title: Human biomonitoring for Cd, Hg and Pb in blood of inhabitants of the Sacco Valley (Italy).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Sacco Valley (Lazio, Italy) is characterized by high density population and several industrial chemical productions that during the time had led to a substantial amount of by-products. The result was a severe environmental pollution of the area and in particular of the river Sacco. In 1991, the analysis of water and soils samples of three industrial landfills revealed the presence of organochlorine compounds and heavy metals. A research project named "Health of residents living in Sacco Valley area", coordinated by the regional Department of Epidemiology, was undertaken and financed to evaluate the state of health of the population living near those polluted areas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cd, Hg and Pb were quantified in 246 blood samples of potentially exposed residents of the Sacco Valley by quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Q-ICP-MS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals who agreed to be sampled did not exhibit high levels of the elements. The distance from the river does not seem to be directly connected with the elements levels in blood. The contribution of these contaminants to the total intake due to ingestion of food was difficult to evaluate. The unclear trend of data would require a characterization of the polluted site with environmental sampling of different matrices.
authors.affiliation: Centro Nazionale Sostanze Chimiche, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. sonia.dilio@iss.it
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: D'Ilio
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forastiere
authors.forename: Assunta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Draicchio
authors.forename: Costanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Majorani
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petrucci
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Violante
authors.forename: Oreste
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Senofonte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood*; D003625:Data Collection; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D014881:Water Supply; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury