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Assessment of Arsenic in Hair of the Inhabitants of East Croatia—Relationship to Arsenic Concentrations in Drinking Water. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14101558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
The problem of elevated arsenic concentrations in water and environment is an increasing public health concern. The aim of the study was to assess the arsenic content in human hair in selected areas of eastern Croatia and to compare them with measured values after installation of a new water supply system. The hair samples were taken in the areas of wider Osijek and Vinkovci area and analyzed using the ICP–MS method. These data were also compared with data for Vinkovci previously published in 2004. Depending on the investigated area, the median concentrations ranged from 0.02 to 0.9 µg g−1, whereby this last value exceeded the upper range of the reference value (0.319 µg g−1). The arsenic concentrations from the Našice, Osijek and Vinkovci areas were within or slightly above the maximum allowed reference range. The highest median values in hair samples were detected in Čepin, with arsenic-contaminated potable water, while in areas where the water source was changed, the values were significantly lower. The results add to the conclusion that there has been significant reduction in hair arsenic concentrations in the population that was given access to clean, uncontaminated water from other regional sources.
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Suhl J, Leonard S, Weyer P, Rhoads A, Siega-Riz AM, Renée Anthony T, Burns TL, Conway KM, Langlois PH, Romitti PA. Maternal arsenic exposure and nonsyndromic orofacial clefts. Birth Defects Res 2018; 110:1455-1467. [PMID: 30367712 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arsenic is widely distributed in the environment in both inorganic and organic forms. Evidence from animal studies suggests that maternal inorganic arsenic may lead to the development of orofacial clefts (OFC)s in offspring. This evidence, together with the limited epidemiologic data available, supports the need for a comprehensive examination of major sources of arsenic exposure and OFCs in humans. METHODS Using interview data collected in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, public and well water arsenic sampling data, and dietary arsenic estimates, we compared expert-rater assessed occupational arsenic exposure, individual-level exposure to arsenic through drinking water, and dietary arsenic exposure between mothers of OFC cases (N = 435) and unaffected controls (N = 1267). Associations for each source of exposure were estimated for cleft lip ± palate (CL/P) and cleft palate (CP) using unconditional logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Associations for maternal drinking water arsenic exposure and CL/P were near or below unity, whereas those for dietary arsenic exposure tended to be positive. For CP, positive associations were observed for maternal occupational arsenic and inorganic arsenic exposures, with confidence intervals that excluded the null value, whereas those for drinking water or dietary arsenic exposures tended to be near or below unity. CONCLUSIONS Positive associations were observed for maternal occupational arsenic exposure and CP and for maternal dietary arsenic exposure and CL/P; the remainder of associations estimated tended to be near or below unity. Given the exploratory nature of our study, the results should be interpreted cautiously, and continued research using improved exposure assessment methodologies is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Suhl
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Stephanie Leonard
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Peter Weyer
- Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Anthony Rhoads
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Anna Maria Siega-Riz
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - T Renée Anthony
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Trudy L Burns
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Kristin M Conway
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Peter H Langlois
- Birth Defects Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, Texas
| | - Paul A Romitti
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
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Arriaza B, Amarasiriwardena D, Standen V, Yáñez J, Van Hoesen J, Figueroa L. Living in poisoning environments: Invisible risks and human adaptation. Evol Anthropol 2018; 27:188-196. [PMID: 30369007 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This article describes the hidden natural chemical contaminants present in a unique desert environment and their health consequences on ancient populations. Currently, millions of people are affected worldwide by toxic elements such as arsenic. Using data gathered from Atacama Desert mummies, we discuss long-term exposure and biocultural adaptation to toxic elements. The rivers that bring life to the Atacama Desert are paradoxically laden with arsenic and other minerals that are invisible and tasteless. High intake of these toxic elements results in severe health and behavioral problems, and even death. We demonstrate that Inca colonies, from Camarones 9 site, were significantly affected by chemical contaminants in their food and water. It appears however, some modern-day Andean populations resist the elevated levels of arsenic exposure as a result of positive selection mediated via the arsenic methyltransferase enzyme and display more tolerance to high chemical doses. This article further debate the effects of natural pollution and biocultural adaptation of past populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Arriaza
- Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile
| | | | - Vivien Standen
- Departamento de Antropología, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile
| | - Jorge Yáñez
- Departamento de Química Analítica e Inorgánica, Laboratorio de Trazas Elementales & Especiación (LABTRES), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
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Marie C, Léger S, Guttmann A, Marchiset N, Rivière O, Perthus I, Lémery D, Vendittelli F, Sauvant-Rochat MP. In utero exposure to arsenic in tap water and congenital anomalies: A French semi-ecological study. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2018; 221:1116-1123. [PMID: 30072236 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2018.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Congenital anomalies (CA) are responsible for high rates of mortality and long-term disabilities. Research on their risk factors including environmental factors is needed. Studies on exposure to arsenic (As) in tap water and the risk of CA have not provided conclusive evidence, particularly when levels of exposure were low (from 10 to 50 μg As/L). The main objective of this study was to assess the association between exposure to As in tap water and the risk of any major CA. The secondary objectives were to assess this association for the most common types of congenital anomalies (in the heart, musculoskeletal, urinary and nervous systems). METHODS A semi-ecological study was conducted from births recorded at the University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand, France, in 2003, 2006 and 2010. The medico-obstetric data were available at individual level. Children with congenital anomalies were identified from the database of the regional registry of congenital anomalies: the Centre d'Etudes des Malformations Congénitales Auvergne (CEMC-Auvergne). As exposure was estimated from the concentrations of As measured during sanitary control of tap water supplied in the mothers' commune of residence (aggregate data). French guidelines for As in tap water were used to identify the two groups: "≥ 10 μg As/L group" and "[0-10) μg As/L group". Multivariable logistic regression models were fit. RESULTS 5263 children (5.1% with a CA) were included. In stratified analysis by gender of the child, positive associations between As exposure exceeding 10 μg/L and risk of any major CA (adjusted OR = 2.41; 95%CI: 1.36-4.14) and of congenital heart anomalies (adjusted OR = 3.66; 95%CI: 1.62-7.64) were only shown for girls. No association was found for boys. CONCLUSION This French semi-ecological study provides additional arguments for the association between exposure to As exceeding 10 μg/L in tap water and the risk of CA especially in a context of low exposure. Further studies are needed to better understand the interaction between arsenic exposure and child gender.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Marie
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Sigma Clermont, Institut Pascal, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Service de biostatistique, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Stéphanie Léger
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Laboratoire de mathématiques Blaise Pascal, Aubière, France
| | - Aline Guttmann
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Sigma Clermont, Institut Pascal, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Service de biostatistique, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | | | | | - Isabelle Perthus
- Centre d'Etude des Malformations Congénitale (CEMC) Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France; CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Service de Génétique Médicale, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Didier Lémery
- AUDIPOG, Faculté de Médecine RTH Laennec, Lyon, France; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Sigma Clermont, Institut Pascal, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Service de Gynécologie-obstétrique, Réseau de Santé en Périnatalité d'Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Françoise Vendittelli
- AUDIPOG, Faculté de Médecine RTH Laennec, Lyon, France; Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Sigma Clermont, Institut Pascal, CHU de Clermont-Ferrand, Service de Gynécologie-obstétrique, Réseau de Santé en Périnatalité d'Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Sauvant-Rochat
- Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, Sigma Clermont, Institut Pascal - UFR Pharmacie, Département Santé Publique et Environnement, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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Suhl J, Romitti PA, Cao Y, Rocheleau CM, Burns TL, Conway K, Rajaraman P, Agopian AJ, Stewart P. Maternal occupational cadmium exposure and nonsyndromic orofacial clefts. Birth Defects Res 2018; 110:603-609. [PMID: 29359414 DOI: 10.1002/bdr2.1202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Revised: 12/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cigarette smoking is a well-studied risk factor for orofacial clefts (OFCs). Little is known about which constituents in cigarette smoke contribute to this teratogenicity in humans. One constituent, cadmium, has been associated with OFCs in animal studies; in humans, the role of maternal cadmium exposure on OFCs, independent of cigarette smoke, is unclear. In particular, the relation between maternal occupational cadmium exposure and OFCs is largely unexplored. METHODS Using data from a large, population-based case-control study, we compared expert rater assessed maternal occupational cadmium exposure from self-reported occupational histories during the period 1 month before through 3 months after conception between OFC cases (n = 1,185) and unaffected controls (n = 2,832). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals for any (yes/no) and cumulative (no, low, high exposure) occupational cadmium exposures and all OFCs, cleft lip ± cleft palate (CL/P) and cleft palate (CP). RESULTS Overall, 45 mothers (cases = 13, controls = 32) were rated as having occupational cadmium exposure. Comparing all OFCs to controls, we observed inverse, nonsignificant aORs for any or low exposure, and positive, nonsignificant aORs for high exposure. Where data were available, aORs for CL/P and CP tended to parallel those for all OFCs. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first study to specifically examine maternal occupational cadmium exposure and OFCs, using expert rater exposure assessment. The small numbers of exposed mothers observed, however, led to imprecise estimates. Continued research using more detailed occupational exposure assessment and increased sample sizes is recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Suhl
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Paul A Romitti
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Yanyan Cao
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Carissa M Rocheleau
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Trudy L Burns
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Kristin Conway
- Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
| | - Preetha Rajaraman
- Office of Global Affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, District of Columbia
| | - A J Agopian
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, UT Health School of Public Health, Houston, Texas
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Hemminki K, Axelson O, Niemi ML, Ahlborg G. Assessment of Methods and Results of Reproductive Occupational Epidemiology: Spontaneous Abortions and Malformations in the Offspring of Working Women. Am J Ind Med 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ajim.1983.4.1-2.293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Jacobson CF, Stump DG, Nemec MD, Holson JF, DeSesso JM. Appropriate Exposure Routes and Doses in Studies Designed to Assess Developmental Toxicity: A Case Study of Inorganic Arsenic. Int J Toxicol 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/109158199225279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Assessment of risks to human health from chemical agents is a complex process that requires the assembly, careful analysis, and integration of human and animal data collected from studies performed at different times, for disparate purposes, and under varying conditions. The application of risk assessment methods to data without consideration of the relevance of critical experimental parameters such as route of exposure or magnitude of dose can lead to specious determinations of the risk posed by exposure to environmental agents. A case study of the purported risk of developmental toxicity from inorganic arsenic is presented to illustrate (1) the nature of the problem, (2) how extant data from all studies are useful, (3) how appropriately designed modern studies can clarify the situation, and (4) how conflicted data should be evaluated in terms of appropriateness for use in risk assessment.
