Comparative Study of Blood Lead Levels in Uruguayan Children (1994–2004)

Lead does not fulfill any physiological function in the human body. It is generally accepted that the blood lead level (BLL) is the best exposure index, as there is an excellent correlation between the actual exposure of the individual and the concentration of lead in blood. In Uruguay, lead contamination becomes a matter of public concern in 2001, giving rise to a sensitization in the population, which in many cases brought about a change in hygienic and dietary habits of the children. In 2004, after the leaded gasoline phasing out process in Uruguay was completed, we studied non-exposed children to correlate BLL with variables such as age, sex, area of residence, and available environmental lead data and compared these results with those from our similar screening studies 10years ago. The main result of this comparison is that BLL from children in our country had a significant decrease between 1994 and 2004.     

Environmental Lead Exposure Among Children in Chengdu, China, 2007–2009

Lead poisoning is one of the most significant environmental health threats which children face. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between the blood lead level (BLL) of children and environmental pollution, as well as the effect of BLL on children's heath, in the biggest city in south-west China. A questionnaire survey was administered to 3,624 children's (6 months-7 years old) guardian in urban Chengdu from 2007 to 2009, collecting data on inhabited environment, living habits, and health status. All blood samples were collected for BLL test when the children came to the hospital. The analysis was conducted in West China Second University Hospital, Chengdu, China in December, 2009. A total of 3,624 children were included. The mean BLL was 62.31 μg/L. Three hundred thirty-three (9.2%) of 3,624 children's BLL were above 100 μg/L. Taking Chinese medicinal herbs usually, puffed foods, and substitutes of breast milk were risk factors (P < 0.05).The study shows that Chinese children's lead poisoning prevention and treatment lags far behind developed countries. The findings have implications for environmental health policy.     

Association of prenatal factors and cord blood lead levels in China: A nested cohort cross-sectional study

BackgroundLead exposure all over the world has gradually declined. As fetuses are more prone to lead exposure, even to low levels of lead exposure, it is important to monitor blood lead levels (BLLs) in pregnancy.MethodsWe obtained data on BLLs in the third trimester of pregnancy from medical records and measured cord BLLs obtained from 121 mother-child pairs in Shenyang, China from September 2019 to February 2020. We also estimated relationships between socio-demographic, lifestyle and dietary factors during pregnancy as well as cord BLLs to identify the source of lead exposure during pregnancy. BLLs was estimated by atomic absorption spectrometry through graphite furnace ionization techniques. The data which obtained by questionnaires during pregnancy included maternal sociodemographic, lifestyle, dietary factors. We have established three multivariate logistic regression models in which the dichotomous BLLs was used as the dependent variable (cord BLLs ≥20 μg/L vs <20 μg/L).ResultsThe median and geometric mean of cord BLLs were 22.90 μg/L, 21.88 μg/L and BLLs in the third trimester of pregnancy were 25.29 μg/L, 24.66 μg/L, respectively. BLLs showed significant correlations between cord and the third trimester of pregnancy (r = 0.277, P = 0.012). Pregnant women who had not been exposed to passive smoking had lower OR (95 %) [0.43(0.19–0.94)] for cord BLLs ≥20 μg/L than pregnant women who had. Intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during third trimester of pregnancy presented an OR (95 %) [0.23(0.08–0.61)] for cord BLLs ≥20 μg/L. Consuming more whole grains (>3 times/week) and beverage (≥1 times/week) showed an OR (95%CI) for cord BLLs ≥20 μg/L of 0.09(0.02–0.53) and 0.19(0.06–0.69), respectively.ConclusionThis study showed the cord BLLs of Chinese are still higher than most developed countries. Passive smoking is a risk factor for cord BLLs ≥20 μg/L and supplement of DHA, whole grains and beverage consumption during pregnancy may act as a beneficial factor against having cord BLLs ≥20 μg/L.     

Dietary Exposure to Lead and Cadmium in Yugoslavia

Abstract

Lead exposure still represents a matter of health concern especially in Yugoslavia. To assess the exposure of normal urban population to lead and cadmium through food, a preliminary monitoring was performed on a small group of urban population. Lead, cadmium and some essential elements (calcium, zinc, iron, copper and manganese) were analysed in collected duplicate diet samples and compared to similar population in Sweden. We found that dietary exposure to lead and cadmium is similar to other countries although Yugoslav urban population is exposed to much higher concentrations of lead in air than in cities of developed countries, due to high lead in gasoline. However, daily intake of some essential elements was significantly lower.

Also populations living around lead smelters in various parts of Yugoslavia are still exposed to elevated environmental lead and cadmium levels. To assess the exposure of the population living in this area, a cumulative long-term exposure to lead was determined by measuring lead in deciduous teeth. Concentrations of lead and cadmium in vegetables, soil and meals from the same region were also analysed. Values obtained for lead and cadmium in food products grown in exposed and control area were found to be related to respective concentrations of these elements in soil as well as to the distance from the smelter. Meals prepared in this region show the same trend, revealing very high intake particularly of lead.

The influence of nutritional factors, i.e. dietary calcium on lead metabolism, was also studied. Blood lead concentration was determined in two groups of peasant women living in two regions with different dietary calcium intake. Lower blood lead values were found in the higher dietary calcium intake region.     

Lead poisoning.

Lead poisoning is the most common disease of environmental origin in the United States today. Adult lead poisoning results primarily from exposure by inhalation in the workplace. Pediatric lead poisoning results principally from the ingestion of lead from environmental media, including paint chips, dust, soil, drinking water, ceramics, and medications. Lead is toxic to many organ systems, among them developing erythrocytes, the kidneys, and the nervous system. Lead-induced toxicity to the central nervous system causes delayed development, diminished intelligence, and altered behavior. In young children, this effect has been demonstrated convincingly to occur at blood lead levels between 10 and 20 micrograms per dl. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended that a blood lead level of 10 micrograms per dl or higher be considered evidence of increased lead absorption, and the National Academy of Sciences has concurred in that recommendation. Unresolved issues in need of further study include the frequency of screening young children for lead, the question of whether women should be offered screening for lead before conceiving a pregnancy, the role of x-ray fluorescence analysis in assessing lead in bone, and the appropriate legislative response of the United States government to lead-based paint abatement.     

Blood Lead Levels and Associated Factors among Children in Guiyu of China: A Population-Based Study

Objectives

Children''s health problems caused by the electronic waste (e-waste) lead exposure in China remains. To assess children''s blood lead levels (BLLs) in Guiyu of China and investigate risk factors of children''s elevated BLLs in Guiyu.

Material and Methods

842 children under 11 years of age from Guiyu and Haojiang were enrolled in this population-based study during 2011–2013. Participants completed a lifestyle and residential environment questionnaire and their physical growth indices were measured, and blood samples taken. Blood samples were tested to assess BLLs. Children''s BLLs between the two groups were compared and factors associated with elevated BLLs among Guiyu children were analyzed by group Lasso logistic regression model.

Results

Children living in Guiyu had significant higher BLLs (7.06 µg/dL) than the quantity (5.89 µg/dL) of Haojiang children (P<0.05). Subgroup analyses of BLLs exceeding 10 µg/dL showed the proportion (24.80%) of high-level BLLs for Guiyu children was greater than that (12.84%) in Haojiang (P<0.05). Boys had greater BLLs than girls, irrespectively of areas (P<0.05). The number of e-waste piles or recycling workshops around the house (odds ratio, 2.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37 to 3.87) significantly contributed to the elevated BLLs of children in Guiyu, and girls had less risk (odds ratio, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.83) of e-waste lead exposure than boys.

Conclusions

This analysis reinforces the importance of shifting e-waste recycling piles or workshops to non-populated areas as part of a comprehensive response to e-waste lead exposure control in Guiyu. To correct the problem of lead poisoning in children in Guiyu should be a long-term mission.     

The use of antlers to monitor temporal variation in environmental lead levels: a case study from an industrialized area in Germany

In order to assess temporal changes in ambient lead levels, Pb concentrations were determined in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) antlers (n=116) that had been collected in the industrialized area of Siegen (western Germany) in the period 1948–2000. Lead concentrations ranged between 0.3 and 166.3 mg/kg dry weight. An overall decline in antler Pb concentration occurred from the mid-1970s onward, and lead concentrations in the samples from the periods 1980–1989 and 1990–2000 were significantly lower than those in samples from previous periods. Our findings indicate a marked decline in lead exposure of the roe deer inhabiting the study area in the recent past. This decline is attributed to a decrease in atmospheric lead deposition, caused mainly by the phase-out of leaded gasoline, and, in addition, by a reduction of lead emissions from stationary sources. The results of the present study and of previous investigations demonstrate that analysis of antler samples obtained in an area over a certain period can be used to reconstruct temporal changes in environmental lead levels.     

Lead-induced morphological changes and amyloid precursor protein accumulation in adult rat hippocampus

Lead is an important environmental pollutant that exerts potent toxic effects on many organs. The toxic effects of lead are less well known for adult brain than for children. We investigated the morphological changes and amyloid precursor protein (APP) accumulation in the adult rat hippocampus following exposure to lead. Forty rats were divided into two groups of 20. One group was exposed to 580 parts per million (ppm) lead acetate and other group to an identical concentration of sodium acetate as a control group. After exposure to lead for 3 months, the hippocampus was examined by electron microscopy and APP levels in the hippocampus were detected using immunohistochemistry. Lead levels in the blood of rats exposed to lead were significantly higher than in the controls. The morphological changes in the hippocampus included mitochondrial degeneration, apoptosis and abnormal synapses in the rats exposed to lead. APP in hippocampus was increased significantly in the group exposed to lead compared to controls. We determined that lead exposure causes accumulation of APP and morphological changes in the adult rat hippocampus.     

The present status of biological effects of toxic metals in the environment: lead, cadmium, and manganese

The number of reports concerning the chemical toxicology of metals which are released in the environment by natural as well as anthropogenic sources, have been increasing constantly. Lead, cadmium, and manganese have found a variety of uses in industry, craft, and agriculture owing to their physical and chemical properties. The environmental burden of heavy metals has been rising substantially by smelter emission in air and waste sewage in water. Further, organic compounds of lead and manganese used as antiknock substances in gasoline are emitted into the atmosphere by automobile exhaustion. Such environmental contamination of air, water, soil, and food is a serious threat to all living kinds. Although these metals are known to produce their toxic effects on a variety of body systems, much emphasis has been placed on their effects on the nervous system owing to apparent association of relatively low or "subclinical" levels of metallic exposure with behavioral and psychological disorders. Clinical and animal data on environmental exposure show that while lead and manganese are most toxic to the nervous system, cadmium exerts profound adverse effects on kidney and the male reproductive system. It appears that the consequences of exposure to lead in adults are less severe than the types of exposure associated with hyperactivity in neonates. Except for a few reports, hyperactivity has indeed been observed in animals exposed to either of these three metals. Experimental work has also shown that these metals produce behavioral changes by altering the metabolism of brain neurotransmitters, especially catecholamines. Recently, it is hypothesized that these metals exert their toxic effect by damaging biological defences which exist in the body to serve as protective mechanisms against exogenous toxins. A voluminous publication list with diverse opinions on the biological effects of metals is available and there is an urgent need to compile assessment of the existing literature to identify the future theme of research work. The problem of metal toxicity becomes even more complex owing to simultaneous or successive exposure of the general population to different physical, chemical, biological, and psychological factors in the environment. The net toxic manifestations produced by multiple exposure should, therefore, be different from those produced by a single factor as the result of their additive, synergistic or antagonistic action. Even though a metal may not exist in sufficient amounts to cause any disability, the toxicity could result when a second factor is also present.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

The blood lead levels of outpatients aged 1–18 years from Lu’an,China, 2012–2014

To evaluate blood lead levels (BLLs) and possible influencing factors among children and adolescents in Lu’an, we collected blood samples of 3266 outpatients aged 1–18 years from January 2012 to December 2014 and BLLs were determined by atomizer absorption spectrophotometer. The results showed that the geometric mean (GM) of BLLs was 29.53 μg/L (95% CI: 29.00–30.06 μg/L) and the prevalence of BLLs ≥50 and 100 μg/L were 17.7% and 0.2%, respectively. The GM BLLs and prevalence of BLLs ≥50 μg/L were increased with age before 7 years old and then slightly decreased, and, contrary to previous studies, they were the highest at Jan–Feb and the lowest at Sep–Oct. From 2012 to 2014, the GM BLLs were significantly increased (P < 0.001) while the prevalence of BLLs ≥50 μg/L was decreased but with no significant difference (P > 0.05). These results suggested that although the BLLs of Lu’an children were lower than most areas of China and several neighboring cities as previously reported, they were still higher than that of developed countries. Meanwhile, the GM BLLs of children and adolescents from Lu’an have a trend of increase in recent years. A lot of future works need to be done to identify the risk factors for lead exposure.     

