Assessment of essential and nonessential metals and different metal exposure biomarkers in the human placenta in a population from the south of Portugal.

The general population is exposed to metals as trace amounts of metallic compounds are present in air, water, and food. Information on background exposures and biomarker concentrations of environmental chemicals in the general Portuguese population is limited. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the levels of important nonessential metals with recognized toxicity cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) and essential metals copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and zinc (Zn) in placentas of mothers living in south Portugal (Algarve). Due to the difficulty in establishing the effects of chemicals in a complex and variable environment, this study also aimed to examine the response of biomarkers, such as biochemical changes that occurs at subcellular levels in the presence of contaminants. The investigated biomarkers in placentas indicative of metal exposure or damage included the metallothioneins (MT), delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) (specific for Pb), and lipid peroxidation (LPO) as an index of oxidative stress damage. Moreover, HJ-BIPLOT was applied in order to identify and categorize mothers vulnerable to environmental contamination in this region. Metal concentrations in the placenta were not excessive but within the range found in most European studies. In general, the biomarkers MT and LPO were positively correlated with metal levels, while with ALAD the opposite occurred, indicating the selected battery of biomarkers were suitable to study the effects of metals on human placenta. Further, the application of multivariate analysis with HJ-BIPLOT showed that most significant factors contributing to maternal and fetal exposures via placenta were dietary and smoking habits.