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Schilling K, Glabonjat RA, Balac O, Gálvez-Fernández M, Domingo-Relloso A, Slavkovich V, Goldsmith J, Jones MR, Sanchez TR, Navas-Acien A. Method validation for (ultra)-trace element concentrations in urine for small sample volumes in large epidemiological studies: application to the population-based epidemiological multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis (MESA). Anal Methods 2024; 16:214-226. [PMID: 38099473 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01605f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Analysis of essential and non-essential trace elements in urine has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing occupational and environmental exposures, diagnosing nutritional status and guiding public health and health care intervention. Our study focused on the analysis of trace elements in urine samples from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a precious resource for health research with limited sample volumes. Here we provide a comprehensive and sensitive method for the analysis of 18 elements using only 100 μL of urine. Method sensitivity, accuracy, and precision were assessed. The analysis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) included the measurement of antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), cesium (Cs), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), gadolinium (Gd), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), strontium (Sr), thallium (Tl), tungsten (W), uranium (U), and zinc (Zn). Further, we reported urinary trace element concentrations by covariates including gender, ethnicity/race, smoking and location. The results showed good accuracy and sensitivity of the ICP-MS method with the limit of detections rangings between 0.001 μg L-1 for U to 6.2 μg L-1 for Zn. Intra-day precision for MESA urine analysis varied between 1.4% for Mo and 26% for Mn (average 6.4% for all elements). The average inter-day precision for most elements was <8.5% except for Gd (20%), U (16%) and Mn (19%) due to very low urinary concentrations. Urinary mean concentrations of non-essential elements followed the order of Sr > As > Cs > Ni > Ba > Pb > Cd > Gd > Tl > W > U. The order of urinary mean concentrations for essential trace elements was Zn > Se > Mo > Cu > Co > Mn. Non-adjusted mean concentration of non-essential trace elements in urine from MESA participants follow the order Sr > As > Cs > Ni > Ba > Pb > Cd > Gd > Tl > W > U. The unadjusted urinary mean concentrations of essential trace elements decrease from Zn > Se > Mo > Cu > Co > Mn.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Schilling
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Ronald A Glabonjat
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Olgica Balac
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Marta Gálvez-Fernández
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Arce Domingo-Relloso
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Vesna Slavkovich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jeff Goldsmith
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Miranda R Jones
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tiffany R Sanchez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
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Spaur M, Glabonjat RA, Schilling K, Lombard MA, Galvez-Fernandez M, Lieberman-Cribbin W, Hayek C, Ilievski V, Balac O, Izuchukwu C, Patterson K, Basu A, Bostick BC, Chen Q, Sanchez T, Navas-Acien A, Nigra AE. Contribution of arsenic and uranium in private wells and community water systems to urinary biomarkers in US adults: The Strong Heart Study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2024; 34:77-89. [PMID: 37558699 PMCID: PMC10853483 DOI: 10.1038/s41370-023-00586-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (As) and uranium (U) in the United States (US) occurs from unregulated private wells and federally regulated community water systems (CWSs). The contribution of water to total exposure is assumed to be low when water As and U concentrations are low. OBJECTIVE We examined the contribution of water As and U to urinary biomarkers in the Strong Heart Family Study (SHFS), a prospective study of American Indian communities, and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), a prospective study of racially/ethnically diverse urban U.S. communities. METHODS We assigned residential zip code-level estimates in CWSs (µg/L) and private wells (90th percentile probability of As >10 µg/L) to up to 1485 and 6722 participants with dietary information and urinary biomarkers in the SHFS (2001-2003) and MESA (2000-2002; 2010-2011), respectively. Urine As was estimated as the sum of inorganic and methylated species, and urine U was total uranium. We used linear mixed-effects models to account for participant clustering and removed the effect of dietary sources via regression adjustment. RESULTS The median (interquartile range) urine As was 5.32 (3.29, 8.53) and 6.32 (3.34, 12.48) µg/L for SHFS and MESA, respectively, and urine U was 0.037 (0.014, 0.071) and 0.007 (0.003, 0.018) µg/L. In a meta-analysis across both studies, urine As was 11% (95% CI: 3, 20%) higher and urine U was 35% (5, 73%) higher per twofold higher CWS As and U, respectively. In the SHFS, zip-code level factors such as private well and CWS As contributed 46% of variation in urine As, while in MESA, zip-code level factors, e.g., CWS As and U, contribute 30 and 49% of variation in urine As and U, respectively. IMPACT STATEMENT We found that water from unregulated private wells and regulated CWSs is a major contributor to urinary As and U (an estimated measure of internal dose) in both rural, American Indian populations and urban, racially/ethnically diverse populations nationwide, even at levels below the current regulatory standard. Our findings indicate that additional drinking water interventions, regulations, and policies can have a major impact on reducing total exposures to As and U, which are linked to adverse health effects even at low levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Spaur
