What Do We Know of Childhood Exposures to Metals (Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury) in Emerging Market Countries?

Abstract

Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury present potential health risks to children who are exposed through inhalation or ingestion. Emerging Market countries experience rapid industrial development that may coincide with the increased release of these metals into the environment. A literature review was conducted for English language articles from the 21st century on pediatric exposures to arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) top 10 Emerging Market countries: Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey. Seventy-six peer-reviewed, published studies on pediatric exposure to metals met the inclusion criteria. The reported concentrations of metals in blood and urine from these studies were generally higher than US reference values, and many studies identified adverse health effects associated with metals exposure. Evidence of exposure to metals in the pediatric population of these Emerging Market countries demonstrates a need for interventions to reduce exposure and efforts to establish country-specific reference values through surveillance or biomonitoring. The findings from review of these 10 countries also suggest the need for country-specific public health policies and clinician education in Emerging Markets.

Blood Levels of the Heavy Metal, Lead, and Caries in Children Aged 24-72 Months: NHANES III

“…Children immigrating to the United States from China, where rice contamination with lead is high, may be at increased risk of lead poisoning, and the associated caries. Children emigrating from emerging market countries may be at greater risk of exposure to lead from industrial emissions, fossil fuel burning, waste incineration, consumer products, mining, and smelting due to limited regulatory oversight [Horton, et al, 2013]. There is a high caries incidence in Native American children.…”

“…The current research sample was not powered to evaluate sub-populations. Most of the lead exposure in the United States is from pockets of low-income, urban neighborhoods with older housing [Horton, et al, 2013]. Policy research is also needed to determine means of lead abatement in housing in which lead paint was not removed or contained after the 1978 federal ban on lead paint [Korfmacher and Hanley, 2013].…”

Heavy Metals in Hair Samples: a Pilot Study of Anaemic Children in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

“…In addition to lead, the intake of cadmium and mercury are general health concerns throughout the world because of the potential toxicity of these heavy metals (6,15,16). Although cadmium does not affect haematopoiesis, it is an indicator of a polluted food chain, as food in one of the principal environmental sources of cadmium.…”

Investigating relations between environmental toxins in Northern Irish soils and streams and Chronic Kidney Disease prevalence

“…Previous studies have concentrated on the relationships between potentially toxic elements (PTEs) and a range of diseases (Ferreccio and Sancha, 2006;Meliker et al 2007;Navas-Acien et al 2009;Ryu et al 2010;Horton et al 2013). One such study based in Northern Ireland studied the bioaccessibility of trace elements in the soil and the relationship between several cancers (Barsby et al 2012).…”