Blood lead levels in young newspaper vendors.
Young newspaper vendors spend long hours working in high-traffic areas and may be at risk of lead toxicity. Two groups of these vendors working in areas with different atmospheric lead levels were compared with a control group. Vendors in central Cape Town (mean ambient lead level of 2.1 mg/m3) had a mean blood lead level of 19.5 micrograms/dl, whereas vendors in Bellville (mean ambient lead level of 0.65 mg/m3) had a mean blood lead level of 15.4 micrograms/dl. The mean blood lead level of the control group was 11.0 micrograms/dl. These differences were statistically significant and lend support to the view that direct absorption of atmospheric lead can make a considerable contribution to lead load.
Kibel
S M
SM
Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town.
Kibel
M A
MA
Little
F
F
Pocock
F H
FH
D000293:Adolescent; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009524:Newspapers as Topic; D009790:Occupations; D014505:Urban Population
D007854:Lead