Calibration ; Chemistry Techniques, Analytical ; methods ; Humans ; Lead ; blood

OBJECTIVETo use the data of occupational epidemiology to estimate the benchmark dose (BMD) of renal dysfunction induced by lead.

METHODSBlood lead was considered as an exposure biomarker, while urinary total protein (TP), urinary beta(2)-microglobulin (beta(2)-MG) and urinary N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were considered as effect biomarkers reflecting the damage of renal function. The dichotomized (binary) data was used as effect endpoints. The BMD and BMD lower limit (BMDL) of blood lead were estimated at the 10% benchmark response using BMDS version 1.3.1.

RESULTSThere was an increased prevalence of hyper-TP-uria, hyper-beta(2)-MG-uria and hyper-NAG-uria with an increasing blood lead concentration. There was obviously dose-response relationship between blood lead and TP, beta(2)-MG and NAG, respectively. The BMD and BMDL of blood lead affecting renal function were estimated to be 323.6 - 754.3 microg/L and 274.2 - 541.5 microg/L. The BMDL of blood lead was ranged from low to high as NAG, TP and beta(2)-MG. The urinary NAG activity might be served as a sensitive biomarker in detecting early renal dysfunction.

CONCLUSIONIt should be feasible to use the BMD approach to set up the reference dose (RfD) and reference concentration (RfC). BMD approach might provide a new and better way for setting up the RfD/RfC.

Acetylglucosaminidase ; urine ; China ; epidemiology ; Clinical Chemistry Tests ; methods ; standards ; Humans ; Lead ; blood ; Lead Poisoning ; blood ; epidemiology ; urine ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; Prevalence ; Proteinuria ; urine ; beta 2-Microglobulin ; urine

OBJECTIVETo understand the correlation of blood lead levels in infant, in maternal blood and in breast milk as to providing evidence for prevention of potential infant hazard from lead.

METHODSLead levels were measured by using graphite stove atom absorption spectrographic methods in maternal breast milk, maternal blood and infant blood in infants aged 0 to 11 months and their mothers between November and December 2002 in Xiamen City. Blood samples were collected from both mother and infant's fingertips. Questionnaires were also used to collect information about childbirth, mothers, families and other related environmental factors.

RESULTSAll 177 infants and their mothers were enrolled in the study. Infant blood lead levels reached a range from 0.12 micromol/L to 1.36 micromol/L, with a geometric mean (GM) of 0.37 micromol/L. There were 46 infants (21.64%) having blood lead levels over 0.48 micromol/L. And the maternal blood lead levels ranged from 0.21 micromol/L to 2.38 micromol/L (GM = 0.50 micromol/L). Among the 177 infants, 160 (93.8%) were breastfed; breast milk was collected from 105 (63.3%) of these mothers. Infant blood lead level was significantly correlated with the levels of maternal blood lead and breast milk lead, which indicated that maternal blood lead level might influence the infant blood lead levels through the breast milk. Blood lead levels in infants living in old business district and the breast milk lead levels of their mothers were higher than those in any other areas (P < 0.01); partial correlation analysis showed that infant blood lead levels were positively associated with the maternal blood lead level, infant's age and mother's work, and negatively associated with mother's height.

CONCLUSIONThe infant blood lead levels should not only relate to the maternal blood lead and the breast milk lead levels, so regards should be had to the other environmental factors, when selecting the feeding pattern and family rearing behaviors.

Adult ; Birth Weight ; Breast Feeding ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Lead ; analysis ; blood ; Lead Poisoning ; Male ; Milk, Human ; chemistry ; Mothers ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETrace and toxic elements have great influences on the fetus growth during the pregnancy. The status of Pb, As, Cd, Mn and Zn in maternal and umbilical cord blood and influence factors were analyzed.

METHODSFrom September 2006 to April 2007, 130 pairs of maternal blood and cord blood in total were collected at the time of spontaneous delivery or cesarean section. At the same time, the development of newborn was measured immediately. The concentrations of elements were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, the relationship of these elements between maternal and cord blood were also analyzed.

RESULTSThe median (microg/L) concentration of blood Pb, As, Cd, Mn and Zn in maternal blood were 64.32, 3.81, 0.84, 54.26 and 6312.50. And the median (microg/L) of those elements in cord blood were 35.72, 2.84, 0.32, 78.99 and 2250. The levels of Cd (r=0.341, P=0.000) and As (r=0.552, P=0.000) in maternal blood were positively correlated with the elements in the cord blood. From the questionnaire we conclude that the occupational hazardous factors and room decorated were the risk factors for the blood As and Zn levels. After multilinear regression analysis we also found mother weight, occupational hazardous factors and mother systolic pressure might affect the levels of blood Mn, Zn, As and Cd.

CONCLUSIONSThe levels of these elements were affected by environmental and maternal factors. In this study, although the levels of all heavy metals in pregnant women were below those considered hazardous, however, they were still higher than those in the developed countries. The effects of heavy metals of maternal exposure on developing fetuses should deserve attention further.

