title: Toxic and essential elements in children's blood (<6 years) from Kinshasa, DRC (the Democratic Republic of Congo).
abstract: In this study we determined the concentration of 9 trace elements (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Mo, Pb, Se and Zn) in whole blood of children (n=100, 64 girls, 36 boys and median age: 36 months) using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The proportion of children potentially deficient in essential elements or poisoned by toxic elements was evaluated. The aging effects on the concentration of these elements were also investigated. The median values were 3.17μg/L (As), 0.15μg/L (Cd), 1.1mg/L (Cu), 2.1μg/L (Hg), 10.4μg/L (Mn), 17.7μg/L (Mo), 8.7μg/dL (Pb), 10.7μg/L (Se) and 5.0mg/L (Zn). The concentration of many elements (As, Cd, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn) showed significant age variations but not sex influence. Regarding levels of the essential elements (Cu, Mn, Mo, Se and Zn), B-Cu, B-Mn, B-Se and B-Zn were in the normal range, whereas exceeded levels were observed for B-Mo. None of these children was deficient in essential elements. Except B-Cd, all toxic elements showed exceeded blood levels. The proportion of children potentially poisoned by toxic elements varies from 10% (n=10) to 95% (n=95) and depends on toxic element: 95% for As, 10% for Hg and 35% for Pb. The main health concerns emerging from this study are the high As, Hg and Pb exposures of the Kinshasan children requiring further documentation, corrective actions and the implementation of appropriate regulations.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo; Louvain Center for Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (LTAP), Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue E. Mounier 53, Box 52.02.12, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: joeltuakuila@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuakuila
authors.affiliation: Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kabamba
authors.affiliation: Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mata
authors.affiliation: Environmental Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, The Democratic Republic of the Congo.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mata
mesh_terms: D001151:Arsenic / Q000097:blood; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000097:blood; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000097:blood*; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000097:blood; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D008982:Molybdenum; D008628:Mercury; D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Children; Kinshasa; Toxic and essential elements; Whole blood