title: Follow-up study on lead exposure in children living in a smelter community in northern Mexico.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To study the changes of children lead exposure in the city of Torreon during the last five years, after environmental and public health interventions, using the timeline of lead in blood concentration as the biomarker of exposure and its relation to lead in soil concentrations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This follow-up study started in 2001 and consisted of 232 children living in nine neighborhoods in Torreon. Children were tested at 0, 6, 12 and 60 months. Lead in blood concentrations, Hemoglobin, Zinc-Protoporphyrin, anthropometric measures and socioeconomic status questionnaire was supplied to the parents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median and range of lead in blood concentrations obtained at 0, 6, 12, 60 months were: 10.12 μg/dl (1.9 - 43.8), 8.75 μg/dl (1.85 - 41.45), 8.4 μg/dl (1.7 - 35.8) and 4.4 μg/dl (1.3 - 30.3), respectively. The decrease of lead in blood levels was significantly related to ages 0, 6, 12 and 60 months of the follow-up study. The timeline of B-Pb was associated with the timeline of lead in soil concentrations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  B-Pb levels have significantly decreased in the group of children studied. This could be explained by a) environmental interventions by authorities and the smelter companies, b) normal changes in hygienic habits as children age and c) lead redistribution from blood to hard tissues.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Gómez Palacio, Durango, México.
authors.forename: Marisela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubio-Andrade
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valdés-Pérezgasga
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Jorge L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rosado
authors.forename: Mariano E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cebrián
authors.forename: Gonzalo G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: García-Vargas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D001822:Body Burden; D002648:Child; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008669:Metallurgy; D008800:Mexico; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D006454:Hemoglobins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D012989:Soil Pollutants; C017803:zinc protoporphyrin; D007854:Lead