Determinants of cadmium burden levels in a population of children living in the vicinity of nonferrous smelters.
This report covers part of the assessment of a site in northern France polluted by industrial metal emissions. Our objectives were to assess the cadmium burden in children aged 8 to 11 years and look for factors that affected it. A cross-sectional population-based study took place in 1996-1997 and included 400 children (200 in the metal-polluted area). The geometric mean of the blood cadmium (CdB) levels of children living on the polluted site was 0.51 microg/L (95% CI=[0.49-0.53]); that of the nonexposed children was 0.47 microg/L (95% CI=[0.45-0.49]) (P<0.01). The geometric mean of the urinary cadmium (CdU) levels of children living on the polluted site was 1.16 microg/g creatinine (95% CI=[1.01-1.34]); that of the nonexposed children was 0.99 microg/g creatinine (95% CI=[0.86-1.14]) (P=0.10). Mean CdB was higher among children within 4 km of a zinc smelter and consuming > or =500 ml of tap water daily (x1.34; 95% CI=[1.14-1.51]) compared with children living more than 4 km away and consuming <500 ml of tap water daily. Independently of this association, consumption of fish and shellfish (> or =once a week vs. <once a week) and homegrown vegetables (> or =once daily vs. <once daily) was associated with higher mean CdB levels, respectively: x 1.14; 95% CI=[1.07-1.21] and x 1.25; 95% CI=[1.04-1.50]. Neither sex nor age was associated with CdB. Mean CdU was associated with paternal occupational cadmium exposure.
Leroyer
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A
Centre de Recherches en Santé Travail Ergonomie, Lille, 59037, France.
Hemon
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D
Nisse
C
C
Auque
G
G
Mazzuca
M
M
Haguenoer
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D001822:Body Burden; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D002105:Cadmium Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012758:Shellfish; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D014675:Vegetables; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
D012989:Soil Pollutants; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D003404:Creatinine