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Gangoso L, Mateo R, Santamaría-Cervantes C, García-Alfonso M, Gimeno-Castellano C, Arrondo E, Serrano D, van Overveld T, de la Riva M, Cabrera MA, Donázar JA. Blood lead levels in an endangered vulture decline following changes in hunting activity. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:118712. [PMID: 38548255 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Lead ammunition stands out as one of the most pervasive pollutants affecting wildlife. Its impact on bird populations have spurred efforts for the phase-out of leaded gunshot in several countries, although with varying scopes and applications. Ongoing and future policy changes require data to assess the effectiveness of adopted measures, particularly in the current context of biodiversity loss. Here, we assessed the long-term changes in blood lead (Pb) levels of Egyptian vultures from the Canary Islands, Spain, which have been severely affected by Pb poisoning over the past two decades. During this period, the reduction in hunting pressure and changes in legislation regarding firearms usage for small game hunting likely contributed to a decrease in environmental Pb availability. As anticipated, our results show a reduction in Pb levels, especially after the ban on wild rabbit hunting with shotgun since 2010. This effect was stronger in the preadult fraction of the vulture population. However, we still observed elevated blood Pb levels above the background and clinical thresholds in 5.6% and 1.5% of individuals, respectively. Our results highlight the positive impact of reducing the availability of Pb from ammunition sources on individual health. Nonetheless, the continued use of Pb gunshot remains an important source of poisoning, even lethal, mainly affecting adult individuals. This poses a particular concern for long-lived birds, compounding by potential chronic effects associated with Pb bioaccumulation. Our findings align with recent studies indicating insufficient reductions in Pb levels among European birds of prey, attributed to limited policy changes and their uneven implementation. We anticipated further reductions in Pb levels among Egyptian vultures with expanded restrictions on hunting practices, including a blanket ban on Pb shot usage across all small game species.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Gangoso
- Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, C/ José Antonio Novais 12, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - R Mateo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos-IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - C Santamaría-Cervantes
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos-IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - M García-Alfonso
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - C Gimeno-Castellano
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - E Arrondo
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain; Department of Zoology, University of Granada, Avenida Fuente Nueva s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - D Serrano
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - T van Overveld
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - M de la Riva
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
| | - M A Cabrera
- Dirección general de Espacios Naturales y Biodiversidad. Consejería de Transición Ecológica y Energía, Gobierno de Canarias, C/ Prof. Agustín Millares Carló, 18, 35071, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - J A Donázar
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (CSIC), Américo Vespucio 26, 41092, Sevilla, Spain
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Dang P, Tang M, Fan H, Hao J. Chronic lead exposure and burden of cardiovascular disease during 1990-2019: a systematic analysis of the global burden of disease study. Front Cardiovasc Med 2024; 11:1367681. [PMID: 38655496 PMCID: PMC11035890 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1367681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Lead exposure is an important risk factor for CVD. In our study, we aimed to estimate spatial and temporal trends in the burden of cardiovascular disease associated with chronic lead exposure. Methods The data collected for our study were obtained from Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019 and analyzed by age, sex, cause, and location. To assess the temporal trends in burden of CVD attributable to chronic lead exposure over 30 years, we used Joinpoint regression analysis. Results In 2019, the number of lead exposure-attributable CVD deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were 0.85 and 17.73 million, 1.7 and 1.4 times more than those observed in 1990, respectively. However, the corresponding age-standardized rates (ASR) of death and DALY gradually decreased from 1990 to 2019, especially from 2013 to 2019. Over the last 30 years, among 21 GBD regions and 204 countries and territories, the High-income Asia Pacific and the Republic of Korea experienced the largest reductions in age-standardized DALY and death rates, while Central Asia and Afghanistan experienced the largest increases. Males and the elderly population suffered higher death rates and DALY burdens than females and the young population. Furthermore, we observed that higher socio-demographic index (SDI) regions demonstrated lower ASR of death and DALY rates. In 2019, the low and low-middle SDI regions, especially South Asia, exhibited the highest burden of CVD attributable to lead exposure. Conclusion Our study provides a thorough understanding of the burden of CVD attributable to chronic lead exposure. The findings confirm the significance of implementing lead mitigation strategies and increasing investment in CVD prevention and treatment. These measures are crucial in reducing the burden of CVD and promoting public health on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peizhu Dang
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Manyun Tang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Heze Fan
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
| | - Junjun Hao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China
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Song J, Pan T, Xu Z, Yi W, Pan R, Cheng J, Hu W, Su H. A systematic analysis of chronic kidney disease burden attributable to lead exposure based on the global burden of disease study 2019. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 908:168189. [PMID: 37907111 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
AIM As an important toxic heavy metal, lead exposure can lead to the occurrence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the analysis of its disease burden pattern on a global scale is lacking. This study aimed to analyze the CKD burden attributable to lead exposure globally, regionally and temporally, as well as to examine the role of socio-economic factors. METHOD This study used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019. We obtained the global burden of CKD caused by lead exposure between 1990 and 2019, and stratified this burden according to factors such as gender, age, GBD regions, and countries. From 1990 to 2019, the changing trend of the disease burden of CKD attributed to lead exposure was estimated using Joinpoint regression model with the average annual percent change (AAPC) estimated. Finally, the relationship between country-level socio-economic factors and lead exposure related CKD burden was explored using a panel data model analysis. RESULTS In 2019, worldwide, there were 52.94 thousand deaths (95 % uncertainty interval (UI): 31.64, 76.23) and 1225.2 thousand disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) (95 % UI: 707.88, 1818) of CKD caused by lead exposure, accounting for 3.71 % of total CKD deaths and 2.95 % of total CKD DALYs. The age-standardized death and DALY rates per 100,000 population were 0.68 (95 % UI: 0.40, 0.98) and 15.02 (95 % UI: 8.68, 22.26) respectively, indicating an upward trend and stable trend between 1990 and 2019. However, the age-standardized rates attributed to lead exposure showed a wide variability across regions, with the highest rates in Central Latin America and the lowest in Eastern Europe. Moreover, the results of panel model analysis indicated that GDP growth was positively associated with lead exposure related CKD death rate and DALY rate. However, there were inverse associations between life expectancy at birth and hospital beds (per 1000 people) with lead exposure-related CKD DALY rate. CONCLUSION In summary, a significant burden of CKD can be attributed to lead exposure, with noticeable regional discrepancies. Findings here are valuable to deploy efficient measures at curbing lead exposure worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Song
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, No.81 Meishan road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Ecosystem Change and Population Health Research Group, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - TianRong Pan
- Department of Endocrinology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 678 Furong Road, Jingkai District, Hefei 230061, Anhui Province, China; Research Center for Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No. 678 Furong Road, Jingkai District, Hefei 230061, Anhui Province, China
| | - Zhiwei Xu
- School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Weizhuo Yi
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, No.81 Meishan road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast Campus, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Rubing Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, No.81 Meishan road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Jian Cheng
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, No.81 Meishan road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Wenbiao Hu
- Ecosystem Change and Population Health Research Group, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
| | - Hong Su
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, No.81 Meishan road, Shushan District, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China.
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Zhao Y, Wu J, Xu H, Li Q, Zhang Y, Zhai Y, Tang M, Liu Y, Liu T, Ye Y, He M, He R, Xu Y, Zhou Z, Kan H, Zhang Y. Lead exposure suppresses the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling to increase the quiescence of hematopoietic stem cells via reducing the expression of CD70 on bone marrow-resident macrophages. Toxicol Sci 2023; 195:123-142. [PMID: 37436718 DOI: 10.1093/toxsci/kfad067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a heavy metal highly toxic to human health in the environment. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of Pb impact on the quiescence of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). WT C57BL/6 (B6) mice treated with 1250 ppm Pb via drinking water for 8 weeks had increased the quiescence of HSC in the bone marrow (BM), which was caused by the suppressed activation of the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling. Mechanically, a synergistic action of Pb and IFNγ on BM-resident macrophages (BM-Mφ) reduced their surface expression of CD70, which thereby dampened the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling to suppress the proliferation of HSC in mice. In addition, a joint action of Pb and IFNγ also suppressed the expression of CD70 on human Mφ to impair the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling and reduce the proliferation of human HSC purified from umbilical cord blood of healthy donors. Moreover, correlation analyses showed that the blood Pb concentration was or tended to be positively associated with the quiescence of HSC, and was or tended to be negatively associated with the activation of the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling in HSC in human subjects occupationally exposed to Pb. Collectively, these data indicate that an occupationally relevant level of Pb exposure suppresses the Wnt3a/β-catenin signaling to increase the quiescence of HSC via reducing the expression of CD70 on BM-Mφ in both mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jiaojiao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hua Xu
- Shanghai Ji Ai Genetics and IVF Institute, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China
| | - Qian Li
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yufan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yue Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Mengke Tang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yalin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yao Ye
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Miao He
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Rui He
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yanyi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhou Zhou
- Center for Neurointelligence, School of Medicine, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Haidong Kan
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yubin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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Piasek M, Škrgatić L, Sulimanec A, Orct T, Sekovanić A, Kovačić J, Katić A, Branović Čakanić K, Pizent A, Brajenović N, Jurič A, Brčić Karačonji I, Kljaković-Gašpić Z, Tariba Lovaković B, Lazarus M, Stasenko S, Miškulin I, Jurasović J. Effects of Maternal Cigarette Smoking on Trace Element Levels and Steroidogenesis in the Maternal-Placental-Fetal Unit. TOXICS 2023; 11:714. [PMID: 37624219 PMCID: PMC10459679 DOI: 10.3390/toxics11080714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluates the interaction of toxic elements cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) due to exposure from cigarette smoking, essential elements, and steroidogenesis in the maternal-placental-fetal unit. In a cohort of 155 healthy, postpartum women with vaginal term deliveries in clinical hospitals in Zagreb, Croatia, samples of maternal blood/serum and urine, placental tissue, and umbilical cord blood/serum were collected at childbirth. The biomarkers determined were concentrations of Cd, Pb, iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and selenium (Se), and steroid hormones progesterone and estradiol in maternal and umbilical cord blood and the placenta. Three study groups were designated based on self-reported data on cigarette smoking habits and confirmed by urine cotinine levels: never smokers (n = 71), former smokers (n = 48), and active smokers (n = 36). Metal(loid)s, steroid hormones, urine cotinine, and creatinine levels were analyzed by ICP-MS, ELISA, GC-MS, and spectrophotometry. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy was associated with increased Cd levels in maternal, placental, and fetal compartments, Pb in the placenta, and with decreased Fe in the placenta. In active smokers, decreased progesterone and estradiol concentrations in cord blood serum were found, while sex steroid hormones did not change in either maternal serum or placenta. This study provides further evidence regarding toxic and essential metal(loid) interactions during prenatal life, and new data on sex steroid disruption in cord serum related to cigarette smoking. The results indicate that umbilical cord sex steroid levels may be a putative early marker of developmental origins of the future burden of disease related to harmful prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Piasek
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Lana Škrgatić
- University Hospital Centre, Petrova 13, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.Š.); (I.M.)
- School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Antonija Sulimanec
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Tatjana Orct
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Ankica Sekovanić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Jelena Kovačić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Anja Katić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | | | - Alica Pizent
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Nataša Brajenović
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Andreja Jurič
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Irena Brčić Karačonji
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Zorana Kljaković-Gašpić
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Blanka Tariba Lovaković
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Maja Lazarus
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
| | - Sandra Stasenko
- Merkur University Hospital, Zajčeva ulica 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Iva Miškulin
- University Hospital Centre, Petrova 13, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (L.Š.); (I.M.)
| | - Jasna Jurasović
- Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (M.P.); (A.S.); (T.O.); (A.S.); (J.K.); (A.K.); (A.P.); (N.B.); (A.J.); (I.B.K.); (Z.K.-G.); (B.T.L.); (M.L.)
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Schmied A, Marske L, Berger M, Kujath P, Weber T, Kolossa-Gehring M. Human biomonitoring of deoxynivalenol (DON) - Assessment of the exposure of young German adults from 1996 - 2021. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 252:114198. [PMID: 37311395 PMCID: PMC10410250 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) is a frequently found contaminant in cereals and cereal-based products. As a German contribution to the European Joint Programme HBM4EU, we analysed the total DON concentration (tDON) in 24-h urine samples from the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB). In total, 360 samples collected in 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, and 2021 from young adults in Muenster (Germany), were measured by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) after enzymatic deconjugation of the glucuronide metabolites. tDON was found in concentrations above the lower limit of quantification (0.3 μg/L) in 99% of the samples. Medians of the measured concentrations and the daily excretion were 4.3 μg/L and 7.9 μg/24 h, respectively. For only nine participants, urinary tDON concentrations exceeded the provisional Human biomonitoring guidance value (HBM GV) of 23 μg/L. Urinary tDON concentrations were significantly higher for male participants. However, 24-h excretion values normalized to the participant's body weight did not exhibit any significant difference between males and females and the magnitude remained unchanged over the sampling years with exception of the sampling year 2001. Daily intakes were estimated from excretion values. Exceedance of the tolerable daily intake (TDI) of 1 μg/kg bw per day was observed for less than 1% of all participants. TDI exceedances were only present in the sampling year 2001 and not in more recent sampling years while exceedance of the HBM guidance value was also observed in 2011 and 2021.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andy Schmied
- Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Berlin, Germany.
