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Spiller P, van Wijngaarden E, Adams HR, Strain JJ, McSorley EM, Mulhern MS, Conway MC, Yeates AJ, Carrington C, Bolger PM, Morgan KM, Taylor CM, Ralston NVC, Crawford MA, Hibbeln JR, Brenna JT, Myers GJ. Net effects explains the benefits to children from maternal fish consumption despite methylmercury in fish. Neurotoxicology 2023; 99:195-205. [PMID: 37866693 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuro.2023.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
In 2001 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued precautionary advice to pregnant women to limit fish consumption over concern that the methylmercury content might harm their children's neurodevelopment. This concern was based largely on results from an epidemiological study of mothers primarily exposed to methylmercury from consuming pilot whale. Subsequently, FDA and the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO) undertook independent assessments of fish consumption that considered net effects from both fish nutrients, primarily omega-3 fatty acids, as beneficial and methylmercury as harmful. Both assessments estimated that when mothers regularly consume fish during pregnancy, their children are likely to have improved neurodevelopment compared to children of non-fish eaters despite their exposure to methylmercury. These estimated improvements included gains of two to over five full scale IQ points from levels of maternal consumption that are achievable in most of the world. Consistent with those estimates, human research on fish consumption and child neurodevelopment from more than 200,000 mother-child pairs now collectively reports 51 beneficial associations with neurodevelopmental outcomes and three adverse associations, the latter with no discernable pattern. These associations include full scale IQ gains similar to, or somewhat higher than, those estimated by FDA and FAO/WHO. Also consistent with the FDA and FAO/WHO estimates, research has reported beneficial associations with fish consumption when pregnant women are exposed to methylmercury from fish in excess of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Reference Dose (RfD). Our analysis evaluates how the net effects approach as utilized by FDA and FAO/WHO provides a holistic explanation for these results with implications for public health policy. This concordance of net effects modeling and empirical scientific evidence supports a clarification of current public health recommendations to focus on greater fish consumption by pregnant women for their children's neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Spiller
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration (retired), College Park, MD 20740, USA.
| | - Edwin van Wijngaarden
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - Heather R Adams
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
| | - J J Strain
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Emeir M McSorley
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Maria S Mulhern
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Marie C Conway
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Allison J Yeates
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food and Health, Ulster University, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Clark Carrington
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration (retired), College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - P Michael Bolger
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration (retired), College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Kara M Morgan
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration (retired), College Park, MD 20740, USA
| | - Caroline M Taylor
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, 39 Whatley Rd, Bristol BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Nicholas V C Ralston
- Earth System Science and Policy, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA
| | - Michael A Crawford
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction. Imperial College, London, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Room H 3, 34, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, UK
| | - Joseph R Hibbeln
- Section on Nutritional Neurosciences, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health (retired), Rockville, MD, USA
| | - J Thomas Brenna
- Dell Pediatric Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX 78723, USA
| | - Gary J Myers
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY 14623, USA
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Yao L, Liu L, Dong M, Yang J, Zhao Z, Chen J, Lv L, Wu Z, Wang J, Sun X, Self S, Bhatti P. Trimester-specific prenatal heavy metal exposures and sex-specific postpartum size and growth. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2023; 33:895-902. [PMID: 35490160 PMCID: PMC9617807 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00443-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There has been limited research considering the effects of prenatal exposure to multiple heavy metals on early childhood size and growth. OBJECTIVE We evaluated prenatal exposures to 15 heavy metals in association with measures of weight, length, and head circumference (HC) measured at birth, and 1, 3 and 6 months of age in a study of 358 mother-child pairs. METHODS Urinary concentrations were measured in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy and examined, using sex-stratified general linear models, in association with average standardized size and changes in size (growth) over the first 6 months of life. Confounding effects among metals were explored. RESULTS Increased first trimester Hg and V were associated with decreased average HC among males and weight among females, respectively. Increased first trimester V was associated with a decline in weight among females over time. Increased third trimester Cs, Rb and Tl were associated with increased average weight and HC among males. Increased third trimester Se was associated with increased HC among females over time. Evidence for confounding was observed between Cs, Rb and Tl in association with weight and HC. SIGNIFICANCE We observed multiple biologically plausible associations between prenatal heavy metal exposures and postnatal size and growth. IMPACT We have taken a comprehensive and novel approach to evaluating the impacts of prenatal heavy metal exposures on size and growth during early childhood. Our detailed analyses consider exposures to 15 different heavy metals at two time points during pregnancy, as well as multiple metrics of size and growth collected at birth and 1, 3 and 6 months of age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena Yao
- Program in Epidemiology, Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lili Liu
- Department of Toxicology, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ming Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinmei Yang
- Department of Toxicology, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhao
- Department of Toxicology, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiabin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Guangdong Province Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lijuan Lv
- Guangdong Maternal and Child Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoxia Wu
- Nanhai Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, China
| | - Jin Wang
- National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Sun
- National Institute for Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
| | - Steven Self
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Parveen Bhatti
- Program in Epidemiology, Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
- Cancer Control Research, BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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Packull-McCormick S, Ashley-Martin J, Singh K, Fisher M, Arbuckle TE, Lanphear B, Laird BD, Muckle G, Booij L, Asztalos E, Walker M, Bouchard MF, Saint-Amour D, Boivin M, Borghese M. Prenatal and concurrent blood mercury concentrations and associations with IQ in canadian preschool children. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 233:116463. [PMID: 37343750 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.116463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal and childhood mercury (Hg) exposures have been associated with negative impacts on child neurodevelopment. It is unclear if associations persist at the low Hg exposures typical in Western countries. OBJECTIVE To examine associations between prenatal/childhood blood Hg concentrations and child IQ in Canadian male and female children while considering the potential modifying role of prenatal fish consumption. METHODS We analyzed data from the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals study. Hg was measured in first trimester (n = 527), cord (n = 430), and child (at 3-4 years of age, n = 355) blood and examined sex-stratified associations between blood Hg and children's Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), Verbal IQ (VIQ), Performance IQ (PIQ), and General Language Composite (GLC) scores (assessed with WPPSI-III). Prenatal Hg analyses were further stratified by prenatal fish consumption (low: 0-2, moderate: 3-7, or high: ≥8 times/month). RESULTS Higher cord blood Hg concentrations were associated with lower PIQ (ß = -3.27; 95%CI: 6.44, -0.09) in male children with the lowest prenatal fish consumption. Progressively stronger positive associations were observed with PIQ in male children for moderate (ß = 1.08; 95%CI: 0.10, 2.26) and high (ß = 3.07; 95%CI: 1.95, 4.19) prenatal fish consumption. Cord blood Hg concentrations were positively associated with female children's FSIQ (ß = 1.29; 95% CI: 0.77, 1.81) and PIQ (ß = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.19, 2.83); however, when stratified only in the highest fish consumption subgroup. Among female children, higher child blood Hg concentrations were associated with an approximately 1-point increase in FSIQ, VIQ, and GLC. CONCLUSIONS Prenatal exposure to low levels of Hg was associated with lower PIQ scores in male children with low prenatal fish intake. Positive associations between cord and child blood Hg concentrations and IQ were primarily observed in female children and may be due to beneficial effects of prenatal fish intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Packull-McCormick
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada; School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Jillian Ashley-Martin
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Kavita Singh
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Mandy Fisher
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | - Tye E Arbuckle
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada
| | | | - Brian D Laird
- School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Gina Muckle
- Université Laval, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada; Quebec CHU Research Center, QC, G1E 6W2, Canada
| | - Linda Booij
- Research Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute & Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H4H 1R3, Canada; CHU Sainte-Justine Research Rentre, QC, H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Asztalos
- Department of Newborn & Developmental Paediatrics, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, ON, M5G 1V7, Canada
| | - Mark Walker
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Maryse F Bouchard
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of Montreal School of Public Health, QC, H3N 1X9, Canada
| | | | | | - Michael Borghese
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0K9, Canada.
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Al-Saleh I, Al-Rouqi R, Alnuwaysir H, Aldhalaan H, Alismail E, Binmanee A, Hawari A, Alhazzani F, Bin Jabr M. Exposure of preterm neonates to toxic metals during their stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and its impact on neurodevelopment at 2 months of age. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2023; 78:127173. [PMID: 37060676 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2023.127173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Premature neonates might be exposed to toxic metals during their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), which could adversely affect neurodevelopment; however, limited evidence is available. The present study was therefore designed to assess the exposure to mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, and manganese of preterm neonates who received total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and/or red blood cell (RBC) transfusions during their NICU stay and the risk of neurodevelopment delay at the age of 2 months. METHODS We recruited 33 preterm neonates who required TPN during their NICU admission. Blood samples were collected for metal analysis at two different time points (admission and before discharge). Metals in the daily TPN received by preterm neonates were analyzed. Neurodevelopment was assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Edition 3 (ASQ-3). RESULTS All samples of TPN had metal contamination: 96% exceeded the critical arsenic limit (0.3 μg/kg body weight/day); daily manganese intake from TPN for preterm neonates exceeded the recommended dose (1 µg/kg body weight) as it was added intentionally to TPN solutions, raising potential safety concerns. All samples of RBC transfusions exceeded the estimated intravenous reference dose for lead (0.19 µg/kg body weight). Levels of mercury, lead and manganese in preterm neonates at discharge decreased 0.867 µg/L (95% CI, 0.76, 0.988), 0.831 (95%CI, 0.779, 0.886) and 0.847 µg/L (95% CI, 0.775, 0.926), respectively. A decrease in ASQ-3-problem solving scores was associated with higher levels of blood lead in preterm neonates taken at admission (ß = -0.405, 95%CI = -0.655, -0.014), and with plasma manganese (ß = -0.562, 95%CI = -0.995, -0.172). We also observed an association between decreased personal social domain scores with higher blood lead levels of preterm neonates before discharge (ß = -0.537, 95%CI = -0.905, -0.045). CONCLUSION Our findings provide evidence to suggest negative impacts on the neurodevelopment at 2 months of preterm infants exposed to certain metals, possibly related to TPN intake and/or blood transfusions received during their NICU stay. Preterm neonates may be exposed to levels of metals in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iman Al-Saleh
- Environmental Health Program, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Reem Al-Rouqi
- Environmental Health Program, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hissah Alnuwaysir
- Environmental Health Program, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hesham Aldhalaan
- Center for Autism Research, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eiman Alismail
- Center for Autism Research, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz Binmanee
- Neonatal Critical Care Section, Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amal Hawari
- Neonatal Critical Care Section, Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad Alhazzani
- Neonatal Critical Care Section, Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Bin Jabr
- Neonatal Critical Care Section, Department of Pediatrics, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, P.O. Box: 3354, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
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Sasaki S, Negishi T, Tsuzuki T, Yukawa K. Methylmercury-induced reactive oxygen species-dependent and independent dysregulation of MAP kinase-related signaling pathway in cultured normal rat cerebellar astrocytes. Toxicology 2023; 487:153463. [PMID: 36813253 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg), a global environmental pollutant, could seriously damage the central nervous system (CNS) and cause neurological disorders such as cerebellar symptoms. Although numerous studies have revealed detailed toxicity mechanisms of MeHg in neurons, toxicity in astrocytes is barely known. Here, we tried to shed light on the toxicity mechanisms of MeHg exposure in cultured normal rat cerebellar astrocytes (NRA), focusing on the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in MeHg toxicity by assessing the effects of major antioxidants Trolox, a free-radical scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a potent thiol-containing antioxidant, and glutathione (GSH), an endogenous thiol-containing antioxidant. Exposure to MeHg at just approximately 2 µM for 96 h increased cell viability, which was accompanied by the increase in intracellular ROS level and at ≥ 5 µM induced significant cell death and lowered ROS level. Trolox and NAC suppressed 2 µM MeHg-induced increases in cell viability and ROS level corresponding to control, although GSH with 2 µM MeHg induced significant cell death and ROS increase. On the contrary, against 4 µM MeHg-induced cell loss and ROS decrease, NAC inhibited both cell loss and ROS decrease, Trolox inhibited cell loss and further enhanced ROS decrease, and GSH moderately inhibited cell loss and increased ROS level above the control level. MeHg-induced oxidative stress was suggested by increases in the protein expression levels of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Hsp70, and Nrf2, except for the decrease in SOD-1 and no change in catalase. Furthermore, MeHg exposure dose-dependently induced increases in the phosphorylation of MAP kinases (ERK1/2, p38MAPK, and SAPK/JNK) and phosphorylation and/or expression levels of transcription factors (CREB, c-Jun, and c-Fos) in NRA. NAC successfully suppressed 2 µM MeHg-induced alterations in all of the above-mentioned MeHg-responsive factors, whereas Trolox suppressed some MeHg-responsive factors but failed to suppress MeHg-induced increases in the protein expression levels of HO-1 and Hsp70 and increase in p38MAPK phosphorylation. Protein expression analyses in NRA exposed to 2 µM MeHg and GSH were excluded because of devastating cell death. These results suggested that MeHg could induce aberrant NRA activation, and ROS must be substantially involved in the toxicity mechanism of MeHg in NRA; however, other factors should be assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoto Sasaki
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan
| | - Takayuki Negishi
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan.
