title: Health risk assessment in children exposed to lead compounds in the vicinity of mine-smelter plant "Orzeł Biały".
abstract: Investigations of environmental exposure to lead were performed in 1028 children from a very polluted industrial region affected by emissions from the lead mine and smelter plant "Orzeł Biały". A group of 629 children was used as the reference population from non-polluted parts of Poland. The lead blood concentrations in exposed groups of children were considerably higher than in the reference group and 26% of younger children and 11% of older children exceeded the safe limit value of 20 micrograms/dl. Children with the highest health risk in which Pb-B amounted to 40-50 micrograms/dl (4.2% of exposed children) were recommended for immediate medical examination. As preventive measures, improvement of hygienic life conditions and frequent trips of exposed children to non-polluted areas, were recommended which should decrease the internal lead dose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Hazards, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, Lodz, Poland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dutkiewicz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sokołowska
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kulka
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D008906:Mining; D011044:Poland; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D007854:Lead