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Comparison of Plasma Concentrations of Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic among Women in 2005 and 2012 in a Historically Contaminated Area in China

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Abstract

Mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) concentrations in women were measured and compared to evaluate the effects of environmental heavy-metal pollution control on internal exposure levels. In 2005 and 2012, 200 and 182 women, respectively, were enrolled in the study. Demographic and diet information were collected using a questionnaire. Fasting venous blood samples were collected, and plasma concentrations of Hg, Cd, and As were measured using inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The median concentrations (P25–P75) of Hg, Cd, and As decreased from 0.56 (0.46–0.75) ng/mL, 0.14 (0.09–0.21) ng/mL, and 0.83 (0.66–1.09) ng/mL in 2005 to 0.39 (0.19–0.66) ng/mL, 0.09 (0.05–0.13) ng/mL, and 0.48 (0.29–0.72) ng/mL in 2012, respectively. The difference in plasma metal concentrations between measurements in 2005 and 2012 remained statistically significant after we adjusted for confounders. The adjusted ORs were 0.31 (0.16–0.60), 0.24 (0.12–0.48), and 0.25 (0.13–0.50) for Hg, Cd, and As concentrations, respectively, in 2012, relative to those in 2005. The levels of Hg, Cd, and As were 30% to 40% lower in 2012 than in 2005, indicative of lower human internal exposure to these contaminants due to the implementation of environmental pollution control. Engagement with agriculture and high-frequency water product consumption were associated with high Hg levels, and a high frequency of consumption of fresh fruit and eggs was negatively associated with lower levels of Cd in plasma.

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Acknowledgments

We express our gratitude to the local health care workers in Wuming Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi, China, for their help with data and blood sample collection during the course of the study. We also thank the women who participated in the study.

Funding

This work was supported by the National Geographic Air and Water Conservation Fund (Grant #GSFC10–13). The funding agent had no role in the design, collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; the writing of the manuscript; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, Peking University/Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100191, China

    Lei Jin, Le Zhang & Ai-guo Ren

  2. Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Nobels väg 12A, 171 77, Stockholm, Sweden

    Jing-ru Yu

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  1. Lei Jin
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The research protocol was approved by the institutional review board of Peking University (code: IRB00001052–14019), and informed consent was obtained from the subjects before the investigation.

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Jin, L., Yu, Jr., Zhang, L. et al. Comparison of Plasma Concentrations of Mercury, Cadmium, and Arsenic among Women in 2005 and 2012 in a Historically Contaminated Area in China. Biol Trace Elem Res 198, 380–389 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02075-1

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