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada; Department of Environmental, Occupational Health and GIS, School of Public Health, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 1464, Bugando, Mwanza, Tanzania; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Room 294, Heritage Medical Research Building, 3330 Hospital Drive, NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Room 294, Heritage Medical Research Building, 3330 Hospital Drive, NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, #397 Child Development Centre, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Mange Manyama
- Division of Medical Education, Weill-Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Jonathan W Martin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm 114 18, Sweden
| | - Jennifer Hatfield
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Francois P Bernier
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Room 294, Heritage Medical Research Building, 3330 Hospital Drive, NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, #397 Child Development Centre, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.
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Han I, Whitworth KW, Zhang X, Afshar M, Berens PD, Symanski E. Characterization of urinary concentrations of heavy metals among socioeconomically disadvantaged black pregnant women. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2020; 192:200. [PMID: 32107644 PMCID: PMC7046578 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-020-8163-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The objective of this study was to characterize exposures to metals using biological samples collected on socioeconomically disadvantaged black pregnant women. We obtained 131 anonymous urine samples provided by black pregnant women visiting a Medicaid-serving prenatal clinic in Houston, TX, from March 27, 2017 to April 11, 2017. We analyzed urine samples for 15 metals including cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni) and for creatinine and cotinine. We found that median concentrations of zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), and aluminum (Al) among black pregnant women in this study were 1.5 to 3 times higher than levels reported among a cohort of well-educated non-Hispanic white pregnancy planners. We also observed elevated levels of urinary Cd and antimony (Sb) as compared with those reported for a nationally representative sample of adult women in the USA. Based on the results of an exploratory factor analysis, potential sources of metal exposures in this population may arise in home environments or be due to diet, industrial and natural sources, or traffic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inkyu Han
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Kristina W Whitworth
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health in San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, 77829, USA
| | - Xueying Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Masoud Afshar
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Pamela D Berens
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, UTHealth McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Elaine Symanski
- Center for Precision Environmental Health and Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
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Chu C, Zhou Y, Li QQ, Bloom MS, Lin S, Yu YJ, Chen D, Yu HY, Hu LW, Yang BY, Zeng XW, Dong GH. Are perfluorooctane sulfonate alternatives safer? New insights from a birth cohort study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 135:105365. [PMID: 31830731 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Experimental studies show that chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonic acids (Cl-PFESA 6:2 and 8:2), one of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) alternatives, are reproductive toxicants in vivo and in vitro. However, the associations between gestational exposure to Cl-PFESAs and birth outcomes are unknown. OBJECTIVES We investigated associations between 6:2 Cl-PFESA and 8:2 Cl-PFESA in maternal serum and birth outcomes. METHODS We measured four PFAS, including 6:2 Cl-PFESA, 8:2 Cl-PFESA, PFOS, and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in third-trimester maternal serum collected from 372 mother-child dyads participating in the Guangzhou Birth Cohort Study. Characteristics of mothers and infants were gathered from medical records and by interviewer-administered questionnaires. RESULTS PFOS was the most abundant PFAS in maternal serum (median: 7.15 ng/mL), followed by 6:2 Cl-PFESA (median: 2.41 ng/mL). Greater maternal serum levels of all PFAS alternatives were significantly associated with lower birth weight, adjusted for confounding variables. For example, each ln-ng/mL greater concentration of 6:2 Cl-PFESA and 8:2 Cl-PFESA was associated with a 54.44 g [95% confidence interval (CI): -95.66, -13.22] and 21.15 g (95% CI: -41.44, -0.86) lower birth weight, respectively. Greater continuous maternal serum 6:2 Cl-PFESA (OR: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.73, 4.15) and PFOS (OR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.24, 3.32) were also associated with higher risks for preterm birth, adjusted for confounders, with a possible threshold effect at the highest quartile of 6:2 Cl-PFESA. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, we report associations between maternal serum 6:2 Cl-PFESA and 8:2 Cl-PFESA concentrations and adverse birth outcomes. Our findings suggest that PFOS alternatives may be reproductive toxicants in human populations and should be considered with caution before widespread use. Given the preliminary nature of our results, additional epidemiological and toxicological investigations are needed to more definitively assess the risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu Chu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Qing-Qing Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Michael S Bloom