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Sánchez-Virosta P, Espín S, García-Fernández AJ, Eeva T. A review on exposure and effects of arsenic in passerine birds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 512-513:506-525. [PMID: 25644847 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.01.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 01/21/2015] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Arsenic (As) is a metalloid of high concern because of its toxic effects for plants and animals. However, it is hard to find information on this metalloid in passerines. This review presents a comprehensive overview of As exposure and effects in birds, and more particularly in passerines, as a result of an extensive search of the literature available. Internal tissues are the most frequently analyzed matrices for As determination in passerines (37.5% of the reviewed studies used internal tissues), followed by feathers and eggs (32.5% each), feces (27.5%), and finally blood (15%). A clear tendency is found in recent years to the use of non-destructive samples. Most studies on As concentrations in passerines have been done in great tit (Parus major; 50%), followed by pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca; 22.5%). Some factors such as diet and migratory status are crucial on the interspecific differences in As exposure. More studies are needed to elucidate if intraspecific factors like age or gender affect As concentrations in different tissues. The literature review shows that studies on As concentrations in passerines have been done mainly in the United States (30%), followed by Belgium (22.5%), and Finland (20%), making evident the scarce or even lack of information in some countries, so we recommend further research in order to overcome the data gap, particularly in the southern hemisphere. Studies on humans, laboratory animals and birds have found a wide range of effects on different organ systems when they are exposed to different forms of As. This review shows that few field studies on As exposure and effects in passerines have been done, and all of them are correlative so far. Arsenic manipulation experiments on passerines are recommended to explore the adverse effects of As in free-living populations at similar levels to those occurring in the environment. CAPSULE This review summarizes the most interesting published studies on As exposure and effects in passerines.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Sánchez-Virosta
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland.
| | - S Espín
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland; Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - A J García-Fernández
- Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - T Eeva
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
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Rudnai T, Sándor J, Kádár M, Borsányi M, Béres J, Métneki J, Maráczi G, Rudnai P. Arsenic in drinking water and congenital heart anomalies in Hungary. Int J Hyg Environ Health 2014; 217:813-8. [PMID: 24916166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijheh.2014.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2013] [Revised: 05/13/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Inorganic arsenic can get easily through the placenta however there are very few human data on congenital anomalies related to arsenic exposure. Objective of our study was to explore the associations between arsenic content of drinking water and prevalence of some congenital anomalies. Four anomalies reported to the Hungarian Congenital Anomalies Registry between 1987 and 2003 were chosen to be analysed in relation to arsenic exposure: congenital anomalies of the circulatory system (n=9734) were considered as cases, while Down syndrome, club foot and multiple congenital malformations were used as controls (n=5880). Arsenic exposure of the mothers during pregnancy was estimated by using archive measurement data for each year and for each settlement where the mothers lived. Analysis of the associations between the prevalence of congenital heart anomalies and arsenic exposure during pregnancy was performed by logistic regression. The child's gender and age of the mother were adjusted for. The associations were evaluated by using the present EU health limit value of 10.0 μg/L arsenic concentration as a cut-off point. Regular consumption of drinking water with arsenic concentration above 10 μg/L during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of congenital heart anomalies in general (adjusted OR=1.41; 95% C.I.: 1.28-1.56), and especially that of ductus Botalli persistens (adjusted OR=1.81, 95%C.I.: 1.54-2.11) and atrial septal defect (adjusted OR=1.79; 95%C.I.: 1.59-2.01). The presented results showed an increased risk of congenital heart anomalies among infants whose mothers were exposed to drinking water with arsenic content above 10 μg/L during pregnancy. Further studies of possible similar effects of concentrations below 10 μg/L are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Rudnai
- National Institute of Environmental Health, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - János Sándor
- University of Debrecen, Institute of Preventive Medicine, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Mihály Kádár
- National Institute of Environmental Health, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Mátyás Borsányi
- National Institute of Environmental Health, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Judit Béres
- National Institute for Health Development, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Júlia Métneki
- National Institute for Health Development, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Péter Rudnai
- National Institute of Environmental Health, Budapest, Hungary
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Beckman L, Nordström S. Occupational and environmental risks in and around a smelter in northern Sweden. IX. Fetal mortality among wives of smelter workers. Hereditas 2008; 97:1-7. [PMID: 6890051 DOI: 10.1111/j.1601-5223.1982.tb00703.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
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Tchounwou PB, Patlolla AK, Centeno JA. Carcinogenic and systemic health effects associated with arsenic exposure--a critical review. Toxicol Pathol 2004; 31:575-88. [PMID: 14585726 DOI: 10.1080/01926230390242007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic and arsenic containing compounds are human carcinogens. Exposure to arsenic occurs occupationally in several industries, including mining, pesticide, pharmaceutical, glass and microelectronics, as well as environmentally from both industrial and natural sources. Inhalation is the principal route of arsenic exposure in occupational settings, while ingestion of contaminated drinking water is the predominant source of significant environmental exposure globally. Drinking water contamination by arsenic remains a major public health problem. Acute and chronic arsenic exposure via drinking water has been reported in many countries of the world, where a large proportion of drinking water is contaminated with high concentrations of arsenic. General health effects that are associated with arsenic exposure include cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, developmental anomalies, neurologic and neurobehavioural disorders, diabetes, hearing loss, portal fibrosis, hematologic disorders (anemia, leukopenia and eosinophilia) and multiple cancers: significantly higher standardized mortality rates and cumulative mortality rates for cancers of the skin, lung, liver, urinary bladder, kidney, and colon in many areas of arsenic pollution. Although several epidemiological studies have documented the sources of exposure and the global impact of arsenic contamination, the mechanisms by which arsenic induces health effects, including cancer, are not well characterized. Further research is needed to provide a better understanding of the pathobiology of arsenic-induced diseases and to better define the toxicologic pathology of arsenic in various organ systems. In this review, we provide and discuss the underlying pathology and nature of arsenic-induced lesions. Such information is critical for understanding the magnitude of health effects associated with arsenic exposure throughout the world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul B Tchounwou
- Molecular Toxicology Research Laboratory, NIH-Center for Environmental Health, School of Science and Technology, Jackson State University, Jackson, Mississippi 39217, USA.
