Elevated blood lead levels in adults-Missouri, 2013

Abstract

Background: Over 90% of adults with elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in the United States are exposed occupationally. Missouri historically has been among the states with the highest prevalence rates of elevated BLLs. We characterized cases of elevated BLLs among Missouri adults to target preventive interventions.

Methods: We reviewed 2013 data on Missouri residents ≥16 years from the Missouri Adult Blood Lead Epidemiology and Surveillance system and analyzed characteristics of those with elevated BLLs. We used the contemporaneous CDC definition of elevated BLL as ≥10 μg/dL.

Results: Of the 15 123 residents with a BLL in 2013 (median: 1.5 μg/dL, range: 0-151 μg/dL), 3145 (21%) had BLLs ≥10 μg/dL. Occupational exposures accounted for the majority of residents (n = 3099, 98%) with elevated BLLs, mostly in battery manufacturing (n = 1373, 44%) and lead mining (n = 821, 26%) industries.

Conclusions: Our findings highlight the need for focused interventions targeting battery manufacturing and lead mining, the high-risk industries, to further reduce overexposures to lead.

Keywords: NIOSH; OSHA; adult blood lead epidemiology and surveillance; blood lead level; medical surveillance; occupational lead exposure.