Needleman H L
School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
Am J Public Health. 1989 May;79(5):643-5. doi: 10.2105/ajph.79.5.643.
Recent data have demonstrated health effects of lead in children at doses previously believed to be harmless. Data from epidemiological studies in many countries, and from experimental studies of animals given lead, demonstrate psychological impairment at blood lead concentrations of 0.5-0.7 mumol/L. Current estimates are that 17 per cent of American children (3-4 million) exceed the level of 0.7 mumol/L. Lead exposure is not a problem for urban poor children alone, but inner-city minorities have a higher rate of exposure. The overabundance of lead coexists in the same area with two serious shortages: affordable housing and jobs. It is argued that a program to train unemployed inner-city residents in safe de-leading, while expensive, makes hygienic, economic, and common sense.
最近的数据表明，以前认为无害剂量的铅对儿童健康也有影响。许多国家的流行病学研究数据以及给动物喂食铅的实验研究数据表明，血铅浓度在0.5 - 0.7微摩尔/升时会出现心理障碍。目前估计，17%的美国儿童（300 - 400万）血铅水平超过0.7微摩尔/升。铅暴露并非仅仅是城市贫困儿童面临的问题，城市中心区的少数族裔接触铅的比例更高。铅含量过高与同一地区的两个严重短缺现象并存：经济适用房和就业机会。有人认为，一项培训城市中心区失业居民进行安全除铅的计划虽然成本高昂，但却符合卫生、经济和常识。