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Ronald A Glabonjat
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kathrin Schilling
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Melissa A Lombard
- U.S. Geological Survey, New England Water Science Center, Pembroke, NH, USA
| | - Marta Galvez-Fernandez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Wil Lieberman-Cribbin
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carolyn Hayek
- Columbia Water Center, Columbia Climate School, New York, NY, USA
| | - Vesna Ilievski
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Olgica Balac
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chiugo Izuchukwu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin Patterson
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anirban Basu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin C Bostick
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, USA
| | - Qixuan Chen
- Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tiffany Sanchez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anne E Nigra
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Saxena R, Gamble M, Wasserman GA, Liu X, Parvez F, Navas-Acien A, Islam T, Factor-Litvak P, Uddin MN, Kioumourtzoglou MA, Gibson EA, Shahriar H, Slavkovich V, Ilievski V, LoIacono N, Balac O, Graziano JH. Mixed metals exposure and cognitive function in Bangladeshi adolescents. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2022; 232:113229. [PMID: 35131582 PMCID: PMC10045507 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2022.113229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over 57 million people in Bangladesh have been chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. They also face environmental exposure to elevated levels of cadmium (Cd), manganese (Mn), and lead (Pb), all of which have been previously observed in environmental and biological samples for this population. These metals have been linked to adverse neurocognitive outcomes in adults and children, though their effects on adolescents are not yet fully characterized. Additionally, previous studies have linked selenium (Se) to protective effects against the toxicity of these other metals. OBJECTIVES To examine the associations between mixed metals exposure and cognitive function in Bangladeshi adolescents. METHODS The Metals, Arsenic, & Nutrition in Adolescents study (MANAs) is a cross-sectional study of 572 Bangladeshi adolescents aged 14-16 years, whose parents were enrolled in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS). Biosamples were collected from these adolescents for measurement of whole blood metalloid/metal levels of As, Cd, Mn, Pb, and Se. Participants also completed an abbreviated version of The Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB), a cognitive function test designed to measure performance across several aspects of executive function. Linear regression was used to examine associations for each metal while controlling for the other metals. Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) assessed the overall mixture effect in addition to confirming the effects of individual metal components observed via linear regression. RESULTS Linear regression revealed negative associations for Spatial Working Memory and both As and Mn (As B=-2.40, Mn B=-5.31, p < 0.05). We also observed negative associations between Cd and Spatial Recognition Memory (B=-2.77, p < 0.05), and Pb and Delayed Match to Sample, a measure of visual recognition and memory (B=-3.67, p < 0.05). Finally, we saw a positive association for Se and Spatial Span Length (B=0.92, p < 0.05). BKMR results were largely consistent with the regression analysis, showing meaningful associations for individual metals and CANTAB subtests, but no overall mixture effect. Via BKMR, we observed negative associations between Pb and Delayed Match to Sample, and Cd and Spatial Recognition Memory; this analysis also showed positive associations for Se and the Planning, Reaction Time, and Spatial Span subtests. BKMR posterior inclusion probability consistently reported that Se, the only component of the mixture to show a positive association with cognition, was the most important member of the mixture. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we found Se to be positively associated with cognition, while Mn and As were linked to poorer working memory, and Cd and Pb were associated with poorer visual recognition and memory. Our observations are consistent with previous reports on the effects of these metal exposures in adults and children. Our findings also suggest agreement between linear regression and BKMR methods for analyzing metal mixture exposures. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the impact of mixed metals exposure on adverse health and poorer cognition later in life for those exposed during adolescence. Findings also suggest that metal exposure mitigation efforts aimed at adolescents might influence lifelong cognitive outcomes in regions where environmental exposure to metals is endemic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary Gamble
- Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA.
