Impact of the selected environmental risk factors on children’s blood lead levels

To assess some potential environmental risk factors to lead exposure, whole blood lead concentration (PbB) was determined in 515 healthy Slovak children aged 9-10 y in 1995-97. The arithm. mean PbB was 3.69 mug/dl (SD=1.73). Only 1 % of children had a PbB above 10 mug/dl. Boys had significantly higher PbB than girls (arithm. mean 4.04 vs. 3.33 mug/dl; p <0.0001). Blood lead concentration was found to be significantly increased with use of coal as heating fuel at home, consumption of vegetables from the private gardens,. consumption of water from the private wells, and smoking in the family.