Biological Monitoring of Exposure to Inorganic Lead in Pregnant Women of Meerut City (Uttar Pradesh), India

Abstract

This study was conducted to monitor lead poisoning, if any, in pregnant women of Meerut City, a town of Northern India. The parameters selected included urinary concentration of lead and í µí»¿-aminolevulinic acid. Further, whole body oxidative stress caused by environmental lead exposure has also been determined through urinary concentration of thiobarbituric acid Reactive Substances (TBARS). Present results show that lead concentration in pregnant women (26-30 years) was higher (52±0.01 µg/dL) than younger (20-25 years) (40±0.01 µg/dL) and older (31-40 years) (43±0.01 µg/dL) women. Further, highest concentration of í µí»¿-aminolevulinic acid in urine (2.60±0.55 mg/l) was also recorded in the pregnant women aged between 26-30 years. Women in the age group of 20-25 years and consuming non-vegetarian diet showed comparatively higher values for TBARS (5.56±0.6 µM). Higher concentration of lead in the urine samples of pregnant women than non-pregnant women is attributed to calcium stress and its increased release from bones during pregnancy. It is concluded that pregnant women of north India and their growing fetuses are more vulnerable to environmental lead poisoning.