| | | | - Xinhua Liu
- Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Olgica Balac
- Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Re DB, Hilpert M, Saglimbeni B, Strait M, Ilievski V, Coady M, Talayero M, Wilmsen K, Chesnais H, Balac O, Glabonjat RA, Slavkovich V, Yan B, Graziano J, Navas-Acien A, Kleiman NJ. Exposure to e-cigarette aerosol over two months induces accumulation of neurotoxic metals and alteration of essential metals in mouse brain. Environ Res 2021; 202:111557. [PMID: 34245728 PMCID: PMC8578258 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite a recent increase in e-cigarette use, the adverse human health effects of exposure to e-cigarette aerosol, especially on the central nervous system (CNS), remain unclear. Multiple neurotoxic metals have been identified in e-cigarette aerosol. However, it is unknown whether those metals accumulate in the CNS at biologically meaningful levels. To answer this question, two groups of mice were whole-body exposed twice a day, 5 days a week, for two months, to either a dose of e-cigarette aerosol equivalent to human secondhand exposure, or a 5-fold higher dose. After the last exposure, the olfactory bulb, anterior and posterior frontal cortex, striatum, ventral midbrain, cerebellum, brainstem, remaining brain tissue and spinal cord were collected for metal quantification by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and compared to tissues from unexposed control mice. The two-month exposure caused significant accumulation of several neurotoxic metals in various brain areas - for some metals even at the low exposure dose. The most striking increases were measured in the striatum. For several metals, including Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Pb, similar accumulations are known to be neurotoxic in mice. Decreases in some essential metals were observed across the CNS. Our findings suggest that chronic exposure to e-cigarette aerosol could lead to CNS neurotoxic metal deposition and endogenous metal dyshomeostasis, including potential neurotoxicity. We conclude that e-cigarette-mediated metal neurotoxicity may pose long-term neurotoxic and neurodegenerative risks for e-cigarette users and bystanders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane B Re
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Markus Hilpert
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Brianna Saglimbeni
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Madeleine Strait
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Vesna Ilievski
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Maxine Coady
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Master in Public Health Program, Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Maria Talayero
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Kai Wilmsen
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Master in Public Health Program, Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Helene Chesnais
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Olgica Balac
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Ronald A Glabonjat
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Vesna Slavkovich
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Beizhan Yan
- NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Geochemistry Department, 203 Comer, 61 Route 9W - PO Box 1000, Palisades, NY, 10964-8000, USA
| | - Joseph Graziano
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA
| | - Norman J Kleiman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA; NIEHS Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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Saxena R, Liu X, Navas-Acien A, Parvez F, LoIacono NJ, Islam T, Uddin MN, Ilievski V, Slavkovich V, Balac O, Graziano JH, Gamble MV. Nutrition, one-carbon metabolism and arsenic methylation in Bangladeshi adolescents. Environ Res 2021; 195:110750. [PMID: 33476663 PMCID: PMC7987757 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.110750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over 57 million people in Bangladesh are chronically exposed to arsenic-contaminated drinking water. Ingested inorganic arsenic (InAs) undergoes hepatic methylation generating monomethyl- (MMAs) and dimethyl- (DMAs) arsenic species in a process that facilitates urinary As (uAs) elimination. One-carbon metabolism (OCM), a biochemical pathway that is influenced by folate and vitamin B12, facilitates the methylation of As. OCM also supports nucleotide and amino acid synthesis, particularly during periods of rapid growth such as adolescence. While folate supplementation increases As methylation and lowers blood As (bAs) in adults, little data is available for adolescents. OBJECTIVES To examine the associations between OCM-related micronutrients and As methylation in Bangladeshi adolescents chronically exposed to As-contaminated drinking water. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study of 679 Bangladeshi adolescents, including 320 boys and 359 girls aged 14-16 years. Nutritional status was assessed by red blood cell (RBC) folate, plasma folate, plasma B12 and homocysteine (Hcys). Arsenic-related outcomes included blood arsenic (bAs), urinary arsenic (uAs), and urinary arsenic metabolites expressed as a percentage of total urinary As: %InAs, %MMAs, %DMAs. RESULTS Boys had significantly lower B12, higher Hcys, higher bAs, higher uAs, higher %MMAs, and a trend toward lower RBC folate compared to girls. Therefore, regression analyses controlling for water As and BMI were sex stratified. Among girls, RBC folate was inversely associated with bAs, plasma B12 was inversely associated with uAs, and plasma Hcys was inversely associated with %MMA. Among boys, plasma folate was inversely associated with %InAs and positively associated with %DMA, RBC folate was inversely associated with %InAs and positively associated with %MMA, while Hcys was positively associated with %InAs. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that associations between OCM nutritional status, bAs, and distribution of As metabolites in adolescents are similar to previously reported observations in adults and in children. The As methylation findings are statistically significant among boys but not among girls; this may be related to estrogen which more strongly influences OCM in females. The inverse association between Hcys and %MMA in girls is somewhat unexpected given that Hcys is known to be an indicator of impaired OCM and low folate/B12 in adults. Overall, these results indicate that the associations between OCM-related micronutrients and arsenic methylation in adolescents are generally similar to prior findings in adults, though these associations may differ by sex. Additionally, these findings suggest that more investigation into the role of Hcys in adolescent physiology is needed, perhaps particularly for girls. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the impact of OCM and As methylation on As-related adverse health outcomes (such as cancer and cardiovascular disease) in people exposed to As during adolescence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xinhua Liu
- Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Tariqul Islam
- Columbia University Arsenic Project Office, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | | | - Olgica Balac
- Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Sanchez TR, Slavkovich V, LoIacono N, van Geen A, Ellis T, Chillrud SN, Balac O, Islam T, Parvez F, Ahsan H, Graziano JH, Navas-Acien A. Urinary metals and metal mixtures in Bangladesh: Exploring environmental sources in the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS). Environ Int 2018; 121:852-860. [PMID: 30343184 PMCID: PMC6231410 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Environmental exposure to toxic metals and metalloids is pervasive and occurs from multiple sources. The Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) is an ongoing prospective study predominantly focused on understanding health effects associated with arsenic exposure from drinking water. The goal of this project was to measure a suite of elements in urine to better understand potential exposure patterns and to identify common environmental sources of exposure among this semi-rural Bangladeshi population. METHODS In a random sample of 199 adult HEALS participants (50% female), the concentrations of 15 urinary elements (As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr, Tl, W, Zn) were assessed by Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess commonalities with sociodemographic characteristics and potential sources of exposure. We used principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax normalized rotations, and hierarchical cluster analysis (CA), using Ward's method with Euclidean distances, to evaluate these relationships. RESULTS PCA and CA showed similar patterns, suggesting 6 principal components (PC) and 5 clusters: 1)PC: Sr-Ni-Cs/ CA: Sr-Ni-Co; 2) Pb-Tl/Pb-Tl-Se-Cs; 3) As-Mo-W/As-Mo-W; 4) Ba-Mn/Ba-Mn; 5) Cu-Zn/Cu-Zn-Cd; and 6) Cd. There was a strong significant association between the As-Mo-W PC/cluster and water arsenic levels (p < 0.001) and between the Cd PC and betel nut use (p = 0.003). The Sr-Ni-Cs PC was not related to any of the socio-demographic characteristics investigated, including smoking status and occupation. The first PC, Sr-Ni-Cs, explained 21% of the variability; the third PC, As-Mo-W, explained 12.5% of the variability; and the sixth PC, Cd, explained 10% of the variability. Day laborers appeared to have the highest exposure. CONCLUSIONS Groundwater and betel nut use are likely important sources of metal and metalloid exposure in this population. These findings will guide future exposure assessment research in Bangladesh and future epidemiologic research investigating the degree to which metal mixtures play a role in disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany R Sanchez
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168 St, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Vesna Slavkovich
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168 St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Nancy LoIacono
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168 St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexander van Geen
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Tyler Ellis
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Steven N Chillrud
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
| | - Olgica Balac
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168 St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Tarique Islam
- Columbia University Arsenic Project Office, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Faruque Parvez
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168 St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Habib Ahsan
- University of Chicago, 5841 South Maryland Ave, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Joseph H Graziano
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168 St, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Ana Navas-Acien
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168 St, New York, NY 10032, USA
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7
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Wasserman GA, Liu X, Parvez F, Chen Y, Factor-Litvak P, LoIacono NJ, Levy D, Shahriar H, Uddin MN, Islam T, Lomax A, Saxena R, Gibson EA, Kioumourtzoglou MA, Balac O, Sanchez T, Kline JK, Santiago D, Ellis T, van Geen A, Graziano JH. A cross-sectional study of water arsenic exposure and intellectual function in adolescence in Araihazar, Bangladesh. Environ Int 2018; 118:304-313. [PMID: 29933234 PMCID: PMC6358166 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2018.05.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to inorganic arsenic (As) from drinking water is associated with modest deficits in intellectual function in young children; it is unclear whether deficits occur during adolescence, when key brain functions are more fully developed. OBJECTIVES We sought to determine the degree to which As exposure is associated with adolescent intelligence, and the contributory roles of lead, cadmium, manganese and selenium. METHODS We recruited a cross-section of 726 14-16 year olds (mean age = 14.8 years) whose mothers are participants in the Bangladesh Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS), and whose household well water As levels, which varied widely, were well characterized. Using a culturally modified version of the WISC-IV, we examined raw Full Scale scores, and Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory and Processing Speed Indices. Blood levels of As (BAs), Mn, Pb, Cd and Se were assessed at the time of the visit, as was creatinine-adjusted urinary As (UAs/Cr). RESULTS Linear regression analyses revealed that BAs was significantly negatively associated with all WISC-IV scores except for Perceptual Reasoning. With UAs/Cr as the exposure variable, we observed significantly negative associations for all WISC-IV scores. Except for Se, blood levels of other metals, were also associated with lower WISC-IV scores. Controlling for covariates, doubling BAs, or UAs/Cr, was associated with a mean decrement (95% CI) of 3.3 (1.1, 5.5), or 3.0 (1.2, 4.5) points, respectively, in raw Full scale scores with a sample mean of 177.6 (SD = 36.8). Confirmatory analyses using Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression, which identifies important mixture members, supported these findings; the primary contributor of the mixture was BAs, followed by BCd. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that the adverse consequences of As exposure on neurodevelopment observed in other cross-sectional studies of younger children are also apparent during adolescence. They also implicate Cd as a neurotoxic element that deserves more attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail A Wasserman
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY, New York, USA
| | - Xinhua Liu
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Faruque Parvez
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yu Chen
- New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nancy J LoIacono
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Diane Levy
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hasan Shahriar
- Columbia University Arsenic Project Office, Mohakali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Tariqul Islam
- Columbia University Arsenic Project Office, Mohakali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Angela Lomax
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Roheeni Saxena
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Olgica Balac
