Abstract
ObjectiveBlood lead levels (BLLs) and possible influencing factors in children in Wuhan China were investigated in order to understand current lead pollution exposure and provide a scientific basis for prevention and policy making.Materials and MethodsBLL data were collected from 15,536 out-patients in Wuhan Children Hospital in 2012 full year. All of them were under 18 years of age (Mean ± SD: 4.32±3.2, 64.4% boys). The BLLs were measured by an atomic absorption spectrometry (BH2100).ResultsThe geometric mean of BLLs for all the subjects was 44.75 µg/L (95%CI: 44.46 µg/L – 45.05 µg/L), much lower than that reported in previous studies. The prevalence of the elevated BLLs (≥ 100 µg/L) in the children tested was 2% in 2012 and the prevalence of BLLs (≥ 50 µg/L) was 44%. Age and sex could be possible influencing factors for BLLs in the children (p<0.001). In addition, the BLLs in different seasons were different (p<0.001).ConclusionsThese results demonstrate that BLLs have significantly decreased in children in Wuhan during recent years. However, we should continuously pay attention to lead pollution and emphasize that prevention is much more important than treatment for controlling children's BLLs.
Highlights
IntroductionThe ideal human body’s blood lead concentration is zero
Lead is a neurotoxic heavy metal with no known physiologic role in the human body
The possible explanation for the difference was that boys usually are more active than girls, and may be more likely to be suspected as lead poisoning and asked to take blood lead levels (BLLs) test by clinical physicians
Summary
The ideal human body’s blood lead concentration is zero. The harm of lead poisoning in children is mainly in functional change of the central nervous system, and there is no safe threshold of lead on children’s brain development [1]–[4]. Leaded gasoline and industrial pollution are major sources of lead pollution in the air and soil. In addition to the lead in the air and dust being inhaled through the respiratory tract, daily child behaviors (e.g., chewing or mouthing toys, sucking on fingers, playing on the floor, incomplete hand washing) and dietary habits (e.g., eating canned foods and beverages) may contribute to lead poisoning as these behaviors may introduce lead directly into the digestive tract. People do not realize the hazard of low dose lead exposure, so lacking public health education is another reason for elevated blood lead levels (BLLs)
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