Children's exposure to environmental lead: A review of potential sources, blood levels, and methods used to reduce exposure

AbstractLead is an environmental contaminant. The majority of epidemiological research on the health effects of lead has been focused on children, because they are more vulnerable to lead than adults. In children, an elevated blood lead (B-Pb) is associated with reduced Intelligence Quotient (IQ) score. This paper summarizes the current opinions on the assessment of the health risk connected with the children’s environmental exposure to lead. The B-Pb level of concern of 100 μg/l proposed by the US Centers of Disease Control in 1991 was for a long time accepted as the guideline value. In the meantime there has been a significant worldwide decrease of B-Pb levels in children and present geometric mean values in the European countries range from 20 to 30 μg/l. The recent analyses of the association of intelligence test scores and B-Pb levels have revealed that the steepest declines in IQ occur at blood levels < 100 μg/l and that no threshold below which lead does not cause neurodevelopmental toxicity can be defended. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded in 2010, on the basis of results of Benchmark Dose (BMD) analysis, that an increase in B-Pb of 12 μg/l (BMDL01) could decrease the IQ score by one point. It seems that this value can be used as a “unit risk” to calculate the possible decrease of IQ and, consequently, influence of the low-level exposure to lead (< 100 μg/l) on the health and socioeconomic status of the exposed population.

Download Full-text

Mapping the spatio-temporal risk of lead exposure in apex species for more effective mitigation

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2016.0662 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 283 (1835) ◽

pp. 20160662 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Patricia Mateo-Tomás ◽

Pedro P. Olea ◽

María Jiménez-Moreno ◽

Pablo R. Camarero ◽

Inés S. Sánchez-Barbudo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Lead Exposure ◽

Spatial Models ◽

Temporal Distribution ◽

Point Sources ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Ecosystem Integrity ◽

Environmental Lead ◽

Gyps Fulvus ◽

Spatio Temporal

Effective mitigation of the risks posed by environmental contaminants for ecosystem integrity and human health requires knowing their sources and spatio-temporal distribution. We analysed the exposure to lead (Pb) in griffon vulture Gyps fulvus —an apex species valuable as biomonitoring sentinel. We determined vultures' lead exposure and its main sources by combining isotope signatures and modelling analyses of 691 bird blood samples collected over 5 years. We made yearlong spatially explicit predictions of the species risk of lead exposure. Our results highlight elevated lead exposure of griffon vultures (i.e. 44.9% of the studied population, approximately 15% of the European, showed lead blood levels more than 200 ng ml −1 ) partly owing to environmental lead (e.g. geological sources). These exposures to environmental lead of geological sources increased in those vultures exposed to point sources (e.g. lead-based ammunition). These spatial models and pollutant risk maps are powerful tools that identify areas of wildlife exposure to potentially harmful sources of lead that could affect ecosystem and human health.

Download Full-text

Association of plasma lead, cadmium, and selenium levels with hearing loss in adults: NHANES 2011-2012

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114521004335 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Yaqin Tu ◽

Guorun Fan ◽

Nan Wu ◽

Hao Wu ◽

Hongjun Xiao

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

High Frequency ◽

Blood Lead ◽

Blood Levels ◽

High Frequency Hearing Loss ◽

Environmental Lead ◽

Lead And Cadmium ◽

Health And Nutrition ◽

Blood Cadmium ◽

Dose Dependent

Abstract To determine the association between hearing loss and environmental lead, cadmium, and selenium exposure, a total of 1503 American adults from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2011∼2012) were assessed. The average of 4 audiometric frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz) was used to identify speech-frequency hearing loss (SFHL), while the average of 3 audiometric frequencies (3, 4, and 6 kHz) was used to identify high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL). HFHL adjusted Odds ratios (ORs) determined by comparing the highest and lowest blood lead and cadmium quartiles were 1.98 (95%CI: 1.27, 3.10) and 1.81 (95%CI: 1.13, 2.90), respectively. SFHL was significant associated with blood cadmium with the OR = 2.42 for the highest quartile. When further stratified by age, this association appeared to be limited to adults aged 35-52 years. After stratified by gender, except for lead and cadmium, we observed that blood selenium showed a dose-dependent association with SFHL in men. In women, only cadmium showed a dose-dependent association with speech and high frequency hearing loss. Hearing loss was positively associated with blood levels of lead and cadmium. Additionally, our study provided novel evidence suggesting that excessive selenium supplement would increase SFHL risk in men.

Download Full-text

941: Peripheral and Corporal Blood Levels of Preoperative Vancomycin and Gentamycin in Patients Undergoing Penile Prosthesis Implantation

The Journal of Urology ◽

10.1016/s0022-5347(18)31169-8 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 177 (4S) ◽

pp. 311-312

Author(s):

Heman Carrion ◽

Jorge R. Caso ◽

Gerard D. Henry ◽

J. Christopher Webster ◽

Rafael E. Carrion

Keyword(s):

Penile Prosthesis ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Prosthesis Implantation

Download Full-text

391 Uric acid blood levels are associated with clinical and echocardiographic parameters of chronic heart failure

European Journal of Heart Failure Supplements ◽

10.1016/s1567-4215(03)90246-3 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 79

Author(s):

P PAVLIDIS ◽

J PARISSIS ◽

S ANTONOPOULOS ◽

D POLLATOS ◽

P KIRIAZOPOULOS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Uric Acid ◽

Chronic Heart Failure ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Echocardiographic Parameters

Download Full-text

Striae Gravidarum, Vitamin C and Other Related Factors

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000049 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 81 (1) ◽

pp. 43-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Rahime Bedir Findik ◽

Nurcihan Karakurt Hascelik ◽

Kadir Okhan Akin ◽

Ayse Nurcan Unluer ◽

Jale Karakaya

Keyword(s):

Family History ◽

Vitamin C ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Smoking Status ◽

Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Blood Levels ◽

Significant Relation ◽

Related Factors ◽

Thigh Circumference ◽

Striae Gravidarum

Background: Striae gravidarum, a clinical condition commonly seen in pregnant women, produces serious cosmetic problems and may lead to psychological problems. Aim: The present study investigated whether there was any relation between the presence of striae in primigravid pregnant women and blood vitamin C levels, and factors thought to contribute to the formation of striae such as family history, weight gained during pregnancy, smoking status, abdominal and thigh circumference, and age. Methods: Overall, 69 primigravid women attending routine antenatal follow-up and, using prophylactic iron and vitamin preparations, underwent investigation. All were pregnant 36 or more weeks. Scoring was based on striae examination and whether striae were present. The relation between the presence of striae, vitamin C blood levels, and other factors was investigated. Results and Conclusions: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant relation between the presence of striae and blood vitamin C levels (p = 0.046) and between the presence of striae and family history (p = 0.023). No significant relation was found between the presence of striae and age, weight gained during pregnancy, abdominal and thigh circumference, or smoking status. It was concluded that further, more comprehensive studies on the issue are required.

Download Full-text