Blood lead determinants of a population living in a former lead mining area in Southern Scotland

Abstract

The impact of high environmental lead levels on public health is currently under much debate. Such a situation exists in two former lead mining villages set in the Southern Uplands of Scotland, where the environment is heavily contaminated through past mining activity. A survey was conducted based on representative samples of male and female adults and of all children living in the area, to examine the distribution of blood lead levels and to compare this with the distribution in residents in a control area. Possible routes of exposure including the determination of lead in domestic water, in house dust, in airborne dust, on food preparation surfaces, on hands, in garden soils and through home grown vegetable consumption were investigated. The results indicate that there is a general increase in lead exposure in environmental variables in the contaminated area, while blood lead levels show an excess of between 45 and 70 percent compared with the control. The determinants of blood lead are discussed through correlation and multiple regression analysis.

Soil metal/metalloid concentrations in the Clyde Basin, Scotland, UK: implications for land quality

“…(1995) reported a similar magnitude of enhanced Pb concentrations, 2–3 times the typical background, in floodplain sediments in the Leadhills area. Elevated blood-lead levels (15.9 men; 12.4 women; 17.6 children μgdL –1 ), compared to a control area, were reported in the Leadhills mining district by Moffat (1989). The main exposure routes were thought to be wind-blown dust dispersion from old tailings and local water supplies.…”

Effect of phosphate treatment on the solubility of lead in contaminated soil

“…An impact of lead on both learning ability and social behavior of children has been postulated. Generally, the major source of lead for children is considered to be household dust and soil (Cotter-Howells and Thorton 1991;Thorton and others 1994;Lanphear and others 1998), although one study identi®ed drinking water as a major source (Moffat 1989). Speciation of the lead is also recognized as an important in¯uence on the bioavailability of lead (or other metals).…”

Source of lead in humans from Broken Hill mining community

“…Few studies have addressed the problem around lead mining centres (e.g., Barltrop et al, 1974Barltrop et al, , 1975Barltrop and Strehlow, 1988;Heyworth et al, 1981;Gallacher et al, 1984;Bornschein et al, 1988;Moffat, 1989;Cotter-Howells and Thornton, 1991).…”