Assessment and comparison of human exposure to lead between Belgium, Malta, Mexico and Sweden

Abstract

This is a follow-up study of UNEP/WHO Pilot Project on Assessment of Human Exposure to Lead and Cadmium through Biological Monitoring, carried out in 1983/1984. The main objectives of the follow-up study were: to study whether differences in blood-lead levels found between countries in the Biological Monitoring Project were confirmed and were primarily due to exposure via ingested lead (oral intake) or via inhaled lead; to make a preliminary survey, in selected areas, of the possible sources of high exposure (Malta, Belgium). Four countries participated: Belgium, Malta, Mexico, Sweden. To insure comparability between the populations, certain categories were monitored: teachers for socio-economic status, non smoking males, aged between 25 and 50 years old. The blood-lead concentration (PbB) was measured to determine the current exposure and the feces-lead excretion (PbF) was determined to find out the part of the exposure due to ingestion. Blood-lead levels and feces-lead excretion were very different between the four countries. Median values for PbB, in micrograms Pb/1, were, in decreasing values 247 in Malta, 188 in Mexico, 135 in Belgium and 53 in Sweden. Median values for PbF, in micrograms Pb/day, were 361 in Malta, 159 in Mexico, 82 in Belgium and 22 in Sweden. Oral intake seems to be the major exposure route in the four countries. The relationship between PbB and PbF is curvilinear. To investigate the possible source of high exposure, a preliminary survey was made in Malta and Belgium; lead in air suspended and sedimenting particles was monitored as well as the lead concentration in some food and street dust samples. Concerning the comparison of lead concentrations in these environmental samples between Belgium and Malta, no major differences were detected. The high internal exposure to lead in Maltese people, as measured by PbB, is probably due to a combination of several factors.