Adult ; Arsenic ; blood ; Cadmium ; blood ; Environmental Exposure ; Female ; Fetal Blood ; chemistry ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Lead ; blood ; Male ; Manganese ; blood ; Maternal Exposure ; Pregnancy ; Zinc ; blood

OBJECTIVETo study the effects of environmental multi-media lead pollution on blood lead and sex hormone levels among lead exposed males engaged in E-waste dismantling, and the correlation between confounding factors and sex hormone levels.

METHODSAn E-waste dismantling area in Taizhou of Zhejiang Province was selected as the research site. One hundred and fifty two samples were collected from the groundwater, soil, rice, corn, chicken, and pork in the dismantling area. The effects of the multi-media lead pollution on the male blood lead and sex hormone levels of FSH, LH, and T, as well as the correlation with confounding factors, were studied.

RESULTSThe blood lead concentrations in the males aged under 31, from 31 to 45 and from 46 to 60 were 98.55, 100.23, and 101.45 μg/L, respectively. Of all the environmental media lead exposures, the groundwater, rice and soil were main contributing factors to the lead accumulation in humans. FSH and LH levels increased with the age while the T levels decreased with the age instead. There was a significant correlation between the FSH and LH levels and wearing masks.

CONCLUSIONThere was correlation between the FSH, LH, and T levels, and the mean values of lead concentrations in environmental media, and the sex hormone levels were correlated with the confounding factor of wearing masks.

Adult ; Electronic Waste ; analysis ; Environmental Monitoring ; Environmental Pollutants ; blood ; chemistry ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; blood ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones ; blood ; Humans ; Lead ; blood ; chemistry ; Luteinizing Hormone ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Refuse Disposal ; methods ; Testosterone ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the influence of lead exposure in rats during the developmental stage on the expression of leptin in plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and hippocampus, as well as investigating whether leptin is associated with the mechanism of cognitive impairment induced by lead exposure.

METHODSThe rat model of cognitive impairment after chronic lead exposure was established by adding lead acetate into drinking water. According to the concentration of lead acetate in drinking water, the rats were divided into control (0 ppm), low-lead (50 ppm), medium-lead (200 ppm), and high-lead groups (1 000 ppm), with 16 rats in each group. Atomic absorption spectrometry was used to measure the content of lead in the plasma, cerebrospinal fluid and hippocampus. ELISA was used to measure the level of leptin in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the distribution of leptin protein in the hippocampus. Western blot was used for relative quantification of leptin proteins in the hippocampus.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the lead exposure groups showed significant increases in the content of lead in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and hippocampus (P<0.01), as well as significant reductions in the levels of leptin in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (P<0.05). The results of immunohistochemical staining showed that leptin was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA region. The results of Western blot showed that compared with the control group, the three lead exposure groups showed a slight increase in the protein expression of leptin in the hippocampus (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLead exposure can reduce the levels of leptin in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in rats, which may be associated with the mechanism of cognitive impairment induced by lead exposure.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Cognition ; drug effects ; Female ; Hippocampus ; chemistry ; drug effects ; pathology ; Lead ; blood ; toxicity ; Leptin ; analysis ; blood ; cerebrospinal fluid ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Military personnel often use ammunitions that contain lead. The present study aimed to identify the risks for lead exposure and lead poisoning among workers at indoor firing ranges. A special health examination, including blood lead level (BLL) testing, was performed for all 120 workers at the indoor firing ranges of the Republic of Korea's Air Force, Navy, and Armed Forces Athletic Corps. The overall mean BLL was 11.3 ± 9.4 µg/dL (range: 2.0-64.0 µg/dL). The arithmetic mean of the BLL for professional shooters belong to Armed Forces Athletic Corps was 14.0 ± 8.3 µg/dL, while those of shooting range managers and shooting range supervisors were 13.8 ± 11.1 µg/dL and 6.4 ± 3.1 µg/dL, respectively. One individual had a BLL of 64 µg/dL, and ultimately completed chelation treatment (with CaNa2-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) without any adverse effects. These findings indicate that indoor firing range workers are exposed to elevated levels of lead. Therefore, when constructing an indoor firing range, a specialist should be engaged to design and assess the ventilation system; and safety guidelines regarding ammunition and waste handling must be mandatory. Moreover, workplace environmental monitoring should be implemented for indoor firing ranges, and the workers should undergo regularly scheduled special health examinations.
Adult ; Air Pollutants/*blood ; Air Pollution, Indoor ; Drinking ; Edetic Acid/chemistry ; Female ; Firearms ; Humans ; Lead/*blood/chemistry ; Male ; Military Personnel ; Occupational Exposure/*analysis ; Odds Ratio ; Republic of Korea ; Risk Factors ; Spectrophotometry, Atomic ; Young Adult

Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between intrauterine exposure to cadmium and the presence of atopic dermatitis in infants 6 months of age, adjusted for covariates including exposure to other heavy metals. The present research is a component of the Mothers' and Children's Environmental Health (MOCEH) study, a multi-center birth cohort project conducted in Korea. Study subjects were restricted to pregnant women in whom cadmium and lead levels were measured at delivery and whose infants were assessed for the presence of atopic disease at 6 months of age. The odds ratio (OR) for the presence of atopic dermatitis in 6-month-old infants whose cord blood had elevated cadmium levels, after adjustment for other covariates, was 2.350 (95% CI, 1.126-4.906). The OR for the presence of atopic dermatitis in infants whose cord blood had elevated lead levels was not significant. In the present study, the cord blood cadmium level was significantly associated with the presence of atopic dermatitis in 6-month-old infants; this was not true of the cord blood lead level. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first prospective study to show a relationship between prenatal exposure to cadmium and atopic dermatitis in infancy.
Adult ; Cadmium/analysis ; Cadmium Poisoning/*complications ; Cohort Studies ; Dermatitis, Atopic/diagnosis/*etiology ; Female ; Fetal Blood/chemistry ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Lead/analysis/toxicity ; Male ; Odds Ratio ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects

OBJECTIVETo investigate antagonism effects of total flavonoids from Chrysanthemum morifolium. (TFCM) against lead induced oxidative injury.

METHODNinety male mice were randomly divided into 9 groups. Mice except normal control group inject lead acetate every other day for 20 days. In the next 10 d, drugs were orally administrated to mice once a day. After the last aministration, mice were sacrificed and immediately subjected to necropsy. The concentration of lead, zinc and copper in blood, brain, liver and kidney were determined. The body weight, relative organ weight, antioxidant enzyme levels (GSH, GSH-Px, SOD and CAT) and lipid peroxidation products (MDA) were performed.

RESULTTFCM might antagonize the decrease of body weight and the increase of organ weight/body weight ratio. The combined treatment with TFCM and DMSA can significantly lower the lead levels in blood, brain, liver and kidney. In contrast, lead concentration in mice treated with TFCM alone did not show significant change in these organs. The other trace elements such as zinc and copper had no significant decrease after TFCM or DMSA treatment. Middle and high-dose TFCM was more effective than DMSA in increasing the activity of GSH, GSH-Px, SOD, CAT and decreasing the concentration of MDA in mice brain. In addition, high-dose TFCM was more effective than DMSA in increasing the activity of GSH-Px, CAT and decreasing the concentration of MDA in mice liver and kidney. The combined treatment with TFCM and DMSA also can reverse lipid peroxidation and increase antioxidant enzyme levels in lead poisoning mice dose-dependently, and it had more beneficial effects than treatment with DMSA alone.

CONCLUSIONTFCM might improve antioxidant defense system, reverse lipid peroxidation and protect brain, liver and kidney against lead induced oxidative damage in mice significantly.

Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Brain ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Chrysanthemum ; chemistry ; Copper ; blood ; metabolism ; Drug Antagonism ; Flavonoids ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Kidney ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Lead ; blood ; metabolism ; Liver ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred ICR ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Random Allocation ; Succimer ; administration & dosage ; Zinc ; blood ; metabolism

OBJECTIVEIn order to minimize lead pollution and to protect the identified individuals with high blood lead level from lead contamination, an epidemiological study was carried on children living around the village and township-owned lead industries in Tianying town.

METHODSEnvironmental monitoring: lead levels in air, soil, drinking water and crops were measured. Biological monitoring: 959 children aged 5 - 12 years were selected from villages where the lead smelters located near the residential areas and the battery disassembling was done in some families. The control children (207 pupils) were from other villages without lead exposure. Blood lead, ZnPP and teeth lead were determined. Height, weight and head circle of children and IQ scores were measured.

RESULTSThe environment was seriously polluted. The average lead concentrations in air and soils were 8.5 times and 10 times of the MACs (national health standard) respectively. Eighty-five per cent the air samples with lead concentrations higher than the national health standard. Local crops and wheat at farmers' home were also contaminated by lead dust, with. Lead content being 24 times higher than the standard. The mean blood lead and ZnPP levels of children lived in the polluted areas were 496 microgram/L and 9.41 microgram/g Hb respectively. The lead exposure caused adverse effects on children's IQ and physical development.

CONCLUSIONIt is necessary to remove and reduce currently active sources of lead pollution in the community and to increase public awareness of potential health effects of lead exposure.

Air Pollutants ; analysis ; Child ; Child Development ; drug effects ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Crops, Agricultural ; chemistry ; Environmental Monitoring ; methods ; Environmental Pollution ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Female ; Health Status ; Humans ; Industrial Waste ; adverse effects ; analysis ; Lead ; adverse effects ; blood ; Male ; Soil Pollutants ; analysis ; Suburban Health ; standards ; Urban Health ; standards