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Several studies have examined the association between prenatal exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticides and their impact on foetal growth and newborn anthropometry; however, the available evidence is limited and inconclusive. This study examined whether prenatal organophosphate and pyrethroid pesticide exposure was associated with anthropometric measures at birth (weight, length, head circumference), ponderal index, gestational age, and prematurity in 537 mother-child pairs. These were randomly selected from the 800 pairs participating in the prospective birth cohort GENEIDA (Genetics, early life environmental exposures and infant development in Andalusia). Six non-specific organophosphate metabolites (dialkylphosphates, DAPs), one metabolite relatively specific to chlorpyrifos (3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol, TCPy) and a common metabolite to several pyrethroids (3-phenoxybenzoic acid, 3-PBA) were measured in maternal urine from the 1st and 3rd pregnancy trimesters. Information on anthropometric measures at birth, gestational age and prematurity was retrieved from medical records. The sum on a molar basis of DAPs with methyl (Æ©DMs) and ethyl (Æ©DEs) moieties and the sum of the 6 DAPs metabolites (Æ©DAPs) was calculated for both trimesters of pregnancy. High urinary levels of dimethyl phosphate (DMP) during the 3rd trimester were associated with a decrease in birth weight (ß = -0.24; 95% CI: 0.41; -0.06) and birth length (ß = -0.20; 95% CI: 0.41; 0.02). Likewise, ΣDMs during 3rd trimester were near-significantly associated with decreased birth weight (ß = -0.18; 95% CI: 0.37; 0.01). In turn, increased urinary TCPy during 1st trimester was associated with a decreased head circumference (ß = -0.31; 95% CI: 0.57; -0.06). Finally, an increase in 3-PBA in the 1st trimester was associated with a decreased gestational age (ß = -0.36 95% CI: 0.65-0.08), whereas increased 3-PBA at 1st and 3rd trimester was associated with prematurity. These results indicate that prenatal exposure to organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides could affect normal foetal growth, shorten gestational age and alter anthropometric measures at birth.
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Cloropirifos , Plaguicidas , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal , Piretrinas , Recién Nacido , Lactante , Femenino , Humanos , Embarazo , Plaguicidas/toxicidad , Plaguicidas/orina , Piretrinas/toxicidad , Piretrinas/orina , Organofosfatos/toxicidad , Organofosfatos/orina , Peso al Nacer , Estudios Prospectivos , Edad Gestacional , Exposición Materna , Cloropirifos/orina , Exposición a Riesgos AmbientalesRESUMEN
Inorganic elements have been associated with brain tumours for long. The blood concentration of 47 elements was assessed by ICP-MS in 26 brain tumour patients and 21 healthy subjects from Bucharest (Romania). All 47 elements were detected in the brain tumour tissue, and 22 were detected in > 80% of samples; this implies that these elements can cross the blood-brain barrier. Median blood levels of cadmium, lead, and nickel were higher than the reference values (1.14, 53.3, and 2.53 ng/mL). Gadolinium and tantalum showed significantly higher concentrations among cases. We observed considerable differences and different profiles of the presence of inorganic elements between the tumour and non-tumour brain tissue and between tissue from the primary tumour and tissue from brain metastasis. Our data suggest that similar to heavy metals, other elements - commonly used in high tech devices and rare earth elements - can also influence brain tumour.
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Neoplasias Encefálicas/metabolismo , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Metales Pesados/análisis , Metales de Tierras Raras/análisis , Adulto , Anciano , Monitoreo Biológico , Neoplasias Encefálicas/patología , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Femenino , Glioblastoma/metabolismo , Glioblastoma/patología , Humanos , Masculino , Meningioma/metabolismo , Meningioma/patología , Metales Pesados/sangre , Metales Pesados/metabolismo , Metales de Tierras Raras/sangre , Metales de Tierras Raras/metabolismo , Persona de Mediana Edad , RumaníaRESUMEN
Biomonitoring studies are important for quantifying the body burden of pollutants and their possible effects on health. Serum concentration of 42 elements was assessed by ICP-MS in 89 children (7.2 ± 3.4 years old) from Bucharest (Romania). Levels of pollutants were compared with the clinical data obtained from routine blood tests. Clinical parameters were in the physiological range. Deficiencies of manganese, selenium, and zinc were discovered. Blood levels of elements were low. The highest levels were observed among children younger than six years. The sum of iron, selenium, barium, nickel, antimony, and cerium was positively associated with hemoglobin (Spearman rho = 0.217, P-value = 0.041), while the sum of copper, thallium, niobium, and tantalum was negatively associated (Spearman rho = -0.228, P-value = 0.032). Given the inherent sensitivity of the child population, additional studies are needed to assess the effects of these elements on their health.
