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Soale AN, Callender R, Guignet D, Shadbegian R, Miranda ML. Association between Residential Distance to Airport and Blood Lead Levels in Children under 6 Living in North Carolina, 1992-2015. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:87701. [PMID: 39120950 PMCID: PMC11315044 DOI: 10.1289/ehp14362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/11/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Abdul-Nasah Soale
- Children’s Environmental Health Initiative, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, and Statistics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Rashida Callender
- Children’s Environmental Health Initiative, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Dennis Guignet
- Department of Economics, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ron Shadbegian
- Department of Economics, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, USA
| | - Marie Lynn Miranda
- Children’s Environmental Health Initiative, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Regencia ZJG, Zhao W, Torres-Roja C, Jones BC, Baja ES. Association between lead and circulating markers of inflammation among traffic enforcers in Metro Manila, Philippines: the MMDA traffic enforcer's health study. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 2024; 97:303-311. [PMID: 38351350 DOI: 10.1007/s00420-023-02044-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Several epidemiological studies have linked lead (Pb) exposure to induced oxidative stress and the promotion of inflammatory response. We performed a within-subjects study (repeated measures study) to evaluate the relationship between the concentration of blood lead (B-Pb) and toenail lead (T-Pb) and circulating markers of inflammation. METHODS We evaluated the associations between B-Pb concentrations and T-Pb concentrations and circulating markers of inflammation, soluble intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (s-ICAM-1), soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (s-VCAM-1), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) on 158 traffic enforcers from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) traffic enforcer's health study. Linear mixed-effects models with random subject-specific intercepts were fitted to estimate the association between B-Pb and T-Pb exposure and circulating markers of inflammation, adjusting for confounding factors. RESULTS Traffic enforcers were middle-aged men (89.4%) with a mean age (± SD) of 37.1 years ± 8.9 years and had a total of 293 valid markers of inflammation measurements. B-Pb concentration was related to increased hs-CRP levels. A 10% increase in B-Pb was associated with a 5.7% increase in hs-CRP level [95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.3-10.1]. However, B-Pb was not associated with s-ICAM-1 and s-VCAM-1. Furthermore, no associations were observed between T-Pb and all the circulating markers of inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Low-level B-Pb may increase hs-CRP among traffic enforcers. Moreover, the study suggests that Pb via the oxidative and inflammation pathways may have an essential role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, MMDA and the Department of Labor and Employment can use our study's findings as evidence to conduct routine screening of blood heavy metals, especially Pb, among MMDA and other traffic enforcers as part of their yearly medical examination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zypher Jude G Regencia
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Room 103, Paz Mendoza Bldg., 547 Pedro Gil Street, 1000, Manila, Philippines
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Room 201, NIH Bldg., 623 Pedro Gil Street, Ermita, 1000, Manila, Philippines
| | - Wenyuan Zhao
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Carolina Torres-Roja
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Byron C Jones
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Emmanuel S Baja
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila, Room 103, Paz Mendoza Bldg., 547 Pedro Gil Street, 1000, Manila, Philippines.
- Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila, Room 201, NIH Bldg., 623 Pedro Gil Street, Ermita, 1000, Manila, Philippines.
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Imagawa M, Rushing M, Carter A, Schott R, Berman JD. Using blood lead concentrations of wildlife sentinels to identify environmental risk factors of lead exposure for public health and wildlife rehabilitation efforts. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:357-369. [PMID: 36964298 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02642-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Lead poisoning remains a persistent health issue for both humans and wildlife, despite strides to reduce lead contamination in the environment. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this study explores the associations between blood lead levels (BLLs) in wildlife sentinels and possible built environment lead exposure risk factors in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota urban area. Results show a high-level of heterogeneity in animal BLLs (n = 472) across our urban environment and suggest that each kilometer increase in road density is associated with a 17.07% (95% CI: 1.48%, 35.05%) increase in BLL in our study species of Virginia opossums and Eastern gray squirrels, and a 14.28% (95% CI: 1.16%, 29.09%) increase in BLL of rock pigeons. For squirrels and opossums, we see an additional 5.72% (95% CI: 0.59%, 10.85%) increased risk of BLL for every 1000 people per square-mile. The relationship between animal sentinels and environmental hazards can give us an insight into the potential lead exposure risks for humans. The use of wildlife sentinel data to explore environmental risk factors supports a One Health approach to better address public health questions and aid in wildlife rehabilitation related to residual lead poisoning from ambient environmental exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mito Imagawa
- University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Marcus Rushing
- University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Renee Schott
- Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Roseville, MN, USA
| | - Jesse D Berman
- University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Sciences, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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4
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Trottier BA, Niehoff NM, Keil AP, Jones RR, Levine KE, MacNell NS, White AJ. Residential Proximity to Metal-Containing Superfund Sites and Their Potential as a Source of Disparities in Metal Exposure among U.S. Women. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2023; 131:37701. [PMID: 36917478 PMCID: PMC10013684 DOI: 10.1289/ehp11045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Brittany A Trottier
- Hazardous Substances Research Branch, Division of Extramural Research and Training, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicole M Niehoff
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Alexander P Keil
- Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rena R Jones
- Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Keith E Levine
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Alexandra J White
- Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
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5
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Zahran S, Keyes C, Lanphear B. Leaded aviation gasoline exposure risk and child blood lead levels. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgac285. [PMID: 36712926 PMCID: PMC9829455 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Lead-formulated aviation gasoline (avgas) is the primary source of lead emissions in the United States today, consumed by over 170,000 piston-engine aircraft (PEA). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that four million people reside within 500m of a PEA-servicing airport. The disposition of avgas around such airports may be an independent source of child lead exposure. We analyze over 14,000 blood lead samples of children (≤5 y of age) residing near one such airport-Reid-Hillview Airport (RHV) in Santa Clara County, California. Across an ensemble of tests, we find that the blood lead levels (BLLs) of sampled children increase in proximity to RHV, are higher among children east and predominantly downwind of the airport, and increase with the volume of PEA traffic and quantities of avgas sold at the airport. The BLLs of airport-proximate children are especially responsive to an increase in PEA traffic, increasing by about 0.72 μg/dL under periods of maximum PEA traffic. We also observe a significant reduction in child BLLs from a series of pandemic-related interventions in Santa Clara County that contracted PEA traffic at the airport. Finally, we find that children's BLLs increase with measured concentrations of atmospheric lead at the airport. In support of the scientific adjudication of the EPAs recently announced endangerment finding, this in-depth case study indicates that the deposition of avgas significantly elevates the BLLs of at-risk children.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher Keyes
- Department of Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA,Mountain Data Group, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA
| | - Bruce Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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Hung WC, Adams N, Ibrahim-Watkins ZR, Nguyen D, Jain T, Wang YH, Jay JA. Incorporating field-based research into remote learning: An assessment of soil lead pollution in different land-use types in Los Angeles. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 216:114480. [PMID: 36206923 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.114480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A research-based course was developed to investigate the legacy of soil lead (Pb) pollution in Los Angeles, California. During the course, undergraduate and graduate students collected a total of 270 soil samples for analyses of metal (loid) concentrations in different land-use types (residential, park, and school). Residential soils had significantly higher Pb concentrations than other land uses (p < 0.01) exceeding the California recommended safety level for soil Pb (80 mg/kg) at the highest frequency (64% of samples), followed by schools (42%) and parks (6.0%). Soil Pb from all 87 census block groups was correlated with battery recycling plant and railroad proximity as geospatial indicators of childhood Pb exposure risk. Meanwhile, census block groups with higher Pb levels were correlated with higher percentages of the following population: those without health insurance, without college degrees, with a lower median household income and income below the poverty line, and ethnic and racial minorities (r = -0.46 to 0.59, p < 0.05). Principal component regression models significantly improved soil Pb estimation over correlation analysis by incorporating sociodemographic, economic, and geospatial risk factors for Pb exposure (R2 = 0.58, p < 0.05). This work provides new insights into how topsoil Pb prevails in various land-use types and their co-occurring sociodemographic, economic, and geospatial risk factors, indicating the need for multi-scalar assessment across urban land uses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Cheng Hung
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Naomi Adams
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Zanobia R Ibrahim-Watkins
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Dorothy Nguyen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Tricia Jain
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Yu-Han Wang
- Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA
| | - Jennifer A Jay
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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Validity of Geolocation and Distance to Exposure Sources from Geographical Information Systems for Environmental Monitoring of Toxic Metal Exposures Based on Correlation with Biological Samples: a Systematic Review. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:735-757. [PMID: 36447111 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00383-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In epidemiologic studies, biomarkers are the best possible choice to assess individual exposure to toxic metals since they integrate all exposure sources. However, measuring biomarkers is not always feasible, given potential budgetary and time constraints or limited availability of samples. Alternatively, approximations to individual metal exposure obtained from geographic information systems (GIS) have become popular to evaluate diverse metal-related health outcomes. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of epidemiological studies that evaluated the validity of GIS-based geolocation and distance to pollutant sources as an approximation of individual metal exposure based on correlation with biological samples. RECENT FINDINGS We considered 11 toxic metals: lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), tungsten (W), uranium (U), and vanadium (V). The final review included 12 manuscripts which included seven metals (Pb, Cd, Al, As, Cr, Hg, and Ni). Many studies used geolocation of the individuals to compare exposed (industrial, urban, agricultural, or landfill sources) and unexposed areas and not so many studies used distance to a source. For all metals, except lead, there was more animal than human biosampling to conduct biological validation. We observed a trend towards higher levels of Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb in biosamples collected closer to exposure sources, supporting that GIS-based proxies for these metals might approximate individual exposure. However, given the low number and heterogeneity of the retrieved studies, the accumulated evidence is, overall, not sufficient. Given the practical benefits and potential of modern GIS technologies, which allow environmental monitoring at a reasonable cost, additional validation studies that include human biosampling are needed to support the use of GIS-based individual exposure measures in epidemiologic studies.
