Lead Intoxication in Children in Birmingham

Betts, P R; Astley, R.; Raine, D. N.

doi:10.1136/bmj.1.5850.402

Cited by 72 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The other was labeled as 'red surma' and was in the form of red to orange powder. These powder brands from India had the highest concentration of lead and serve to explain the several cases of lead poisoning (plumbism) including one fatality among Indian and Pakistani children in England as a result of the use of lead containing kohl [8,[21][22][23].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kohl: a hazardous eyeliner

Al-Hazzaa

Krahn

1995

Int Ophthalmol

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Kohl is a widely used traditional cosmetic. It is mainly worn around the eyes in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. The elemental composition of twenty-one kohl specimens originating from various parts of Saudi Arabia, India and the Middle East was determined by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The data indicates the presence of significant lead levels in two thirds (14/21) of the kohl specimens ranging from 2.9-100% (mean 48.5%). Other less frequent elements present in kohl preparations include aluminum, carbon, iron, titanium, calcium, magnesium, oxygen, silver silicon, sulfur and antimony. Seven kohl specimens were totally lead-free, four had a lead content in the range of 2.9-34.1% and ten had lead levels in excess of 84%. Carbon levels in excess of 60% were detected in six kohl samples. Antimony was present in only one kohl specimen at a concentration of 7.8%. Five western made eyeliner pencils analyzed for comparative purposes consistently revealed iron as a common constituent (mean 46%) but no lead or carbon were detected in these specimens. The findings of this study indicate that modern kohl preparations contain a number of metals derived from natural sources in addition to carbon. The predominance of lead in the kohl preparations tested is of major concern due to the documented adverse effects in humans and the increased susceptibility of children to lead intoxication. Application of lead-containing kohl needs to be considered as a source of lead in evaluating patients with symptoms of lead intoxication in regions where this tradition prevails. The documented toxic effects of lead in humans and the increased sensitivity of children to lead exposure serve to emphasize potential health risks of using traditional lead containing kohl preparations and the need for increased surveillance and regulation of the manufacture of kohl.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Kohl: a hazardous eyeliner

Al-Hazzaa

Krahn

1995

Int Ophthalmol

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“…Direct toxic effects on bone metabolism may result from long-term accumulation of lead. Betts et al (39) observed changes in bone density in 93% of children whose blood lead was treater than 60 ,ug/dl and in 24% of children with blood lead between 37 and 60 ,ug/dl. Bone formation was disturbed when beagle dogs were fed low doses of lead over a 6-month period.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative toxicity and tissue distribution of lead acetate in weanling and adult rats.

Rader¹,

Peeler²,

Mahaffey³

1981

Environ Health Perspect

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The relative toxicity of low doses of lead acetate provided steadily in drinking water or by mouth once per week was studied in weanling and adult rats. Free erythrocyte protoporphyrin and urinary 8-aminolevulinic acid levels were measured, as well as lead levels in blood and kidney. The accumulation of lead in brain tissue and in bone (femur) was measured to determine the effect of age and schedule of administration on tissue distribution and retention of lead. Total intakes of lead during the 60-week experimental period were: weanling and adult rats exposed to drinking water supplemented with 200 ,g of lead acetate/ml: 127 + 10 mg and 160 ± 16 mg, respectively; weanling and adult rats dosed with lead acetate orally once per week: 132 mg and 161 mg, respectively. Increased toxic effects of lead in the weanling animals were apparent in most of the parameters measured (urinary 8-aminolevulinic acid and blood, brain, femur and kidney lead levels). This pattern was observed in weanling rats exposed to lead steadily through drinking water or dosed orally with an equivalent quantity of lead once per week. Lead levels in blood were highly correlated with the accumulation of lead in brain, femur, and kidney tissue in both groups of weanling rats. In adult rats, significant correlations between blood lead and kidney lead and between blood lead and femur lead were found only in the rats receiving lead steadily in drinking water.

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“…Later, Snodgrass et al [11] concluded that 12 children in five families in England had high blood concentrations of lead due to the lead in the cosmetics used on them. Betts et al [12] also reported on lead poisoning in Birmingham, England resulting from the use of surma. Other investigators found higher lead levels in the blood of children in England using surma than those who do not use surma [13][14][15][16][17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Lead levels in some eye cosmetics used in Bahrain

Madany

Akhter

1992

Journal of Environmental Science and Health . Part A: Environme

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This paper presents an analysis of lead in some surma, khol and other eye cosmetics used mainly for young children in Bahrain. The concentration of lead ranged from 0.07 to 156 mg/g and averaged 18.5 mg/g. Grey samples were found to have higher lead levels than black ones. Although these concentrations were significantly lower than those reported in the literature, they are nevertheless hazardous and should be taken seriously by health authorities. Our findings and recommendations are reported to preyent further poisoning of children through the use of these products. This problem is also found in India, Pakistan, and Kuwait as well as in the Asian communities in European countries, such as the United Kingdom.

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Lead Intoxication in Children in Birmingham

Cited by 72 publications

References 8 publications

Kohl: a hazardous eyeliner

Kohl: a hazardous eyeliner

Comparative toxicity and tissue distribution of lead acetate in weanling and adult rats.

Lead levels in some eye cosmetics used in Bahrain

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