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tiffany Sanchez
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jennie K Kline
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY, New York, USA; Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Santiago
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tyler Ellis
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, NY, New York, USA
| | - Alexander van Geen
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, NY, New York, USA
| | - Joseph H Graziano
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
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8
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Wasserman GA, Liu X, Parvez F, Factor-Litvak P, Kline J, Siddique AB, Shahriar H, Uddin MN, van Geen A, Mey JL, Balac O, Graziano JH. Child Intelligence and Reductions in Water Arsenic and Manganese: A Two-Year Follow-up Study in Bangladesh. Environ Health Perspect 2016; 124:1114-20. [PMID: 26713676 PMCID: PMC4937860 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1509974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arsenic (As) exposure from drinking water is associated with modest intellectual deficits in childhood. It is not known whether reducing exposure is associated with improved intelligence. OBJECTIVE We aimed to determine whether reducing As exposure is associated with improved child intellectual outcomes. METHODS Three hundred three 10-year-old children drinking from household wells with a wide range of As concentrations were enrolled at baseline. In the subsequent year, deep community wells, low in As, were installed in villages of children whose original wells had high water As (WAs ≥ 50 μg/L). For 296 children, intelligence was assessed by WISC-IV (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, 4th ed.), with a version modified for the study population, at baseline and approximately 2 years later; analyses considered standardized scores for both Full Scale IQ and Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, Working Memory, and Processing Speed Indices. Creatinine-adjusted urinary arsenic (UAs/Cr), blood As (BAs), and blood manganese (BMn) were assessed at both times. RESULTS UAs/Cr concentrations declined significantly by follow-up for both the high (≥ 50 μg/L) and low (< 50 μg/L) WAs subgroups. At baseline, adjusting for maternal age and intelligence, plasma ferritin, head circumference, home environment quality, school grade, and BMn, UAs/Cr was significantly negatively associated with Full Scale IQ, and with all Index scores (except Processing Speed). After adjustment for baseline Working Memory scores and school grade, each 100-μg/g reduction in UAs/Cr from baseline to follow-up was associated with a 0.91 point increase in Working Memory (95% CI: 0.14, 1.67). The change in UAs/Cr across follow-up was not significantly associated with changes in Full Scale IQ or Index scores. CONCLUSIONS Installation of deep, low-As community wells lowered UAs, BAs, and BMn. A greater decrease in UAs/Cr was associated with greater improvements in Working Memory scores, but not with a greater improvement in Full Scale IQ. CITATION Wasserman GA, Liu X, Parvez F, Factor-Litvak P, Kline J, Siddique AB, Shahriar H, Uddin MN, van Geen A, Mey JL, Balac O, Graziano JH. 2016. Child intelligence and reductions in water arsenic and manganese: a two-year follow-up study in Bangladesh. Environ Health Perspect 124:1114-1120; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509974.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail A. Wasserman
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Address correspondence to G.A. Wasserman, NYS Psychiatric Institute, 1051 Riverside Dr., Unit 78, New York, NY 10032 USA. Telephone: (646) 774-5759. E-mail:
| | | | | | - Pam Factor-Litvak
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jennie Kline
- New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Abu B. Siddique
- Columbia University Arsenic Project Office, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Hasan Shahriar
- Columbia University Arsenic Project Office, Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Alexander van Geen
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jacob L. Mey
- Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Olgica Balac
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, and
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9
