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González-Rubio JM, Domínguez-Morueco N, Pedraza-Díaz S, Cañas Portilla A, Lucena MÁ, Rodriguez A, Castaño A, Esteban-López M. A simple method for direct mercury analysis in dried blood spots (DBS) samples for human biomonitoring studies. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 177:107958. [PMID: 37285712 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Human exposure to mercury can have serious health effects, especially in vulnerable groups such as children and fetuses. The use of dried blood spot (DBS) samples to collect capillary blood greatly facilitates sample collection and fieldwork, being a less invasive alternative to blood collection by venipuncture, needing a small volume of sample, and does not require specialized medical staff. Moreover, DBS sampling reduces logistical and financial barriers related to transport and storage of blood samples. We propose here a novel method to analyze total mercury in DBS samples in a Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA) that allow the control of the volume of the DBS samples. This method has shown good results in terms of precision (<6% error), accuracy (<10% coefficient of variation) and recovery (75-106%). The applicability of the method in human biomonitoring (HBM) was demonstrated in a pilot study involving 41 adults aged 18-65. Mercury concentrations of DBS samples from capillary blood collected by finger prick (real DBS samples) were determined in the DMA and compared with those determined in whole blood (venous blood) by ICP-MS, the method usually used in HBM. The sampling procedure was also validated by comparison of real DBS samples and DBS generated artificially in the laboratory by depositing venous samples in cellulose cards (laboratory DBS). There were no statistically significant differences in the results obtained using both methodologies (DMA: Geometric Mean (confidence interval 95%) = 3.87 (3.12-4.79) µg/L; ICP-MS: Geometric Mean (confidence interval 95%) = 3.46 (2.80-4.27) µg/L). The proposed method is an excellent alternative to be applied in clinical settings as screening methodology for assessing mercury exposure in vulnerable groups, such us pregnant woman, babies and children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Susana Pedraza-Díaz
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Cañas Portilla
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Ángel Lucena
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Argelia Castaño
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Esteban-López
- National Centre for Environmental Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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2
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Jacobson TA, Kler JS, Bae Y, Chen J, Ladror DT, Iyer R, Nunes DA, Montgomery ND, Pleil JD, Funk WE. A state-of-the-science review and guide for measuring environmental exposure biomarkers in dried blood spots. JOURNAL OF EXPOSURE SCIENCE & ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGY 2022:10.1038/s41370-022-00460-7. [PMID: 35963945 PMCID: PMC9375076 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-022-00460-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling is a simple, cost-effective, and minimally invasive alternative to venipuncture for measuring exposure biomarkers in public health and epidemiological research. DBS sampling provides advantages in field-based studies conducted in low-resource settings and in studies involving infants and children. In addition, DBS samples are routinely collected from newborns after birth (i.e., newborn dried blood spots, NDBS), with many states in the United States permitting access to archived NDBS samples for research purposes. OBJECTIVES We review the state of the science for analyzing exposure biomarkers in DBS samples, both archived and newly collected, and provide guidance on sample collection, storage, and blood volume requirements associated with individual DBS assays. We discuss recent progress regarding analytical methods, analytical sensitivity, and specificity, sample volume requirements, contamination considerations, estimating extracted blood volumes, assessing stability and analyte recovery, and hematocrit effects. METHODS A systematic search of PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase (Elsevier), and CINAHL (EBSCO) was conducted in March 2022. DBS method development and application studies were divided into three main chemical classes: environmental tobacco smoke, trace elements (including lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic), and industrial chemicals (including endocrine-disrupting chemicals and persistent organic pollutants). DBS method