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Hopenhayn C, Ferreccio C, Browning SR, Huang B, Peralta C, Gibb H, Hertz-Picciotto I. Arsenic exposure from drinking water and birth weight. Epidemiology 2003; 14:593-602. [PMID: 14501275 DOI: 10.1097/01.ede.0000072104.65240.69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 154] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Arsenic exposures from drinking water increase the risk of various cancers and noncancer health endpoints. Limited evidence suggests that arsenic may have adverse human reproductive effects. We investigated the association between drinking water arsenic exposure and fetal growth, as manifest in birth weight. METHODS We conducted a prospective cohort study in two Chilean cities with contrasting drinking water arsenic levels: Antofagasta (40 micro g/L) and Valparaíso (<1 micro g/L). Study subjects completed in-depth interviews and provided urine samples for exposure analysis. We obtained pregnancy and birth information from medical records. The birth weight analysis was restricted to liveborn, singleton infants born between December 1998 and February 2000. RESULTS The final study group consisted of 424 infants from Antofagasta and 420 from Valparaíso. After controlling for confounders, results of the multivariable analysis indicated that Antofagasta infants had lower mean birth weight (-57 g; 95% confidence interval = -123 to 9). CONCLUSION This study suggests that moderate arsenic exposures from drinking water (<50 micro g/L) during pregnancy are associated with reduction in birth weight, similar in magnitude to that resulting from other environmental exposures such as environmental tobacco smoke and benzene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Hopenhayn
- School of Public Health and Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40504, USA.
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Abstract
Drinking water contaminated by arsenic remains a major public health problem. Long-term arsenic exposure has been found to be associated with peripheral vascular diseases in a variety of studies. Reports of vascular effects of arsenic in drinking water, which span almost 100 years, have been published in Taiwan, Chile, Mexico, and China. This paper reviewed the association of peripheral vascular diseases resulting from arsenic exposure to drinking water from the clinical and pathological points of view. An endemic peripheral vascular disorder called "blackfoot disease" has been noticed in a limited area in Taiwan. This disease results in gangrene in the extremities. It has been associated with the ingestion of high concentrations of arsenic-tainted artesian well water. Epidemiological studies confirmed a dose-response relationship between long-term arsenic exposure and the occurrence of blackfoot disease. Whereas arsenic has induced various clinical manifestations of vascular effects in Chile, Mexico and China, they do not compare in magnitude or severity to the blackfoot disease found in Taiwan. The pathogenesis of vascular effects induced by arsenic is still controversial. The possible mechanisms include endothelial cell destruction, arsenic-associated atherogenesis, carotene and zinc deficiency, and/or some immunological mechanism. Microcirculatory assessments revealed that deficits of capillary blood flow and permeability exist in clinically normal skin of patients with chronic arsenical poisoning. The vascular effects of chronic arsenic poisoning may involve cardiovascular and cerebrovascular systems as well. In view of the increasing public health problems caused by arsenic exposure, vascular effects should be included in the future study of health effects of arsenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Su Yu
- Department of Dermatology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Inorganic arsenic has been used by many laboratories to study the pathogenesis of exencephaly in rodents. These studies, which used predominantly injection exposures, coupled with the paucity of epidemiology data, resulted in the erroneous inference that inorganic arsenic should be considered a human teratogen. METHODS This study assembles and assesses literature analyses of older human and animal investigations together with the results of new experimental studies. These recent studies were performed according to modern regulatory guidelines, and relevant exposure routes (inhalation and ingestion) were used to evaluate the potential risk of developmental effects in humans. RESULTS The existing epidemiological data are inadequate to support risk assessment because of the failure to confirm or measure arsenic exposure during early gestation and the deficiencies in accounting for potential confounding factors. The animal data revealed that inorganic arsenic caused malformations in offspring only when it was injected into the veins or peritoneal cavity of pregnant animals during early gestation. Exposure via inhalation or oral ingestion, even at concentrations that were nearly fatal to pregnant females, caused no arsenic-related malformations. CONCLUSIONS Inorganic arsenic poses virtually no danger to developing offspring when maternal exposure occurs by relevant routes (oral and inhalation) at concentrations that are likely to be experienced in the environment or in the workplace.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M DeSesso
- Biomedical Research Institute, Mitretek Systems, McLean, Virginia 22102, USA.
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Holson JF, Desesso JM, Jacobson CF, Farr CH. Appropriate use of animal models in the assessment of risk during prenatal development: an illustration using inorganic arsenic. TERATOLOGY 2000; 62:51-71. [PMID: 10861633 DOI: 10.1002/1096-9926(200007)62:1<51::aid-tera10>3.0.co;2-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assessing risks to human development from chemical exposure typically requires integrating findings from laboratory animal and human studies. METHODS Using a case study approach, we present a program designed to assess the risk of the occurrence of malformations from inorganic arsenic exposure. We discuss how epidemiological data should be evaluated for quality and criteria for determining whether an association is causal. In this case study, adequate epidemiological data were not available for evaluating the potential effect of arsenic on development. Consequently, results from appropriately designed, conducted, and interpreted developmental toxicity studies, which have been shown to be predictive of human risk under numerous scenarios, were used. In our case study, the existing animal data were not designed appropriately to assess risk from environmental exposures, although such studies may be useful for hazard identification. Because the human and animal databases were deficient, a research program comprising modern guideline toxicological studies was designed and conducted. RESULTS The results of those studies in rats, mice, and rabbits indicate that oral and inhalational exposures to inorganic arsenic do not cause structural malformations, and inhalational exposures produced no developmental effects at all. The new study results are discussed in conjunction with considerations of metabolism, toxicokinetics, and maternal toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Based on the available experimental data, and absent contrary findings from adequately conducted epidemiological studies, we conclude that exposure to inorganic arsenic by environmentally relevant routes poses no risk of the occurrence of malformations and little risk of other prenatal developmental toxicity in developing humans without concomitant and near-lethal toxicological effects in mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- J F Holson
- WIL Research Laboratories, Inc., Ashland, Ohio 44805, USA
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Ostrowski SR, Wilbur S, Chou CH, Pohl HR, Stevens YW, Allred PM, Roney N, Fay M, Tylenda CA. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's 1997 priority list of hazardous substances. Latent effects--carcinogenesis, neurotoxicology, and developmental deficits in humans and animals. Toxicol Ind Health 1999; 15:602-44. [PMID: 10677885 DOI: 10.1177/074823379901500702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In support of Superfund re-authorization legislation, the Division of Toxicology of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) prepared a chemical-specific consultation document for Congress that identified those chemicals with carcinogenic, neurological, or developmental adverse effects having a latency period longer than 6 years. The review was limited to the top 50 substances listed on ATSDR's 1997 Priority List of Hazardous Substances (Priority List). Among the top 50 chemicals, a review of the technical literature indicated that 38 (76%) were classified as "reasonably anticipated," "possibly," or "probably" capable of causing cancer in humans, based either on human and animal data. Eight chemicals (16%) had well-established cancer latency periods in humans of 6 years or more following exposure. Three substances (6%)--arsenic, creosote, and benzidine--had data indicating latency periods longer than 6 years. The technical literature review likewise confirmed the potential for neurological and developmental effects with a latency of 6 years. Twenty-seven (54%) of the top 50 substances caused acute and/or chronic neurotoxic effects; a number of these also caused neurological effects that persisted beyond 6 years (or the equivalent in animal studies) such as: behavioral problems, neurological deficiencies, reduced psychomotor development, cognitive deficiencies, and reduced IQ. Twenty-eight substances (56%) caused adverse developmental effects in offspring of exposed individuals or animals including increased fetal and infant mortality, decreased birth weights and litter sizes, and growth delays. Latency periods for related chemicals are expected to be similar due to structural and toxicological similarities.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Ostrowski
- Division of Toxicology, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
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Tchounwou PB, Wilson B, Ishaque A. Important considerations in the development of public health advisories for arsenic and arsenic-containing compounds in drinking water. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1999; 14:211-229. [PMID: 10746734 DOI: 10.1515/reveh.1999.14.4.211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Drinking water contamination by arsenic remains a major public health problem. Acute and chronic arsenic exposure via drinking water has been reported in many countries of the world; especially in Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Mexico, Thailand, and Taiwan, where a large proportion of drinking water (ground water) is contaminated with a high concentration of arsenic. Research has also pointed out significantly higher standardized mortality ratios and cumulative mortality rates for cancers of the bladder, kidney, skin, liver, and colon in many areas of arsenic pollution. General health effects that are associated with arsenic exposure include cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, developmental anomalies, neurologic and neurobehavioral disorders, diabetes, hearing loss, portal fibrosis of the liver, lung fibrosis, hematologic disorders (anemia, leukopenia, and eosinophilia), and carcinoma. Although, the clinical manifestations of arsenic poisoning appear similar, the toxicity of arsenic compounds depends largely u[on the chemical species and the form of arsenic involved. On the basis of its high degree of toxicity to humans, and the non-threshold dose-response assumption, a zero level exposure is recommended for arsenic, even though this level is practically non-attainable. In this review, we provide and discuss important information on the physical and chemical properties, production and use, fate and transport, toxicokinetics, systemic and carcinogenic health effects, regulatory and health guidelines, analytical methods, and treatment technologies that are applied to arsenic pollution. Such information is critical in assisting the federal, state and local officials who are responsible for protecting public health in dealing with the problem of drinking water contamination by arsenic and arsenic-containing compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- P B Tchounwou
- NIH-Center for Environmental Health, School of Science and Technology, Jackson State University, Mississippi 39217-0940, USA.
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DeSesso JM, Jacobson CF, Scialli AR, Farr CH, Holson JF. An assessment of the developmental toxicity of inorganic arsenic. Reprod Toxicol 1998; 12:385-433. [PMID: 9717692 DOI: 10.1016/s0890-6238(98)00021-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A critical analysis of the literature base regarding the reproductive and developmental toxicity of arsenic compounds, with emphasis on inorganic arsenicals, was conducted. The analysis was stimulated by the great number of papers that have purported to have shown an association between exposure of pregnant laboratory animals to arsenic compounds and the occurrence of offspring with cranial neural tube defects, particularly exencephaly. For the most part, the literature reports of arsenic developmental toxicity in experimental animals are inadequate for human risk assessment purposes. Despite the shortcomings of the experimental database, several conclusions are readily apparent when the animal studies are viewed collectively. First, cranial neural tube defects are induced in rodents only when arsenic exposure has occurred early in gestation (on Days 7 [hamster, mouse], 8 [mouse], or 9 [rat]). Second, arsenic exposures that cause cranial neural tube defects are single doses that are so high as to be lethal (or nearly so) to the pregnant animal. Third, the effective routes of exposure are by injection directly into the venous system or the peritoneal cavity; even massive oral exposures do not cause increases in the incidence of total gross malformations. Fourth, repetition of similar study designs employing exaggerated parenteral doses is the source of the large number of papers reporting neural tube defects associated with prenatal arsenic exposure. Fifth, in five repeated dose studies carried out following EPA Guidelines for assessing developmental toxicity, arsenic was not teratogenic in rats (AsIII, 101 micromol/kg/d, oral gavage; 101 micromol/m3, inhalation), mice (AsV, 338 micromol/kg/d, oral gavage; est. 402 micromol/kg/d, diet), or rabbits (AsV, 21 micromol/kg/d, oral gavage). Data regarding arsenic exposure and adverse outcomes of pregnancy in humans are limited to several ecologic epidemiology studies of drinking water, airborne dusts, and smelter environs. These studies failed to (1) obtain accurate measurements of maternal exposure during the critical period of organogenesis and (2) control for recognized confounders. The lone study that examined maternal arsenic exposure during pregnancy and the presence of neural tube defects in progeny failed to confirm a relationship between the two. It is concluded that under environmentally relevant exposure scenarios (e.g., 100 ppm in soil), inorganic arsenic is unlikely to pose a risk to pregnant women and their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M DeSesso
- Mitretek Systems, Inc., McLean, Virginia 22102, USA.
