Trace of heavy metals in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples in association with birth outcomes in Baghdad, Iraq

• Main Authors: Hasan Rhaif Al-Sahlanee Mayyadah, Maizan Ramli Ramzun, Abdul Hassan Ali Miami, Fadhil Tawfiq Nada, Zahirah Noor Azman Nurul, Abdul Rahman Azhar, Shahrim Mustafa Iskandar, Noor Ashikin Nik Abdul Razak Nik, Zakiah Yahaya Nor, Mohammed Al-Marri Hana, Syuhada Ayob Nur, Zakaria Nabela
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2017-01-01
• Series: EPJ Web of Conferences
• Subjects: heavy elements; uranium; lead; iron; maternal; umbilical cord; birth outcomes; Baghdad; Iraq
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201715600003

Trace elements are essential nutritional components in humans and inconvenient tissue content that have a significant influence on infant size. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of concentration of elements (uranium (U), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe)) and absorption of Pb and Fe on maternal and umbilical cord blood samples. The concentration and absorption of Pb and Fe in blood samples were determined by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry device, while the uranium concentration was determined by using CR-39 detector. Fifty women of age 16-44 years are involved in this study. Results show that the maximum and minimum values of both concentration and absorption in the maternal samples were for Pb and Fe, respectively. In addition, for umbilical cord, the maximum values of concentration and absorption were for Fe and the minimum concentration and absorption were for U and Pb, respectively. A significant correlation between maternal and umbilical cord blood samples was found. This indicates that the Pb, U and Fe elements can easily transfer from maternal to the fetal body which impacts the growth of fetus.