Blood lead levels and remediation of an abandoned smelter site

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Journal of Environmental Health

OSTI ID:64493

Eidson, M ^[1]; Tollestrup, K ^[2]

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1. New Mexico Dept. of Health, Santa Fe, NM (United States). Div. of Epidemiology, Evaluation, and Planning
2. Univ. of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM (United States). Family and Community Medicine Dept.

Elevated soil lead levels were documented in a New Mexico community, with levels up to 24,800 ppm in a smelter slag pile, 20 or more feet from residences. The New Mexico Department of Health offered blood lead screening to residents of three geographic areas before and after an emergency cleanup by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Blood lead levels prior to the cleanup ranged from undetectable (< 5 {mu}g/dl) to 29 {mu}g/dl; after the cleanup, they ranged from undetectable to 10 {mu}g/dl. Significant reductions in mean blood lead levels after the cleanup were found for all three geographic areas: from 6.67 {mu}g/dl to 4 {mu}dl (smelter area), from 4.12 {mu}g/dl to 2.5 {mu}g/dl (town area), and from 5.5 {mu}g/dl to 2.5 {mu}g/dl (northeast area). In both years, the mean blood lead levels of individuals who lived near the smelter area were significantly higher than the levels for those living in town for those participating in both years of the study. Mean blood lead levels were significantly higher for smelter area participants who had a household member working at a lead battery plant (19.4 {mu}g/dl) compared to those residents who did not (5.83 {mu}g/dl).

• OSTI ID: 64493
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Health, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Health Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 57; ISSN JEVHAH; ISSN 0022-0892
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
LAND RECLAMATION
LEAD
MAN
NEW MEXICO
REMEDIAL ACTION