In Utero Exposure to Aluminium and Other Neurotoxic Elements in Urban Coastal South African Women at Delivery: An Emerging Concern

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Kalavati Channa¹  HalinaB. Röllin²  JonØ. Odland²  Bukola Olutola²  Claudina Nogueira² 

[1] Lancet Laboratories, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Johannesburg 2090, South Africa;School of Health Systems and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa;

关键词: aluminium;    in utero exposure;    birth outcomes;    essential trace elements;    neurotoxic elements;    sex-dependent response to toxicants;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph17051724

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Aluminium (Al) is a non-essential neurotoxicant and there is limited information regarding exposure to Al in utero. This study sought to evaluate the in utero exposure to Al in urban South African women, its effects on birth outcomes and possible synergistic effects between Al, essential and neurotoxic elements such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As), as well as a a potential sex-dependent response to these elements in neonates. This study has found elevated levels of Al in urban women at delivery. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients (p-value) of the association between maternal serum Al and birth outcomes (gestational age and parity), and between maternal serum Al and Cu, Zn and Se, were statistically significant. However, in the general and the stratified models, no association was found between any of the birth outcomes and maternal serum Al. The association between maternal serum Al and neurotoxic elements at delivery showed a significant positive correlation for Pb only (rho = 0.361; p < 0.001) which was found to be sex-dependent in neonates (males, rho = 0.285; p < 0.004 and females, rho = 0.444, p < 0.001). Our preliminary findings indicate that in utero exposure to Al is an emerging concern requiring further research and directives from public health authorities.

【 授权许可】

Unknown