Blood Lead Concentrations in Maternal and Cord Blood Evaluated by Two Analytic Methods

• Published in: Archives of environmental & occupational health Vol. 60; no. 1; pp. 47 - 50
• Main Authors: Zentner, Luz Estela Alva, de Carvalho Rondó, Patricia Helen, de Oliveira Latorre, Maria do Rosário Dias
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Heldref 01.01.2005; Kirkpatrick Jordon Foundation
• Subjects: Blood Chemical Analysis - methods; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Fetal Blood - chemistry; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Lead - blood; lead contamination; maternal blood; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Pregnancy; pregnant women; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; umbilical cord
• ISSN: 1933-8244; 2154-4700
• DOI: 10.3200/AEOH.60.1.47-50

In this study the authors determined the relationship between blood lead concentrations in pregnant women and newborns, using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) and the LeadCare System (LCS). Fifty-five pregnant women admitted for delivery from June to August 2002 at a hospital in Brazil were included in the study. Blood samples were taken from the women and from umbilical cords to determine serum lead concentrations. Only 3 women had blood lead concentrations ⩾ 0.48 μmol/L. There were correlations between lead concentrations in women and newborns using either GFAAS (r = 0.83, p < .001) or the LCS (r = 0.75, p < .001). However, there were no statistically significant correlations between the GFAAS and LCS methods, probably because most of the women did not have high concentrations of lead (⩾ 0.48 μmol/L). Considering the discrepancy the authors found between the LCS method and the traditional GFAAS method, the authors advise against using the LCS method, especially in populations with levels of lead ⩽ 0.48 μmol/L.