| | - Lennart Marske
- Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Berlin, Germany
| | - Marion Berger
- Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Berlin, Germany
| | - Peter Kujath
- Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA), Berlin, Germany
| | - Till Weber
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Berlin, Germany
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7
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Hwang YH, Wu HC, Shyu MK, Lee CN, Lin SY, Chen PC, Chuang HY, Lin PW, Wu TH, Chen YT. Temporal transition trends of cord blood lead levels in various human development index countries and in the Taipei metropolitan area. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023:121900. [PMID: 37244535 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Since low-level lead exposure is still of concern for neonates, it is worth further characterizing the temporal transition trends of cord blood lead levels (CBLLs) globally and locally in Taipei, Taiwan, after the cessation of leaded gasoline use. A literature review on CBLLs around the world was performed by searching three databanks, i.e., PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Science, with the search keywords "cord blood" combined with "lead" or "Pb" for studies published from 1975 to May 2021. In total, 66 articles were included. Linear regressions for the reciprocal of sample size weighed CBLLs against calendar year presented a high r2 value (0.722) for the very high Human Development Index (HDI) countries and a moderate r2 value (0.308) for the combined high and medium HDI countries. The predicted CBLLs in 2030 and 2040 were 6.92 (95% CI: 6.02-7.81) μg/L and 5.85 (95% CI: 5.04-6.66) μg/L, respectively, for the very high HDI countries and 13.10 (95% CI: 7.12-19.09) μg/L and 10.63 (95% CI: 5.37-15.89) μg/L, respectively, for the combined high and medium HDI countries. To characterize the CBLL transitions in the Great Taipei metropolitan area, data from five studies conducted from 1985 to 2018 were employed. Although the results of the early four studies indicated that the Great Taipei metropolitan area did not reach the pace in CBLL reduction among the very high HDI countries, the CBLLs of the latest study during 2016-2018 were pretty low (8.1 ± 4.5 μg/L), approximately 3 years in advance of the very high HDI countries as one group to reach this low CBLL. In conclusion, further effective reduction in environmental lead exposure is challenging and must be based on the efforts from the aspects reflected by the HDI index compositions, i.e., economics, education and health, mostly implying health disparity and inequality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaw-Huei Hwang
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Master of Public Health Program, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
| | - Hui-Chu Wu
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Kwang Shyu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chien-Nan Lee
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Shin-Yu Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pau-Chung Chen
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Public Health, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taiwan, ROC; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hung-Yi Chuang
- Department of Public Health and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Pei-Wen Lin
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Tso-Hsien Wu
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yen-Tzu Chen
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
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Ubong D, Stewart L, Sepai O, Knudsen LE, Berman T, Reynders H, Van Campenhout K, Katsonouri A, Van Nieuwenhuyse A, Ingelido AM, Castaño A, Pedraza-Díaz S, Eiríksdóttir ÁV, Thomsen C, Hartmann C, Gjorgjev D, De Felip E, Tolonen H, Santonen T, Klanova J, Norström K, Kononenko L, Silva MJ, Uhl M, Kolossa-Gehring M, Apel P, Jõemaa M, Jajcaj M, Estokova M, Luijten M, Lebret E, von Goetz N, Holcer NJ, Probst-Hensch N, Cavaleiro R, Barouki R, Tarroja E, Balčienė RM, Strumylaite L, Latvala S, Namorado S, Szigeti T, Ingi Halldorsson T, Olafsdottir K, Wasowicz W. Application of human biomonitoring data to support policy development, raise awareness and environmental public health protection among countries within the HBM4EU project. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2023; 251:114170. [PMID: 37207539 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2023.114170] [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: 07/17/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Most countries have acknowledged the importance of assessing and quantifying their population's internal exposure from chemicals in air, water, soil, food and other consumer products due to the potential health and economic impact. Human biomonitoring (HBM) is a valuable tool which can be used to quantify such exposures and effects. Results from HBM studies can also contribute to improving public health by providing evidence of individuals' internal chemical exposure as well as data to understand the burden of disease and associated costs thereby stimulating the development and implementation of evidence-based policy. To have a holistic view on HBM data utilisation, a multi-case research approach was used to explore the use of HBM data to support national chemical regulations, protect public health and raise awareness among countries participating in the HBM4EU project. The Human Biomonitoring for Europe (HBM4EU) Initiative (https://www.hbm4eu.eu/) is a collaborative effort involving 30 countries, the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission (contracting authority) to harmonise procedures across Europe and advance research into the understanding of the health impacts of environmental chemical exposure. One of the aims of the project was to use HBM data to support evidence based chemical policy and make this information timely and directly available for policy makers and all partners. The main data source for this article was the narratives collected from 27 countries within the HBM4EU project. The countries (self-selection) were grouped into 3 categories in terms of HBM data usage either for public awareness, policy support or for the establishment HBM programme. Narratives were analysed/summarised using guidelines and templates that focused on ministries involved in or advocating for HBM; steps required to engage policy makers; barriers, drivers and opportunities in developing a HBM programme. The narratives reported the use of HBM data either for raising awareness or addressing environmental/public health issues and policy development. The ministries of Health and Environment were reported to be the most prominent entities advocating for HBM, the involvement of several authorities/institutions in the national hubs was also cited to create an avenue to interact, discuss and gain the attention of policy makers. Participating in European projects and the general population interest in HBM studies were seen as drivers and opportunities in developing HBM programmes. A key barrier that was cited by countries for establishing and sustaining national HBM programmes was funding which is mainly due to the high costs associated with the collection and chemical analysis of human samples. Although challenges and barriers still exist, most countries within Europe were already conversant with the benefits and opportunities of HBM. This article offers important insights into factors associated with the utilisation of HBM data for policy support and public awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Dragan Gjorgjev
- Institute of Public Health, Republic of North Macedonia, Macedonia
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9
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Tuakashikila YM, Mata HM, Kabamba MM, Malumba AM, Tuakuila JK. Reference intervals for cd, hg, Mn and Pb in the general children population (3-14 years) of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) between June 2019 and June 2020. Arch Public Health 2023; 81:40. [PMID: 36918930 PMCID: PMC10015835 DOI: 10.1186/s13690-023-01054-x] [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: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The reference intervals (RIs), proposed by the International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), were derived for Cd, Hg, Mn and Pb in the blood and urine of the children population living in Kinshasa (n = 200, aged 3-14 years with 97 girls). Levels of metals were measured using coupled plasma mass (ICP-MS). In blood, the proposed RIs [P5-P95 (GM)] were 0.022-1.112 μg/L (0.074), 35.69-144.50 μg/L (71.43), 0.060 to 1.161 μg/L (0.208) and 6.597-15.740 μg/L (9.882) for Cd, Pb, Hg and Mn, respectively. Urinary levels [(P5-P95 (GM)] were 0.082-1.530 μg/L (0.366) for Cd, 1.827-18.500 μg/L (5.458) for Pb, 0.323-1.953 μg/L (0.709) for Hg and 0.070 to 1.703 μg/L (0.186) for Mn. As compared to the CDC updated blood Pb reference value (35 μg/L), Pb levels remain higher of public health concern. Cd and Mn levels were similar to those found in the same city in 2015 and databases involving non-occupationally exposed populations from other countries. Hg levels significantly lower than those found in the same city in 2015, probably due to exclusion criteria of metal exposure applying in the present survey (occupationally exposed to the studied metals, smoking habits, amalgam tooth fillings, fish consumption habit more than one time per week, etc.). These background metal exposures will be useful for future occupational and/or environmental surveys as well as undertaking a reliable regulation of chemical exposure in Kinshasa via a national HBM program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y M Tuakashikila
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - H M Mata
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - M M Kabamba
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - A M Malumba
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - J K Tuakuila
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Environmental Toxicology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. .,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.
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10
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Chagonda S, Chitungo IJB, Musarurwa C, Nyamayaro T. Blood lead levels in children residing in a 115-year old urban settlement in Harare, Zimbabwe: a cross sectional study. BMC Pediatr 2023; 23:72. [PMID: 36765303 PMCID: PMC9912585 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-023-03886-6] [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: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elemental lead (Pb) toxicity in children, irreversibly affects their growth and development. We assessed the prevalence of high blood Pb levels (BLL) in children living in a potentially high risk residential area and also assessed Pb levels in environmental specimens. METHODS This cross sectional study measured blood lead levels (BLL) in 86children living in Mbare, a densely populated suburb in Harare, Zimbabwe, characterised by dwellings progressively constructed from 1907 through to the 1940s, before the ban of leaded paint. Study participants of both genders were under 6 years of age. Potential risk factors of Pb poisoning were assessed. Pb levels were also assessed in soil, water and paint chip specimens from the study area. RESULTS The mean (standard deviation) BLL was 4.3 ± 0.75 g/dL. Twelve (13.95%) participants had BLL of > 5.0ug/dL. Our results showed no significant association between BLL and household income, participant behaviour/habits/activities, sources of drinking water, and the types of cookware used to prepare meals in their households. CONCLUSION Mean BLL observed in the current study were higher compared to those of children of similar age groups in the United States, suggesting that Pb contamination may be more ubiquitous in the Mbare flats area, potentially predisposing these children to impaired development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svitsai Chagonda
- grid.13001.330000 0004 0572 0760Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Chemical Pathology Unit, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Itai James Blessing Chitungo
- grid.13001.330000 0004 0572 0760Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Chemical Pathology Unit, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Cuthbert Musarurwa
- Department of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, School of Health Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda.
