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HERO ID
533518
Reference Type
Journal Article
Title
Blood lead levels in children, China
Author(s)
Wang, SQ; Zhang, JL
Year
2006
Is Peer Reviewed?
Yes
Journal
Environmental Research
ISSN:
0013-9351
EISSN:
1096-0953
Volume
101
Issue
3
Page Numbers
412-418
Language
English
DOI
10.1016/j.envres.2005.11.007
Web of Science Id
WOS:000238524000017
Abstract
To evaluate Chinese children's blood lead levels (BLLs) and identify its distribution features, we collected articles on children's BLLs published from 1994 to March 2004 using the Chinese Biomedical Disc and reviewed 32 articles eligible for the following criteria: (1) BLLs measured by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy or Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry; (2) strict quality control; (3) no lead pollution sources in the areas where the screened subjects live; and (4) sample size bigger than 100. We found that mean BLLs of Chinese children was 92.9 mu g/L (37.2-254.2 mu g/L), and 33.8% (9.6-80.5%) of the subjects had BLLs higher than 100 mu g/L. Nine of the 27 provinces or cities reported had average BLLs >= 100 mu g/L. Boys' BLL was 96.4 mu g/L, significantly higher than girls' 89.4 mu g/L (P < 0.001). BLLs of children <= 6 years increased with age. The mean BLLs of children living in industrial and urban areas were significantly higher than those of children in suburbs and rural areas. Our results suggested that children's BLLs in China are higher than those of their counterparts in other countries due to its heavy lead pollution. Therefore, this is of great public health importance. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Keywords
lead; blood; lead poisoning; children; review; systematic; national-health; risk-factors
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