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8
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Guan R, Wang T, Dong X, Du K, Li J, Zhao F, Xu J, Li B, Zheng G, Shen X, Cao B, Wang J, Aschner M, Liu M, Chen R. Effects of co-exposure to lead and manganese on learning and memory deficits. J Environ Sci (China) 2022; 121:65-76. [PMID: 35654517 PMCID: PMC9163452 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2021.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn) are common neurotoxins. However, individuals are subject to co-exposures in real life, and it is therefore important to study these metals in combination. Weaning Sprague-Dawley rats were given ad libitum access to drinking water solutions containing Pb (100 mg/L), Mn (2.5 mg/mL) or a mixture, and each treatment had its own minocycline (50 mg/(kg•day)) supplement group. The results showed a significant difference in spatial memory and induction levels of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) in all exposure groups when compared with controls. The combined-exposure group exhibited the most pronounced effect when compared with each of the single-metal exposure groups. Microglia displayed activation at day 3 after exposure alone or in combination, while astrocytes showed activation at day 5, accompanied by decreased expression levels of GLAST, GLT-1, and GS. Furthermore, the levels of glutamate in the synaptic cleft increased significantly. When microglial activation was inhibited by minocycline, the activation of astrocytes and the expression of GLAST, GLT-1, and GS were both reversed. In addition, upon minocycline treatment, hippocampal LTP impairment and cognitive injury were significantly alleviated in each of the exposure groups. These results suggest that combined exposure to Pb and Mn can cause greater effects on cognition and synaptic plasticity when compared to single-metal exposure groups. The reason may involve abnormal activation of microglia leading to excessive regulation of astrocytes, resulting in glutamate reuptake dysfunction in astrocytes and leading to perturbed cognition and synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruili Guan
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xiaoru Dong
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Kejun Du
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Juan Li
- Department of Physiology, National Key Discipline of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Fang Zhao
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Bin Li
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Gang Zheng
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Xuefeng Shen
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Baohua Cao
- School of Nursing, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Jing Wang
- School of Nursing, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China
| | - Michael Aschner
- School of Nursing, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA; IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mingchao Liu
- Department of Occupational & Environmental Health and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Hazard Assessment and Control in Special Operational Environment, School of Public Health, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China; School of Nursing, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, China.
| | - Rui Chen
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering, Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Shaffer RM, Forsyth JE, Ferraro G, Till C, Carlson LM, Hester K, Haddock A, Strawbridge J, Lanfear CC, Hu H, Kirrane E. Lead exposure and antisocial behavior: A systematic review protocol. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 168:107438. [PMID: 35994796 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead exposure remains highly prevalent worldwide despite decades of research highlighting its link to numerous adverse health outcomes. In addition to well-documented effects on cognition, there is growing evidence of an association with antisocial behavior, including aggression, conduct problems, and crime. An updated systematic review on this topic, incorporating study evaluation and a developmental perspective on the outcome, can advance the state of the science on lead and inform global policy interventions to reduce exposure. OBJECTIVES We aim to evaluate the link between lead exposure and antisocial behavior. This association will be investigated via a systematic review of human epidemiological and experimental nonhuman mammalian studies. METHODS The systematic review protocol presented in this publication is informed by recommendations for the conduct of systematic reviews in toxicology and environmental health research (COSTER) and follows the study evaluation approach put forth by the U.S. EPA Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) program. DATA SOURCES We will search the following electronic databases for relevant literature: PubMed, BIOSIS and Web of Science. Search results will be stored in EPA's Health and Environmental Research Online (HERO) database. STUDY ELIGIBILITY AND CRITERIA Eligible human epidemiological studies will include those evaluating any population exposed to lead at any lifestage via ingestion or inhalation exposure and considering an outcome of antisocial behavior based on any of the following criteria: psychiatric diagnoses (e.g., oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), disruptive behavior disorders (DBD)); violation of social norms (e.g., delinquency, criminality); and aggression. Eligible experimental animal studies will include those evaluating nonhuman mammalian studies exposed to lead via ingestion, inhalation, or injection exposure during any lifestage. The following outcomes will be considered relevant: aggression; antisocial behavior; and altered fear, anxiety, and stress response. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS Screening will be conducted with assistance from an artificial intelligence application. Two independent reviewers for each data stream (human, animal) will screen studies with highest predicted relevance against pre-specified inclusion criteria at the title/abstract and full-text level. Study evaluation will be conducted using methods adapted from the U.S. EPA IRIS program. After data extraction, we will conduct a narrative review and quantitative meta-analysis on the human epidemiological studies as well as a narrative review of the experimental animal studies. We will evaluate the strength of each evidence stream separately and then will develop a summary evidence integration statement based on inference across evidence streams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Shaffer
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, and Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Jenna E Forsyth
- Stanford University, Woods Institute for the Environment, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Greg Ferraro
- North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | | | - Laura M Carlson
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, and Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Kirstin Hester
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, and Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Amanda Haddock
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, and Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Jenna Strawbridge
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities, US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Charles C Lanfear
- Nuffield College, University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
| | - Howard Hu
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Ellen Kirrane
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Washington, DC, and Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
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Breysse PN, Cascio WE, Geller AM, Choiniere CJ, Ammon M. Targeting Coordinated Federal Efforts to Address Persistent Hazardous Exposures to Lead. Am J Public Health 2022; 112:S640-S646. [PMID: 36179299 PMCID: PMC9528644 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2022.306972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick N Breysse
- Patrick N. Breysse directs the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Wayne E. Cascio, Director of the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, and Andrew M. Geller are with the Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Conrad J. Choiniere directs the Office of Analytics and Outreach, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD. Matthew Ammon directs the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
| | - Wayne E Cascio
- Patrick N. Breysse directs the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Wayne E. Cascio, Director of the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, and Andrew M. Geller are with the Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Conrad J. Choiniere directs the Office of Analytics and Outreach, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD. Matthew Ammon directs the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
| | - Andrew M Geller
- Patrick N. Breysse directs the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Wayne E. Cascio, Director of the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, and Andrew M. Geller are with the Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Conrad J. Choiniere directs the Office of Analytics and Outreach, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD. Matthew Ammon directs the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
| | - Conrad J Choiniere
- Patrick N. Breysse directs the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Wayne E. Cascio, Director of the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, and Andrew M. Geller are with the Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Conrad J. Choiniere directs the Office of Analytics and Outreach, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD. Matthew Ammon directs the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
| | - Matthew Ammon
- Patrick N. Breysse directs the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA. Wayne E. Cascio, Director of the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, and Andrew M. Geller are with the Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC. Conrad J. Choiniere directs the Office of Analytics and Outreach, US Food and Drug Administration, College Park, MD. Matthew Ammon directs the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes, US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Washington, DC
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11
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Zartarian V, Poulakos A, Garrison VH, Spalt N, Tornero-Velez R, Xue J, Egan K, Courtney J. Lead Data Mapping to Prioritize US Locations for Whole-of-Government Exposure Prevention Efforts: State of the Science, Federal Collaborations, and Remaining Challenges. Am J Public Health 2022; 112:S658-S669. [PMID: 36179290 PMCID: PMC9528653 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2022.307051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
For this state-of-science overview of geospatial approaches for identifying US communities with high lead-exposure risk, we compiled and summarized public data and national maps of lead indices and models, environmental lead indicators, and children's blood lead surveillance data. Currently available indices and models are primarily constructed from housing-age and sociodemographic data; differing methods, variables, data, weighting schemes, and geographic scales yield maps with different exposure risk profiles. Environmental lead indicators are available (e.g., air, drinking water, dust, soil) at different spatial scales, but key gaps remain. Blood lead level data have limitations as testing, reporting, and completeness vary across states. Mapping tools and approaches developed by federal agencies and other groups for different purposes present an opportunity for greater collaboration. Maps, data visualization tools, and analyses that synthesize available geospatial efforts can be evaluated and improved with local knowledge and blood lead data to refine identification of high-risk locations for prioritizing prevention efforts and targeting risk-reduction strategies. Remaining challenges are discussed along with a work-in-progress systematic approach for cross-agency data integration, toward advancing "whole-of-government" public health protection from lead exposures. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(S7):S658-S669. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307051).
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Zartarian
- Valerie Zartarian, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Jianping Xue are with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC. Antonios Poulakos is with LinTech Global Inc, Boston, MA (contractor for US EPA Office of Research and Development). Veronica Helms Garrison is with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research. Nicholas Spalt is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC. Kathryn Egan is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, and the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, Atlanta. Joseph Courtney is with the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice
| | - Antonios Poulakos
- Valerie Zartarian, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Jianping Xue are with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC. Antonios Poulakos is with LinTech Global Inc, Boston, MA (contractor for US EPA Office of Research and Development). Veronica Helms Garrison is with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research. Nicholas Spalt is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC. Kathryn Egan is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, and the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, Atlanta. Joseph Courtney is with the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice
| | - Veronica Helms Garrison
- Valerie Zartarian, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Jianping Xue are with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC. Antonios Poulakos is with LinTech Global Inc, Boston, MA (contractor for US EPA Office of Research and Development). Veronica Helms Garrison is with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research. Nicholas Spalt is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC. Kathryn Egan is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, and the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, Atlanta. Joseph Courtney is with the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice
| | - Nicholas Spalt
- Valerie Zartarian, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Jianping Xue are with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC. Antonios Poulakos is with LinTech Global Inc, Boston, MA (contractor for US EPA Office of Research and Development). Veronica Helms Garrison is with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research. Nicholas Spalt is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC. Kathryn Egan is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, and the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, Atlanta. Joseph Courtney is with the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice
| | - Rogelio Tornero-Velez
- Valerie Zartarian, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Jianping Xue are with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC. Antonios Poulakos is with LinTech Global Inc, Boston, MA (contractor for US EPA Office of Research and Development). Veronica Helms Garrison is with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research. Nicholas Spalt is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC. Kathryn Egan is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, and the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, Atlanta. Joseph Courtney is with the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice
| | - Jianping Xue
- Valerie Zartarian, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Jianping Xue are with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC. Antonios Poulakos is with LinTech Global Inc, Boston, MA (contractor for US EPA Office of Research and Development). Veronica Helms Garrison is with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research. Nicholas Spalt is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC. Kathryn Egan is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, and the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, Atlanta. Joseph Courtney is with the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice
| | - Kathryn Egan
- Valerie Zartarian, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Jianping Xue are with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC. Antonios Poulakos is with LinTech Global Inc, Boston, MA (contractor for US EPA Office of Research and Development). Veronica Helms Garrison is with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research. Nicholas Spalt is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC. Kathryn Egan is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, and the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, Atlanta. Joseph Courtney is with the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice
| | - Joseph Courtney
- Valerie Zartarian, Rogelio Tornero-Velez, and Jianping Xue are with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Research and Development, Research Triangle Park, NC. Antonios Poulakos is with LinTech Global Inc, Boston, MA (contractor for US EPA Office of Research and Development). Veronica Helms Garrison is with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Policy Development and Research. Nicholas Spalt is with the US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC. Kathryn Egan is with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Office of Community Health and Hazard Assessment, and the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice, Atlanta. Joseph Courtney is with the CDC, National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice
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12
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Bui LTM, Shadbegian R, Marquez A, Klemick H, Guignet D. Does short-term, airborne lead exposure during pregnancy affect birth outcomes? Quasi-experimental evidence from NASCAR's deleading policy. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 166:107354. [PMID: 35749996 PMCID: PMC9829110 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is evidence of a weak placental-fetal barrier to lead, suggesting that maternal lead exposure could affect the fetus. The health consequences for newborns from in utero lead exposure are not well understood. OBJECTIVES We estimated the effects by trimester, of short-term (<1 week), airborne lead exposure during pregnancy on birth outcomes. METHODS We use quasi-experimental variation in airborne lead exposure during pregnancy, based on NASCAR's deleading of racing fuel in 2007, in a difference-in-differences model, to estimate the effect of deleading on the birth outcomes of all live births (n = 147,673) in the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia Metropolitan Statistical Area between 2004 and 2009. RESULTS After deleading, children born to mothers residing <4000 m of Charlotte Motor Speedway (relative to those residing >10,000 m) experienced an average increase in birthweight (BW) of 102.50 g [P < 0.001]. The probability of low birthweight (LBW) declined by 0.045 [P = 0.001], preterm (PRE) births by 0.03 [P = 0.04], and small for gestational age (SGA) by 0.04 [P = 0.002]. We find that benefits accrue primarily in preterm LBW and SGA babies, and from decreased lead exposure in the first trimester. CONCLUSIONS Short-term exposure to airborne lead during pregnancy adversely affects birth outcomes. Reducing even very brief exposure to airborne lead during pregnancy may improve birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda T M Bui
- Department of Economics, MS 021, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, United States.
