German health-related environmental monitoring: Assessing time trends of the general population's exposure to heavy metals

Becker, Kerstin; Schroeter-Kermani, C.; Seiwert, Margarete; Rüther, Maria; Conrad, André; Schulz, Christine; Wilhelm, Michael; Wittsiepe, Jürgen; Günsel, Andreas; Dobler, Lorenz; Kolossa-Gehring, Marike

doi:10.1016/j.ijheh.2013.01.002

Cited by 51 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…The geometric mean of BLLs in children decreased from 36 to 15 μg/L between 1996 and 2009 in France (Etchevers et al, 2013). Similar BLLs have been reported in Germany (Becker et al, 2013), the USA (CDC, 2013a), Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia (Hruba et al, 2012) and Sweden (Stromberg et al, 2008) in recent years.…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Environmental determinants of different blood lead levels in children: A quantile analysis from a nationwide survey

Etchevers

Tertre

Lucas

et al. 2015

Environment International

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Blood lead levels (BLLs) have substantially decreased in recent decades in children in France. However, further reducing exposure is a public health goal because there is no clear toxicological threshold. The identification of the environmental determinants of BLLs as well as risk factors associated with high BLLs is important to update prevention strategies. We aimed to estimate the contribution of environmental sources of lead to different BLLs in children in France. We enrolled 484 children aged from 6months to 6years, in a nationwide cross-sectional survey in 2008-2009. We measured lead concentrations in blood and environmental samples (water, soils, household settled dusts, paints, cosmetics and traditional cookware). We performed two models: a multivariate generalized additive model on the geometric mean (GM), and a quantile regression model on the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th quantile of BLLs. The GM of BLLs was 13.8μg/L (=1.38μg/dL) (95% confidence intervals (CI): 12.7-14.9) and the 90th quantile was 25.7μg/L (CI: 24.2-29.5). Household and common area dust, tap water, interior paint, ceramic cookware, traditional cosmetics, playground soil and dust, and environmental tobacco smoke were associated with the GM of BLLs. Household dust and tap water made the largest contributions to both the GM and the 90th quantile of BLLs. The concentration of lead in dust was positively correlated with all quantiles of BLLs even at low concentrations. Lead concentrations in tap water above 5μg/L were also positively correlated with the GM, 75th and 90th quantiles of BLLs in children drinking tap water. Preventative actions must target household settled dust and tap water to reduce the BLLs of children in France. The use of traditional cosmetics should be avoided whereas ceramic cookware should be limited to decorative purposes.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 74%

Environmental determinants of different blood lead levels in children: A quantile analysis from a nationwide survey

Etchevers

Tertre

Lucas

et al. 2015

Environment International

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“…In addition, several Pb reducing policies, such as removal of Pb from paint, solder, water-supply system and children's goods would have contributed to the reduction of human exposure to Pb in the last decades. The differences of blood lead levels among countries could be affected by various factors such as lifestyles, diet habit, culture, and customs, however, the timing of phasedown and complete phase-off for leaded gasoline could have partially contributed to the blood lead levels in each country 2021. Because children are more vulnerable to Pb compared to adults, the CDC recommended < 5 µg/dL of blood Pb to prevent children Pb poisoning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium Exposure in the Korean General Population

Eom

Lee

et al. 2018

J Korean Med Sci

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BackgroundLead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd) are well-known environmental pollutants. They are unnecessary in the biological processes of humans. This study was performed to estimate the representative background exposure levels to the metals by measuring concentrations in whole blood of the Korean general population.MethodsThis population-based cross-sectional study included 4,000 subjects (1,886 males and 2,114 females) 0–83 years of age in 2010 and 2011. Adult subjects (≥ 19 years of age) were collected by sex- and age-stratified probability method, and preschool- and school-aged subjects were recruited by a cluster sampling method. Written consent was provided prior to blood sampling. Pb and Cd blood concentrations were determined by a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and blood Hg was analyzed by a direct Hg analyzer.ResultsThe geometric mean, median and 95th percentile of blood Pb was 1.82 µg/dL, 1.83 µg/dL, and 3.78 µg/dL, respectively. The respective values were 2.92 µg/L, 2.87 µg/L, 9.12 µg/L for Hg, and 0.56 µg/L, 0.59 µg/L, 2.20 µg/L for Cd. Blood Pb and Hg were higher in males than in females, but no sex difference was observed, respectively, in subjects 0–4 years of age for Pb and in subjects less than 20 years for Hg. However, blood Cd was higher in females than in males and no sex difference was observed in subjects < 30 years of age.ConclusionThis study provides representative data of human exposure to Pb, Hg, and Cd covering whole age groups of the general population in Korea.

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“…Total atmospheric deposition of heavy metals encompasses dry, wet and occult deposition, generally leading to various (eco)toxicological hazards (Becker et al, 2013;Truhaut, 1977) and, therefore, are used for assessing environmental quality. Impacts of HM emission on air quality and ecosystems can be assessed by measuring atmospheric HM deposition, sampled by technical devices and biomonitors such as mosses, leaves or needles or by numeric modelling.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in Germany using LOTOS-EUROS model calculations and data from biomonitoring programmes

Nickel¹,

Schröder²,

Schaap³

2015

Pollution Atmosphérique

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Objectives. Atmospheric deposition of heavy metals (HM) can be determined by use of numeric models, technical devices or measurements on biomonitors such as mosses, leaves or needles. As part of the research and development project "Impacts of Heavy Metal Emission on Air Quality and Ecosystems across Germany -Sources, Transport, Deposition and potential Hazards" , commissioned by the Federal Environmental Agency of Germany, the numeric model LOTOS-EUROS was used to calculate data on HM deposition at a spatial resolution of 25 km by 25 km throughout Europe. However, the atmospheric transport model used in the European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP) Europe-wide provides a grid of 50 km by 50 km. With respect to monitoring data, the International Cooperative Programme on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops (ICP Vegetation Moss Survey) and the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) provide corresponding parameters on HM concentration in various biota. The present study aims at investigating, whether an integrated use of model calculations and monitoring data can extend established methods for estimating and evaluating spatial patterns of atmospheric Pb and Cd deposition across Germany. Methods.Data from LOTOS-EUROS and EMEP modelling as well as from ESB and ICP Vegetation Moss Survey measurements were spatially joined and then investigated for their statistical relationships between modelled atmospheric deposition of Pb and Cd and respective concentrations in various biomonitors. LOTOS-EUROS and EMEP modelling were evaluated by comparing them with respective biomonitoring data. Associations between modelled and observed data were quanti ed by regression analysis. Regression equations were applied on geostatistical surface estimations of HM concentration in mosses and then the residuals were interpolated by use of kriging interpolation. Finally, both maps were summed up to a map of atmospheric Pb and Cd deposition across Germany. Results and conclusions.Data from annual samplings from the German Environmental Specimen Bank (ESB) on HM concentration in tree foliage are suitable, to compare and evaluate deposition estimations from different numeric models. Compared to EMEP, LOTOS-EUROS-model reveals stronger correlations to respective concentration in leaves and needles. The same holds true with respect to data on HM concentration in moss sampled across Europe. Here, the highest correlations were found for the association between geostatistical surface estimations of HM concentration in moss and LOTOS-EUROS model calculations. This could be utilized for data integration by use of Regression-Kriging-Technique, which leads to Cd and Pb deposition maps at a high spatial resolution (3 km x 3 km). This approach should be transferred to future LOTOS-EUROS model calculations with regard to As, Cr, Cu, Ni, V and Zn. Méthodes. Les données des modèles LOTOS-EUROS et EMEP ont été combinées avec les données de la surveillance des mousses du programme ICP Vegetation/UPB, puis étudiées pou...

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German health-related environmental monitoring: Assessing time trends of the general population's exposure to heavy metals

Cited by 51 publications

References 17 publications

Environmental determinants of different blood lead levels in children: A quantile analysis from a nationwide survey

Environmental determinants of different blood lead levels in children: A quantile analysis from a nationwide survey

Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium Exposure in the Korean General Population

Estimating atmospheric deposition of heavy metals in Germany using LOTOS-EUROS model calculations and data from biomonitoring programmes

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