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The ready access to blood (plasma and formed cellular elements) makes it unusually susceptible to the deleterious effects of pollutants whose origins may be in the air. The red blood cells' hemoglobin may be rendered useless for oxygen transport by combination with carbon monoxide or conversion to methemoglobin or sulfhemoglobin. Lead and arsine can damage the erythrocytes' membranes, resulting in anemia. Metabolites of benzene and other volatile polycyclic hydrocarbons are implicated in the causation of leukemias. The extensive use of pesticides and herbicides may be associated with the development of Hodgkin's disease, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and aplastic anemia. The carcinogenic risks from ionizing radiation, especially for leukemia, are well known. More information is needed concerning the epidemiology of environmental factors responsible for damage to blood. Enhanced knowledge about the molecular biology of toxins' effects on the hematopoietic system and improved detection and prevention technologies are needed to answer environmentally related health questions.

A 29-yr-old black woman was found to have a long-standing, nonspherocytic hemolytic disorder associated with a marked reduction in the activity of erythrocyte ribosephosphate pyrophosphokinase (RPK, PRPP synthetase, E.C. 2.7.6.1). Although the patient’s erythrocytes had about 50% of the average RPK activity of normal mature human erythrocytes, this level represented only about 20-30% of the activity in comparable reticulocyte-rich blood samples from patients with other types of hemolytic anemias. The concentrations of adenosine triphosphate adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate and, therefore, of total adenine nucleotides in her erythrocytes were markedly increased, even well above the levels in extracts of comparable reticulocyte-rich blood samples. ATPase activity was increased three- to fourfold, consistent with the reticulocytosis. Adenylate kinase and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase activities were normal. The activities of all enzymes of the Embden-Meyerhof and hexose monophosphate shunt pathways and enzymes related to glutathione metabolism were normal or increased, consistent with the reticulocytosis. The concentrations of glycolytic intermediates, other than adenine nucleotides, were normal. The conversion of glucose, adenosine, and inosine to lactate was normal or increased. Autohemolysis was of the Dacie Type II. The concentrations of erythrocyte-reduced glutathione were high normal or elevated. The stained blood film showed a striking degree of basophilic stippling of the erythrocytes. Studies of the erythrocytes of the patient’s only known relative, a son, have failed to reveal any hematologic or enzymatic abnormalities. A direct causal relationship between RPK deficiency, high ATP concentrations, and nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia could not be derived from data now available. The final decision as to whether the deficiency is primary and causative or is an epiphenomenon requires investigation of additional cases.