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Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/análisis , Metales/sangre , Adolescente , Factores de Edad , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Espectrometría de Masas , RumaníaRESUMEN
Environmental pollution due to various elements is increasing all across the planet owing to their use in industrial processes. The tobacco plants and the vegetables used in the manufacturing of smoking paper may accumulate these elements from the environment. Thus, tobacco and smoking paper may be relevant contributors among the content of elements in cigarettes, including some emerging pollutants such as rare earth elements (REEs). Thirty-two elements related to hi-tech industrial processes were analyzed in tobacco, rolling paper, and filters (nâ¯=â¯257 samples) by ICP-MS. A variety of industrial brands and "roll-your-own" cigarette papers were considered. The potential maximum daily exposure to these elements by a hypothetical heavy smoker was calculated for each type of cigarette. We found significant differences in the levels of most elements, both in the tobacco and in the paper. Black tobacco cigarettes contained the maximum levels. We found that the paper used in roll-your-own cigarettes may significantly modify their concentration of elements. Fast-burning, bleached, and flavored papers also contribute to higher levels of these pollutants. Thus, the differences in theoretical exposure depending on the type of cigarette consumed-either branded or hand-rolled-may be very striking, of up to 35-40 times. In addition to the number of cigarettes consumed per day, it is necessary to consider the type of cigarette consumed to assess the risk of exposure to toxic elements. Tobacco paper is a prominent source of exposure to toxic elements. Cigarette smoke is another source of exposure to emerging contaminants such as REE.
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Fumar Cigarrillos , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/análisis , Sustancias Peligrosas/toxicidad , Productos de Tabaco , Humo , Fumar , NicotianaRESUMEN
Despite the fact that many of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been banned for decades, they still constitute a group of harmful substances to human health. Prenatal exposure can have adverse effects on one's health as well as on their newborns. The present cross-sectional study, which includes 87% of the births registered in La Palma Island (Canary Islands, Spain) during 2016 (nâ¯=â¯447), aims to evaluate the potential adverse health effects exerted by a wide range of POPs on newborns. We quantified blood cord levels of twenty organochlorine pesticides, eighteen polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), eight bromodiphenyl ethers (BDEs), and sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using the method of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. By groups, p,p'-DDE, PCB-28, BDE-47, and phenanthrene were the most frequently detected compounds (median values = 0.148, 0.107, 0.065, and 0.380â¯ng/mL, respectively). p,p'-DDE was found to be significantly associated with an increase in neonatal birth weight, with a special emphasis on girls. An inverse association between PCB-28 and PCB-52 with birth weight was observed, and these associations were determined by the gender. A similar trend was obtained for BDE-47 but not for any of the PAHs. When assessing the effect of mixtures, boys exhibiting ≥â¯3 OCPs were at lower risk of having higher birth weight (OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.07 - 0.89; Pâ¯=â¯0.032). The effect of these pollutants on birth weight does not go in the same direction, a fact that is conditioned by several factors, including the chemical nature of the substance or the gender of the newborn. Additional research is needed to understand the role of POPs on fetal development.
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Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/estadística & datos numéricos , Contaminantes Ambientales , Hidrocarburos Clorados , Plaguicidas , Bifenilos Policlorados , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Embarazo , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal , EspañaRESUMEN
We conducted a cross-sectional study in the Hospital Universitario de Canarias (Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain) measuring 22 inorganic elements in amniotic fluid (AF) samples obtained from 65 pregnant women. ICP-MS was used for quantification of inorganic elements. Newborn parameters at delivery were all within the normal range. Concentrations of all elements were detected in measurable amounts in AF. The concentration of elements was similar to those reported in the literature. The concentrations of the most dangerous heavy metals - Cd, Cr, Ni, Hg and Pb - were lower than those reported by other authors. This study demonstrates that toxic inorganic elements pass into and accumulate in AF. The presence of such pollutants in contact with developing embryos from the intrauterine period could exert adverse health effects that deserve future investigations.
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Líquido Amniótico/química , Arsénico/análisis , Contaminantes Ambientales/análisis , Metales/análisis , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Femenino , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Embarazo , España , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Smoking is considered an important source for inorganic elements, most of them toxic for human health. During the last years, there has been a significant increase in the use of e-cigarettes, although the role of them as source of inorganic elements has not been well established. A cross-sectional study including a total of 150 subjects from Brasov (Romania), divided into three groups (non-smokers, cigarette smokers and electronic cigarettes smokers) were recruited to disclose the role of smoking on the human exposure to inorganic elements. Concentration of 42 elements, including trace elements, elements in the ATSDR's priority pollutant list and rare earth elements (REE) were measured by ICP-MS in the blood serum of participants. Cigarette smokers showed the highest levels of copper, molybdenum, zinc, antimony, and strontium. Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users presented the highest concentrations of selenium, silver, and vanadium. Beryllium, europium and lanthanides were detected more frequently among e-cigarette users (20.6%, 23.5%, and 14.7%) than in cigarette smokers (1.7%, 19.0%, and 12.1%, respectively); and the number of detected REE was also higher among e-cigarette users (11.8% of them showed more than 10 different elements). Serum levels of cerium and erbium increased as the duration of the use of e-cigarettes was longer. We have found that smoking is mainly a source of heavy metals while the use of e-cigarettes is a potential source of REE. However, these elements were detected at low concentrations.
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Carga Corporal (Radioterapia) , Sistemas Electrónicos de Liberación de Nicotina , Metales Pesados/sangre , Metales de Tierras Raras/sangre , No Fumadores , Fumadores , Estudios Transversales , Humanos , Rumanía , Oligoelementos/sangreRESUMEN
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are well-known ubiquitous environmental chemicals which have been related to adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate POPs burden, and its determinants, in a population at high risk of suffering CVD enrolled in the PREDIMED Study (Spanish acronym for PREvention by means of MEDiterranean Diet). This cohort was formed by 343 participants (55-80 y.o.), which were selected for a preventive nutritional intervention for CVD based on the Mediterranean Diet. Relevant information on demographic, behavioral, dietary, and socioeconomic characteristics was obtained from each participant through a specific questionnaire, and their anthropometric and clinical measurements were recorded. In addition, the levels of 35 POPs were determined in serum samples taken before the beginning of the nutritional intervention. All the samples showed detectable levels of, at least, one POP, being DDT-derivatives and marker-PCBs the most frequently detected compounds. Our results showed that people at high risk for CVD showed a higher level of contamination by POPs as compared to other studies done in cohorts of Western people at no special risk of CVD. Although educational level seems to be a relevant determinant for POPs burden in our population, the main determining factor seems to be the diet. Thus, while the intake of food of animal origin was significantly associated with levels of PCBs, especially in men, the intake of vegetal-origin food was positively related to levels of organochlorine pesticides, indicating a different dietary source for these two groups of chemicals. Our results showing that subjects at high risk for cardiovascular disease present elevated POPs burden might have a relevant public health impact given the generalized and difficult to avoid exposure to POPs and the elevated worldwide frequency of the CVD.
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Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/epidemiología , Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales , Contaminantes Ambientales/sangre , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/inducido químicamente , Dieta Mediterránea , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Riesgo , España/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are toxic and persistent chemicals produced between 1930s and 1980s, which accumulate in humans and wildlife. Although a decreasing trend of PCB levels in humans has been described in developed countries, mainly as a consequence of strict regulations and remediation plans, an inverse trend has been recently reported in people from developing countries. We had the opportunity of sampling a series of African immigrants recently arrived to the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands, in which high levels of PCBs have been described, and we studied the relationships between their level of contamination and health status. A total of 570 subjects who underwent a complete medical examination and a face-to-face interview were recruited for this study. Hematological and biochemical parameters (blood and urine) were determined in all participants. Serology for the diagnostic of infectious diseases was also performed, and direct identification of parasites was performed in feces, urine or blood samples when appropriate. It is remarkable that up to 26.0% of the population had intestinal parasites, and we found an inverse relationship between PCB levels and parasitism and parasitic diseases: median values of PCBs were lower in parasitized subjects than in subjects without parasites in stool (237.6ng/g fat vs. 154.4ng/g fat for marker PCBs, p=0.015) and median values of dioxin-like PCBs were lower in subjects carrying pathogen parasites than among subjects showing non-pathogen parasites in stool (0.0 ng/g fat vs. 13.1ng/g fat, respectively; p=0.001). Although this inverse association had been described in some vertebrates this is the first study reporting such an association in humans. Furthermore, it has been also recently described that PCBs may disrupt iron metabolism, and we found a direct relationship between serum iron and total PCBs burden (r=0.231, p=0.025), suggesting that PCBs, although at subclinical level, could play a role on iron homeostasis. Although the role of PCBs in parasitism and in the iron metabolism needs future research, our findings may help to understand the adverse health outcomes associated to environmental exposure to PCBs and they might be used in exposed populations as indicators of subtle effects due to environmental insult.
