Investigation of the Relationship between Spontaneous Abortion, Serum Pesticides, and Polychlorinated Biphenyl Levels

Abstract

Occupational and environmental chemical exposure have been associated with adverse reproductive consequences. This study investigates the relationship between spontaneous abortion and blood pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels. A survey was conducted, and blood samples were collected from 200 patients, consisting of 100 cases with spontaneous abortion and 100 cases with normal deliveries. A total of 150 different pesticides, including organophosphates, organochlorines, carbamates, and pyrethroids, were screened in the collected blood samples and analyzed quantitatively using Tandem mass spectrometry-specifically in combination with liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods. Eight types of PCBs were analyzed with the gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. The groups were compared based on these analyses. The mean age of the participants was 28.09 ± 4.94 years. In 59% of the spontaneous abortion group, 5.05 ± 1.97 chemicals were detected in different amounts. (p < 0.05). Analysis of the samples identified the presence of β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), delta-hexachlorocyclohexane (δ HCH), Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Pentachlorobiphenyl-28 (PCB-28), Pentachlorobiphenyl-52 (PCB-52), o,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (o,p'-DDE), p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'DDE), o,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (o,p'-DDD), p,p'-Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane (p,p'-DDD), Pentachlorobiphenyl-118 (PCB-118), Pentachlorobiphenyl-101 (PCB-101), Pentachlorobiphenyl-153 (PCB-153), Pentachlorobiphenyl-138 (PCB-138), Pentachlorobiphenyl-202 (PCB-202), Pentachlorobiphenyl-180 (PCB-180) as well as Fibronil, Buprimate, Acetoclor, Acemiprid, Pentimanthalin, and Triflokystrobin. The spontaneous abortion group had significantly higher exposure to PCB-101, PCB-52, PCB-138, and δ-HCH (p < 0.05). Women included in the study had high pesticide and PCB exposure rates. Many of the blood samples contained multiple pesticides with endocrine-disrupting effects. Higher exposure to organochlorine compounds in the serum was identified in the group with spontaneous abortions.

Keywords: endocrin disrupters; pesticide; polychlorinated biphenyls; reproductive toxicity; spontaneous abortion.

Figure 1

Scatter plot of residual chemical numbers (row) by person (column).