Bergomi M, Borella P, Fantuzzi G
Ann Ig. 1989 Sep-Oct;1(5):1185-96.
There is a general agreement that children are a population at increased risk with respect to lead and cadmium exposure and to adverse health effects resulting from increased exposure. Different biological indicators such as blood hair and teeth have been used to evaluate lead and cadmium exposure in humans. However, up to date, it has not been established which is the best indicator to provide an assessment of internal exposure. The aim of the present study was to examine the levels of lead and cadmium in hair, blood and teeth of children living from birth in an industrialized area near Modena. The relationship between these indicators of exposure and children characteristics such as sex, weight, height, blood pressure and smoking habits of parents was also examined. 142 children (71 males and 71 females) representing 20.8% of those aged 6-7 years living in Sassuolo (Modena) have been included in the study. The geometric means of lead in blood, hair and teeth were 11.2 micrograms/dl, 7.24 micrograms/g and 6.16 micrograms/g, respectively. Hair lead were significantly related to both blood and teeth values (r = 0.226, p = 0.007 and r = 0.186, p = 0.027, respectively). Mean cadmium concentrations were 0.47 mu/l in blood, 0.17 micrograms/g in hair and 47.9 ng/g in teeth and no significant correlation was observed between the three biological matrixes examined. Significant correlations were found between lead and cadmium in both hair (r = 0.427, p = 0.000) and teeth (r = 0.224, p = 0.007). In addition, for lead content in teeth, a significant difference between boys and girls was observed; females showed higher values than males (6.77 micrograms/g vs 5.61 micrograms/g; t = 2.23 p = 0.028). Taking into account the individual characteristics of children, a negative relationship was found between Pb levels in teeth and height (r = -0.217, p = 0.024). Systolic blood pressure values were positively associated to cadmium hair levels in males but not in females (r = 0.281; p = 0.053). From the results of the present study it appears that blood, hair and teeth provide different information to predict lead and cadmium exposure of children. Hair seem to be a useful global indicator of total environmental pollution.
人们普遍认为，儿童是铅和镉暴露风险增加的人群，且暴露增加会导致不良健康影响。不同的生物指标如血液、头发和牙齿已被用于评估人类的铅和镉暴露情况。然而，迄今为止，尚未确定哪种指标是评估体内暴露的最佳指标。本研究的目的是检测出生后居住在摩德纳附近工业化地区的儿童头发、血液和牙齿中的铅和镉水平。还研究了这些暴露指标与儿童特征（如性别、体重、身高、血压和父母吸烟习惯）之间的关系。本研究纳入了142名儿童（71名男性和71名女性），占居住在萨索洛（摩德纳）6 - 7岁儿童的20.8%。血液、头发和牙齿中铅的几何平均值分别为11.2微克/分升、7.24微克/克和6.16微克/克。头发中的铅与血液和牙齿中的铅值均显著相关（分别为r = 0.226，p = 0.007和r = 0.186，p = 0.027）。血液中镉的平均浓度为0.47微升/升，头发中为0.17微克/克，牙齿中为47.9纳克/克，在所检测的三种生物基质之间未观察到显著相关性。在头发（r = 0.427，p = 0.000）和牙齿（r = 0.224，p = 0.007）中均发现铅和镉之间存在显著相关性。此外，对于牙齿中的铅含量，观察到男孩和女孩之间存在显著差异；女性的值高于男性（6.77微克/克对5.61微克/克；t = 2.23，p = 0.028）。考虑到儿童的个体特征，牙齿中的铅水平与身高之间呈负相关（r = -0.217，p = 0.024）。收缩压值与男性头发中的镉水平呈正相关，但与女性无关（r = 0.281；p = 0.053）。从本研究结果来看，血液、头发和牙齿为预测儿童铅和镉暴露提供了不同的信息。头发似乎是环境污染总量的一个有用的总体指标。