development and validation studies were scored on key quality-control and performance parameters by two members of the review team. RESULTS Our search identified 47 published reports related to measuring environmental exposure biomarkers in human DBS samples. A total of 28 reports (37 total studies) were on methods development and validation and 19 reports were primarily the application of previously developed DBS assays. High-performing DBS methods have been developed, validated, and applied for detecting environmental exposures to tobacco smoke, trace elements, and several important endocrine-disrupting chemicals and persistent organic pollutants. Additional work is needed for measuring cadmium, arsenic, inorganic mercury, and bisphenol A in DBS and NDBS samples. SIGNIFICANCE We present an inventory and critical review of available assays for measuring environmental exposure biomarkers in DBS and NDBS samples to help facilitate this sampling medium as an emerging tool for public health (e.g., screening programs, temporal biomonitoring) and environmental epidemiology (e.g., field-based studies).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler A Jacobson
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jasdeep S Kler
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yeunook Bae
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jiexi Chen
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel T Ladror
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ramsunder Iyer
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Denise A Nunes
- Galter Health Sciences Library, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Nathan D Montgomery
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Joachim D Pleil
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William E Funk
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
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Koutsimpani-Wagner A, Quartucci C, Rooney JPK, Bose-O'Reilly S, Rakete S. Mercury biomonitoring in German adults using volumetric absorptive microsampling. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:315. [PMID: 35355133 PMCID: PMC8969040 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-09962-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a global pollutant and a danger to human health. Human biomonitoring of Hg using a dried blood matrix instead of venous blood sampling for exposure assessment is of growing interest. This study aims to develop, validate, and evaluate the application of volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS) for Hg biomonitoring in humans. Sampling, drying, and storage conditions were evaluated during method development. Storage in pre-cleaned glass vials after drying for 2 h in a desiccator ensured analyte stability for at least 4 weeks. Sixty-eight paired capillary VAMS and venous blood samples from volunteers in Munich, Germany, were used for method validation. Hg levels in VAMS and venous blood samples were determined by direct mercury analysis. The limits of detection and quantitation for VAMS were 0.18 and 0.61 µg/l, respectively. However, sensitivity could be improved by using two microsamples for analysis instead of one. Hg levels in VAMS samples correlated very well with Hg levels in venous blood samples (R2 = 0.958). Furthermore, VAMS showed a high accuracy (median recovery: 117%) and precision (median relative standard deviation: 8.7%), especially for Hg concentrations above 1.0 µg/l. In fact, accuracy and precision of VAMS improved with increasing Hg concentrations. In conclusion, VAMS in combination with direct mercury analysis is an accurate and viable alternative for human biomonitoring of Hg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Koutsimpani-Wagner
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstraße 5, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline Quartucci
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstraße 5, 80336, Munich, Germany
- Institute for Occupational Health and Product Safety, Bavarian Health and Food Safety Authority, Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - James P K Rooney
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstraße 5, 80336, Munich, Germany
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Stephan Bose-O'Reilly
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstraße 5, 80336, Munich, Germany
- Department of Public HealthInstitute of Public Health, Medical Decision Making and Health Technology AssessmentMedical Informatics and Technology, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT - Private University for Health Sciences, Hall i.T., Austria
| | - Stefan Rakete
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstraße 5, 80336, Munich, Germany.
