Abstract
The concentration of lead, mercury, and cadmium was determined in placenta from 474 European women and was compared with the level found in maternal and newborn blood. The influence of some epidemiological factors (residence, smoking, drinking habit, age, occupation, previous pregnancies) on heavy metal accumulation in the placenta was also investigated. The median values of the three heavy metals in placenta were 7.5, 1.06, and 1.08 μg/100 g (wet weight) for lead, mercury, and cadmium, respectively. In comparison with maternal blood, the placenta does not concentrate lead nor mercury but concentrates cadmium about 10-fold. Cadmium concentration in placenta was significantly correlated with that in maternal blood ( r = +0.38); for lead the correlation was lower although still statistically significant ( r = +0.22); for mercury the level in placenta was not significantly correlated with the metal concentration in maternal blood. Among the three heavy metals, only cadmium shows an increased accumulation in placenta of smokers. No significant effect of current residence, maternal age, and occupation on the accumulation of the heavy metals in placenta was observed.
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