title: Lead levels in breast milk, blood plasma and intelligence quotient: a health hazard for women and infants.
abstract: Lead levels in human breast milk and blood plasma or serum were analyzed and qualitatively their intelligence quotient (I.Q.) studied. Samples at different stages of lactation, from 5 days to 51 weeks post partum, were collected from 25 healthy breast-feeding mothers in Ranipet Industrial area of Vellore district of Tamil Nadu and from 25 lactating mothers in the non-industrial areas of the same district. The samples from mothers in non-industrial area showed lower lead levels ranging from 5 to 25 μg/L whereas samples from mothers in industrial area showed higher lead levels ranging between 15 and 44.5 μg/L. It was generally noticed that the lactating mothers from industrial area have lower I.Q. levels compared to mothers from non-industrial area.
authors: Environmental and Analytical Chemistry Division, VIT University, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors: C Prince Jebadass
authors: CP
authors: Isaac
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Sivakumar
authors: C Rebecca Prem
authors: CR
authors: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007221:Industry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007360:Intelligence / Q000187:drug effects*; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity; D018811:Maternal Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015386:Hazardous Substances; D007854:Lead