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Peters BA, Hall MN, Liu X, Parvez F, Sanchez TR, van Geen A, Mey JL, Siddique AB, Shahriar H, Uddin MN, Islam T, Balac O, Ilievski V, Factor-Litvak P, Graziano JH, Gamble MV. Folic Acid and Creatine as Therapeutic Approaches to Lower Blood Arsenic: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Environ Health Perspect 2015; 123:1294-301. [PMID: 25978852 PMCID: PMC4671237 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1409396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/12/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The World Health Organization estimates that > 140 million people worldwide are exposed to arsenic (As)-contaminated drinking water. As undergoes biologic methylation, which facilitates renal As elimination. In folate-deficient individuals, this process is augmented by folic acid (FA) supplementation, thereby lowering blood As (bAs). Creatinine concentrations in urine are a robust predictor of As methylation patterns. Although the reasons for this are unclear, creatine synthesis is a major consumer of methyl donors, and this synthesis is down-regulated by dietary/supplemental creatine. OBJECTIVES Our aim was to determine whether 400 or 800 μg FA and/or creatine supplementation lowers bAs in an As-exposed Bangladeshi population. METHODS We conducted a clinical trial in which 622 participants were randomized to receive 400 μg FA, 800 μg FA, 3 g creatine, 3 g creatine+400 μg FA, or placebo daily. All participants received an As-removal filter on enrollment, and were followed for 24 weeks. After the 12th week, half of the two FA groups were switched to placebo to evaluate post-treatment bAs patterns. RESULTS Linear models with repeated measures indicated that the decline in ln(bAs) from baseline in the 800-μg FA group exceeded that of the placebo group (weeks 1-12: β= -0.09, 95% CI: -0.18, -0.01; weeks 13-24: FA continued: β= -0.12, 95% CI: -0.24, -0.00; FA switched to placebo: β= -0.14, 95% CI: -0.26, -0.02). There was no rebound in bAs related to cessation of FA supplementation. Declines in bAs observed in the remaining treatment arms were not significantly different from those of the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS In this mixed folate-deficient/replete study population, 12- and 24-week treatment with 800 μg (but not 400 μg) FA lowered bAs to a greater extent than placebo; this was sustained 12 weeks after FA cessation. In future studies, we will evaluate whether FA and/or creatine altered As methylation profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandilyn A Peters
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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Parvez F, Chen Y, Brandt-Rauf PW, Slavkovich V, Islam T, Ahmed A, Argos M, Hassan R, Yunus M, Haque SE, Balac O, Graziano JH, Ahsan H. A prospective study of respiratory symptoms associated with chronic arsenic exposure in Bangladesh: findings from the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS). Thorax 2010; 65:528-33. [PMID: 20522851 PMCID: PMC3949324 DOI: 10.1136/thx.2009.119347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background and aims A prospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the effect of arsenic (As) exposure from drinking water on respiratory symptoms using data from the Health Effects of Arsenic Exposure Longitudinal Study (HEALS), a large prospective cohort study established in Ariahazar, Bangladesh in 2000–2002. A total of 7.31, 9.95 and 2.03% of the 11 746 participants completing 4 years of active follow-up reported having a chronic cough, breathing problem or blood in their sputum, respectively, as assessed by trained physicians. Methods Cox regression models were used to estimate HRs for respiratory symptoms during the follow-up period in relation to levels of chronic As exposure assessed at baseline, adjusting for age, gender, smoking, body mass index, education and arsenic-related skin lesion status. Results Significant positive associations were found between As exposure and respiratory symptoms. As compared with those with the lowest quintile of water As level (≤7 μg/l), the HRs for having respiratory symptoms were 1.27 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.48), 1.39 (95% CI 1.19 to 1.63), 1.43 (95% CI 1.23 to 1.68) and 1.43 (95% CI 1.22 to 1.68) for the second to fifth quintiles of baseline water As concentrations (7–40, 40–90, 90–178 and >178 μg/l), respectively. Similarly, the corresponding HRs in relation to the second to fifth quintiles of urinary arsenic were 1.10 (95% CI 0.94 to 1.27), 1.11 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.29), 1.29 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.49) and 1.35 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.56), respectively. These associations did not differ appreciably by cigarette smoking status. Conclusions This prospective cohort study found a dose–response relationship between As exposure and clinical symptoms of respiratory diseases in Bangladesh. In particular, these adverse respiratory effects of As were clearly evident in the low to moderate dose range, suggesting that a large proportion of the country's population may be at risk of developing serious lung diseases in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faruque Parvez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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