Fierens Sébastien, Rebolledo Javiera, Versporten Ann, Brits Ethel, Haufroid Vincent, De Plaen Pierre, Van Nieuwenhuyse An
Direction of Public Health and Surveillance, Health and Environment Service, Scientific Institute of Public Health (WIV-ISP), Brussels, Belgium.
Department of Clinical Biology, Laboratory of Industrial and Environmental Toxicology, University Hospital Saint-Luc, Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium.
Arch Public Health. 2016 Oct 3;74:42. doi: 10.1186/s13690-016-0154-8. eCollection 2016.
A previous study revealed an environmental contamination by heavy metals in the vicinity of two non-ferrous metal plants in Ath, Belgium. The purpose of the current cross-sectional study was to estimate exposure of the population to heavy metals in the vicinity of the plants, in comparison with population living further away.
We did a random sampling in the general population of Ath in two areas: a central area, including the plants, and a peripheral area, presumably less exposed. We quantified cadmium, lead, nickel, chromium and cobalt in blood and/or urine of children and adults in three age groups: (i) children aged 2.5 to 6 years ( = 98), (ii) children aged 7 to 11 years ( = 74), and (iii) adults aged 40 to 60 years ( = 106). We also studied subclinical health effects by quantifying retinol-binding protein and microalbuminuria, and by means of a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire.
We obtained a participation rate of 24 %. Blood lead levels were significantly higher in young children living in the central area (18.2 μg/l ; 95 % CI: 15.9-20.9) compared to the peripheral area (14.8 μg/l ; 95 % CI: 12.6-17.4). We observed no other significant mean difference in metal concentrations between the two areas. In the whole population, blood lead levels were higher in men (31.7 μg/l ; 95 % CI: 27.9-36.1) than in women (21.4 μg/l ; 95 % CI: 18.1-25.3). Urine cadmium levels were 0.06 μg/g creatinine (95 % CI: 0.05-0.07), 0.21 μg/g creatinine (95 % CI: 0.17-0.27), and 0.25 μg/g creatinine (95 % CI: 0.20-0.30) for children, men, and women, respectively.
Despite higher blood lead levels in young children living close to the plants, observed metal concentrations remain in the range found in other similar biomonitoring studies in the general population and are below the levels of concern for public health.
先前的一项研究揭示了比利时阿特市两家有色金属工厂附近存在重金属环境污染。本横断面研究的目的是评估工厂附近人群与居住在较远地区人群相比的重金属暴露情况。
我们在阿特市的普通人群中进行了随机抽样，选取了两个区域：一个中心区域，包括工厂；另一个外围区域，推测暴露程度较低。我们对三个年龄组的儿童和成人的血液和/或尿液中的镉、铅、镍、铬和钴进行了定量分析：（i）2.5至6岁的儿童（n = 98），（ii）7至11岁的儿童（n = 74），以及（iii）40至60岁的成年人（n = 106）。我们还通过定量视黄醇结合蛋白和微量白蛋白尿以及使用长处和困难问卷来研究亚临床健康影响。
我们获得了24%的参与率。居住在中心区域的幼儿血铅水平（18.2μg/l；95%可信区间：15.9 - 20.9）显著高于外围区域（14.8μg/l；95%可信区间：12.6 - 17.4）。我们在两个区域之间未观察到其他金属浓度的显著平均差异。在整个人口中，男性的血铅水平（31.7μg/l；95%可信区间：27.9 - 36.1）高于女性（21.4μg/l；95%可信区间：18.1 - 25.3）。儿童、男性和女性的尿镉水平分别为0.06μg/g肌酐（95%可信区间：0.05 - 0.07）、0.21μg/g肌酐（95%可信区间：0.17 - 0.27）和0.25μg/g肌酐（95%可信区间：0.20 - 0.30）。
尽管居住在工厂附近的幼儿血铅水平较高，但观察到的金属浓度仍在其他普通人群类似生物监测研究中发现的范围内，且低于公共卫生关注水平。
