Cross‐sectional epidemiological study on the lead burden of children and workers in Greece

Abstract

Exposure of the general population to lead in the environment is mainly caused by motor traffic exhaust and by industrial pollution. The aim of the study in Greece was to assess lead exposure in children living in point source impacted areas (Lavrion and Aspropyrgos-Eleusis) using the biological monitoring parameter "blood lead concentration".In addition, workers of a lead smelter, a battery plant and an oil refinery were investigated in these areas at the same time.Five hundred and thirty-four children and 105 workers took part in this investigation.The highest blood lead levels (mean: 24.16 µg/100ml; range: 10.40-60.49 µg/100 ml) were found in children living in a 500m-area around the lead smelter at Lavrion. Blood lead decreases corresponded to the increasing distance from the emitter. Nevertheless the values of children living in a 1500 m distance to the smelter are significantly higher than those of children living next to other kinds of industrial lead sources.The mean values of the children living in the two industrial towns were manifold higher than those of the control group.The blood lead levels of the investigated workers did not exceed the German BAT-value (Biologischer Arbeitsstoff-Toleranzwert) of 70 µg/100ml.

Chemical speciation and bioaccessibility of lead in surface soil and house dust, Lavrion urban area, Attiki, Hellas

“…Makropoulos et al (1991) concluded that the highest blood-Pb levels were in children living within a 500 m area around the large smelter at Kiprianos, i.e. children attending the 3rd Primary School; blood-Pb contents decrease with increasing distance from the emitter at Kiprianos, and blood-Pb levels in children living at a distance of 1,500 m from the smelter at Kiprianos are significantly higher than those of children living next to other kinds of industrial Pb sources.…”

“…In the third, and final, cross-sectional epidemiological study, Makropoulos et al (1991) assumed that high blood-Pb levels in children are only due to emissions from the large metallurgical processing complex at Kiprianos, although they considered a number of other possible socio-economic confounding factors. Makropoulos et al (1991) concluded that the highest blood-Pb levels were in children living within a 500 m area around the large smelter at Kiprianos, i.e.…”

“…Since lead (Pb) is the major constituent of galena, it is one of the most widespread toxic elements in the Lavrion urban and suburban environment (Hadjigeorgiou- Vergou-Vichou 1992, 1993;Stavrakis et al 1994;Demetriades et al 1999a, b). Its effects on the local population, especially children, have been studied by several cross-sectional epidemiological studies (Drossos et al 1982;Benetou-Marantidou et al 1985;Nakos 1985;Hatzakis et al 1987;Maravelias et al 1989;Makropoulos et al 1991Makropoulos et al , 1992aKarourou et al 1997). Lead is the first toxic metal to receive so much attention, from ancient to modern times (Culbard et al 1983;Duggan 1983;Davies and Watt 1986;Davies 1987;Davies et al 1987Davies et al , 1990Brockhaus et al 1988;Laxen et al 1988;Mielke et al 2005;Miranda et al 2007).…”

Medical Geology

“…Because of the adverse industrial conditions in Lavrion, and the known medical effects of lead poisoning on humans, three cross-sectional epidemiological and other medical studies were carried out in the 1980s (Drossos et al, 1982;Benetou-Marantidou et al, 1985;Nakos, 1985;Hatzakis et al, 1987;Maravelias et al, 1989;Eikmann et al, 1991;Makropoulos et al, 1991Makropoulos et al, , 1992aKafourou et al, 1997). Other human tissue studies included child deciduous teeth and urine (Demetriades et al, 2008).…”

Combining Neural Network Models to Predict Spatial Patterns of Airborne Pollutant Accumulation in Soils around an Industrial Point Emission Source

“…25 Previous studies in the area include both exposure 25 and risk 26 assessment studies, and also several epidemiologic studies that have shown high blood Pb burden in school-ge children and some evidence for mental retardation, slower response rate,and increased sickliness. [27][28][29] The work presented in this paper focuses on the area in the vicinity of the Pb production plant operated from 1868 to 1988 by the French company Serpieri-Roux de Frassinet and its successors. A total of 66 soil samples were collected from an area of ϳ98 km 2 located around the plant ( Figure 1).…”