Rural and urban differences in prenatal exposure to essential and toxic elements

ABSTRACT

Excess or inadequate levels of inorganic ions may induce significant acute and long-term irreversible dysfunction in humans. The fetus and placenta are particularly vulnerable to toxins due to the immaturity of the blood-brain barrier and diminished biotransformation enzymatic activity. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 172 pregnant women, 79 rural, and 93 urban. Umbilical cord blood was collected at the time of delivery and analyzed for 20 inorganic elements. Significant differences were found between urban and rural samples for two elements where copper (Cu) and molybdenum (Mo) were higher in urban samples. No marked differences between groups occurred for: arsenic, barium, cadmium, calcium, cobalt, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mercury, selenium, strontium, or zinc. All samples were devoid of platinum, silver, thallium or uranium. Data demonstrated significant differences in urban and rural prenatal exposure to Cu and Mo. Further study is needed to determine if there is a causal link between neonatal outcomes and prenatal exposure to these elements.

KEYWORDS:

• Biomarker
• metals
• pregnancy
• prenatal

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Robert C. Byrd Center for Rural Health, Marshall University. Funding for the Rural Health Initiative grant comes from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the Marshall University School of Medicine Translational Research Pilot Grant.

Conflict of interest declaration

The authors report no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

Exclusive submission statement

The following manuscript, Rural and Urban Differences in Prenatal Exposure to Essential and Toxic Elements, is being exclusively submitted to the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health.

Disclaimers

The views expressed in this submitted article are strictly the view of the authors and not an official position of the institution or funder.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Robert C. Byrd Center for Rural Health, Marshall University. Funding for the Rural Health Initiative grant comes from the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the Marshall University School of Medicine Translational Research Pilot Grant..