Lead and cadmium levels in blood samples from the general population of Sweden

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1983 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-9351(83)90183-4· OSTI ID:5624322

Elinder, C G ^[1]; Friberg, L; Lind, B; Jawaid, M

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1. Karolinska Inst., Stockholm, Sweden

Lead and cadmium was determined in whole blood samples obtained from 473 nonoccupationally exposed adult persons in Sweden in 1980. Analyses were performed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry equipped with an electrothermal atomization unit. Blood lead concentrations were shown to be significantly influenced by sex, smoking habits, and alcohol consumption. Current male smokers had a median blood lead level of 92 ..mu..g Pb/liter, as compared to 77 ..mu..g Pb/liter for nonsmokers. For females the corresponding values were 69 ..mu..g Pb/liter and 57 ..mu..g Pb/liter for current smokers and nonsmokers, respectively. Highly significant correlations were found between stated alcohol consumption and blood lead in most of the different sex and smoking categories. People living in apartments close to streets with heavy traffic in Stockholm had slightly, but not significantly, higher blood lead levels when compared to people living in areas of this city with low traffic density. Blood cadmium levels were very strongly affected by smoking habits. A significant correlation existed between the number of cigarettes consumed daily and blood cadmium concentration. The median blood cadmium level for nonsmoking males was 0.2 ..mu..g Cd/liter (less than or equal to0.2, detection limit) and for females 0.3 ..mu..g Cd/liter. About 90% of the current male and female smokers had cadmium concentrations in blood of 0.6 ..mu..g Cd/liter or more.

• OSTI ID: 5624322
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Vol. 30:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CADMIUM
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
LEAD
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
ADULTS
AUTOMOBILES
BLOOD
ETHANOL
EXHAUST GASES
HUMAN POPULATIONS
RESPONSE MODIFYING FACTORS
SEX
SWEDEN
TOBACCO SMOKES
AEROSOLS
AGE GROUPS
ALCOHOLS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY FLUIDS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
EUROPE
FLUIDS
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MATERIALS
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POPULATIONS
RESIDUES
SCANDINAVIA
SMOKES
SOLS
SPECTROSCOPY
VEHICLES
WASTES
WESTERN EUROPE
510200* - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)