title: Monitoring of zinc protoporphyrin levels in blood following occupational lead exposure.
abstract: The value of measurements of zinc protoporphyrin in blood (ZPP) in the surveillance of workers occupationally exposed to lead has been studied. From a group of referents, consisting of 1,088 men and 511 women, it has been established that the normal mean ZPP is in the region of 25 micrograms/100 ml, and only rarely do values exceed 45 micrograms/100 ml. The higher ZPP values are frequently associated with low blood hemoglobin concentrations and appear to be manifestations of an iron-deficiency anemia. Women have higher ZPP values than men; smoking has no influence. Measurements of ZPP and blood lead concentration (PbB) have been made every other month for 2.5 years on a group of around 200 men and 40 women exposed to lead in a storage battery factory. The mean ZPP of the group throughout the period was 70.9 micrograms/100 ml blood, and a linear relation between log ZPP and PbB in the PbB range of 10-80 micrograms/100 ml has been established. ZPP thresholds in the control of excessive occupational lead exposure, and the economic advantage of ZPP measurements over PbB, are discussed.
authors: Institute of Hygiene, University of Lund, Sweden.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Wildt
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Berlin
authors: P E
authors: PE
authors: Isberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005470:Fluorometry; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000097:blood*; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D011166:Porphyrins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; C017803:zinc protoporphyrin; D007854:Lead