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4
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Santa Rios A, Fobil J, Basu N. Methylmercury Measurements in Dried Blood Spots from Electronic Waste Workers Sampled from Agbogbloshie, Ghana. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:2183-2188. [PMID: 34010481 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5121] [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: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Biomonitoring methylmercury (MeHg) exposure is problematic in resource-limited settings and with difficult-to-access populations where traditional biomarker approaches present logistical, economic, and ethical issues. The present study aimed to validate the use of dried blood spots (DBS) to assess MeHg exposure in a real-world contaminated field setting. Whole-blood and DBS samples were collected from electronic waste workers (n = 20) from Agbogbloshie (Ghana) in 2017, and DBS were also artificially created in the laboratory using the field-collected blood. Whole-blood MeHg concentrations averaged 0.84 µg/L, which was not different from levels measured in the corresponding DBS samples (field-collected or artificially created). Whole-blood MeHg comprised 61% of the blood total Hg concentrations. Linear regression analysis revealed no differences in MeHg concentrations between whole-blood samples and field-collected DBS (slope 0.89, R2 = 0.94) and between field and laboratory DBS (slope 0.89, R2 = 0.96). The MeHg content in DBS punch blanks averaged 0.86 pg and thus was not of concern. These findings indicate that DBS are a suitable tool for assessing MeHg exposure in real-world environmental settings that may be heavily contaminated. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2183-2188. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Santa Rios
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
| | - Julius Fobil
- Department of Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Science, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Accra, Ghana
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada
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Dufault RJ, Wolle MM, Kingston HMS, Gilbert SG, Murray JA. Connecting inorganic mercury and lead measurements in blood to dietary sources of exposure that may impact child development. World J Methodol 2021; 11:144-159. [PMID: 34322366 PMCID: PMC8299913 DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v11.i4.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pre-natal and post-natal chemical exposures and co-exposures from a variety of sources including contaminated air, water, soil, and food are common and associated with poorer birth and child health outcomes. Poor diet is a contributing factor in the development of child behavioral disorders. Child behavior and learning can be adversely impacted when gene expression is altered by dietary transcription factors such as zinc insufficiency or deficiency or by exposure to toxic substances permitted in our food supply such as mercury, lead, or organophosphate pesticide residue. Children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders exhibit decreased or impaired PON1 gene activity which is needed by the body to metabolize and excrete neurotoxic organophosphate pesticides. In this current review we present an updated macroepigenetic model that explains how dietary inorganic mercury and lead exposures from unhealthy diet may lead to elevated blood mercury and/or lead levels and the development of symptoms associated with the autism and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorders. PON1 gene activity may be suppressed by inadequate dietary calcium, selenium, and fatty acid intake or exposures to lead or mercury. The model may assist clinicians in diagnosing and treating the symptoms associated with these childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. Recommendations for future research are provided based on the updated model and review of recently published literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee J Dufault
- Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute, Naalehu, HI 96772, United States
- College of Graduate Health Studies, A.T. Still University, Kirksville, MO 63501, United States
| | - Mesay M Wolle
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - H M Skip Kingston
- Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute, Naalehu, HI 96772, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, United States
| | - Steven G Gilbert
- Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute, Naalehu, HI 96772, United States
- Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders, Seattle, WA 98105, United States
| | - Joseph A Murray
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
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Schweizer AK, Kabesch M, Quartucci C, Bose-O'Reilly S, Rakete S. Implementation of mercury biomonitoring in German adults using dried blood spot sampling in combination with direct mercury analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2021; 193:488. [PMID: 34245358 PMCID: PMC8272700 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-021-09254-0] [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: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Venous blood is a preferred matrix for the determination of total mercury (Hg) in human biomonitoring but has some drawbacks such as the requirement for an uninterrupted cold chain for transport and storage and the need of medical personnel for sample collection. Therefore, we tested and implemented a simpler and less expensive method for measuring Hg in human blood using dried blood spots (DBS). For method development, we investigated the influence of different storage conditions (temperature, storage vessel, time) on DBS samples. For method validation, we compared DBS and venous blood and investigated whether DBS sampling is suitable for measuring Hg in the general population in countries with low Hg exposure such as Germany. Based on our results, we found that pre-cleaned glass tubes were most suitable for storage of DBS samples, as this allowed the samples to remain stable for at least 4 weeks even at high temperatures (40 °C). When comparing venous blood and DBS, a very good correlation (r = 0.95, p < 0.01, Spearman-Rho) and high precision of DBS (mean relative standard deviation 8.2% vs. 7.2% in venous blood samples) were observed. Comparing the recoveries of both matrices in different concentration ranges, the variation of the recoveries decreases with increasing Hg concentration. The mean recoveries also decreased with increasing Hg concentration. Overall, we found comparable results for DBS and venous blood using direct Hg analysis. Furthermore, we demonstrated that DBS are suitable for Hg biomonitoring in the general population in Germany and improved the storage conditions for the DBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kathrin Schweizer
- University Children's Hospital Regensburg (KUNO) At the Hospital St. Hedwig of the Order of St. John and the University Hospital, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Michael Kabesch
- University Children's Hospital Regensburg (KUNO) At the Hospital St. Hedwig of the Order of St. John and the University Hospital, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Member of the Research and Development Campus Regensburg (WECARE), Hospital St. Hedwig of the Order of St. John, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Caroline Quartucci
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstraße 1, 80336, Munich, Germany
| | - Stephan Bose-O'Reilly
- University Children's Hospital Regensburg (KUNO) At the Hospital St. Hedwig of the Order of St. John and the University Hospital, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
- Member of the Research and Development Campus Regensburg (WECARE), Hospital St. Hedwig of the Order of St. John, Regensburg, Germany
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstraße 1, 80336, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Public Health, Medical Decision Making and Health Technology Assessment, Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT (Private University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology), Hall in Tirol, Austria
| | - Stefan Rakete
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Ziemssenstraße 1, 80336, Munich, Germany.
