Toxicological analysis of ethanol and tobacco biomarkers in meconium of neonates born at Hospital Universitario-USP

• Grant number: 07/00465-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2007
• End date: July 31, 2009
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Mauricio Yonamine
• Grantee: Mauricio Yonamine
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Alcohol and tobacco are the two main drugs consumed worldwide and their increasing use by young women has been a great problem pointed out by specialists in the subject. Although the adverse effects associated to the habit of smoking tobacco or drinking alcoholic beverages during gestation being well documented, it is known that a considerable number of pregnant women have difficulties to abandon the habit. Fetal exposure to tobacco constituents has been associated with high risk for miscarriages, still births, reduced birth-weight, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and neurocognitive and behavioral dysfunction. The consumption of alcohol in the beginning of pregnancy can cause deficit in growth development and dysmorphology. Even moderate alcohol consumption (30 a 60g/day) can produce a range of effects known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), characterized by children with cognitive and behavioral disorders. However, because of denial, embarrassment and fear, maternal reports of gestational use of alcohol and tobacco are often inaccurate or not available. Consequently, a series of biomarkers have been studied to diagnose fetal exposure to alcohol and tobacco constituents. Recently, fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) and nicotine metabolites have been studied as biomarkers found in meconium of neonates exposed in utero. In the present project, analytical methods will be developed aiming the detection of these biomarkers in meconium samples. Initially, recent sample preparation techniques such as solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and solvent accelerated extraction (ASE) will be evaluated. Analytes will be identified and quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). After the developing and validation of the methods, meconium samples deriving from neonates born of suspected drinking or smoking mothers will be submitted to the methods. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ROEHSIG, MARLI; LOUZADA DE PAULA, DANIELA MENDES; MOURA, SIDNEI; DE ALBUQUERQUE DINIZ, EDNA MARIA; YONAMINE, MAURICIO. Determination of eight fatty acid ethyl esters in meconium samples by headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, v. 33, n. 14, p. 2115-2122, JUL 2010. (07/00465-2, 07/01420-2)

SANT'ANNA, SIMONE GOMES; RODRIGUES OLIVEIRA, CAROLINA DIZIOLI; DE ALBUQUERQUE DINIZ, EDNA MARIA; YONAMINE, MAURICIO. Accelerated Solvent Extraction for Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Nicotine and Cotinine in Meconium Samples. JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL TOXICOLOGY, v. 36, n. 1, p. 19-24, JAN-FEB 2012. (07/00465-2)