LEAD-EXPOSURE IN STUDENTS IN MEXICO-CITY

The present study was done between 1989 and 1991 and performed on 263 children 7 to 9 years of age who lived in Mexico City. The goal was to determine the association between risk factors entering the body thro ugh the respiratory or digestive path and lead concentration in decidu ous teeth. Exposure to risk factors was surveyed through a questionnai re; lead was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry with a graphite oven and reported in mu g Pb/g tooth. Statistical significanc e was found for the habit of sucking toys OR 4.98 (IC 95% 1.23-28.67), the use of glazed earthenware utensils for the preparation and servin g of food and drinks OR 2.47 (IC 0.80-8.47), and the ingestion of tinn ed food, particularly juices OR 3.31 (IC 1.03-12.50). No positive resu lts were found for risk factors involving the respiratory path. A poss ible explanation for these results is a different risk level for each of the two paths of access. (C) 1994 Academic Press Inc.