| | - Ron Shadbegian
- Department of Economics, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, United States.
| | - Alicia Marquez
- Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, United States.
| | - Heather Klemick
- US Environmental Protection Agency, National Center for Environmental Economics, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW (MC 1809T), Washington, DC 20460, United States.
| | - Dennis Guignet
- Department of Economics, Appalachian State University, 416 Howard Street, ASU Box 32051, Boone, NC 28608, United States.
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13
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Hudda N, Fruin S, Durant JL. Substantial Near-Field Air Quality Improvements at a General Aviation Airport Following a Runway Shortening. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:6988-6995. [PMID: 35073059 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Santa Monica Airport (SMO), a general aviation airport in Southern California, recently shortened its only runway by 225 m at both ends to limit jet aircraft operations. We evaluated the resulting changes in aviation activity and air quality by measuring particle number (PN), black carbon (BC), and lead (Pb) concentrations, before and after the runway was shortened at two near-airfield locations including a residential site. Postshortening, there was a 50% decrease in total operations, driven mostly by the greater than 80% decrease in jet operations; however, there was no significant change in piston engine aircraft operations (which use leaded fuel). We measured greater than 75%, 30%, and 75% reductions in the concentrations of PN, BC, and Pb, respectively, after the runway was shortened, largely due to enhanced dispersion resulting from the increased distance to the newly shortened runway. Overall, the runway shortening improved air quality in nearby areas such that airport impacts were comparable to or lower than impacts from other sources such as vehicular traffic. Until aviation fuel becomes completely unleaded, runway shortening or relocating operations away from the edge abutting residential areas may be the most effective environmental impact mitigation strategy for general aviation airports situated adjacent to residential areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelakshi Hudda
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Scott Fruin
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001 N. Soto Street, Los Angeles, California 90033, United States
| | - John L Durant
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tufts University, 200 College Avenue, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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14
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Kamai EM, Daniels JL, Delamater PL, Lanphear BP, MacDonald Gibson J, Richardson DB. Patterns of Children's Blood Lead Screening and Blood Lead Levels in North Carolina, 2011-2018-Who Is Tested, Who Is Missed? ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2022; 130:67002. [PMID: 35647633 PMCID: PMC9158533 DOI: 10.1289/ehp10335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND No safe level of lead in blood has been identified. Blood lead testing is required for children on Medicaid, but it is at the discretion of providers and parents for others. Elevated blood lead levels (EBLLs) cannot be identified in children who are not tested. OBJECTIVES The aims of this research were to identify determinants of lead testing and EBLLs among North Carolina children and estimate the number of additional children with EBLLs among those not tested. METHODS We linked geocoded North Carolina birth certificates from 2011-2016 to 2010 U.S. Census data and North Carolina blood lead test results from 2011-2018. We estimated the probability of being screened for lead and created inverse probability (IP) of testing weights. We evaluated the risk of an EBLL of ≥3μg/dL at <30 months of age, conditional on characteristics at birth, using generalized linear models and then applied IP weights to account for missing blood lead results among unscreened children. We estimated the number of additional children with EBLLs of all North Carolina children using the IP-weighted population and bootstrapping to produce 95% credible intervals (CrI). RESULTS Mothers of the 63.5% of children (402,002 of 633,159) linked to a blood lead test result were disproportionately young, Hispanic, Black, American Indian, or on Medicaid. In full models, maternal age ≤20y [risk ratio (RR)=1.10; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 1.20] or smoking (RR=1.14; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.17); proximity to a major roadway (RR=1.10; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.15); proximity to a lead-releasing Toxics Release Inventory site (RR=1.08; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.14) or a National Emissions Inventory site (RR=1.11; 95% CI: 1.07, 1.14); and living in neighborhoods with more housing built before 1950 (RR=1.10; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.14) or before 1940 (RR=1.18; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.25) or more vacant housing (RR=1.14; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.17) were associated with an increased risk of EBLL, whereas overlap with a public water service system was associated with a decreased risk of EBLL (RR=0.85; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.87). Children of Black mothers were no more likely than children of White mothers to have EBLLs (RR=0.98; 95% CI: 0.96, 1.01). Complete blood lead screening in 2011-2018 may have identified an additional 17,543 (95% CrI: 17,462, 17,650) children with EBLLs ≥3μg/dL. DISCUSSION Our results indicate that current North Carolina lead screening strategies fail to identify over 30% (17,543 of 57,398) of children with subclinical lead poisoning and that accounting for characteristics at birth alters the conclusions about racial disparities in children's EBLLs. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10335.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M. Kamai
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Julie L. Daniels
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill), Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Paul L. Delamater
- Department of Geography, UNC-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Carolina Population Center, UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Bruce P. Lanphear
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - David B. Richardson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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15
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Cardiovascular Mortality and Leaded Aviation Fuel: Evidence from Piston-Engine Air Traffic in North Carolina. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19105941. [PMID: 35627477 PMCID: PMC9140422 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19105941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Leaded fuel used by piston-engine aircraft is the largest source of airborne lead emissions in the United States. Previous studies have found higher blood lead levels in children living near airports where leaded aviation fuel is used. However, little is known about the health effects on adults. This study is the first to examine the association between exposure to aircraft operations that use leaded aviation fuel and adult cardiovascular mortality. We estimated the association between annual piston-engine air traffic and cardiovascular mortality among adults age 65 and older near 40 North Carolina airports during 2000 to 2017. We used several strategies to minimize the potential for bias due to omitted variables and confounding from other health hazards at airports, including coarsened exact matching, location-specific intercepts, and adjustment for jet-engine and other air traffic that does not use leaded fuel. Our findings are mixed but suggestive of adverse effects. We found higher rates of cardiovascular mortality within a few kilometers downwind of single- and multi-runway airports, though these results are not always statistically significant. We also found significantly higher cardiovascular mortality rates within a few kilometers and downwind of single-runway airports in years with more piston-engine air traffic. We did not consistently find a statistically significant association between cardiovascular mortality rates and piston-engine air traffic near multi-runway airports, where there was greater uncertainty in our measure of the distance between populations and aviation exposures. These results suggest that (i) reducing lead emissions from aviation could yield health benefits for adults, and (ii) more refined data are needed to obtain more precise estimates of these benefits. Subject Areas: Toxic Substances, Health, Epidemiology, Air Pollution, Ambient Air Quality. JEL codes: Q53, I18.
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16
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Andrew A, Zhou J, Gui J, Harrison A, Shi X, Li M, Guetti B, Nathan R, Tischbein M, Pioro E, Stommel E, Bradley W. Airborne lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) risk in the U.S. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 819:153096. [PMID: 35041949 PMCID: PMC10752436 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 01/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) risk is linked to environmental exposures. The National Emissions Inventory (NEI) database compiles mandatory reports of levels of airborne contaminants from a variety of stationary and mobile pollution sources across the U.S. The objective of this study was to identify airborne contaminants that may be associated with ALS etiology for future study. We geospatially estimated exposure to airborne contaminants as risk factors for ALS in a nationwide large de-identified medical claims database, the SYMPHONY Integrated Dataverse®. We extracted zip3 of residence at diagnosis of ~26,000 nationally distributed ALS patients and n = 3 non-ALS controls matched per case for age and sex. We individually aggregated the median levels of each of 268 airborne contaminants recorded in the NEI database for 2008 to estimate local residential exposure. We randomly broke the dataset into two independent groups to form independent discovery and validation cohorts. Contaminants associated with increased ALS risk in both the discovery and validation studies included airborne lead (false discovery rate (FDR) = 0.00077), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), such as heptachlorobiphenyl (FDR = 3.60E-05). Small aircraft were the largest source of airborne lead, while the PCB emissions came from certain power plants burning biomass, and from industrial boilers. Associations with residential history of lead exposure were confirmed in two additional cohorts (10 year top quartile in New Hampshire/Vermont OR 2.46 95% CI 1.46-2.80, and in Ohio OR 1.60 95% CI 1.28-1.98). The results of our geospatial analysis support neurotoxic airborne metals and PCBs as risk factors for ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angeline Andrew
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, United States of America.
| | - Jie Zhou
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States of America
| | - Jiang Gui
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States of America
| | - Antoinette Harrison
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, Inc., Jersey City, NJ, United States of America
| | - Xun Shi
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States of America
| | - Meifang Li
- Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States of America
| | - Bart Guetti
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | | | - Maeve Tischbein
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Erik Pioro
- Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
| | - Elijah Stommel
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, United States of America
| | - Walter Bradley
- Department of Neurology, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, United States of America
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17
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Malik VS, Singh M, Pradhan P, Singal K, Agarwal A, Chauhan A, Sra H, Singh M. Role of environmental lead in the occurrence of anemia in Indian children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:37556-37564. [PMID: 35066849 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-18199-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to lead among children, as well as adults, is a major global health issue. With diverse routes of exposure (e.g., food, air, and water) either environmentally or occupationally, lead among children can cause mild, moderate, to severe health complications in the later stages of life. The average blood lead level reported by CDC in 2021 is 3.5 µg/dL, and the level of blood lead toxicity is ≥ 10 μg/dL. In this study, we planned to systematically analyze the association between blood lead levels (BLLs) (≥ 10 μg/dL and < 10 μg/dL) and the risk of anemia (hemoglobin level < 11 g/dL) among Indian children aged between ≥ 1 and ≤ 18 years. An online literature search of 5 databases, PubMed, Ovid, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was accomplished with a search updated until 8th March 2021. Study designs included cohort, cross-sectional, and case-control studies that have evaluated the association of lead toxicity or exposure with anemia (Hb < 11 g/dL) reported in urban and/or rural Indian children. Meta-analysis was performed among a total of 864 children from 4 cross-sectional studies. The association between lead toxicity (BLLs ≥ 10 μg/dL) and the risk of being anemic was not statistically significant (RR = 1.15 (95% CI: 0.86-1.55, I2 = 77%). The risks of bias in all included studies were low according to the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Increased blood lead levels did not appear to be the major contributor to anemia in Indian Children. We need to focus primarily on improving the nutritional quality, fortified food supplements, and a balanced diet for children to reduce the anemia burden in India. Lead toxicity should be sought as an etiological factor only in areas of high environmental risk factors which were leaded paints, leaded batteries, a house near major road/traffic areas, and pesticide exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Singh Malik
- Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India
| | - Manvi Singh
- Department of Telemedicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India
| | - Pranita Pradhan
- Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India
| | - Kusum Singal
- Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India
| | - Amit Agarwal
- Department of Telemedicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India
| | - Anil Chauhan
- Department of Telemedicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India
| | - Harnoor Sra
- Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India
| | - Meenu Singh
- Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Centre, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India.
