Evaluation of Toxic Metals and Essential Elements in Children with Learning Disabilities from a Rural Area of Southern Brazil

Sabrina Nunes do Nascimento, Mariele Feiffer Charão, Angela Maria Moro, Miguel Roehrs, Clovis Paniz, Marília Baierle, Natália Brucker, Adriana Gioda, Fernando Barbosa, Denise Bohrer, Daiana Silva Ávila and Solange Cristina Garcia
Additional contact information
Sabrina Nunes do Nascimento: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil
Mariele Feiffer Charão: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil
Angela Maria Moro: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil
Miguel Roehrs: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil
Clovis Paniz: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil
Marília Baierle: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil
Natália Brucker: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil
Adriana Gioda: Department of Chemistry, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22451900, Brazil
Fernando Barbosa: Laboratory of Toxicology and Essentiality of Metals, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040903, Brazil
Denise Bohrer: Chemistry Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS 97105900, Brazil
Daiana Silva Ávila: Post-Graduate Program in Biochemistry, Federal University of Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS 97500970, Brazil
Solange Cristina Garcia: Laboratory of Toxicology (LATOX), Department of Analysis, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90610000, Brazil

IJERPH, 2014, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-18

Abstract: Children’s exposure to metals can result in adverse effects such as cognitive function impairments. This study aimed to evaluate some toxic metals and levels of essential trace elements in blood, hair, and drinking water in children from a rural area of Southern Brazil. Cognitive ability and ?-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALA-D) activity were evaluated. Oxidative stress was evaluated as a main mechanism of metal toxicity, through the quantification of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. This study included 20 children from a rural area and 20 children from an urban area. Our findings demonstrated increase in blood lead (Pb) levels (BLLs). Also, increased levels of nickel (Ni) in blood and increase of aluminum (Al) levels in hair and drinking water in rural children were found. Deficiency in selenium (Se) levels was observed in rural children as well. Rural children with visual-motor immaturity presented Pb levels in hair significantly increased in relation to rural children without visual-motor immaturity ( p < 0.05). Negative correlations between BLLs and ALA-D activity and positive correlations between BLLs and ALA-RE activity were observed. MDA was significantly higher in rural compared to urban children ( p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that rural children were co-exposed to toxic metals, especially Al, Pb and Ni. Moreover, a slight deficiency of Se was observed. Low performance on cognitive ability tests and ALA-D inhibition can be related to metal exposure in rural children. Oxidative stress was suggested as a main toxicological mechanism involved in metal exposure.

Keywords: rural children; essential and toxic elements; cognitive ability; ALA-D inhibition; oxidative stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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