LACK OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HAIR LEAD LEVELS AND SOME USUAL MARKERS (BLOOD LEAD LEVELS, ZPP, URINARY ALA-D) IN OCCUPATIONALLY EXPOSED WORKERS

Blood and hair samples collected from 54 male workers occupationally e xposed to lead were assayed for this metal by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Blood ZPP and urinary ALA-D were also de termined for most subjects tested. Blood and hair lead concentrations (PbB and PbH) ranged from 100 to 770 ng/ml (10 to 77 mu g/100 ml) (mea n +/- SD : 384.6 +/- 143.4 ng/ml (38.46 +/- 14.34 mu g/100 ml)), and f rom 3 to 243 ng/mg (mean +/- SD : 102.4 +/- 72.6 ng/mg), respectively. No correlation was observed between the PbH and PbB values, nor betwe en PbH and ZPP or ALA-D values. Neither hair coloration nor subjects' age were related to PbH levels. Results are discussed in the light of the existing literature.