Department of Morphology, Estomatology and Physiology, Dental School of Ribeirao Preto, University of Sao Paulo - FORP/USP, Av. do Café, Ribeirao Preto-SP, Brazil.
Sci Total Environ. 2010 Mar 1;408(7):1551-6. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.12.034. Epub 2010 Jan 12.
With increasing evidence of adverse health effects of lower lead levels (below 10microg/dL in whole blood), studies on novel internal dose biomarkers are needed. This study aimed at: (1) assessing the lead exposure by measuring this element in whole blood (Pb-blood), serum (Pb-serum), and 3 different types of saliva: whole (Pb-whole-saliva), submandibular/sublingual (Pb-sub-saliva) and parotid saliva (Pb-parotid-saliva); (2) correlating Pb-blood with Pb-serum; and (3) relating Pb-blood and Pb-serum with the lead found in the different salivas. The study population included 444 children aged 6 to 8 years attending 4 government schools in the district of Campos Eliseos, in Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Whole blood, serum, parotid, submandibular/sublingual ("sub-saliva"), and whole saliva were collected in trace element-free tubes. Lead concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Median Pb-blood and Pb-serum were 2.1microg/dL and 0.4microg/L, respectively. Ten percent of the children had Pb-blood between 4.0 and 9.4microg/dL. Boys showed higher Pb-blood than girls (2.3 vs. 2.0microg/dL, p<0.0003). Lead concentrations in whole, sub, and parotid saliva were 1.7, 1.4, and 1.3microg/L, respectively. No significant correlations were found between Pb-blood and Pb-serum, between Pb-blood and lead in the 3 different salivas, or between Pb-serum and Pb-whole-saliva or Pb-sub-saliva. However, there was a weak statistically significant correlation between Pb-serum and Pb-parotid-saliva. In conclusion, the mean Pb-blood concentration was 2.4microg/dL, with 10% of the children exhibiting Pb-blood between 4.0 and 9.4microg/dL. Boys presented higher Pb-blood. Results suggest that Pb-blood has no correlation with Pb-serum or lead in the 3 different salivas collected here. A weak but statistically significant correlation between Pb-serum and Pb-parotid-saliva was found. Our results also point to the need for carrying out more studies on sources of exposure and lead levels in children in Brazil.
越来越多的证据表明，较低的铅水平（全血中低于 10μg/dL）对健康有不良影响，因此需要研究新型内剂量生物标志物。本研究旨在：（1）通过测量全血（Pb-blood）、血清（Pb-serum）和 3 种不同类型唾液中的铅元素（全唾液中的 Pb-whole-saliva、颌下/舌下唾液中的 Pb-sub-saliva 和腮腺唾液中的 Pb-parotid-saliva）来评估铅暴露情况；（2）比较 Pb-blood 与 Pb-serum；（3）比较 Pb-blood 和 Pb-serum 与不同唾液中的铅含量的相关性。研究人群包括巴西圣保罗州里贝朗普雷图市坎波斯埃利斯区 4 所政府学校的 444 名 6 至 8 岁的儿童。采集微量元素管中的全血、血清、腮腺、颌下/舌下（“sub-saliva”）和全唾液。采用电感耦合等离子体质谱法（ICP-MS）测定铅浓度。Pb-blood 和 Pb-serum 的中位数分别为 2.1μg/dL 和 0.4μg/L。10%的儿童 Pb-blood 在 4.0 至 9.4μg/dL 之间。男孩的 Pb-blood 高于女孩（2.3 比 2.0μg/dL，p<0.0003）。全唾液、颌下/舌下唾液和腮腺唾液中的铅浓度分别为 1.7μg/L、1.4μg/L 和 1.3μg/L。Pb-blood 与 Pb-serum、Pb-blood 与 3 种不同唾液中的铅含量、Pb-serum 与 Pb-whole-saliva 或 Pb-sub-saliva 之间均无显著相关性。然而，Pb-serum 与 Pb-parotid-saliva 之间存在弱的统计学显著相关性。总之，平均 Pb-blood 浓度为 2.4μg/dL，10%的儿童 Pb-blood 在 4.0 至 9.4μg/dL 之间。男孩的 Pb-blood 较高。结果表明，Pb-blood 与这里采集的 Pb-serum 或 3 种不同唾液中的铅含量无相关性。Pb-serum 与 Pb-parotid-saliva 之间存在弱但统计学显著的相关性。我们的研究结果还表明，需要在巴西儿童中开展更多关于暴露源和铅水平的研究。
