Bone lead content assessed by L-line x-ray fluorescence in lead-exposed and non-lead-exposed suburban populations in the United States

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.90.7.2789· OSTI ID:6191457

Rosen, J F; Balbi, K; Balbi, J; Bailey, C; Clemente, I; Redkey, N; Grainger, S ^[1]; Crocetti, A F ^[2]

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1. Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY (United States)
2. New York Medical College, Valhalla (United States)

Measurements of lead (Pb) in bone reflect cumulative Pb exposure, whereas blood Pb levels are indices of absorption during the previous 21-30 days. This study was undertaken to estimate bone Pb concentrations by L-line x-ray fluorescence (LXRF) in a United States suburban population which was exposed to unusually high levels of Pb in emissions from an adjacent factory during 1963-1981, compared with concentrations similarly estimated in a matched suburban community without unusual Pb exposure. The mean bone Pb value in 269 residents of the highly exposed suburb (15 ppm) was 3-fold greater than that of the reference suburb (5 ppm). LXRF estimates of bone Pb identified those individuals at risk for adverse effects of Pb, whereas blood Pb levels were uninformative. Average LXRF-estimated bone Pb concentrations in residents of the unusually exposed suburb approximated estimated values in workers at Pb-processing factories. 44 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.

• OSTI ID: 6191457
• Journal Information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America; (United States), Vol. 90:7; ISSN 0027-8424
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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