Children\u27s Exposure to Metals: A Community-Initiated Study

In 2007, it was shown that the shipping of lead (Pb) through Esperance Port in Western Australia resulted in contamination and increased Pb concentrations in children. A clean-up strategy was implemented; however, little attention was given to other metals. In consultation with the community, a cross-sectional exposure study was designed. Thirty-nine children aged 1 to 12 years provided samples of hair, urine, drinking water, residential soil and dust. Concentrations of nickel (Ni) and Pb were low in biological and environmental samples. Hair aluminium (Al) (lower than the detection limit [DL] to 251 μg/g) and copper (Cu) (7 to 415 μg/g), as well as urinary Al ( μg/L), manganese (Mn) (μg/L), and Cu (μg/L), were increased for a small number of participants. Concentrations of nickel (Ni) in urine, soil, and dust decreased with increasing distance from the port, as did soil Pb concentrations. The results suggest exposure to Ni and Pb was limited in children at the time of sampling in 2009. Further investigation is required to determine the source(s) and significance of other increased metals concentrations

Environmental and toenail metals concentrations in copper mining and non mining communities in Zambia

Copper mining contributes to increased concentrations of metals in the environment, thereby increasing the risk of metals exposure to populations living in and around mining areas. This study investigated environmental and toenail metals concentrations of non-occupational human exposure to metals in 39 copper-mining town residents and 47 non-mining town residents in Zambia. Elevated environmental concentrations were found in samples collected from the mining town residents. Toenail concentrations of cobalt (GM 1.39. mg/kg), copper (GM 132. mg/kg), lead (21.41. mg/kg) selenium (GM 0.38. mg/kg) and zinc (GM 113. mg/kg) were significantly higher in the mining area and these metals have previously been associated with copper mining. Residence in the mining area, drinking water, dust and soil metals concentrations were the most important contributors to toenail metals concentrations. Further work is required to establish the specific pathways of exposure and the health risks of elevated metals concentrations in the copper mining area

Urinary bisphenol A concentrations in pregnant women

Bisphenol A is a chemical that is present in a number of products and types of food packaging. Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A may cause behavioural changes in young children. The aim of this study was to investigate exposure to bisphenol A in pregnant Australian women as a surrogate of neonatal exposure. First morning void urine samples were collected from 26 pregnant women at around week 38 of gestation. Bisphenol A was detectable in 85% of the samples analysed. The median concentration in this group of women was 2.41 μg/L with a range o