title: Environmental Lead (Pb) Exposure Versus Fatty Acid Content in Blood and Milk of the Mother and in the Blood of Newborn Children.
abstract: Significant progress in understanding the effects of the neurotoxic action of lead (Pb) in young organisms had led to reduction of "safe" level in the blood (Pb-B) to 5 μg/dL in children and pregnant women. Prolonged exposure to relatively low levels of Pb, generally asymptomatic and subclinical (i.e., microintoxication), is currently the dominant form of environmental poisoning, and its negative effects on health may appear after many years, e.g., secondary contamination from Pb bone deposits released in pregnancy. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of environmental exposure (urban areas) of mothers to Pb, on its levels in their milk and blood and in the blood of newborns. Moreover, the aim was to determine the fatty acid profile in the mothers' blood and milk and in the blood of newborns. We also wanted to find if infant birth weight depends on Pb blood levels, as well as on Pb and fatty acid levels in the blood and milk of the mothers. Finally, we examined if the mothers' weight and body mass index (BMI) before pregnancy influenced the concentration of Pb and fatty acid profile in the blood and milk of mothers and in the blood of their children. Analysis of fatty acids elaidic (C18:1, 9t), oleic (C18:1, 9c), vaccenic (C18:1, 11t), cis-vaccenic (C18:1, 11c), linoleic (C18:2, cis), γ-linolenic (C18:3, n-6), α-linolenic (C18:3, n-3), arachidonic (C20:4, n-6), eicosapentaenoic (C20:5, n-3), and docosahexaenoic (C22:6, n-3) was conducted by gas chromatography. The concentration of Pb in the whole blood and milk were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry with graphite furnace atomization and Zeeman correction. Our study established a significant and strong correlation between the content of Pb in the blood of the mother and the child. This supports the assumption that the transport of Pb through the placenta is neither regulated nor selective. Environmental maternal exposure to lead resulting in Pb-B levels considered safe for pregnant women had no effect on infant birth weight, the concentration of fatty acids in the blood and milk of mothers, or in the blood of newborns. Mothers' weight and BMI before pregnancy had no effect on the concentration of Pb and studied fatty acid profile.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp. 72 Str., Szczecin, Poland. ika@sci.pam.szczecin.pl.
authors: Irena
authors: I
authors: Baranowska-Bosiacka
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp. 72 Str., Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Ida
authors: I
authors: Kosińska
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, Pomeranian Medical University, Broniewskiego 24 Str., Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Dominika
authors: D
authors: Jamioł
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, Pomeranian Medical University, Broniewskiego 24 Str., Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Izabela
authors: I
authors: Gutowska
authors: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, Kościelna 13 Str., 41-200, Sosnowiec, Poland.
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Prokopowicz
authors: Department of Vertebrate Zoology and Anthropology, University of Szczecin, Wąska 13 Str., 71-415, Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Ewa
authors: E
authors: Rębacz-Maron
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp. 72 Str., Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Goschorska
authors: Department Hygiene and Epidemiology, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp. 72 Str., Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Tomasz
authors: T
authors: Olszowski
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstańców Wlkp. 72 Str., Szczecin, Poland.
authors: Dariusz
authors: D
authors: Chlubek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014505:Urban Population
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D007854:Lead
keywords: Fatty acid; Newborn; Pb