Heavy Metal Blood Levels and Hearing Loss in Children of West Bengal, India (original) (raw)

Association of hearing loss and lead exposure in a North Indian tertiary hospital: a pilot study

International Journal of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, 2020

Lead poisoning is one of the most common metal poisonings. Lead is present in many man-made structures, work environments and various products. It has been consistently shown that low as well as high exposure levels to heavy metals have an adverse effect on human health, leading to conditions such as cardiovascular and pulmonary dysfunctions. In addition, some studies have shown an association between exposure to heavy metals and hearing disorders in animals. Wu et al showed that lead toxicity had an adverse impact on the peripheral fibers of the auditory nerve. In addition, abnormalities in auditory brainstem response (ABR) latencies induced by lead exposure have been shown to occur in rhesus monkeys. A recent report has linked Beethoven’s progressive hearing loss to axonal degeneration due to a continuous exposure to lead. Occupational lead exposure is often originated in work environments such as steel plants, glass factories. And other industries using lead-based products or pro...

Metal Exposure in the Children of Punjab, India

Clinical Medicine Insights: Therapeutics, 2010

Our test results documented that hair and urine mineral analysis results support each other. This is of interest, because hair analysis evaluates past exposure while urine analysis detects immediate exposure. We evaluated barium, cadmium, manganese, lead and uranium in hair and urine. Our test results indicate that all of the children show evidence of past and immediate exposure to one or more metals. Hair mineral test results for the 114 children aged 12 and younger showed some type of toxic metal exposure for each one of the children; 88% exceeded the uranium reference range for hair. This indicates past and chronic exposure. After renal evaluation, 55 children aged 3-12 years who passed certain criteria were selected for urine baseline testing. Urine baseline concentrations are a direct reflection of immediate exposure. Of the 55 children, 47 showed elevated urine concentrations for one or more of the toxins listed above, demonstrating immediate exposure. DMSA is recommended as an oral antidote for lead and other metals. We selected 55 children aged 3-12 for a DMSA (Dimercapto succinic acid) urine challenge test. Our results showed that 98% of this group showed lead concentrations above the baseline level, demonstrating lead binding and excretion. The DMSA challenge did not affect barium, cadmium, manganese and uranium, suggesting that for these elements, DMSA may not be the chelating agent of choice. In summary, hair and urine mineral testing demonstrated that chronic and immediate toxic exposure had affected our test group of Punjabi children. The DMSA challenge test was effective in detoxifying lead, but did not affect barium, cadmium, manganese or uranium.

Toxic heavy metals in human blood in relation to certain food and environmental samples in Kerala, South India

Environment Science and Pollution Research

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Environmental Exposures to Low Level of Cadmium and Lead and Hearing Impairment in Iraqi Patients

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research, 2018

Objectives: We examined the relations between blood cadmium and lead exposure and hearing impairments in the Iraqi people. Methods: We analyzed data from 51 individual 13-75 ages who had been randomly dispensed to the audiometry examination center at Al-Hilla Teaching Hospital (Babel) for each Iraqi civilian who said, "I suffering from the hearing problem." Pure-tone average (PTA) of auditory thresholds at frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz was calculated, and hearing impairment was described as a PTA >25 dB in either ear. Results: All patients who suffer from hearing impairment have serum lead level (23.14±1.76 µg/dL), which is a significantly elevated in comparison to control group (21.20±2.08 µg/dL). In addition to lead, the blood level of cadmium in people with hearing impairment was showed a significant elevation (0.28±0.05 µg/dL) in comparison to normal people (0.22±0.03 µg/dL). In general, this elevation remains within normal reference for the blood level of cadmium (0.5 µg/dL). Conclusions: The present study revealed that the environmental and occupational cadmium and lead coexposures lead to a significant elevation in the blood level of these metals and could have an essential part in the progression of hearing loss.

An association between maternal lead and cadmium levels and birth weight of the babies in North Indian population

Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2013

Lead is listed as the 2nd and Cadmium as the 7th hazardous substance by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). Exposure to Lead and Cadmium above the permissible levels among pregnants may cause adverse effects on newborns in the form of Low Birth Weight and Preterm Labor, etc. The objectives of this study were to find out the level of Lead and Cadmium in maternal venous blood and cord blood and to find out the association of the levels of these metals with birth weight of babies. For this, the venous blood and cord blood were collected and quantitative estimation of Lead and Cadmium was carried out by Double Beam Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer in 1000 women with average Body Mass Index. Results showed higher mean maternal blood Lead level (11.08 μg/dl with range of 2.6-21.3) than the normal recommended by Centre of Disease Control and Prevention (10 μg/dl). On the contrary, the mean Cadmium level was 0.095 μg/dl, which was below the normal value as assigned by WHO (0.1 μg/dl). In high Lead exposure group (>10 μg/dl), 43.7% of babies and in high Cadmium exposure group (>0.1 μg/dl), 46.2% of babies were found to have low birth weight. However, this was not statistically significant. Further research in this area in a larger sample size may provide information relevant enough to be transferred to decision makers to implement measures to effectively reduce heavy metals from the environment, thereby protecting future generations from their deleterious effects.