| | - Terence Nyamayaro
- grid.13001.330000 0004 0572 0760Department of Laboratory Diagnostic and Investigative Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Chemical Pathology Unit, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
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Bertram J, Ramolla C, Esser A, Schettgen T, Fohn N, Steib J, Kraus T. Blood lead monitoring in a former mining area in Euskirchen, Germany: results of a representative random sample in 3- to 17-year-old children and minors. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:20995-21009. [PMID: 36264474 PMCID: PMC9584279 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23632-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal residues in former mining areas can pose a burden to the local environment and population even decades after closure of the mining sites. In the North Rhine-Westphalian (Germany) communities of Mechernich and Kall, both parts of the district of Euskirchen, lead residues are a source of health concerns for local residents. A statistically representative collective of both communities depending on sex, age, and area of residence was created, mirroring the local underage population. The blood lead levels (BLL) of 182 children and minors in the two adjacent communities were assessed via ICP-MSMS. The results were compared to German lead reference values, valid for the general underage population. In total, 32 (17.6%) of the subjects investigated exceeded the according reference values of 15 µg/L and 20 µg/L, respectively, depending on sex and age, thus pointing out an additional lead burden affecting children in the area. Potential lead sources contributing to the BLL were evaluated using a questionnaire. Factors that showed significant impact on the BLL were, other than age, sex, height, and weight, the factors occupancy, time spend in the garden, garden hand-to-mouth contact, consumption frequency of homegrown products, and lifestyle factors. The data presented enable both residents and the local authorities to further reduce lead exposure and to take appropriate personal and public action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Bertram
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
| | - Christian Ramolla
- Public Health Department Euskirchen, District of Euskirchen, Germany
| | - André Esser
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Schettgen
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Nina Fohn
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jasmina Steib
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Thomas Kraus
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Aachen, Germany
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Angrand RC, Collins G, Landrigan PJ, Thomas VM. Relation of blood lead levels and lead in gasoline: an updated systematic review. Environ Health 2022; 21:138. [PMID: 36572887 PMCID: PMC9793664 DOI: 10.1186/s12940-022-00936-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Millions of tons of lead were added to gasoline worldwide beginning in 1922, and leaded gasoline has been a major source of population lead exposure. In 1960s, lead began to be removed from automotive gasoline. Removal was completed in 2021. OBJECTIVES To determine whether removal of lead from automotive gasoline is associated with declines in population mean blood lead levels (BPb). METHODS We examined published studies that reported population blood leaded levels for two or more years, and we calculated average concentrations of lead in gasoline corresponding to the years and locations of the blood lead level measurements. RESULTS Removal of lead from gasoline is associated with declines in BPb in all countries examined. In some countries, BPb continues to fall after lead has been eliminated from gasoline. Following elimination of lead from gasoline, BPb less than 1 μg/dL have been observed in several European and North American countries, and BPb less than 3 μg/dL have been documented in several studies from South America. DISCUSSION There remain many countries for which no multi-year studies of populations BPb have been identified, including all of Central America, high population countries including Pakistan and Indonesia, and major lead producers including Australia and Russia. CONCLUSION Removal of lead from gasoline has been a public health success. Elimination of lead from gasoline has enabled many countries to achieve population mean BPb levels of 1 μg/dL or lower. These actions have saved lives, increased children's intelligence and created great economic benefit in countries worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth C Angrand
- Department of Internal Medicine, Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Geoffrey Collins
- Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Philip J Landrigan
- Biology Department and Global Observatory on Planetary Health, Boston College, Boston, MA, USA
- Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, MC, Monaco
| | - Valerie M Thomas
- H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Rooney JP, Rakete S, Heier M, Linkohr B, Schwettmann L, Peters A. Blood lead levels in 2018/2019 compared to 1987/1988 in the German population-based KORA study. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 215:114184. [PMID: 36041540 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lead exposure remains of continuing concern due to its known and suspected impacts on human health and has been designated as a priority substance for investigation in human biomonitoring studies by the EU. The aims of this study were to measure blood lead levels (BLL) in a population based cohort of middle-aged individuals without major current exposures to lead, and to compare these to historical blood lead levels obtained thirty years earlier. METHODS The population-based KORA study from 1984 to 2001 included inhabitants of the Augsburg Region, Germany. During 2018 to 2019, a subsample of these participants (KORA-Fit) was invited for interview regarding demographic and lifestyle factors, physical examination and blood withdrawal. Blood samples were stored at -80C prior to measurement of BLL via graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GF-AAS). Descriptive and multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS BLLs were measured in 3033 eligible persons aged 54 to 73, establishing a geometric mean (GM) BLL of 24.8 μg/l in 2018/19. Of these, 555 (18%) had BLL above proposed 95th percentile reference values of the German Environment Agency. Only small differences were found in BLL stratified by sociodemographic categories, however regular smokers had higher GM BLL (26.1 μg/l) compared to never smokers (23.7 μg/l), and an increasing BLL with increased wine consumption was noted. For 556 individuals, BLLs (GM: 54.0 μg/l) reduced by 35% in men and 50% in women compared to levels in 1987/88 with only 1.4% of individuals having an unchanged or increased BLL. DISCUSSION KORA-Fit provided contemporary normative data for BLL in a Western European population without major current sources of lead exposure. Mean BLLs have fallen since the 1980s using historical BLL data which is likely linked to the ban of leaded gasoline. Nevertheless, BLLs in this population remain elevated at levels associated with morbidity and mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Pk Rooney
- Academic Unit of Neurology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland; Institute and Clinic for Occupational-, Social- and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany.
| | - Stefan Rakete
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational-, Social- and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Germany
| | - Margit Heier
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany; KORA Study Centre, University Hospital of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Birgit Linkohr
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Lars Schwettmann
- Institute of Health Economics and Health Care Management, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany; Department of Economics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Annette Peters
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany; Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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Olufemi AC, Mji A, Mukhola MS. Potential Health Risks of Lead Exposure from Early Life through Later Life: Implications for Public Health Education. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph192316006. [PMID: 36498077 PMCID: PMC9741093 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) exposure has been a serious environmental and public health problem throughout the world over the years. The major sources of lead in the past were paint and gasoline before they were phased out due to its toxicity. Meanwhile, people continue to be exposed to lead from time to time through many other sources such as water, food, soil and air. Lead exposure from these sources could have detrimental effects on human health, especially in children. UNICEF reported that approximately 800 million children have blood lead levels (BLLs) at or above 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) globally. This paper reports on the potential risks of lead exposure from early life through later life. The articles used in this study were searched from databases such as Springer, Science Direct, Hindawi, MDPI, Google Scholar, PubMed and other academic databases. The levels of lead exposure in low income and middle-income countries (LMICs) and high-income countries (HICs) were reported, with the former being more affected. The intake of certain nutrients could play an essential role in reducing (e.g., calcium and iron) or increasing (e.g., high fat foods) lead absorption in children. Elevated blood lead levels may disturb the cells' biological metabolism by replacing beneficial ions in the body such as calcium, magnesium, iron and sodium. Once these ions are replaced by lead, they can lead to brain disorders, resulting in reduced IQ, learning difficulties, reduced attention span and some behavioral problems. Exposure to lead at an early age may lead to the development of more critical problems later in life. This is because exposure to this metal can be harmful even at low exposure levels and may have a lasting and irreversible effect on humans. Precautionary measures should be put in place to prevent future exposure. These will go a long way in safeguarding the health of everyone, most especially the young ones.
