Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E‐Waste Area in China
Abstract Electronic waste that has not been properly treated can lead to environmental contamination including of heavy metals, which can pose risks to human health. Infants, a sensitive group, are highly susceptible to heavy metals exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2023-11-01
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| Series: | GeoHealth |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000897 |
| _version_ | 1797449750177382400 |
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| author | Chen Chen Chaochen Ma Qiyao Li Jin Guo Hang Jiantong Shen Shoji F. Nakayama Teruhiko Kido Yibin Lin Hao Feng Chau‐Ren Jung Xian Liang Sun Jianlin Lou |
| author_facet | Chen Chen Chaochen Ma Qiyao Li Jin Guo Hang Jiantong Shen Shoji F. Nakayama Teruhiko Kido Yibin Lin Hao Feng Chau‐Ren Jung Xian Liang Sun Jianlin Lou |
| author_sort | Chen Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Electronic waste that has not been properly treated can lead to environmental contamination including of heavy metals, which can pose risks to human health. Infants, a sensitive group, are highly susceptible to heavy metals exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between prenatal heavy metal exposure and infant birth outcomes in an e‐waste recycling area in China. We analyzed cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and arsenic (As) concentrations in 102 human milk samples collected 4 weeks after delivery. The results showed that 34.3% of participants for Cr, which exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, as well as the mean exposure of Cr exceeded the WHO guidelines. We collected data on the birth weight (BW) and length of infants and analyzed the association between metal concentration in human milk and birth outcomes using multivariable linear regression. We observed a significant negative association between the Cd concentration in maternal milk and BW in female infants (β = −162.72, 95% CI = −303.16, −22.25). In contrast, heavy metals did not associate with birth outcomes in male infants. In this study, we found that 34.3% of participants in an e‐waste recycling area had a Cr concentration that exceeded WHO guidelines, and there was a significant negative association between prenatal exposure to the Cd and infant BW in females. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to heavy metals in e‐waste recycling areas may lead to adverse birth outcomes, especially for female infants. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:29:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3442c0bcb84b498fb31c01e1261216bf |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2471-1403 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:29:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | GeoHealth |
| spelling | doaj.art-3442c0bcb84b498fb31c01e1261216bf2023-11-28T02:35:45ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)GeoHealth2471-14032023-11-01711n/an/a10.1029/2023GH000897Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E‐Waste Area in ChinaChen Chen0Chaochen Ma1Qiyao Li2Jin Guo Hang3Jiantong Shen4Shoji F. Nakayama5Teruhiko Kido6Yibin Lin7Hao Feng8Chau‐Ren Jung9Xian Liang Sun10Jianlin Lou11School of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases Huzhou University Huzhou ChinaPricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata LLC Tokyo JapanSchool of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases Huzhou University Huzhou ChinaTaizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University Taizhou ChinaSchool of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases Huzhou University Huzhou ChinaJapan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office National Institute for Environmental Studies Tsukuba JapanFaculty of Health Sciences Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical, and Health Sciences Kanazawa University Kanazawa JapanSchool of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases Huzhou University Huzhou ChinaSchool of Medicine Jiaxing University Jiaxing ChinaDepartment of Public Health College of Public Health China Medical University Taichung TaiwanSchool of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases Huzhou University Huzhou ChinaSchool of Medicine, and Huzhou Key Laboratory for Precise Prevention and Control of Major Chronic Diseases Huzhou University Huzhou ChinaAbstract Electronic waste that has not been properly treated can lead to environmental contamination including of heavy metals, which can pose risks to human health. Infants, a sensitive group, are highly susceptible to heavy metals exposure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between prenatal heavy metal exposure and infant birth outcomes in an e‐waste recycling area in China. We analyzed cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and arsenic (As) concentrations in 102 human milk samples collected 4 weeks after delivery. The results showed that 34.3% of participants for Cr, which exceeds the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, as well as the mean exposure of Cr exceeded the WHO guidelines. We collected data on the birth weight (BW) and length of infants and analyzed the association between metal concentration in human milk and birth outcomes using multivariable linear regression. We observed a significant negative association between the Cd concentration in maternal milk and BW in female infants (β = −162.72, 95% CI = −303.16, −22.25). In contrast, heavy metals did not associate with birth outcomes in male infants. In this study, we found that 34.3% of participants in an e‐waste recycling area had a Cr concentration that exceeded WHO guidelines, and there was a significant negative association between prenatal exposure to the Cd and infant BW in females. These results suggest that prenatal exposure to heavy metals in e‐waste recycling areas may lead to adverse birth outcomes, especially for female infants.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000897prenatal exposureheavy metalscadmiumelectronic wastebirth weighthuman milk |
| spellingShingle | Chen Chen Chaochen Ma Qiyao Li Jin Guo Hang Jiantong Shen Shoji F. Nakayama Teruhiko Kido Yibin Lin Hao Feng Chau‐Ren Jung Xian Liang Sun Jianlin Lou Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E‐Waste Area in China GeoHealth prenatal exposure heavy metals cadmium electronic waste birth weight human milk |
| title | Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E‐Waste Area in China |
| title_full | Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E‐Waste Area in China |
| title_fullStr | Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E‐Waste Area in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E‐Waste Area in China |
| title_short | Prenatal Exposure to Heavy Metals and Adverse Birth Outcomes: Evidence From an E‐Waste Area in China |
| title_sort | prenatal exposure to heavy metals and adverse birth outcomes evidence from an e waste area in china |
| topic | prenatal exposure heavy metals cadmium electronic waste birth weight human milk |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GH000897 |
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