title: Individual and environmental risk factors for high blood lead concentrations in Danish indoor shooters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  International studies have shown blood lead at levels causing health concern in recreational indoor shooters. We hypothesized that Danish recreational indoor shooters would also have a high level of blood lead, and that this could be explained by shooting characteristics and the physical environment at the shooting range.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an environmental case study of 58 male and female shooters from two indoor shooting ranges with assumed different ventilation and cleaning conditions. Information was obtained on general conditions including age, gender, tobacco and alcohol use, and shooting conditions: weapon type, number of shots fired, frequency of stays at the shooting range and hygiene habits. A venous blood sample was drawn to determine blood lead concentrations; 14 non-shooters were included as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 60% of the shooters, hereof five out of 14 women, had a blood lead concentration above 0.48 micromol/l, a level causing long-term health concern. All controls had blood lead values below 0.17 micromol/l. Independent significant associations with blood lead concentrations above 0.48 micromol/l were found for shooting at a poorly ventilated range, use of heavy calibre weapons, number of shots and frequency of stays at the shooting range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A large proportion of Danish recreational indoor shooters had potentially harmful blood lead concentrations. Ventilation, amounts of shooting, use of heavy calibre weapons and stays at the shooting ranges were independently associated with increased blood lead.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The technical check at the two ranges was performed by the Danish Technological Institute and costs were defrayed by the Danish Rifle Association. To pay for the analyses of blood lead, the study was supported by the The Else & Mogens Wedell-Wedellsborg Foundation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The Danish Regional Capital Scientific Ethics Committee approved the study, protocol number  H-4-2010-130.
authors: Arbejds- & Miljømedicinsk Afdeling, Bispebjerg Hospital, 2400 Copenhagen NV, Denmark. kgra0025@bbh.regionh.dk
authors: Kasper
authors: K
authors: Grandahl
authors: Poul
authors: P
authors: Suadicani
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Jacobsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003718:Denmark; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011998:Recreation; D012307:Risk Factors; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors; D014691:Ventilation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007854:Lead