title: Time trends in burdens of cadmium, lead, and mercury in the population of northern Sweden.
abstract: The time trends of exposure to heavy metals are not adequately known. This is a worldwide problem with regard to the basis for preventive actions and evaluation of their effects. This study addresses time trends for the three toxic elements cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb). Concentrations in erythrocytes (Ery) were determined in a subsample of the population-based MONICA surveys from 1990, 1994, and 1999 in a total of 600 men and women aged 25-74 years. The study took place in the two northernmost counties in Sweden. To assess the effect of changes in the environment, adjustments were made for life-style factors that are determinants of exposure. Annual decreases of 5-6% were seen for Ery-Pb levels (adjusted for age and changes in alcohol intake) and Ery-Hg levels (adjusted for age and changes in fish intake). Ery-Cd levels (adjusted for age) showed a similar significant decrease in smoking men. It is concluded that for Pb and maybe also Hg the actions against pollution during recent decades have caused a rapid decrease of exposure; for Hg the decreased use of dental amalgam may also have had an influence. For Cd, the decline in Ery-Cd was seen only in smokers, indicating that Cd exposure from tobacco has decreased, while other environmental sources of Cd have not changed significantly. To further improve the health status in Sweden, it is important to decrease the pollution of Cd, and actions against smoking in the community are important.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Skellefteå Hospital, 931 86 Skellefteå, Sweden. miawennberg@skehus19.ac
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wennberg
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lundh
authors.forename: Ingvar A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Bergdahl
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hallmans
authors.forename: Jan-Håkan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.forename: Birgitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stegmayr
authors.forename: Hipolito M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Custodio
authors.forename: Staffan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skerfving
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001822:Body Burden; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D003723:Dental Amalgam / Q000737:chemistry; D004032:Diet; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017747:Seafood; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D013548:Sweden
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D003723:Dental Amalgam; D008628:Mercury