Td. Zadorozhnaja et al., Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc in human placentas from two cities in Ukraine, J TOX E H A, 61(4), 2000, pp. 255-263
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
Environment/Ecology,"Pharmacology & Toxicology
Journal title
JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH-PART A
Ukraine is a highly industrialized country with major environmental problem
s and deteriorating reproductive health. Heavy metals are known reproductiv
e toxins; a study was undertaken to determine whether they were present at
sufficient concentrations to be playing a major role in these health proble
ms. Placental concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead mercury, and
zinc were determined in 200 women from the general population of two urban
areas of Ukraine, Kyiv and Dniprodzerzhinsk. Arsenic was detected in only
5% of the samples, lead in 22%, and mercury in 28%. Cadmium was detected in
almost all samples, with a median of 5.2 ng/g. Concentrations of lead, mer
cury, and cadmium were low compared to those reported elsewhere, while zinc
and copper concentrations were comparable.