Abstract
Objectives
Acrylamide (AA) (CAS No 79-06-1) has most recently been identified as a food-borne toxicant generated during the heating process of starch-containing foods. It was the aim of the present study to investigate the trans-placental exposure of newborn infants to this possible human carcinogen by analysis of the specific haemoglobin adduct of AA (N-2-carbamoylethylvaline, AAV) in the blood of mothers and the corresponding umbilical cord blood of neonates as a parameter of biochemical effects.
Methods
We investigated the blood of 11 women advanced in pregnancy (one smoker, ten non-smokers) and the corresponding umbilical cord blood of neonates for the N-terminal haemoglobin adducts of AA (AAV) and the smoking-specific adduct of acrylonitrile (CAS No 107-13-1) (N-cyanoethylvaline, CEV). The limit of detection (LOD) was 5 pmol/g globin for AAV and 4 pmol/g globin for CEV.
Results
AAV could be determined in all blood samples of the mothers (median 21 pmol/g globin, range 18–104 pmol/g globin) as well as in the umbilical cord blood of neonates (median 10 pmol/g globin, range 6–43 pmol/g globin). The highest values were detected in the blood of the smoking mother and her child. CEV was detected only in the blood of the smoking mother (185 pmol/g globin) and the corresponding umbilical cord blood (69 pmol/g globin).
Discussion
AAV adduct levels in non-smoking mothers and neonates showed a good correlation (r=0.859). The concentration of AA adducts in the blood of neonates is approximately 50% of the adduct level found in the blood of the mother. In view of the shorter life span of neonatal erythrocytes and the lower body weight of newborn infants, the relative internal dose of AA in neonates (in microgrammes per kilogramme body weight) must be assumed to be at least equal to that of the mother. Because of the high cell-replication rates during foetal development, trans-placental exposure of neonates to AA might raise concerns. Neonates of smoking mothers take up much higher doses of AA than those of non-smoking mothers.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bergmark E (1997) Hemoglobin adducts of acrylamide and acrylonitrile in laboratory workers, smokers and nonsmokers. Chem Res Toxicol 10:78–84
Calleman CJ (1996) The metabolism and pharmacokinetics of acrylamide: implications for mechanisms of toxicity and human risk estimation. Drug Metab Rev 28:527–590
Da Costa GG, Churchwell MI, Hamilton LP, von Tungeln LS, Beland FA, Marques MM, Doerge DR (2003) DNA adduct formation from acrylamide via conversion to glycidamide in adult and neonatal mice. Chem Res Toxicol. DOI:10.1021/tx034108e
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) (2002) Maximale Arbeitsplatzkonzentrationen und biologische Arbeitsstoff Toleranzwerte 2002. Mitteilung XXXVIII der Senatskommission zur Prüfung gesundheitsschädlicher Arbeitsstoffe. VCH, Weinheim
Field EA, Price CJ, Sleet RB, Marr MC, Schwetz BA, Morrissey RE (1990) Developmental toxicity evaluation of acrylamide in rats and mice. Fundam Appl Toxicol 14:502–512
Friedman MA, Tyl RW, Marr MC, Myers CB, Gerling FS, Ross WP (1999) Effects of lactational administration of acrylamide on rat dams and offspring. Reprod Toxicol 13:511–520
IARC (1994) Acrylamide. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum 60:389–434
Lewalter J, Gries W (2001) Haemoglobin adducts of aromatic amines: aniline, o-, m- and p-toluidine, o-anisidine, p-chloroaniline, α- and β- naphthylamine, 4-aminobiphenyl, benzidine, 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane, 3,3′-dichlorobenzidine. In: Angerer J, Schaller KH (eds) Analyses of hazardous substances in biological materials, vol. 7. Wiley—VCH, Weinheim, pp 191–219
Lurie S, Mamet Y (2000) Red blood cell survival and kinetics during pregnancy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 93:185–192
Madle S, Broschinski L, Mosbach-Schulz O, Schöning G, Schulte A (2003) Zur aktuellen Risikobewertung von Acrylamid in Lebensmitteln. Bundesgesundheitsbl Gesundheitsforsch Gesundheitsschutz 46:405–415
Schettgen T, Weiss T, Drexler H, Angerer J (2003) A first approach to estimate the internal exposure to acrylamide in adults from Germany—smokers and non-smokers. Int J Hyg Environ Health 206:9–14
Schwenk M, Gundert-Remy U, Heinemeyer G, Olejniczak K, Stahlmann R, Kaufmann W, Bolt HM, Greim H, von Keutz E, Gelbke HP (2003) Children as a sensitive subgroup and their role in regulatory toxicology: DGPT workshop report. Arch Toxicol 77:2–6
Tareke E, Rydberg P, Karlsson P, Eriksson S, Törnqvist M (2000) Acrylamide: a cooking carcinogen? Chem Res Toxicol 13:517–522
Tareke E, Rydberg P, Karlsson P, Eriksson S, Törnqvist M (2002) Analysis of acrylamide, a carcinogen formed in heated foodstuffs. J Agric Food Chem 50:4998–5006
Tyl RW, Friedman MA (2003) Effects of acrylamide on rodent reproductive performance. Reprod Toxicol 17:1–13
US EPA (1990) Assessment of health risks from exposure to acrylamide. Office of Toxic Substances, US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
WHO (1996) Guidelines for drinking-water quality, 2nd edn, vol. 2. World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, pp 940–949
WHO (2002) Health implications of acrylamide in food. Report of a joint FAO/WHO consultation, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland pp 25–27, http://www.who.int/foofsafety/publications/chem/acrylamide_june2002/en/ ISBN: 0241562188
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to Mr. Johannes Müller for skilful assistance in mass spectrometric work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schettgen, T., Kütting, B., Hornig, M. et al. Trans-placental exposure of neonates to acrylamide—a pilot study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 77, 213–216 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-003-0496-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-003-0496-8