1.Exposure profile of mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic, antimony, copper, selenium and zinc in maternal blood, cord blood and placenta: the Tohoku Study of Child Development in Japan.
Miyuki IWAI-SHIMADA ; Satomi KAMEO ; Kunihiko NAKAI ; Kozue YAGINUMA-SAKURAI ; Nozomi TATSUTA ; Naoyuki KUROKAWA ; Shoji F NAKAYAMA ; Hiroshi SATOH
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 2019;24(1):35-35
BACKGROUND:
The effects of prenatal exposure to toxic elements on birth outcomes and child development have been an area of concern. This study aimed to assess the profile of prenatal exposure to toxic elements, arsenic (As), bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), mercury (total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MHg), inorganic mercury (IHg)), lead (Pb), antimony (Sb) and tin (Sn), and essential trace elements, copper (Cu), selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn), using the maternal blood, cord blood and placenta in the Tohoku Study of Child Development of Japan (N = 594-650).
METHODS:
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentrations of these elements (except mercury). Levels of THg and MeHg were measured using cold vapour atomic absorption spectrophotometry and a gas chromatograph-electron capture detector, respectively.
RESULTS:
Median concentrations (25th-75th) of As, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn and THg in the maternal blood were 4.06 (2.68-6.81), 1.18 (0.74-1.79), 10.8 (8.65-13.5), 0.2 (0.06-0.40) and 0.2 (0.1-0.38) ng mL and 5.42 (3.89-7.59) ng g, respectively. Median concentrations (25th-75th) of As, Cd, Pb, Sb, Sn and THg in the cord blood were 3.68 (2.58-5.25), 0.53 (0.10-1.25), 9.89 (8.02-12.5), 0.39 (0.06-0.92) and 0.2 (0.2-0.38) ng mL and 9.96 (7.05-13.8) ng g, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
THg and Sb levels in the cord blood were twofold higher than those in the maternal blood. Cord blood to maternal blood ratios for As, Cd and Sb widely varied between individuals. To understand the effects of prenatal exposure, further research regarding the variations of placental transfer of elements is necessary.
Adult
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Female
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Fetal Blood
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chemistry
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Humans
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Japan
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Maternal Exposure
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statistics & numerical data
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Maternal-Fetal Exchange
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Metals
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blood
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Placenta
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chemistry
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Pregnancy
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blood
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Trace Elements
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blood
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Urban Health
2.The prevalence of psychological distress during pregnancy in Miyagi Prefecture for 3 years after the Great Eas t Japan Earthquake.
Kaou TANOUE ; Zen WATANABE ; Hidekazu NISHIGORI ; Noriyuki IWAMA ; Michihiro SATOH ; Takahisa MURAKAMI ; Kousuke TANAKA ; Satomi SASAKI ; Kasumi SAKURAI ; Mami ISHIKURO ; Taku OBARA ; Masatoshi SAITO ; Junichi SUGAWARA ; Nozomi TATSUTA ; Shinichi KURIYAMA ; Takahiro ARIMA ; Kunihiko NAKAI ; Nobuo YAEGASHI ; Hirohito METOKI
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 2021;26(1):27-27
BACKGROUND:
To examine changes in psychological distress prevalence among pregnant women in Miyagi Prefecture, which was directly affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, and compare it with the other, less damaged areas of Japan.
METHODS:
This study was conducted in conjunction with the Japan Environment and Children`s Study. We examined 76,152 pregnant women including 8270 in Miyagi Regional Center and 67,882 in 13 other regional centers from the all-birth fixed data of the Japan Environment and Children's Study. We then compared the prevalence and risk of distress in women in Miyagi Regional Center and women in the 13 regional centers for 3 years after the disaster.
RESULTS:
Women in the Miyagi Regional Center suffered more psychological distress than those in the 13 regional centers: OR 1.38 (95% CI, 1.03-1.87) to 1.92 (95% CI, 1.42-2.60). Additionally, women in the inland area had a consistently higher prevalence of psychological distress compared to those from the 13 regional centers: OR 1.67 (95% CI, 1.18-2.38) to 2.19 (95% CI, 1.60-2.99).
CONCLUSIONS
The lack of pre-disaster data in the Japan Environment and Children's Study made it impossible to compare the incidence of psychological distress before and after the March 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. However, 3 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, the prevalence of pregnant women with psychological distress did not improve in Miyagi Regional Center. Further, the prevalence of mental illness in inland areas was consistently higher than that in the 13 regional centers after the disaster.
Adolescent
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Adult
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Disasters
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Earthquakes
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Female
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Humans
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Japan/epidemiology*
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Pregnancy
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Pregnancy Complications/psychology*
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Pregnant Women/psychology*
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Prevalence
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Psychological Distress
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Tsunamis
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Young Adult