Elevated blood lead levels among children living in a fishing community, Karachi, Pakistan.
Lead is a widespread environmental contaminant worldwide and is associated with adverse outcomes in children, including impaired neurobehavioral development and learning difficulties. A cross-sectional survey of 53 young children was conducted in a fishing village on an island adjacent to Karachi, Pakistan. Whole blood from each individual was tested for lead levels. Also tested were samples of cooked food, house dust, and drinking water from 36 households. Laboratory determinations were made by the Pakistan Council for Scientific and Industrial Research with quality control by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fifty-two subjects (98%) had blood lead levels above 10 microg/dl (mean 21.60 microg/dl), an internationally recognized threshold for potential neurotoxicity. The mean concentration was 3.90 microg/g in cooked food, 4.02 microg/l in drinking water, and 91.30 microg/g in house dust. These findings indicate possible major health concerns and suggest significant environmental contamination in this community as well as the need to identify locally relevant early childhood exposures.
Hozhabri
Siroos
S
Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. siroos.hozhabri@regional.niagara.on.ca
White
Franklin
F
Rahbar
Mohammad Hossein
MH
Agboatwalla
Mubina
M
Luby
Stephen
S
D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003296:Cooking / Q000295:instrumentation; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005396:Fish Products / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D020264:Lead Poisoning, Nervous System, Childhood / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D010578:Petroleum / Q000633:toxicity; D012623:Seawater / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D007854:Lead