- Department of Telemedicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, 160012, India.
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18
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Mulhern R, Roostaei J, Schwetschenau S, Pruthi T, Campbell C, MacDonald Gibson J. A new approach to a legacy concern: Evaluating machine-learned Bayesian networks to predict childhood lead exposure risk from community water systems. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 204:112146. [PMID: 34597659 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Lead in drinking water continues to put children at risk of irreversible neurological impairment. Understanding drinking water system characteristics that influence blood lead levels is needed to prevent ongoing exposures. This study sought to assess the relationship between children's blood lead levels and drinking water system characteristics using machine-learned Bayesian networks. Blood lead records from 2003 to 2017 for 40,742 children in Wake County, North Carolina were matched with the characteristics of 178 community water systems and sociodemographic characteristics of each child's neighborhood. Bayesian networks were machine-learned to evaluate the drinking water variables associated with blood lead levels ≥2 μg/dL and ≥5 μg/dL. The model was used to predict geographic areas and water utilities with increased lead exposure risk. Drinking water characteristics were not significantly associated with children's blood lead levels ≥5 μg/dL but were important predictors of blood lead levels ≥2 μg/dL. Whether 10% of water samples exceeded 2 ppb of lead in the most recent year prior to the blood test was the most important water system predictor and increased the risk of blood lead levels ≥2 μg/dL by 42%. The model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.792 (±0.8%) during ten-fold cross validation, indicating good predictive performance. Water system characteristics may thus be used to predict areas that are at risk of higher blood lead levels. Current drinking water regulatory thresholds for lead may be insufficient to detect the levels in drinking water associated with children's blood lead levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley Mulhern
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Javad Roostaei
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Sara Schwetschenau
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Wayne State University, 5050 Anthony Wayne Dr., Detroit, Michigan, 48202, USA
| | - Tejas Pruthi
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Chris Campbell
- Environmental Working Group, 1436 U St. NW, Suite 100, Washington, DC, 20009, USA
| | - Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Indiana University, 1025 East 7(th)Street, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
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19
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Haque E, Thorne PS, Nghiem AA, Yip CS, Bostick BC. Lead (Pb) concentrations and speciation in residential soils from an urban community impacted by multiple legacy sources. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2021; 416:125886. [PMID: 34492824 PMCID: PMC8666965 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2021.125886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In many urban areas, elevated soil lead (Pb) concentrations are indicators of community-level Pb exposure. Here, we examine the spatial distribution and speciation of legacy soil Pb contamination in East Chicago, Ind., an industrial center with a wide range of Pb sources including a former lead smelter. In situ X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (n = 358) revealed widespread soil Pb contamination above the Environmental Protection Agency regulatory limit for soils. This soil contamination was heterogenous across all neighborhoods, and mostly uncorrelated with distance from the former smelting site. Soil Pb levels increased with decreasing median household income in East Chicago's nine neighborhoods (r = -0.73, p = 0.03). Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (n = 44) indicated that the soil Pb was primarily adsorbed to iron and manganese oxides or humic acids, and as Pb hydroxycarbonate regardless of contamination levels. Crystalline insoluble forms of Pb, like pyromorphite, were not detected in significant concentrations. Thus, the unique chemical forms of potential Pb sources to soil, such as paint, ore and slag are not persistent and instead are extensively repartitioned into acid-soluble forms of Pb with greater bioavailability. These findings have implications for remediation efforts and human health as blood Pb levels in this community are significantly elevated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezazul Haque
- Human Toxicology Program, Graduate College, University of Iowa, USA; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, USA
| | - Peter S Thorne
- Human Toxicology Program, Graduate College, University of Iowa, USA; Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, USA.
| | - Athena A Nghiem
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA
| | - Caryn S Yip
- Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, USA
| | - Benjamin C Bostick
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA.
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Wade AM, Richter DD, Craft CB, Bao NY, Heine PR, Osteen MC, Tan KG. Urban-Soil Pedogenesis Drives Contrasting Legacies of Lead from Paint and Gasoline in City Soil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:7981-7989. [PMID: 34019756 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This study analyzed the impact of urban-soil pedogenesis on soil lead (Pb) contamination from paint and gasoline in the historic core of Durham, North Carolina. Total soil Pb in 1000 samples from streetsides, residential properties, and residual upland and floodplains ranged from 6 to 8825 mg/kg (mean = 211 mg/kg), with 50% of samples between 50 and 200 mg/kg soil Pb. The highest Pb concentrations were within 1 m of pre-1978 residential foundations, with concentrations inversely correlated with house age. Streetside soil Pb concentrations were elevated over the geologic background of <30 mg/kg and correlated with traffic flow. Streetside soil Pb concentrations were lower than Durham streetside soils collected in the 1970s, which was attributed to urban pedogenesis, the complex of natural and human processes that change soils over time. Accelerated erosion redistributes legacy Pb and floodplain sampling indicates sedimentation rates of up to 4 mm/year. Mixing and burial of soil with elevated Pb are also lowering soil Pb concentrations over time. These mechanisms are likely of greater significance on streetsides than near foundation soils. The development of an urban-pedogenesis framework can help guide public health approaches to Pb exposure by incorporating pedogenic processes that reduce and dissipate soil Pb contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M Wade
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Daniel D Richter
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Christopher B Craft
- School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, United States
| | - Nancy Y Bao
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Paul R Heine
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Mary C Osteen
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Kevin G Tan
- Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, P.O. Box 90328, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
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21
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Levin R, Zilli Vieira CL, Rosenbaum MH, Bischoff K, Mordarski DC, Brown MJ. The urban lead (Pb) burden in humans, animals and the natural environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 193:110377. [PMID: 33129862 PMCID: PMC8812512 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Centuries of human activities, particularly housing and transportation practices from the late 19th century through the 1980's, dispersed hundreds of millions of tons of lead into our urban areas. The urban lead burden is evident among humans, wild and domesticated animals, and plants. Animal lead exposures closely mirror and often exceed the lead exposure patterns of their human partners. Some examples: Pigeons in New York City neighborhoods mimicked the lead exposures of neighborhood children, with more contaminated areas associated with higher exposures in both species. Also, immediately following the lead in drinking water crisis in Flint MI in 2015, blood lead levels in pet dogs in Flint were 4 times higher than in surrounding towns. And combining lead's neurotoxicity with urban stress results in well-characterized aggressive behaviors across multiple species. Lead pollution is not distributed evenly across urban areas. Although average US pediatric lead exposures have declined by 90% since the 1970s, there remain well defined neighborhoods where children continue to have toxic lead exposures; animals are poisoned there, too. Those neighborhoods tend to have disproportionate commercial and industrial lead activity; a history of dense traffic; older and deteriorating housing; past and operating landfills, dumps and hazardous waste sites; and often lead contaminated drinking water. The population there tends to be low income and minority. Urban wild and domesticated animals bear that same lead burden. Soil, buildings, dust and even trees constitute huge lead repositories throughout urban areas. Until and unless we begin to address the lead repositories in our cities, the urban lead burden will continue to impose enormous costs distributed disproportionately across the domains of the natural environment. Evidence-based research has shown the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of some US public policies to prevent or reduce these exposures. We end with a series of recommendations to manage lead-safe urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronnie Levin
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Carolina L Zilli Vieira
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Marieke H Rosenbaum
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, 01536, USA.
