title: Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc in human placentas from two cities in Ukraine.
abstract: Ukraine is a highly industrialized country with major environmental problems and deteriorating reproductive health. Heavy metals are known reproductive toxins; a study was undertaken to determine whether they were present at sufficient concentrations to be playing a major role in these health problems. Placental concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc were determined in 200 women from the general population of two urban areas of Ukraine, Kyiv and Dniprodzerzhinsk. Arsenic was detected in only 5% of the samples, lead in 22%, and mercury in 28%. Cadmium was detected in almost all samples, with a median of 5.2 ng/g. Concentrations of lead, mercury, and cadmium were low compared to those reported elsewhere, while zinc and copper concentrations were comparable.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pediatrics, Obstetrics, and Gynecology, Kyiv, Ukraine.
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Zadorozhnaja
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Mendel
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Presley
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Gladen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014455:Ukraine / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003300:Copper; D008628:Mercury; D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic