Is lead in tap water still a public health problem? An observational study in Glasgow

Watt, Gcm; Britton, Andrew J.; Gilmour, W. Harper; Moore, Michael R.; Murray, Gordon D.; Robertson, S.; Womersley, J

doi:10.1136/bmj.313.7063.979

Cited by 39 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…These findings agree with other studies in the U.K. reported by Delves et al [25] and Watt et al [23]. No child in the present study had a blood lead 0.71 µmol\l ( 15.0 µg\dl).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 95%

“…These sources include old paint of high lead concentration, house dust or contaminated soil that may be ingested by young children, especially those with pica [22]. The water supply in certain areas may be above the recommended maximum lead concentration [17,23], while in communities adjacent to congested traffic conditions, the atmosphere may contain raised lead levels [24].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Blood lead in U.K. children–time for a lower action level?

et al. 1998

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1. Blood lead measurements in samples collected from 660 London schoolchildren during 1991 to 1992 suggest that the blood lead values in children in the U.K. are decreasing. 2. Geometric mean values for blood lead were 0.18 (range 0.05-0.71) micromol/l [3.7 (1. 0-15.0) microgram/dl]. Analysis of variance showed differences between ethnic groups, sex and schools. An age-matched subset of 148 children was compared with 136 children from an earlier study in 1986 and 1987. Trend analysis of the geometric mean lead values showed a negative slope (b=-0.484, P<0.0001), with maximum values of 0.81, 1.00, 0.71 and 0.43 micromol/l (17, 21, 15 and 9 microgram/dl) for the years 1986, 1987, 1991 and 1992 respectively. 3. It is recommended that children in the U.K. being investigated for anaemia, pica, recurrent abdominal pain or a high-risk environment should have blood lead values measured and that the action level for blood lead in children should be decreased from 1.19 micromol/l to 0.48 micromol/l (from 25 microgram/dl to 10 microgram/dl). 4. Guidance is offered to clinicians and other health professionals investigating excessive lead exposure.

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“…These findings agree with other studies in the U.K. reported by Delves et al [25] and Watt et al [23]. No child in the present study had a blood lead 0.71 µmol\l ( 15.0 µg\dl).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 95%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Blood lead in U.K. children–time for a lower action level?

et al. 1998

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“…In Loch Katrine water supply area (Glasgow, UK) Watt et al (1996) found that 17% of the studied households with infants had lead concentrations of 10 mg/l or higher in kettle samples of their tap water compared to 49% in the year 1981. Tap water lead was the main correlate of raised maternal blood-lead concentrations and accounted for 62% and 76% of cases of maternal blood lead concentrations above 5 and 10 mg/dl, respectively.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Drinking water distributed through lead pipes can be an important source of lead exposure affecting blood lead concentrations in the general population (Meyer et al 1992;Krause et al 1996;Watt et al 1996;Fertmann et al 2004; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] 2004). The contamination of drinking water by its contact with the distribution network and home plumbing is mainly caused by corrosion of metal parts.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Assessment and management of tap water lead contamination in Lower Saxony, Germany

Zietz¹,

Lass²,

Suchenwirth³

2007

International Journal of Environmental Health Research

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Lead is known to have numerous adverse effects especially to infants and children. The intake of lead through drinking water is commonly due to metal corrosion in the peripheral water distribution system, especially the user's plumbing. The aim of this project was to assess the present state of drinking water contamination with lead in Lower Saxony and to promote replacement of lead pipes. For this purpose a project was initiated comprising three parts. First, a free examination of drinking water was offered in cooperation with local public health departments for private households with young women and families with children living in buildings constructed before 1974. Participants were asked to collect a cold tap water sample in their household after nocturnal stagnation and to complete a questionnaire. The collected samples were analysed by atomic absorption spectrometry for their lead concentration. Second, data from local public health departments on results of lead measurements, especially in buildings for the public, were collected and analysed. Finally a working group 'lead replacement' was initiated. In the project in total 2436 tap water samples from households were collected. Of these, 6.49% had lead concentrations exceeding 10 microg/l (recommended limit of the World Health Organization) and 2.79% had concentrations above the limit of the German drinking water ordinance (25 microg/l). There were remarkable regional differences in the frequency of tap water contamination. Multi-family houses were more frequently affected than single- and double-family houses.

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“…Neben anderen Expositionswegen kann durch bleiha|tiges Rohrmaterial geleitetes Trinkwasser eine wichtige Ursache fiir erh6hte Blut-Bleiwerte in der Gesamtbev61kerung sein (Meyer et al 1992, Krause et al 1996, Watt et al 1996. Weitere wichtige Quellen k6nnen zum Beispiel bleihaltige Farben (Davies et al 1990, Lanphear und Roghmann 1997, Emissionen aus Industrie und Bergbau (Trepka et al 1997) und Blei im Hausstaub (Lanphear et al 1998) und Boden (Jin et al 1997) sein.…”

Section: Abstract Lead Contamination Of Drinking Water Caused By Theunclassified