IN UTERO EXPOSURE TO CADMIUM POLLUTION IN CAIRO AND GIZA GOVERNORATES OF EGYPT

Mokhtar G¹, Hossny E¹, El-Awady M², Zekry M

1 Department of Pediatrics, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

2 Department of Community Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

Objective: We sought to investigate the possibility of inutero exposure to environmental pollution with cadmium (Cd) in Cairo and Giza governorates of Egypt.

Methods: Serum Cd was estimated by atomic absorption spectrometry in a consecutive sample of 100 mother- infant pairs at delivery using venous blood samples from the mothers and cord blood samples from theirneonates.

Results: The serum Cd levels in the mothers ranged between 0.4 and 2.2 mg/L (mean 0.73+0.3 mg/L). The corresponding infant cord blood values ranged from 0.2 up to 1.5 mg/L (mean 0.66 +0.2 mg/L). The individual concentrations of the cord blood Cd were about 70% of those of the maternal serum in most pairs. Serum Cd concentrations were significantly higher in mothers exposed to passive tobacco smoking as well as in their newly born babies. The apgar scores at 5 minutes were negatively correlated to the cord blood Cd levels. The Cd levels did not differ in between subjects from Cairo and Giza or according to the residential classification into urban, suburban or rural.

Conclusion: In utero exposure to Cd was evident in our series and we recommend studies on its long term effects. Wider scale studies on the exposure of other age groups in various locations of Egypt are also indicated.

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