medigraphic.com
Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública

2003, Number S2

<< Back Next >>

salud publica mex 2003; 45 (S2)

Determinants of blood-lead levels in children in Callao and Lima metropolitan area

Espinoza R, Hernández ÁM, Narciso J, Castañaga C, Moscoso S, Ortíz G, Carbajal L, Wegner S, Noonan G

Language: English
References: 31
Page: 209-219
PDF size: 182.62 Kb.


ABSTRACT

Objectives. To determine blood lead levels in urban populations of children (n=2 510) and women (n=874) in the early postpartum in certain districts of Lima and Callao, and to correlate those levels with particular exposures. Material and Methods. Between July 1998 and January 1999 cross sectional study was conducted.The study population was selected using three sampling strategies in the government operated school system and from public pediatric and maternity hospitals at Lima and Callao, Peru. Study personnel were trained to collect finger stick blood samples with a protocol that minimizes external lead contamination. Lead determinations in blood and environmental samples were performed at the study site using portable anodic striping voltamenters. To determine the simultaneous effects of different predictors on blood lead levels, multivariate regression models were used to estimate adjusted mean differences. Results. The mean blood lead level in the children studied was 9.9 µg/dl ranging from I µg/dl to 64 µg/dl with 29% of the children displaying values greater than 10 µg/dl and 9.4% at levels greater than 20 µg/dl.Among the women, the mean was 3.5 µg/dl (SD=2.4 µg/dl), and 2.4% (n=21)displayed levels greater than 10 µg/dl. Important differences were observed between the sample locations, and the highest levels were documented in the port region near Callao. The mean level of blood lead in this group was 25.6 µg/dl (SD=4.6 µg/dl), while among the rest of the sample it was 7.1 µg/dl (SD=5.I µg/dl). The presence of a mineral storage area signified a difference in exposure in excess of 13 µg/dl for children living near the port area in contrast to the other children who were not as close to such fixed sources of lead exposure. For the participants in Lima, the risk of showing levels above 10 µg/dl was associated with exposure to high vehicular traffic. Conclusions. In metropolitan Lima, we conclude that the mean blood lead levels of the populations studied were not alarming and that a positive health impact can be made by a reduction of lead in gasoline.With regard to the port area, the study demonstrates that the presence of mineral storage areas pose a detrimental risk factor for the health of the children living in this area.


REFERENCES

  1. Howson CP, Hernández-Avila M, Rall DP, Ed. Lead in the Americas: A call for action. Washington, DC: US National Academy of Sciences and the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico, 1996.

  2. Rabinowitz M, Needleman HL. Petrol lead sales and umbilical cord blood lead levels in Boston, Massachusetts [letter].Lancet 1983; 1(8314-5):63.

  3. Hernández-Avila M, Sanín LH, Romieu I et al. Higher milk intake during pregnancy is associated with lower maternal and umbilical cord lead levels in postpartum women. Environ Res 1997;74(2):116-121.

  4. Rothenberg SJ, Karchmer S, Schnaas L, Perroni E, Zea F, Salinas V et al. Maternal influences on cord blood lead levels. J Exp Asses Environ Epidemiol 1996;6:211-227.

  5. Schlenker TL, Fritz CJ, Mark D, Layde M, Linke G, Murphy A et al. Screening for pediatric lead poisoning: Comparability of simultaneously drawn capillary and venous blood samples. JAMA 1994;271(17): 1346-1348.

  6. Sargent JD, Dalton MA. Rethinking the threshold for abnormal capillary blood lead screening test. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1996;150(10):1084-1088.

  7. Johnson NH, Ash KO, Nuttall KL, Ashwood ER. The adecuacy of capillary specimens for determining whole blood lead. Ann Clin Lab Sci 1997;27:179-184.

  8. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Manual of analytical methods. Fourth Edition. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, 1994.

  9. Centers for Disease Control. Preventing lead poisoning in young children: A statement by the Centers for Disease Control. Atlanta (GA): CDC,1991:

  10. Ashley K. Ultrasonic extraction and field-portable anodic stripping voltametry of lead from environmental samples. Electroanalysis 1994;7:1189-1192.

  11. American Society for Testing and Materials. E1775-96 Standard guide for evaluating performance of on-site extraction and field-portable electrochemical or spectrophotometric analysis for lead. In: Ed.Annual Book of ASTM Standards. West Conshohocken (PA): ASTM, 2000.

