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Title: Cigarette smoking and lead levels in occupationally exposed lead workers

Abstract

One hundred eleven workers at a secondary Pb smelter were surveyed to determine smoking and personal hygiene habits. Fifty-three percent of the smokers had blood Pb levels in excess of 60 ..mu..g/dl, compared to 31% of nonsmokers (p = 0.02). Among smokers, 66% of heavy smokers (greater than or equal to 1 pack a day) had blood Pb levels over 60 ..mu..g/dl, compared to 39% of the light smokers (p = O.05). Those who kept their cigarettes on their person had a higher proportion of blood Pb greater than 60 ..mu..g/dl than workers who kept their cigarettes elsewhere (63 vs 36%, respectively; p = 0.08). The difference in blood Pb levels between smokers and nonsmokers may be due in part to direct environmental contamination of cigarettes or impaired lung clearance mechanisms, and could be important in workers with already elevated blood Pb levels.

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of California, Los Angeles
OSTI Identifier:
5178948
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 6:4
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.; LEAD; BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION; BLOOD; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; LEAD ORES; PERSONNEL; SMELTING; SYNERGISM; TOBACCO SMOKES; AEROSOLS; BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS; BODY FLUIDS; COLLOIDS; DISPERSIONS; ELEMENTS; MATERIALS; METALS; ORES; RESIDUES; SMOKES; SOLS; 560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)

Citation Formats

Brown, C P, Spivey, G H, Valentine, J L, and Browdy, B L. Cigarette smoking and lead levels in occupationally exposed lead workers. United States: N. p., 1980. Web. doi:10.1080/15287398009529906.
Brown, C P, Spivey, G H, Valentine, J L, & Browdy, B L. Cigarette smoking and lead levels in occupationally exposed lead workers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/15287398009529906
Brown, C P, Spivey, G H, Valentine, J L, and Browdy, B L. 1980. "Cigarette smoking and lead levels in occupationally exposed lead workers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1080/15287398009529906.
@article{osti_5178948,
title = {Cigarette smoking and lead levels in occupationally exposed lead workers},
author = {Brown, C P and Spivey, G H and Valentine, J L and Browdy, B L},
abstractNote = {One hundred eleven workers at a secondary Pb smelter were surveyed to determine smoking and personal hygiene habits. Fifty-three percent of the smokers had blood Pb levels in excess of 60 ..mu..g/dl, compared to 31% of nonsmokers (p = 0.02). Among smokers, 66% of heavy smokers (greater than or equal to 1 pack a day) had blood Pb levels over 60 ..mu..g/dl, compared to 39% of the light smokers (p = O.05). Those who kept their cigarettes on their person had a higher proportion of blood Pb greater than 60 ..mu..g/dl than workers who kept their cigarettes elsewhere (63 vs 36%, respectively; p = 0.08). The difference in blood Pb levels between smokers and nonsmokers may be due in part to direct environmental contamination of cigarettes or impaired lung clearance mechanisms, and could be important in workers with already elevated blood Pb levels.},
doi = {10.1080/15287398009529906},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5178948}, journal = {J. Toxicol. Environ. Health; (United States)},
number = ,
volume = 6:4,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980},
month = {Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980}
}