Sustainability and Social Justice
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Background: Characterizing retrospective exposure to toxicants during multiple early-life developmental periods is challenging, yet critical for understanding developmental effects. Objective: To characterize early-life metal exposure using deciduous teeth in a community concerned about past exposures. Methods: Naturally shed teeth were collected from 30 children ages 5–13 years who resided in Holliston, Massachusetts since conception. We estimated weekly prenatal and postnatal (up to 1 year of age) exposure to 12 metals by measuring dentine concentrations using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear mixed models were used to explore sociodemographic, dietary, and behavioral correlates of dentine metal concentrations. Results: Temporal trends in dentine levels differed by metal. Source of milk during the first year of life was associated with dentine barium (Ba) levels, where being fed predominantly breastmilk was associated with 39% (95% CI: –57%, –13%) lower dentine Ba compared to predominantly formula use. Females had higher prenatal and postnatal dentine Mn and Pb, compared to males (e.g., % difference, postnatal Mn: 122% (17%, 321%); postnatal Pb: 60% (95% CI: –8%, 178%)). Significance: Deciduous teeth provide retrospective information on dose and timing of early-life metals exposure at high resolution. We demonstrate their utility in a community-based study with known past contamination of drinking water. Impact statement: We conducted a community-initiated pilot study in a community concerned with historical exposure to multiple metals. Using deciduous teeth, a novel noninvasive biomarker, we characterized early-life exposure to 12 metals in approximately weekly increments during sensitive developmental periods, thus demonstrating the utility of this biomarker in communities concerned with past exposures.
Publication Title
Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology
Publication Date
5-1-2022
Volume
32
Issue
3
First Page
408
Last Page
417
ISSN
1559-0631
DOI
10.1038/s41370-021-00400-x
Keywords
biomonitoring, child exposure/health, early-life exposure, metals
Repository Citation
Friedman, Alexa; Bauer, Julia Anglen; Austin, Christine; Downs, Timothy; Tripodis, Yorghos; Heiger-Bernays, Wendy; White, Roberta; Arora, Manish; and Claus Henn, Birgit, "Multiple Metals in Children’s Deciduous teeth: Results from a Community-Initiated Pilot Study" (2022). Sustainability and Social Justice. 115.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_idce/115
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
