Abstract
BackgroundThe amount of lead in the environment has decreased significantly in recent years, and so did exposure. However, there is no known safe exposure level and, therefore, the exposure of children to lead, although low, remains a major public health issue. With the lower levels of exposure, it is becoming more difficult to identify lead sources and new approaches may be required for preventive action. This study assessed the usefulness of lead isotope ratios for identifying sources of lead using data from a nationwide sample of French children aged from six months to six years with blood lead levels ≥25 μg/L.MethodsBlood samples were taken from 125 children, representing about 600,000 French children; environmental samples were taken from their homes and personal information was collected. Lead isotope ratios were determined using quadrupole ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma - mass spectrometry) and the isotopic signatures of potential sources of exposure were matched with those of blood in order to identify the most likely sources.ResultsIn addition to the interpretation of lead concentrations, lead isotope ratios were potentially of use for 57% of children aged from six months to six years with blood lead level ≥ 25 μg/L (7% of overall children in France, about 332,000 children), with at least one potential source of lead and sufficiently well discriminated lead isotope ratios. Lead isotope ratios revealed a single suspected source of exposure for 32% of the subjects and were able to eliminate at least one unlikely source of exposure for 30% of the children.ConclusionsIn France, lead isotope ratios could provide valuable additional information in about a third of routine environmental investigations.
Highlights
The amount of lead in the environment has decreased significantly in recent years, and so did exposure
Current routine identification of sources of lead exposure is based on the observation of child behavior and determination of the lead concentration in environmental samples
This study is, the first to assess the usefulness of Lead isotope ratios (LIR) to trace sources of lead, at a nationwide level
Summary
The amount of lead in the environment has decreased significantly in recent years, and so did exposure. Several studies have shown effects at very low doses, even below the established blood lead level (B-Pb) limit for action of 100 μg/L (0.48 μmol/L); this intervention level should not be considered as a threshold for the harmful effects of lead [6]. These effects concern cognitive and neurobehavioral deficits, lower intelligence quotient scores, fine motor skills and a wide range of other [7,8,9,10,11]. The European food safety agency (EFSA) established a benchmark dose: an increase of 12 μg/L could decrease the IQ score by one unit, without threshold below which neurodevelopmental toxicity could be defended [12]
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