| | - Takamasa Tsuzuki
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan
| | - Kazunori Yukawa
- Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan; Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, 150 Yagotoyama, Tempaku-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 468-8503, Japan
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Kim C, Zimmerman E, Huerta-Montañez G, Rosario-Pabón ZY, Vélez-Vega CM, Alshawabkeh AN, Cordero JF, Meeker JD, Watkins DJ. Associations between biomarkers of prenatal metals exposure and non-nutritive suck among infants from the PROTECT birth cohort in Puerto Rico. FRONTIERS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022; 2:1057515. [PMID: 38455310 PMCID: PMC10911005 DOI: 10.3389/fepid.2022.1057515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Background/Aim Infant non-nutritive suck (NNS) has been used as an early marker of neonatal brain function. Although there is an established relationship between prenatal exposure to certain metals and brain development, the association between metal exposure and NNS has not been explored. Therefore, in this study we assessed associations between maternal urinary metal(loid) concentrations and NNS measurements among infants from the Puerto Rico PROTECT birth cohort. We hypothesized that maternal urinary metal(loid) concentrations are significantly associated with infant NNS measures in a sex-dependent manner. Methods We measured urinary concentrations of 14 metal(loid)s in pregnant women at up to three time points in pregnancy. The geometric mean of each metal(loid) for each pregnant woman was calculated and used as an exposure measurement across gestation. NNS measurements (duration, frequency, amplitude, bursts/min, cycles/burst, cycles/min) were collected from infants between 4 and 6 (±2 weeks) weeks of age using our custom research pacifier. Linear regression was used to estimate associations between urinary metal(loid) concentrations across pregnancy and continuous NNS variables. Sex-specific effects were estimated using interaction terms between NNS variables and infant sex. Results We observed significant positive associations between mercury, manganese, and tin with NNS duration (mercury: %Δ = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.42, 1.74; manganese: %Δ = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.15, 1.20; tin: %Δ = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.17, 1.49) and NNS cycles/burst (mercury: %Δ = 1.85, 95% CI: 0.58, 3.11; manganese: (%Δ = 1.37, 95% CI: 0.40, 2.34; tin: %Δ = 1.68, 95% CI: 0.46, 2.91). Furthermore, the association between NNS cycles/min with cadmium (%Δ = 8.06, 95% CI: 3.33, 12.78), manganese (%Δ = 4.44, 95% CI: 1.40, 7.47), and tin (%Δ = 4.50, 95% CI: 0.81, 8.18) were in the opposite direction from its association with zinc (%Δ = -9.30, 95% CI: -14.71, -3.89), as well as with copper (%Δ = -6.58, 95% CI: -12.06, -1.10). For the sex-stratified analysis, the negative associations between metal(loid)s and NNS duration were predominantly driven by male infants; however, the negative associations between metal(loid)s and NNS bursts/min were mainly driven by female infants. Conclusion We observed significant associations between prenatal metal(loid) exposure and NNS measurements among infants from the ongoing Puerto Rico PROTECT cohort. Similar to previous studies that have demonstrated associations between NNS and subsequent neurodevelopment, this study highlights the potential of NNS as a quantitative index to measure altered neurodevelopment from prenatal metal(loid) exposures. We believe this study will inform future efforts aimed at reducing health risks related to early life metal exposures, such as developing early identification of metal-induced adverse outcomes in child neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Kim
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Emily Zimmerman
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Gredia Huerta-Montañez
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Zaira Y. Rosario-Pabón
- UPR Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico Graduate School of Public Health, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Carmen M. Vélez-Vega
- UPR Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico Graduate School of Public Health, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | | | - José F. Cordero
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - John D. Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Deborah J. Watkins
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Sarzo B, Ballester F, Soler-Blasco R, Lopez-Espinosa MJ, Lozano M, Iriarte G, Beneito A, Riutort-Mayol G, Murcia M, Llop S. Pre and postnatal exposure to mercury and sexual development in 9-year-old children in Spain: The role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 213:113620. [PMID: 35697081 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Early exposure to mercury has been related to endocrine disruption. Steroid hormones play a crucial role in neural cell migration, differentiation, etc., as well as protecting against several neurotoxic compounds. We investigate the relation between mercury exposure and children's sexual development, and we evaluate the possible influence of different brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) polymorphisms on this association. Our study sample comprised 412 9-year-old children participating in the INMA cohort (2004-2015). Mercury concentrations were measured at birth (cord blood) and at 4 and 9 years of age (hair). Sexual development was assessed by levels of sex steroid hormones (estradiol and testosterone) in saliva and the Tanner stages of sex development at 9 years (categorized as 1: prepuberty and >1: pubertal onset). Covariates and confounders were collected through questionnaires during pregnancy and childhood. Polymorphisms in the BDNF gene were genotyped in cord blood DNA. Multivariate linear regression analyses were performed between mercury levels and children's sexual development by sex. Effect modification by genetic polymorphisms and fish intake was assessed. We found marginally significant inverse associations between postnatal exposure to mercury (at 9 years) and testosterone levels (β[95%CI] = -0.16[-0.33,0.001], and -0.20[-0.42,0.03], for boys and girls, respectively). Additionally, we found that prenatal mercury was negatively associated with Tanner stage >1 in boys. Finally, we found significant genetic interactions for some single nucleotide polymorphisms in the BDNF gene. In conclusion, pre and postnatal exposure to mercury seems to affect children's sexual development and BDNF may play a role in this association, but further research would be needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blanca Sarzo
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Department of Microbiology and Ecology, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; School of Mathematics, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Ferran Ballester
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Raquel Soler-Blasco
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria-Jose Lopez-Espinosa
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain; Faculty of Nursing and Chiropody, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Manuel Lozano
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Food Sciences, Toxicology and Forensic Medicine Department, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gorka Iriarte
- Laboratorio de Salud Pública, Vitoria Gasteiz, Alava, Spain
| | - Andrea Beneito
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - Gabriel Riutort-Mayol
- Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research in the Valencian Region, FISABIO-Public Health, Spain
| | - Mario Murcia
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Health Information Systems Analysis Service, Conselleria de Sanitat, Generalitat Valenciana, Valencia, Spain
| | - Sabrina Llop
- Epidemiology and Environmental Health Joint Research Unit, FISABIO-Universitat Jaume I-Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain; Spanish Consortium for Research on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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8
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Zamora-Arellano NY, Betancourt-Lozano M, Ruelas-Inzunza J, Jara-Marini M, Girón-Pérez MI. Risk and Benefit Analysis of Fish Consumption in NW Mexico: Mercury, Selenium, and Fatty Acids. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2022; 83:36-46. [PMID: 35690954 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-022-00939-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
To balance the risks and benefits of fish consumption, selenium, fatty acids (DHA + EPA), and mercury in fishery products were determined. Analyzed products were canned tuna, frozen tuna (Thunnus albacares), smoked striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax), fresh Pacific sierra (Scomberomorus sierra), fresh dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus), fresh tilapia (Gerres cinereus), and fresh bullseye puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus). Mercury (μg g-1 wet weight) ranged from 0.01 (dolphinfish) to 0.23 (bullseye puffer); Se ranged from 0.12 to 0.25. EPA + DHA ranged from 1.16 to 10.72 mg g-1. Intake of EPA + DHA was comparable or above the recommended daily intake; Hg intake was below the reference dose but Se intake was below than recommended values for the different population groups. Considering the HBVSe, fishery products had positive values; i.e., they are healthy food items. According to the interaction of Hg and Se and the rate of fishery product consumption, the risk for consumers is below one percent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nydia Yuriana Zamora-Arellano
- Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Center for Research in Food and Development, Sábalo-Cerritos Av., 82100, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
- Polytechnic University of Sinaloa, Higueras Street Km 3, 82199, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Miguel Betancourt-Lozano
- Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Center for Research in Food and Development, Sábalo-Cerritos Av., 82100, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
| | - Jorge Ruelas-Inzunza
- Technological Institute of Mazatlán, Calle Corsario 1 No. 203, C.P 82070, Mazatlán,, Sinaloa, México.
| | - Martín Jara-Marini
- Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Center for Research in Food and Development, Carretera a la Victoria Km 0.6, 83304, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
| | - Manuel Iván Girón-Pérez
- Laboratory of Immunotoxicology, Autonomous University of Nayarit, Tepic-Jalisco Boulevard S/N Ciudad de La Cultura Amado Nervo, 63190, Tepic, Nayarit, Mexico
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9
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Stojsavljević A, Perović M, Nešić A, Miković Ž, Manojlović D. Levels of non-essential trace metals and their impact on placental health: a review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:43662-43674. [PMID: 35426027 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20205-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
According to recent research, even low levels of environmental chemicals, particularly heavy metals, can considerably disrupt placental homeostasis. This review aims to explore the profile of non-essential trace metals in placental tissues across the globe and to specify trace metal(s) that can be candidates for impaired placental health. Accordingly, we conducted an extensive survey on relevant databases of peer-reviewed papers published in the last two decades. Among a considerable number of non-essential trace metals, arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) were identified as the most detrimental to placental health. Comparative analysis showed remarkable differences in placental levels of these trace metals worldwide. Based on current data reported across the globe, a median (min-max) range from 0.55 to 15 ng/g for placental As levels could be deemed safe. The placental Cd and Pb levels were markedly higher in smokers than in non-smokers. Occupationally exposed pregnant women had several orders of magnitude higher Cd, Pb, and Hg levels in placental tissues than non-occupationally exposed women. Also, we concluded that even low-level exposure to As, Cd, Pb, and Hg could be deleterious to proper fetal development. This review implies the need to reduce exposure to non-essential trace metals to preserve placental health and prevent numerous poor pregnancy outcomes. Overall, the information presented is expected to help plan future fundamental and applied investigations on the placental toxicity of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandar Stojsavljević
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.
- Innovation Center of the Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Milan Perović
- Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics Narodni Front, Kraljice Natalije 62, Belgrade, Serbia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, dr Subotića starijeg 8, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Andrijana Nešić
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Željko Miković
- Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics Narodni Front, Kraljice Natalije 62, Belgrade, Serbia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, dr Subotića starijeg 8, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dragan Manojlović
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 12-16, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia
- South Ural State University, Lenin prospect 76, Chelyabinsk, Russia
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10
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Wang X, Pu Y, Ai S, Liu H, He S, Li Z, Dang Y. Associations of maternal blood mercury with preeclampsia and birth outcomes. Clin Chim Acta 2022; 531:361-367. [PMID: 35483441 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2022.04.991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic substance, and its harmful effects on maternal and infant health have been reported. Yet, the associations of Hg exposure with preeclampsia (PE) and adverse birth outcomes are not well understood. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of maternal Hg exposure on PE and birth outcomes. METHODS We conducted a case-control study with 84 participants in China. Logistic models were used to estimate odds ratios for PE risk and birth outcomes according to maternal blood Hg levels, adjusting for potential confounding factors. RESULTS Elevated blood Hg levels were associated with increased risks of mild PE (aOR, 7.03; 95% CI, 1.61, 30.62; P < 0.01) and severe PE (aOR, 47.55; 95% CI, 5.27, 429.05; P < 0.05). We also found that increased blood Hg levels were associated with low birth weight (aOR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.25; P < 0.05) and preterm birth (PTB) (aOR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.08, 1.38; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our study provided evidence that elevated blood Hg levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of PE. In addition, our findings support that increased blood Hg levels might be associated with low birth weight and PTB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaxue Wang
- Institute of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Yudong Pu
- Institute of the Songshan Lake (SSL) Central Hospital of Dongguan City, Dongguan 523326, China.
| | - Shiwei Ai
- Institute of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Haixia Liu
- Institute of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Shuzhen He
- Institute of the Songshan Lake (SSL) Central Hospital of Dongguan City, Dongguan 523326, China.
| | - Zhilan Li
- Institute of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
| | - Yuhui Dang
- Institute of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China.
