Impact of soil and dust lead on children's blood lead in contaminated areas of Sweden

The impact of lead in soil and dust on blood lead concentrations in young c hildren (i.e., 1-5 y of age, N = 202) and the risk of health effects were i nvestigated in an urban and a mining area of Sweden. Blood, soil, and indoo r dust, as well as information on lead-exposure factors, were collected. Th e blood lead concentrations (total range = 9-77 mu g/l) the authors measure d indicated a low risk for lead-induced health effects. Lead in soil (i.e., < 10-5,000 mu g/g) and in dust (i.e., < 1-316 mu g/g) had little effect on blood lead concentrations, given the present conditions and present concen tration range-especially in the mining area. Urban children had significant ly higher blood lead concentrations than children in the mining area, despi te higher concentrations of lead in soil in the mining area. In the urban c hildren, blood lead concentrations were influenced by parental smoking and lead in dust at day-care centers.