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China; Departments of Environmental Health Sciences & Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Shao Lin
- Departments of Environmental Health Sciences & Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Yun-Jiang Yu
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Health Risk Assessment, South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Da Chen
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, and Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Hong-Yao Yu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Li-Wen Hu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Bo-Yi Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Xiao-Wen Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Guang-Hui Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
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Zhang W, Liu W, Bao S, Liu H, Zhang Y, Zhang B, Zhou A, Chen J, Hao K, Xia W, Li Y, Sheng X, Xu S. Association of adverse birth outcomes with prenatal uranium exposure: A population-based cohort study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 135:105391. [PMID: 31874351 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.105391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 10/10/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Uranium (U) is a well-recognized hazardous heavy metal with embryotoxicity and fetotoxicity. However, little is known about its association with adverse birth outcomes. We aimed to investigate the potential correlation between prenatal U exposure and birth outcomes. Urine samples of 8500 women were collected before delivery from a birth cohort in Wuhan, China. Concentrations of urinary U and other metals were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We used multivariable logistic regressions to evaluate the associations between urinary U concentrations and adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA). Associations of urinary U concentrations with gestational age, birth weight, and birth length were investigated by linear regressions. The geometric mean of U concentration was 0.03 μg/L. After adjustment for potential confounders, we found each Log2-unit increase in U concentration was associated with a significant decrease in gestational age [adjusted β = -0.32 day; 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.44, -0.20] and a significant increased likelihood of PTB (adjusted OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.29). This birth cohort uncovered an association of maternal exposure to U during pregnancy with decreased gestational age and increased risk of PTB. Our findings reveal an association of maternal exposure to U during pregnancy with decreased gestational age and increased risk of PTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Wenyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shuangshuang Bao
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Hongxiu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuzeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Wuhan Women and Children Medical Care Center, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Aifen Zhou
- Wuhan Women and Children Medical Care Center, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jia Chen
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ke Hao
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xia Sheng
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health (HUST), Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection, and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health (Incubation), School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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26
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Barn P, Gombojav E, Ochir C, Boldbaatar B, Beejin B, Naidan G, Galsuren J, Legtseg B, Byambaa T, Hutcheon JA, Janes C, Janssen PA, Lanphear BP, McCandless LC, Takaro TK, Venners SA, Webster GM, Palmer CD, Parsons PJ, Allen RW. Coal smoke, gestational cadmium exposure, and fetal growth. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 179:108830. [PMID: 31678728 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gestational cadmium exposure may impair fetal growth. Coal smoke has largely been unexplored as a source of cadmium exposure. We investigated the relationship between gestational cadmium exposure and fetal growth, and assessed coal smoke as a potential source of airborne cadmium, among non-smoking pregnant women in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where coal combustion in home heating stoves is a major source of outdoor and indoor air pollution. METHODS This observational study was nested within the Ulaanbaatar Gestation and Air Pollution Research (UGAAR) study, a randomized controlled trial of portable high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter air cleaner use during pregnancy, fetal growth, and early childhood development. We measured third trimester blood cadmium concentrations in 374 out of 465 participants who had a live birth. We used multiple linear and logistic regression to assess the relationships between log2-transformed maternal blood cadmium concentrations and birth weight, length, head circumference, ponderal index, low birth weight, small for gestational