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545269 
Journal Article 
Elevated Blood Lead Levels of Children in Guiyu, an Electronic Waste Recycling Town in China 
Xia, H; Lin, P; Xijin, X; Liangkai, Z; Bo, Q; Zongli, Q; Bao, Z; Dai, H; Zhongxian, P 
2007 
Yes 
Environmental Health Perspectives
ISSN: 0091-6765
EISSN: 1552-9924 
115 
7 
1113-1117 
BACKGROUND: Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling has remained primitive in Guiyu, China, and thus may contribute to the elevation of blood lead levels (BLLs) in children living in the local environment. OBJECTIVES: We compared the BLLs in children living in the e-waste recycling town of Guiyu with those living in the neighboring town of Chendian. METHODS: We observed the processing of e-waste recycling in Guiyu and studied BLLs in a cluster sample of 226 children < 6 years of age who lived in Guiyu and Chendian. BLLs were determined with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Hemoglobin (Hgb) and physical indexes (height and weight, head and chest circumferences) were also measured. RESULTS: BLLs in 165 children of Guiyu ranged from 4.40 to 32.67 µg/dL with a mean of 15.3 µg/dL, whereas BLLs in 61 children of Chendian were from 4.09 to 23.10 µg/dL with a mean of 9.94 µg/dL. Statistical analyses showed that children living in Guiyu had significantly higher BLLs compared with those living in Chendian (p < 0.01). Of children in Guiyu, 81.8% (135 of 165) had BLLs > 10 µg/dL, compared with 37.7% of children (23 of 61) in Chendian (p < 0.01). In addition, we observed a significant increasing trend in BLLs with increasing age in Guiyu (p < 0.01). It appeared that there was correlation between the BLLs in children and numbers of e-waste workshops. However, no significant difference in Hgb level or physical indexes was found between the two towns. CONCLUSIONS: The primitive e-waste recycling activities may contribute to the elevated BLLs in children living in Guiyu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of Environmental Health Perspectives is the property of Superintendent of Documents and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) 
ELECTRONIC waste; LEAD -- Environmental aspects; BLOOD; CHILDREN; RECYCLING (Waste, etc.) -- Environmental aspects; ATOMIC absorption spectroscopy; GUIYU (China); CHINA; e-waste; environmental; Guiyu; lead