Lead uptake from vegetables grown along highways.
Blood-lead levels were measured in tenants of vegetable gardens located in close proximity to busy highways (average: greater than 25000 vehicles per workday) in the Netherlands. For comparison, blood-lead levels were determined in tenants of vegetable gardens located away from busy traffic. The results indicate that there is no significant difference between the geometric mean blood-lead levels of the two populations, despite a 2-3-fold difference in the lead content of their vegetables, and despite frequent consumption of these vegetables in the exposed group. Mean PbB-values were around 0.48 mumol/1 (100 micrograms/1), which is well below existing health guidelines and slightly below the levels found in another recent survey of Dutch suburban residents.
D000328:Adult; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012306:Risk; D014675:Vegetables / Q000032:analysis*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D007854:Lead