Supplementary Files
Keywords
children
risk factors
banning of lead in gasoline
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction: Lead is a toxic element for humans, with children being the most vulnerable population.
Objective: To find out the risk factors associated to the existing blood lead levels (BLLs) of children in the Community of Madrid, after 9 years of lead being banned in gasoline.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2010 with a sample of 85 children, less than 15 years of age, recruited via the outpatients’ service of the Pediatrics Department of the Hospital Clínico San Carlos in Madrid. Routine blood tests provided the opportunity for determining other blood parameters. Lead levels were measured using electrothermal-atomization atomic absorption spectrometry with the Zeeman-effect background correction. In addition, a survey was undertaken directed to the parents for gathering information about a series of socioeconomic and environmental variables.
Results: The arithmetic mean of the BLLs in the children was 1.1 μg/dL (SD=0.7 μg/dL) with a range from 0.1 μg/dL to 3.4 μg/dL. The geometric mean was 0.9 μg/dL (SD= 1.1 μg/dL). The risk factors associated to these BLLs are the following: playing in the street; low educational level of the parents; leisure activities of one of the parents linked to lead; tobacco smoking of the father; and drinking tap water.
Conclusions: The BLLs of the children in the Community of Madrid have decreased, but there are still sociodemographic and environmental risk factors associated to the present levels.
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