title: Concurrent fetal exposure to multiple environmental chemicals along the U.S.-Mexico border: an exploratory study in Brownsville, Texas.
abstract: There is mounting concern that cumulative exposure to diverse chemicals in the environment may contribute to observed adverse health outcomes in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. To investigate this situation, biomarker concentrations of organochlorine (OC) pesticides/metabolites, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in maternal and umbilical cord blood from pregnant Hispanic women in Brownsville, TX. Results show that both mothers and fetuses were exposed concurrently to a variety of relatively low-level, hazardous environmental chemicals. Approximately 10% of the blood specimens had comparatively high concentrations of specific OC pesticides, PCBs and PAHs. Because many pregnant women in Brownsville live in socioeconomically-disadvantaged and environmentally-challenging circumstances, there is appropriate concern that exposure to these exogenous substances, either individually or in combination, may contribute to endemic health problems in this population, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. The challenge is to identify individuals at highest comparative risk and then implement effective programs to either prevent or reduce cumulative exposures that pose significant health-related threats.
authors.affiliation: University of Texas School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, 80 Fort Brown-AHC, Brownsville, TX 78520, USA. ken.sexton@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sexton
authors.affiliation: University of Texas School of Public Health, Brownsville Regional Campus, 80 Fort Brown-AHC, Brownsville, TX 78520, USA. jennifer.j.salinas@uth.tmc.edu.
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Salinas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013781:Texas
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls