Subject(s)
Air Pollutants/adverse effects , Lead/adverse effects , Morbidity , Child, Preschool , Hair/metabolism , Humans , Lead/metabolism , Lead/urineABSTRACT
PIP: One of the longterm effects of environmental pollution is disturbance of embryonal development. If the embryo is adversely affected at the moment of conception and immediately thereafter, this can have an adverse impact on the individual's whole life. We know that lead, mercury, and some other industrial pollutants affect the reproductive function of women. Also antimony, which has been shown to cause premature birth and stillbirth. Manganese, thallium, and fluorine also adversely affect pregnancy. Our investigation was done on the women, aged 18-35, living near a metallurgical plant. We compared the monthly measurements of contamination of the air with sulphur gas, carbon monoxide, and nitrous oxides, with the course of pregnancy of the women living in the area. The results demonstrated an unfavorable impact of these contaminants on the women. We then formulated a program for a 2nd stage of investigation, in an area with lead contamination. We investigated: a highly urbanized administrative center, a contemporary industrial city, and some surrounding villages. In the 1st 2 cases the lead contamination was due to industrial contamination; in the last case it was due to the use of certain chemicals in hail protection. The lead content was measured in the air, water, soil, and food products. The women investigated were 20-30 years of age during 1st pregnancies; we also investigated the children during the 1st 2 years of life. The materials were processed in the traditional way, constructing empirical curves and then selecting appropriate functions for analysis. This will enable a quantitative estimate of the impact of environmental pollution on reproductive function to be obtained.^ieng
