Science of the Total Environment
Volume 407, Issue 23, 2009, Pages 5931-5936

Changing blood lead levels and DNA damage (comet assay) among immigrant women in Taiwan (Article)

Wu W.-T. , Liou S.-H. , Lin K.-J. , Liu T.-E. , Liu S.-H. , Chen C.-Y. , Sung F.-C. , Wu T.-N.*
  • a Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
  • b Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan, Institute of Public Health, National Defense Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan
  • c Graduate Institute of Integrated Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Department of Pediatrics, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
  • d Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
  • e Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
  • f Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
  • g Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
  • h Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Division of Environmental Health and Occupational Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli County, Taiwan, Institute of Environmental Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

Abstract

Background: International marriage has had a rapid growth in recent years in Taiwan. However, little is known about the blood lead levels and DNA damage levels among immigrant women from resource-limited countries. Objective: This study (a) explored differences between immigrant women and native women in demographic characteristics, blood lead levels, and DNA damage levels, and (b) identified risk factors that are associated with blood lead concentrations and DNA damage levels after immigration. Methods: We used a structured questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographic status from (a) 71 immigrant women who had resettled in 2006 in Taichung, Taiwan and (b) 83 native women who live in the same area. Each study participant provided blood samples for lead and metal measurements, complete blood count examination, and the comet assay to measure degree of DNA damage. Results: Immigrant women had higher mean blood lead concentration (2.23 ± 1.63 vs. 1.63 ± 1.00 μg/dl; p = 0.04) and lower mean blood zinc level (6.22 ± 2.22 vs. 6.89 ± 2.44 mg/l; p = 0.07) than native women. Resettlement time was a determinant to decrease blood lead and DNA damage levels among immigrants in Taiwan. Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed a statistically significant association between blood lead level and DNA damage, while zinc had a protective effect. Conclusions: Public health agencies should focus on primary prevention and providing screening programs for this vulnerable population. An immigrant women's cohort should been established to follow-up and improve for elevated lead exposure families. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Author Keywords

immigrant women Prevalence survey DNA damage Comet assay Blood lead Environmental health

Index Keywords

blood sampling Immigrant women DNA determination Health risks immigrant Eurasia questionnaire survey regression analysis Surveys demography Genes human risk assessment Asia controlled study priority journal zinc Far East Taiwan Prevalence survey mass spectrometry Nucleic acids Comet Assay health DNA damage Taichung human cell health program Humans Hazardous materials lead lead blood level female risk factor primary prevention environmental exposure women's health Article DNA blood Blood lead adult blood analysis assay Environmental engineering Emigration and Immigration environmental health public health immigrant population
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-70349589586&doi=10.1016%2fj.scitotenv.2009.07.025&partnerID=40&md5=9e6a6a19f295f11905ec6b782c8f9c35
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.07.025
ISSN: 00489697
Cited by: 7
Original Language: English