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Pirard C, Charlier C. Urinary levels of parabens, phthalate metabolites, bisphenol A and plasticizer alternatives in a Belgian population: Time trend or impact of an awareness campaign? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:113852. [PMID: 35820649 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A human biomonitoring study was carried out in 2015 within an adult population living in Liege (Belgium). Some phthalate metabolites and parabens were measured in the urine of 252 participants, and information were collected about their food habits, life styles and home environment to identify some predictors of exposure. Concomitantly, an awareness campaign was initiated by the Provincial Authorities of Liege and spread over 2 years. Three years later (2018), 92 of the initial participants provided again urine samples, and the levels of phthalate metabolites, phthalate substitute (DINCH), parabens, bisphenol-A and bisphenol alternatives (bisphenol-S, -F, -Z, -P) were determined and compared to those obtained in 2015 to assess time trends. In 2015, methyl- and ethylparaben were the most abundant parabens (P50 = 9.12 μg/L and 1.1 μg/L respectively), while propyl- and butylparaben were sparsely detected. Except for mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate and 6-OH-mono-propyl-heptyl phthalate, all other targeted phthalate metabolites were positively quantified in most of the urine samples (between 89 and 98%) with median concentrations ranging between 2.7 μg/L and 21.3 μg/L depending on the metabolite. The multivariate regression models highlighted some significant associations between urinary phthalate metabolite or paraben levels and age, rural or urban character of the residence place, and the use of some personal care products. However, all determination coefficients were weak meaning that the usual covariates included in the models only explained a small part of the variance. Between 2015 and 2018, levels of parabens and phthalate metabolites significantly decreased (from 1.3 to 2.5 fold) except for monoethyl phthalate which seemed to remain quite constant. Contrariwise, all bisphenol alternatives and DINCH metabolites were measured in higher concentrations in 2018 vs 2015 while BPA levels did not differ significantly. However, it was not feasible to unequivocally highlight an impact of the awareness campaign on the exposure levels of the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Pirard
- Laboratory of Clinical, Forensic and Environmental Toxicology, CHU of Liege, B35, 4000, Liege, Belgium; Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege (ULiege), CHU (B35), 4000, Liege, Belgium.
| | - Corinne Charlier
- Laboratory of Clinical, Forensic and Environmental Toxicology, CHU of Liege, B35, 4000, Liege, Belgium; Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Medicines (CIRM), University of Liege (ULiege), CHU (B35), 4000, Liege, Belgium
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Zhang T, Yin X, Chen H, Li Y, Chen J, Yang X. Global magnitude and temporal trends of idiopathic developmental intellectual disability attributable to lead exposure from 1990 to 2019: Results from Global Burden of Disease Study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 834:155366. [PMID: 35460796 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As an important environmental pollutant, lead exposure can result in idiopathic developmental intellectual disability (IDII). However, the latest spatiotemporal patterns across the world are unclear. Therefore, in this study, the global burden of lead exposure-related IDII was assessed using the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study (2019). The data were downloaded from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), and the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to assess the changing trend of the age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) rates (ASDR) of global IDII attributed to lead exposure. In 2019, the number of global DALYs of IDII attributed to lead exposure was 2.72 million, the corresponding ASDR was 35.70 per 100,000. The ASDR was highest in children and adolescents, and low- and middle-income countries. From 1990 to 2019, the global number of DALYs of IDII attributable to lead exposure increased by 7.89%, while the ASDR of IDII decreased by 19.19% [EAPC = -0.78, 95% confidence interval (CI): (-0.90, -0.66)]. The downward trends were seen in most GBD regions and countries, especially in high-income countries, but 11 countries presented an upward trend. Therefore, it is important to continue to improve primary mental healthcare globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Meanwhile, the implementation of effective strategies to reduce lead exposure should be continually strengthened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongchao Zhang
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaolin Yin
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yufei Li
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jiaqi Chen
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaorong Yang
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China; Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China.
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Mielke HW, Gonzales CR, Powell ET, Egendorf SP. Lead in Air, Soil, and Blood: Pb Poisoning in a Changing World. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19159500. [PMID: 35954853 PMCID: PMC9368099 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: Leaded petrol became a worldwide vehicle fuel during the 20th century. While leaded petrol was totally banned on 30 August 2021, its lead (Pb) dust legacy remains in the environment as soil Pb. The health impacts of Pb are well known and risks occur when exposures are above zero. The inextricable links between air Pb, soil Pb, and blood Pb are not widely A. Exposure risks continue even after banning leaded petrol and must be explored. (2) Methods: This article evaluates selected examples of temporal measurements of atmospheric Pb and human Pb exposure and the effect of soil Pb on blood Pb. Several search engines were used to find articles on temporal changes in air Pb and human Pb exposures. New Orleans studies provided empirical data on the association between soil Pb and blood Pb. (3) Results: Vehicle Pb emission trends are closely associated with air Pb and blood Pb. Air Pb deposited in soil becomes a reservoir of Pb dust that is known to be remobilized into the atmosphere. (4) Conclusions: The dust from leaded petrol continues to pose major exposure risks to humans. Exogenous sources of Pb in soil and its remobilization into air along with endogenous bone Pb establish the baseline exposure of children and adults. Reducing human exposure to Pb requires novel policies to decrease exogenous contact from the reservoir of Pb in soil and curtailing remobilization of soil Pb into the atmosphere. Mitigating exposure to soil Pb must therefore play a central role in advancing primary prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard W. Mielke
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-504-210-8505
| | | | - Eric T. Powell
- Lead Lab, Inc., New Orleans, LA 70119, USA; (C.R.G.); (E.T.P.)
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Urban Sustainability at Risk Due to Soil Pollution by Heavy Metals—Case Study: Volos, Greece. LAND 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/land11071016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The focus of this case study is the meticulous observation of urban soil pollution by heavy metals (HMs), or, alternatively, potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The study took place in the urban center of Volos, Greece. Moreover, 248 soil samples were collected during 2018–2021 (62 samples annually), while 3.65 km2 was, approximately, the study area. The breakdown of total concentrations took place for the interpretation of different soil parameters, also according to mean values and medians of the total concentrations of HMs, the following decreasing order was monitored: Mn > Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > Co > Cd. During the 4-year study, an increasing trend of metal concentration was observed (for each year compared to the previous one). Furthermore, the imaginary triangle, which was observed, is bordered by the historic train station, the two city bus and intercity coach stations and the commercial harbor. Statistical analysis was implemented in order to interpret the exceedances of HMs concerning the Directive 86/278/EEC. Principal component analysis (PCA) is an additional technique that was conducted because of the correlations and interdependences between the HMs. A strong correlation was observed between the HMs, but mainly between Cd and Zn, which is probably due to their common origin. During the COVID-19 pandemic, significant changes in metal concentrations were observed in different parts of the city, due to the limited movement of motorized wheeled vehicles, but also due to the long operating hours of the heating systems in the residential area. Further research is needed in the future in order to identify the sources of pollution and to find possible ways to reduce it. All in all, urban soil pollution by HMs is a great conundrum of the environmental aspect of sustainability.