age, and preterm birth in crude and adjusted models. We also evaluated the relationships between log2-transformed blood cadmium concentrations and the density of coal-burning stoves within 5000 m of each participant's apartment as a proxy of coal smoke emissions from home heating stoves. RESULTS The median (25th,75th percentile) blood cadmium concentration was 0.20 (0.15, 0.29) μg/L. A doubling of blood cadmium was associated with a 95 g (95% CI: 34, 155 g) reduction in birth weight in adjusted models. An interquartile range increase in coal stove density (from 3.4 to 4.9 gers/hectare) surrounding participants' apartments was associated with a 12.2% (95% CI: 0.3, 25.6%) increase in blood cadmium concentrations. CONCLUSIONS Gestational cadmium exposure was associated with reduced birth weight. In settings where coal is a widely used fuel, cadmium may play a role in the putative association between air pollution and impaired fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabjit Barn
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Enkhjargal Gombojav
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Zorig Street, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Chimedsuren Ochir
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Zorig Street, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Buyantushig Boldbaatar
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Zorig Street, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Bolor Beejin
- Ministry of Health of Mongolia, Olympic Street-2, Government Building VIII, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Gerel Naidan
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Zorig Street, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Jargalsaikhan Galsuren
- School of Public Health, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Zorig Street, Ulaanbaatar, 14210, Mongolia
| | - Bayarkhuu Legtseg
- Sukhbaatar District Health Center, 11 Horoo, Tsagdaagiin Gudamj, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Tsogtbaatar Byambaa
- Ministry of Health of Mongolia, Olympic Street-2, Government Building VIII, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
| | - Jennifer A Hutcheon
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of British Columbia, 4500 Oak Street, Vancouver, V6H 2N1, Canada
| | - Craig Janes
- School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Patricia A Janssen
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Bruce P Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Lawrence C McCandless
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Tim K Takaro
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Scott A Venners
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Glenys M Webster
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Christopher D Palmer
- New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY, PO Box 509, 12201, USA; School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
| | - Patrick J Parsons
- New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY, PO Box 509, 12201, USA; School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, One University Place, Rensselaer, NY, 12144, USA
| | - Ryan W Allen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada.
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27
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Zilversmit Pao L, Harville EW, Wickliffe JK, Shankar A, Buekens P. The Cumulative Risk of Chemical and Nonchemical Exposures on Birth Outcomes in Healthy Women: The Fetal Growth Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E3700. [PMID: 31581440 PMCID: PMC6801557 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16193700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Metals, stress, and sociodemographics are commonly studied separately for their effects on birth outcomes, yet often jointly contribute to adverse outcomes. This study analyzes two methods for measuring cumulative risk to understand how maternal chemical and nonchemical stressors may contribute to small for gestational age (SGA). SGA was calculated using sex-specific fetal growth curves for infants of pregnant mothers (n = 2562) enrolled in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Fetal Growth Study. The exposures (maternal lead, mercury, cadmium, Cohen's perceived stress, Edinburgh depression scores, race/ethnicity, income, and education) were grouped into three domains: metals, psychosocial stress, and sociodemographics. In Method 1 we created cumulative risk scores using tertiles. Method 2 employed weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression. For each method, logistic models were built with three exposure domains individually and race/ethnicity, adjusting for age, parity, pregnancy weight gain, and marital status. The adjusted effect of overall cumulative risk with three domains, was also modeled using each method. Sociodemographics was the only exposure associated with SGA in unadjusted models ((odds ratio) OR: 1.35, 95% (confidence interval) CI: 1.08, 1.68). The three cumulative variables in adjusted models were not significant individually, but the overall index was associated with SGA (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.35). In the WQS model, only the sociodemographics domain was significantly associated with SGA. Sociodemographics tended to be the strongest risk factor for SGA in both risk score and WQS models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Zilversmit Pao
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Emily W Harville
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Jeffrey K Wickliffe
- Department of Global Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Arti Shankar
