Lead reduction of petrol and blood lead concentrations of athletes
- Univ. of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg (South Africa)
- Inst. for Biostatistics of the Medical Research Council, Tygerberg (South Africa)
In 1984, it was determined that the blood of long-distance runners in South Africa contained unacceptably high concentrations of lead. Subsequently, the petrol lead level in South Africa was reduced from 0.8 g/l to 0.4 g/l. In view of this reduction, a follow-up investigation of its effect on the blood lead concentration of South African runners was undertaken. Blood lead samples were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The mean values of blood lead concentrations dropped from 52 to 13 {mu}g/dl and from 20 to 8.5 {mu}g/dl for the urban and rural trainers, respectively. A highly significant decrease in blood lead levels was found and was mainly attributable to the reduction in the petrol lead levels. The blood lead results for rural trainers indicated that there still exists a certain degree of lead pollution in athletes from nonremote areas.
- OSTI ID:
- 5172465
- Journal Information:
- Archives of Environmental Health; (United States), Vol. 47:2; ISSN 0003-9896
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
02 PETROLEUM
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
LEAD
BLOOD CHEMISTRY
AIR POLLUTION
BLOOD
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE PATHWAY
EXHAUST GASES
INHALATION
POLLUTION SOURCES
ROADS
RURAL AREAS
SOUTH AFRICA
SPECTROPHOTOMETRY
URBAN AREAS
AFRICA
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY FLUIDS
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
INTAKE
MATERIALS
METALS
POLLUTION
WASTES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)