Placenta lead damage

Animal studies suggest that exposure to bay-region polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons can damage the hematopoietic system leading to progressive anemia as well as agranulocytosis. Subcutaneous injection of 5 mg benz[u]anthracene daily to rats from the first day of pregnancy resulted in fetal death and resorption. Benz[c ]anthracene has been shown to induce benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase activity in the rat placenta. 

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