| Identification of Sources of Lead in Children in a Primary Zinc-Lead Smelter Environment Brian L. Gulson,1,2 Karen J. Mizon,1 Jeff D. Davis,2 Jacqueline M. Palmer,2 and Graham Vimpani3 1Graduate School of the Environment, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; 2Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation/Exploration and Mining, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia; 3Hunter Area Health Service, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia Abstract
We compared high-precision lead isotopic ratios in deciduous teeth and environmental samples to evaluate sources of lead in 10 children from six houses in a primary zinc-lead smelter community at North Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia. Teeth were sectioned to allow identification of lead exposure in utero and in early childhood. Blood lead levels in the children ranged from 10 to 42 µg/dL and remained elevated for a number of years. For most children, only a small contribution to tooth lead can be attributed to gasoline and paint sources. In one child with a blood lead concentration of 19.7 µg/dL, paint could account for about 45% of lead in her blood. Comparison of isotopic ratios of tooth lead levels with those from vacuum cleaner dust, dust-fall accumulation, surface wipes, ceiling (attic) dust, and an estimation of the smelter emissions indicates that from approximately 55 to 100% of lead could be derived from the smelter. For a blood sample from another child, > 90% of lead could be derived from the smelter. We found varying amounts of in utero-derived lead in the teeth. Despite the contaminated environment and high blood lead concentrations in the children, the levels of lead in the teeth are surprisingly low compared with those measured in children from other lead mining and smelting communities. Key words: children, environmental samples, isotopes, lead, smelter, teeth. Environ Health Perspect 112:52-60 (2004) . doi:10.1289/ehp.6465 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 25 September 2003]
Address correspondence to B.L. Gulson, Graduate School of the Environment, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, Sydney NSW 2109 Australia. Telephone: 61-2-9850-7983. Fax: 61-2-9850-7972. E-mail: bgulson@gse.mq.edu.au We thank M. Korsch for maintaining the mass spectrometers in peak condition and for software development ; the families who participated in this study ; T. Gordon for her tireless efforts to assist the families ; J. James for supplying samples from house 1 ; J. Sullivan from Lake Macquarie Council for supplying the 1998 slag samples ; E. O'Brien and T. Gordon for arranging some contacts with families ; A. Morrison for some sample collection, redrawing of Figure 1, and critical reading of the draft manuscript ; and the EHP reviewers for constructive comments. The authors declare they have no competing financial interests. Received 15 May 2003 ; accepted 24 September 2003.
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