Blood levels of lead, cadmium and selenium in children from Bytom, Poland

Exposure to lead and other metals in children from Katowice district, Poland

“…For example, in a group of Canadian children (n = 946) ranging in age from 2 to 12 years, the median wholeblood concentration of zinc was 66 lmol/l (range 32± 100 lmol/l) and that of copper was 17 lmol/l (range 11± 28 lmol/l; Subramanian and Meranger 1983). The blood selenium levels observed in the Bytom children in the current study (median 1.1 lmol/l) were similar to those found in a previous Bytom study (median 0.91 lmol/l, range 0.63±1.4 lmol/l; Osman et al 1994) and in a study on 3-to 7-year-old Polish children from another area (n=76, mean value 1.1 lmol/l; Wasowicz et al 1994). For comparison, the mean blood selenium concentration measured in a group of Hungarian children (n=161, aged 1±15 years) was 0.81 lmol/l (Cser et al 1996) and that of English children (n=20, aged 3±15 years) was 1.5 lmol/l (Lloyd et al 1989).…”

“…The levels found in the Bytom children were similar to those observed in Bytom in 1992 (median 4 nmol/l; Osman et al 1994). Thus, there is no indication of decreasing exposure.…”

“…The median blood lead level detected in Bytom children in the present study (0.27 lmol/l) was about 30% lower than the median value of 0.38 lmol/l (range 0.17±1.67 lmol/l) found in a previous investigation of 140 Bytom children aged 8±9 years who were studied in 1992 (Osman et al 1994). Also, in 1993, in a random sample of 431 children living in a large town adjacent to Bytom, the average blood lead level was 0.38 lmol/l.…”

“…The rapidly growing trac adds to the exposure burden. Recent studies have revealed a relatively high level of exposure to lead and cadmium in children in the Katowice district (Osman et al 1992(Osman et al , 1994Zejda and Grabecki 1994). About 20% of the children had blood lead levels exceeding 0.5 lmol/l.…”

Both the Environment and Genes Are Important for Concentrations of Cadmium and Lead in Blood

“…The lack of a genetic mediator for this covariation is notable and is in striking contrast to findings for components of the metabolic syndrome (37). The association is consistent with findings in children with environmental exposure to Cd and Pb (38,39). Some caution in interpretation of the cause of the association is warranted, particularly in light of the small sample sizes.…”