[20 years of biological monitoring (1976-1995) of occupational lead exposure in various Tuscan provinces].
We report the results of 24,475 blood lead determinations (PbB) performed by the Occupational Toxicology Laboratory of Florence between 1976 and 1995. Biological monitoring was carried out in 383 factories localized in the districts of Florence, Prato, Pistoia, Lucca and Pisa. The most represented production fields were colouring ceramic factories, artistic ceramics, transfer-pictures for ceramics, glass factories, typographies, glass decoration factories, chemical factories. In twenty years, the median values of PbB decreased from 48 to 17 micrograms/100 ml in males and from 40 to 8 micrograms/100 ml in females. The 95 degrees centile ranged from 84 to 46 micrograms/100 ml for males and from 63 to 42 micrograms/100 ml for females. In the 1988-95 period, we observed an increase of both the 95 degrees centile and the maximal values because of the inclusion of data from workers employed in factories where the "decorazione a scavo" technique, which is characterized by elevated environmental lead concentrations, was used. In the period 1991-93, the ranges of PbB observed in glass decoration factories were 13-160 micrograms/100 ml for males and 4-80 micrograms/100 ml for females, respectively.
Li Donni
V
V
Unità Operativa Tossicologia Occupazionale, Azienda USL 10, Firenze.
Bavazzano
P
P
Brettoni
M
M
Calistri
S
S
Carnevale
F
F
Dei
M
M
Giusti
S
S
Innocenti
A
A
Landucci
C
C
Poli
C
C
Vannucchi
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D002516:Ceramics; D002617:Chemical Industry; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005898:Glass; D006801:Humans; D007221:Industry; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007854:Lead / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011643:Publishing
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D007854:Lead