Blood lead levels in Dunedin 11 year old children.

Blood lead levels were determined for 579 eleven year old children. The range of blood lead levels was from 0.19 to 2.41 mumol/l with a geometric mean of 0.49 mumol/l (geometric SD 0.07) and an arithmetic mean of 0.54 mumol/l (arithmetic SD 0.24). Two children had levels above 1.45 mumol/l. There was no significant correlation between blood lead levels and socio-economic status. Ten children with elevated blood lead levels (greater than 1.11 mumol/l) were reassessed and the results from all but one child had returned to a lower level. In nine out of ten of these cases recent inside paint stripping activities had been carried out in the child's home.