Blood lead level in school going children of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

Turkish Journal of Biochemistry, 2021

ObjectivesLead exposure in children contributes to 600,000 new cases of intellectual disabilities every year with maximum occurrence in developing countries. Currently limited information is available on the blood lead level (BLL) in children of India. The aim was to estimate BLL in the school going children of local population of Jodhpur.MethodsFour hundred twenty-six primary school children of government and private schools participated in this cross sectional study. Information regarding possible lead exposure was collected. BLL was estimated on Lead Care II analyser (Magellan Diagnostics, USA).ResultsThe mean and median BLL were 4.25 ± 1.75 μg/dL (<3.3–22.6 μg/dL) and 3.5 μg/dL (Inter Quartile Range 0.9). BLL was higher in children of illiterate mothers, those residing near traffic dense areas, urban region and studying in government schools of urban region.ConclusionsBLL in children residing in Jodhpur is much higher in comparison to western counterparts. Screening and aware...

Metal exposure in the physically and mentally challenged children of Punjab, India

Mædica, 2010

We collected 149 hair samples at the Baba Farid Centre at Faridkot in Punjab, India to evaluate the trace and toxic metal concentration via ICP-MS. A total of 53 elements were tested. The hair of the children tested showed high values for Ba, Cd, Mn, Pb and U, signifying long-term exposure. Urine baseline testing supported hair analysis findings for all the elements listed above; a DMSA (Dimercapto Succinic Acid) challenge test raised urinary values for lead. Testing of six randomly selected water samples showed concentrations above the European maximum contaminant level for uranium (U) in three samples and lead (Pb) in one.Research aim:To evaluate if hair analysis and/or urine provocation confirm or refute long term metal intoxication. To support or refute that hair mineral analysis confirms urine challenge test results. To support or refute that a DMSA urine challenge test provides a valuable treatment option for metal exposure in children. Our results documented that hair and uri...

High lead exposure and auditory sensory-neural function in Andean children

Environmental Health Perspectives, 1997

We investigated blood lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hga)levels-and auditorv sensory-neural. function in 62 Andean school children living in a Pb-conm at rea of Ecuador and 14 children in a neighboring gold mining area with no known Pb exposure. The:medie B-Pb level for 62 children Xi the Pb-exposed group was 52.6 pg/dl (range 9.9-110.O0 pg/dl) compared with 6.4 ipajgdl (rag 3.9-12.0 pgldl) for the children in the non-Pb exposedrup ite dAfferences were statisticaiy Sinit (0.001). Audito thresholds for t P g were nomal at the pure tone frequencies of 0.25-8 kHz over the entire range of B-Pb levels. Auditory brain stem respone tests in seven children with high B-Pb levls showed normal absolute peakl and interpeak latencies. The median B-Hg levels were 0.16 pgdIl (range 0.04-0.58 gd) frchildrn in the Pb-eposed group and 0.22 pg/dl (range 0.1-0.44 gd foar chidren iEn tie non-Pb exposed gold mining area, and showed no significant relationsp to auditory ction. Key word: auditory, brain stem evoked response, hearing, lead, mercry. Environ Heakh Perspec 105:522-526 Lead (Pb) is a well-known neurotoxic agent extracted from discarded automobile batthat may cause severe impairment of nerve teries. The Pb and other metals are extracttissue, particularly in the developing central ed manually from automobile and stannervous system (CNS) (1). A number of dard utility batteries, mixed with water, medical studies have suggested damage to and churned either by hand or motorized the CNS in the developing fetus, resulting stirring device until the mixture is in susin impairment of cognitive function and pended form. The suspended Pb mixture, the induction of behavioral disorders in which is stored in nearby open vats, is then young children with blood lead (B-Pb) lev-poured by hand onto the ceramics that are els of about 10.0 pg/dl or higher (2-4). baked in large, mainly sawdust-fueled kilns Plumbism (lead poisoning) has also been at high temperature (= 1200°C) to proassociated with reduced gestational age and duce a smooth, more durable, and cosmetibirth weight, hypertension, lower hemoglo-cally appealing surface. The resultant dark bin levels, and impairment of renal function heavy smoke and particles discharged from

Blood Lead Levels of Primary School children in Kathmandu Municipality, Nepal

2015

Lead is a toxic metal which has contaminated our environment and created health problems around the globe. Children are vulnerable to lead as the intake per unit body weight is higher and even low levels can cause neurological damage. Nepal lacks data on sources of lead exposure and its health impacts; hence screening of blood lead is mandatory.