Infants' Neurodevelopmental Effects of PM2.5 and Persistent Organohalogen Pollutants Exposure in Southern Taiwan

Abstract

Several studies have stated the harmful effects of PM 2.5 to population health, including disruption of neurological development. However, the mechanism behind the neurodevelopmental effects of ambient PM 2.5 and postnatal PBDEs and OCPs exposure is still unknown. Our goal was to determine influence of breastmilk residues, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), to the infants' neurodevelopment with respect to high and low PM 2.5 exposure areas. The participants were recruited from high PM 2.5 exposure areas (n = 32) and low PM 2.5 exposure areas (n = 23) of southern Taiwan. The extracted 14 PBDEs and 20 OCPs compounds were analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometer. The infants, aging from 8-12 months, were examined by Bayley Scales of Infants and Toddlers Development, Third Edition (Bayley-III) for neurodevelopment. Results showed that high PM 2.5 exposure caused reduced head circumference and had significant effects on the motor skill and social emotional development. For breastmilk PBDEs, a positive correlation between BDE-196 and social emotion, after multivariate analysis with adjustment of confounders, was observed while BDE-99, 196, 197, and 207 showed higher magnitudes in low PM 2.5 areas than in high PM 2.5 areas. For OCPs, only γ-hexachlorcyclohexanes (γ-HCH) presented the significant difference between high and low PM 2.5 exposure areas. Most breastmilk OCPs residues, including 4,4'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (4,4'-DDT), γ-HCH, endrin, and heptachlor epoxide showed negative impact on the Bayley-III scores after multivariate analysis. In conclusion, infants' neurodevelopment was significantly correlated with the location of PM 2.5 exposure and breastmilk intake of certain PBDEs and OCPs. Breastmilk OCPs might obviously affect infants' neurodevelopment more compared to breastmilk PBDEs based on our finding. Moreover, this study further employs awareness about viable effects of PM 2.5 in infants' neurodevelopment.

Prenatal PM2.5 Exposure and Its Association with Neurodevelopmental Impairment in Children: A Narrative Review

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Assessment of Ambient Air Quality in Neonatal Incubators at Selected Sites of Baghdad Hospitals

“…Numerous illnesses such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and late-onset newborn sepsis have been examined using fecal VOCs as biomarkers (LONS) [6]. Neurodevelopment results have shown that high PM2.5 exposure causes reduced head circumference and significantly effects the motor skill and social emotional development [7]. The exposure to PMs can lower the Intelligence quotient IQ of a child which is indicative of its capacity to cause fetal neuro-developmental delay [8].…”

Impact of airborne total suspended particles (TSP) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5)‐induced developmental toxicity in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

“…Epidemiological studies indicate that maternal exposure to PM 2.5 has been shown to cause neurobehavioral changes including reduced intelligence quotient (IQ) (Chiu et al, 2016), impairment in cognitive function (Lertxundi et al, 2015; Talbott et al, 2015), increased infant psychomotor and autism developmental disorders (Basagaña et al, 2016; Kao et al, 2019). Moreover, the prolonged exposure to high doses of PM 2.5 caused neurodevelopmental defects in individuals with increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and parkinsonism (Tönnies & Trushina, 2017).…”