LEAD-EXPOSURE IN THE BARCELONA POPULATION - CHRONOLOGICAL TREND BETWEEN 1984 AND 1995

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to determine current lead exposure in the Barcelona population and to evaluate the changes occurred duri ng the last 10 years. Blood lead concentration was investigated in a r andom sample of 694 healthy subjects (age range: 0-65 years). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adults were random selected from a group of blood donors . Samples of children analysed were selected from subjects with a preo peratory analyses without any disease that could modify blood lead lev els. Lead levels were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. RE SULTS: Blood lead concentration was 4.06 +/- 1.4 mu g/dl in umbilical cord, 8.9 +/- 2.9 mu g/dl in the paediatric population and 7.8 +/- 4.2 mu g/dl in the total of adults analyzed. There was statistical differ ences between the younger subjects and the older population. In 1984 t he results found were 18.6 +/- 6.6 mu g/dl. CONCLUSIONS: The results o btained show that in the last 10 years a reduction on the blood lead l evels was occurred. This reduction is parallel with a diminishion in t he lead petrol concentration in the ambient air.