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21
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Golub MS, Macintosh MS, Baumrind N. Developmental and reproductive toxicity of inorganic arsenic: animal studies and human concerns. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 1998; 1:199-241. [PMID: 9644328 DOI: 10.1080/10937409809524552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Information on the reproductive and developmental toxicity of inorganic arsenic is available primarily from studies in animals using arsenite and arsenate salts and arsenic trioxide. Inorganic arsenic has been extensively studied as a teratogen in animals. Data from animal studies demonstrate that arsenic can produce developmental toxicity, including malformation, death, and growth retardation, in four species (hamsters, mice, rats, rabbits). A characteristic pattern of malformations is produced, and the developmental toxicity effects are dependent on dose, route, and the day of gestation when exposure occurs. Studies with gavage and diet administration indicate that death and growth retardation are produced by oral arsenic exposure. Arsenic is readily transferred to the fetus and produces developmental toxicity in embryo culture. Animal studies have not identified an effect of arsenic on fertility in males or females. When females were dosed chronically for periods that included pregnancy, the primary effect of arsenic on reproduction was a dose-dependent increase in conceptus mortality and in postnatal growth retardation. Human data are limited to a few studies of populations exposed to arsenic from drinking water or from working at or living near smelters. Associations with spontaneous abortion and stillbirth have been reported in more than one of these studies, but interpretation of these studies is complicated because study populations were exposed to multiple chemicals. Thus, animal studies suggest that environmental arsenic exposures are primarily a risk to the developing fetus. In order to understand the implications for humans, attention must be given to comparative pharmacokinetics and metabolism, likely exposure scenarios, possible mechanisms of action, and the potential role of arsenic as an essential nutrient.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Golub
- Reproductive and Cancer Hazard Assessment Section, Environmental Protection Agency, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA.
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Shalat SL, Walker DB, Finnell RH. Role of arsenic as a reproductive toxin with particular attention to neural tube defects. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1996; 48:253-72. [PMID: 8656449 DOI: 10.1080/009841096161320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic has been recognized as a human toxicant for over 2000 years. More recently it has been readily accepted as a human carcinogen. Animal research has demonstrated arsenic's ability to have profound detrimental effects on the developing embryo in avian and mammalian species. This article comprehensively reviews the human and animal literature on the subject of the reproductive toxicity of arsenic. A variety of endpoints are considered, including spontaneous abortion, cardiovascular defects, and arsenic's role in the causation of neural tube defects (NTDs). A summary of the literature that has examined the various postulated mechanisms by which arsenic may produce NTDs is also considered. In addition, a discussion of literature relative to the presence of arsenic in the general environment and in the workplace is presented. This article reaches the conclusion that while further research is clearly needed, particularly on the potential toxicity of organic arsenical compounds, the current literature suggests it may be prudent and appropriate to treat inorganic arsenic as a probable human reproductive toxin.
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Affiliation(s)
- S L Shalat
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Toxicology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-4458, USA
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Wulff M, Högberg U, Sandström-Holmgren A. Congenital malformations in the vicinity of a smelter in Northern Sweden, 1973-1990. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 1996; 10:22-31. [PMID: 8746428 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3016.1996.tb00022.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The objective was to evaluate the rates of congenital malformation in children born in a population living around a smelter and to employees at the smelter, in a community in northern Sweden. By means of record linkage of the birth register and various registers of congenital malformations, a retrospective study of a birth cohort according to place of parental residence and employment was carried out to assess rates of congenital malformation occurring between 1973-1990. Neither a general, nor specific, significantly increased risk of congenital malformation was seen in the 2724 children born to women living close to the smelter or to employees of the smelter compared with the 15191 children in the reference population. No increased risk could be ascertained although there are reservations concerning the small sample size of the study group.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Wulff
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Epidemiology and Public Health, Umea University, Sweden
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Engel RR, Smith AH. Arsenic in drinking water and mortality from vascular disease: an ecologic analysis in 30 counties in the United States. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1994; 49:418-27. [PMID: 7944575 DOI: 10.1080/00039896.1994.9954996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Chronic arsenic consumption can cause vascular diseases. Adverse vascular effects of arsenic in drinking water in the United States have not been studied. This study investigated the ecological relationship between the population-weighted mean arsenic concentration in public drinking water supplies and mortality from circulatory diseases in 30 U.S. counties from 1968 to 1984. Mean arsenic levels ranged from 5.4 to 91.5 micrograms/l. Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for diseases of arteries, arterioles, and capillaries (DAAC) (ICD 8th/9th revision, 440-448) for counties exceeding 20 micrograms/l were 1.9 (90% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7-2.1) for females and 1.6 (90% CI = 1.5-1.8) for males. The SMRs for the three subgroups of DAAC--arteriosclerosis, aortic aneurysm, and all other DAAC--tended to be elevated. With respect to the same arsenic group, the SMRs for congenital anomalies of the heart (ICD-8/9, 746/745-746) and circulatory system (ICD-8/9, 747) also tended to be elevated. Two competing interpretations emerge as possibilities: either there are spurious associations resulting from invalid outcome data or causal associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- R R Engel
- Department of Biomedical and Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley
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Affiliation(s)
- I A al-Saleh
- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Tsuda T, Babazono A, Ogawa T, Hamada H, Mino Y, Aoyama H, Kurumatani N, Nagira T, Hotta N, Harada M, Inomata S. Inorganic arsenic: A dangerous enigma for mankind. Appl Organomet Chem 1992. [DOI: 10.1002/aoc.590060403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Shaw GM, Schulman J, Frisch JD, Cummins SK, Harris JA. Congenital malformations and birthweight in areas with potential environmental contamination. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 1992; 47:147-54. [PMID: 1567240 DOI: 10.1080/00039896.1992.10118769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Public concern exists about the potential for reproductive damage that may result from exposures to environmental contaminants. Therefore, the authors sought to determine if there was an association between a child's congenital malformation or a child's lowered weight at birth and his or her mother's residence in a census tract where a site of environmental contamination had been documented. Exposure designations were derived from existing sources of information. Except for an elevated risk (odds ratio = 1.5) for infants with malformations of the heart and circulatory system, this investigation did not reveal increased risks for most malformations or for lowered birthweight among babies born to women who lived in these census tracts. Methodologic issues inherent to investigations that rely on existing data sources are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- G M Shaw
- California Birth Defects Monitoring Program, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Emeryville, California
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Ernhart CB. A critical review of low-level prenatal lead exposure in the human: 1. Effects on the fetus and newborn. Reprod Toxicol 1992; 6:9-19. [PMID: 1562804 DOI: 10.1016/0890-6238(92)90017-n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C B Ernhart
- Department of Psychiatry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
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29
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Börzsönyi M, Bereczky A, Rudnai P, Csanady M, Horvath A. Epidemiological studies on human subjects exposed to arsenic in drinking water in southeast Hungary. Arch Toxicol 1992; 66:77-8. [PMID: 1580796 DOI: 10.1007/bf02307274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Piasek M, Kostial K. Reversibility of the effects of lead on the reproductive performance of female rats. Reprod Toxicol 1991; 5:45-51. [PMID: 1807536 DOI: 10.1016/0890-6238(91)90109-s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Potential reversibility of the reproductive effect of lead was studied in female albino rats after cessation of oral exposure to 7500 ppm lead as acetate in drinking water. Females mated and gave birth to their first offspring during 9 weeks of lead exposure. They then continued or discontinued exposure, were mated for the second time, and had their second offspring during a longer exposure (20 weeks) or after a period without lead. Food consumption, body weights, and fertility index were not altered irrespective of the exposure conditions. In the first and especially in the second offspring of exposed females, survival rates, litter sizes, and body weights of newborn and 11-day-old pups were decreased. Offspring born to dams in which exposure had been stopped were not different from controls. It was concluded that the adverse reproductive action of lead is reversible after withdrawal of the female from exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Piasek
- Department of the Physiology of Mineral Metabolism, University of Zagreb, Yugoslavia
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31
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Schardein JL, Keller KA. Potential human developmental toxicants and the role of animal testing in their identification and characterization. Crit Rev Toxicol 1989; 19:251-339. [PMID: 2653734 DOI: 10.3109/10408448909037473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Some 50 chemicals have been identified from environmental, occupational, or therapeutic exposure data as being potential developmental toxicants in humans. The toxicity pattern of these chemicals in humans has been characterized and correlated with developmental toxicity end points in laboratory animal models in order to determine the relevance and predictiveness of the results of testing in animals in extrapolation to human data. In general, animal developmental toxicity data closely paralleled human outcomes, and while humans in most cases were more sensitive than animals, the data support the concept that, imperfections aside, studies in animals serve a vital role in the hazard identification process.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Schardein
- Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology Division, International Research and Development Corporation, Mattawan, Michigan
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McDonald JC, Lavoie J, Côté R, McDonald AD. Chemical exposures at work in early pregnancy and congenital defect: a case-referent study. BRITISH JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE 1987; 44:527-533. [PMID: 3651351 PMCID: PMC1007871 DOI: 10.1136/oem.44.8.527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Three hundred and one women who in their most recent pregnancy had given birth to an infant with an important congenital defect were individually matched with 301 women whose children were normal. Both cases and referents were drawn from a comprehensive survey of pregnancies in Montreal, 1982-4, and limited to women employed 30 or more hours a week until at least the 13th week of gestation. Occupational exposure to chemicals was investigated and the results classified without knowledge of case-referent status. In matched pair analysis the overall frequency of chemical exposure was higher in cases than referents (63:47), due to excesses in the cardiac and miscellaneous defect groups (ratios of 10:5 and 15:7 respectively). In analyses by nine chemical categories only exposure to aromatic solvents showed a clear excess (18:8; p approximately equal to 0.04), most evident in the urinary tract group (9:0). A comparison of cases and referents exposed to aromatic solvents showed that most of the excess was associated with toluene; the defects were varied but predominantly renal-urinary or gastrointestinal.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C McDonald
- Institut de Recherche en Santé et en Sécurité du Travail du Québec, Montreal, Canada
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Ericson A, Eriksson M, Källén B, Zetterström R. Maternal occupation and delivery outcome: a study using central registry data. ACTA PAEDIATRICA SCANDINAVICA 1987; 76:512-8. [PMID: 3604670 DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1987.tb10508.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The outcome of all deliveries in Sweden in 1981 has been studied. The occupation of each mother was obtained by record linkage using census data from November 1980. Rates of perinatal deaths or congenital malformations did not vary according to maternal occupation, more than might be expected to happen by chance, which indicated that maternal occupation is not a major factor in the outcome of these deliveries. There was variation in the rates of low birth weight infants, according to maternal occupation, which may have been an effect of socioeconomic factors associated with the occupation. Within occupational groups, working situations may exist which entail an increased teratogenic risk, but in order to reveal such risks, studies with a different design must be carried out.
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Abstract
Arsenic is widely distributed throughout the animal and plant kingdoms and our environment where sources can be natural or anthropogenic. Agricultural uses of arsenic have declined recently, but it still has well-defined roles in industry. Small amounts of arsenic are metabolized in a variety of ways and are largely rapidly methylated and excreted by man and animals. Poisoning can occur and may follow an acute or chronic course. Toxic manifestations in man occur at the cellular level and may appear in many organ systems. Specific effects can often be demonstrated in the skin and in the vascular and nervous systems. Other toxic effects appear to include carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, and teratogenesis.
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Hemminki K, Vineis P. Extrapolation of the evidence on teratogenicity of chemicals between humans and experimental animals: chemicals other than drugs. TERATOGENESIS, CARCINOGENESIS, AND MUTAGENESIS 1985; 5:251-318. [PMID: 2866606 DOI: 10.1002/tcm.1770050405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiologic literature regarding the possible association between malformations and 23 exposures or occupations other than pharmaceutical products, was analysed. The qualitative level of scientific evidence was classified into four categories: high (ethanol, methylmercury, PCBs, laboratory work), limited (anesthetic gases, carbon monoxide), low (hexachlorophene, LSD, nitrous oxide, smelter work, tobacco), and inadequate (all other exposures). Human data for exposures belonging to categories "high" and "limited" were quantitatively compared to results of animal teratogenicity tests of the relevant chemicals. Ethanol, methylmercury, and PCBs have caused malformations in experimental animals, and the effective doses have ranged from 0.2 to 8.0 times the effective human doses. Ethanol and PCBs caused similar types of lesions in some animal species as have been observed in humans.
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Wide M. Effect of short-term exposure to five industrial metals on the embryonic and fetal development of the mouse. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 1984; 33:47-53. [PMID: 6692813 DOI: 10.1016/0013-9351(84)90007-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
An increase is expected in the world's industrial use of several metals, Al, Co, Mo, V, and W, among others. Very little is known about their possible effects on early mammalian development. Groups of mice were injected with compounds of these metals either before implantation or at early organogenesis. None of the metal compounds showed any interference with implantation, but all of them significantly affected fetal development: Al caused an increased frequency of fetal internal hemorrhage, Mo inhibited fetal normal weight gain, W increased the frequency of resorptions, and Al, Co, Mo, and V all interfered with fetal skeletal ossification.
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Hemminki K, Axelson O, Niemi ML, Ahlborg G. Assessment of methods and results of reproductive occupational epidemiology: Spontaneous abortions and malformations in the offspring of working women. Am J Ind Med 1983. [DOI: 10.1002/ajim.4700040122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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Hemminki K, Kyyrönen P, Niemi ML, Koskinen K, Sallmén M, Vainio H. Spontaneous abortions in an industrialized community in Finland. Am J Public Health 1983; 73:32-7. [PMID: 6847997 PMCID: PMC1650457 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.73.1.32] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Spontaneous abortions were analyzed in an industrialized Finnish community according to the occupation and workplace of both the women and their husbands. Information about spontaneous abortions and births was obtained from the hospital discharge register, and data about the women and their families were collected from census files. When compared with all women employed outside the home, women who worked at a textile plant (factory A, a clothing manufacturer) had an increased rate of spontaneous abortion (16.7 per cent vs 11.4 per cent). The rate of spontaneous abortions among women employed at factory A differed according to the husband's workplace. The odds ratio for women employed at factor A whose husbands worked at a large metallurgical factory was 3.8, whereas the odds ratio for women whose husbands worked elsewhere was 1.2. Between 1973 and 1976, the rate of spontaneous abortions in this town was consistently lower for the summer period. (May-August) than for the other periods of the year.
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Hook EB. Human teratogenic and mutagenic markers in monitoring about point sources of pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 1981; 25:178-203. [PMID: 7016525 DOI: 10.1016/0013-9351(81)90089-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
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Nordenson I. Increased frequencies of chromosomal abnormalities in families with a history of fetal wastage. Clin Genet 1981; 19:168-73. [PMID: 7273459 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.1981.tb00691.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
In twenty couples with a history of repeated fetal wastage, chromosomal abnormalities in cultured lymphocytes were analyzed with standard, G- and C-banding techniques. The analyses revealed five individuals with a variant chromosome #1 (1 qh+) and one individual with an extra small unidentifiable fragment or ring chromosome in about 50% of the cells. In the remaining 14 couples, an increased frequency of chromosomal breakage was found, compared to the frequencies in 11 couples with two children and no reported abortions. Eighteen out of 40 individuals (45%) in the families with fetal wastage were found to have cytogenetic abnormalities. None of the 22 controls showed such abnormalities.
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Hemminki K, Mutanen P, Luoma K, Saloniemi I. Congenital malformations by the parental occupation in Finland. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 1980; 46:93-8. [PMID: 7399727 DOI: 10.1007/bf00378188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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