Skip to main content
PMC home page
Canadian Medical Association Journal logoLink to Canadian Medical Association Journal
. 1979 Dec 8;121(11):1474–1478.

Surface soil as a potential source of lead exposure for young children.

N Schmitt, J J Philion, A A Larsen, M Harnadek, A J Lynch
PMCID: PMC1704570  PMID: 519574

Abstract

Soil analyses revealed an elevated lead content in the surface soil of three British Columbia cities. The lead accumulations were largely attributed to dustfall from a nearby large lead-zinc smelter in Trail and to automotive traffic in Nelson and Vancouver. Although the mean concentrations of lead in the soil were relatively low at Nelson (192 parts per million [ppm]), in selected areas of Vancouver with heavy traffic they were similar to those found within 1.6 km of the large smelter at Trail (1545 and 1662 ppm respectively). In a study conducted in 1975, children aged 1 to 6 years in Trail and Nelson were found to have higher mean blood lead levels than grade nine students. The findings of the later study support the view that particulate lead in surface soil and dust accounted for most of the greater lead absorption in the younger children.

Full text

PDF
1476

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Angle C. R., McIntire M. S., Vest G. Blood lead of Omaha school children--topographic correlation with industry, traffic and housing. Nebr Med J. 1975 Apr;60(4):97–102. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baker E. L., Jr, Hayes C. G., Landrigan P. J., Handke J. L., Leger R. T., Housworth W. J., Harrington J. M. A nationwide survey of heavy metal absorption in children living near primary copper, lead, and zinc smelters. Am J Epidemiol. 1977 Oct;106(4):261–273. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a112462. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Darrow D. K., Schroeder H. A. Childhood exposure to environmental lead. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1974;48(0):425–445. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4684-0943-7_20. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Guinee V. F. Lead poisoning. Am J Med. 1972 Mar;52(3):283–288. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(72)90015-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. LaPorte R. E., Talbott E. E. Effects of low levels of lead exposure on cognitive function--a review. Arch Environ Health. 1978 Sep-Oct;33(5):236–239. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1978.10667341. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Landrigan P. J., Gehlbach S. H., Rosenblum B. F., Shoults J. M., Candelaria R. M., Barthel W. F., Liddle J. A., Smrek A. L., Staehling N. W., Sanders J. F. Epidemic lead absorption near an ore smelter. The role of particulate lead. N Engl J Med. 1975 Jan 16;292(3):123–129. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197501162920302. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Lepow M. L., Bruckman L., Rubino R. A., Markowtiz S., Gillette M., Kapish J. Role of airborne lead in increased body burden of lead in Hartford children. Environ Health Perspect. 1974 May;7:99–102. doi: 10.1289/ehp.74799. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Lin-Fu J. S. Undue absorption of lead among children--a new look at an old problem. N Engl J Med. 1972 Mar 30;286(13):702–710. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197203302861306. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Needleman H. L., Gunnoe C., Leviton A., Reed R., Peresie H., Maher C., Barrett P. Deficits in psychologic and classroom performance of children with elevated dentine lead levels. N Engl J Med. 1979 Mar 29;300(13):689–695. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197903293001301. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Roberts T. M., Hutchinson T. C., Paciga J., Chattopadhyay A., Jervis R. E., VanLoon J., Parkinson D. K. Lead contamination around secondary smelters: estimation of dispersal and accumulation by humans. Science. 1974 Dec 20;186(4169):1120–1123. doi: 10.1126/science.186.4169.1120. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Roels H. A., Buchet J. P., Lauwerys R., Bruaux P., Claeys-Thoreau F., Lafontaine A., van Overschelde J., Verduyn G. Lead and cadmium absorption among children near a nonferrous metal plant: a follow-up study of a test case. Environ Res. 1978 Apr;15(2):290–308. doi: 10.1016/0013-9351(78)90105-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Sayre J. W., Charney E., Vostal J., Pless I. B. House and hand dust as a potential source of childhood lead exposure. Am J Dis Child. 1974 Feb;127(2):167–170. doi: 10.1001/archpedi.1974.02110210017002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Schmitt N., Brown G., Devlin E. L., Larsen A. A., Saville J. M., McCausland E. D. Lead poisoning in horses. An environmental health hazard. Arch Environ Health. 1971 Sep;23(3):185–195. doi: 10.1080/00039896.1971.10665984. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Yu W. L., Vislay S. A., Edwards R. E. Is airborne lead from combustion of leaded gasoline a possible health hazard? Observations on 277 Fontana (California) area residents. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 1977 Sep;16(9):791–794. doi: 10.1177/000992287701600908. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Medical Association Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Medical Association

RESOURCES