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Zhang T, Yin X, Zhang Y, Chen H, Man J, Li Y, Chen J, Yang X, Lu M. Global Trends in Mortality and Burden of Stroke Attributable to Lead Exposure From 1990 to 2019. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:870747. [PMID: 35811690 PMCID: PMC9259800 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.870747] [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: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Lead exposure is an important risk factor for stroke. However, the latest global spatiotemporal patterns of lead exposure-related stroke burden were unclear. In this study, we assessed this topic. Methods The data were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (2019). The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was estimated to evaluate the temporal trends of the age-standardized mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates (ASMR and ASDR) of stroke attributable to lead exposure. Results In 2019, the numbers of global stroke deaths and DALYs attributable to lead exposure were 305.27 and 6738.78 thousand, respectively. The corresponding ASMR and ASDR were highest in males, the elderly population, low and middle-income countries, and the intracerebral hemorrhage subtype. From 1990 to 2019, the ASMR and ASDR of global stroke attributable to lead exposure decreased [ASMR: EAPC = −1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI): (−1.57, −1.10); ASDR: EAPC = −1.74, 95% CI: (−1.95, −1.52)], especially in females, the high-income countries, and the subarachnoid hemorrhage subtype. Conclusion This study emphasizes the importance of continued implementation of lead exposure prevention strategies and improved high-efficiency treatment and stroke acute health care, especially in low and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tongchao Zhang
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaolin Yin
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jinyu Man
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Yufei Li
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jiaqi Chen
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaorong Yang
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaorong Yang,
| | - Ming Lu
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Clinical Research Center of Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Department of Epidemiology and Health Statistics, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Ming Lu,
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20
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Bertram J, Ramolla C, Esser A, Schettgen T, Fohn N, Kraus T. Blood Lead Monitoring in a Former Mining Area in Euskirchen, Germany-Volunteers across the Entire Population. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:6083. [PMID: 35627620 PMCID: PMC9141156 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19106083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
After centuries of mining in the district of Euskirchen, that is, in the communities of Mechernich and Kall, the lead concentration in the soil remains high, often exceeding regulatory guidelines. To clarify the lead body burden among residents in the region, a human biomonitoring study on a voluntary basis was initiated in which the blood lead level (BLL) was assessed. A questionnaire was distributed to evaluate lead exposure routes and confounders. Overall, 506 volunteers participated in the study, of whom 7.5% were children and adolescents, 71.9% were adults from 18 to 69 years, and 19.4% were residents 70 years or older. While the BLLs in the adult population were inconspicuous, among the children and adolescents investigated, 16.7% of the children between 3 and 17 years had BLLs above the recently revised German reference values for BLL in children. These results point towards a higher lead exposure in children living in the region. The hierarchical regression analysis based on the BLL and the questionnaire revealed the significant influence of the factors age, sex, smoking, construction age of the real estate, occupancy, and intensive contact with soil on the BLL. Measures to reduce lead exposure include a focus on improved personal and domestic hygiene to minimize lead intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Bertram
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.E.); (T.S.); (N.F.); (T.K.)
| | - Christian Ramolla
- Public Health Department, District of Euskirchen, 53879 Euskirchen, Germany;
| | - André Esser
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.E.); (T.S.); (N.F.); (T.K.)
| | - Thomas Schettgen
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.E.); (T.S.); (N.F.); (T.K.)
| | - Nina Fohn
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.E.); (T.S.); (N.F.); (T.K.)
| | - Thomas Kraus
- Institute for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital Aachen, 52074 Aachen, Germany; (A.E.); (T.S.); (N.F.); (T.K.)
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21
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Enhancing Human Biomonitoring Studies through Linkage to Administrative Registers-Status in Europe. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19095678. [PMID: 35565076 PMCID: PMC9103287 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19095678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Record linkage of human biomonitoring (HBM) survey data with administrative register data can be used to enhance available datasets and complement the possible shortcomings of both data sources. Through record linkage, valuable information on medical history (diagnosed diseases, medication use, etc.) and follow-up information on health and vital status for established cohorts can be obtained. In this study, we investigated the availability of health registers in different EU Member States and EEA countries and assessed whether they could be linked to HBM studies. We found that the availability of administrative health registers varied substantially between European countries as well as the availability of unique personal identifiers that would facilitate record linkage. General protocols for record linkage were similar in all countries with ethical and data protections approval, informed consent, approval by administrative register owner, and linkage conducted by the register owner. Record linkage enabled cross-sectional survey data to be used as cohort study data with available follow-up and health endpoints. This can be used for extensive exposure-health effect association analysis. Our study showed that this is possible for many, but not all European countries.
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22
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Bartel-Steinbach M, Lermen D, Gwinner F, Schäfer M, Göen T, Conrad A, Weber T, von Briesen H, Kolossa-Gehring M. Long-term monitoring of mercury in young German adults: Time trend analyses from the German Environmental Specimen Bank, 1995-2018. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 207:112592. [PMID: 34973943 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
As highlighted in the Minamata Convention, Mercury (Hg) in its various forms poses a substantial risk to human health and the environment. The health relevance of Hg is also recognized by the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU), which classifies Hg as a priority substance, since considerable knowledge and data gaps on Hg exposure levels and their changes over time still exist in Europe. The German Environmental Specimen Bank (German ESB) provides valuable policy relevant data and long-term trends of substance exposure on a national level for international comparison and evaluation. In this study we analysed data of the German ESB on Hg exposure of young adults aged 20 to 29 including data on urinary Hg levels from 1995 to 2018 and whole blood Hg levels from 2001 to 2010. Results show a clear decrease in both, about 86% in urine total daily Hg excretion from 1995 (0.76 μg/L) to 2018 (0.11 μg/L) (n = 10,069) and about 57% in blood concentrations of Hg from 2001 (1.76 μg/L) to 2010 (0.77 μg/L) (n = 4085). Over the investigated timeframe only a few values exceeded the toxicologically derived health based guidance value HBM I for blood and urine, with these exceedances decreasing over time in line with the general trend. The factors mostly influencing Hg excretion identified in this study are dental amalgam as well as fish and seafood consumption. Besides other factors (e.g. age and sex), also airborne Hg exposure appears to be a low but evident influencing factor in Germany. Although a considerable decrease in internal Hg exposure is recognized in the last decades, the current low-level exposure may cause adverse health effects especially to vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children. To further elucidate and evaluate current exposure sources and to reduce human exposure to Hg, continuous environmental and human biomonitoring is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominik Lermen
- Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT, Sulzbach, Germany
| | - Frederik Gwinner
- Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT, Sulzbach, Germany
| | - Moritz Schäfer
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Göen
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - André Conrad
- German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), Berlin, Germany
| | - Till Weber
- German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), Berlin, Germany
| | - Hagen von Briesen
- Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT, Sulzbach, Germany
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Tatsuta N, Nakai K, Nakayama SF, Takeuchi A, Arima T, Yaegashi N, Kamijima M, Yamazaki S, Ohya Y, Kishi R, Hashimoto K, Mori C, Ito S, Yamagata Z, Inadera H, Nakayama T, Iso H, Shima M, Kurozawa Y, Suganuma N, Kusuhara K, Katoh T. Effects of maternal exposure to lead on secondary sex ratio in Japan: The Japan Environment and Children's Study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 817:152726. [PMID: 34995582 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
A decline in the proportion of male births (secondary sex ratio, SSR) has been seen in several countries including Japan in recent years. Although previous studies have reported that the SSR is affected by exposure to chemical substances such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls, as well as heavy metals such as methylmercury, the effects of lead exposure on the SSR have been little studied. The aim of this study was to determine the association between maternal lead exposure and SSR. In a large-scale nationwide birth cohort study, maternal blood lead level (BLL) was determined using whole blood from the second or third trimester of pregnancy. The association between SSR and maternal BLL was estimated using multivariable logistic models. Binomial distribution was applied to examine the differences in SSR by dividing the participants into five groups based on BLL. The primary outcome was SSR, and the child sex was obtained from the medical record transcripts. Of 104,062 fetal records, 85,171 were examined for analysis. The median maternal BLL was 5.85 ng/g (5th-95th percentile 3.45-10.6 ng/g). The overall proportion of males among participating infants was 0.512. In logistic regression models adjusted for covariates, the analysis revealed an increased odds ratio for SSR with higher blood lead concentrations [Group 2: adjusted OR 1.082, 95% confidence interval 1.037 to 1.129, Group 3: 1.122, 1.074 to 1.171, Group 4: 1.214, 1.163 to 1.268, Group 5: 1.279, 1.224 to 1.336]. Compared to the general birth probability in Japan, the group with low BLL had a lower SSR and the group with high BLL had a higher SSR. Higher maternal lead exposures during pregnancy were associated with increased SSR. Further investigations including assessment of paternal lead exposure are necessary to understand the association between lead exposure and SSR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozomi Tatsuta
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Kunihiko Nakai
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan.
