Prevalence of childhood lead poisoning in a lead mining area

This study investigated the prevalence of lead poisoning among children six to seventy-one months of age who live in a lead mining area, compared to children not living in an area exposed to lead mining waste. Children were selected from a sampling frame based on a census of the study and control areas. Participants were interviewed and blood and urine were collected for lead and cadmium analysis. Environmental measurements of soil, dust, and paint were also made. Mean blood lead levels were significantly higher in the study group compared to the control group, 6.25 {mu}g/dl and 3.59 {micro}g/dl, respectively. Also, 14% of the study group compared to 0% of the control group had blood lead levels greater than 10 {micro}g/dl, the level of concern established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Soil, dust, and paint lead levels were significantly higher in the study area. There were no significant differences between groups in urine cadmium levels although environmental dust and soil cadmium levels were significantly higher in the study group. This study suggested that the increased prevalence of elevated blood lead levels in the study group is highly correlated to a combination of exposure to soil contaminated withmore » lead mining and smelting waste and exposure to household lead paint.« less