Abstract
The influence of the lead content of drinking water on the transplacental transfer of lead was investigated in 70 pregnant women living in a rural area of Belgium. The mothers were divided into 2 groups: group A: morning water lead below 50 μg/liter; group B: morning water lead above this value. In group A, the mean lead content of water was 11.8 μg/liter and in group B it amounted to 247.4 μg/liter. The difference in the mean lead concentration between the two groups were for maternal blood: 3.2 μg/100 ml, for umbilical cord blood: 3.3 μg/100 ml, and for placenta: 3.6 μg/100 g. These differences are statistically significant. There were significant correlations between water lead and lead concentration in blood (mother, newborn) or placenta. An increment of water lead concentration from 50 to 500 μg/liter increases blood lead concentration in mother and in newborn by about 3 μg/100 ml and in placenta by about 2.5 μg/100 g (wet weight).
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