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Time trends in burdens of cadmium, lead, and mercury in the population of northern Sweden

Wennberg, M ; Lundh, Thomas LU ; Bergdahl, I A ; Hallmans, G ; Jansson, J H ; Stegmayr, B ; Custodio, Hipolito LU and Skerfving, Staffan LU (2006) In Environmental Research 100(3). p.330-338
Abstract
The time trends of exposure to heavy metals are not adequately known. This is a worldwide problem with regard to the basis for preventive actions and evaluation of their effects. This study addresses time trends for the three toxic elements cadmium (U), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb). Concentrations in erythrocytes (Ery) were determined in a subsample of the population-based MONICA surveys from 1990, 1994, and 1999 in a total of 600 men and women aged 25-74 years. The study took place in the two northernmost counties in Sweden. To assess the effect of changes in the environment, adjustments were made for life-style factors that are determinants of exposure. Annual decreases of 5-6% were seen for Ery-Pb levels (adjusted for age and changes in... (More)
The time trends of exposure to heavy metals are not adequately known. This is a worldwide problem with regard to the basis for preventive actions and evaluation of their effects. This study addresses time trends for the three toxic elements cadmium (U), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb). Concentrations in erythrocytes (Ery) were determined in a subsample of the population-based MONICA surveys from 1990, 1994, and 1999 in a total of 600 men and women aged 25-74 years. The study took place in the two northernmost counties in Sweden. To assess the effect of changes in the environment, adjustments were made for life-style factors that are determinants of exposure. Annual decreases of 5-6% were seen for Ery-Pb levels (adjusted for age and changes in alcohol intake) and Ery-Hg levels (adjusted for age and changes in fish intake). Ery-Cd levels (adjusted for age) showed a similar significant decrease in smoking men. It is concluded that for Pb and maybe also Hg the actions against pollution during recent decades have caused a rapid decrease of exposure; for Hg the decreased use of dental amalgam may also have had an influence. For Cd, the decline in Ery-Cd was seen only in smokers, indicating that Cd exposure from tobacco has decreased, while other environmental sources of Cd have not changed significantly. To further improve the health status in Sweden, it is important to decrease the pollution of Cd, and actions against smoking in the community are important. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
amalgam fillings, fish intake, smoking, heavy metals, erythrocytes
in
Environmental Research
volume
100
issue
3
pages
330 - 338
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:16221471
  • wos:000235702400004
  • scopus:32644432632
  • pmid:16221471
ISSN
1096-0953
DOI
10.1016/j.envres.2005.08.013
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0abdaf9f-98bd-496b-bb2c-0ce3e34a5146 (old id 416819)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:34:26
date last changed
2022-03-29 02:41:09
@article{0abdaf9f-98bd-496b-bb2c-0ce3e34a5146,
  abstract     = {{The time trends of exposure to heavy metals are not adequately known. This is a worldwide problem with regard to the basis for preventive actions and evaluation of their effects. This study addresses time trends for the three toxic elements cadmium (U), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb). Concentrations in erythrocytes (Ery) were determined in a subsample of the population-based MONICA surveys from 1990, 1994, and 1999 in a total of 600 men and women aged 25-74 years. The study took place in the two northernmost counties in Sweden. To assess the effect of changes in the environment, adjustments were made for life-style factors that are determinants of exposure. Annual decreases of 5-6% were seen for Ery-Pb levels (adjusted for age and changes in alcohol intake) and Ery-Hg levels (adjusted for age and changes in fish intake). Ery-Cd levels (adjusted for age) showed a similar significant decrease in smoking men. It is concluded that for Pb and maybe also Hg the actions against pollution during recent decades have caused a rapid decrease of exposure; for Hg the decreased use of dental amalgam may also have had an influence. For Cd, the decline in Ery-Cd was seen only in smokers, indicating that Cd exposure from tobacco has decreased, while other environmental sources of Cd have not changed significantly. To further improve the health status in Sweden, it is important to decrease the pollution of Cd, and actions against smoking in the community are important.}},
  author       = {{Wennberg, M and Lundh, Thomas and Bergdahl, I A and Hallmans, G and Jansson, J H and Stegmayr, B and Custodio, Hipolito and Skerfving, Staffan}},
  issn         = {{1096-0953}},
  keywords     = {{amalgam fillings; fish intake; smoking; heavy metals; erythrocytes}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{330--338}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Environmental Research}},
  title        = {{Time trends in burdens of cadmium, lead, and mercury in the population of northern Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2005.08.013}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.envres.2005.08.013}},
  volume       = {{100}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}