title: Environmental lead exposure risks associated with children's outdoor playgrounds.
abstract: This study examines exposure risks associated with lead smelter emissions at children's public playgrounds in Port Pirie, South Australia. Lead and other metal values were measured in air, soil, surface dust and on pre- and post-play hand wipes. Playgrounds closest to the smelter were significantly more lead contaminated compared to those further away (t(27.545) = 3.76; p = .001). Port Pirie post-play hand wipes contained significantly higher lead loadings (maximum hand lead value of 49,432 μg/m(2)) than pre-play hand wipes (t(27) = 3.57, p = .001). A 1% increase in air lead (μg/m(3)) was related to a 0.713% increase in lead dust on play surfaces (95% CI, 0.253-1.174), and a 0.612% increase in post-play wipe lead (95% CI, 0.257-0.970). Contaminated dust from smelter emissions is determined as the source and cause of childhood lead poisoning at a rate of approximately one child every third day.
authors: Environmental Science, Department of Environment and Geography, Faculty of Science, Macquarie University, North Ryde, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia. mark.taylor@mq.edu.au
authors: Mark Patrick
authors: MP
authors: Taylor
authors: Danielle
authors: D
authors: Camenzuli
authors: Louise Jane
authors: LJ
authors: Kristensen
authors: Miriam
authors: M
authors: Forbes
authors: Sammy
authors: S
authors: Zahran
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D002648:Child; D002654:Child Care; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology; D008669:Metallurgy; D010988:Play and Playthings; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D013021:South Australia
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D007854:Lead