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7
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Lupo PJ, Petrick LM, Hoang TT, Janitz AE, Marcotte EL, Schraw JM, Arora M, Scheurer ME. Using primary teeth and archived dried spots for exposomic studies in children: Exploring new paths in the environmental epidemiology of pediatric cancer. Bioessays 2021; 43:e2100030. [PMID: 34106479 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
It is estimated that 300,000 children 0-14 years of age are diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year. While the absolute risk of cancer in children is low, it is the leading cause of death due to disease in children in high-income countries. In spite of this, the etiologies of pediatric cancer are largely unknown. Environmental exposures have long been thought to play an etiologic role. However, to date, there are few well-established environmental risk factors for pediatric malignancies, likely due to technical barriers in collecting biological samples prospectively in pediatric populations for direct measurements. In this review, we propose the use of novel or underutilized biospecimens (dried blood spots and teeth) and molecular approaches for exposure assessment (epigenetics, metabolomics, and somatic mutational profiles). Future epidemiologic studies of pediatric cancer should incorporate novel exposure assessment methodologies, data on molecular features of tumors, and a more complete assessment of gene-environment interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J Lupo
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Lauren M Petrick
- The Senator Frank R. Lautenberg Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Thanh T Hoang
- Epidemiology Branch, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Amanda E Janitz
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Hudson College of Public Health, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Erin L Marcotte
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jeremy M Schraw
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Manish Arora
- The Senator Frank R. Lautenberg Environmental Health Science Laboratory, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michael E Scheurer
- Section of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
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8
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Santa-Rios A, Barst BD, Tejeda-Benitez L, Palacios-Torres Y, Baumgartner J, Basu N. Dried blood spots to characterize mercury speciation and exposure in a Colombian artisanal and small-scale gold mining community. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 266:129001. [PMID: 33248726 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector uses the most mercury (Hg) worldwide. Despite health concerns associated with high Hg exposures in these communities, ASGM sites are often situated in resource limited and remote regions which challenge traditional human biomonitoring approaches. To help overcome such challenges, here we report on the development of a high-quality method to characterize chemical speciation of Hg in dried blood spots (DBS), and then apply this method to assess Hg exposures in people sampled from an ASGM community (Pueblito Mejia) and a nearby town (Barranco de Loba) in Colombia. We collected DBS and urine samples from 35 individuals in 2018, and used these to assess occupational (DBS inorganic Hg (InHg) and urine total Hg (THg) measures) and environmental (DBS methylmercury (MeHg) measures) exposure of participants to different forms of Hg. The accuracy and precision of the DBS-based measures generally met assay performance guideline. In study participants, the mean concentrations of DBS MeHg, InHg, and THg, and urine THg were 1.9, 4.1, 6.0, and 3.1 μg/L, respectively. For 37% of the participants, DBS THg values exceeded the 5 μg/L 'alert level' proposed by the German HBM Commission. About 60% of the blood Hg was in the InHg form thus exemplifying a need to speciate Hg in blood sampled from ASGM sites to better understand the contributions of environmental and occupational exposure sources. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using DBS for Hg speciation exposure assessments in remote and resource-limited areas such as ASGM communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Santa-Rios
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada.
| | - Benjamin D Barst
- Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, United States
| | - Lesly Tejeda-Benitez
- Grupo de investigación en Ciencias Biomédicas, Toxicológicas y Ambientales, Campus de Zaragocilla, Universidad de Cartagena, 130015, Colombia
| | - Yuber Palacios-Torres
- Grupo de Toxicología Ambiental y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Tecnológica del Choco "Diego Luis Cordoba", Quibdo, Choco, A.A. 292, Colombia
| | - Jill Baumgartner
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 1A3, Canada
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H9X 3V9, Canada.
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Neonatal Lead (Pb) Exposure and DNA Methylation Profiles in Dried Bloodspots. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17186775. [PMID: 32957503 PMCID: PMC7559513 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Revised: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) exposure remains a major concern in the United States (US) and around the world, even following the removal of Pb from gasoline and other products. Environmental Pb exposures from aging infrastructure and housing stock are of particular concern to pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable populations. Exposures during sensitive periods of development are known to influence epigenetic modifications which are thought to be one mechanism of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) paradigm. To gain insights into early life Pb exposure-induced health risks, we leveraged neonatal dried bloodspots in a cohort of children from Michigan, US to examine associations between blood Pb levels and concomitant DNA methylation profiles (n = 96). DNA methylation analysis was conducted via the Infinium MethylationEPIC array and Pb levels were assessed via high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS). While at-birth Pb exposure levels were relatively low (average 0.78 µg/dL, maximum of 5.27 ug/dL), we identified associations between DNA methylation and Pb at 33 CpG sites, with the majority (82%) exhibiting reduced methylation with increasing Pb exposure (q < 0.2). Biological pathways related to development and neurological function were enriched amongst top differentially methylated genes by p-value. In addition to increases/decreases in methylation, we also demonstrate that Pb exposure is related to increased variability in DNA methylation at 16 CpG sites. More work is needed to assess the accuracy and precision of metals assessment using bloodspots, but this study highlights the utility of this unique resource to enhance environmental epigenetics research around the world.
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Santa-Rios A, Barst BD, Basu N. Mercury Speciation in Whole Blood and Dried Blood Spots from Capillary and Venous Sources. Anal Chem 2020; 92:3605-3612. [PMID: 32056420 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
There is interest in measuring total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in dried blood spots (DBS) though more research is required to evaluate mercury (Hg) speciation in DBS and to validate the agreement between blood sources (venous vs capillary) and matrices (whole blood vs DBS). Therefore, the present study aimed to develop, evaluate, and validate a DBS-based method to assess MeHg and inorganic mercury (InHg) exposure in human population studies. First, we used volume-controlled (40 μL) paired DBS-whole blood samples to develop an analytical method that involved the extraction and quantification of MeHg and InHg with gas chromatography-cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry (GC-CVAFS). Next, we carried out a validation study using paired DBS-whole blood samples from venous and capillary sources from 49 volunteers with Hg exposures similar to background populations (i.e., MeHg in venous whole blood ranged from 0.2 to 3 μg/L with a median value of 0.8). The limits of detection were higher for InHg (1.9 and 1.1 μg/L in DBS and whole blood, respectively) than MeHg (0.3 and 0.2 μg/L in DBS and whole blood, respectively). The MeHg concentrations among blood sources and matrices were highly correlated (r ranged from 0.85 to 0.95), with no constant bias (intercept ranged from -0.05 to 0.13 μg/L) and small proportional bias (slopes ranged from 0.92 to 1.08). Bland-Altman plots indicated little bias between MeHg measurements with 82-98% of the cases meeting the analytical acceptance criterion of 35% maximum allowed difference. Our results indicate that measures of MeHg in capillary DBS reflect concentrations in the gold standard (i.e., venous whole blood) and that DBS is a suitable tool for assessing MeHg exposure in human population studies, but that more work is required to assess InHg exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Santa-Rios
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Benjamin D Barst
- Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, United States
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
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11
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Development, validation and application of an inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry method to determine cobalt in metal-on-metal prosthesis patients using volumetric absorptive microsampling. Talanta 2020; 208:120055. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.06.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 06/09/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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12