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11
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Bastien K, Muckle G, Ayotte P, Courtemanche Y, Dodge NC, Jacobson JL, Jacobson SW, Saint-Amour D. Associations between developmental exposure to environmental contaminants and spatial navigation in late adolescence. New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2022; 2022:11-35. [PMID: 36044011 PMCID: PMC9590243 DOI: 10.1002/cad.20478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Inuit communities in Northern Quebec (Canada) are exposed to environmental contaminants, particularly to mercury, lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Previous studies reported adverse associations between these neurotoxicants and memory performance. Here we aimed to determine the associations of pre- and postnatal exposures to mercury, lead and PCB-153 on spatial navigation memory in 212 Inuit adolescents (mean age = 18.5 years) using a computer task which requires learning the location of a hidden platform based on allocentric spatial representation. Contaminant concentrations were measured in cord blood at birth and blood samples at 11 years of age and at time of testing. Multivariate regression models showed that adolescent mercury and prenatal PCB-153 exposures were associated with poorer spatial learning, whereas current exposure to PCB-153 was associated with altered spatial memory retrieval at the probe test trial. These findings suggest that contaminants might be linked to different aspects of spatial navigation processing at different stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Bastien
- Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Gina Muckle
- École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre Ayotte
- Département de Médecine Sociale et Préventive, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Yohann Courtemanche
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada
| | - Neil C Dodge
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Joseph L Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Sandra W Jacobson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Dave Saint-Amour
- Département de Psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche, Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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12
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Dack K, Fell M, Taylor CM, Havdahl A, Lewis SJ. Prenatal Mercury Exposure and Neurodevelopment up to the Age of 5 Years: A Systematic Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19041976. [PMID: 35206164 PMCID: PMC8871549 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19041976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental delays can interfere with children’s engagement with the world and further development, and may have negative consequences into adulthood. Mercury is highly toxic and may negatively influence neurodevelopment because it can freely cross the placenta and accumulate in the fetal brain. We searched four publication databases (Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus) for studies examining the relationship between early life mercury exposure and scores on neurodevelopmental performance measures in children aged 0 to 5 years old. Study quality was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Quality Assessment Tool. Thirty-two prospective studies were included in the review. Neurodevelopmental performance was measured using 23 different scales, most commonly the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID). In most cases, the evidence for an association between mercury and neurodevelopment was weak. There did not appear to be exceptions for particular childhood ages, outcome scales, or mercury levels. The small number of results to the contrary were more likely to be studies which did not meet our high-quality criteria, and could be a consequence of multiple testing, selection bias, or incomplete confounder adjustment. Based on current evidence, dietary mercury exposure during pregnancy is unlikely to be a risk factor for low neurodevelopmental functioning in early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Dack
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK
- Correspondence:
| | - Matthew Fell
- Cleft Collective, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK;
| | - Caroline M. Taylor
- Centre for Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK;
| | - Alexandra Havdahl
- Department of Mental Disorders, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway;
- Nic Waals Institute, Lovisenberg Diaconal Hospital, 0853 Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah J. Lewis
- Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK;
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13
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Allan-Blitz LT, Goldfine C, Erickson TB. Environmental and health risks posed to children by artisanal gold mining: A systematic review. SAGE Open Med 2022; 10:20503121221076934. [PMID: 35173966 PMCID: PMC8841918 DOI: 10.1177/20503121221076934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
There are an estimated 5 million children working in artisanal and small-scale gold mines worldwide; however, the hazards are poorly characterized and often underreported. We systematically reviewed the literature on reports of hazards among children as a consequence of such activities through PubMed database using pre-defined search terms. We identified 113 articles published between 1984 and 2021 from 31 countries. Toxicological hazards were reported in 91 articles, including mercury, lead, and arsenic. Infectious hazards, noted in 18 articles, included malaria, cholera, and hepatitis. Six articles reported occupational hazards, including malnutrition, heat stroke, and reactive airway disease. Three articles reported traumatic hazards, including cave-ins, burns, animal attacks, falls, and weapon-inflected wounds. Those findings likely indicate a profound underreporting of the prevalence and consequences of such hazards among children. More work is needed both to characterize the burdens of those hazards and to address the underlying drivers of child labor in those settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lao-Tzu Allan-Blitz
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Charlotte Goldfine
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Medical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Timothy B Erickson
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Medical Toxicology, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mass General Brigham, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Humanitarian Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
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14
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Rahbar MH, Samms-Vaughan M, Hessabi M, Bressler J, Gillani S, Grove ML, Shakspeare-Pellington S, Loveland KA. Correlation between concentrations of four heavy metals in cord blood and childhood blood of Jamaican children. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART A, TOXIC/HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 2021; 56:1196-1205. [PMID: 34542373 PMCID: PMC8788997 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2021.1973821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated whether the concentrations of four metals [lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), and aluminum (Al)] are correlated in cord blood and childhood blood samples from Jamaican children. Cord blood samples were obtained from 21 pregnant women enrolled in the second Jamaican Birth Cohort Study from July 1, 2011 to September 30, 2011, and blood samples were drawn from their children who participated in a follow up study when the children were 4-8 years old. Correlations were assessed by the Pearson or the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The mean ages of children at the childhood visit and their mother at the child's birth were 5.5 years and 29.8 years, respectively. About 47.6% of children were male. Statistically significant correlations between cord blood and childhood blood concentrations of Pb (rSpearman =0.45; P = 0.04) and Mn (rPearson=0.48; P = 0.03) were found, and these remained significant when adjusted for the child's sex, age, or both. For Al and Hg, rSpearman=0.29 and 0.08, respectively, but the correlations were not statistically significant (both P ≥ 0.20). A significant correlation between cord blood and childhood blood Pb concentrations for children 4-8 years old has not been previously reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamad H. Rahbar
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences (EHGES), School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) component, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
- Division of Clinical and Translational Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Maureen Samms-Vaughan
- Department of Child & Adolescent Health, The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Kingston 7, Jamaica
| | - Manouchehr Hessabi
- Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) component, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Jan Bressler
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences (EHGES), School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shezeen Gillani
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences (EHGES), School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Biostatistics/Epidemiology/Research Design (BERD) component, Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS), The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, Texas 77030, USA
| | - Megan L. Grove
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Sciences (EHGES), School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Katherine A. Loveland
- Louis A Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA
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15
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Oxidative Stress as a Common Key Event in Developmental Neurotoxicity. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:6685204. [PMID: 34336113 PMCID: PMC8315852 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6685204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The developing brain is extremely sensitive to many chemicals. Perinatal exposure to neurotoxicants has been implicated in several neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactive disorder, and schizophrenia. Studies of the molecular and cellular events related to developmental neurotoxicity have identified a number of “adverse outcome pathways,” many of which share oxidative stress as a key event. Oxidative stress occurs when the balance between the production of free oxygen radicals and the activity of the cellular antioxidant system is dysregulated. In this review, we describe some of the developmental neurotoxins that target the antioxidant system and the mechanisms by which they elicit stress, including oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria and plasma membrane redox system in rodent models. We also discuss future directions for identifying adverse outcome pathways related to oxidative stress and developmental neurotoxicity, with the goal of improving our ability to quickly and accurately screen chemicals for their potential developmental neurotoxicity.
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16
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Liu C, Ralston NVC. Seafood and health: What you need to know? ADVANCES IN FOOD AND NUTRITION RESEARCH 2021; 97:275-318. [PMID: 34311902 DOI: 10.1016/bs.afnr.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Seafood, including fish and shellfish, provides an ideal package of nutrients and is an important part of a healthy diet. Strong evidence has shown that eating fish and other seafoods improve brain, eye, and heart health. The new 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommend that Americans of all ages should eat more seafood-at least twice a week-particularly pregnant women and young children. However, less than one in five Americans heed that advice. About one-third of Americans eat seafood once a week, while nearly half eat fish only occasionally or not at all. This calls for a drastic shift in the American diet to vary protein sources and include more seafood products in order to receive the most health benefits. This chapter covers (1) seafood nutrition and health benefits, (2) seafood's protective effects against mercury toxicity, (3) selenium health benefit values (HBVs), and (4) challenges and opportunities for seafood production, demand and sustainability. This chapter aims to convey recent advances in science-based information to increase public awareness of seafood safety, nutrition and health benefits of seafood as part of a healthy diet, and to advocate healthy eating with smart food choices by promoting two servings of seafood per week. This will support the healthy eating patterns and promotes a minimum two to three servings of seafood recommended by the current DGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengchu Liu
- University of Maryland-UME Sea Grant Extension Program, Center for Food Science and Technology, Princess Anne, MD, United States.
| | - Nicholas V C Ralston
- Earth System Science and Policy, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, United States
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17
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Qouta SR, Vänskä M, Diab SY, Punamäki RL. War trauma and infant motor, cognitive, and socioemotional development: Maternal mental health and dyadic interaction as explanatory processes. Infant Behav Dev 2021; 63:101532. [PMID: 33588286 DOI: 10.1016/j.infbeh.2021.101532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Taking care of infants in conditions of war is highly demanding and a few studies reveal the negative impact of war trauma on maternal and infant well-being. Yet, little is known regarding the influence of trauma on infant development and the potential explanatory mechanisms. First, the present study examines how mothers' prenatal exposure to traumatic war events is associated with infant cognitive, motor, and socioemotional development. Second, it analyses the mediating roles of maternal postpartum mental health problems, quality of dyadic mother-infant interaction, and earlier infant development (at six months) in the association between prenatal traumatic war events and infants' developmental skills at 18 months. METHOD This prospective three-wave study involved 502 Palestinian pregnant females in their first trimester during the 2014 Gaza War and participated at delivery (T1) and when the child was six (T2;N = 392) and eighteen (T3; N = 386) months of age. Mothers reported their exposure to traumatic war events (human and material losses, horrors, and threat to life) at T1 and T2, and researchers photo-documented the extent of destruction at T1. Mothers reported infants' language, fine- and gross-motor, and socioemotional skills at T2 and researchers tested infants' motor, cognitive-language and socioemotional skills using the Bayley Scales of Infant development (BSID-II) at T3. Mothers reported their mental health problems (symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression and somatization) at T2 and T3 as well as dyadic interaction quality (the emotional availability self-report, [EA-SR] brief) at T2. RESULTS First, the structural equation model (SEM) on direct effects indicated, in contrast to our hypotheses, that maternal prenatal exposure to traumatic war events did not associate with infants' developmental skills at T2 and predicted higher level of developmental skills at T3. Second, as hypothesized, we found two negative underlying mechanisms (paths) between high exposure and low levels of motor, cognitive-language, and socioemotional skills at T3: (1) through increased maternal mental health problems at T2, which then were associated with problems at T3, and (2) through increased maternal mental health problems at T2, which then were associated with a low quality of mother-infant-interaction and low level of infant developmental skills at T2. CONCLUSION Improving maternal mental health and encouraging close and positive dyadic interaction can be critical for infant sensorimotor, cognitive, and socioemotional development in war conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir R Qouta
- Doha Institut for Graduate Studies, School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Qatar
| | - Mervi Vänskä
- Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Finland
| | - Safwat Y Diab
- Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Finland
| | - Raija-Leena Punamäki
- Tampere University, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, Finland.
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18
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DNA methyltransferase- and histone deacetylase-mediated epigenetic alterations induced by low-level methylmercury exposure disrupt neuronal development. Arch Toxicol 2021; 95:1227-1239. [PMID: 33454822 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-021-02984-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is a chemical substance that causes adverse effects on fetal development. However, the molecular mechanisms by which environmental MeHg affects fetal development have not been clarified. Recently, it has been suggested that the toxic effects of chemicals on fetal development are related alterations in epigenetics, such as DNA methylation and histone modification. In order to analyze the epigenetic effects of low-level MeHg exposure on neuronal development, we evaluated neuronal development both in vivo and in vitro. Pregnant mice (C57BL/6J) were orally administrated 3 mg/kg of MeHg once daily from embryonic day 12-14. Fetuses were removed on embryonic day 19 and brain tissues were collected. LUHMES cells were treated with 1 nM of MeHg for 6 days and collected on the last day of treatment. In both in vivo and in vitro samples, MeHg significantly suppressed neurite outgrowth. Decreased acetylated histone H3 (AcH3) levels and increased histone deacetylase (HDAC) 3 and HDAC6 levels were observed in response to MeHg treatment in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. In addition, increased DNA methylation and DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) levels were observed in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. The inhibition of neurite outgrowth resulting from MeHg exposure was restored by co-treatment with DNMT inhibitor or HDAC inhibitors. Our results suggest that neurological effects such as reduced neurite outgrowth due to low-level MeHg exposure result from epigenetic changes, including a decrease in AcH3 via increased HDAC levels and an increase in DNA methylation via increased DNMT1 levels.
