Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Birth weights of newborns and pregnancy outcomes of environmentally boron-exposed females in Turkey

  • Inorganic Compounds
  • Published:
Archives of Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Boric acid and sodium borates are currently classified as being toxic to reproduction under “Category 1B” with the hazard statement of “H360 FD” in the European CLP regulation. This has prompted studies on boron-mediated reprotoxic effects in male workers in boron mining areas and boric acid production plants. By contrast, studies on boron-mediated developmental effects in females are scarce. The present study was designed to fill this gap. Hundred and ninety nine females residing in Bandirma and Bigadic participated in this study investigating pregnancy outcomes. The participants constituted a study group covering blood boron from low (< 100 ng B/g blood, n = 143) to high (> 150 ng B/g blood, n = 27) concentrations. The mean blood boron concentration and the mean estimated daily boron exposure of the high exposure group was 274.58 (151.81–975.66) ng B/g blood and 24.67 (10.47–57.86) mg B/day, respectively. In spite of the high level of daily boron exposure, boron-mediated adverse effects on induced abortion, spontaneous abortion (miscarriage), stillbirth, infant death, neonatal death, early neonatal death, preterm birth, congenital anomalies, sex ratio and birth weight of newborns were not observed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Basaran N, Duydu Y, Bolt HM (2012) Reproductive toxicity in boron exposed workers in Bandirma, Turkey. J Trace Elem Med Biol 26(2–3):165–167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bolt HM, Basaran N, Duydu Y (2012) Human environmental and occupational exposures to boric acid: reconciliation with experimental reproductive toxicity data. J Toxicol Environ Health A 75(8–10):508–514

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bolt HM, Duydu Y, Basaran N, Golka K (2017) Boron and its compounds: current biological research activities. Arch Toxicol 91:2719–2722

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chang BL, Robbins WA, Wei F, Xun L, Wu G, Li N, Elashoff DA (2006) Boron workers in China, exploring work and lifestyle factors related to boron exposure. AAOHN J 54(10):435–443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conover WJ (1999) Practical nonparametric statistics, 3rd edn. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Culver BD, Shen PT, Taylor TH, Lee-Feldstein A, Anton-Culver H, Strong PL (1994) The relationship of blood- and urine-boron to boron exposure in borax workers and the usefulness of urine-boron as an exposure marker. Environ Health Perspect 102(Suppl 7):133–137

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dolk H, Loane M, Garne E (2010) The prevalence of congenital anomalies in Europe. In: Posada de la Paz M, Groft S (eds) Rare diseases epidemiology. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, vol 686. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 349–364. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-9485-8$420

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Duydu Y, Basaran N, Ustundag A, Aydin S, Undeger U et al (2011) Reproductive toxicity parameters and biological monitoring in occupationally and environmentally boron-exposed persons in Bandirma, Turkey. Arch Toxicol 85(6):589–600

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duydu Y, Basaran N, Bolt HM (2012a) Exposure assessment of boron in Bandirma boric acid production plant. J Trace Elem Med Biol 26(2–3):161–164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duydu Y, Basaran N, Ustundag A, Aydin S, Undeger et al (2012b) Assessment of DNA integrity (COMET assay) in sperm cells of boron exposed workers. Arch Toxicol 86(1):27–35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duydu Y, Basaran N, Bolt HM (2015) Risk assessment of borates in occupational settings, 1st edn., Elsevier, Amterdam, pp 65–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Duydu Y, Basaran N, Ustundag A, Aydin S, Undeger U et al (2016) Is boric acid toxic to reproduction in humans? Assessment of the animal reproductive toxicity data and epidemiological study results. Curr Drug Deliv 13(3):324–329

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EFSA [European Food Safety Authority] (2004) Opinion of the scientific panel on dietetic products, nutrition and allergies on a request from the commission related to the tolerable upper intake level of boron (sodium borate and boric acid). EFSA J 80:1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • EGVM [Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals] (2003) Safe upper levels for vitamins and minerals. https://cot.food.gov.uk/committee/committee-on-toxicity/cotreports/cotjointreps/evmreport. Accessed 19 Mar 2018

  • EU Drinking Water Directive (1998) Council Directive 98/83/EC, of 3 November 1998, on the quality of water intended for human consumption

  • Fahrmeir L, Kneib T, Lang S (2009) Regression. Springer, New York

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Harari F, Langeen M, Casimiro E, Bottai M, Palm B, Nordqvist H, Vahter M (2015) Environmental exposure to lithium during pregnancy and fetal size: a longitudinal study in the Argentinean Andes. Environ Int 77:48–54

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heindel JJ, Price CJ, Field EA, Marr MC, Myers CB, Morrissey RE, Schwetz BA (1992) Developmental toxicity of boric acid in mice and rats. Fund Appl Toxicol 18:266–277

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holm S (1979) A simple sequentially rejective multiple test procedure. Scand J Stat 6:65–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Hood RD (2006) Developmental and reproductive toxicology, a practical approach, 2nd edn. CRC press, Boca Raton, pp 804–806

    Google Scholar 

  • Igra AM, Harrari F, Lu Y, Casimiro E, Vahter M (2016) Boron exposure through drinking water during pregnancy and birth size. Environ Int 95:54–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jensen GM, Moore LG (1997) The effect of high altitude and other risk factors on birthweight: independent or interactive effects? Am J Pub Health 87(6):1003–1007

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khaliq H, Juming Z, Me-Mei P (2018) The physiological role of boron on health. Biol Trace Elem Res. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-018-1284-3

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Korkmaz M, Sayli U, Sayli BS, Bakirdere S, Titretir S, Ataman OY, Keskin S (2007) Estimation of human daily boron exposure in a boron-rich area. Br J Nutr 98:571–575