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Perkins M, Basu N. Dried blood spots for estimating mercury exposure in birds. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 236:236-246. [PMID: 29414345 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 01/14/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a pervasive environmental contaminant that can impair avian health, consequently there is a need to gauge exposures. Bird blood provides a measure of recent dietary exposure to Hg, but blood collection and storage can be complex and costly. Dried blood spots (DBS) may help overcome challenges of whole blood analyses, therefore, this study aimed to develop and validate a novel method to assess Hg exposure in birds using DBS. First, accuracy and precision of blood Hg concentrations for entire DBS and DBS punches were determined for white leghorn chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) dosed with methylmercury (MeHg) via egg injection. Next, we investigated Hg stability in chicken DBS subjected to time, temperature, and humidity treatments. Lastly, we applied the method to DBS created using standard field methods from zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttatato) in the laboratory and American golden-plover (Pluvalis dominica) sampled in the field. All samples were analyzed for total Hg (THg) using direct Hg analysis. Accuracy was determined by comparing DBS concentrations with those of corresponding whole blood and reported as percent recovery. Accuracy for entire chicken DBS was 101.8 ± 5.4%, while DBS punches revealed lower recovery (87.7 ± 4.0 to 92.4 ± 4.1%). There was little effect of time, temperature, and humidity storage treatments on Hg concentrations of DBS, with mean DBS THg concentrations within ±8% of whole blood (n = 10 treatments). For zebra finch, DBS punches were more accurate (93.7 ± 9.7%) compared to entire DBS (126.8 ± 19.4%). While for American golden-plover, entire DBS resulted in the most accurate THg concentrations (111.5 ± 7.6%) compared to DBS punches (edge: 115.4 ± 18.9%, interior: 131.4 ± 16.1%). Overall, results indicate that DBS analysis using direct Hg analysis can accurately evaluate Hg exposure in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Perkins
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada.
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Dried matrix spots and clinical elemental analysis. Current status, difficulties, and opportunities. Trends Analyt Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2017.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Basu N, Eng JWL, Perkins M, Santa-Rios A, Martincevic G, Carlson K, Neitzel RL. Development and application of a novel method to characterize methylmercury exposure in newborns using dried blood spots. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 159:276-282. [PMID: 28825981 PMCID: PMC6309537 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2017] [Revised: 08/08/2017] [Accepted: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methylmercury (MeHg) is a pollutant of global concern. While there is a need to gauge early-life exposures, there remain outstanding ethical, financial, and practical challenges with using the preferred biomarker, whole blood, notably in pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and children. Dried bloodspots (DBS) may help overcome some of these challenges. Notably DBS are collected from newborns in many jurisdictions offering an institutionalized platform to efficiently characterize exposures. OBJECTIVE To develop, validate, and apply a new method to measure MeHg levels in DBS with a specific aim to use this method to increase understanding of newborn exposures. METHODS Method development and validation was pursued by consulting U.S. EPA Method 1630 and other resources. The method was applied to measure MeHg levels in DBS from newborns (n = 675) from the Michigan BioTrust for Health program. RESULTS The assay's detection limit (0.3μg/L), accuracy (96-115% of expected), precision, linearity, and range met performance criteria guidelines. In the newborn DBS samples, the mean (SD) and geometric mean values of MeHg were 1.46 (0.90) and 1.25μg/L respectively, and ranged from 0.09 to 9.97μg/L. The values we report here are similar to cord blood mercury values reported elsewhere. CONCLUSIONS This is the first characterization of MeHg exposure in newborns, and thus fills an important data gap as prior studies have focused on pregnant women, cord blood, or toddlers. This method helps overcome technical challenges associated with other proposed approaches, and moving ahead there is great promise for applying this DBS-based method for population-level surveillance, particularly in resource-limited settings and for children's health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niladri Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Jenny W L Eng
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie Perkins
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Andrea Santa-Rios
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gordana Martincevic
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Krystin Carlson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Richard L Neitzel
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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