Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Screening of Blood Levels of Mercury, Cadmium, and Copper in Pregnant Women in Dakahlia, Egypt: New Attention to an Old Problem

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

An Erratum to this article was published on 31 July 2017

This article has been updated

Abstract

Heavy metals toxicity is a prevalent health problem particularly in developing countries. Mercury and cadmium are toxic elements that have no physiologic functions in human body. They should not be present in the human body by any concentration. Copper, on the other hand, is one of the elements that are essential for normal cell functions and a deficiency as well as an excess of which can cause adverse health effects. To test blood levels of mercury, cadmium, and copper in pregnant women in Dakahlia, Egypt. Using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, blood levels of cadmium, mercury, and copper were measured in 150 pregnant women attending to the antenatal care in Mansoura University Hospital in Dakahlia governorate, Egypt. The mean ± SD of blood mercury, cadmium, and copper levels were found to be far from their levels in the population surveys carried in developed countries like United States of America (USA) and Canada. Heavy metal intoxication and accumulation is a major health hazard. Developing countries, including Egypt, still lack many of the regulatory policies and legislations to control sources of pollution exposure. This should be dealt with in order to solve this problem and limit its health consequences.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Change history

  • 31 July 2017

    An erratum to this article has been published.

References

  1. Buse K, Hawkes S (2015) Health in the sustainable development goals: ready for a paradigm shift? Glob Health 11:13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Taylor CM, Golding J, Emond AM (2014) Lead, cadmium and mercury levels in pregnancy: the need for international consensus on levels of concern. J Dev Orig Health Dis 5(1):16–30

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Borowska S, Brzóska MM (2015) Metals in cosmetics: implications for human health. J Appl Toxicol 35(6):551–572

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Miyashita C, Sasaki S, Saijo Y, Okada E, Kobayashi S, Baba T, Kajiwara J, Todaka T, Iwasaki Y, Nakazawa H, Hachiya N, Yasutake A, Murata K, Kishi R (2015) Demographic, behavioral, dietary, and socioeconomic characteristics related to persistent organic pollutants and mercury levels in pregnant women in Japan. Chemosphere 133:13–21

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Rana SV (2014) Perspectives in endocrine toxicity of heavy metals—a review. Biol Trace Elem Res 160(1):1–14

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Kioumourtzoglou MA, Roberts AL, Nielsen F, Tworoger SS, Grandjean P, Weisskopf MG (2014) Within-person reproducibility of red blood cell mercury over a 10- to 15-year period among women in the Nurses’ health study II. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol. doi:10.1038/jes.2014.82

    Google Scholar 

  7. Wijesekara GU, Fernando DM, Wijerathna H, Bandara N (2015) Environmental and occupational exposures as a cause of male infertility. Ceylon Med J 60(2):52–56

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Pappas RS, Fresquez MR, Martone N, Watson CH (2014) Toxic metal concentrations in mainstream smoke from cigarettes available in the USA. J Anal Toxicol 38(4):204–211

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Guzikowski W, Szynkowska MI, Motak-Pochrzęst H, Pawlaczyk A, Sypniewski S (2015) Trace elements in seminal plasma of men from infertile couples. Arch Med Sci 11(3):591–598

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  10. Pollack AZ, Mumford SL, Mendola P, Perkins NJ, Rotman Y, Wactawski-Wende J, Schisterman EF (2015) Kidney biomarkers associated with blood lead, mercury, and cadmium in premenopausal women: a prospective cohort study. J Toxicol Environ Health A 78(2):119–131

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) (2004) Toxicological profile for copper. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Atlanta

    Google Scholar 

  12. Tapiero H, Townsend DM, Tew KD (2003) Trace elements in human physiology and pathology. Copper. Biomed Pharmacother 57(9):386–398

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Zabihi S, Wentzel P, Eriksson UJ (2008) Maternal blood glucose levels determine the severity of diabetic embryopathy in mice with different expression of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD). Toxicol Sci 105(1):166–172

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Al-Bayati MA, Jamil DA, Al-Aubaidy HA (2015) Cardiovascular effects of copper deficiency on activity of superoxide dismutase in diabetic nephropathy. N Am J Med Sci 7(2):41–46

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  15. Telianidis J, Hung YH, Materia S, Fontaine SL (2013) Role of the P-type ATPases, ATP7A and ATP7B in brain copper homeostasis. Front Aging Neurosci 23(5):44

