Lifestyle‐Determined Gender and Hierarchical Differences in the Lead Contamination of Bones from a Feudal Town of the Edo Period

Nakashima, Tamiji; Matsuno, Kohji; Matsushita, Takayuki

doi:10.1539/joh.49.134

Cited by 8 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Exposures to Pb are highest in the Edo era in Japan as reported by others [22][23][24][25]. No trend was observed in this study in the Hg content of teeth for 3,000 years in Japan.…”

Section: Long-term Trend and Data Interpretationcontrasting

confidence: 42%

“…However, Pb levels are widely scattered among samples, likely reflecting personal lifestyles or habits. As a matter of fact, it is reported that lead-oxide cosmetic powders were used by females of the Samurai classes or merchants in urban centers in the Edo era [22][23][24][25]. Thus, higher exposures to Pb found in teeth samples of two subjects in the merchant class in the Edo era can likely be explained by the use of the lead-containing cosmetics by the mother.…”

Section: Long-term Trend and Data Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reconstruction of human exposure to heavy metals using synchrotron radiation microbeams in prehistoric and modern humans

Azechi

Shirasawa

Saito

et al. 2008

Environ Health Prev Med

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Objective Teeth can serve as records of environmental exposure to heavy metals during their formation. We applied a new technology -synchrotron radiation microbeams (SRXRF) -for analysis of heavy metals in human permanent teeth in modern and historical samples. Methods Each tooth was cut in half. A longitudinal section 200 lm in thickness was subjected to the determination of the heavy metal content by SRXRF or conventional analytical methods (ICP-MS analysis or reduction-aeration atomic absorption spectrometry). The relative concentrations of Pb, Hg, Cu and Zn measured by SRXRF were translated in concentrations (in g of heavy metal/g of enamel) using calibration curves by the two analytical methods. Results Concentrations in teeth in the modern females (n = 5) were 1.2 ± 0.5 lg/g (n = 5) for Pb; 1.7 ± 0.2 ng/g for Hg; 0.9 ± 1.1 lg/g for Cu; 150 ± 24.6 lg/g for Zn. The levels of Pb were highest in the teeth samples obtained from the humans of the Edo era (1603-1868 AD) (0.5-4.0 lg/g, n = 4). No trend was observed in this study in the Hg content in teeth during 3,000 years. The concentrations of Cu were highest in teeth of two medieval craftsmen (57.0 and 220 lg/g). The levels of Zn were higher in modern subjects (P \ 0.05) than those in the Jomon (*1000 BC) to Edo periods [113.2 ± 27.4 (lg/g,

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“…Exposures to Pb are highest in the Edo era in Japan as reported by others [22][23][24][25]. No trend was observed in this study in the Hg content of teeth for 3,000 years in Japan.…”

Section: Long-term Trend and Data Interpretationcontrasting

confidence: 42%

Section: Long-term Trend and Data Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction of human exposure to heavy metals using synchrotron radiation microbeams in prehistoric and modern humans

Azechi

Shirasawa

Saito

et al. 2008

Environ Health Prev Med

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“…Studies have reported contamination of IFM by various substances such as nitrates, nitrites, aluminium (Al), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb) and melamine (Gian et al, 2009;Khalifa and Ahmad, 2010;Burrell andExley, 2010 andLjung et al, 2011). In 2008, melamine contamination of IFM in China led to deaths and illness of several infants (Nakashima et al, 2009). China reported an estimated 300,000 victims with approximately 54,000 babies being hospitalized and six infants dying from kidney stones and other kidney damage (Branigan, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toxic trace elements in different brands of milk infant formulae in Nairobi market, Kenya

Odhiambo¹,

Wanjau²,

Odundo³

2015

Afr. J. Food Sci.

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World Health Organization (WHO) among other health agencies recommends exclusive breast feeding during the first six months of infancy. However, Infant formula milk (IFM) has been increasingly used as a breast milk substitute due to maternal occupation, death and illness. The product has been associated with infant health complications and even deaths due to its contamination with aluminum (Al), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni). Both the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and WHO have set maximum levels of concentration of these metals in IFM and the latter has set levels of provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). Seven brands of IFM (for age 0-6 months) imported into the Kenyan market and shelved in stores in Nairobi County, were analysed for levels of Cd, Al, Pb and Ni. Except for Cd, all brands of IFM (0-6 months) contained the rest of the trace elements ranging as follows: Al (1.054±0.085 to 2.156±0.423 µg/g); Pb (0.018±0.001 to 0.059±0.002 µg/g) and Ni (0.022±0.001 to 0.032±0.001 µg/g). The estimated weekly intakes were below the PTWI thus indicating safety of the brands of IFM. Other than affirm presence of the elements Al, Pb and Ni in IFM though below the WHO set limits, the findings are a pointer to caution on consumption of IFM although this would be inevitable under unavoidable circumstances. The caution is justified since the consumption of IFM would pose health risk to infants due to exposure and bioaccumulation of the elements. Lead particularly was higher than the limits set by KEBS in most brands supporting this caution.

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“…These studies revealed that human Pb contamination in Japan began in preindustrialized Edo era (1603-1867) probably through the usage of cosmetics (Hisanaga et al 1988;Nakashima et al 1998Nakashima et al , 2007. After Edo era, industrialization started and Pb emission from industrial activities to the environment should have affected human body burden of Pb.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isotope ratios of lead in Japanese women’s hair of the twentieth century

Matsumoto

Yoshinaga

2009

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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Isotope ratios as well as Pb concentration in the hair samples of the twentieth century varied to a considerable extent depending on the period of hair cut. The oldest hair samples (1910-1920s) had the highest concentration and the most distinct isotope ratios from those of Japanese domestic Pb indicating serious contamination of proximate environment of people of those days with Pb originated from mines in other regions of the world, probably through the usage of Pb-containing face powder. The concentration and isotope ratios of Pb decreased thereafter indicating less serious contamination of proximate environment of Japanese which, in turn, should have affected by environmental contamination of mid-twentieth century due to industrial activities and leaded gasoline. Contemporary Pb level was quite low (<1 mg/kg); however, isotope ratios were close to those in 1960s when hair concentration was assumed to be strongly affected by leaded gasoline.

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Lifestyle‐Determined Gender and Hierarchical Differences in the Lead Contamination of Bones from a Feudal Town of the Edo Period

Cited by 8 publications

References 27 publications

Reconstruction of human exposure to heavy metals using synchrotron radiation microbeams in prehistoric and modern humans

Reconstruction of human exposure to heavy metals using synchrotron radiation microbeams in prehistoric and modern humans

Toxic trace elements in different brands of milk infant formulae in Nairobi market, Kenya

Isotope ratios of lead in Japanese women’s hair of the twentieth century

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