| | - Shoji F Nakayama
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Ayano Takeuchi
- Health and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba 305-8506, Japan
| | - Takahiro Arima
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Nobuo Yaegashi
- Development and Environmental Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai 980-8575, Japan
| | - Michihiro Kamijima
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan.
| | - Shin Yamazaki
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Ohya
- National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Koichi Kusuhara
- University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Kitakyushu, Japan
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Hahn D, Vogel N, Höra C, Kämpfe A, Schmied-Tobies M, Göen T, Greiner A, Aigner A, Kolossa-Gehring M. The role of dietary factors on blood lead concentration in children and adolescents - Results from the nationally representative German Environmental Survey 2014-2017 (GerES V). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 299:118699. [PMID: 34929210 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118699] [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: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In industrialized nations, human lead exposure has decreased significantly in recent decades. Nevertheless, due to its toxic effects, this heavy metal remains a public health concern with children and adolescents being particularly at risk. In Europe nowadays, oral intake via food and drinking water is the predominant exposure pathway for lead. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between dietary factors and blood lead (PbB) level of 3- to 17-year-old children and adolescents living in Germany, using data from the fifth German Environmental Health Survey (GerES V) and the Child and Adolescent Health Survey (KiGGS Wave 2). GerES V and KiGGS Wave 2 are two national population-representative studies conducted between 2014 and 2017, including measurement of lead concentrations in blood from 720 children and adolescents aged 3-17 years (mean age = 10.21, SD age = 4.36). Using multiple linear regression, sociodemographic and environmental characteristics as well as dietary factors could be identified as significant exposure determinants of PbB concentrations. Lead intake via domestic tap water was the strongest predictor of elevated PbB levels with 27.6% (p-value< .001) higher concentrations of highest compared to none lead intake via tap water. Other foods which were found to be relevant to PbB levels were meat, fruit, and fruit juice. While meat or fruit consumption were each associated with about 13% (p-value < .05) lower PbB levels, fruit juice drinking was associated with up to 12.2% (p-value = .04) higher PbB levels. In conclusion, results indicate the importance of dietary habits for lead exposure in children and adolescents. To protect vulnerable groups, it is recommended that future research and lead-reducing measures pay more attention to dietary links.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nina Vogel
- German Environment Agency (UBA), Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Thomas Göen
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Annette Greiner
- Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
| | - Annette Aigner
- Institute of Biometry and Clinical Epidemiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
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Herrera-Moreno JF, Estrada-Gutierrez G, Wu H, Bloomquist TR, Rosa MJ, Just AC, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Téllez-Rojo MM, Wright RO, Baccarelli AA. Prenatal lead exposure, telomere length in cord blood, and DNA methylation age in the PROGRESS prenatal cohort. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 205:112577. [PMID: 34921825 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead is a ubiquitous pollutant with deleterious effects on human health and remains a major current public health concern in developing countries. This heavy metal may interfere with nucleic acids via oxidative stress or epigenetic changes that affect biological markers of aging, e.g., telomere length and DNA methylation (DNAm). Telomere shortening associates with biological age in newborns, and DNA methylation at specific CpG sites can be used to calculate "epigenetic clocks". OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the associations of prenatal lead exposures with telomere length and DNA-methylation-based predictors of age in cord blood. DESIGN The study included 507 mother-child pairs from the Programming Research in Obesity, Growth, Environment and Social Stressors (PROGRESS) study, a birth cohort in Mexico City. Maternal blood (second trimester, third trimester and at delivery) and bone lead levels (one month postpartum) were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence, respectively. Cord blood leukocyte telomere length was measured using quantitative PCR and apparent age by DNA methylation biomarkers, i.e., Horvath's DNA methylation age and the Knight's predictor of gestational age. RESULTS Average maternal age was 28.5 ± 5.5 years, and 51.5% reported low socioeconomic status. Children's mean telomere length was 1.2 ± 1.3 relative units, and mean DNA methylation ages using the Horvath's and Knight's clocks were -2.6 ± 0.1 years and 37.9 ± 1.4 weeks (mean ± SD), respectively. No significant associations were found between maternal blood and bone lead concentrations with telomere length and DNAm age in newborns. CONCLUSION We found no associations of prenatal lead exposure with telomere length and DNA methylation age biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- José F Herrera-Moreno
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Haotian Wu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tessa R Bloomquist
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Maria José Rosa
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Allan C Just
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hector Lamadrid-Figueroa
- Department of Perinatal Health, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Martha M Téllez-Rojo
- Center for Nutrition and Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Robert O Wright
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andrea A Baccarelli
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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Lead (Pb) and neurodevelopment: A review on exposure and biomarkers of effect (BDNF, HDL) and susceptibility. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 238:113855. [PMID: 34655857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant and a potent toxic compound. Humans are exposed to Pb through inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact via food, water, tobacco smoke, air, dust, and soil. Pb accumulates in bones, brain, liver and kidney. Fetal exposure occurs via transplacental transmission. The most critical health effects are developmental neurotoxicity in infants and cardiovascular effects and nephrotoxicity in adults. Pb exposure has been steadily decreasing over the past decades, but there are few recent exposure data from the general European population; moreover, no safe Pb limit has been set. Sensitive biomarkers of exposure, effect and susceptibility, that reliably and timely indicate Pb-associated toxicity are required to assess human exposure-health relationships in a situation of low to moderate exposure. Therefore, a systematic literature review based on PubMed entries published before July 2019 that addressed Pb exposure and biomarkers of effect and susceptibility, neurodevelopmental toxicity, epigenetic modifications, and transcriptomics was conducted. Finally included were 58 original papers on Pb exposure and 17 studies on biomarkers. The biomarkers that are linked to Pb exposure and neurodevelopment were grouped into effect biomarkers (serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and serum/saliva cortisol), susceptibility markers (epigenetic markers and gene sequence variants) and other biomarkers (serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL), maternal iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca) status). Serum BDNF and plasma HDL are potential candidates to be further validated as effect markers for routine use in HBM studies of Pb, complemented by markers of Fe and Ca status to also address nutritional interactions related to neurodevelopmental disorders. For several markers, a causal relationship with Pb-induced neurodevelopmental toxicity is likely. Results on BDNF are discussed in relation to Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) 13 ("Chronic binding of antagonist to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) during brain development induces impairment of learning and memory abilities") of the AOP-Wiki. Further studies are needed to validate sensitive, reliable, and timely effect biomarkers, especially for low to moderate Pb exposure scenarios.
