Chan Xiong1, Michael Stiboller2, Ronald A Glabonjat3, Jaqueline Rieger3, Lhiam Paton4, Kevin A Francesconi3. 1. Institute of Chemistry, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria. Electronic address: chinaxc@tju.edu.cn. 2. Institute of Nutritional Sciences, Food Chemistry, University of Potsdam, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany. 3. Institute of Chemistry, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria. 4. TESLA (Trace Element Speciation Laboratory), Department of Chemistry, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE, Scotland, UK.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We address two questions relevant to infants' exposure to potentially toxic arsenolipids, namely, are the arsenolipids naturally present in fish transported intact to a mother's milk, and what is the efficiency of this transport. METHODS: We investigated the transport of arsenolipids and other arsenic species present in fish to mother's milk by analyzing the milk of a single nursing mother at 15 sampling times over a 3-day period after she had consumed a meal of salmon. Total arsenic values were obtained by elemental mass spectrometry, and arsenic species were measured by HPLC coupled to both elemental and molecular mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Total arsenic increased from background levels (0.1 μg As kg-1) to a peak value of 1.72 μg As kg-1 eight hours after the fish meal. The pattern for arsenolipids was similar to that of total arsenic, increasing from undetectable background levels (< 0.01 μg As kg-1) to a peak after eight hours of 0.45 μg As kg-1. Most of the remaining total arsenic in the milk was accounted for by arsenobetaine. The major arsenolipids in the salmon were arsenic hydrocarbons (AsHCs; 55 % of total arsenolipids), and these compounds were also the dominant arsenolipids in the milk where they contributed over 90 % of the total arsenolipids. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has shown that ca 2-3 % of arsenic hydrocarbons, natural constituents of fish, can be directly transferred unchanged to the milk of a nursing mother. In view of the potential neurotoxicity of AsHCs, the effects of these compounds on the brain developmental stage of infants need to be investigated.
OBJECTIVE: We address two questions relevant to infants' exposure to potentially toxic arsenolipids, namely, are the arsenolipids naturally present in fish transported intact to a mother's milk, and what is the efficiency of this transport. METHODS: We investigated the transport of arsenolipids and other arsenic species present in fish to mother's milk by analyzing the milk of a single nursing mother at 15 sampling times over a 3-day period after she had consumed a meal of salmon. Total arsenic values were obtained by elemental mass spectrometry, and arsenic species were measured by HPLC coupled to both elemental and molecular mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Total arsenic increased from background levels (0.1 μg As kg-1) to a peak value of 1.72 μg As kg-1 eight hours after the fish meal. The pattern for arsenolipids was similar to that of total arsenic, increasing from undetectable background levels (< 0.01 μg As kg-1) to a peak after eight hours of 0.45 μg As kg-1. Most of the remaining total arsenic in the milk was accounted for by arsenobetaine. The major arsenolipids in the salmon were arsenic hydrocarbons (AsHCs; 55 % of total arsenolipids), and these compounds were also the dominant arsenolipids in the milk where they contributed over 90 % of the total arsenolipids. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has shown that ca 2-3 % of arsenic hydrocarbons, natural constituents of fish, can be directly transferred unchanged to the milk of a nursing mother. In view of the potential neurotoxicity of AsHCs, the effects of these compounds on the brain developmental stage of infants need to be investigated.
Authors: Ronald A Glabonjat; Jodi S Blum; Laurence G Miller; Samuel M Webb; John F Stolz; Kevin A Francesconi; Ronald S Oremland Journal: Life (Basel) Date: 2020-06-24