ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Meconium and neurotoxicants: searching for a prenatal exposure timing

J A Ortega García¹, D Carrizo Gallardo², J Ferris i Tortajada³, M M P García³, J O Grimalt²

¹ Pediatric Environmental Health Speciality Unit (PEHSU), University Children’s Hospital "Virgen de la Arrixaca", Murcia, Spain
² Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Chemical and Environmental Research, Barcelona, Spain
³ Pediatric Environmental Health Speciality Unit, University Children’s Hospital "La Fe", Valencia, Spain

Correspondence to:
Dr J A Ortega García
Pediatric Environmental Health Speciality Unit (PEHSU) Murcia, University Children’s Hospital "Virgen de la Arrixaca", Ctra. Murcia-Cartagena, El Palmar, CP-30120, Murcia, Spain; ortega{at}pehsu.org; www.pehsu.org

Background: Exposure to organochlorine compounds (OCs) has been a subject of interest in recent years, given their potential neurotoxicity. Meconium is easily available and accumulates neurotoxicants and/or metabolites from the 12th week of gestation.

Aims: To determine whether neurotoxicants, specifically OCs, could be detected in serially collected meconium, and to compare the results with those obtained in cord blood samples.

Methods: A sample of cord blood and three serial stool samples were analysed in 10 newborns. Pentachlorobenzene (PeCB), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (p,p'-DDT) and its metabolite dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), and hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (-, ß-, -, and -HCH) were analysed by gas chromatography.

Results: From serial stool collection and analysis in newborns, there was an increase in the concentrations of HCB, p,p'-DDE, PCBs, and ß-HCH between the first and last stools of the newborn. Levels of DDT diminished as pregnancy progressed. Concentrations in cord blood were positively associated with concentrations in meconium for p,p'-DDE and ß-HCH.

Conclusions: Meconium is a very useful instrument for the investigation of fetal exposure to neurotoxicants; serial collection and analysis of meconium should estimate the timing and degree of in utero exposure of the fetus to neurotoxicants. Analysis and interpretation of neurotoxicants in meconium results is a complex process. Measurement in meconium of a wide range of neurotoxic substances should facilitate early identification of harmful exposures, and enable rehabilitation and instigation of preventive measures.

Abbreviations: -, ß-, -, -HCH, hexachlorocyclohexane isomers; HCB, hexachlorobenzene; OC, organochlorine compound; PCB, polychlorinated biphenyl; PeCB, pentachlorobenzene; p,p'-DDE, dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene; p,p'-DDT, dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane; TBB, tetrabromobenzene; TOC, total organic carbon

Keywords: biological markers; environmental pollutants; meconium; neurotoxicity syndromes; prenatal exposure

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Articles

Protecting our unborn children: how to measure exposure to thousands of chemicals?

J Tuomisto
Arch. Dis. Child. 2006 91: 627-628. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Tuomisto, J (2006). Protecting our unborn children: how to measure exposure to thousands of chemicals?. Arch. Dis. Child. 91: 627-628 [Full Text]  
• Ostrea, E M Jr, Bielawski, D M, Posecion, N C Jr (2006). Meconium analysis to detect fetal exposure to neurotoxicants.. Arch. Dis. Child. 91: 628-629 [Full Text]