Placental Transfer of Persistent Organic Pollutants: A Preliminary Study on Mother-Newborn Pairs

Maria Grazia Porpora, Renato Lucchini, Annalisa Abballe, Anna Maria Ingelido, Silvia Valentini, Eliana Fuggetta, Veronica Cardi, Adele Ticino, Valentina Marra, Anna Rita Fulgenzi and Elena De Felip
Additional contact information
Maria Grazia Porpora: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Urology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
Renato Lucchini: Perinatology and Childcare, "Sapienza" University Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
Annalisa Abballe: Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Department of the Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
Anna Maria Ingelido: Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Department of the Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
Silvia Valentini: Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Department of the Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
Eliana Fuggetta: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Urology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
Veronica Cardi: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Urology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
Adele Ticino: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Urology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
Valentina Marra: Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Department of the Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
Anna Rita Fulgenzi: Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Department of the Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
Elena De Felip: Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Department of the Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2013, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: The aim of this study was to characterize the placental transfer of some environmental pollutants, and to explore the possibility of quantitatively predicting in utero exposure to these contaminants from concentrations assessed in maternal blood. Levels of toxic substances such as pesticides ( p,p’ -DDE, ?-HCH, and HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were determined in serum samples of 38 pregnant women living in Rome and in samples of cord blood from their respective newborns. The study was carried out in the years 2008–2009. PCB mean concentrations in maternal serum and cord serum ranged from 0.058 to 0.30, and from 0.018 to 0.064 ng/g·fw respectively. Arithmetic means of PFOS and PFOA concentrations in mothers and newborns were 3.2 and 1.4 ng/g·fw, and 2.9 and 1.6 ng/g·fw. A strong correlation was observed between concentrations in the maternal and the foetal compartment for PFOS (Spearman r = 0.74, p < 0.001), PFOA (Spearman r = 0.70, p < 0.001), PCB 153 (Spearman r = 0.60, p < 0.001), HCB (Spearman r = 0.68, p < 0.001), PCB 180 (Spearman r = 0.55, p = 0.0012), and p,p’ -DDE (Spearman r = 0.53, p = 0.0099). A weak correlation (p < 0.1) was observed for PCBs 118 and 138.

Keywords: p,p’ -DDE; ?-HCH; HCB; polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA); in utero exposure; placental transfer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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