Identifying and managing adverse environmental health effects: 3. Lead exposure

LEAD LEVELS IN NORTH AMERICAN CHILDREN AND ADULTS have declined in the past 3 decades, but lead persists in the environment in lead paint, old plumbing and contaminated soil. There are also a number of occupations and hobbies that carry a high risk of lead exposure. There is no evidence for a threshold below which lead has no adverse health effects. Blood lead levels previously considered safe are now known to cause subtle, chronic health effects. The health effects of lead exposure include developmental neurotoxicity, reproductive dysfunction and toxicity to the kidneys, blood and endocrine systems. Most lead exposures are preventable, and diagnosing lead poisoning is relatively simple compared with diagnosing health effects of exposures to other environmental toxins. Accurate assessment of lead poisoning requires specific knowledge of the sources, high-risk groups and relevant laboratory tests. In this article we review the multiple, systemic toxic effects of lead and provide current information on groups at risk, prevention, diagnosis and clinical treatment. We illustrate how the CH²OPD² mnemonic (Community, Home, Hobbies, Occupation, Personal habits, Diet and Drugs) and specific screening questions are useful tools for physicians to quickly obtain an environmental exposure history and identify patients at high risk of lead exposure. By applying effective primary prevention, case-finding and treatment interventions for lead exposure, both the individual patient and the larger community reap the benefits of better health.CaseA previously healthy 2-year-old girl and her mother visit their family physician because of the daughter''s 2-month history of intermittent complaints of a mild “tummy ache.” There is no associated vomiting, weight loss, or change in appetite, bowels or diet. There are no abnormal findings on physical examination. When asked about symptom onset the mother reports that it began shortly after the family started to renovate their kitchen. They live in an old farmhouse on the outskirts of town and drink water from a drilled well on the property. The physician decides to take an environmental exposure history using the CH²OPD² mnemonic (Community, Home, Hobbies, Occupation, Personal habits, Diet and Drugs; for children, the occupation question refers to workplace contaminants brought into the child''s environment).¹ The child''s exposure history (Open in a separate windowQuestions surrounding this case: Is the family at risk of health effects from lead exposure? Who else might be at risk? Are other laboratory tests indicated? Where can the physician get advice on the significance of the family''s blood lead levels? How should this case of lead exposure be treated?To some extent lead is one of the small success stories of environmental health. The association of lead poisoning with cognitive impairment is well established² and has resulted in the removal of lead from gasoline, paint and food cans. Despite these preventive measures, however, silent, low-level lead exposure continues to present a problem for many communities and populations. In 1997, data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys showed that 4.4% of children in the United States had elevated blood lead levels.³ Black children living in older housing, children living in metropolitan areas with populations of 1 million or more and poor children living in older housing were at highest risk of exposure.³In Canada children living near a point-source smelter in the South Riverdale area of Toronto were tested in 1973 and found to have an unusually high mean lead level (1.34 μmol/L).⁴ Canada''s Federal–Provincial Committee on Environmental and Occupational Health suggested in 1994 that 5%–10% of Canadian children living in urban areas have blood lead levels exceeding 0.48 μmol/L, even though they are not exposed to point sources.⁵ The Ontario government estimated in 1994 that 4% of children in the province still had blood lead levels above 0.48 μmol/L;⁶ a 1992 study found that the mean level in Ontario children had fallen from 0.91 μmol/L in 1972 to 0.29 μmol/L in 1988.⁷ A study of Vancouver children using blood lead levels collected in 1989 found that 8% had elevated levels (mean 0.29 μmol/L).⁸ A later study of the children living in Trail, BC, the site of a lead and zinc smelter, demonstrated that 50% had an elevated blood lead level.⁹     

Association of blood lead levels with neurobehavior and BDNF expression in school going children

BackgroundChildhood Lead (Pb) toxicity has been an ongoing concern for decades; however, its underlying pathogenesis remains unclear. Although its prevalence has come down in developed countries (USA, Europe); it is relatively high in low to middle-income countries of South-East Asia. The current study aimed to evaluate the association of blood lead levels (BLLs) with neurobehavioral alterations and changes in Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) expression in Indian school children.MethodologySchool going children in age group of 9–15 years (N = 72) were included in the study. Neurobehavioral changes were assessed using Childhood Psychopathological Measurement Schedule (CPMS) and BLL were measured by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (GFAAS). BDNF mRNA expression and serum BDNF levels were assessed by Real-Time PCR and ELISA, respectively.ResultsMedian BLL was 4.95 μg/dL (IQR = 4.47), very close to the recommended toxic cut off levels (<5 μg/dL). BLLs had a direct correlation with both CPMS scores and BDNF expression. Depression was found to be significantly higher in boys than in girls with high BLLs. BDNF mRNA expression and serum BDNF levels were higher among children with high BLL, although not to significant levels.ConclusionWe report a significant association of neurobehavioral changes with the prevalence of high Pb levels in Indian children. Additionally significant correlation of BDNF with BLL in these children suggests a causal role of BDNF in Pb induced neurological damage.     

Effect of lead,calcium, iron,zinc, copper and magnesium on anemia in children with BLLs ≥ 100 μg/L

ObjectiveAdverse effects of lead exposure on children's health have been demonstrated. While studies have examined the relationship between iron status and low-level lead exposure in children with blood lead levels (BLLs) < 100 μg/L, few have investigated the association between blood lead and other trace elements and anemia in children with BLLs ≥ 100 μg/L. This study aimed to assess the levels of lead, iron, copper, zinc, magnesium, and calcium in children aged 0–14 with BLLs≥ 100 μg/L between 2009 and 2021, and to examine the relationship between blood lead, trace elements and anemia.MethodsA total of 11,541 children with BLLs ≥ 100 μg/L were included in this study. Venous blood samples were collected to measure blood lead levels, hemoglobin levels, and trace element levels. According to the World Health Organization standard, outpatients with hemoglobin levels < 110 g / L were defined as having anemia.ResultsThe study results found that high BLLs and blood calcium had a negative influence on Hb with odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of 1.411(1.208, 1.649) and 1.219(1.043, 1.424). High blood iron had a positive influence on Hb with odds ratios of 0.421(0.355, 0.499).ConclusionThe results suggest that the risk of anemia rose significantly with higher BLLs, blood copper, and blood calcium levels, and decreases considerably with higher blood iron levels.     

Hygienic-toxicological aspects of exposure to lead. A critical review

This review on hygienic, toxicologic and ecologic aspects of environmental burden of lead deals with the following topics: occurrence, production and use of lead; metabolism of lead and experimental toxicology of lead; toxicity of lead to man; hygienic and ecologic aspects of lead pollution. Lead ore mining and processing, production of lead-acid batteries and combustion of gasoline containing tetraethyl-lead as an anti-knock ingredient constitute at present the most important sources of lead pollution. The last named source of lead pollution in urban atmosphere is most hazardous to human health. Attempts to reduce this health hazard include use of additive-free gasoline, or replacement of tetraethyl lead by other anti-knock agents, e. g. by tetraethylcopper. The experiments with the use of organic compounds of manganese have failed to succeed. The possibility of biological monitoring of occupational and nonoccupational exposures to lead is discussed in detail in this review.     

Environmental exposure to cadmium and factors affecting trace-element metabolism and metal toxicity

In the general population, food constitutes the major environmental source of cadmium (Cd) in nonsmokers. It is established that leafy vegetables, roots, and grains (wheat or rice) can accumulate relatively high amounts of Cd from the soil. Beef liver and kidney and shellfish are also major dietary sources of Cd. The daily intake of Cd in various parts of the world is different and depends on both the dietary habits and concentration of Cd in foodstuffs. Because of the long biological half-life of Cd in humans and absence of any specific indicators of its toxicity, the environmental exposure of Cd should be monitored in various countries. Although environmental Cd poisoning is rare, there are isolated reports on excessive exposure to Cd in Japan and Shipham, a zinc-mining town in England. The body retention and toxicity of Cd depends on various factors, such as daily intake, the form of Cd in food, its interactions with essential elements, and nutritional status of the population. Since kidney is considered a critical organ in Cd toxicity, the indicators of renal dysfunction have been widely used for evaluation of Cd poisoning in occupationally exposed people. It is unclear whether similar indicators can be used for monitoring environmental Cd exposure.     

Management and Conservation Article

Abstract Despite increased knowledge about environmental toxins and changes in lead use (i.e., the mandated use of nonlead paint, gasoline, and shotgun pellets used for hunting waterfowl on federal lands), lead poisoning continues to occur in terrestrial birds. The degree of exposure and its demographic effect, however, continue to be described, emphasizing the growing concern over lead exposure. We examined 302 blood samples from common ravens (Corvus corax) scavenging on hunter-killed large ungulates and their offal piles to determine if lead rifle-bullet residuum was a point source for lead ingestion in ravens. We took blood samples during a 15-month period spanning 2 hunting seasons. Of the ravens tested during the hunting season, 47% exhibited elevated blood lead levels (≥ 10 μg/dL) whereas 2% tested during the nonhunting season exhibited elevated levels. Females had significantly higher blood lead levels than did males. Our results confirm that ravens are ingesting lead during the hunting season and are likely exposed to lead from rifle-shot big-game offal piles.     

