The contribution of environmental monitoring in the epidemiological assessment of exogenous risk. The experience of ARPA in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy.

The aim of the Emilia Romagna-Region Agency for Prevention and Environment (ARPA) is to define and improve interactions among the various prevention departments of the Emilia-Romagna Local Health Authorities in order to attain better knowledge about the health status of the population by using epidemiology and etiology studies, as well as predictive models. This is the basis for the environmental health risk assessment strategy of ARPA. The priority activity areas for ARPA are: urban areas, environmental and health effects of traffic (atmospheric pollution and noise pollution); industrial areas (Ravenna chemical plants, Modena/Reggio-Emilia ceramic factories and Ferrara chemical plants); high-speed trains; pesticides; asbestos; and pollution of the Adriatic Sea.

[Reference values for lead levels in blood for the urban population]. / Valores de referência para plumbemia em população urbana.

INTRODUCTION: The lead reference values for blood used in Brazil come from studies conducted in other countries, where socioeconomic, clinical, nutritional and occupational conditions are significantly different. In order to guarantee an accurate biomonitoring of the population which is occupationally exposed to lead, a major health concern of the studied community, reference values for individuals who are not occupationally exposed and who live in the southern region of the city were established. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The sample was composed of 206 subjects of at least 15 years of age. Various strategies were employed to assure good-quality sampling. Subjects who presented values outside clinical or laboratory norms were excluded, as well as those whose specific activities might interfere with the results. RESULTS: Lead reference values for blood were found to be from 2.40 to 16.6 micrograms.dL-1, obtained by the interval x +/- 2s (where x is the mean and s is the standard deviation form observed values) and the median was 7.9 micrograms.dL-1.