title: Hair lead concentration in the Lebanese population: phase 1 results.
abstract: Phase 1 of this cross-sectional study aimed to compare hair lead concentrations and establish the determinants of hair lead levels in 149 occupationally exposed individuals versus 177 non-occupationally exposed controls in the Lebanese population. In addition to a standardized questionnaire, lead concentration was measured by atomic spectrophotometry. A 5-6-fold difference in hair lead concentration was found between occupationally exposed and non-exposed individuals (23.60 ppm versus 4.33 ppm). Professional exposure, particularly working in petrol refining and gasoline stations, had the highest correlation with lead exposure. In non-exposed individuals, male sex, non-Lebanese nationality and urban worksite correlated with higher hair lead concentration.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon. pascalesalameh@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salameh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bouchy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geahchan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001822:Body Burden; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D019652:Extraction and Processing Industry; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D010578:Petroleum; D011159:Population Surveillance; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D010578:Petroleum; D007854:Lead