A pilot evaluation of tibia lead concentrations in Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
The aims of this study were to examine some of the factors that influence tibia lead concentrations, tibia lead x-ray fluorescence measurement uncertainty and blood lead concentrations, and to compare tibia lead concentrations in Taiwanese lead workers to those observed in lead workers from other countries.


METHODS
A pilot evaluation of 43 adult lead workers who underwent measurements of tibia lead and blood lead concentrations.


RESULTS
Mean and maximum tibia lead concentrations were 54 microg of Pb per g of bone mineral(microg/g) and 193 microg/g, respectively. Mean and maximum blood lead concentrations were 44 microg/dl and 92 microg/dl, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Past occupational control of lead exposure in Taiwan, ROC, did not prevent these workers from accumulating tibia lead concentrations greater than those in similar workers elsewhere in the world.
Todd
A C
AC
Department of Community and Preventive Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. andrew.todd@mssm.edu
Ginde
N R
NR
Ho
C K
CK
Luo
J C
JC
Tolman
J
J
Tsai
J L
JL
Wu
T N
TN
Liou
S H
SH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013977:Tibia / Q000737:chemistry*
D007854:Lead