title: Chelated lead and bone lead.
abstract: In this study a close correlation [correlation coefficient (r) = 0.86, P less than 0.001] was found between the blood lead level of 20 lead workers and their urinary excretion of lead for 24 h after intravenous infusion with 1 g of the chelating agent calcium disodium edetate. In addition, there were significant associations between lead levels in different bones (tibia/calcaneus: r = 0.93, P less than 0.001; tibia/phalanx: r = 0.67, P less than 0.002; calcaneus/phalanx: r = 0.80, P less than 0.001), as measured by in vivo X-ray fluorescence. Chelation produced no significant change in the lead level in either tibia or calcaneus. There was a significant correlation between chelated lead and bone lead (eg, for calcaneus, r = 0.62) in currently exposed workers. However, there was no significant relationship when a retired worker and an inactive worker were included (r = 0.14). It was concluded that chelatable lead mainly reflects the blood and soft-tissue lead pool, which is only partly dependent upon the skeletal lead content that comprises the biggest share of the total body burden.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tell
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Somervaille
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bensryd
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schütz
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Chettle
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skerfving
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000473:pathology*; D004492:Edetic Acid; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D016273:Occupational Exposure
chemical_list: D007854:Lead; D004492:Edetic Acid