Correction for Mielke et al., The concurrent decline of soil lead and children’s blood lead in New Orleans

After decades of accumulation of lead aerosols in cities from additives in gasoline, in 1975 catalytic converters (which are ruined by lead) became mandatory on all new cars. By 1 January 1986 the rapid phase-down banned most lead additives. The study objective is to review temporal changes of environmental lead and children’s blood lead in communities of metropolitan New Orleans. In 2001, a soil lead survey of 287 census tracts of metropolitan New Orleans was completed. In August–September 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita storm surges flooded parts of the city with sediment-loaded water. In April–June 2006, 46/287 (16%) of the original census tracts were selected for resurvey. A third survey of 44/46 (15%) census tracts was completed in 2017. The census tract median soil lead and children’s median blood lead decreased across surveys in both flooded and unflooded areas. By curtailing a major urban source of lead aerosols, children’s lead exposure diminished, lead loading of soil decreased, and topsoil lead declined. Curtailing lead aerosols is essential for primary prevention. For the sake of children’s and ultimately societal health and welfare, the long-term habitability of cities requires terminating all remaining lead aerosols and cleanup of legacy-lead that persists in older inner-city communities.

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The concurrent decline of soil lead and children’s blood lead in New Orleans

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1906092116 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 116 (44) ◽

pp. 22058-22064 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Howard W. Mielke ◽

Christopher R. Gonzales ◽

Eric T. Powell ◽

Mark A. S. Laidlaw ◽

Kenneth J. Berry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Prevention ◽

Urban Communities ◽

New Orleans ◽

Low Income ◽

Blood Lead ◽

Canned Food ◽

Soil Lead ◽

Depletion Rate ◽

Pb Exposure ◽

Us Cities

Lead (Pb) is extremely toxic and a major cause of chronic diseases worldwide. Pb is associated with health disparities, particularly within low-income populations. In biological systems, Pb mimics calcium and, among other effects, interrupts cell signaling. Furthermore, Pb exposure results in epigenetic changes that affect multigenerational gene expression. Exposure to Pb has decreased through primary prevention, including removal of Pb solder from canned food, regulating lead-based paint, and especially eliminating Pb additives in gasoline. While researchers observe a continuous decline in children’s blood lead (BPb), reservoirs of exposure persist in topsoil, which stores the legacy dust from leaded gasoline and other sources. Our surveys of metropolitan New Orleans reveal that median topsoil Pb in communities (n = 274) decreased 44% from 99 mg/kg to 54 mg/kg (P value of 2.09 × 10−08), with a median depletion rate of ∼2.4 mg⋅kg⋅y−1 over 15 y. From 2000 through 2005 to 2011 through 2016, children’s BPb declined from 3.6 μg/dL to 1.2 μg/dL or 64% (P value of 2.02 × 10−85), a decrease of ∼0.2 μg⋅dL⋅y−1 during a median of 12 y. Here, we explore the decline of children’s BPb by examining a metabolism of cities framework of inputs, transformations, storages, and outputs. Our findings indicate that decreasing Pb in topsoil is an important factor in the continuous decline of children’s BPb. Similar reductions are expected in other major US cities. The most contaminated urban communities, usually inhabited by vulnerable populations, require further reductions of topsoil Pb to fulfill primary prevention for the nation’s children.

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Lead Levels, Home Dust, and Proximity to Lead Smelters

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.97.4.603a ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 97 (4) ◽

pp. 603-603

Author(s):

Philip J. Landrigan

Keyword(s):

Blood Lead ◽

The United States ◽

Outdoor Play ◽

Blood Lead Levels ◽

Elevated Blood ◽

Lead Smelter ◽

Soil Lead ◽

Control And Prevention ◽

Lead Levels ◽

Elevated Blood Lead Levels

The article by Kimbrough et al (Pediatrics. 1995;95:550-554) concerning a survey of blood lead levels among children residing near a closed, heavily contaminated lead smelter found that 78 of 490 preschoolers (16%) had blood lead levels at or above the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention action level of 10 µg/dL. By contrast, the prevalence of elevated blood lead levels among all preschool children in the United States is 8.9%.1 Kimbrough et al found that blood lead levels were positively correlated with home dust lead levels, soil lead levels, hours of outdoor play, and levels of lead in indoor paint.

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