Toxic and Essential Trace Metals in First Baby Haircuts and Mother Hair from Imam Hossein Hospital Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Hair metal level in newborn and mother pairs from Iran is reported. Toxic metals including cadmium (157 vs. 87.5 μg/kg), mercury (246 vs. 198 μg/kg), copper (14,313 vs. 11,776 μg/kg) and aluminum (52,022 vs. 408,207 μg/kg) were higher in newborn hair when compared to their mothers; suggesting that metals maybe discarded in the fetus as a detoxification method. Comparison with available data from Germany and Poland, and Iraq suggests overall similarities and significant differences in the case of the Iraqi subjects. Public protection from mixture toxicity of metals will be facilitated by studies such as ours.

Biomarkers of mercury toxicity: Past, present, and future trends

“…During pregnancy, maternal hair Hg levels may decrease up to 20%, indicating placental transfer of Hg to the fetus (Barbosa et al, 1998). In fact, placental transfer of MeHg is far more important than transfer by breast-milk (Barbosa et al, 1998; Björnberg et al, 2005) in determining the relationship between maternal and newborn hair Hg levels, in fish eating populations (Barbosa et al, 1998; Díez et al, 2009; Kim et al, 2008; Marques et al, 2013; 2015; Oliveira et al, 2010; Ou et al, 2015; Savabieasfahani et al, 2012; Sikorski et al, 1986). Infant hair Hg concentration is a reliable biomarker for in utero MeHg exposure.…”

Maternal–infant biomarkers of prenatal exposure to arsenic and manganese

“…Hair has been used as a biomarker of exposure to Mn among children exposed to ferroalloy plant emissions (23). Additionally, maternal hair Mn concentrations have been positively associated with drinking water Mn concentrations during pregnancy (24) and both As and Mn hair concentrations have been quantified in mother-infant pairs in Iran showing that hair may also serve as a reliable biomarker of in utero exposure (25). …”

Toxic Elements Content in Serum and Erythrocytes in Newborns With Disturbance Kidney Function Due to Asphyxia

“…Smoking (include passive) positively correlate with elevated cadmium and lead levels in neonates [4,9]. However, metals may be discarded to the fetus as a detoxification method [10].…”