Zejda J E, Sokal A, Grabecki J, Panasiuk Z, Jarkowski M, Skiba M
Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, Sosnowiec, Poland.
Cent Eur J Public Health. 1995 May;3(2):92-6.
Upper Silesian Industrial Zone (Katowice Voivodship, Poland), the country most industrialized and densely populated region is well recognized for the magnitude of environmental problems. Due to local lead mining and processing environmental exposure to lead is considered one of the most important hazards to the health of children. In the past, clinically confirmed cases of lead intoxication in children have been found and recent blood lead monitoring in major point source impact areas have documented increased blood lead concentration in children. However, much less is known about blood lead concentrations in general population of children who are exposed to increased levels of lead in ambient and soil. The study was undertaken in order to estimate the mean blood lead concentration (PbB) and its range in children aged seven years residing in urban non-point source impact area of Katowice Voivodship, and to examine potential determinants of increased blood lead concentration in these children. In a systematic sample of 431 children aged 7 years (208 girls and 223 boys), living in two large cities in the centre of Upper Silesian Industrial Zone the geometric mean and standard deviation of PbB was 7.94 +/- 1.48 micrograms/dl (range 4.0-38.0 micrograms/dl) and did not depend on sex or the city of residence. PbB equal to or larger than 15 micrograms/dl was found in 8.1% of children and PbB equal to or larger than 10 micrograms/dl in 27.4% of children. Blood lead concentration was associated with a number of factors that could be classified as family factors, housing and environmental factors. The identified risk factors add credibility to suggested directions of preventive measures that should extend beyond already implemented lead emission control in the industry and involve increased use of unleaded gasoline, upgrading of housing conditions and promotion of proper hygienic standards on a household level. The findings of the study indicate that children living in urban area of Upper Silesian Industrial Zone are at risk of overexposure to lead in environment, and justify the implementation of population-based screening program targeting children in younger age groups in the region.
上西里西亚工业区（波兰卡托维兹省）是该国工业化程度最高且人口最密集的地区，其环境问题的严重程度广为人知。由于当地的铅矿开采和加工，儿童面临的铅环境暴露被认为是对其健康最重要的危害之一。过去，已发现临床确诊的儿童铅中毒病例，近期在主要点源影响区域进行的血铅监测也记录了儿童血铅浓度的升高。然而，对于在环境和土壤中铅暴露水平升高的儿童总体人群的血铅浓度，人们了解得要少得多。开展这项研究是为了估算居住在卡托维兹省城市非点源影响区域的7岁儿童的平均血铅浓度（PbB）及其范围，并探究这些儿童血铅浓度升高的潜在决定因素。在对上西里西亚工业区中心两个大城市的431名7岁儿童（208名女孩和223名男孩）进行的系统抽样中，PbB的几何平均值和标准差为7.94 +/- 1.48微克/分升（范围为4.0 - 38.0微克/分升），且不取决于性别或居住城市。在8.1%的儿童中发现PbB等于或大于15微克/分升，在27.4%的儿童中发现PbB等于或大于10微克/分升。血铅浓度与许多可归类为家庭因素、住房和环境因素的因素相关。所确定的风险因素为建议的预防措施方向增添了可信度，这些措施应超越行业内已实施的铅排放控制，包括增加无铅汽油的使用、改善住房条件以及在家庭层面推广适当的卫生标准。该研究结果表明，居住在上西里西亚工业区城市地区的儿童面临环境铅暴露过量的风险，并证明有必要针对该地区较年轻年龄组的儿童实施基于人群的筛查计划。
