Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

A REGIONAL COMPARISON OF CHILDREN’S BLOOD CADMIUM, LEAD, AND MERCURY IN RURAL, URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS OF SIX EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, AND CHINA, ECUADOR, AND MOROCCO

Hrubá, Františka ; Černá, Milena ; Chen, Chunying ; Harari, Florencia ; Horvat, Milena ; Koppová, Kvetoslava ; Krsková, Andrea ; Laamech, Jawhar ; Li, Yu Feng and Löfmark, Lina LU , et al. (2023) In International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 36(3). p.349-364
Abstract

Objectives: The authors aimed to evaluate whether blood cadmium (B-Cd), lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hg) in children differ regionally in 9 countries, and to identify factors correlating with exposure. Material and Methods: The authors performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 7–14 years, living in 2007–2008 in urban, rural, or potentially polluted (“hot spot”) areas (ca. 50 children from each area, in total 1363 children) in 6 European and 3 non-European countries. The authors analyzed Cd, Pb, and total Hg in blood and collected information on potential determinants of exposure through questionnaires. Regional differences in exposure levels were assessed within each country. Results: Children living near industrial “hot-spots”... (More)

Objectives: The authors aimed to evaluate whether blood cadmium (B-Cd), lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hg) in children differ regionally in 9 countries, and to identify factors correlating with exposure. Material and Methods: The authors performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 7–14 years, living in 2007–2008 in urban, rural, or potentially polluted (“hot spot”) areas (ca. 50 children from each area, in total 1363 children) in 6 European and 3 non-European countries. The authors analyzed Cd, Pb, and total Hg in blood and collected information on potential determinants of exposure through questionnaires. Regional differences in exposure levels were assessed within each country. Results: Children living near industrial “hot-spots” had B-Cd 1.6 (95% CI: 1.4–1.9) times higher in the Czech Republic and 2.1 (95% CI:1.6–2.8) times higher in Poland, as compared to urban children in the same countries (geometric means [GM]: 0.13 µg/l and 0.15 µg/l, respectively). Correspondingly, B-Pb in the “hot spot” areas was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.6–2.1) times higher than in urban areas in Slovakia and 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9–2.7) times higher in Poland (urban GM: 19.4 µg/l and 16.3 µg/l, respectively). In China and Morocco, rural children had significantly lower B-Pb than urban ones (urban GM: 64 µg/l and 71 µg/l, respectively), suggesting urban exposure from leaded petrol, water pipes and/or coal-burning. Hg “hot spot” areas in China had B-Hg 3.1 (95% CI: 2.7–3.5) times higher, and Ecuador 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2–1.9) times higher, as compared to urban areas (urban GM: 2.45 µg/l and 3.23 µg/l, respectively). Besides industrial exposure, traffic correlated with B-Cd; male sex, environmental tobacco smoke, and offal consumption with B-Pb; and fish consumption and amalgam fillings with B-Hg. However, these correlations could only marginally explain regional differences. Conclusions: These mainly European results indicate that some children experience about doubled exposures to toxic elements just because of where they live. These exposures are unsafe, identifiable, and preventable and therefore call for preventive actions.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and , et al. (More)
; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and (Less)
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
biological monitoring, cadmium, child, environmental pollutants, lead, mercury
in
International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
volume
36
issue
3
pages
16 pages
publisher
NIOC Health Organization
external identifiers
  • pmid:37681424
  • scopus:85170188858
ISSN
2008-6520
DOI
10.13075/ijomeh.1896.02139
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
859cb26e-dc47-4cf6-a6f0-88674eea7636
date added to LUP
2023-10-25 15:18:06
date last changed
2024-04-19 02:53:42
@article{859cb26e-dc47-4cf6-a6f0-88674eea7636,
  abstract     = {{<p>Objectives: The authors aimed to evaluate whether blood cadmium (B-Cd), lead (B-Pb) and mercury (B-Hg) in children differ regionally in 9 countries, and to identify factors correlating with exposure. Material and Methods: The authors performed a cross-sectional study of children aged 7–14 years, living in 2007–2008 in urban, rural, or potentially polluted (“hot spot”) areas (ca. 50 children from each area, in total 1363 children) in 6 European and 3 non-European countries. The authors analyzed Cd, Pb, and total Hg in blood and collected information on potential determinants of exposure through questionnaires. Regional differences in exposure levels were assessed within each country. Results: Children living near industrial “hot-spots” had B-Cd 1.6 (95% CI: 1.4–1.9) times higher in the Czech Republic and 2.1 (95% CI:1.6–2.8) times higher in Poland, as compared to urban children in the same countries (geometric means [GM]: 0.13 µg/l and 0.15 µg/l, respectively). Correspondingly, B-Pb in the “hot spot” areas was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.6–2.1) times higher than in urban areas in Slovakia and 2.3 (95% CI: 1.9–2.7) times higher in Poland (urban GM: 19.4 µg/l and 16.3 µg/l, respectively). In China and Morocco, rural children had significantly lower B-Pb than urban ones (urban GM: 64 µg/l and 71 µg/l, respectively), suggesting urban exposure from leaded petrol, water pipes and/or coal-burning. Hg “hot spot” areas in China had B-Hg 3.1 (95% CI: 2.7–3.5) times higher, and Ecuador 1.5 (95% CI: 1.2–1.9) times higher, as compared to urban areas (urban GM: 2.45 µg/l and 3.23 µg/l, respectively). Besides industrial exposure, traffic correlated with B-Cd; male sex, environmental tobacco smoke, and offal consumption with B-Pb; and fish consumption and amalgam fillings with B-Hg. However, these correlations could only marginally explain regional differences. Conclusions: These mainly European results indicate that some children experience about doubled exposures to toxic elements just because of where they live. These exposures are unsafe, identifiable, and preventable and therefore call for preventive actions.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hrubá, Františka and Černá, Milena and Chen, Chunying and Harari, Florencia and Horvat, Milena and Koppová, Kvetoslava and Krsková, Andrea and Laamech, Jawhar and Li, Yu Feng and Löfmark, Lina and Lundh, Thomas and Lyoussi, Badiaa and Mazej, Darja and Osredkar, Joško and Pawlas, Krystyna and Pawlas, Natalia and Prokopowicz, Adam and Rentschler, Gerda and Tratnik, Janja Snoj and Sommar, Johan and Spěváčková, Věra and Špirić, Zdravko and Skerfving, Staffan and Bergdahl, Ingvar A.}},
  issn         = {{2008-6520}},
  keywords     = {{biological monitoring; cadmium; child; environmental pollutants; lead; mercury}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{349--364}},
  publisher    = {{NIOC Health Organization}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine}},
  title        = {{A REGIONAL COMPARISON OF CHILDREN’S BLOOD CADMIUM, LEAD, AND MERCURY IN RURAL, URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS OF SIX EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, AND CHINA, ECUADOR, AND MOROCCO}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.13075/ijomeh.1896.02139}},
  doi          = {{10.13075/ijomeh.1896.02139}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}