title: Contaminated turmeric is a potential source of lead exposure for children in rural Bangladesh.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During the conduct of a cohort study intended to study the associations between mixed metal exposures and child health outcomes, we found that 78% of 309 children aged 20-40 months evaluated in the Munshiganj District of Bangladesh had blood lead concentrations ≥5 µg/dL and 27% had concentrations ≥10 µg/dL.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Environmental sources such as spices (e.g., turmeric, which has already faced recalls in Bangladesh due to high lead levels) may be a potential route of lead exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted visits to the homes of 28 children randomly selected from among high and low blood lead concentration groups. During the visits, we administered a structured questionnaire and obtained soil, dust, rice, and spice samples. We obtained water samples from community water sources, as well as environmental samples from neighborhood businesses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Lead concentrations in many turmeric samples were elevated, with lead concentrations as high as 483 ppm. Analyses showed high bioaccessibility of lead.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Contamination of turmeric powder is a potentially important source of lead exposure in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Kelsey
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gleason
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: James P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Shine
authors.affiliation: Jefferson Medical College, 1025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shobnam
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Rokoff
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University, 15 Milam, Corvallis, OR 97331, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Hafiza Sultana
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Suchanda
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University, 15 Milam, Corvallis, OR 97331, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Md Omar Sharif
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Ibne Hasan
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University, 15 Milam, Corvallis, OR 97331, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Golam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mostofa
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 17 East 102nd Street, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Chitra
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Amarasiriwardena
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University, 15 Milam, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
authors.forename: Quazi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Quamruzzaman
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University, 15 Milam, Corvallis, OR 97331, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: Mahmuder
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Oregon State University, 15 Milam, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
authors.forename: Molly L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Kile
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA ; Department of Neurology, Fegan 11 Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Bellinger
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Christiani
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 17 East 102nd Street, New York, NY 10029, USA.
authors.forename: Robert O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA ; Department of Neurology, Fegan 11 Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Maitreyi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazumdar
mesh_terms: D001459:Bangladesh; D015331:Cohort Studies; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D013052:Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; D013054:Spectrophotometry, Atomic
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007854:Lead