Determination of lead in the blood of children in the town of Berat, Albania.

Little is known about exposure to lead during childhood in Albania. An analytical survey was carried out in order to determine the levels of lead in blood (PbB) and associated risk factors for 107 inner-city, first-grade schoolchildren living in the town of Berat in Albania, where a plant producing lead-acid batteries exists. The analysis showed that 68% of the children examined had blood levels equal to or greater than 10 micrograms/dL. The mean concentration of lead in the blood of the children was 11.20 micrograms/dL. The influence of the sex and the age of the children, as well as the distance of their homes from the lead-acid battery plant, on the blood lead content was examined.