Lead Poisoning: Using Transdisciplinary Approaches to Solve an Ancient Problem

Conservation medicine examines the linkages among the health of people, animals, and the environment. Few issues illustrate this approach better than an examination of lead (Pb) toxicity. Lead is cheap and there is a long tradition of its use. But the toxic effects of Pb have also been recognized for many years. As a result, western societies have eliminated or greatly reduced many traditional uses of Pb, including many paints, gasoline, and solders because of threats to the health of humans and the environment. Legislation in several countries has eliminated the use of lead shot for hunting waterfowl. Despite these advances, a great many Pb products continue to be readily available. For example, wildlife agencies recognize that angling and shooting sports deposit thousands of tons of Pb into the environment each year. In recent years, our knowledge of the lethal and sublethal effects of Pb has grown dramatically. This discussion reviews the effects of lead on wildlife, humans, and domestic animals. It also discusses the importance of bringing together all interest groups to find safe alternatives, to develop new educational and policy initiatives, to eliminate many current uses of Pb, and to clean up existing problems.     

The decline of lead in tree rings of Carya spp. in urban Atlanta,GA, USA

Lead (Pb) concentrations in wood ring segments of Carya spp. in two urban forests in Atlanta, GA, have decreased approximately 20 percent in the last decade. This pattern is consistent with reduced atmospheric Pb over the same period. We have determined that changes in Pb concentrations in wood of urban hickory trees dramatically documents the historical periods of early urbanization, the addition of Pb to gasoline, and the recent period of restricted use of leaded gasoline.     

Lead Affects Apoptosis and Related Gene <Emphasis Type="Italic">XIAP</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Smac</Emphasis> Expression in the Hippocampus of Developing Rats

Lead (Pb) exposure poses devastating effects on central nervous system development of children. To replicate aspects of this neurotoxicity, we examined the effect of lead on the expression of apoptosis and of apoptosis-related genes, XIAP (X chromosome-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein) and Smac (second mitochondrial activator of caspase), in the hippocampus of developing rats. A total of 48 rats (30-day old) were randomly divided into four groups for intragastrical perfusion of lead acetate [Pb(Ac)₂]: untreated, low (2 mg/kg/d), medium (20 mg/kg/d), and high (200 mg/kg/d) dose groups. Pb content was determined in blood, and the apoptosis indexes and XIAP and Smac gene expression were analyzed in the hippocampus. There was a significant difference in apoptosis indexes (AI) between the exposed and control groups (p < 0.01). AI was highest in the high exposure group. XIAP gene expression was reduced in the exposed groups and the expression was negatively correlated with blood lead levels (BLLs) (p < 0.05). But the four groups did not differ in the expression of Smac (p > 0.05). Our data indicate that exposure to Pb(Ac)₂ caused a dose-dependent and significant increase of apoptosis in the hippocampus of developing rats through depressing the expression of the XIAP but not the Smac genes.     

High blood lead level among garage workers in Bangkok, public concern is necessary

Lead is an important toxic metal agent found in many industrial processes in the present day. Lead exposure must be of particular concern because of ongoing exposure to thousands of workers in the industrial plants and recent research indicating that asymptomatic lead exposure can result in chronic toxicity manifestations. Therefore, determination and control lead exposure among the risk workers is very necessary. Like other developing countries, lead pollution becomes an important public health problem of Thailand, especially for the big cities as Bangkok but relatively few of these countries have introduced policies and regulations for significantly combating the problem. We set this pilot study to determine the blood lead levels by anodic stripping volammetry (ASV) method as a marker for lead exposure among the occupational exposed and control subjects. Totally 89 subjects, 20 control subjects and 69 garage workers (52 mechanics and 17 dye sprayers), as the representatives of occupational exposed subjects, were included into this preliminary study. The mean blood lead level in the control group was 0.32±0.07 mol/l. The mean blood lead level in the mechanics group was 0.42±0.13 mol/l. The mean blood lead level in the dye sprayers was 0.58±0.07 mol/l. Significant higher blood lead levels among the mechanics and dye sprayer groups were observed (P<0.05). Based on this study, the considerations for prevention of possibly exposure to lead among the high-risk workers as public health policies was recommended.