Toxic Trace Elements in Maternal and Cord Blood and Social Determinants in a Bolivian Mining City

Overview

Journal Int J Environ Health Res

Publisher Informa Healthcare

Specialty Environmental Health

Date 2015 Jul 17

PMID 26179629

Citations 7

Authors

Flavia L Barbieri

Jacques Gardon

Maria Ruiz-Castell

Pamela Paco V

Rebecca Muckelbauer

Corinne Casiot

Remi Freydier

Jean-Louis Duprey

Chih-Mei Chen

Jacqueline Muller-Nordhorn

Thomas Keil

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

This study assessed lead, arsenic, and antimony in maternal and cord blood, and associations between maternal concentrations and social determinants in the Bolivian mining city of Oruro using the baseline assessment of the ToxBol/Mine-Niño birth cohort. We recruited 467 pregnant women, collecting venous blood and sociodemographic information as well as placental cord blood at birth. Metallic/semimetallic trace elements were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Lead medians in maternal and cord blood were significantly correlated (Spearman coefficient = 0.59; p < 0.001; 19.35 and 13.50 μg/L, respectively). Arsenic concentrations were above detection limit (3.30 μg/L) in 17.9% of maternal and 34.6% of cord blood samples. They were not associated (Fischer's p = 0.72). Antimony medians in maternal and cord blood were weakly correlated (Spearman coefficient = 0.15; p < 0.03; 9.00 and 8.62 μg/L, respectively). Higher concentrations of toxic elements in maternal blood were associated with maternal smoking, low educational level, and partner involved in mining.

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