| | - Karyn Bischoff
- New York State Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
| | | | - Mary Jean Brown
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
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Nussbaumer-Streit B, Mayr V, Dobrescu AI, Wagner G, Chapman A, Pfadenhauer LM, Lohner S, Lhachimi SK, Busert LK, Gartlehner G. Household interventions for secondary prevention of domestic lead exposure in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020; 10:CD006047. [PMID: 33022752 PMCID: PMC8094406 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd006047.pub6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead exposure is a serious health hazard, especially for children. It is associated with physical, cognitive and neurobehavioural impairment in children. There are many potential sources of lead in the environment, therefore trials have tested many household interventions to prevent or reduce lead exposure. This is an update of a previously published review. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of household interventions intended to prevent or reduce further lead exposure in children on improvements in cognitive and neurobehavioural development, reductions in blood lead levels and reductions in household dust lead levels. SEARCH METHODS In March 2020, we updated our searches of CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, 10 other databases and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also searched Google Scholar, checked the reference lists of relevant studies and contacted experts to identify unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs of household educational or environmental interventions, or combinations of interventions to prevent lead exposure in children (from birth to 18 years of age), where investigators reported at least one standardised outcome measure. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently reviewed all eligible studies for inclusion, assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We contacted trialists to obtain missing information. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS We included 17 studies (three new to this update), involving 3282 children: 16 RCTs (involving 3204 children) and one quasi-RCT (involving 78 children). Children in all studies were under six years of age. Fifteen studies took place in urban areas of North America, one in Australia and one in China. Most studies were in areas with low socioeconomic status. Girls and boys were equally represented in those studies reporting this information. The duration of the intervention ranged from three months to 24 months in 15 studies, while two studies performed interventions on a single occasion. Follow-up periods ranged from three months to eight years. Three RCTs were at low risk of bias in all assessed domains. The other 14 studies were at unclear or high risk of bias; for example, we considered two RCTs and one quasi-RCT at high risk of selection bias and six RCTs at high risk of attrition bias. National or international research grants or governments funded 15 studies, while the other two did not report their funding sources. Education interventions versus no intervention None of the included studies in this comparison assessed effects on cognitive or neurobehavioural outcomes, or adverse events. All studies reported data on blood lead level outcomes. Educational interventions showed there was probably no evidence of a difference in reducing blood lead levels (continuous: mean difference (MD) -0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.13 to 0.07; I² = 0%; 5 studies, 815 participants; moderate-certainty evidence; log-transformed data), or in reducing floor dust levels (MD -0.07, 95% CI -0.37 to 0.24; I² = 0%; 2 studies, 318 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Environmental interventions versus no intervention Dust control: one study in this comparison reported data on cognitive and neurobehavioural outcomes, and on adverse events in children. The study showed numerically there may be better neurobehavioural outcomes in children of the intervention group. However, differences were small and the CI included both a beneficial and non-beneficial effect of the environmental intervention (e.g. mental development (Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II): MD 0.1, 95% CI -2.1 to 2.4; 1 study, 302 participants; low-certainty evidence). The same study did not observe any adverse events related to the intervention during the eight-year follow-up, but observed two children with adverse events in the control group (1 study, 355 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Meta-analysis also found no evidence of effectiveness on blood lead levels (continuous: MD -0.02, 95% CI -0.09 to 0.06; I² = 0%; 4 studies, 565 participants; moderate-certainty evidence; log-transformed data). We could not pool the data regarding floor dust levels, but studies reported that there may be no evidence of a difference between the groups (very low-certainty evidence). Soil abatement: the two studies assessing this environmental intervention only reported on the outcome of 'blood lead level'. One study showed a small effect on blood lead level reduction, while the other study showed no effect. Therefore, we deem the current evidence insufficient to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of soil abatement (very low-certainty evidence). Combination of educational and environmental interventions versus standard education Studies in this comparison only reported on blood lead levels and dust lead levels. We could not pool the studies in a meta-analysis due to substantial differences between the studies. Since the studies reported inconsistent results, the evidence is currently insufficient to clarify whether a combination of interventions reduces blood lead levels and floor dust levels (very low-certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Based on available evidence, household educational interventions and environmental interventions (namely dust control measures) show no evidence of a difference in reducing blood lead levels in children as a population health measure. The evidence of the effects of environmental interventions on cognitive and neurobehavioural outcomes and adverse events is uncertain too. Further trials are required to establish the most effective intervention for reducing or even preventing further lead exposure. Key elements of these trials should include strategies to reduce multiple sources of lead exposure simultaneously using empirical dust clearance levels. It is also necessary for trials to be carried out in low- and middle-income countries and in differing socioeconomic groups in high-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Nussbaumer-Streit
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Verena Mayr
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Andreea Iulia Dobrescu
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Gernot Wagner
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Andrea Chapman
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
| | - Lisa M Pfadenhauer
- Institute for Medical Information Processing, Biometry and Epidemiology, IBE, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Szimonetta Lohner
- Cochrane Hungary, Clinical Center of the University of Pécs, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Stefan K Lhachimi
- Research Group for Evidence-Based Public Health, Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology, Bremen, Germany
- Department for Health Services Research, Institute for Public Health and Nursing Research, Health Sciences Bremen, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Laura K Busert
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gerald Gartlehner
- Cochrane Austria, Department for Evidence-based Medicine and Evaluation, Danube University Krems, Krems, Austria
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23
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Griffith JD. Electron microscopic characterization of exhaust particles containing lead dibromide beads expelled from aircraft burning leaded gasoline. ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION RESEARCH 2020; 11:1481-1486. [PMID: 33100835 PMCID: PMC7583388 DOI: 10.1016/j.apr.2020.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Piston powered aircraft burning leaded gasoline contribute ~70% of the lead in the atmosphere in the US. The physical size, composition, and structure of aircraft exhaust particles containing lead dibromide are poorly understood and heretofore have not been examined directly by electron microscopy (EM), in particular when captured from an aircraft in flight. To accomplish this, exhaust samples were trapped on EM supports within 10-15 ms of exiting the aircraft exhaust pipe. High angle annular detector dark field scanning EM revealed irregular particles with a mean diameter of 13 nm consisting of a 4 nm microcrystal of lead dibromide surrounded by a halo of hydrocarbons. In contrast, exhaust particles from an automobile burning leaded fuel averaged 35 nm in diameter and contained 5-10, 4 nm lead beads. Of significant concern, the smaller aircraft particles could penetrate mucosal barriers in the lung and be readily taken up by epithelial cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack D Griffith
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, And Biochemistry and Biophysics University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27955, USA
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24
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Lynch EE, Meier HCS. The intersectional effect of poverty, home ownership, and racial/ethnic composition on mean childhood blood lead levels in Milwaukee County neighborhoods. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0234995. [PMID: 32559243 PMCID: PMC7304591 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0234995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental conditions that contribute to childhood lead exposure are spatially patterned. Socioeconomic and racial inequities in childhood lead exposure have been well documented, however childhood lead exposure in Milwaukee is understudied. As a segregated rustbelt metropolitan area with childhood lead exposure concerns, Milwaukee is uniquely positioned to evaluate the synergistic effects of racial and economic drivers of childhood lead exposure. Using surveillance data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health and the US Census Bureau, this cross-sectional study determined the intersectional effect of poverty, home ownership, and racial/ethnic composition on childhood lead exposure in Milwaukee County neighborhoods using linear regression adjusting for average census tract housing age and number of children. The final analytical sample consisted of 48,393 individual childhood blood lead levels aggregated to 215 Milwaukee County census tracts. Census tracts with mean childhood blood lead levels greater than or equal to 5 μg/dL were predominantly low home ownership, high poverty, and majority non-White census tracts. The effects of low home ownership, high poverty, and majority non-White census tracts were synergistic, producing 1.78 (95% CI: 1.44, 2.11) μg/dL higher mean childhood blood lead level than high home ownership, low poverty, and majority White census tracts (referent). This research reveals that social determinants at the neighborhood level co-occur and interact to produce inequities in childhood lead exposure. Lead prevention efforts should align with equity-focused housing and economic policies that target primary prevention in neighborhoods disproportionately burdened by childhood lead exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily E. Lynch
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Helen C. S. Meier
- Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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25
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Redmon JH, Levine KE, Aceituno AM, Litzenberger K, Gibson JM. Lead in drinking water at North Carolina childcare centers: Piloting a citizen science-based testing strategy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 183:109126. [PMID: 32062181 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drinking water is a lingering hazard in the effort to eliminate childhood exposure to lead (Pb), a neurotoxin that affects cognitive and behavioral development. This study characterized Pb in municipal drinking water at North Carolina, US, childcare centers. The study also demonstrates a scalable, citizen science-based drinking water testing strategy for Pb at childcare centers. METHODS Licensed childcare centers in four North Carolina counties were recruited. One administrator per center completed a survey and was trained to collect first-draw drinking water samples in their center. Samples were shipped with pre-paid labels for laboratory analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multilevel logistic regression and Bayesian network analysis were used to identify factors associated with a risk of exceeding the 1 μg/L American Academy of Pediatrics reference level and the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) 15 μg/L treatment-based action level. Results were provided to centers along with risk mitigation recommendations. RESULTS Of 103 enrolled centers, 86 completed the study, submitting 1,266 drinking water samples in total. Approximately 77% of drinking water samples contained detectable Pb (≥0.1 μg/L), and 97% of centers had at least one drinking water sample with detectable Pb. More than 63% of centers had at least one drinking water sample with >1 μg/L Pb, and 17% of centers had at least one drinking water sample with Pb above 15 μg/L. There was high variability in Pb concentrations at water points within the same center. DISCUSSION This study demonstrated a high prevalence and variability of Pb in first-draw samples of drinking water at childcare centers in North Carolina, US. Results underscore the importance of testing for Pb at every tap used for drinking and cooking in childcare centers. The use of employees as citizen scientists is a feasible strategy to identify Pb in specific drinking water taps.
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26
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Klemick H, Mason H, Sullivan K. Superfund Cleanups and Children's Lead Exposure. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT 2020; 100:10.1016/j.jeem.2019.102289. [PMID: 32132762 PMCID: PMC7055517 DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2019.102289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluates the effect of EPA's Superfund cleanup program on children's lead exposure. We linked two decades of blood lead level (BLL) measurements from children in six states with data on Superfund sites and other lead risk factors. We used quasi-experimental methods to identify the causal effect of proximity to Superfund cleanups on rates of elevated BLL. We estimated a difference-in-difference model comparing the change in elevated BLL of children closer to versus farther from lead-contaminated sites before, during, and after cleanup. We also estimated a triple difference model including children near hazardous sites with minimal to no lead contamination as a comparison group. We used spatial fixed effects and matching to minimize potential bias from unobserved differences between the treatment and comparison groups. Results indicate that Superfund cleanups lowered the risk of elevated BLL for children living within 2 kilometers of lead-contaminated sites 13 to 26 percent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Klemick
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Policy, National Center for Environmental Economics, Washington, DC 20460
| | - Henry Mason
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Policy, National Center for Environmental Economics, Washington, DC 20460
| | - Karen Sullivan
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Land and Emergency Management, Office for Communications, Partnerships, and Analysis, Washington, DC 20460
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27
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Yeter D, Banks EC, Aschner M. Disparity in Risk Factor Severity for Early Childhood Blood Lead among Predominantly African-American Black Children: The 1999 to 2010 US NHANES. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E1552. [PMID: 32121216 PMCID: PMC7084658 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17051552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Revised: 02/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
There is no safe detectable level of lead (Pb) in the blood of young children. In the United States, predominantly African-American Black children are exposed to more Pb and present with the highest mean blood lead levels (BLLs). However, racial disparity has not been fully examined within risk factors for early childhood Pb exposure. Therefore, we conducted secondary analysis of blood Pb determinations for 2841 US children at ages 1-5 years with citizenship examined by the cross-sectional 1999 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The primary measures were racial disparities for continuous BLLs or an elevated BLL (EBLL) ≥5 µg/dL in selected risk factors between non-Hispanic Black children (n = 608) and both non-Hispanic White (n = 1208) or Hispanic (n = 1025) children. Selected risk factors included indoor household smoking, low income or poverty, older housing built before 1978 or 1950, low primary guardian education <12th grade/general education diploma (GED), or younger age between 1 and 3 years. Data were analyzed using a regression model corrected for risk factors and other confounding variables. Overall, Black children had an adjusted +0.83 µg/dL blood Pb (95% CI 0.65 to 1.00, p < 0.001) and a 2.8 times higher odds of having an EBLL ≥5 µg/dL (95% CI 1.9 to 3.9, p < 0.001). When stratified by risk factor group, Black children had an adjusted 0.73 to 1.41 µg/dL more blood Pb (p < 0.001 respectively) and a 1.8 to 5.6 times higher odds of having an EBLL ≥5 µg/dL (p ≤ 0.05 respectively) for every selected risk factor that was tested. For Black children nationwide, one in four residing in pre-1950 housing and one in six living in poverty presented with an EBLL ≥5 µg/dL. In conclusion, significant nationwide racial disparity in blood Pb outcomes persist for predominantly African-American Black children even after correcting for risk factors and other variables. This racial disparity further persists within housing, socio-economic, and age-related risk factors of blood Pb outcomes that are much more severe for Black children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Yeter
- Independent Researcher, Kansas City, KS 66104, USA
| | | | - Michael Aschner
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA;
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Levin R, Zilli Vieira CL, Mordarski DC, Rosenbaum MH. Lead seasonality in humans, animals, and the natural environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 180:108797. [PMID: 31761335 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Lead adversely impacts the health of humans, animals, and the natural environment. Higher lead burdens in warm weather occur in humans, domesticated and wild animals; land and water species; urban and rural, developed and pristine environments. The array of evidence suggests that lead seasonality is multifactorial within the natural world, including humans. Seasonally higher temperatures, solar radiation, humidity and anthropogenic pollution result in lower pH (acidification) in air, water and soil. Environmental acidification increases lead's bioavailability and mobility thus intensifying human, animal and plant exposures. In addition, lead seasonality in the biosphere is influenced by higher growth rates, slightly increased exposures, and more Vitamin D metabolism. Methodologically, we applied a One Health perspective to EPA's Integrated Science Assessments of Lead to review the published literature, supplemented with subsequent and related publications to assess data on the seasonality of lead exposure across species and through the earth's systems. Our integrated assessment suggests that: 1) 'Seasonality' is a multifactorial, terrestrial phenomenon affecting the natural world; human activities have exacerbated natural cyclicities that impact lead exposures across species. 2) To be sustainable, human lead remediation strategies must consider the total environment. 3) Global warming and climate change events may increase lead exposures and toxicity to all species throughout the natural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronnie Levin
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Carolina L Zilli Vieira
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | | | - Marieke H Rosenbaum
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA, 01536, USA.
