| Benefits of Reducing Prenatal Exposure to Coal-Burning Pollutants to Children's Neurodevelopment in China Frederica Perera,1,2 Tin-yu Li,3 Zhi-jun Zhou,4 Tao Yuan,5 Yu-hui Chen,1 Lirong Qu,1,2 Virginia A. Rauh,2 Yiguan Zhang,3 and Deliang Tang1,2 1Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA; 2Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA; 3Chongqing Children's Hospital, Chongqing University of Medical Sciences, Chongqing, China; 4School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; 5School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China Abstract
Background: Coal burning provides 70% of the energy for China's industry and power, but releases large quantities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other pollutants. PAHs are reproductive and developmental toxicants, mutagens, and carcinogens. Objective: We evaluated the benefit to neurobehavioral development from the closure of a coal-fired power plant that was the major local source of ambient PAHs. Methods: The research was conducted in Tongliang, Chongqing, China, where a coal-fired power plant operated seasonally before it was shut down in May 2004. Two identical prospective cohort studies enrolled nonsmoking women and their newborns in 2002 (before shutdown) and 2005 (after shutdown) . Prenatal PAH exposure was measured by PAH–DNA adducts (benzo[a]pyrene–DNA) in umbilical cord blood. Child development was assessed by the Gesell Developmental Schedules at 2 years of age. Prenatal exposure to other neurotoxicants and potential confounders (including lead, mercury, and environmental tobacco smoke) was measured. We compared the cohorts regarding the association between PAH–DNA adduct levels and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Results: Significant associations previously seen in 2002 between elevated adducts and decreased motor area developmental quotient (DQ) (p = 0.043) and average DQ (p = 0.047) were not observed in the 2005 cohort (p = 0.546 and p = 0.146) . However, the direction of the relationship did not change. Conclusion: The findings indicate that neurobehavioral development in Tongliang children benefited by elimination of PAH exposure from the coal-burning plant, consistent with the significant reduction in PAH–DNA adducts in cord blood of children in the 2005 cohort. The results have implications for children's environmental health in China and elsewhere. Key words: China, coal burning, lead, neurobehavioral development, PAH–DNA adducts, prenatal. Environ Health Perspect 116:1396–1400 (2008) . doi:10.1289/ehp.11480 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 14 July 2008]
Address correspondence to F. Perera, Mailman School of Public Health, Col P&S 19-407, New York, NY 10032 USA. Telephone: (212) 304-7280. Fax: (212) 544-1943. E-mail: fpp1@columbia.edu We thank C. Lin and W. Tsai (Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, Columbia University) , Y. Li (School of Public Health, Fudan University) , and W. Wang (School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University) . This project has been supported by the V. Kann Rasmussen Foundation, The Energy Foundation, The Schmidt Family Foundation, The Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and The Porpoise Fund, and by general support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (5 P01 ES009600, 5 R01 ES008977) . The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 14 March 2008 ; accepted 10 July 2008.
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