Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2013, 10(2), 699-711; doi:10.3390/ijerph10020699
Article

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

Maria Grazia Porpora 1,* email, Renato Lucchini 2 email, Annalisa Abballe 3 email, Anna Maria Ingelido 3 email, Silvia Valentini 3 email, Eliana Fuggetta 1 email, Veronica Cardi 1 email, Adele Ticino 1 email, Valentina Marra 3 email, Anna Rita Fulgenzi 3 email and Elena De Felip 3 email
1 Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Urology, "Sapienza" University of Rome, Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy 2 Perinatology and Childcare, "Sapienza" University Policlinico Umberto I, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy 3 Toxicological Chemistry Unit, Department of the Environment and Primary Prevention, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 14 December 2012; in revised form: 1 February 2013 / Accepted: 4 February 2013 / Published: 7 February 2013
PDF Full-text Download PDF Full-Text [205 KB, uploaded 7 February 2013 13:44 CET]
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, β-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; β-HCH; HCB; polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA); in utero exposure; placental transfer

Article Statistics

Click here to load and display the download statistics.

Cite This Article

MDPI and ACS Style

Porpora, M.G.; Lucchini, R.; Abballe, A.; Ingelido, A.M.; Valentini, S.; Fuggetta, E.; Cardi, V.; Ticino, A.; Marra, V.; Fulgenzi, A.R.; Felip, E.D. Placental Transfer of Persistent Organic Pollutants: A Preliminary Study on Mother-Newborn Pairs. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2013, 10, 699-711.

AMA Style

Porpora MG, Lucchini R, Abballe A, Ingelido AM, Valentini S, Fuggetta E, Cardi V, Ticino A, Marra V, Fulgenzi AR, Felip ED. Placental Transfer of Persistent Organic Pollutants: A Preliminary Study on Mother-Newborn Pairs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2013; 10(2):699-711.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Porpora, Maria G.; Lucchini, Renato; Abballe, Annalisa; Ingelido, Anna M.; Valentini, Silvia; Fuggetta, Eliana; Cardi, Veronica; Ticino, Adele; Marra, Valentina; Fulgenzi, Anna R.; Felip, Elena D. 2013. "Placental Transfer of Persistent Organic Pollutants: A Preliminary Study on Mother-Newborn Pairs." Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 10, no. 2: 699-711.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health EISSN 1660-4601 Published by MDPI AG, Basel, Switzerland RSS E-Mail Table of Contents Alert