Blood lead levels in children living near abandoned metal-recovery plants.

ABSTRACT

Following the identification of high levels of lead in the soils of residences near two abandoned Montreal metal-recovery plants, blood lead concentrations were analyzed for children living or cared for in the affected neighbourhood. Overall, the distribution of blood lead levels (geometric mean = .27 mumol/L, range .11-1.01) among the 52 children sampled was similar to those of children of other Quebec localities without known point sources of lead. Nevertheless, multiple regression analysis did suggest a modest influence of the concentration of lead in children's own yards (as measured by actual soil samples or as estimated by a geostatistical modeling procedure) on their blood lead level (.05 mumol/l rise for a 1000 ppm increase in soil lead, 95% C.I.-.01, .11). This estimate of the influence of soil on blood lead is at the lower end of the range reported by others. We suggest that these Montreal results demonstrate the modest effects of lead-contaminated soil when its access is limited by grass cover and/or when the emissions which produced it have ceased.