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Zhou CC, Fu H, Zhang GY, Ma JW, Ni M, Li DJ, Shen FM, Huang F. Effects of low-level mercury exposure on brain-derived neurotrophic factor in preschool children. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 208:111642. [PMID: 33396162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.111642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mercury (Hg), a ubiquitous heavy metal, could affect the neurodevelopment of the children, however, these associations are still equivocal. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an essential role in the central nervous system development in children. This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-level mercury exposure on serum BDNF levels and the influence of sex and dietary intake on these relationships in children. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, a total of 541 pre-school children were recruited, the blood mercury concentrations and serum BDNF levels were measured. The background information on demographic characteristics and dietary habits of the children was collected through questionnaires. Multivariable linear models after adjustment for potential confounders were used to evaluate the associations between mercury exposure and levels of BDNF in children. RESULTS The GMs of blood mercury concentrations and serum BDNF levels were 1.06 μg/L, 20.4 ng/mL, respectively. A significant positive association between blood mercury concentrations and serum BDNF levels was found. After stratification by sex, the blood mercury concentrations in children were positive associated with serum BDNF levels in girls but not in boys. However, these associations were attenuated when we further adjusted the children's dietary intake variables. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that low-levels of mercury exposure may have sex-specific effects on BDNF levels in young children and that dietary intake may be potential confounders in these relationships. However, further studies are warranted to investigate the role of BDNF in the effects of mercury on neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can-Can Zhou
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Fu
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Guo-Yan Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Wei Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Min Ni
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong-Jie Li
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fu-Ming Shen
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Fang Huang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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20
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Chen CY, Buckman KL, Shaw A, Curtis A, Taylor M, Montesdeoca M, Driscoll C. The influence of nutrient loading on methylmercury availability in Long Island estuaries. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 268:115510. [PMID: 33221612 PMCID: PMC8410480 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.115510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Estuaries provide critical habitat for food webs supporting fish and shellfish consumed by humans, but estuarine ecosystem health has been threatened by increases in nitrogen loading as well as inputs of the neurotoxin, mercury (Hg), which biomagnifies in food webs and poses risk to humans and wildlife. In this study, the effects of nutrient loading on the fate of Hg in shallow coastal estuaries were examined to evaluate if their interaction enhances or reduces Hg bioavailability in sediments, the water column, and concentrations in lower trophic level fish (Fundulus heteroclitus and Menidia menidia). Multiple sites were sampled within two human impacted coastal lagoons, Great South Bay (GSB) and Jamaica Bay (JB), on the southern coast of Long Island, NY, United States of America (U.S.A.). Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), Hg, and methylmercury (MeHg) were measured in surface sediments and the water column, and total Hg (THg) was measured in two species of forage fish. Minimal differences were found in dissolved and particulate Hg, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and salinity between the two bays. Across lagoons, concentrations of chlorophyll-a were correlated with total suspended solids (TSS), and water column THg and MeHg was largely associated with the particulate fraction. Methylmercury concentrations in particulates decreased with increasing TSS and chlorophyll-a, evidence of biomass dilution of MeHg with increasing productivity at the base of the food chain. Water column Hg was associated with THg concentrations in Atlantic silversides, while mummichog THg concentrations were related to sediment concentrations, reflecting their different feeding strategies. Finally, higher nutrient loading (lower C:N in sediments) while related to lower particulate concentrations coincided with higher bioaccumulation factors (BAF) for Hg in both fish species. Thus, in shallow coastal lagoons, increased nutrient loading resulted in decreased Hg concentrations at the base of the food web but resulted in greater bioaccumulation of Hg to fish relative to its availability in algal food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celia Y Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 78 College Street, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA.
| | - Kate L Buckman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 78 College Street, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Amy Shaw
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, 151 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Amanda Curtis
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 78 College Street, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Mariah Taylor
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, 151 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Mario Montesdeoca
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, 151 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Charles Driscoll
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Syracuse University, 151 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
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21
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Kim B, Shah S, Park HS, Hong YC, Ha M, Kim Y, Kim BN, Kim Y, Ha EH. Adverse effects of prenatal mercury exposure on neurodevelopment during the first 3 years of life modified by early growth velocity and prenatal maternal folate level. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 191:109909. [PMID: 32871452 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Previous studies have suggested that mercury exposure and folate levels during pregnancy may influence early childhood neurodevelopment. Rapid catch-up growth in children is associated with an increased risk of pathological nervous system development. We evaluated whether the association between prenatal folate and mercury-related neuropsychological dysfunction was modified by growth velocity during childhood. METHODS The Mothers and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) birth cohort study began in 2006 and by 2010, 1751 women had been enrolled before the second trimester of their pregnancy along with their partners. Participants visited the research center at birth and 6, 12, 24, and 36 months. We measured mercury levels in maternal and cord blood and folate in maternal serum. Questionnaires to evaluate the environment and health of their child were administered and anthropometric factors including body weight and height were measured. Certified investigators used the Bayley test to measure neurobehavioral outcomes. We calculated postnatal growth change as the change in infant weight for-age z-score between birth and 3 years. Multiple linear regression and mixed models were used to examine the association between mercury exposure and children's neurodevelopment as well as the modifying effects of folate and growth velocity. RESULTS A total of 30.6% of children experienced rapid growth during the first 3 years of life. Median values of mercury in the low folate group were significantly higher in rapid growers (3.41 μg/L in maternal blood and 5.63 μg/L in cord blood) than in average/slow growers (3.05 μg/L in maternal blood and 5.19 μg/L in cord blood). Rapid growers were also significantly associated with decreased psychomotor development scores during the first 3 years of life and with having mothers who had low prenatal folate levels, even after adjusting for potential confounders. CONCLUSION Prenatal mercury exposure adversely affects infant neurodevelopment and is associated with rapid growth during the first 3 years of life. This effect was limited to children whose mothers had low prenatal folate levels, suggesting a protective effect of folate against developmental neurotoxicity due to mercury exposure and rapid catch-up growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byungmi Kim
- National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea
| | - Surabhi Shah
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye-Sook Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangho Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Boong-Nnyun Kim
- Division of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeni Kim
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Ha
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Center, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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World Trade Center Health Program: First Decade of Research. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17197290. [PMID: 33036199 PMCID: PMC7579473 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17197290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 placed nearly a half million people at increased risk of adverse health. Health effects research began shortly after and continues today, now mostly as a coordinated effort under the federally mandated World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program (WTCHP). Established in 2011, the WTCHP provides medical monitoring and treatment of covered health conditions for responders and survivors and maintains a research program aimed to improve the care and well-being of the affected population. By 2020, funds in excess of USD 127 M had been awarded for health effects research. This review describes research findings and provides an overview of the WTCHP and its future directions. The literature was systematically searched for relevant articles published from 11 September 2001 through 30 June 2020. Synthesis was limited to broad categories of mental health, cancer, respiratory disease, vulnerable populations, and emerging conditions. In total, 944 WTC articles were published, including peer-reviewed articles funded by the WTCHP (n = 291) and other sources. Research has focused on characterizing the burden and etiology of WTC-related health conditions. As the program moves forward, translational research that directly enhances the care of individuals with chronic mental and physical health conditions is needed.
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23
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Castriotta L, Rosolen V, Biggeri A, Ronfani L, Catelan D, Mariuz M, Bin M, Brumatti LV, Horvat M, Barbone F. The role of mercury, selenium and the Se-Hg antagonism on cognitive neurodevelopment: A 40-month follow-up of the Italian mother-child PHIME cohort. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2020; 230:113604. [PMID: 32871542 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2020.113604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite a 15-year long effort to define the "safety" of fish intake during pregnancy, there remains still uncertainty on this important public health issue. The evaluation of the toxic effects of contaminants, particularly mercury (Hg) in fish-eating populations is complicated by the fact that sea-food is also rich in beneficial nutrients, such as selenium (Se). There is toxicological plausibility of an antagonistic effects between Se and Hg, and some theoretical support for the inclusion of the Se-Hg interaction to better assess the risk linked with fish intake. To assess the effects of exposure to low-level Hg through fish consumption on the developing brain and the interaction between Hg and Se, we conducted an analysis at age 40 months in Italian children, enrolled in a prospective mother-child cohort, comparing additive and multiplicative models. Participant subjects were the 470 children born within the Northern Adriatic Cohort II (NAC-II) cohort who were tested by using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development third edition (Bayley-III) (BSID-III) at age 40. Family demographic and socioeconomic information, pregnancy and delivery history, parental and child medical history and food consumption were assessed through questionnaires. Maternal blood samples were collected during pregnancy, cord blood at birth and maternal milk 1 month after delivery. As other exposures of interest, we considered the level of Se in maternal and cord blood and in breast milk and the potential Se-Hg antagonism. Se and inverse of THg (1:THg) concentrations were categorized according to the tertiles of their distributions, in low, medium and high levels of exposure. The lower end of the composite cognitive score distribution closest to 20% was defined as suboptimal development. Multiple logistic regression were applied to assess the association between the dichotomized composite cognitive score and the categorized exposure to Se and 1:THg, and the antagonism between Se and 1:THg. In the recruiting period, 900 pregnant women were enrolled in the cohort; 767 of these remained in the study at delivery and 470 children at 40 months. After excluding preterm births, 456 children were used in the final analyses. The larger difference in risk for suboptimal neurodevelopment was observed for the category with High THg and Low Se with OR = 2.55 (90% CI 1.02; 6.41) under the multiplicative and OR = 1.33 (90% CI 0.80; 1.87) under the additive model. The category High THg and High Se showed a very slightly better fit of the additive model (OR = 1.07, 90% CI 0.65; 1.50) versus the multiplicative (OR = 1.66, 90% CI 0.73; 1.77). A negative - antagonistic - interaction term for this category was estimated under the multiplicative model giving an OR = 1.17 (90% CI 0.42; 3.28). Although this evidence of the effects of the Se-Hg antagonism on the children neuro-development needs to be confirmed, if Se can counterbalance Hg toxicity, the evaluation of the effect on human health of fish consumption, should also consider the diverse ratios between Se and Hg concentration in different fish species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luigi Castriotta
- Institute of Hygiene and Clinical Epidemiology. Friuli Centrale Healthcare and University Trust, Via Colugna 50, 33100, Udine, Italy.
| | - Valentina Rosolen
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via Dell'Istria, 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Annibale Biggeri
- Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications' G. Parenti '(DiSIA). University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 59, 50134, Firenze, Italy.
| | - Luca Ronfani
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via Dell'Istria, 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Dolores Catelan
- Department of Statistics, Computer Science, Applications' G. Parenti '(DiSIA). University of Florence, Viale Morgagni, 59, 50134, Firenze, Italy.
| | - Marika Mariuz
- Department of Medical Area, University of Udine, Via Colugna 50, 33100, Italy.
| | - Maura Bin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via Dell'Istria, 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Liza Vecchi Brumatti
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via Dell'Istria, 65/1, 34137, Trieste, Italy.
| | - Milena Horvat
- Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39 SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia; International Postgraduate School Jozef Stefan, Jamova 39 SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Fabio Barbone
- Department of Medical Area, University of Udine, Via Colugna 50, 33100, Italy.
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24
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Chan PHY, Chan KYY, Schooling CM, Hui LL, Chan MHM, Li AM, Cheung RCK, Lam HS. Association between genetic variations in GSH-related and MT genes and low-dose methylmercury exposure in children and women of childbearing age: a pilot study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 187:109703. [PMID: 32480025 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic variations in glutathione (GSH)-related and metallothionein (MT) genes, which are involved in producing enzymes in the methylmercury (MeHg) metabolism pathway, have been proposed as one of the reasons for the individual variability in MeHg toxicokinetics. OBJECTIVE To investigate the impact of genetic variations in MT and GSH-related genes on the association of fish consumption with body burden of MeHg, as measured by hair Hg concentrations among young children and women of childbearing age. METHODS A total of 179 unrelated children and 165 mothers with either high or low fish consumption were recruited from the community. Their hair total Hg (tHg) and MeHg levels and genotypes for SNPs located on the GCLC, GCLM, GPX1, GSTA1, GSTP1, MT1A, MT2A, and MT4 genes were determined. Based on their 14-day food records, the amounts of fish consumed and their MeHg intakes were estimated. The impact of genetic variations on hair Hg concentrations was examined by using Mann-Whitney tests and multivariable linear regression analyses. RESULTS The presence of minor alleles of GCLC-129 (rs17883901), GPX1-198 (rs1050450) and MT1M (rs9936741) were associated with significantly lower hair tHg levels in mothers whereas mothers with minor alleles of GSTP1-105(rs1695) and MT1M (rs2270836) have significantly higher hair tHg levels. After adjustment for fish consumption and other confounding factors, apart from MT1M (rs2270836), all of the above SNPs remain significant in the multivariable linear regression models. CONCLUSIONS Our results in a group of children and women show that genetic variants of GSH-related and MT genes are associated with hair Hg concentrations. These genetic variations are likely to significantly affect MeHg metabolism and thus influence the accumulation of Hg in the human body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peggy Hiu Ying Chan
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Kathy Yuen Yee Chan
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Catherine Mary Schooling
- School of Public Health, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; CUNY School of Public Health and Health Policy, NY, USA.
| | - Lai Ling Hui
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Michael Ho Ming Chan
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Albert Martin Li
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
| | - Robert Chi Keung Cheung
- Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Hugh Simon Lam
- Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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25
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Baldewsingh GK, Wickliffe JK, van Eer ED, Shankar A, Hindori-Mohangoo AD, Harville EW, Covert HH, Shi L, Lichtveld MY, Zijlmans WC. Prenatal Mercury Exposure in Pregnant Women from Suriname's Interior and Its Effects on Birth Outcomes. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17114032. [PMID: 32517037 PMCID: PMC7312160 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17114032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal mercury (Hg) exposure was determined in a sub-cohort of the Caribbean Consortium for Environmental and Occupational Health’s environmental epidemiologic prospective cohort study of pregnant women living in Suriname’s interior. The associations between Hg exposure, low birth weight (LBW, <2500 g) and preterm birth (PTB, <37 weeks) were explored. Correlation analysis, Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations between maternal hair Hg levels and birth weight, LBW and PTB, and between potential confounders, LBW and PTB, respectively. Among 204 singleton births were 198 live births, five stillbirths and one miscarriage. The mean participant age was 26 years; 15.7% of participants had PTBs and 8.1% delivered a child with a LBW. The median hair Hg level was 3.48 μg/g hair. Low hair Hg exposure, based on lowest tertile < 2.34 μg/g, was associated with LBW (OR = 7.2; 95% CI 1.5–35.6; p = 0.015); this association was independent of maternal age, ethnic background, household income and village location, and no correlation was found between hair Hg and PTB. Young maternal age was associated with PTB (RR = 5.09, 95% CI: 1.92–13.85; p = 0.0004) while maternal age was not associated with hair Hg or LBW. The impact of prenatal Hg exposure on pediatric neurodevelopment is currently being evaluated in the infant sub-cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaitree K. Baldewsingh
- Medical Mission Primary Health Care Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname;
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname;
- Correspondence:
| | - Jeffrey K. Wickliffe
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | | | - Arti Shankar
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Ashna D. Hindori-Mohangoo
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
- Foundation for Perinatal Interventions and Research in Suriname (Perisur), Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Emily W. Harville
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Hannah H. Covert
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Lizheng Shi
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
| | - Maureen Y. Lichtveld
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
- Scientific Research Center Suriname/Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Paramaribo, Suriname
| | - Wilco C.W.R. Zijlmans
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname;
- School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA; (J.K.W.); (A.S.); (A.D.H.-M.); (E.W.H.); (H.H.C.); (L.S.); (M.Y.L.)
- Scientific Research Center Suriname/Academic Hospital Paramaribo, Paramaribo, Suriname
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26
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Buckley JP, Barrett ES, Beamer PI, Bennett DH, Bloom MS, Fennell TR, Fry RC, Funk WE, Hamra GB, Hecht SS, Kannan K, Iyer R, Karagas MR, Lyall K, Parsons PJ, Pellizzari ED, Signes-Pastor AJ, Starling AP, Wang A, Watkins DJ, Zhang M, Woodruff TJ. Opportunities for evaluating chemical exposures and child health in the United States: the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2020; 30:397-419. [PMID: 32066883 PMCID: PMC7183426 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-020-0211-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program will evaluate environmental factors affecting children's health (perinatal, neurodevelopmental, obesity, respiratory, and positive health outcomes) by pooling cohorts composed of >50,000 children in the largest US study of its kind. Our objective was to identify opportunities for studying chemicals and child health using existing or future ECHO chemical exposure data. We described chemical-related information collected by ECHO cohorts and reviewed ECHO-relevant literature on exposure routes, sources, and environmental and human monitoring. Fifty-six ECHO cohorts have existing or planned chemical biomonitoring data for mothers or children. Environmental phenols/parabens, phthalates, metals/metalloids, and tobacco biomarkers are each being measured by ≥15 cohorts, predominantly during pregnancy and childhood, indicating ample opportunities to study child health outcomes. Cohorts are collecting questionnaire data on multiple exposure sources and conducting environmental monitoring including air, dust, and water sample collection that could be used for exposure assessment studies. To supplement existing chemical data, we recommend biomonitoring of emerging chemicals, nontargeted analysis to identify novel chemicals, and expanded measurement of chemicals in alternative biological matrices and dust samples. ECHO's rich data and samples represent an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate environmental chemical research to improve the health of US children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie P Buckley
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA.
| | - Emily S Barrett
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Paloma I Beamer
- Department of Community, Environment and Policy, Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Deborah H Bennett
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Michael S Bloom
- Departments of Environmental Health Sciences and Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Timothy R Fennell
- Discovery Sciences, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William E Funk
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ghassan B Hamra
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephen S Hecht
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Ramsunder Iyer
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Margaret R Karagas
- Department of Epidemiology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
| | - Kristen Lyall
- A.J. Drexel Autism Institute, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Patrick J Parsons
- Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Edo D Pellizzari
- Fellows Program, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | - Anne P Starling
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Aolin Wang
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Deborah J Watkins
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Mingyu Zhang
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tracey J Woodruff
- Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
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Aaseth J, Wallace DR, Vejrup K, Alexander J. Methylmercury and developmental neurotoxicity: A global concern. CURRENT OPINION IN TOXICOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cotox.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Llorente Ballesteros MT, García Barrado B, Navarro Serrano I, Izquierdo Álvarez S, Del Pueyo García Anaya M, González Muñoz MJ. Evaluation of blood mercury and serum selenium levels in the pregnant population of the Community of Madrid, Spain. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2020; 57:60-67. [PMID: 31563817 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2019.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The main exposure route to methylmercury (MeHg) is from eating fish and shellfish containing this compound. Since 2004, women of childbearing age in Spain have been urged not to eat some species (eg, tuna, shark, and swordfish), instead choosing low-MeHg seafood as part of a healthy diet. OBJECTIVE To describe maternal total blood mercury (THg) and serum selenium (Se) in a cohort of pregnant women living in Spain as it relates to fish intake during the three trimesters and to assess whether or not Spanish women of childbearing age follow the recommendations listed in fish advisories and choose fish species with lower mercury levels. METHODS We studied 141 female volunteers of childbearing age (16-45 years), interviewing all participants about their overall eating habits and seafood intake. Hg and Se levels were tested using cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS), respectively. RESULTS Average THg levels in pregnant women were 2.89 μg/L (standard deviation [SD], 2.75 μg/L, geometric mean [GM], 2.19 μg/L), and THg GM was positively associated with fish intake. Mean Se levels in pregnant women were 73.06 μg/L (SD, 13.38 μg/L), and Se levels were found to increase with tuna intake. In 16 (12%) pregnant women, THg was higher than the level recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (6.4 μg/L). A positive association was also found between THg and serum Se. CONCLUSION Women of childbearing age in Spain had higher THg levels than women in other Western studies. Our study observed that 12% of women had THg levels above the safety limit set by the EPA (6.4 μg/L), and 31% had levels above the relevant benchmark level of 3.5 μg/L suggested by various researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Begoña García Barrado
- Instituto de Toxicología de la Defensa, Hospital Central de la Defensa Gómez Ulla, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Irene Navarro Serrano
- Instituto de Toxicología de la Defensa, Hospital Central de la Defensa Gómez Ulla, Madrid, Spain.
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Spiller P, Hibbeln JR, Myers G, Vannice G, Golding J, Crawford MA, Strain JJ, Connor SL, Brenna JT, Kris-Etherton P, Holub BJ, Harris WS, Lands B, McNamara RK, Tlusty MF, Salem N, Carlson SE. An abundance of seafood consumption studies presents new opportunities to evaluate effects on neurocognitive development. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2019; 151:8-13. [PMID: 31669935 PMCID: PMC6887098 DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2019.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between seafood eaten during pregnancy and neurocognition in offspring has been the subject of considerable scientific study for over 25 years. Evaluation of this question led two scientific advisory committees to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations with the World Health Organization (FAO/WHO), Health Canada, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conclude through 2014 that seafood consumed by pregnant women is likely to benefit the neurocognitive development of their children. The evidence they reviewed included between four and ten studies of seafood consumption during pregnancy that reported beneficial associations. In contrast there are now 29 seafood consumption studies available describing over 100,000 mothers-child pairs and 15 studies describing over 25,000 children who ate seafood. A systematic review of these studies using Nutrition Evaluation Systematic Review methodology is warranted to determine whether recent research corroborates, builds on, or significantly alters the previous conclusions. Studies that evaluate the integrated effects of seafood as a complete food more directly and completely evaluate impacts on neurocognition as compared to studies that evaluate individual nutritients or toxicological constituents in isolation. Here we address how the findings could add to our understanding of whether seafood consumed during pregnancy and early childhood affects neurocognition, including whether such effects are clinically meaningful, lasting, related to amounts consumed, and affected by any neurotoxicants that may be present, particularly mercury, which is present at varying levels in essentially all seafood. We provide the history, context and rationale for reexamining these questions in light of currently available data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Spiller
- Former Director of the Office of Seafood, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, U.S., Food and Drug Administration (retired), USA
| | - Joseph R Hibbeln
- Acting Chief, Section on Nutritional Neurosciences, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, USA.
| | - Gary Myers
- Professor of Neurology, Pediatrics, and Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Gretchen Vannice
- Director of Nutrition Education and Research, Organic Technologies, Coshocton, OH, USA
| | - Jean Golding
- Emeritus Professor of Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Michael A Crawford
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK
| | - J J Strain
- Emeritus Professor of Human Nutrition, Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food & Health, (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Sonja L Connor
- Research Associate Professor, Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - J Thomas Brenna
- Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Depts of Pediatrics, of Chemistry, and of Nutrition, University of Texas Austin, TX, USA
| | - Penny Kris-Etherton
- Distinguished Professor of Nutrition, Department of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Bruce J Holub
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - William S Harris
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota School of Medicine and OmegaQuant Analytics, LLC, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Bill Lands
- American Society for Nutrition, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Robert K McNamara
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine USA
| | - Michael F Tlusty
- School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Norman Salem
- Nutritional Lipids, DSM Nutritional Projects, Columbia, MD, USA
| | - Susan E Carlson
- University Distinguished Professor, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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Hibbeln JR, Spiller P, Brenna JT, Golding J, Holub BJ, Harris WS, Kris-Etherton P, Lands B, Connor SL, Myers G, Strain JJ, Crawford MA, Carlson SE. Relationships between seafood consumption during pregnancy and childhood and neurocognitive development: Two systematic reviews. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 2019; 151:14-36. [PMID: 31739098 PMCID: PMC6924512 DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2019.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Abundant data are now available to evaluate relationships between seafood consumption in pregnancy and childhood and neurocognitive development. We conducted two systematic reviews utilizing methodologies detailed by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Scientific Advisory Committee 2020-2025. After reviewing 44 publications on 106,237 mother-offspring pairs and 25,960 children, our technical expert committee developed two conclusion statements that included the following: "Moderate and consistent evidence indicates that consumption of a wide range of amounts and types of commercially available seafood during pregnancy is associated with improved neurocognitive development of offspring as compared to eating no seafood. Overall, benefits to neurocognitive development began at the lowest amounts of seafood consumed (∼4 oz/wk) and continued through the highest amounts, above 12 oz/wk, some range up to >100 oz/wk.", "This evidence does not meet the criteria for "strong evidence" only due to a paucity of randomized controlled trials that may not be ethical or feasible to conduct for pregnancy" and "Moderate and consistent evidence indicates that consumption of >4 oz/wk and likely >12 oz/wk of seafood during childhood has beneficial associations with neurocognitive outcomes." No net adverse neurocognitive outcomes were reported among offspring at the highest ranges of seafood intakes despite associated increases in mercury exposures. Data are insufficient for conclusive statements regarding lactation, optimal amounts, categories or specific species characterized by mercury content and neurocognitive development; although there is some evidence that dark/oily seafood may be more beneficial. Research was conducted in healthy women and children and is generalizable to US populations. Assessment of seafood as a whole food integrates inherently integrates any adverse effects from neurotoxicants, if any, and benefits to neurocognition from omega-3 fats, as well as other nutrients critical to optimal neurological development. Understanding of the effects of seafood consumption on neurocognition can have significant public health implications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - J Thomas Brenna
- Dell Pediatric Research Institute, Depts of Pediatrics, of Chemistry, and of Nutrition, University of Texas at Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jean Golding
- Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Bruce J Holub
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - William S Harris
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota School of Medicine and OmegaQuant Analytics, LLC, Sioux Falls, SD, USA
| | - Penny Kris-Etherton
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Penn State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Bill Lands
- American Society for Nutrition, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Sonja L Connor
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Gary Myers
- Neurology, Pediatrics, and Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - J J Strain
- Nutrition Innovation Centre for Food & Health, (NICHE), Ulster University, Coleraine, Northern Ireland, UK
| | - Michael A Crawford
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, UK
| | - Susan E Carlson
- Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
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Xiang H, Tao Y, Zhang B, Liang C, Li Z, Feng L, Qi J, Pan W, Tong J, Yan S, Tao F. Protective effect of high zinc levels on preterm birth induced by mercury exposure during pregnancy: A birth cohort study in China. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2019; 55:71-77. [PMID: 31345369 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aims of our study were to determine whether prenatal mercury levels are associated with the risk of preterm birth (PTB) and whether high maternal serum zinc (Zn) levels alleviate any negative effects of maternal mercury (Hg) exposure regarding PTB. METHODS Serum concentrations of Zn and Hg were measured in 3025 pregnant women from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort. Before the collection of blood samples, they underwent examinations via the completion of questionnaires. The delivery records of the women were obtained from a series of medical records. We divided the study population into tertiles according to the participants' Hg levels: the low-Hg group (the first tertile, <0.30 μg/L), the medium-Hg group (the second tertile, 0.30-0.43 μg/L) and the high-Hg group (the third tertile, ≥0.43 μg/L). The associations of Hg exposure with both the risk of PTB and gestational age (weeks) at birth were estimated using a binary logistic regression model and multivariable linear regression analysis, respectively. Afterwards, we conducted a repeated analyses test after the participants were stratified according to their Zn levels, using the 75th percentile division method. RESULTS Overall, the medians and the interquartile ranges of Hg and Zn in the second trimester were 0.36 (0.27, 0.48) μg/L and 812.34 (731.26, 896.59) μg/L, respectively. Hg levels were associated with PTB [adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.91 (1.17, 3.12) for the third tertile vs. the first tertile of the serum Hg levels]. In the stratification analysis of the participants in the low-Zn group, the high-Hg group exhibited a significant odds ratio of PTB [adjusted OR (95% CI): 1.87 (1.08, 3.24)], compared to the low-Hg group. However, in the participants from the high-Zn group, the high-Hg group exhibited a non-significant OR of PTB [adjusted OR (95% CI): 2.32 (0.73, 7.42)]. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, gestational age (weeks) at delivery was significantly and inversely associated with the ln-transformed Hg concentrations [adjusted β (95% CI): -0.16 (-0.26, -0.06)]. Similarly, after the stratification analysis in the high-Zn group, there were no significant associations between PTB and the Hg levels [adjusted β (95% CI): -0.12 (-0.33, 0.09)]. CONCLUSION Prenatal Hg exposure adversely affected PTB, and high Zn levels alleviate this effect, which indicates that a more stringent control of Hg and a sufficient intake of Zn are necessary to help birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyun Xiang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yiran Tao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Baoli Zhang
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Chunmei Liang
- Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, China
| | - Zhijuan Li
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Lanlan Feng
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Juan Qi
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Wan Pan
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Juan Tong
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Shuangqin Yan
- Ma'anshan Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Center, Ma'anshan, China
| | - Fangbiao Tao
- Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health & Aristogenics, Hefei, China.
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Ralston NVC, Kaneko JJ, Raymond LJ. Selenium health benefit values provide a reliable index of seafood benefits vs. risks. J Trace Elem Med Biol 2019; 55:50-57. [PMID: 31345365 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methylmercury (CH3Hg) toxicity causes irreversible inhibition of selenium (Se)-dependent enzymes, including those that are required to prevent and reverse oxidative damage in the brain. Fish consumption provides numerous essential nutrients required for optimal health, but is also associated with CH3Hg exposure risks, especially during fetal development. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the amounts of both elements in seafood to evaluate relative risks or benefits. Consumption of ocean fish containing Se in molar excess of CH3Hg will prevent interruption of selenoenzyme activities, thereby alleviating Hg-exposure risks. Because dietary Se is a pivotal determinant of CH3Hg's effects, the Selenium Health Benefit Value (HBV) criterion was developed to predict risks or benefits as a result of seafood consumption. A negative HBV indicates Hg is present in molar excess of Se and may impair Se availability while a positive HBV indicates consumption will improve the Se status of the consumer, thus negating risks of Hg toxicity. OBJECTIVE This study examined the Hg and Se contents of varieties of seafood to establish those with positive HBV's offering benefits and those having negative HBVs indicating potential consumption risks. METHODS The Hg and Se molar concentrations in samples of meat from pilot whale, mako shark, thresher shark, swordfish, bigeye tuna, and skipjack tuna were used to determine their HBV's in relation to body weight. RESULTS The HBVs of pilot whale, mako shark, and swordfish were typically negative and inversely related to body weight, indicating their consumption may impair Se availability. However, the HBV's of thresher shark, bigeye tuna, and skipjack tuna were uniformly positive regardless of body weights, indicating their consumption counteracts Hg-dependent risks of selenoenzyme impairment. CONCLUSIONS The HBV criterion provides a reliable basis for differentiating seafoods whose intake should be limited during pregnancy from those that should be consumed to obtain health benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas V C Ralston
- 310 Clifford Hall, Earth Systems Science and Policy, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, 58202, United States
| | - J John Kaneko
- Hawaii Seafood Council, 1130 N Nimitz Hwy, Suite A263, Honolulu, HI, 96817, United States
| | - Laura J Raymond
- Sage Green Nutrition Research Guidance, 421 N 19thStreet, Grand Forks, ND, 58203, United States
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Wang J, Wu W, Li H, Cao L, Wu M, Liu J, Gao Z, Zhou C, Liu J, Yan C. Relation of prenatal low-level mercury exposure with early child neurobehavioral development and exploration of the effects of sex and DHA on it. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 126:14-23. [PMID: 30776746 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2019.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 02/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The extent to which low-level, in utero mercury exposure affects child neurobehavioral development during early childhood has been inconclusive. In addition, the effects of sex and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on these relationships remain unclear and controversial. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to explore the associations between prenatal low-level mercury exposure and child neurobehavioral development during the neonatal and toddler periods and to examine the potential confounding or interactive effects of sex and DHA status on these relationships. METHODS This longitudinal study included 286 mother-child pairs in Shanghai, China, whose cord blood samples were analyzed for total mercury, DHA, other nutrients and coexposure contaminants possibly due to maternal consumption of seafood. Children's neurobehavioral development was assessed with the Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment (NBNA) three days after birth and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) at 18 months of age. RESULTS Cord blood mercury concentration, with geometric mean of 2.00 μg/l, was related to poorer NBNA performance but unrelated to BSID-III scores with adjustment for DHA and other covariates. Cord serum DHA was positively associated with motor development assessed by the BSID-III. The interaction was found between mercury and DHA on the NBNA score, and the inverse relation of cord blood mercury with NBNA was significant only among the children with lower DHA levels (<45.54 μg/ml). Additional adjustment for DHA didn't change the associations between cord blood mercury and neurodevelopmental outcomes substantially. The mercury by sex interaction for language of BSID-III was borderline significant. CONCLUSIONS Our research provides initial evidence for the negative effects of prenatal low-level mercury exposure on neonates' neurobehavioral development. Prenatal DHA status may modify the relationship between cord blood mercury level and neonatal neurobehavioral development, but the confounding effects of DHA were not observed. Further studies are warranted before the causality of the observed associations can be determined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Wang
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China; Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Wei Wu
- Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Hui Li
- Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining, Shandong, China
| | - Lulu Cao
- Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Meiqin Wu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Junxia Liu
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhenyan Gao
- Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cancan Zhou
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianghong Liu
- School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Chonghuai Yan
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
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Sharma BM, Sáňka O, Kalina J, Scheringer M. An overview of worldwide and regional time trends in total mercury levels in human blood and breast milk from 1966 to 2015 and their associations with health effects. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2019; 125:300-319. [PMID: 30735961 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mercury is a pollutant of global concern. To protect human health and environment from mercury pollution, the Minamata Convention on mercury entered into force in 2017. OBJECTIVES To support a future effectiveness evaluation of the convention, this study assesses worldwide and regional time trends of total mercury levels in human blood and breast milk across different population sub-groups in the last half-century prior to entry-into-force of the Minamata Convention. This study also provides an overview of the epidemiological literature showing evidence of associations between mercury exposure (in terms of total mercury levels in whole blood, cord blood, and breast milk) and human health. METHODS We searched electronic databases to identify articles published prior to June 14, 2017 and reported total mercury levels in any of three biological matrices (whole blood, cord blood, or breast milk) and/or associations with human health. Temporal trends of total mercury levels in the selected biological matrices across different population sub-groups were estimated using a linear fit of the log-transformed data. In parallel, statistical methods were employed to assess any possible effect of sources of inhomogeneity (i.e. study and population characteristics such as age, sex, ethnicity, source of exposure, sampling period, and geographical region) in the collected studies. Furthermore, a summary of significant and relevant associations between mercury exposure and human health conditions in children and adults was prepared. FINDINGS We found significant declines in total mercury levels in whole blood, cord blood, and breast milk between 1966 and 2015. A regional overview of total mercury levels in whole blood, cord blood, and breast milk suggests the highest levels in South America, followed by Africa or Asia whereas the population groups from Europe or North America displayed the lowest levels of total mercury in the selected biological matrices. We observed conclusive consistent associations of mercury exposure with selected health conditions, especially neurodevelopment and neurotoxicity in children and adults. For several other health conditions, reported findings in the collected studies do not support conclusive associations. We also found that several studies demonstrated significant associations between mercury exposure below the USEPA reference level and various health conditions. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a worldwide and regional overview of trends in total mercury levels in human blood and breast milk and associated health risks prior to entry-into-force of the Minamata Convention and calls for further epidemiological investigations from across the globe to fully understand the health implications of mercury exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brij Mohan Sharma
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Ondřej Sáňka
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Kalina
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Scheringer
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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Spratlen MJ, Perera FP, Lederman SA, Robinson M, Kannan K, Trasande L, Herbstman J. Cord blood perfluoroalkyl substances in mothers exposed to the World Trade Center disaster during pregnancy. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 246:482-490. [PMID: 30583156 PMCID: PMC6402332 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 12/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may have been released during the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) on 9/11. Evidence suggests PFAS can cross the placental barrier in humans and cause harm to the developing fetus; however, no studies have measured PFAS in mothers exposed to the WTC disaster during pregnancy. We measured PFAS in maternal plasma (n = 48) or cord blood (n = 231) from pregnant women in the Columbia University WTC birth cohort, enrolled between December 13, 2001 and June 26, 2002 at one of three hospitals located near the WTC site. In order to maximize sample size, we used a linear regression to transform the 48 maternal plasma samples to cord blood equivalents in our study; cord blood and transformed maternal plasma-to-cord blood samples were then analyzed together. We evaluated the association between WTC exposure and PFAS concentrations using three exposure variables: 1) living/working within two miles of WTC; 2) living within two miles of WTC regardless of work location; and 3) working but not living within two miles of WTC. Exposure was compared with those not living/working within two miles of WTC (reference group). Living/working within two miles of WTC was associated with 13% higher perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) concentrations compared with the reference group [GMR (95% CI): 1.13 (1.01, 1.27)]. The association was stronger when comparing only those who lived within two miles of WTC to the reference group [GMR (95% CI): 1.17 (1.03, 1.33)], regardless of work location. Our results provide evidence that exposure to the WTC disaster during pregnancy resulted in increases in PFAS concentrations, specifically PFOA. This work identifies a potentially vulnerable and overlooked population, children exposed to the WTC disaster in utero, and highlights the importance of future longitudinal studies in this cohort to investigate later life effects resulting from these early life exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda J Spratlen
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Health & Engineering, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Frederica P Perera
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sally Ann Lederman
- Department of Population and Family Health, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Morgan Robinson
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Leonardo Trasande
- Department of Pediatrics, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie Herbstman
- Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Bellinger DC, Devleesschauwer B, O'Leary K, Gibb HJ. Global burden of intellectual disability resulting from prenatal exposure to methylmercury, 2015. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 170:416-421. [PMID: 30623889 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.12.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
We describe analyses to estimate the global burden of disease associated with methylmercury (MeHg). An intelligence quotient < 70, indicating intellectual disability (ID), was selected as the critical disease, maternal hair Hg concentration during pregnancy selected as the critical exposure biomarker, and a dose-effect relationship of an 0.18 point IQ reduction per µg/g increase in maternal hair Hg was assumed, based on a meta-analysis. A systematic review was conducted to obtain country-specific data on the distribution of maternal hair Hg concentrations. The country-specific incidence of MeHg-associated ID was calculated, and a random effects model was used to impute the incidence for countries for which no exposure data could be found. The global burden of MeHg-associated ID was quantified in terms of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) using the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Health Estimates methodology, and presented by 14 subregions. In 2015, the global total for MeHg-associated cases of ID was 226,655; 210,074 of these cases (93%) were mild cases of ID. The highest rate of ID (6 cases per 100,000 population) was found in the Americas D subregion. The global DALY estimate was 1,963,869. The Western Pacific B subregion contributed the most to this total (696,417), although the Americas D subregion had the greatest rate (54 DALYs per 100,000 population). The burden of disease associated with MeHg is therefore highly subregion-dependent even in areas that are geographically related. The priority given to reducing this burden can therefore be expected to vary considerably by subregion depending on other health needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Bellinger
- Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brecht Devleesschauwer
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
| | - Keri O'Leary
- Gibb Epidemiology Consulting LLC, Arlington, VA, USA; George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, D.C., USA
| | - Herman J Gibb
- Gibb Epidemiology Consulting LLC, Arlington, VA, USA; George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, D.C., USA
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Patel NB, Xu Y, McCandless LC, Chen A, Yolton K, Braun J, Jones RL, Dietrich KN, Lanphear BP. Very low-level prenatal mercury exposure and behaviors in children: the HOME Study. Environ Health 2019; 18:4. [PMID: 30626382 PMCID: PMC6325670 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-018-0443-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mercury is toxic to the developing brain, but the lowest concentration associated with the development of behavior problems is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between very low-level mercury exposure during fetal development and behavior problems in children. METHODS We used data from 389 mothers and children in a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort study. We defined mean prenatal mercury concentration as the mean of total whole blood mercury concentrations in maternal samples collected at 16- and 26-weeks of gestation, delivery, and neonatal cord blood samples. We assessed parent-reported child behavior up to five times from two to 8 years of age using the Behavioral Assessment System for Children (BASC-2). At 8 years of age, we assessed self-reported child anxiety using the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS). We used multiple linear mixed models and linear regression models to estimate the association between mean prenatal mercury concentrations and child behavior and anxiety, respectively. RESULTS The median prenatal total blood mercury concentrations was 0.67 μg/L. Overall, we did not find statistically significant associations between mean prenatal mercury concentrations and behavior problems scores, but a 2-fold increase in mercury concentrations at 16-weeks gestation was associated with 0.83 point (95% CI: 0.05, 1.62) higher BASC-2 anxiety scores. Maternal and cord blood mercury concentrations at delivery were associated with parent-reported anxiety at 8 years. CONCLUSION We found limited evidence of an association between very-low level prenatal mercury exposure and behaviors in children, with an exception of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimesh B. Patel
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, Alberta T1K 3M4 Canada
| | - Yingying Xu
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | | | - Aimin Chen
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Kimberly Yolton
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Joseph Braun
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI USA
| | | | - Kim N. Dietrich
- Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH USA
| | - Bruce P. Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC Canada
- Child and Family Research Institute, BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Vancouver, BC Canada
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Abstract
Toxic chemicals, either from natural sources or man-made, are ubiquitous in our environment. Many of the synthetic chemicals make life more comfortable and therefore production continues to grow. Simultaneously with the increase in production, an increase in neurodevelopmental disorders has been observed. Some chemicals are not biodegradable or have a very long half-life time and, despite the fact that production of a number of those chemicals has been severely reduced, they are still ubiquitous in the environment. Fetal exposure to toxic chemicals is dependent on maternal exposure to those chemicals and the developing stage of the fetus. Human evidence from epidemiologic studies is described with regard to the effect of prenatal exposure to various groups of neurotoxicants (alcohol, particulate fine matter, metals, and endocrine disrupting chemicals) on neurobehavior development. Data indicate that prenatal exposure to alcohol, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, lead, methylmercury (MeHg), organophosphate pesticides (OPPs), and polychlorinated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) impair cognitive development, whereas exposure to alcohol, MeHg, organochlorine pesticides and OPPs, polychlorinated biphenyls, PBDEs, and bisphenol A increases the risk of developing either attention deficit/hyperactivity and/or autism spectrum disorders. Psychomotor development appears to be less affected. However, data are not conclusive, which may depend on the assessment of exposure and the exposure level, among other factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot van de Bor
- Department of Environment and Health, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Silver MK, Arain AL, Shao J, Chen M, Xia Y, Lozoff B, Meeker JD. Distribution and predictors of 20 toxic and essential metals in the umbilical cord blood of Chinese newborns. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 210:1167-1175. [PMID: 30208542 PMCID: PMC6179361 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.07.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Early-life exposure to heavy metals and/or trace metal imbalances can have negative developmental effects. Here we sought to characterize exposure profiles for 20 heavy metals and trace elements in umbilical cord blood plasma and identify demographic predictors of exposure. Twenty metals were measured in cord plasma from 357 Chinese infants using ICP-MS. Relationships between demographic variables and metals were analyzed using generalized linear models and logistic regression. Ten metals (antimony [Sb], cobalt [Co], cesium [Cs], copper [Cu], lead [Pb], molybdenum [Mo], rubidium [Rb], selenium [Se], strontium [Sr], titanium [Ti], zinc [Zn]) were detected in all samples. Season of birth was the strongest predictor of metals in cord blood across analyses. Infants born in the spring had 0.1-0.2 μg L-1 higher logAs and logCo in their cord blood (β [95%CI] = 0.22 [0.01,0.42], p = 0.04; 0.11 [0.01,0.22], p = 0.04), while infants born in the summer had higher Sb, logB, logHg, and logZn (β [95%CI] = 0.74 [0.24,1.24], p = 0.004; 0.11 [0.00,0.21], p = 0.04; 0.29 [0.08,0.49], p = 0.007; 0.18 [0.06,0.31], p = 0.005), compared to those born in fall/winter. Prenatal heavy metal exposure and/or trace metal deficiencies are global concerns because of increasing awareness of downstream developmental effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica K Silver
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Aubrey L Arain
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Jie Shao
- Department of Child Health Care, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Minjian Chen
- Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yankai Xia
- Institute of Toxicology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Betsy Lozoff
- Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - John D Meeker
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Mercury's neurotoxicity is characterized by its disruption of selenium biochemistry. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2018; 1862:2405-2416. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Ralston NV. Effects of soft electrophiles on selenium physiology. Free Radic Biol Med 2018; 127:134-144. [PMID: 30053507 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This review examines the effects of neurotoxic electrophiles on selenium (Se) metabolism. Selenium-dependent enzymes depend on the unique and elite functions of selenocysteine (Sec), the 21st proteinogenic amino acid, to perform their biochemical roles. Humans possess 25 selenoprotein genes, ~ half of which are enzymes (selenoenzymes) required for preventing, controlling, or reversing oxidative damage, while others participate in regulating calcium metabolism, thyroid hormone status, protein folding, cytoskeletal structure, Sec synthesis and Se transport. While selenoproteins are expressed in tissue dependent distributions and levels in all cells of all vertebrates, they are particularly important in brain development, health, and functions. As the most potent intracellular nucleophile, Sec is subject to binding by mercury (Hg) and other electron poor soft neurotoxic electrophiles. Epidemiological and environmental studies of the effects of exposures to methyl-Hg (CH3Hg+), elemental Hg (Hg°), and/or other metallic/organic neurotoxic soft electrophiles need to consider the concomitant effects of all members of this class of toxicants in relation to the Se status of their study populations. The contributions of individual electrophiles' discrete and cooperative rates of Se sequestration need to be evaluated in relation to tissue Se reserves of the exposed populations to identify sensitive subgroups which may be at accentuated risk due to poor Se status. Additional study is required to examine possibilities of inherited, acquired, or degenerative neurological disorders of Se homeostasis that may influence vulnerability to soft electrophile exposures. Investigations of soft electrophile toxicity will be enhanced by considering the concomitant effects of combined exposures on tissue Se-availability in relation to pathological consequences during fetal development or in relation to etiologies of neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. Since selenoenzymes are molecular "targets" of soft electrophiles, concomitant evaluation of aggregate exposures to these toxicants in relation to dietary Se intakes will assist regulatory agencies in their goals of improving and protecting public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Vc Ralston
- Earth System Science and Policy, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.
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Go S, Kurita H, Matsumoto K, Hatano M, Inden M, Hozumi I. Methylmercury causes epigenetic suppression of the tyrosine hydroxylase gene in an in vitro neuronal differentiation model. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 502:435-441. [PMID: 29856999 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.05.162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/24/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Methylmercury (MeHg) is the causative substance of Minamata disease, which is associated with various neurological disorders such as sensory disturbance and ataxia. It has been suggested low-level dietary intake of MeHg from MeHg-containing fish during gestation adversely affects the fetus. In our study, we investigated the toxicological effects of MeHg exposure on neuronal differentiation focusing on epigenetics. We used human fetal brain-derived immortalized cells (LUHMES cells) as a human neuronal differentiation model. Cell viability, neuronal, and catecholamine markers in LUHMES cells were assessed after exposure to MeHg (0-1000 nM) for 6 days (from day 2 to day 8 of neuronal differentiation). Cell viability on day 8 was not affected by exposure to 1 nM MeHg for 6 days. mRNA levels of AADC, DBH, TUJ1, and SYN1 also were unaffected by MeHg exposure. In contrast, levels of TH, the rate-limiting enzyme for dopamine synthesis, were significantly decreased after MeHg exposure. Acetylated histone H3, acetylated histone H3 lysine 9, and tri-methyl histone H3 lysine 9 levels at the TH gene promoter were not altered by MeHg exposure. However, tri-methylation of histone H3 lysine 27 levels, related to transcriptional repression, were significantly increased at the TH gene promotor after MeHg exposure. In summary, MeHg exposure during neuronal differentiation led to epigenetic changes that repressed TH gene expression. This study provides useful insights into the toxicological mechanisms underlying the effects of developmental MeHg exposure during neuronal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzuna Go
- Laboratory of Medical Therapeutics and Molecular Therapeutics, Department Biomedical Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi Gifu City, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan
| | - Hisaka Kurita
- Laboratory of Medical Therapeutics and Molecular Therapeutics, Department Biomedical Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi Gifu City, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan
| | - Kana Matsumoto
- Laboratory of Medical Therapeutics and Molecular Therapeutics, Department Biomedical Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi Gifu City, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan
| | - Manami Hatano
- Laboratory of Medical Therapeutics and Molecular Therapeutics, Department Biomedical Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi Gifu City, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Inden
- Laboratory of Medical Therapeutics and Molecular Therapeutics, Department Biomedical Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi Gifu City, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan
| | - Isao Hozumi
- Laboratory of Medical Therapeutics and Molecular Therapeutics, Department Biomedical Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 1-25-4 Daigaku-nishi Gifu City, Gifu, 501-1196, Japan.
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43
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Geier DA, Kern JK, Sykes LK, Geier MR. Mercury-associated diagnoses among children diagnosed with pervasive development disorders. Metab Brain Dis 2018; 33:949-960. [PMID: 29512044 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-018-0211-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Nelson and Bauman (Pediatrics 111:674-679, 2003) previously hypothesized that pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) was not associated with mercury (Hg) exposure because the medical conditions associated with Hg exposure were not associated with PDD. A hypothesis-testing longitudinal case-control study evaluated the frequency of medically diagnosed conditions previously associated with Hg poisoning, including: epilepsy, dysarthria, failure to thrive, cerebral palsy, or contact dermatitis and other eczema among children preceding their eventual PDD diagnosis (cases) compared to controls. A retrospective examination of medical records within the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) was undertaken. Cases diagnosed with PDD (n = 534) were born from 1991 to 2000 and continuously enrolled until their PDD diagnosis. Controls (n = 26,367) were born from 1991 to 1993 and continuously enrolled from birth for 7.22 years. Within the first 5 years of life, cases compared to controls were significantly (p < 0.0001) more likely to be assigned a diagnosis of contact dermatitis and other eczema (odds ratio (OR) = 2.033), dysarthria (OR = 23.992), epilepsy (OR = 5.351), failure to thrive (OR = 25.3), and cerebral palsy (OR = 4.464). Similar results were observed when the data were separated by gender. Overall, the results of the present study and recently published studies provide direct evidence supporting a link in twelve of twelve categories (100%) of Hg poisoning associated symptoms as defined by Nelson and Bauman (Pediatrics 111:674-679, 2003) and symptoms observed in those with a PDD diagnosis. The results of this study support the biological plausibility of Hg poisoning to induce PDD diagnoses and rejection of the Nelson and Bauman (Pediatrics 111:674-679, 2003) hypothesis because those with a PDD diagnosis have an increased frequency of conditions previously associated with Hg poisoning.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Geier
- The Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc, 14 Redgate Ct, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Janet K Kern
- The Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc, 14 Redgate Ct, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
- CoMeD, Inc, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
- CONEM US Autism Research Group, Allen, TX, USA.
| | | | - Mark R Geier
- The Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc, 14 Redgate Ct, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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Kim Y, Ha EH, Park H, Ha M, Kim Y, Hong YC, Lee EJ, Kim H, Chang N, Kim BN. Prenatal mercury exposure, fish intake and neurocognitive development during first three years of life: Prospective cohort mothers and Children's environmental health (MOCEH) study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 615:1192-1198. [PMID: 29751424 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2017] [Revised: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In this prospective cohort study, the effects of prenatal Hg exposure on neurocognitive development during the first 3years of life were investigated. METHODS The maternal blood levels of Hg were assessed during pregnancy and in cord blood. Maternal fish intake was assessed by interviewing the weekly frequency of fish intake during pregnancy. Maternal n-3 and n-6 fatty acid intake was estimated based on 24h recall food intake interview. The mental (MDI) and psychomotor (PDI) development index scores were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 6, 12, 24, 36months of age. RESULTS The geometric mean of the maternal blood Hg concentration was 3.3μg/L (10th percentile=1.81; 90th=5.91) during the early pregnancy, 3.0μg/L (10th=1.68; 90th=5.57) during late pregnancy, and 5.1μg/L (10th=2.94; 90th=8.93) in cord blood. After adjusting for weekly frequency of fish intake, the blood Hg concentrations during early pregnancy showed association with the adjusted MDI (β=-0.408, p=0.048) and PDI scores (β=-0.550, p=0.031) at 6months. After further adjusting for n-3 and n-6 fatty acids estimated based on 24h recall of food intake, the blood Hg concentrations during early pregnancy showed association with the MDI (β=-0.489, p=0.026) and PDI (β=-0.664, p=0.015) at 6months. CONCLUSION These results show that prenatal Hg exposure during early pregnancy adversely associated with early neurodevelopment during infancy, after adjusting for fish and n-3, n-6 fatty acid intake. Consuming fish high in fatty acids and low in Hg during early pregnancy may be important to neurocognitive development at early infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeni Kim
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, National Center for Mental Health, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, EwhaWomans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyesook Park
- Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, EwhaWomans University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Ha
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yangho Kim
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Chul Hong
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Jung Lee
- Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyesook Kim
- Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Namsoo Chang
- Department of Nutritional Science and Food Management, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Bung-Nyun Kim
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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Kusanagi E, Takamura H, Chen SJ, Adachi M, Hoshi N. Children's Hair Mercury Concentrations and Seafood Consumption in Five Regions of Japan. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2018; 74:259-272. [PMID: 29313075 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-017-0502-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) during the foetal and postnatal periods is known to have adverse effects on children's development. However, little attention has been paid to MeHg exposure during early childhood in Japan. To examine the regional differences in MeHg exposure and seafood consumption and the association between MeHg exposure and seafood consumption and dental metal restorations, we measured the total mercury (T-Hg) concentration in hair as an MeHg exposure index, and using questionnaires, we measured the frequency and amount of seafood consumption and the presence of dental metal restorations in 118 children aged 3-6 years in five regions of Japan. The arithmetic and geometric means of the T-Hg concentrations in hair were 1.03 and 0.87 ppm, respectively, and approximately 40% of the children exceeded the United States Environmental Protection Agency recommendation of 1.0 ppm. Significant regional differences in the hair T-Hg concentrations were found among the five regions, and the regional differences were consistent with the traditional regional patterns of eating fatty fish. According to the regression analysis, the consumption of fatty fish, particularly tuna/swordfish, had a significant effect on hair T-Hg concentrations, whereas age, sex, the materials used for dental metal restorations, and other types of seafood or fish/shellfish had no significant effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emiko Kusanagi
- Kokugakuin University Hokkaido Junior College, Takikawa, 073-0014, Japan.
| | | | - Shing-Jen Chen
- Koen Gakuen Women's Junior College, Sapporo, 005-0012, Japan
| | | | - Nobuko Hoshi
- Junior College of Sapporo Otani University, Sapporo, 065-8567, Japan
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Lipfert FW. Long-term associations of morbidity with air pollution: A catalog and synthesis. JOURNAL OF THE AIR & WASTE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION (1995) 2018; 68:12-28. [PMID: 28679072 DOI: 10.1080/10962247.2017.1349010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/18/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED I searched the National Institutes of Health MEDLINE database through January 2017 for long-term studies of morbidity and air pollution and cataloged them with respect to cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, diabetes, hospitalization, neurological, and pregnancy-birth endpoints. The catalog is presented as an online appendix. Associations with PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter <2.5 μm), PM10 (PM with an aerodynamic diameter <10 μm), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were evaluated most frequently among the 417 ambient air quality studies identified. Associations with total suspended particles (TSP), carbon, ozone, sulfur, vehicular traffic, radon, and indoor air quality were also reported. I evaluated each study in terms of pollutant significance (yes, no), duration of exposure, and publication date. I found statistically significant pollutant relationships (P < 0.05) in 224 studies; 220 studies indicated adverse effects. Among 795 individual pollutant effect estimates, 396 are statistically significant. Pollutant associations with cardiovascular indicators, lung function, respiratory symptoms, and low birth weight are more likely to be significant than with disease incidence, heart attacks, diabetes, or neurological endpoints. Elemental carbon (EC), traffic, and PM2.5 are most likely to be significant for cardiovascular outcomes; TSP, EC, and ozone (O3) for respiratory outcomes; NO2 for neurological outcomes; and PM10 for birth/pregnancy outcomes. Durations of exposure range from 60 days to 35 yr, but I found no consistent relationships with the likelihood of statistical significance. Respiratory studies began ca. 1975; studies of diabetes, cardiovascular, and neurological effects increased after about 2005. I found 72 studies of occupational air pollution exposures; 40 reported statistically significant adverse health effects, especially for respiratory conditions. I conclude that the aggregate of these studies supports the existence of nonlethal physiological effects of various pollutants, more so for non-life-threatening endpoints and for noncriteria pollutants (TSP, EC, PM2.5 metals). However, most studies were cross-sectional analyses over limited time spans with no consideration of lag or disease latency. Further longitudinal studies are thus needed to investigate the progress of disease incidence in association with air pollution exposure. IMPLICATIONS Relationships of air pollution with excess mortality are better known than with long-term antecedent morbidity. I cataloged 489 studies of cardiovascular, respiratory, cancer, and neurological effects, diabetes, and birth outcomes with respect to 12 air pollutants. About half of the studies reported statistically significant relationships, more frequently with noncriteria than with criteria pollutants. Indoor and cumulative exposures, coarse or ultrafine particles, and organic carbon were seldom considered. Significant relationships were more likely with less-severe endpoints such as blood pressure, lung function, or respiratory symptoms than with incidence of cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, or diabetes. Most long-term studies are based on spatial relationships; longitudinal studies are needed to link the progression of pollution-related morbidity to mortality, especially for the cardiovascular system.
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Gao ZY, Li MM, Wang J, Yan J, Zhou CC, Yan CH. Blood mercury concentration, fish consumption and anthropometry in Chinese children: A national study. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2018; 110:14-21. [PMID: 29113684 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2017.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/26/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study sought to obtain national cross-sectional data for blood mercury levels and risk factors for mercury exposure in Chinese children aged 0 to 6years to provide evidence to support preventive measures for reducing childhood blood mercury levels. METHODS A multi-stage, stratified, clustered random sampling survey was conducted May 2013-Mar 2015. Shanghai, Jilin, Shanxi, Guangdong, Qinghai, Yunnan and Hubei, which are located in seven different geographical regions in China, were selected as the study field. A total of 14,202 children aged 0-6years participated in the study. Whole-blood venous samples (3ml) were collected from the subjects for mercury exposure assessment. The DMA-80 was applied for mercury detection, and a health questionnaire gathering information on related confounders was completed by the subjects' parents of the subjects after they received guidance from the investigators. A general linear model was used for the primary descriptive statistical analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95%CIs for the risk factors were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. RESULTS A total of 14,202 eligible samples were collected. The mean mercury level was 1.39μg/L. Other results were as follows: median 1.23μg/L, p25 0.86μg/L, p75 1.73μg/L, and GM 1.10μg/L. Of the seven geographical regions, Qinghai, in northwestern China, had a median mercury level of 0.37μg/L, which was significantly lower than the mercury level in Guangdong, in southeastern China (2.01μg/L). The median blood mercury level of children in suburban areas was 1.34μg/L, which was remarkably higher than that of children in rural areas (1.09μg/L). Dichotomous subgroups were generated using the median mercury concentration. Unconditional logistic regression analysis revealed that fish consumption may contribute to increased blood mercury levels (p<0.05). Additionally, we observed significantly positive associations between mercury concentrations and the children's anthropometric characteristics (BMI; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Blood mercury concentrations among Chinese children aged 0-6years were considered low, and children who consumed more marine fish, freshwater fish and shellfish tended to have higher mercury concentrations. Our study suggests that children's growth is likely affected by the positive effects of mercury, which may have implications concerning the positive effects of fish consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-Yan Gao
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Min-Ming Li
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Ju Wang
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Jin Yan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Can-Can Zhou
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China
| | - Chong-Huai Yan
- Department of Child and Adolescent Healthcare, Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, PR China.
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Mercury Hair Concentration among Primary School Children in Malaysia. CHILDREN-BASEL 2017; 4:children4120109. [PMID: 29240681 PMCID: PMC5742754 DOI: 10.3390/children4120109] [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: 11/10/2017] [Revised: 12/03/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The main concern regarding mercury exposure is the adverse health effect on the developing nervous system. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine hair mercury levels and their association with socio-demographic characteristics, complaints about mercury poisoning symptoms and the fish consumption pattern among children in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 215 school children aged 11 years old. Hair was collected from the children and the total mercury was analyzed using oxygen combustion–gold amalgamation atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Anthropometric data, a fish consumption questionnaire and mercury poisoning symptoms were collected during a personal interview. The mean hair mercury level among primary school children was 0.63 ± 0.59 µg/g with the geometric mean of 0.47 µg/g. A total of 14% of respondents had hair mercury levels above 1 µg/g. A multiple binary logistic regression analysis outlined that fish consumption of at least one meal per week increased the likelihood of having a high mercury level (odds ratio (OR) 3.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3–10.4). This study confirms the existence of a mercury burden among Malaysian children and the level is high compared to other regional studies. This study provides important baseline data regarding the mercury level among children in Malaysia.
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Sabra S, Malmqvist E, Saborit A, Gratacós E, Gomez Roig MD. Heavy metals exposure levels and their correlation with different clinical forms of fetal growth restriction. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0185645. [PMID: 28985223 PMCID: PMC5630121 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Prenatal heavy metals exposure has shown a negative impact on birth weight. However, their influence on different clinical forms of fetal smallness was never assessed. Objectives To investigate whether there is a differential association between heavy metals exposure and fetal smallness subclassification into intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and small-for-gestational age (SGA). Method In this prospective case-control study, we included 178 mother–infant pairs; 96 of appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and 82 of small fetuses diagnosed in third trimester. The small ones were further subclassified into IUGR, n = 49 and SGA, n = 33. Cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), arsenic (As) and zinc (Zn) levels were measured in the maternal and cord serum, and in the placentas of the three groups. Results Maternal serum level of Cd (p<0.001) was higher in the small fetuses compared to AGA. Fetal serum level of Cd (p<0.001) was increased in the small fetuses compared to AGA. Fetal serum level of Hg (p<0.05) showed an increase in SGA compared to both IUGR and AGA. Fetal serum level of Zn was increased in the AGA (p < 0.001) compared to each of the small fetuses groups. Only differences in the levels between the small fetuses’ subgroups were detected in the fetal serum levels of Cd and Hg. Fetal birth weight was negatively correlated with the fetal serum level of Cd (p < 0.001). No differences in the placental heavy metal levels were observed among the groups. Conclusion Fetal serum levels of Cd showed differential correlation between small fetuses' clinical subclassification, which together with the increased Cd levels in both maternal and fetal serum of the small fetuses reinforce the negative influence of heavy metals on birth weight. These findings provide more opportunities to verify the role of heavy metals exposure in relation to small fetuses’ subclassification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Sabra
- BCNatal | Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ebba Malmqvist
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Alicia Saborit
- BCNatal | Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduard Gratacós
- BCNatal | Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona, and Centre for Biomedical Research on Rare Diseases, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Dolores Gomez Roig
- BCNatal | Barcelona Center for Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine (Hospital Sant Joan de Déu and Hospital Clínic), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Spanish Maternal and Child Health and Development Network Retics Red SAMID, Health Research Institute Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Santa Rosa 39–57, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- * E-mail:
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Golding J, Hibbeln JR, Gregory SM, Iles-Caven Y, Emond A, Taylor CM. Maternal prenatal blood mercury is not adversely associated with offspring IQ at 8 years provided the mother eats fish: A British prebirth cohort study. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2017; 220:1161-1167. [PMID: 28754500 PMCID: PMC5584731 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background Conflicting evidence concerning possible harm from mercury (Hg) in regard to offspring cognition if the woman eats fish has prompted this study to examine evidence from a British pre-birth cohort to investigate the relationship between the two. Methods Pregnant women (median prenatal blood mercury 1.86 μg/L) resident in the study area with delivery between April 1991 and December 1992 were followed up and verbal, performance and total intelligence quotient (IQ) of 2062 offspring were measured at age 8. Analysis treated IQ as (a) continuous and (b) the lowest 25% of the distribution. Multiple and logistic regression analyses took account of social and demographic variables. Stratification considered children of fish eaters separately. Results Before adjustment, mean full-scale IQ increased with increasing Hg (change with 1SD of Hg = +2.02; 95%CI +1.40,+2.64 IQ points; P < 0.0001); after adjustment effect size was reduced although still positive (+0.61;95%CI -0.06,+1.29 IQ points; P = 0.073). The adjusted positive relationship was stronger when fish-eating mothers were considered separately (+0.84:95%CI +0.13,+1.56 IQ points; P = 0.021) in comparison with the outcomes for non-fish eaters, where the adjusted relationship was negative (-2.22;95%CI -5.00,+0.56 IQ points; P = 0.117). The binary outcome showed a similar pattern with the adjusted OR for non-fish-eaters 1.79 (95%CI 1.10,2.93; P = 0.019) per SD of Hg, significantly different from that for fish consumers (0.94;95%CI:0.82,1.08)(Pinteraction<0.05). There were no differences between the sexes in the associations, nor did the level of the mother’s blood selenium change the effect sizes. Conclusion The relationship between intrauterine exposure to mercury and offspring IQ appears to be benign provided the mother consumes fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Golding
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
| | - Joseph R Hibbeln
- Section on Nutritional Neurosciences, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health,5625 Fishers Lane, Rm 3N-07, MSC 9410 Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Steven M Gregory
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
| | - Yasmin Iles-Caven
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
| | - Alan Emond
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
| | - Caroline M Taylor
- Centre for Child and Adolescent Health, School of Social & Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Oakfield House, Oakfield Grove, Bristol BS8 2BN, UK.
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