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Environ Sci Technol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2017 February 02. Published in final edited form as: Environ Sci Technol. 2016 February 2; 50(3): 1587–1594. doi:10.1021/acs.est.5b05316.

Placental metal concentrations in relation to maternal and infant toenails in a US cohort Tracy Punshon1,*, Zhigang Li2, Carmen J. Marsit2, Brian P. Jackson1, Emily R. Baker3, and Margaret R. Karagas2 1Dartmouth

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2Geisel

College, Hanover, NH, 03755

School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755

3Dartmouth

Hitchcock Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756

Abstract

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Metal contaminants cross the placenta, presenting a heightened risk of perturbing fetal development. Information on placental concentrations and transfer of multiple potentially toxic metals from low to moderate exposure is lacking. We measured concentrations of Cd, Pb, Hg, Mn, Se and Zn in 750 placentas collected from women enrolled in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study and examined the correlation between elements, and profiles of potentially toxic metals (Cd, Pb, Hg and Mn) stratified by nutrient concentrations (Zn and Se) using Principal Components Analyses (PCA). We further examined the indirect effects of maternal metal concentrations on infant metal concentrations through placenta metal concentrations using structural equation models. Placental metal concentrations were all correlated, particularly Zn and Mn, and Zn and Cd, and the principal component of metals differed by stratum of high versus low Zn and Se. Associations were observed between placenta and maternal toenail Se (β 63.49, P