    Google Scholar 

  16. Motawei SM, Attalla SM, Gouda HE, El-Harouny MA, El-Mansoury AM (2013) Lead level in pregnant women suffering from pre-eclampsia in Dakahlia, Egypt. Int J Occup Environ Med 4:36–44

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Yahaya MI, Ogunfowokan AO, Orji EO (2011) Elemental profile in amniotic fluid of some Nigerian pregnant women. East Afr J Public Health 8(2):92–97

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Pohl HR, Roney N, Wilbur S, Hansen H, De Rosa CT (2003) Six interaction profiles for simple mixtures. Chemosphere 53(2):183–197

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Mokhtar G, Hossny E, El-Awady M, Zekry M (2002) In utero exposure to cadmium pollution in Cairo and Giza governorates of Egypt. East Mediterr Health J 8(2–3):254–260

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Wong SL, Lye EJ (2008) Lead, mercury and cadmium levels in Canadians. Health Rep 19(4):31–36

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Son JY, Lee J, Paek D, Lee JT (2009) Blood levels of lead, cadmium, and mercury in the Korean population: results from the Second Korean National Human Exposure and Bio-monitoring Examination. Environ Res 109(6):738–744

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Kim YN, Kim YA, Yang AR, Lee BH (2014) Relationship between blood mercury level and risk of cardiovascular diseases: results from the fourth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV) 2008–2009. Prev Nutr Food Sci ec 19(4):333–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Al-Saleh I, Shinwari N, Mashhour A, Mohamed Gel D, Rabah A (2011) Heavy metals (lead, cadmium and mercury) in maternal, cord blood and placenta of healthy women. Int J Hyg Environ Health 214(2):79–101

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Cho S, Jacobs DR Jr, Park K (2014) Population correlates of circulating mercury levels in Korean adults: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV. BMC Public Health 14:527

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  25. Murray RK, Jacob M, Varghese J (2011) Plasma proteins & immunoglobulins. In: Bender DA, Botham KM, Weil PA, Kennelly PJ, Murray RK, Rodwell VW (eds) Harper’s illustrated biochemistry, 29th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York, Chapter 50

    Google Scholar 

  26. Freeland-Graves JH, Lee JJ, Mousa TY, Elizondo JJ (2014) Patients at risk for trace element deficiencies: bariatric surgery. J Trace Elem Med Biol 28(4):495–503

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Ugwuja EI, Akubugwo EI, Ibiam UA, Obidoa O (2011) Maternal sociodemographic parameters: impact on trace element status and pregnancy outcomes in Nigerian women. J Health Popul Nutr 29(2):156–162

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Jung SY, Kim S, Lee K, Kim JY, Bae WK, Lee K, Han JS, Kim S (2015) Association between secondhand smoke exposure and blood lead and cadmium concentration in community dwelling women: the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2012). BMJ Open 5(7), e008218

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Panhwar AH, Kazi TG, Afridi HI, Arain SA, Arain MS, Brahaman KD, Naeemullah, Arain SS (2015) Correlation of cadmium and aluminum in blood samples of kidney disorder patients with drinking water and tobacco smoking: related health risk. Environ Geochem Health

  30. Schober SE, Sinks TH, Jones RL, Bolger PM, McDowell M, Osterloh J, Garrett ES, Canady RA, Dillon CF, Sun Y, Joseph CB, Mahaffey KR (2003) Blood mercury levels in US children and women of childbearing age, 1999–2000. JAMA 289(13):1667–1674

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Ip P, Wong V, Ho M, Lee J, Wong W (2004) Environmental mercury exposure in children: South China’s experience. Pediatr Int 46(6):715–721

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Hrubá F, Strömberg U, Černá M, Chen C, Harari F et al (2012) Blood cadmium, mercury, and lead in children: an international comparison of cities in six European countries, and China, Ecuador, and Morocco. Environ Int 41:29–34

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Forensic Medicine & Clinical Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

    Shimaa M. Motawei

  2. Obstetrics & Gynaecology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

    Hossam E. Gouda

Authors
  1. Shimaa M. Motawei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hossam E. Gouda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shimaa M. Motawei.

Additional information

An erratum to this article is available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-1103-2.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Motawei, S.M., Gouda, H.E. Screening of Blood Levels of Mercury, Cadmium, and Copper in Pregnant Women in Dakahlia, Egypt: New Attention to an Old Problem. Biol Trace Elem Res 171, 308–314 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0525-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0525-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation