TY - JOUR
T1 - Child neurodevelopment in a Bolivian mining city
AU - Ruiz-Castell, María
AU - Paco, Pamela
AU - Barbieri, Flavia Laura
AU - Duprey, Jean Louis
AU - Forns, Joan
AU - Carsin, Anne Elie
AU - Freydier, Rémi
AU - Casiot, Corinne
AU - Sunyer, Jordi
AU - Gardon, Jacques
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding: The present work was funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), and Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL). Enclosed is the certificate from the National Ethics Committee of Bolivia, La Paz (Bolivia).
PY - 2012/1
Y1 - 2012/1
N2 - This study evaluates the neurodevelopment of children living near contaminated mining industries during their first year of life. Participants from the city of Oruro (Bolivia) were prospectively recruited during pregnancy. Follow-up occurred between May 2007 and November 2009. Information about the socioeconomic status and medical history of the pregnant women were collected using questionnaires. Neurodevelopment was evaluated for 246 children using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) at 10.5-12.5 months of age. Exposure to trace elements (Pb, As, Cd, Sb, Cs, Zn, Fe, Cu, Se, Rb, and Sr) during prenatal life was evaluated by testing maternal blood concentrations before delivery. Almost all measured levels were lower than the control limits. The blood lead concentration of pregnant women was low, considering the contaminated environmental context. The geometric mean was 1.76 μg/dL (95% CI: 1.68-1.84), a level comparable with those observed in non-contaminated areas. The only element found to be relatively elevated was antimony, with a geometric mean of 1.03 μg/dL (95% CI: 0.96-1.11). Our results suggest that women from this mining area were not highly exposed. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) did not reveal mental or psychomotor abnormalities. Surprisingly, at the observed low levels, lead was positively associated with the children's BSID performance.
AB - This study evaluates the neurodevelopment of children living near contaminated mining industries during their first year of life. Participants from the city of Oruro (Bolivia) were prospectively recruited during pregnancy. Follow-up occurred between May 2007 and November 2009. Information about the socioeconomic status and medical history of the pregnant women were collected using questionnaires. Neurodevelopment was evaluated for 246 children using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) at 10.5-12.5 months of age. Exposure to trace elements (Pb, As, Cd, Sb, Cs, Zn, Fe, Cu, Se, Rb, and Sr) during prenatal life was evaluated by testing maternal blood concentrations before delivery. Almost all measured levels were lower than the control limits. The blood lead concentration of pregnant women was low, considering the contaminated environmental context. The geometric mean was 1.76 μg/dL (95% CI: 1.68-1.84), a level comparable with those observed in non-contaminated areas. The only element found to be relatively elevated was antimony, with a geometric mean of 1.03 μg/dL (95% CI: 0.96-1.11). Our results suggest that women from this mining area were not highly exposed. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) did not reveal mental or psychomotor abnormalities. Surprisingly, at the observed low levels, lead was positively associated with the children's BSID performance.
KW - BSID
KW - Bolivia
KW - Child neurodevelopment
KW - Mining city
KW - Trace metals
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84856227124&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22197316
U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2011.12.001
DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2011.12.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 22197316
AN - SCOPUS:84856227124
SN - 0013-9351
VL - 112
SP - 147
EP - 154
JO - Environmental Research
JF - Environmental Research
ER -