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Población Negra , Emigrantes e Inmigrantes , Contaminantes Ambientales/sangre , Bifenilos Policlorados/sangre , Adolescente , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Monitoreo del Ambiente , Heces/parasitología , Femenino , Homeostasis , Humanos , Hierro/sangre , Masculino , Enfermedades Parasitarias/sangre , Enfermedades Parasitarias/epidemiología , España/epidemiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Pesticides are frequently responsible for human poisoning and often the information on the involved substance is lacking. The great variety of pesticides that could be responsible for intoxication makes necessary the development of powerful and versatile analytical methodologies, which allows the identification of the unknown toxic substance. Here we developed a methodology for simultaneous identification and quantification in human blood of 109 highly toxic pesticides. The application of this analytical scheme would help in minimizing the cost of this type of chemical identification, maximizing the chances of identifying the pesticide involved. In the methodology that we present here, we use a liquid-liquid extraction, followed by one single purification step, and quantitation of analytes by a combination of liquid and gas chromatography, both coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry, which is operated in the mode of multiple reaction monitoring. The methodology has been fully validated, and its applicability has been demonstrated in two recent cases involving one self-poisoning fatality and one non-fatal homicidal attempt.
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Plaguicidas/sangre , Plaguicidas/envenenamiento , Anciano , Cromatografía Liquida , Femenino , Toxicología Forense , Cromatografía de Gases y Espectrometría de Masas , Homicidio , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Intoxicación/diagnóstico , Suicidio , Espectrometría de Masas en TándemRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have reported significant associations between exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and increased blood pressure (BP). Environmental exposure to POPs, mainly organochlorine pesticides, is of concern to the population of the Canary Islands, who display a high prevalence of diseases associated with hypertension such as metabolic syndrome, obesity and cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: We performed this population-based study in a representative population sample from this archipelago to evaluate whether serum levels of selected POPs could be considered as hypertension risk factors. METHODS: BP and several other well-known factors related to hypertension (gender, age, smoking, BMI, and total lipids) were recorded in 428 adult participants from the Canary Islands Nutritional Survey. In total, 28 POPs (including 18 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners and 10 organochlorine pesticides and metabolites) were measured in the serum of the population enrolled in this survey. RESULTS: In total, 167 subjects (39%) demonstrated hypertension or used antihypertensive medication. We observed a positive association between systolic and diastolic BP and p,p'-DDE (r=0.222; p<0.001, and r=0.123; p=0.015, respectively). Conversely, an inverse association between systolic BP and aldrin was observed (r=-0.120; p=0.017). After adjusting for known confounders, only aldrin was inversely related to hypertension risk [OR: 0.28 (95% CI: 0.09-0.92); p=0.037]. After excluding subjects undergoing anti-hypertensive treatment, we also observed that aldrin was inversely associated with systolic BP in multivariate analyses, especially in men [OR: 0.126 (95% CI: 0.021-0.763); p=0.024]. CONCLUSION: Although it has been postulated that background POPs exposure may play a relevant role on elevated BP, we did not observed increased hypertension risk in relation to serum POPs in this cross-sectional study. Conversely, the cyclodiene pesticide aldrin was negatively associated with hypertension, suggesting that cyclodienes could exert an effect opposite of the DDT metabolites. These findings agree with other previous works indicating that POPs may induce divergent actions on BP and suggest that the direction of the association between BP and POPs could be dependent on the chemical structure as well as concentration of the evaluated POP. Prospective studies are needed to clarify the effect exerted by POPs on BP.
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Exposición a Riesgos Ambientales/análisis , Hidrocarburos Clorados/toxicidad , Hipertensión/inducido químicamente , Hipertensión/epidemiología , Plaguicidas/toxicidad , Bifenilos Policlorados/toxicidad , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Hidrocarburos Clorados/sangre , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Plaguicidas/sangre , Bifenilos Policlorados/sangre , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo , España/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Animal welfare is inherited in each society, shaped by the surrounding environment and upbringing of each individual. This influence becomes particularly significant during adolescence. Due to its cultural context, Spain is among the European Union nations with the highest number of cases of animal abuse. The Canary Islands, the scenario of this study, show the highest rates of intentional poisoning of wildlife and pets' abandonment. The aim of the present study was to explore the perception of animal welfare among adolescents, studying the influence of the main socio-demographic factors that may condition it. A validated questionnaire on animal abuse was used and distributed to adolescents aged 14-18 years in two public study centers. Animal abuse rates were correlated with socio-demographic variables. In total, 302 subjects answered the questionnaire. The perception of animal welfare was influenced by socio-demographic variables, gender being the most important. The demographic profile of the least responsive adolescent to animal abuse was a male engaged in sports, not owning a dog, and hailing from a family involved in hunting. Awareness should be raised at an early age, promoting artistic activities, encouraging contact with animals and sporting practices that do not generate a lack of empathy for animals.
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It is well known that rodenticides are widely used, and there are multiple routes by which they can reach non-target wildlife species. Specifically, in the Canary Islands, a high and concerning incidence of these compounds has been reported. However, in this scenario, reptiles remain one of the least studied taxa, despite their potential suitability as indicators of the food chain and environmental pollution has been noted on several occasions. In this context, the California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis Californiae), widely distributed on the island of Gran Canaria, occupies a medium trophic level and exhibits feeding habits that expose it to these pollutants, could be studied as a potential sentinel of exposure to these compounds. For this reason, 360 snake livers were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Similarly, 110 livers of birds of prey were sampled. Thus, we present the analysis of 10 anticoagulant rodenticides (warfarin, diphacinone, chlorophacinone, coumachlor, coumatetralyl, brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone, difenacoum and flocoumafen) in both data series; snakes, and raptors. Furthermore, this dataset includes biological data (weight, length, sex, colour, and design pattern), geographic data (distribution area and municipalities) and necropsy findings that could be of interest for a better understanding of this snake species and for future studies.
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Introduction: Obesity is a pathological state that involves the dysregulation of different metabolic pathways and adipose tissue cells, constituting a risk factor for the development of other diseases. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment. The study of the behavior of pollutants in situations of extreme weight loss can provide biomonitoring information and tools to manage diseases of environmental etiology. Aim: To determine the prevalence of serum persistent and non-persistent pollutants in obese patients subjected to bariatric surgery and analyze the impact of sociodemographic variables on these changes. Methods: GC-MS/MS and UHPLC-MS/MS were utilized to determine the detection rates and concentrations of 353 compounds, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and rodenticide, in serum samples of 59 obese patients before and after undergoing bariatric surgery. Results: Detection rates of p,p'-DDE, HCB, ß-HCH, naphthalene, phenanthrene and PCB congeners 138, 153 and 180 significantly increased due to surgery-induced weight loss. Serum levels of p,p'-DDE, PCB-138, PCB-153 and PCB-180 also increased after surgery. Correlations between naphthalene levels, weight loss, variation of total lipids and time after surgery were found. Additionally, correlations were observed between concentrations of PCB-138 and weight loss, and between phenanthrene levels and reduction of total lipids. No statistically significant differences were observed for other groups of contaminants, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals included in the quantification methods. Conclusions: Increment of POPs was observed after bariatric surgery. Serum concentrations of POPs after surgery were influenced by adiposity-related variables. Although biomonitoring studies show a decreasing tendency of exposure, rapid weight loss leads to an increase of circulating POPs. Further research on the interplay between adipose tissue, POPs and peripheral organs is required.
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Cirugía Bariátrica , Obesidad Mórbida , Humanos , Femenino , Masculino , Obesidad Mórbida/cirugía , Obesidad Mórbida/sangre , Adulto , Estudios Longitudinales , Persona de Mediana Edad , Contaminantes Orgánicos Persistentes/sangre , Carga Corporal (Radioterapia) , Contaminantes Ambientales/sangre , Pérdida de Peso , Estudios de Cohortes , Espectrometría de Masas en TándemRESUMEN
Human breast milk represents the best choice for the nutrition of infants. However, in addition to containing beneficial nutrients and antibodies, it can also be considered the best indicator of infant exposure to contaminants. We developed a multi-residue method using a modified QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) procedure and capillary gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry for the determination of 57 persistent organic pollutants, including 23 organochlorine pesticides, 18 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in human milk and colostrum samples. We have used primary secondary amine in the clean-up step as it gave a more efficient separation of the analytes from fat and superior removal of the co-extracted substances compared with gel permeation chromatography. No significant matrix effect was observed for the tested pollutants, and therefore matrix-matched calibration was not necessary. The average recoveries from spiked samples were in the range of 74.8-113.0 %. The precision was satisfactory, with relative standard deviations below 16 %, while values of 0.1-0.4 µg L(-1) were established as the limit of quantification for all the target analytes (0.05 and 100 µg L(-1)). The method was successfully applied to the analysis of 18 human colostrum and 23 mature milk samples. All the samples tested were positive for at least nine different residues, with some samples containing up to 24 contaminants. Remarkably, the contaminants hexachlorobenzene, p,p'-DDE, PCB 138, PCB 180, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene were present in 100 % of the colostrum and mature milk samples analyzed.
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Fraccionamiento Químico/métodos , Calostro/química , Contaminantes Ambientales/química , Contaminantes Ambientales/aislamiento & purificación , Leche Humana/química , Adolescente , Adulto , Femenino , Cromatografía de Gases y Espectrometría de Masas , Humanos , Plaguicidas/química , Plaguicidas/aislamiento & purificación , Hidrocarburos Policíclicos Aromáticos/química , Hidrocarburos Policíclicos Aromáticos/aislamiento & purificación , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
We evaluated the presence of 37 organohalogen contaminants in plasma samples from 162 juvenile and 197 adult loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from the archipelagos of the Canary Islands and Cape Verde, respectively, and compared the contamination profiles found. We detected five organochlorine pesticides (OCP) and 16 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The concentrations of the two groups of contaminants were higher in turtles from the Canary Islands (OCPs, 1.04 vs. 0.37 ng/mL; PCBs, 1.92 vs. 0.08 ng/mL). We also observed a different profile of PCB contamination between the two populations. In addition, there was a negative correlation between body size and the total concentration of PCBs in the Canary Islands turtles, but not in turtles from Cape Verde. The present study presents the first data on the organochlorine contaminants (OCs) of live turtles from Canary Islands. In addition, we perform a comparison of the levels and profiles of OCs between these two different groups of loggerhead sea turtles from the Eastern Atlantic.
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Monitoreo del Ambiente , Hidrocarburos Halogenados/sangre , Tortugas/sangre , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/sangre , Animales , Plaguicidas/sangre , Bifenilos Policlorados/sangre , EspañaRESUMEN
Homeless cats are a major problem in Europe, with hundreds of thousands abandoned every year. While many die, others can adapt to a lifestyle of roaming freely and establish community cat populations that tend to cluster together in groups. These groups of cats are typically found in urban areas that offer food and shelter to the cats. Animal welfare organizations often care for these cats, providing them with food, shelter, and medical attention. Despite this, conflicts can arise due to the presence of free-roaming cats, with some individuals advocating for drastic measures such as trapping and killing the cats to reduce their populations. However, it is essential to note that such methods are frequently illegal, inhumane, and ultimately ineffective in most situations. A thorough assessment of the impact of cats on a particular natural area requires a comprehensive cat census, a detailed study of the species being preyed upon, and an investigation into the prevalence of zoonotic or epizootic diseases. Moreover, veterinary experts assert that the public health risks associated with cats are often overstated. This article aims to provide a nuanced perspective on the impact of cats on biodiversity in natural areas, while also discussing their role in transmitting the main zoonotic diseases identified in European countries in recent years, with a particular focus on Spain. Effective cat control programs should focus on non-lethal methods such as trap-neuter-return (TNR) and adoption. TNR has proven to be the most effective and humane method of controlling the free-roaming cat population, but its effectiveness is influenced by several factors, including adoption programs and public education on responsible pet ownership. According to Spanish veterinarians, sustainable and science-based solutions such as TNR programs are the best way to achieve population control of free-roaming cats. The veterinary profession should raise awareness regarding sterilization, vaccination, and identification of cats and the consequences of abandonment. They oppose lethal control and removal of cats from the environment, which are ineffective and unethical methods. To promote animal welfare, veterinary professionals must collaborate with public administrations to implement long-term, sustainable solutions to the problem of cat overpopulation. Greater social awareness regarding the importance of sterilization and identification to prevent abandonment and reduce the number of free-roaming cats is also needed. Despite the challenges presented by homeless cat populations in Spain and the rest of Europe, there are many reasons for optimism. Animal welfare organizations and veterinary professionals are actively collaborating to develop humane and effective solutions to manage community cats, including programs such as TNR and adoption. Furthermore, these initiatives are gaining momentum and support from emerging laws and regulations, such as the recent Spanish animal welfare law. Through these efforts, we can reduce the number of free-roaming cats and improve their quality of life.
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BACKGROUND: The infant population is particularly sensitive, so the risk posed by their diet must be analyzed. The aims of the present study were (i) to determine the contents of 38 elements in 159 samples of ready-to-eat baby food sold in Spain and (ii) to estimate the dietary intakes and risk assessments of these elements in name brands and store brands in infants ranging between 6 and 12 months of age. METHODS: A list of essential, non-essential/toxic elements, rare earth elements (REEs), and other hi-tech-related elements that are currently considered as emerging environmental pollutants were measured in ready-to-eat baby foods by ICP-MS. RESULTS: Fish purees showed the highest concentrations of mercury (28.1 ng/g) and arsenic (346.2 ng/g). The levels of manganese, molybdenum, and chromium exceed the adequate intake, being higher in the case of store brands. The acute hazard index was above 1 for molybdenum and manganese. A risky consumption of thallium and mercury was observed, being higher among name brands. The risk associated with the consumption of REEs was low, although its presence should be highlighted. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first time that these chemical elements have been measured in ready-to-eat purees for babies. The presence of some of them, such as mercury, should be sufficient to monitor the levels of these contaminants in food intended for such a sensitive population as children.
Asunto(s)
Arsénico , Mercurio , Animales , Manganeso , Molibdeno , Alimentos Infantiles/análisis , Contaminación de Alimentos/análisis , Medición de RiesgoRESUMEN
Animals and humans are exposed to various residues that can have a detrimental impact on health, including carcinogenic potential, endocrine disruption, or fatal toxicity. The toxic burden can be evaluated in several biological samples, with serum being one of the preferred and most convenient options. In this study, we have applied and validated a method for detecting several hundred toxins in serum samples. This technique involved a single-step QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) extraction followed by analysis using gas and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. With this methodology, we could detect and quantify up to 353 compounds, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and rodenticides, using just 250 µL of serum. Among them, 92% could be measured at concentrations below 1.25 ng/mL, making it ideal for biomonitoring. We applied this method to samples collected from camels (n = 40) and humans (n = 25). We detected naproxen, ketoprofen, paracetamol, levamisole, and some POPs in these samples. This study validated the ability to simultaneously detect a broad range of compounds in small volumes of serum.
RESUMEN
Forty-seven elements in leafy green vegetables were studied to estimate the daily intakes from this food category in different scenarios (average and high consumers) and age groups of the Canary Islands population. The contribution of the consumption of each type of vegetable to the reference intakes of essential, toxic and potentially toxic elements was assessed and the risk-benefit ratio was evaluated. The leafy vegetables that provide the highest levels of elements are spinach, arugula, watercress and chard. While spinach, chard, arugula, lettuce sprouts and watercress were the leafy vegetables with the highest concentrations of essential elements (38,743 ng/g of Fe in spinach, 3733 ng/g of Zn in watercress), the high levels of Mn in chard, spinach and watercress are noteworthy. Among the toxic elements, Cd is the element with the highest concentration, followed by As and Pb. The vegetable with the highest concentration of potentially toxic elements (Al, Ag, Be, Cr, Ni, Sr and V) is spinach. In average adult consumers, while the greatest contribution of essential elements comes from arugula, spinach and watercress, insignificant dietary intakes of potentially toxic metals are observed. Toxic metal intakes from the consumption of leafy vegetables in the Canary Islands do not show significant values, so the consumption of these foods does not pose a health risk. In conclusion, the consumption of leafy vegetables provides significant levels of some essential elements (Fe, Mn, Mo, Co and Se), but also of some potentially toxic elements (Al, Cr and Tl). A high consumer of leafy vegetables would see their daily nutritional needs regarding Fe, Mn, Mo, and Co covered, although they are also exposed to moderately worrying levels of Tl. To monitor the safety of dietary exposure to these metals, total diet studies on those elements with dietary exposures above the reference values derived from the consumption of this food category, mainly Tl, are recommended.