Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) exposure of the children attending a University Central Daycare Center located in São Paulo

• Grant number: 25/05493-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Kelly Polido Kaneshiro Olympio
• Grantee: Arthur Carneiro Pires
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) include metals such as Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Sn, and Zn, as well as metalloids like As, which are associated with several health problems, especially in children whose biological systems are not fully developed. In 2024, a research project was initiated at a Daycare Center (DCC) with the goal of assessing the chemical exposure of children attending this DCC. For this, structures, utensils, and toys used by the children were analyzed to determine the PTEs concentrations in the DCC environments using a portable XRF. Simulated play activities were conducted to detect the presence of PTEs in the dirt on the children's hands, using electrostatic dust cloths (EDC). Additionally, venous blood was collected to determine the concentrations of PTEs in the blood (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn). In August 2024, 29 children's blood samples and 166 EDCs were collected over 5 days, for each child whose Informed Consent Form (ICF) was signed by their parents or legal guardians. This project proposes the continuation of this study through the performance of chemical tests (PTEs in blood and EDCs) and the analysis of data obtained through XRF analyses and through the questionnaires that were applied. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be presented to investigate the relationship between exposure sources and PTE concentrations in the children's blood. This project could contribute to identifying potential sources of exposure in children's environments, generating data that can be used to mitigate PTE exposure. (AU)