Bj. Lagerkvist et al., BIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF ARSENIC, LEAD AND CADMIUM IN OCCUPATIONALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY EXPOSED PREGNANT-WOMEN, Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health, 19, 1993, pp. 50-53
Lead and cadmium in blood (B-Pb and B-Cd, respectively) and arsenic in
urine (U-As) were analyzed three times during pregnancy for women liv
ing around a metal smelter and women living in a reference town. The B
-Pb levels were significantly higher in the smelter town. In the women
of both towns, the B-Pb levels increased during pregnancy. Women who
were employed at the smelter had higher B-Pb levels than women in the
surrounding area. There were no significant differences in the B-Cd le
vels between the smelter and reference towns, except for non- and ex-s
mokers at the onset of pregnancy. No difference between the two areas
was seen among the smokers, whose cadmium levels were twice those of n
on- and ex-smokers. There were no significant differences in the U-As
levels, which were comparable with previously reported values in Swede
n.