- Global Biostatistics and Data Science, Department of Global Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Pierre Buekens
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
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Zhong Q, Cui Y, Wu H, Niu Q, Lu X, Wang L, Huang F. Association of maternal arsenic exposure with birth size: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2019; 69:129-136. [PMID: 31030175 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chronic exposure to arsenic during pregnancy or early life continues to be a major global health problem worldwide, affecting hundreds of millions of people. However, its effects on birth size are uncertain. The aim of this study is to summarized the association between maternal arsenic exposure and birth size. METHODS A comprehensive literature search was conducted on the maternal arsenic exposure and birth size (birth weight, birth length, head circumference and chest circumference) through databases (PubMed, Qvid Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane and EMBASE), the last search was in March 2019. Heterogeneity was testes by using the Q statistic and stratifying for epidemiological factors. The possibility of publication bias was assessed through Begg's test. RESULTS A total of 12 studies provided sufficient data were included. Meta-analysis revealed that maternal arsenic exposure was associated with the decrease of birth weight (β = -25.0 g; 95% CI: -41.0, -9.0) and head circumference (β = -0.12 cm; 95% CI: -0.24, -0.01) in random-effect model, birth length (β = -0.12 cm; 95% CI: -0.17, -0.07) in fixed-effect model, no significant reduction was suggested in chest circumference (β = -0.74 cm; 95% CI: -1.78, 0.3). In addition, we found that the birth weight decreased stronger in women living in the Americas, or appling the exposure marker of urine. CONCLUSIONS Maternal arsenic exposure is associated with the decrease of the birth weight, length and head circumference. Millions of people are still exposured to high-level arsenic, therefore, high quality epidemiologic studies that involve large samples are necessary to determine the precise relationships between maternal arsenic exposure with birth size. And that effective mitigation measures are also need to prevent arsenic exposure in women of reproductive age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhong
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yanjie Cui
- Medical Administration Division, The Forth Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Tongling North Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Huabing Wu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Qingshan Niu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xuelei Lu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ling Wang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Fen Huang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China; Central Laboratory of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui 230032, China.
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Nyanza EC, Bernier FP, Manyama M, Hatfield J, Martin JW, Dewey D. Maternal exposure to arsenic and mercury in small-scale gold mining areas of Northern Tanzania. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 173:432-442. [PMID: 30974369 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) in Tanzania results in occupational exposures and environmental contamination to toxic chemical elements such as arsenic and mercury. Populations living in such areas may be exposed by various routes, and prenatal exposure to arsenic and mercury has been associated with adverse birth outcomes and developmental delays. The aim of this study was to determine if levels of arsenic and mercury differed among pregnant women living in areas with and without ASGM activities in Northern Tanzania. This cross-sectional study is part of the ongoing Mining and Health prospective longitudinal study. Spot urine samples and dried blood spots were collected at the antenatal health clinics from pregnant women (n = 1056) at 16-27 weeks gestation. Urine samples were analyzed for total arsenic (T-As) and dried blood spots were analyzed for total mercury (T-Hg). Women in the ASGM cohort had median T-As levels (9.4 μg/L; IQR: 4.9-15.1) and T-Hg levels (1.2 μg/L; IQR: 0.8-1.86) that were significantly higher than the median T-As levels (6.28 μg/L; IQR: 3.7-14.1) and T-Hg levels (0.66 μg/L; IQR: 0.3-1.2) of women in the non-ASGM cohort (Mann-Whitney U test, T-As: z = -9.881, p = 0.0005; T-Hg: z = -3.502, p < 0.0001). Among pregnant women from ASGM areas, 25% had urinary T-As and 75% had blood T-Hg above the established human biomonitoring reference values of 15 and 0.80 μg/L. In the ASGM cohort, lower maternal education and low socioeconomic status increased the odds of higher T-As levels by 20% (p < 0.05) and 10% (p < 0.05), respectively. Women involved in mining activities and those of low socioeconomic status had increased odds of higher T-Hg by 70% (p < 0.001) and 10% (p < 0.05), respectively. Arsenic and mercury concentrations among women in non-ASGM areas suggest exposure sources beyond ASGM activities that need to be identified. Arsenic and mercury levels in women in Tanzania are of public health concern and their association with adverse birth and child developmental outcomes will be examined in future studies on this cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias C Nyanza
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada; Department of Environmental, Occupational Health and GIS, School of Public Health, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. Box 1464, Bugando, Mwanza, Tanzania; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Room 294, Heritage Medical Research Building, 3330 Hospital Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Francois P Bernier
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 28 Oki Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T3A 6A8, Canada; Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Room 294, Heritage Medical Research Building, 3330 Hospital Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Mange Manyama
- Division of Medical Education, Weill-Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar
| | - Jennifer Hatfield
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada
| | - Jonathan W Martin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences and Analytical Chemistry, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 114 18. Sweden
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 28 Oki Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T3A 6A8, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Room 294, Heritage Medical Research Building, 3330 Hospital Drive, NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
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Chung MK, Kannan K, Louis GM, Patel CJ. Toward Capturing the Exposome: Exposure Biomarker Variability and Coexposure Patterns in the Shared Environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:8801-8810. [PMID: 29972023 PMCID: PMC6085725 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b01467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 05/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/04/2018] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Many factors affect the variation in the exposome. We examined the influence of shared household and partner's sex in relation to the variation in 128 endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) exposures among couples. In a cohort comprising of 501 couples trying for pregnancy, we measured 128 (13 chemical classes) persistent and nonpersistent EDCs and estimated 1) sex-specific differences; 2) variance explained by shared household; and 3) Spearman's rank correlation coefficients ( rs) for females, males, and couples' exposures. Sex was correlated with 8 EDCs including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) ( p < 0.05). Shared household explained 43% and 41% of the total variance for PFASs and blood metals, respectively, but less than 20% for the remaining 11 EDC classes. Coexposure patterns of the exposome were similar between females and males, with within-class rs higher for persistent than for nonpersistent chemicals. Median rss of polybrominated compounds and urine metalloids were 0.45 and 0.09, respectively, for females (0.41 and 0.08 for males; 0.21 and 0.04 for couples). Our findings suggest that individual, rather than shared environment, could be a major factor influencing the covariation of the exposome. Understanding the correlations of exposures has important analytical and sampling implications for exposomics research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Kei Chung
- Department
of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, 10 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Division
of Environmental Health Sciences Wadsworth Center, New York State
Department of Health, and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The University at Albany, Albany, New York 12201, United States
| | - Germaine M. Louis
- Office
of the Director, Division of Intramural Population Health Research,
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human
Development, The National Institutes of
Health, 6710b Rockledge
Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Chirag J. Patel
- Department
of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, 10 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Cheng L, Zhang B, Huo W, Cao Z, Liu W, Liao J, Xia W, Xu S, Li Y. Fetal exposure to lead during pregnancy and the risk of preterm and early-term deliveries. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2017; 220:984-989. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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A Review of the Effects of Chronic Arsenic Exposure on Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14060556. [PMID: 28545256 PMCID: PMC5486242 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14060556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to arsenic has a number of known detrimental health effects but impact on pregnancy outcomes is not as widely recognized. This narrative review examines existing epidemiological evidence investigating the association between arsenic exposure via drinking water and adverse pregnancy outcomes. We reviewed published epidemiological studies from around the world on impact of chronic arsenic exposure on spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, neonatal death, post neonatal death, low birth weight and preterm baby. Plausible mechanisms of arsenic toxicity causing adverse pregnancy outcomes were also determined through literature review. There is convincing evidence to support the association between high inorganic arsenic exposure (>50 ppb) and spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and low birth weight. Limitations of certain studies include study design, small sample size, recall constraints and exposure assessment. There needs to be further research investigating the dose metered impact of arsenic exposure on pregnancy outcomes. Further research on impact of low-moderate arsenic concentration exposure on pregnancy outcomes will allow for appropriate public health policy recommendations.