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korkmaz M, Yenigun M, Bakirdere S, Ataman OY, Keskin S, Muezzinoglu T, Lekili M (2011) Effects of chronic boron exposure on semen profile. Biol Trace Elem Res 143(2):738–750

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krampl E (2002) Pregnancy at high altitude. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 19:535–539

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levene MI, Vries LD (2006) Epidemiology and perinatal services. In: Martin RJ, Fanaroff AA, Walsh MC Fanaroff and Martin Neonatal–Perinatal Medicine. Disease of the Fetus and Infant, 8th edn. Elsevier, Philadelphia, pp 19–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Podja J, Kelley L (2000) Administrative Committee on Coordination/Sub-Committee on Nutrition. The UN Systems Forum for Nutrition. Nutrition Policy Paper # 8. http://lib.riskreductionafrica.org/bitstream/handle/123456789/1325/154.Low%20Birthweight.%20Report%20of%20a%20Meeting%20(Dhaka%20Bangladesh%2014-17%20June%201999).pdf?sequence=1. Accessed 24 Apr 2018

  • Price CJ, Strong PL, Marr MC, Myers CB, Murray FJ (1996) Developmental toxicity NOAEL and postnatal recovery in rats fed boric acid during gestation. Fund Appl Toxicol 32:179–193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Price CJ, Strong PL, Murray FJ, Goldberg MM (1997) Blood boron concentrations in pregnant rats fed boric acid throughout gestation. Rep Toxicol 11(6):833–842

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team (2017) R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna

    Google Scholar 

  • Robbins WA, Xun L, Jia J, Kennedy N, Elashoff DA, Ping L (2010) Chronic boron exposure and human semen parameters. Reprod Toxicol 29:184–190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roobins WA, Wei F, Elashoff DA, Wu G, Xun L, Jia J (2008) Y:X sperm ratio in boron-exposed men. J Andrology 29(1):115–121

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sayli BS (1998) An assessment of fertility in boron-exposed Turkish subpopulations, 2. evidence that boron has no effect on human reproduction. Biol Trace Elem Res 66(1–3):409–422

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayli BS (2001) Assessment of fertility and infertility in boron-exposed Turkish subpopulations, 3. evaluation of fertility among sibs and in “borate families”. Biol Trace Elem Res 81(3):255–267

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sayli BS (2003) Low frequency of fertility among workers in a borate processing facility. Biol Trace Elem Res 93(1–3):19–28

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • TDHS (2013) Turkey demographic and health survey (2013) “TDHS-2013”

  • Turkey Demographics Profile (2017) https://www.indexmundi.com/turkey/demographics _profile.html Accessed 12 Dec 2017

  • Türkiye Nüfusu (2017) https://www.nufusu.com/ilce/bandirma_balikesir-nufusu. Accessed 17 Oct 2017

  • UN World Health Statistics (2014) https://knoema.com/UNWHODATA2014/un-world-health-statistics-2014?location=1001780-turkey&variable=1002040-preterm-birth-rate-per-100-live-births/. Accessed 6 Nov 2017

  • WHO (1992) Low birth weight: a tabulation of available information, WHO/MCH/92.2. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2011) Guidelines for drinking water quality, fourth edition, 2011. WHO Press, World Health Organization, Geneva. http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/publications/drinking-water-quality-guidelines-4-including-1st-addendum/en/. Accessed 19 Mar 2018

  • Whorton D, Haas J, Trent L (1994a) Reproductive effects of inorganic borates on male employees: birth rate assessment. Environ Health Perspect 102(7):129–132

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Whorton MD, Haas JL, Trent L, Wong O (1994b) Reproductive effects of sodium borates on male employees: birth rate assessment. Occup Environ Med 51(11):761–767

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yazbeck C, Kloppmann W, Cottier R, Sahuquillo J, Debotte G, Huel G (2005) Health impact evaluation of boron in drinking water: a geographical risk assessment in Northern France. Environ Geochem Health 27(5–6):419–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Funds for the present cooperative “Boron Project II” were provided by the Eti Mine Works General Management (2014-2017).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Toxicology, Ankara University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tandoğan, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Yalçın Duydu, Aylin Üstündağ & Can Özgür Yalçın

  2. Department of Toxicology, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Sıhhiye, 06100, Ankara, Turkey

    Nurşen Başaran, Sevtap Aydın, Hatice Gül Anlar & Merve Bacanlı

  3. Department of Urology, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    Kaan Aydos

  4. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey

    Cem Somer Atabekoğlu

  5. TU Dortmund University, Faculty of Statistics, 44221, Dortmund, Germany

    Katja Ickstadt & Matthias Werner

  6. Department of Food Chemistry, Institute of Nutritional Science, University of Potsdam, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558, Nuthetal, Germany

    Tanja Schwerdtle & Sören Meyer

  7. Leibniz Research Center for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo), Ardeystr. 67, 44139, Dortmund, Germany

    Klaus Golka & Hermann M. Bolt

Authors
  1. Yalçın Duydu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nurşen Başaran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aylin Üstündağ
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sevtap Aydın
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Can Özgür Yalçın
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Hatice Gül Anlar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Merve Bacanlı
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Kaan Aydos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Cem Somer Atabekoğlu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Klaus Golka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Katja Ickstadt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Tanja Schwerdtle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Matthias Werner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  14. Sören Meyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  15. Hermann M. Bolt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yalçın Duydu.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 136 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Duydu, Y., Başaran, N., Üstündağ, A. et al. Birth weights of newborns and pregnancy outcomes of environmentally boron-exposed females in Turkey. Arch Toxicol 92, 2475–2485 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-018-2238-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-018-2238-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation