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Reardon AJF, Hajihosseini M, Dinu I, Field CJ, Kinniburgh DW, MacDonald AM, Dewey D, England-Mason G, Martin JW. Maternal co-exposure to mercury and perfluoroalkyl acid isomers and their associations with child neurodevelopment in a Canadian birth cohort. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 178:108087. [PMID: 37454627 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) within the broader class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are present in human serum as isomer mixtures, but epidemiological studies have yet to address isomer-specific associations with child development and behavior. OBJECTIVES To examine associations between prenatal exposure to 25 PFAAs, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) isomers, and child neurodevelopment among 490 mother-child pairs in a prospective Canadian birth cohort, the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition (APrON) study. To consider the influence of a classic neurotoxicant, total mercury (THg), based on its likelihood of co-exposure with PFAAs from common dietary sources. METHODS Maternal blood samples were collected in the second trimester and child neurodevelopment was assessed at 2 years of age using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd Edition (Bayley-III). Linear or curvilinear multiple regression models were used to examine associations between exposures and neurodevelopment outcomes. RESULTS Select PFAAs were associated with lower Cognitive composite scores, including perfluoroheptanoate (PFHpA) (β = -0.88, 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.7, -0.06) and perfluorododecanoate (PFDoA) (β = -2.0, 95% CI: -3.9, -0.01). Non-linear relationships revealed associations of total PFOS (β = -4.4, 95% CI: -8.3, -0.43), and linear-PFOS (β = -4.0, 95% CI: -7.5, -0.57) and 1m-PFOS (β = -1.8, 95% CI: -3.3, -0.24) isomers with lower Language composite scores. Although there was no effect modification, including THg interaction terms in PFAA models revealed negative associations between perfluorononanoate (PFNA) and Motor (β = -3.3, 95% CI: -6.2, -0.33) and Social-Emotional (β = -3.0, 95% CI: -5.6, -0.40) composite scores. DISCUSSION These findings reinforce previous reports of adverse effects of maternal PFAA exposure during pregnancy on child neurodevelopment. The unique hazards posed from isomers of PFOS justify isomer-specific analysis in future studies. To control for possible confounding, mercury co-exposure may be considered in studies of PFAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony J F Reardon
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Irina Dinu
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Catherine J Field
- Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - David W Kinniburgh
- Alberta Centre for Toxicology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Amy M MacDonald
- Alberta Centre for Toxicology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Deborah Dewey
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Community Health Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gillian England-Mason
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Owerko Centre at the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan W Martin
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Environmental Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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Zheng Y, Lin PID, Williams PL, Weisskopf MG, Cardenas A, Rifas-Shiman SL, Wright RO, Amarasiriwardena C, Claus Henn B, Hivert MF, Oken E, James-Todd T. Early pregnancy essential and non-essential metal mixtures and gestational glucose concentrations in the 2nd trimester: Results from project viva. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 155:106690. [PMID: 34120006 PMCID: PMC10075708 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Metals are involved in glucose metabolism, and some may alter glycemic regulation. However, joint effects of essential and non-essential metals on glucose concentrations during pregnancy are unclear. This study explored the joint associations of pregnancy exposures to essential (copper, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc) and non-essential (arsenic, barium, cadmium, cesium, lead, mercury) metals with gestational glucose concentrations using 1,311 women enrolled 1999-2002 in Project Viva, a Boston, MA-area pregnancy cohort. The study measured erythrocyte metal concentrations from 1st trimester blood samples and used glucose concentrations measured 1 h after non-fasting 50-gram glucose challenge tests (GCT) from clinical gestational diabetes screening at 26-28 weeks gestation. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) and quantile-based g-computation were applied to model the associations of metal mixtures-including their interactions-with glucose concentrations post-GCT. We tested for reproducibility of BKMR results using generalized additive models. The BKMR model showed an inverse U-shaped association for barium and a linear inverse association for mercury. Specifically, estimated mean glucose concentrations were highest around 75th percentile of barium concentrations [2.1 (95% confidence interval: -0.2, 4.4) mg/dL higher comparing to the 25th percentile], and each interquartile range increase of erythrocyte mercury was associated with 1.9 mg/dL lower mean glucose concentrations (95% credible interval: -4.2, 0.4). Quantile g-computation showed joint associations of all metals, essential-metals, and non-essential metals on gestational glucose concentrations were all null, however, we observed evidences of interaction for barium and lead. Overall, we found early pregnancy barium and mercury erythrocytic concentrations were associated with altered post-load glucose concentrations in later pregnancy, with potential interactions between barium and lead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinnan Zheng
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Pi-I Debby Lin
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Paige L Williams
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Marc G Weisskopf
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Andres Cardenas
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health, Berkeley, CA, USA.
