Strengths and limitations
While H2S levels was measured by ground sensors to
qualitatively witness gas exposure, the main study limitation is related
to the definition of exposed pregnant women, which was based on
residence’s location, but not individual portative H2S
sensors. Portable gas detectors would represent the best way to compute
actual matrix of H2S exposure. Detection of gases
emitted by decomposing sargassum seaweed was also limited to
H2S, which may not be the unique pollutant emitted by
decomposing sargassum seaweed. Increased risk of preeclampsia that we
found in exposed pregnant women may be due to volatile and non-volatile
compounds which are produced during the process of sargassum seaweed
decomposition. It should be wise to compute a proxy indicator,
integrating parameters such as multiple gas sensor data, distance
between sensors and inhabited zones, as well as pertinent climatic
parameters. Air pollutants such as O3,
NOx, NO2, SO2 and
ambient particulate matters should have been monitored during the study
period as they are known risk factors for preeclampsia.