Lead, cadmium, and mercury blood levels in schoolchildren in southern Sweden : Time trends over the last decades
Stajnko, Anja LU ; Lundh, Thomas LU ; Assarson, Eva ; Åkerberg Krook, Else LU and Broberg, Karin LU
(2024)
In Chemosphere
346.
- Abstract
To prevent diseases arising from exposure to toxic metals, more knowledge about their temporal changes is needed, especially in children, the most vulnerable group. This study follows temporal changes in blood lead (BPb), mercury (BHg) and cadmium (BCd) levels in schoolchildren (8–11 years old) from two cities in southern Sweden. One blood sample per 773 children was used for time trend analyses between 2007 and 2022. One further blood sample re-sampled after 2 years, were used to assess intra-individual time trends of BPb (n = 377), BCd (n = 102) and BHg (n = 53) between 1979 and 2019. Geometric mean (range) of BPb, BCd and BHg concentrations during 2007–2022 was 9.9 (2.3–59), 0.09 (0.03–0.34) and 0.73 (0.02–8.2) μg/L, respectively.... (More)
To prevent diseases arising from exposure to toxic metals, more knowledge about their temporal changes is needed, especially in children, the most vulnerable group. This study follows temporal changes in blood lead (BPb), mercury (BHg) and cadmium (BCd) levels in schoolchildren (8–11 years old) from two cities in southern Sweden. One blood sample per 773 children was used for time trend analyses between 2007 and 2022. One further blood sample re-sampled after 2 years, were used to assess intra-individual time trends of BPb (n = 377), BCd (n = 102) and BHg (n = 53) between 1979 and 2019. Geometric mean (range) of BPb, BCd and BHg concentrations during 2007–2022 was 9.9 (2.3–59), 0.09 (0.03–0.34) and 0.73 (0.02–8.2) μg/L, respectively. Living close to a Pb smelter resulted in higher levels of all three metals compared with living in the city or rural area. Annually, the concentrations clearly decreased for BPb (−4.9%, p < 0.001) and weakly for BCd (−0.6%, p = 0.013), while BHg slightly increased (+1.4%, p = 0.029). When stratified by residential area, the decrease of BCd and increase of BHg were significant only in the urban area (−1.8% and +2.8%, respectively; p < 0.01). The BPb decrease rate was the highest in the urban area followed by the rural and Pb smelter areas (−5.8% > -4.5% > -3.9%; p < 0.001). For children re-analysed during 1979–2019, a significant decrease was observed only for BPb (−6.8%; p < 0.001), with a 2% higher decrease rate in the period before than after the Pb-gasoline ban in 1994. The preventive measures against Pb pollution are reflected in the constant decrease of BPb levels over time. However, the area close to a Pb smelter, as indicated by a slower Pb decrease rate, might need further and stricter preventive measures. Exposure to Hg and Cd was low, however, the slight increase in BHg and only a minor decrease in BCd, indicate the need for continuous biomonitoring of children.
(Less)
- author
- Stajnko, Anja
LU
; Lundh, Thomas
LU
; Assarson, Eva
; Åkerberg Krook, Else
LU
and Broberg, Karin
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2024
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Biomonitoring, Blood, Children, Exposure, Time trend, Toxic metal
- in
- Chemosphere
- volume
- 346
- article number
- 140562
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:38303383
- scopus:85175712922
- ISSN
- 0045-6535
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140562
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 08341dd6-b6b1-4794-bf85-abc24273a519
- date added to LUP
- 2023-11-23 11:33:08
- date last changed
- 2024-04-20 15:00:12
@article{08341dd6-b6b1-4794-bf85-abc24273a519,
abstract = {{<p>To prevent diseases arising from exposure to toxic metals, more knowledge about their temporal changes is needed, especially in children, the most vulnerable group. This study follows temporal changes in blood lead (BPb), mercury (BHg) and cadmium (BCd) levels in schoolchildren (8–11 years old) from two cities in southern Sweden. One blood sample per 773 children was used for time trend analyses between 2007 and 2022. One further blood sample re-sampled after 2 years, were used to assess intra-individual time trends of BPb (n = 377), BCd (n = 102) and BHg (n = 53) between 1979 and 2019. Geometric mean (range) of BPb, BCd and BHg concentrations during 2007–2022 was 9.9 (2.3–59), 0.09 (0.03–0.34) and 0.73 (0.02–8.2) μg/L, respectively. Living close to a Pb smelter resulted in higher levels of all three metals compared with living in the city or rural area. Annually, the concentrations clearly decreased for BPb (−4.9%, p < 0.001) and weakly for BCd (−0.6%, p = 0.013), while BHg slightly increased (+1.4%, p = 0.029). When stratified by residential area, the decrease of BCd and increase of BHg were significant only in the urban area (−1.8% and +2.8%, respectively; p < 0.01). The BPb decrease rate was the highest in the urban area followed by the rural and Pb smelter areas (−5.8% > -4.5% > -3.9%; p < 0.001). For children re-analysed during 1979–2019, a significant decrease was observed only for BPb (−6.8%; p < 0.001), with a 2% higher decrease rate in the period before than after the Pb-gasoline ban in 1994. The preventive measures against Pb pollution are reflected in the constant decrease of BPb levels over time. However, the area close to a Pb smelter, as indicated by a slower Pb decrease rate, might need further and stricter preventive measures. Exposure to Hg and Cd was low, however, the slight increase in BHg and only a minor decrease in BCd, indicate the need for continuous biomonitoring of children.</p>}},
author = {{Stajnko, Anja and Lundh, Thomas and Assarson, Eva and Åkerberg Krook, Else and Broberg, Karin}},
issn = {{0045-6535}},
keywords = {{Biomonitoring; Blood; Children; Exposure; Time trend; Toxic metal}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Chemosphere}},
title = {{Lead, cadmium, and mercury blood levels in schoolchildren in southern Sweden : Time trends over the last decades}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140562}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140562}},
volume = {{346}},
year = {{2024}},
}