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Wu H, Olmsted A, Cantonwine DE, Shahsavari S, Rahil T, Sites C, Pilsner JR. Urinary phthalate and phthalate alternative metabolites and isoprostane among couples undergoing fertility treatment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 153:1-7. [PMID: 27875712 PMCID: PMC5222784 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epidemiological data suggest associations between phthalate exposures to a variety of adverse reproductive outcomes including reduced sperm quality and reproductive success. While mechanisms of these associations are not fully elucidated, oxidative stress has been implicated as a potential mediator. We examined associations of urinary metabolites of phthalates and phthalate alternative plasticizers with oxidative stress among couples seeking fertility treatment. METHODS Seventeen urinary plasticizer metabolites and 15-F2t isoprostane, a biomarker of oxidative stress, were quantified in spot samples from 50 couples seeking fertility treatment who enrolled in the Sperm Environmental Epigenetics and Development Study during 2014-2015. RESULTS In multivariable analyses, percent change in isoprostane was positively associated with interquartile range increases for the oxidative metabolites of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, [mono-2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl phthalate (MEHHP; 20.0%, p=0.02), mono-2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate (MEOHP; 24.1%, p=0.01), and mono-2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl phthalate (MECPP; 24.1%, p=0.004)], mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP; 17.8%, p=0.02), mono-hydroxyisobutyl phthalate (MHiBP; 27.5%, p=0.003), and cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylic acid mono-hydroxy-isononyl ester (MHINCH; 32.3%, p=0.002). Stratification of participants by sex revealed that isoprostane was positively associated with MHiBP (41.4%, p=0.01) and monocarboxy-isononyl phthalate (MCNP; 26.0%, p=0.02) among females and MEOHP (35.8%, p=0.03), MiBP (29.2%, p=0.01), MHiBP (34.7%, p=0.007) and MHINCH (49.0%, p=0.002) among males. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that exposure to phthalates and phthalate replacements are associated with higher levels of oxidative stress in a sex-specific manner. Additional studies are needed to replicate our findings and to examine the potential health implications of the use of phthalates and alternative phthalates in consumer end products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Wu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 686 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Alexandra Olmsted
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 686 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - David E Cantonwine
- Department of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Shahin Shahsavari
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 686 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Tayyab Rahil
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Baystate Medical Center, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199, United States
| | - Cynthia Sites
- Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Baystate Medical Center, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199, United States
| | - J Richard Pilsner
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, 686 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
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Guo J, Wu C, Qi X, Jiang S, Liu Q, Zhang J, Cao Y, Chang X, Zhou Z. Adverse associations between maternal and neonatal cadmium exposure and birth outcomes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 575:581-587. [PMID: 27614860 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Effects of low-level cadmium (Cd) exposure during early life on fetal growth remain unclear. Our aim was to evaluate whether Cd exposure in maternal urine and umbilical cord blood was associated with birth size parameters. A birth cohort study including 1073 mother-newborn pairs was conducted from 2009 to 2010 in an agricultural population in China. Cd concentrations were analyzed in both cord blood and maternal urine. Generalized linear models were performed to determine associations between maternal and neonatal exposure to Cd and birth indicators, including birth weight, length, head circumference and ponderal index. The median (25th to 75th percentile) value of Cd concentration in maternal urine and umbilical cord blood was 0.19 (0.08, 1.00) μg/L and 0.40 (<LOD~0.62) μg/L, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounders, Cd concentration in cord blood was significantly negatively associated with ponderal index at birth [β=-0.06g/cm3, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.11, -0.02; p<0.01]. Considering sex difference, significant reduction in ponderal index was only observed in males (β=-0.06g/cm3, 95%CI: -0.11, -0.02; p<0.01), but not in females (β=-0.03g/cm3, 95%CI: -0.07, 0.01; p=0.18) (p for interaction term=0.24). Additionally, no significant associations were observed between maternal urinary Cd levels and birth outcomes. Our findings suggest that adverse effects of neonatal exposure to Cd on fetal growth are of considerable public health importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianqiu Guo
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chunhua Wu