| | - Sheryl L Rifas-Shiman
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Chitra Amarasiriwardena
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Institute for Exposomic Research, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Birgit Claus Henn
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Marie-France Hivert
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Diabetes Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Emily Oken
- Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Lifecourse, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Nutrition, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Tamarra James-Todd
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
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Sakamoto M, Haraguchi K, Tatsuta N, Nakai K, Nakamura M, Murata K. Plasma and red blood cells distribution of total mercury, inorganic mercury, and selenium in maternal and cord blood from a group of Japanese women. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 196:110896. [PMID: 33640495 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Fetuses are a high-risk group for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure. The main objective of this study was to compare the characteristic profiles of total mercury (THg), inorganic mercury (IHg), MeHg, and selenium in plasma and red blood cells (RBCs) between maternal and cord blood at parturition collected from a group of Japanese women. Furthermore, correlations of THg in RBCs, which is a biomarker of MeHg, and THg in plasma, which is an IHg exposure biomarker, were examined in maternal and cord blood. Fifty-five pairs of maternal and cord blood samples obtained at parturition were collected from pregnant women in Fukuoka, Japan. THg in RBCs and plasma were significant correlated between maternal and cord blood. THg in RBCs was 13.9 ng/mL for cord and 9.16 ng/mL for maternal blood, with a cord:maternal RBCs ratio for THg of 1.58, suggesting that MeHg is actively transferred from the mother to the fetus via the placenta. THg in plasma showed a positive correlation with THg in RBCs for maternal and cord blood. This result suggests that measuring THg in plasma can overestimate the exposure level to IHg in fish-eating populations. The percentages of IHg in cord plasma and RBCs were 31% and 1.7%, respectively, and those in maternal plasma and RBCs were 46% and 5.9%, respectively. These results suggest that cord blood is rich in MeHg and can easily transfer to the fetal brain. Selenium in cord plasma was 67 ng/mL and that in maternal plasma was 97 ng/mL, with a cord:maternal plasma ratio for Se of 0.69, suggesting that the protective effects of Se against MeHg toxicity in fetuses may be weaker than those expected in adult mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mineshi Sakamoto
- National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata City, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan.
| | - Koichi Haraguchi
- National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata City, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan
| | - Nozomi Tatsuta
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Kunihiko Nakai
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, 980-8575, Japan
| | - Masaaki Nakamura
- National Institute for Minamata Disease, 4058-18 Hama, Minamata City, Kumamoto, 867-0008, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Murata
- Department of Environment and Public Health, Akita University School Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan
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Tsai TL, Kuo CC, Pan WH, Wu TN, Lin P, Wang SL. Type 2 diabetes occurrence and mercury exposure - From the National Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 126:260-267. [PMID: 30825744 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The global prevalence of type 2 diabetes continues to increase in both developed and developing countries. Environmental exposure to mercury may be an important and modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, the epidemiological results are controversial. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to examine the association between blood mercury levels and prevalence of type 2 diabetes. METHODS A total of 646 adult participants were selected from the National Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) 2005-2008. The participants were interviewed using structured questionnaires to record data on basic demographics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, medical history, and 24-h dietary recall. Specimens of blood and urine were collected at the health examination. Type 2 diabetes was defined as a fasting blood glucose level ≥ 126 mg/dL or intake of hypoglycemic medications. The mercury concentration in red blood cells (RBC-Hg) was quantified by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. RESULTS Participants with type 2 diabetes had a significantly higher RBC-Hg than those without type 2 diabetes. A significant association between the RBC-Hg and prevalence of type 2 diabetes was observed [odds ratio (OR): 1.64; 95% confidence intervals: 1.14-2.35] after potential confounders were well considered, including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, total cholesterol, saltwater fish consumption, geographical strata, seasonality and hemoglobin (Hb) level. CONCLUSION Our findings showed that elevated RBC-Hg is significantly associated with type 2 diabetes prevalence. Future research, particularly for longitudinal cohort studies with suitable specimens, needs to be performed to verify our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Lin Tsai
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chin-Chi Kuo
- Kidney Institute and Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Big Data Center, China Medical Univeresity Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Harn Pan
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Trong-Neng Wu
- Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pinpin Lin
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Shu-Li Wang
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Public Health, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Safety, Health, and Environmental Engineering, National United University, Miaoli, Taiwan.
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Singh J, Mumford SL, Pollack AZ, Schisterman EF, Weisskopf MG, Navas-Acien A, Kioumourtzoglou MA. Tampon use, environmental chemicals and oxidative stress in the BioCycle study. Environ Health 2019; 18:11. [PMID: 30744632 PMCID: PMC6371574 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-019-0452-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tampons are used by up to 86% of US women and are a rarely considered potential source of pesticide and metal exposure. Tampons may be of particular concern given the likely higher absorption that occurs in the vagina. Our objective was to examine the potential associations between tampon use and metal concentrations, and biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress among healthy women. METHODS We used information from a prospective cohort of 259 regularly menstruating women, aged 18-44, followed for two menstrual cycles. Tampon use was assessed using information provided in participant study diaries. Metal concentrations were measured from a blood sample collected at enrollment. Oxidative stress and inflammation biomarker concentrations were determined from blood samples collected at up to 8 clinic visits for each cycle. Linear regression models were used to estimate associations of tampon use with metal exposure, and linear mixed models to estimate associations of tampon use with inflammation and oxidative stress biomarkers at different times during the menstrual cycle. RESULTS We observed non-significantly higher mean levels of mercury for tampon users compared to non-tampon users (exp(β) = 1.25, 95% CI = 0.93, 1.68). We found no evidence of an association between tampon use and inflammation biomarkers. We observed consistently higher isoprostane levels, an oxidative stress biomarker, among tampon users compared to non-tampon users (e.g. exp.(β) = 1.05, 95%CI = 0.96, 1.16, for the average isoprostane during the menstruating week); however, these results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS While our results are not statistically significant, we observed suggestive associations between tampon use and elevated levels of mercury and oxidative stress biomarkers. Although our finding should be interpreted in light of our limitations, they indicate that tampons may be a source of exposure to metals and chemicals that have been largely ignored, and any related health effects are an important public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Singh
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sunni L Mumford
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Epidemiology Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anna Z Pollack
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Enrique F Schisterman
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Epidemiology Branch, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marc G Weisskopf
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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