Nash Emily, Lu Yi, Bose-O'Reilly Stephan, Chandan Ambrish Kumar, Nambiar Lavanya, Kushwaha Meenakshi, Moonga Given, Binkhorst Gordon, Bhaskar Kumar, Malik Promila Sharma, Mehta Sumi, Ghosh Ashok Kumar, Kumar Arun, Ali Mohammad, Srivastava Abhinav, Sanchez Ibarra Gabriel, Kass Daniel
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Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Jul 29;197(8):967. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-14396-6.
More than 275 million children in India have elevated blood lead levels (BLLs). Previous studies in India have focused on children living in highly polluted areas. In addition to industrial sites, children are exposed to lead in their homes. The study aims to identify sources of lead exposure in a sample of children living in Bihar by assessing lead levels in the children's homes and products and their association with blood lead levels (BLLs). The study used a subset of a statewide BLL study in Bihar, India. From the larger sample, 150 children were selected, including those with a BLL ≥ 20 µg/dL and a random sample of those below this level. Blood samples from children aged 13 to 60 months were analyzed using the LeadCare II analyzer. A home-based assessment (HBA) was conducted to evaluate lead in soil, drinking water, paint, metal and ceramic cookware, spices, cosmetics, and toys. Lead levels were determined using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer and laboratory-based analyses. HBA results were compared with local and international limits. Sampling revealed elevated lead levels in metal foodware and spices. After adjustment, the odds of elevated BLL were associated with lead content in spices only (aOR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.17, 1.58). Elevated lead levels in spices and metal foodware are common in Bihar, India. To protect children's health, measures are needed to reduce lead exposure, including enforcing regulations on lead content in spices, implementing policies, and monitoring metal foodware items, as well as building public awareness.
印度有超过2.75亿儿童的血铅水平升高。印度此前的研究主要集中在生活在高污染地区的儿童身上。除了工业场所，儿童在家中也会接触到铅。该研究旨在通过评估儿童家中和产品中的铅含量及其与血铅水平的关联，确定比哈尔邦一部分儿童的铅暴露来源。该研究使用了印度比哈尔邦一项全州范围血铅水平研究的一个子集。从更大的样本中，选取了150名儿童，包括血铅水平≥20µg/dL的儿童以及该水平以下的随机样本。使用LeadCare II分析仪对13至60个月大儿童的血样进行分析。开展了一项家庭评估（HBA），以评估土壤、饮用水、油漆、金属和陶瓷炊具、香料、化妆品及玩具中的铅含量。使用便携式X射线荧光分析仪和基于实验室的分析方法测定铅含量。将家庭评估结果与当地和国际限值进行比较。抽样显示金属餐具和香料中的铅含量升高。调整后，血铅水平升高的几率仅与香料中的铅含量有关（调整后比值比=1.35，95％置信区间1.17，1.58）。在印度比哈尔邦，香料和金属餐具中铅含量升高的情况很常见。为保护儿童健康，需要采取措施减少铅暴露，包括加强对香料中铅含量的监管、实施相关政策、监测金属餐具，以及提高公众意识。
