El Paso revisited. Epidemiologic follow-up of an environmental lead problem.

Increased lead absorption was found in 1972 in 56% of 256 children aged 1 to 18 years who lived within 1.6 km of a lead-emitting ore smeltery in El Paso, Tex. Engineering improvements have subsequently reduced emissions from the smeltery, and levels of lead in air, dust, and soil have declined. To evaluate the impact of these environmental improvements on lead absorption, we conducted a follow-up study in 1977 of blood lead levels in 140 children aged 1 through 18 years who lived within 1.6 km of the smeltery. Mean blood lead levels were found to have decreased from 41.4 to 17.7 microgram/dL in children living within 0.8 km of the plant and from 31.2 to 20.2 microgram/dL in children living at 0.8 to 1.6 km. These data argue for the feasibility of reducing children's lead absorption near primary lead smelteries.