title: Biological monitoring of arsenic, lead and cadmium in occupationally and environmentally exposed pregnant women.
abstract: Lead and cadmium in blood (B-Pb and B-Cd, respectively) and arsenic in urine (U-As) were analyzed three times during pregnancy for women living around a metal smelter and women living in a reference town. The B-Pb levels were significantly higher in the smelter town. In the women of both towns, the B-Pb levels increased during pregnancy. Women who were employed at the smelter had higher B-Pb levels than women in the surrounding area. There were no significant differences in the B-Cd levels between the smelter and reference towns, except for non- and ex-smokers at the onset of pregnancy. No difference between the two areas was seen among the smokers, whose cadmium levels were twice those of non- and ex-smokers. There were no significant differences in the U-As levels, which were comparable with previously reported values in Sweden.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Lagerkvist
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Söderberg
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Nordberg
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ekesrydh
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Englyst
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D001151:Arsenic / Q000652:urine*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D012907:Smoking / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D001151:Arsenic