[Decrease of blood lead in the Marche population, 1979-1989].

Blood lead concentration was measured from 1979 to 1989 in 1148 subjects (834 males and 314 females) living in Regione Marche of Italy. Blood concentration lowered in the time from 34.6 mcg/100ml in 1979 to 12.3 mcg/100ml in 1989. The greatest decrease was measured after 1982 and this appears to be related to the reduction, on the basis of CEE dispositions, of lead concentration in gasoline. Blood lead concentration was higher in males than in females (18.2 mcg/100ml vs 16.5 mcg/100ml) and in people living in the cities with more than 50.000 inhabitants (18.3 mcg/100ml). The smoking habit, the wine assumption and the use of canned foods do not influence blood lead concentration, which is instead increased in subjects which usually drink water drawn from artesian wells.