title: Children's exposure to metals: a community-initiated study.
abstract: In 2007, it was shown that the shipping of lead (Pb) through Esperance Port in Western Australia resulted in contamination and increased Pb concentrations in children. A clean-up strategy was implemented; however, little attention was given to other metals. In consultation with the community, a cross-sectional exposure study was designed. Thirty-nine children aged 1 to 12 years provided samples of hair, urine, drinking water, residential soil and dust. Concentrations of nickel (Ni) and Pb were low in biological and environmental samples. Hair aluminium (Al) (lower than the detection limit [DL] to 251 μg/g) and copper (Cu) (7 to 415 μg/g), as well as urinary Al (<DL to 210 μg/L), manganese (Mn) (<DL to 550 μg/L), and Cu (<DL to 87 μg/L), were increased for a small number of participants. Concentrations of nickel (Ni) in urine, soil, and dust decreased with increasing distance from the port, as did soil Pb concentrations. The results suggest exposure to Ni and Pb was limited in children at the time of sampling in 2009. Further investigation is required to determine the source(s) and significance of other increased metals concentrations.
authors: Centre for Ecosystem Management, School of Natural Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, WA, Australia. a.callan@ecu.edu.au
authors: Anna Carita
authors: AC
authors: Callan
authors: Matthew
authors: M
authors: Winters
authors: Caroline
authors: C
authors: Barton
authors: Mary
authors: M
authors: Boyce
authors: Andrea Lee
authors: AL
authors: Hinwood
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry; D004391:Dust / Q000032:analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D014904:Western Australia
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D004391:Dust; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D012987:Soil; D007854:Lead; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D009532:Nickel