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Xiaojuan Qi
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China; Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 3399, Binsheng Road, Hangzhou 310051, China
| | - Shuai Jiang
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China; Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, No. 1380 Zhongshan West Road, Shanghai 200336, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiming Zhang
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yang Cao
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro 70182, Sweden; Unit of Biostatistics, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, 17177, Sweden
| | - Xiuli Chang
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhijun Zhou
- School of Public Health/Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of Ministry of Education/Collaborative Innovation Center of Social Risks Governance in Health, Fudan University, No.130 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
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Pinney SE, Mesaros CA, Snyder NW, Busch CM, Xiao R, Aijaz S, Ijaz N, Blair IA, Manson JM. Second trimester amniotic fluid bisphenol A concentration is associated with decreased birth weight in term infants. Reprod Toxicol 2016; 67:1-9. [PMID: 27829162 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2016.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disrupting chemical with ubiquitous environmental exposure. Animal studies have demonstrated that in utero BPA exposure leads to increased adult body weight. Our aim was to characterize human fetal BPA exposure by measuring BPA concentration in second trimester amniotic fluid (AF) samples and to study its relationship with birth weight (BW) in full term infants. To achieve these goals, we developed a total BPA assay utilizing derivatization with pentafluorobenzyl followed by analysis with LC-ECAPCI-MS/MS with a limit of detection of 0.08ng/mL and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.25ng/mL. The mean BW of infants with AF BPA 0.40-2.0ng/mL was 241.8g less than infants with AF BPA less than the LOQ after controlling for covariates (p=0.049). No effect was seen outside this range indicating a non-monotonic effect. Our data suggest that low level BPA exposure in utero decreases BW and needs further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Pinney
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, United States; Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
| | - Clementina A Mesaros
- Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Nathaniel W Snyder
- Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; AJ Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Christine M Busch
- Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Rui Xiao
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
| | - Sara Aijaz
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, United States
| | - Naila Ijaz
- Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, United States
| | - Ian A Blair
- Penn SRP Center and Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States; Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States
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Taylor CM, Golding J, Emond AM. Moderate Prenatal Cadmium Exposure and Adverse Birth Outcomes: a Role for Sex-Specific Differences? Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2016; 30:603-611. [PMID: 27778365 PMCID: PMC5111596 DOI: 10.1111/ppe.12318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Studies on the effects of moderate prenatal exposure to cadmium (Cd) on birth outcomes have been contradictory and it has been suggested that effects may be partly masked by sex-specific effects. Our aim was to examine the association of Cd exposure in a large group of pregnant women with birth outcomes in the whole group of participants and by sex. 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 Cd (n = 4191). Data collected on the infants included anthropometric variables and gestational age at delivery. Data were analysed using SPSS v18. RESULTS There were adverse associations of maternal blood Cd level with birthweight (unstandardized B coefficient -62.7 g, 95% CI -107.0, -18.4) and crown-heel length (-0.28 cm, 95% CI -0.48, -0.07) in adjusted regression models. On stratification by sex, maternal blood Cd level was adversely associated with birthweight (-87.1 g, 95% CI -144.8, -29.4), head circumference (-0.22 cm, 95% CI -0.39, -0.04), and crown-heel length (-0.44 cm, 95% CI -0.71, -0.18) in girls but not in boys in adjusted regression models. CONCLUSION In these pregnant women with moderate prenatal Cd exposure there evidence of adverse associations with birth anthropometry variables in the whole group. However, there was evidence of associations with anthropometric variables in girls that were not evident in boys. Sex-specific effects require further investigation in large cohorts as a possible contributor to the lack of associations generally found in mixed-sex studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline M. Taylor
- Centre for Child and Adolescent HealthSchool of Social and Community MedicineUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Jean Golding
- Centre for Child and Adolescent HealthSchool of Social and Community MedicineUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Alan M. Emond
- Centre for Child and Adolescent HealthSchool of Social and Community MedicineUniversity of BristolBristolUK
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Romano ME, Enquobahrie DA, Simpson C, Checkoway H, Williams MA. Maternal body burden of cadmium and offspring size at birth. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2016; 147:461-8. [PMID: 26970900 PMCID: PMC4866807 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2016.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 02/21/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests an inverse association between cadmium (Cd) and size at birth, potentially greatest among female neonates. We evaluated whether greater maternal body burden of Cd is associated with reduced neonatal anthropometry (birthweight, birth length, head circumference, and ponderal index) and assessed whether these associations differ by infant sex. The analytic sample for the present study (n=396) was derived from a subcohort of 750 women randomly drawn from among all participants (N=4344) in the Omega Study, a prospective pregnancy cohort. Creatinine-corrected Cd in maternal clean-catch spot urine samples (U-Cd) was quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Continuous log2-transformed Cd (log2-Cd) and U-Cd tertiles (low<0.29μg/g creatinine, middle 0.29-0.42μg/g creatinine, high≥0.43μg/g creatinine) were used in multivariable linear regression models. Females had reduced birth length with greater U-Cd tertile, whereas males birth length marginally increased [β(95% CI) females: low=reference, middle=-0.59cm (-1.37, 0.19), high=-0.83cm (-1.69, 0.02), p-trend=0.08; males: low=reference, middle=0.18cm (-0.59, 0.95), high=0.78cm (-0.04, 1.60), p-trend=0.07; p for interaction=0.03]. The log2-Cd by infant sex interaction was statistically significant for ponderal index [p=0.003; β(95% CI): female=0.25kg/m(3) (-0.20, 0.70); male=-0.63kg/m(3) (-1.01, -0.24)] and birth length [p<0.001; β(95% CI): female=-0.47cm (-0.74, -0.20), male=0.32cm (0.00, 0.65)]. Our findings suggest potential sex-specific reversal of Cd's associations on birth length and contribute to the evidence suggesting Cd impairs fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Romano
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
| | - Daniel A Enquobahrie
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Christopher Simpson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Harvey Checkoway
- Department of Family Medicine & Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michelle A Williams
- Center for Perinatal Studies, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Smarr MM, Grantz KL, Sundaram R, Maisog JM, Kannan K, Louis GMB. Parental urinary biomarkers of preconception exposure to bisphenol A and phthalates in relation to birth outcomes. Environ Health 2015; 14:73. [PMID: 26362861 PMCID: PMC4567813 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-015-0060-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates are ubiquitous non-persistent endocrine disrupting chemicals whose relation with infant birth size is not clearly understood. METHODS We examined associations between maternal and paternal preconception urinary concentrations of total BPA and 14 phthalate metabolites and birth size for 233 infants. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate parental quartiles of BPA and phthalates in relation to birth weight, length, head circumference, and ponderal index with separate models run for each parent adjusting for age, smoking, body mass index, education, alcohol, parity, and creatinine. Models also included an interaction term for each chemical and infant sex and were further adjusted to include the other partner's chemical concentrations. RESULTS In maternal models adjusted for partner's exposure and covariates, reductions in birth weight (range: 178-215 g; p < 0.05) were observed for the 2nd quartile of maternal monomethyl phthalate, mono-[(2-carboxymethyl) hexyl] phthalate and mono-n-octyl phthalate when compared with the 1st quartiles. The 3rd quartile of monoethylhexyl phthalate (mEHP) was also associated with a 200.16 g (95 % CI: -386.90, -13.42) reduction. Similar reductions in birth weight were observed for the 2(nd) quartile of paternal mEHP (β = -191.93 g; 95 % CI: -381.61, -2.25). Additionally, select maternal urinary metabolites were associated with decreased head circumference, birth length and gestational age. However, paternal concentrations were generally associated with increased birth length and gestational age. CONCLUSIONS We observed some suggestion that preconception maternal and paternal urinary concentration of BPA and specific phthalate metabolites may be associated with smaller birth size and increased gestational age, though the findings appeared to be parent and chemical specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa M Smarr
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
| | - Katherine L Grantz
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
| | - Rajeshwari Sundaram
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
| | - José M Maisog
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health and Department of Environmental Health Sciences, The University at Albany, Empire State Plaza, P.O. Box 509, Albany, NY, USA.
| | - Germaine M Buck Louis
- Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, 6100 Executive Blvd, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
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