[Lead intake from drinking water in the city of Vienna].

Daily lead intake from drinking water was estimated on the basis of lead concentrations in running and boiled drinking water samples of 42 Viennese households and reported drinking water consumption of adults living in those households. Lead concentration (means, SD, median) in running water samples (15.3 (37.9) micrograms Pb/l, median 6.3) was significantly higher (p less than 0.005) than in boiled water samples (6.4 (11.1) micrograms Pb/l, median 4.1). The highest lead concentrations in running water samples were found in houses built before 1945. Reported drinking water consumption was 1306 (576) ml/day (median 1242); more than 70% of drinking water was consumed at home. Calculated lead intake from drinking water in Vienna was 11.8 (22) micrograms Pb/day (median 5.2). Lead intake from drinking water was highest (19.5 (31.3) micrograms Pb/day, median 7.3) in houses built before 1945. Lead intake with food was calculated using published data on lead concentrations in food items and on food intake and data from the present study. Calculated average lead intake with food (206 micrograms Pb daily) was far below the estimated safe lead intake proposed by WHO 1972. We conclude that lead intake from drinking water in Vienna is low in most households. However, lead intake may be close to toxic levels if persons living in houses built before 1945 are consuming extremely large amounts of drinking water.