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Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Research article

Exposure profile of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, antimony, copper, selenium and zinc in maternal blood, cord blood and placenta: the Tohoku Study of Child Development in Japan

Authors: Miyuki Iwai-Shimada, Satomi Kameo, Kunihiko Nakai, Kozue Yaginuma-Sakurai, Nozomi Tatsuta, Naoyuki Kurokawa, Shoji F. Nakayama, Hiroshi Satoh

Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

The effects of prenatal exposure to toxic elements on birth outcomes and child development have been an area of concern. This study aimed to assess the profile of prenatal exposure to toxic elements, arsenic (As), bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), mercury (total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MHg), inorganic mercury (IHg)), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and tin (Sn), and essential trace elements, copper (Cu), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), using the maternal blood, cord blood and placenta in the Tohoku Study of Child Development of Japan (N = 594–650).

Methods

Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of these elements (except mercury). Levels of THg and MeHg were measured using cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry and a gas chromatograph-electron capture detector, respectively.

Results

Median concentrations (25th–75th) of As, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn and THg in the maternal blood were 4.06 (2.68–6.81), 1.18 (0.74–1.79), 10.8 (8.65–13.5), 0.2 (0.06–0.40) and 0.2 (0.1–0.38) ng mL−1 and 5.42 (3.89–7.59) ng g−1, respectively. Median concentrations (25th–75th) of As, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn and THg in the cord blood were 3.68 (2.58–5.25), 0.53 (0.10–1.25), 9.89 (8.02–12.5), 0.39 (0.06–0.92) and 0.2 (0.2–0.38) ng mL−1 and 9.96 (7.05–13.8) ng g−1, respectively.

Conclusions

THg and Sb levels in the cord blood were twofold higher than those in the maternal blood. Cord blood to maternal blood ratios for As, Cd and Sb widely varied between individuals. To understand the effects of prenatal exposure, further research regarding the variations of placental transfer of elements is necessary.
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Metadata
Title
Exposure profile of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, antimony, copper, selenium and zinc in maternal blood, cord blood and placenta: the Tohoku Study of Child Development in Japan
Authors
Miyuki Iwai-Shimada
Satomi Kameo
Kunihiko Nakai
Kozue Yaginuma-Sakurai
Nozomi Tatsuta
Naoyuki Kurokawa
Shoji F. Nakayama
Hiroshi Satoh
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine / Issue 1/2019
Print ISSN: 1342-078X
Electronic ISSN: 1347-4715
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-019-0783-y

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