  12. Rubín CH, Esteban E, Jones R, Noonan G, Gurvich E, Utz S et al. Childhood lead poisoning in Russia: A site-specific pediatric blood lead evaluation. Int J Occup Environ Health 1997;3:241-248.

  13. Ramírez AV, Paucar JC, Medina JM. Blood lead levels in the inhabitants of 4 Peruvian localities. Pan Am J Public Health. 1997;1(5):344-348.

  14. Jacoby E. Environmental lead is a problem in Lima, Peru. Environ Health Perspect 1998;106: A170-171.

  15. Schwartz J. Low-level lead exposure and children’s IQ: A metaanalysis and search for a threshold. Environ Res 1994;65(S1):42-55.

  16. Romieu I, Carreón T, López L, Palazuelos E, Ríos C, Manuel I et al. Environmental urban lead exposure and blood lead levels in children of Mexico City. Environ Health Perspect 1995;103(11):1036:1040.

  17. Romieu I et al. Lead exposure in Latin America and the Caribbean. Lead Research Group of the Pan-American Health Organization. Environ Health Perspect 1997;105(4):398-405.

  18. National Academy of Sciences. Measuring lead exposure in infants, children, and other sensitive populations. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences Press, 1993.

  19. Bjerre B, Berghend M, Harsboo K, Hellman B. Blood lead concentrations of Swedish preschool children in a community with high lead levels from mine waste in soil and dust. Scan J Work. Environ Health 1993;19:154-161.

  20. Ordóñez B, Ruiz-Romero L, Mora R. Investigación epidemiológica sobre niveles de plomo en la población infantil y en el medio ambiente domiciliario de Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua en relación con una fundición de El Paso Texas. Bol Oficina Sanit Panam 1976:303-317.

  21. Jiménez C, Romieu I, Palazuelos E, Muñoz I, Cortés M, Rivero A et al Factores de exposición ambiental y concentraciones de plomo en sangre en niños de la Ciudad de México. Salud Publica Mex 1993;35:599-606.

  22. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease ATSDR. Registry/Case studies in environmental medicine: Lead toxicity. Atlanta (GA): 1990.

  23. Narciso-Chávez J, Gastañaga-Ruiz C, Espinoza-Laín R, Sánchez- Zavaleta C, Moscoso- Reátegui S, Quequejana-Condori JL et al. Environmental health project. Act Rep 2000;104:5-25.

  24. Steele MJ, Beck BD, Murphy BL, Strauss H. Assessing the contribution from lead in mining wastes to blood lead. Reg Toxic Pharm 1990;11:158-190.

  25. Gulson BL, Mizon KJ, Law AJ, Korsch MJ, Dasis JJ. Sources and pathways of lead in humans from the Broken Hill mining community – An alternative use of exploration methods. Econ Geol 1994;89:889-908.

  26. Gulson BL, Mizon KJ, Korsch MJ, Howarth D. Non-orebody sources are significant contributors to blood lead of some children with low to moderate exposure in a major lead mining community. Sci Total Environ 1996;181:223-230.

  27. Bornschein RL, Clark CS, Grote J, Peace B, Rodaa S, Succop P. Soil lead-blood lead relationships in a former lead mining town. Environ Geochem Health 1989;:140-160.

  28. Gallacher JE, Elwood PC, Phillips KM, Davies BE, Jones DT. Relation between pica and blood lead in areas of differing lead exposure. Arch Dis Child 1984;59:40-44.

  29. Naeher LP, Rubín CS, Hernández-Avila M, Noonan GP, Paschal D, Narciso J et al. Use of isotope ratios to identify lead sources contributing to pediatric lead posisonnings in Callao, Peru. Arch Environ Health. In press.

  30. Romieu I, Palazuelos E, Hernández-Avila M, Ríos C, Muñoz I, Jiménez C et al. Sources of lead in México City. Environ Health Perspect 1994;102:384-389.

  31. Hayes EB, Mc Elvaine MD, Orbach HG, Fernández AM, Lyne S, Matte TD. Long-term trends in blood lead levels among children in Chicago: Relationship to air lead levels. Pediatrics 1994;93(2):195-200.




2020     |     www.medigraphic.com