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Pollock T, Karthikeyan S, Walker M, Werry K, St-Amand A. Trends in environmental chemical concentrations in the Canadian population: Biomonitoring data from the Canadian Health Measures Survey 2007-2017. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 155:106678. [PMID: 34118655 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ten years of nationally representative biomonitoring data collected between 2007 and 2017 are available from the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). These data establish baseline environmental chemical concentrations in the general population. Here we sought to evaluate temporal trends in environmental chemical exposures in the Canadian population by quantifying changes in biomarker concentrations measured in the first five two-year cycles of the CHMS. We identified 39 chemicals that were measured in blood or urine in at least three cycles and had detection rates over 50% in the Canadian population. We calculated geometric mean concentrations for each cycle using the survey weights provided. We then conducted analyses of variance to test for linear trends over all cycles. We also calculated the percent difference in geometric means between the first and most recent cycle measured. Of the 39 chemicals examined, we found statistically significant trends across cycles for 21 chemicals. Trends were decreasing for 19 chemicals from diverse chemical groups, including metals and trace elements, phenols and parabens, organophosphate pesticides, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and plasticizers. Significant reductions in chemical concentrations included di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP; 75% decrease), perfluorooctane sulfate (PFOS; 61% decrease), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; 58% decrease), dimethylphosphate (DMP; 40% decrease), lead (33% decrease), and bisphenol A (BPA; 32% decrease). Trends were increasing for two pyrethroid pesticide metabolites, including a 110% increase between 2007 and 2017 for 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA). No significant trends were observed for the remaining 18 chemicals that included arsenic, mercury, fluoride, acrylamide, volatile organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. National biomonitoring data indicate that concentrations, and therefore exposures, have decreased for many priority chemicals in the Canadian population. Concentrations for other chemical groups have not changed or have increased, although average concentrations remain below thresholds of concern derived from human exposure guidance values. Continued collection of national biomonitoring data is necessary to monitor trends in exposures over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler Pollock
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
| | | | - Mike Walker
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kate Werry
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Annie St-Amand
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Ludolphy C, Kierdorf U, Kierdorf H. Lead concentrations in antlers of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from an agricultural area in Northern Germany over a 119-year period-a historical biomonitoring study. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:56069-56078. [PMID: 34047901 PMCID: PMC8500883 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-14538-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
We analyzed the lead content in antlers of 90 adult European roe bucks (Capreolus capreolus) that had been culled between 1901 and 2019 in an agricultural-dominated hunting district in Lower Saxony (Northern Germany). Antler lead values ranged between 0.2 and 10.9 mg/kg dry weight. Median lead concentration was highest after World War II, during a period (1956-1984) of rapidly increasing mass motorization and use of leaded gasoline. Lead levels in antlers decreased markedly after the phase-out of leaded gasoline, but high values were still found in some recently collected antlers. This could indicate persistent lead pollution from former use of lead additives to gasoline, other traffic-related sources, or from agricultural sources (e.g., sewage sludge, fertilizers). This study highlights the suitability of analyzing roe deer antlers for the historical monitoring of changing lead levels in the environment. By collecting antlers and providing them for study, local hunters can significantly contribute to environmental surveillance and the monitoring of environmental pollution by bone-seeking contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catharina Ludolphy
- Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Universitätsplatz 1, 31141, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Uwe Kierdorf
- Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Universitätsplatz 1, 31141, Hildesheim, Germany
| | - Horst Kierdorf
- Department of Biology, University of Hildesheim, Universitätsplatz 1, 31141, Hildesheim, Germany.
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Vogel N, Murawski A, Schmied-Tobies MIH, Rucic E, Doyle U, Kämpfe A, Höra C, Hildebrand J, Schäfer M, Drexler H, Göen T, Kolossa-Gehring M. Lead, cadmium, mercury, and chromium in urine and blood of children and adolescents in Germany - Human biomonitoring results of the German Environmental Survey 2014-2017 (GerES V). Int J Hyg Environ Health 2021; 237:113822. [PMID: 34454255 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2021.113822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Metals reach humans through food and drinking water intake and inhalation of airborne particles and can have detrimental health effects in particular for children. The metals presented here (lead, cadmium, chromium, and mercury) could lead to toxic effects such as neurotoxicity, mutagenicity, and have been classified as (possible) carcinogens. Using population representative data from the German Environmental Survey 2014-2017 (GerES V) from 3- to 17-year-old children on lead and cadmium in blood (n = 720) and on cadmium, chromium, and mercury in urine (n = 2250) we describe current internal exposure levels, and socio-demographic and substance-specific exposure determinants. Average internal exposure (geometric means) in blood was 9.47 μg/L for lead and below 0.06 μg/L (limit of quantification) for cadmium, and in urine 0.072 μg/L for cadmium, 0.067 μg/L for mercury, and 0.393 μg/L for chromium, respectively. Younger children have higher concentrations of lead and chromium compared to 14-17-year-old adolescents, and boys have slightly higher mercury concentrations than girls. With respect to substance specific determinants, higher lead concentrations emerged in participants with domestic fuel and in non-smoking children with smokers in the household, higher levels of cadmium were associated with smoking and vegetarian diet and higher levels of mercury with the consumption of seafood and amalgam teeth fillings. No specific exposure determinants emerged for chromium. The health based guidance value HBM-I was not exceeded for mercury and for cadmium in urine it was exceeded by 0.6% of the study population. None of the exceedances was related to substantial tobacco smoke exposure. Comparisons to previous GerES cycles (GerES II, 1990-1992; GerES IV, 2003-2006) indicate continuously lower levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Vogel
- German Environment Agency (UBA); Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany.
| | - Aline Murawski
- German Environment Agency (UBA); Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | | | - Enrico Rucic
- German Environment Agency (UBA); Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Ulrike Doyle
- German Environment Agency (UBA); Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Alexander Kämpfe
- German Environment Agency (UBA); Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Christian Höra
- German Environment Agency (UBA); Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Jörg Hildebrand
- IPASUM - Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine; Henkestrasse 9-11, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Moritz Schäfer
- IPASUM - Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine; Henkestrasse 9-11, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Hans Drexler
- IPASUM - Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine; Henkestrasse 9-11, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Göen
- IPASUM - Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine; Henkestrasse 9-11, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
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Jiang Z, Guo Z, Peng C, Liu X, Zhou Z, Xiao X. Heavy metals in soils around non-ferrous smelteries in China: Status, health risks and control measures. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 282:117038. [PMID: 33838438 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Non-ferrous smelting is a primary cause of serious soil pollution. Contamination and health risks of heavy metals in soils around various types of non-ferrous smelteries in China were assessed using data from peer-reviewed papers published between 2000 and 2019. Development in the relevant environmental policy in China was discussed. The studied non-ferrous smelting sites were mainly located in provinces that produced non-ferrous metals on a large scale. The average concentrations of the heavy metals in soils around the non-ferrous smelteries (in mg per kg of soil) were as follows: Cd, 19.8; Cu, 265; Pb, 1536; and Zn, 1371; the concentrations greatly exceeded their corresponding background values. The smelting sites with high soil contamination in terms of metal concentrations, geo-accumulation (Igeo), and pollution index (PI) were mainly distributed in several provinces of China, including Guangxi, Gansu, Hunan, Hubei, Chongqing, and Liaoning. Soils near smelteries that processed copper were the most polluted based on Igeo and PI. The accumulation of Cd and Pb in soils around non-ferrous smelteries would pose potentially high risks to residents. A series of environmental policies have proven successful in lowering the emissions of contaminants from the non-ferrous in China. The findings of the study suggested that the strategies to control soil pollution around non-ferrous smelteries should primarily focus on Cd and Pb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhichao Jiang
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Zhaohui Guo
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Chi Peng
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China.
| | - Xu Liu
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Ziruo Zhou
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
| | - Xiyuan Xiao
- School of Metallurgy and Environment, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China
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