Identification of sources of lead in children in a primary zinc-lead smelter environment.

Abstract

We compared high-precision lead isotopic ratios in deciduous teeth and environmental samples to evaluate sources of lead in 10 children from six houses in a primary zinc-lead smelter community at North Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia. Teeth were sectioned to allow identification of lead exposure in utero and in early childhood. Blood lead levels in the children ranged from 10 to 42 micro g/dL and remained elevated for a number of years. For most children, only a small contribution to tooth lead can be attributed to gasoline and paint sources. In one child with a blood lead concentration of 19.7 microg/dL, paint could account for about 45% of lead in her blood. Comparison of isotopic ratios of tooth lead levels with those from vacuum cleaner dust, dust-fall accumulation, surface wipes, ceiling (attic) dust, and an estimation of the smelter emissions indicates that from approximately 55 to 100% of lead could be derived from the smelter. For a blood sample from another child, > 90% of lead could be derived from the smelter. We found varying amounts of in utero-derived lead in the teeth. Despite the contaminated environment and high blood lead concentrations in the children, the levels of lead in the teeth are surprisingly low compared with those measured in children from other lead mining and smelting communities.

Isotopic ratio based source apportionment of children's blood lead around coking plant area

“…For lead toxicity monitoring and the identification of endogenous and exogenous lead exposure, combining with environment media samples, matrixes including deciduous teeth (Gulson et al, , 2004, bone Gulson et al, 2003), urine (Gulson et al, 2000;Manton et al, 2000), and blood (Gulson et al, 2001(Gulson et al, , 2006 were studied. Considering the feasibility of sample collection and analysis in environmental health investigation, whole blood lead level is regarded as the most representative indicator of the current environmental and body lead contamination level (Barbosa et al, 2005;Batariova et al, 2006;Gil et al, 2011;Liu et al, 2009;Yan et al, 2013).…”

The graphical presentation of lead isotope data for environmental source apportionment

“…Chow & Johnstone, 1965) and Pb mining activity (e.g. Gulson et al, 2004). A recent review (Komárek et al, 2008) demonstrates the efficacy of isotopic analyses in tracing the sources of Pb pollution.…”

Microscopic and chemical studies of metal particulates in tree bark and attic dust: evidence for historical atmospheric smelter emissions, Humberside, UK

“…However, there are few reports of exposed bark being used to identify a pollution source so many years after emissions have ceased. Undisturbed attic dusts are another potential archive for atmospherically deposited particles and have been shown to be effective across urban areas and in the vicinity of smelters [10][11][12][13][14] . These have the additional benefit that they are protected from wash and aqueous alteration that may affect tree barks over long periods of time.…”