title: [Study of total lead exposure on a hazard to the health of children].
abstract: This study of total lead exposure on 128 children from four kindergartens in Beijing and 194 children from two townships in the suburb of Beijing, all aged between 5 and 6.5 years, showed that the urban children had higher blood lead levels (0.375 mumol/L, 7.77 micrograms/dl) than their teachers' (0.223 mumol/L, 4.63 micrograms/dl) by 67.4%. While suburban children had higher blood lead levels (0.594 mumol/L, 12.3 micrograms/dl) than their mothers' (0.299 mumol/L, 6.19 micrograms/dl) by 98.7%. There was approximately 72.5%-74.7% of suburban children whose blood lead levels were well over 0.483 mumol/L (10 micrograms/dl) and 23%-25% were above 0.724 mumol/L (15 micrograms/dl). Suburban children had higher FEP levels and an abnormal rate of FEP than urban children. The lead levels taken in through diet by suburban children were higher (43.7-85.9 micrograms/day per child) than urban children (29.3 micrograms/day per child). As the main source of lead came from foodstuff and air, 90%-98% of lead was taken in with food, of which 89% came from intake of cereals and vegetables. There was a significant correlation between the blood lead levels, the practical intelligence quotient (IQ), and the visomotor integration based upon the survey of the two groups of children. The results showed that the lead exposure poses a significant hazard to the health of children in Beijing.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Municipal Station of Hygiene & Epidemic Prevention.
authors.forename: H Q
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002523:Edible Grain; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood; D014675:Vegetables; D014888:Wechsler Scales
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead