title: Lead in a residential environment in Jamaica.
abstract: The background levels of lead in Jamaica in soils and sediments, estimated at 37 mg kg(-1), are relatively high compared with world averages. Several areas have values in excess of this due to mineralisation and pollution. One such is the residential Hope Flats/Kintyre area in which levels of lead up to 2.5% are found in the soils and up to 8 μg kg(-1) in the water of the nearby Hope River. The blood lead levels of a sample of children were in the range 5.7-57 μg dl(-1). The high lead levels suggest a potential health risk, particularly for the children. This can be minimised by programmes which include community education, case management and abatement to reduce the lead exposure.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nuclear Sciences, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anglin-Brown
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Armour-Brown
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Lalor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Vutchkov