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Khalid M, Abdollahi M. Role of lead in dental diseases. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, TOXICOLOGY AND CARCINOGENESIS 2020; 38:329-361. [PMID: 33382012 DOI: 10.1080/26896583.2020.1834313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Lead (Pb) is ubiquitous in our environment and causes many pathophysiological health effects, including dental diseases. Dental Pb levels are considered good biological indicators of environmental and occupational Pb exposure. Pb in blood and saliva causes imbalances in the growth of oral microflora. The pH of saliva decreases, interferes with and interacts with bone-seeking elements, changes oral inflammatory parameters, generates reactive oxygen species, causes oxidative damage, and delays the mineralization process, leading to dental diseases. Pb's dental diseases include periodontitis, enamel lesions and defects, fluorosis, Burton's line, and tooth loss. Environmental and physiological factors, including age, gender, tooth type and position, pregnancy and lactation, eating and drinking habits, smoking habits, and exposures from Pb-contaminated residential and occupational areas, affect the distribution of Pb in blood, bone, and saliva, which contributes to dental diseases. However, living and working in Pb free areas can prevent environmental and occupational Pb exposure. Healthy lifestyles and eating habits, prohibiting smoking and alcohol drinking, further help prevent Pb exposure. Also, the fluoridation of water, salt, and milk provide nutritional supplements of trace elements, which can help prevent teeth from absorbing Pb from the environment, thereby reducing the risk of dental diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madiha Khalid
- Toxicology and Diseases Group, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center (PSRC), The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS) and Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Abdollahi
- Toxicology and Diseases Group, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center (PSRC), The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS) and Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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30
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Turgut ET, Gaga EO, Jovanović G, Odabasi M, Artun G, Ari A, Urošević MA. Elemental characterization of general aviation aircraft emissions using moss bags. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2019; 26:26925-26938. [PMID: 31309420 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-05910-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
In light of growing concern and insufficient knowledge on the negative impact of aircraft emissions on environmental health, this study strives to investigate the air burden of major and trace elements caused by general aviation, piston-engine, and turboprop aircraft, within the vicinity of Eskisehir Hasan Polatkan Airport (Eskisehir, Turkey). The levels of 57 elements were investigated, based on moss bag biomonitoring using Sphagnum sp., along with chemical analyses of lubrication oil and aviation gasoline fuel used in the aircraft's operations. Five sampling sites were selected within the vicinity of the airport area to capture spatial changes in the concentration of airborne elements. The study demonstrates that moss bag biomonitoring is a useful tool in the identification of differences in the air burden by major and trace elements that have concentrated downwind of the aircraft emission sources. Moreover, pollutant enrichment in the Sphagnum moss bags and elemental characterization of oil/fuel are in agreement suggesting that Pb, followed by Cd, Cu, Mo, Cr, Ni, Fe, Si, Zn, Na, P, Ca, Mg, and Al are dominant elements that shaped the general aviation aircraft emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enis T Turgut
- Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Aircraft Airframe and Powerplant Department, Eskisehir Technical University, 26555, Eskişehir, Turkey.
| | - Eftade O Gaga
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Eskisehir Technical University, 26555, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Gordana Jovanović
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, a National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Pregrevica 118, Belgrade, 11080, Serbia
| | - Mustafa Odabasi
- Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Gulzade Artun
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Eskisehir Technical University, 26555, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Akif Ari
- Faculty of Engineering, Gölköy Campus, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey
| | - Mira Aničić Urošević
- Institute of Physics Belgrade, a National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Pregrevica 118, Belgrade, 11080, Serbia
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Mielke HW, Gonzales CR, Powell ET. Curtailing Lead Aerosols: Effects of Primary Prevention on Declining Soil Lead and Children's Blood Lead in Metropolitan New Orleans. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E2068. [PMID: 31212731 PMCID: PMC6617018 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16122068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
After decades of accumulation of lead aerosols in cities from additives in gasoline, in 1975 catalytic converters (which are ruined by lead) became mandatory on all new cars. By 1 January 1986 the rapid phase-down banned most lead additives. The study objective is to review temporal changes of environmental lead and children's blood lead in communities of metropolitan New Orleans. In 2001, a soil lead survey of 287 census tracts of metropolitan New Orleans was completed. In August-September 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita storm surges flooded parts of the city with sediment-loaded water. In April-June 2006, 46/287 (16%) of the original census tracts were selected for resurvey. A third survey of 44/46 (15%) census tracts was completed in 2017. The census tract median soil lead and children's median blood lead decreased across surveys in both flooded and unflooded areas. By curtailing a major urban source of lead aerosols, children's lead exposure diminished, lead loading of soil decreased, and topsoil lead declined. Curtailing lead aerosols is essential for primary prevention. For the sake of children's and ultimately societal health and welfare, the long-term habitability of cities requires terminating all remaining lead aerosols and cleanup of legacy-lead that persists in older inner-city communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard W Mielke
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave. 8683, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Christopher R Gonzales
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Ave. 8683, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
- Lead Lab. Inc. New Orleans, LA 70119, USA.
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LeBrón AMW, Torres IR, Valencia E, Dominguez ML, Garcia-Sanchez DG, Logue MD, Wu J. The State of Public Health Lead Policies: Implications for Urban Health Inequities and Recommendations for Health Equity. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E1064. [PMID: 30909658 PMCID: PMC6466291 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16061064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although lead has been removed from paint and gasoline sold in the U.S., lead exposures persist, with communities of color and residents in urban and low-income areas at greatest risk for exposure. The persistence of and inequities in lead exposures raise questions about the scope and implementation of policies that address lead as a public health concern. To understand the multi-level nature of lead policies, this paper and case study reviews lead policies at the national level, for the state of California, and for Santa Ana, CA, a dense urban city in Southern California. Through a community-academic partnership process, this analysis examines lead exposure pathways represented, the level of intervention (e.g., prevention, remediation), and whether policies address health inequities. Results indicate that most national and state policies focus on establishing hazardous lead exposure levels in settings and consumer products, disclosing lead hazards, and remediating lead paint. Several policies focus on mitigating exposures rather than primary prevention. The persistence of lead exposures indicates the need to identify sustainable solutions to prevent lead exposures in the first place. We close with recommendations to reduce lead exposures across the life course, consider multiple lead exposure pathways, and reduce and eliminate health inequities related to lead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana M W LeBrón
- Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
- Department of Chicano/Latino Studies, School of Social Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Ivy R Torres
- Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | | | | | | | - Michael D Logue
- Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
| | - Jun Wu
- Department of Population Health & Disease Prevention, Program in Public Health, Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
- Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA 92617, USA.
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Mielke HW, Gonzales CR, Powell ET, Mielke PW. Spatiotemporal exposome dynamics of soil lead and children's blood lead pre- and ten years post-Hurricane Katrina: Lead and other metals on public and private properties in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2017; 155:208-218. [PMID: 28231548 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2017.01.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anthropogenic re-distribution of lead (Pb) principally through its use in gasoline additives and lead-based paints have transformed the urban exposome. This unique study tracks urban-scale soil Pb (SPb) and blood Pb (BPb) responses of children living in public and private communities in New Orleans before and ten years after Hurricane Katrina (29 August 2005). OBJECTIVES To compare and evaluate associations of pre- and ten years post-Katrina SPb and children's BPb on public and private residential census tracts in the core and outer areas of New Orleans, and to examine correlations between SPb and nine other soil metals. METHODS The Louisiana Healthy Housing and Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program BPb (µg/dL) data from pre- (2000-2005) and post-Katrina (2010-2015) for ≤6-year-old children. Data from public and adjacent private residential census tracts within core and outer areas are stratified from a database that includes 916 and 922 SPb and 13,379 and 4830 BPb results, respectively, from pre- and post-Katrina New Orleans. Statistical analyses utilize Multi-Response Permutation Procedure and Spearman's Rho Correlation. RESULTS Pre- to Post-Katrina median SPb decreases in public and private core census tracts were from 285 to 55mg/kg and 710-291mg/kg, respectively. In public and private outer census tracts the median SPb decreased from 109 to 56mg/kg and 88-55mg/kg. Children's BPb percent ≥5µg/dL on public and private core areas pre-Katrina was 63.2% and 67.5%, and declined post-Katrina to 7.6% and 20.2%, respectively. BPb decreases also occurred in outer areas. Soil Pb is strongly correlated with other metals. CONCLUSIONS Post-Katrina re-building of public housing plus landscaping amends the exposome and reduces children's BPb. Most importantly, Hurricane Katrina revealed that decreasing the toxicants in the soil exposome is an effective intervention for decreasing children's BPb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard W Mielke
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, SL 8683, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
| | - Christopher R Gonzales
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, SL 8683, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Eric T Powell
- Lead Lab, Inc., Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, SL 8683, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Paul W Mielke
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1877 USA
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McCumber A, Strevett KA. A geospatial analysis of soil lead concentrations around regional Oklahoma airports. CHEMOSPHERE 2017; 167:62-70. [PMID: 27710844 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.09.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Lead has been banned from automobile gasoline since 1995; however, lead is still used as an additive to aviation gasoline (avgas). Airports are now one of the greatest sources of lead air emission in the US. The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate soil lead levels radially from three regional airports; (2) collect historical meteorological data; (3) examine the soil organic matter content and (4) develop correlation coefficients to evaluate correlations among variables. Soil samples were collected from 3 different airports in Oklahoma and the soil lead concentration was measured using x-ray fluorescence (XRF). The measured soil lead concentrations were plotted with the corresponding GPS location in ArcGIS and Inverse Distance Weight spatial analysis was used to create modeled isopleths of soil lead concentrations. One of the three airports was found to have soil lead concentrations that correlate with soil organic matter with one other showing correlation between soil lead concentration and distance from the airport. The spatial modeled isopleths showed elevated soil lead concentrations in the direction of prevailing winds with "hot spots" near the avgas fueling stations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander McCumber
- Duke University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 121 Hudson Hall, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - K A Strevett
- University of Oklahoma, School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, 202 West Boyd, Norman, OK, USA.
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Nussbaumer‐Streit B, Yeoh B, Griebler U, Pfadenhauer LM, Busert LK, Lhachimi SK, Lohner S, Gartlehner G. Household interventions for preventing domestic lead exposure in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2016; 10:CD006047. [PMID: 27744650 PMCID: PMC6461195 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd006047.pub5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lead poisoning is associated with physical, cognitive and neurobehavioural impairment in children, and trials have tested many household interventions to prevent lead exposure. This is an update of the original review, first published in 2008. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of household interventions for preventing or reducing lead exposure in children, as measured by improvements in cognitive and neurobehavioural development, reductions in blood lead levels and reductions in household dust lead levels. SEARCH METHODS In May 2016 we searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, nine other databases and two trials registers: the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) and ClinicalTrials.gov. We also checked the reference lists of relevant studies and contacted experts to find unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs of household educational or environmental interventions, or combinations of interventions to prevent lead exposure in children (from birth to 18 years of age), where investigators reported at least one standardised outcome measure. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently reviewed all eligible studies for inclusion, assessed risk of bias and extracted data. We contacted trialists to obtain missing information. We assessed the quality of the evidence using the GRADE approach. MAIN RESULTS We included 14 studies involving 2643 children: 13 RCTs (involving 2565 children) and one quasi-RCT (involving 78 children). Children in all studies were under six years of age. Thirteen studies took place in urban areas of North America, and one was in Australia. Most studies were in areas with low socioeconomic status. Girls and boys were equally represented in all studies. The duration of the intervention ranged from 3 months to 24 months in 12 studies, while 2 studies performed interventions on a single occasion. Follow-up periods ranged from 6 months to 48 months. Three RCTs were at low risk of bias in all assessed domains. We rated two RCTs and one quasi-RCT as being at high risk of selection bias and six RCTs as being at high risk of attrition bias. For educational interventions, we rated the quality of evidence to be high for continuous blood lead levels and moderate for all other outcomes. For environmental interventions, we assessed the quality of evidence as moderate to low. National or international research grants or governments funded 12 studies, while the other 2 did not report their funding sources.No studies reported on cognitive or neurobehavioural outcomes. No studies reported on adverse events in children. All studies reported blood lead level outcomes.We put studies into subgroups according to their intervention type. We performed meta-analyses of both continuous and dichotomous data for subgroups where appropriate. Educational interventions were not effective in reducing blood lead levels (continuous: mean difference (MD) 0.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.09 to 0.12, I² = 0%; 5 studies; N = 815; high quality evidence (log transformed); dichotomous ≥ 10.0 µg/dL (≥ 0.48 µmol/L): risk ratio (RR) 1.02, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.30; I² = 0%; 4 studies; N = 520; moderate quality evidence; dichotomous ≥ 15.0 µg/dL (≥ 0.72 µmol/L): RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.33 to 1.09; I² = 0%; 4 studies; N = 520; moderate quality evidence). Meta-analysis for the dust control subgroup also found no evidence of effectiveness on blood lead levels (continuous: MD -0.15, 95% CI -0.42 to 0.11; I² = 90%; 3 studies; N = 298; low quality evidence (log transformed); dichotomous ≥ 10.0 µg/dL (≥ 0.48 µmol/L): RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.18; I² = 0; 2 studies; N = 210; moderate quality evidence; dichotomous ≥ 15.0 µg/dL (≥ 0.72 µmol/L): RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.35 to 2.07; I² = 56%; 2 studies; N = 210; low quality evidence). After adjusting the dust control subgroup for clustering in meta-analysis, we found no evidence of effectiveness. We could not pool the studies using soil abatement (removal and replacement) and combination intervention groups in a meta-analysis due to substantial differences between studies, and generalisability or reproducibility of the results from these studies is unknown. Therefore, there is currently insufficient evidence to clarify whether soil abatement or a combination of interventions reduces blood lead levels. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Based on current knowledge, household educational interventions are ineffective in reducing blood lead levels in children as a population health measure. Dust control interventions may lead to little or no difference in blood lead levels (the quality of evidence was moderate to low, meaning that future research is likely to change these results). There is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of soil abatement or combination interventions. No study reported on cognitive or neurobehavioural outcomes or adverse events. These patient-relevant outcomes would have been of great interest to draw conclusions for practice.Further trials are required to establish the most effective intervention for preventing lead exposure. Key elements of these trials should include strategies to reduce multiple sources of lead exposure simultaneously using empirical dust clearance levels. It is also necessary for trials to be carried out in low- and middle-income countries and in differing socioeconomic groups in high-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Nussbaumer‐Streit
- Danube University KremsDepartment for Evidence‐based Medicine and Clinical EpidemiologyDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek‐Str. 30KremsAustria3500
- Danube University KremsCochrane AustriaDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek‐Str. 30KremsAustria3500
| | | | - Ursula Griebler
- Danube University KremsDepartment for Evidence‐based Medicine and Clinical EpidemiologyDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek‐Str. 30KremsAustria3500
- Danube University KremsCochrane AustriaDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek‐Str. 30KremsAustria3500
| | - Lisa M Pfadenhauer
- Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichInstitute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and EpidemiologyMarchioninistr 13MunichBavariaGermany
| | - Laura K Busert
- Ludwig‐Maximilians‐University MunichInstitute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and EpidemiologyMarchioninistr 13MunichBavariaGermany
| | - Stefan K Lhachimi
- Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and EpidemiologyResearch Group for Evidence‐Based Public HealthAchterstr. 30BremenGermany28359
- University of BremenInstitute for Public Health and Nursing Research, Health Sciences BremenBibliotheksstr. 1BremenGermany28359
| | | | - Gerald Gartlehner
- Danube University KremsDepartment for Evidence‐based Medicine and Clinical EpidemiologyDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek‐Str. 30KremsAustria3500
- Danube University KremsCochrane AustriaDr.‐Karl‐Dorrek‐Str. 30KremsAustria3500
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Wolfe PJ, Giang A, Ashok A, Selin NE, Barrett SRH. Costs of IQ Loss from Leaded Aviation Gasoline Emissions. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2016; 50:9026-33. [PMID: 27494542 PMCID: PMC5338738 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
In the United States, general aviation piston-driven aircraft are now the largest source of lead emitted to the atmosphere. Elevated lead concentrations impair children's IQ and can lead to lower earnings potentials. This study is the first assessment of the nationwide annual costs of IQ losses from aircraft lead emissions. We develop a general aviation emissions inventory for the continental United States and model its impact on atmospheric concentrations using the community multi-scale air quality model (CMAQ). We use these concentrations to quantify the impacts of annual aviation lead emissions on the U.S. population using two methods: through static estimates of cohort-wide IQ deficits and through dynamic economy-wide effects using a computational general equilibrium model. We also examine the sensitivity of these damage estimates to different background lead concentrations, showing the impact of lead controls and regulations on marginal costs. We find that aircraft-attributable lead contributes to $1.06 billion 2006 USD ($0.01-$11.6) in annual damages from lifetime earnings reductions, and that dynamic economy-wide methods result in damage estimates that are 54% larger. Because the marginal costs of lead are dependent on background concentration, the costs of piston-driven aircraft lead emissions are expected to increase over time as regulations on other emissions sources are tightened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip J. Wolfe
- Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Corresponding author (, tel: +1-617-253-2727, fax: +1-617-324-0096)
| | - Amanda Giang
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Akshay Ashok
- Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Noelle E. Selin
- Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steven R. H. Barrett
- Laboratory for Aviation and the Environment, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Mielke HW, Gonzales CR, Powell ET, Mielke PW. Spatiotemporal dynamic transformations of soil lead and children's blood lead ten years after Hurricane Katrina: New grounds for primary prevention. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2016; 94:567-575. [PMID: 27431908 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 05/26/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The contribution of lead contaminated soil to blood lead, especially as it is a large reservoir of lead dust, has been underestimated relative to lead-based paint. On 29 August 2005 Hurricane Katrina flooded and disrupted habitation in New Orleans. Soil and blood lead were mapped prior to Katrina. This unique study addresses soil and blood lead conditions pre- and ten years post-Katrina and considers the effectiveness of low lead soil for lead exposure intervention. OBJECTIVES Comparison of soil and blood lead levels pre- and ten years post-Katrina to evaluate and assess the impact of flooding on soil and blood lead at the scale of the city of New Orleans. METHODS Post-Katrina soil and blood lead data were stratified by the same census tracts (n=176) as pre-Katrina data. This unique city scale data-set includes soil lead (n=3314 and 3320, pre- vs. post-Katrina), blood lead (n=39,620 and 17,739, pre- vs. post-Katrina), distance, and changes in percent pre-1940 housing. Statistical analysis entailed permutation procedures and Fisher's Exact Tests. RESULTS Pre- vs. ten years post-Katrina soil lead median decreased from 280 mg/kg to 132 mg/kg, median blood lead decreased from 5μg/dL to 1.8μg/dL, respectively. Percent pre-1940 housing did not change significantly (P-value=0.674). Soil and blood lead decrease with distance from the center of New Orleans. Except for age-of-housing results, P-values were extremely small (<10(-12)). CONCLUSIONS Ten years after Katrina, profound changes in soil lead and children's blood lead occurred in New Orleans. Decreasing the lead on soil surfaces reduces children's interaction with lead dust, thus underscoring soil as a major of source of exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard W Mielke
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | | | - Eric T Powell
- Lead Lab Inc., Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Paul W Mielke
- Department of Statistics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Fischer A, Wiechuła D. Age-Dependent Changes in Pb Concentration in Human Teeth. Biol Trace Elem Res 2016; 173:47-54. [PMID: 26888348 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-016-0643-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The result of exposure to Pb is its accumulation in mineralized tissues. In human body, they constitute a reservoir of approx. 90 % of the Pb reserve. The conducted research aimed at determining the accumulation of Pb in calcified tissues of permanent teeth. The concentration of Pb in 390 samples of teeth taken from a selected group of Polish people was determined using the AAS method. Average concentration of Pb in teeth amounted to 14.3 ± 8.18 μg/g, range of changes: 2.21-54.8 μgPb/g. Accumulation of Pb in human body was determined based on changes in Pb concentration in teeth of subjects aged 13-84 years. It was found that in calcified tissues of teeth, the increase in concentration of Pb that occurs with age is a statistically significant process (p = 0.02, the ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test). It was determined that the annual increase in concentration of Pb in tissues of teeth is approx. 0.1 μg/g. Moreover, a different course of changes in Pb concentration in tissues of teeth in people born in different years was observed. The level of Pb concentration in teeth of the oldest subjects (>60 years) decreased for those born in the 1930s compared to those in the 1950s. Teeth from younger persons (<60 years) were characterized by an increasing level of Pb concentration. The analysis of changes of Pb indicates that for low exposure, a relatively greater accumulation of Pb concentration in calcified tissues of teeth can occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Fischer
- Department of Toxicology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.
| | - Danuta Wiechuła
- Department of Toxicology, School of Pharmacy with the Division of Laboratory Medicine in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland
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Trentacosta CJ, Davis-Kean P, Mitchell C, Hyde L, Dolinoy D. Environmental Contaminants and Child Development. CHILD DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/cdep.12191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Brink LA, Talbott EO, Marsh GM, Sharma R, Benson S, Wu WC, Duan C. Revisiting Nonresidential Environmental Exposures and Childhood Lead Poisoning in the US: Findings from Kansas, 2000-2005. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 2016:8791686. [PMID: 27042184 PMCID: PMC4793145 DOI: 10.1155/2016/8791686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although blood lead levels (BLLs) in US children have dramatically declined over the past 40 years, there remain pockets of children living in areas with elevated BLLs. While some increases (≥ 10 μg/dL) may be associated with legacy lead paint, ambient air lead may be contributing to the problem. A deidentified dataset of information on over 60,000 Kansas children under 3 years of age who were tested for BLL was provided through the Kansas Environmental Public Health Tracking Network for the period 2000-2005. Using ArcGIS, we calculated distance (in miles) from a lead-emitting industry referred to as a toxic release inventory (TRI) site. The USEPA TRI database tracks the management of certain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to human health. US facilities in different industry sectors must report annually amount of substances like lead into the environment including their exact location. Distance from a TRI site was inversely related to BLL after controlling for area-level poverty and pre-1950 housing. The results of our evaluation indicate there is a significant relationship between proximity to lead industry and childhood BLLs. Proximity to sources of lead emissions should be evaluated as a possible factor when identifying children for targeted BLL testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Ann Brink
- University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Evelyn O. Talbott
- University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gary M. Marsh
- University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ravi Sharma
- University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Stacey Benson
- University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Wen Chi Wu
- University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Chunzhe Duan
- University of Pittsburgh, Graduate School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Okello VA, Osonga FJ, Knipfing MT, Bushlyar V, Sadik OA. Reactivity, characterization of reaction products and immobilization of lead in water and sediments using quercetin pentaphosphate. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2016; 18:306-313. [PMID: 26782777 DOI: 10.1039/c5em00580a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Lead is currently ranked the number one heavy metal pollutant with a maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 0.015 mg L(-1). The use of organic solvent-free methods to immobilize lead from the environment is attracting the attention of scientists and environmental engineers. This study reports the application of water soluble quercetin pentaphosphate (QPP), a derivative of quercetin, for the detection and immobilization of Pb(2+) from water and soil samples. The techniques employed include UV-visible, fluorescence, atomic absorption; inductively coupled plasma optical emission and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. Results indicated the formation of a QPP-Pb complex that inhibits the fluorescence intensity of the parent molecule. The fluorimetric limit of detection was found to be 3.46 × 10(-4) M. The QPP-Pb complex exhibited a corresponding stoichiometry with the predominant complex PX2. A Scatchard plot of y = -4 × 10(6)x + 2916.3 was observed with a negative slope giving an equilibrium constant of 4 × 10(6) M(-1) and 5.4 × 10(5) M(-1) in acidic and alkaline conditions respectively. Results show 90.4% and 91.5% lead(ii) immobilization from BRS and BU soil samples respectively. On the other hand, 91% lead immobilization efficiency from a water sample was achieved at room temperature and is in compliance with the MCL level of 15 ppm at ∼3.82% error margin. This approach does not require the use of organic solvents or the disposal of large amounts of sludge. Once complexed with lead, QPP may not release phosphate to cause any secondary pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica A Okello
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Advanced Sensors & Environmental Monitoring (CASE), State University of New York-Binghamton, P. O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
| | - Francis J Osonga
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Advanced Sensors & Environmental Monitoring (CASE), State University of New York-Binghamton, P. O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
| | - Michael T Knipfing
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Advanced Sensors & Environmental Monitoring (CASE), State University of New York-Binghamton, P. O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
| | - Victor Bushlyar
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Advanced Sensors & Environmental Monitoring (CASE), State University of New York-Binghamton, P. O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
| | - Omowunmi A Sadik
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Advanced Sensors & Environmental Monitoring (CASE), State University of New York-Binghamton, P. O. Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
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Akkus C, Ozdenerol E. Exploring childhood lead exposure through GIS: a review of the recent literature. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2014; 11:6314-34. [PMID: 24945189 PMCID: PMC4078581 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph110606314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2014] [Revised: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 06/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Childhood exposure to lead remains a critical health control problem in the US. Integration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into childhood lead exposure studies significantly enhanced identifying lead hazards in the environment and determining at risk children. Research indicates that the toxic threshold for lead exposure was updated three times in the last four decades: 60 to 30 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) in 1975, 25 µg/dL in 1985, and 10 µb/dL in 1991. These changes revealed the extent of lead poisoning. By 2012 it was evident that no safe blood lead threshold for the adverse effects of lead on children had been identified and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) currently uses a reference value of 5 µg/dL. Review of the recent literature on GIS-based studies suggests that numerous environmental risk factors might be critical for lead exposure. New GIS-based studies are used in surveillance data management, risk analysis, lead exposure visualization, and community intervention strategies where geographically-targeted, specific intervention measures are taken.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cem Akkus
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
| | - Esra Ozdenerol
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA.
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Ensuring Confidentiality of Geocoded Health Data: Assessing Geographic Masking Strategies for Individual-Level Data. Adv Med 2014; 2014:567049. [PMID: 26556417 PMCID: PMC4590956 DOI: 10.1155/2014/567049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Revised: 10/25/2013] [Accepted: 10/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Public health datasets increasingly use geographic identifiers such as an individual's address. Geocoding these addresses often provides new insights since it becomes possible to examine spatial patterns and associations. Address information is typically considered confidential and is therefore not released or shared with others. Publishing maps with the locations of individuals, however, may also breach confidentiality since addresses and associated identities can be discovered through reverse geocoding. One commonly used technique to protect confidentiality when releasing individual-level geocoded data is geographic masking. This typically consists of applying a certain amount of random perturbation in a systematic manner to reduce the risk of reidentification. A number of geographic masking techniques have been developed as well as methods to quantity the risk of reidentification associated with a particular masking method. This paper presents a review of the current state-of-the-art in geographic masking, summarizing the various methods and their strengths and weaknesses. Despite recent progress, no universally accepted or endorsed geographic masking technique has emerged. Researchers on the other hand are publishing maps using geographic masking of confidential locations. Any researcher publishing such maps is advised to become familiar with the different masking techniques available and their associated reidentification risks.
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García-Tarrasón M, Pacho S, Jover L, Sanpera C. Anthropogenic input of heavy metals in two Audouin's gull breeding colonies. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2013; 74:285-90. [PMID: 23871579 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2013.06.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Revised: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/23/2013] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic activities have become an important source of heavy metals to the marine environments. Biological sentinels like seabirds' chicks have been widely used to monitorize the levels of some heavy metals. Due to its mainly marine foraging habits, Audouin's gull fits well for this purpose. Mercury and lead levels were measured in mantle feathers of Audouin's gull chicks from two colonies in NE Iberian Peninsula: the Ebro Delta and the Llobregat Delta. Both are anthropized areas subject to differential pollutant inputs. Lead levels were significantly higher in the Llobregat Delta probably due to the use of leaded fuel in the nearby Barcelona airport. On the other side, mercury concentrations were higher in the Ebro Delta, in relation with the disposal of the toxic sediments at the Flix site carried down by the Ebro River. These mercury levels in the Ebro chicks reached values that have been described as toxic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel García-Tarrasón
- Departament de Biologia Animal (Vertebrats), Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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Do US ambient air lead levels have a significant impact on childhood blood lead levels: results of a national study. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2013; 2013:278042. [PMID: 23983719 PMCID: PMC3747402 DOI: 10.1155/2013/278042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2012] [Accepted: 06/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although lead paint and leaded gasoline have not been used in the US for thirty years, thousands of US children continue to have blood lead levels (BLLs) of concern. METHODS We investigated the potential association of modeled air lead levels and BLLs ≥ 10 μ g/dL using a large CDC database with BLLs on children aged 0-3 years. Percent of children with BLLs ≥ 10 μ g/dL (2000-2007) by county and proportion of pre-50 housing and SES variables were merged with the US EPA's National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) modeled air lead data. RESULTS The proportion with BLL ≥ 10 μ g/dL was 1.24% in the highest air lead counties, and the proportion with BLL ≥ 10 μ g/dL was 0.36% in the lowest air lead counties, resulting in a crude prevalence ratio of 3.4. Further analysis using multivariate negative binomial regression revealed that NATA lead was a significant predictor of % BLL ≥ 10 μ g/dL after controlling for percent pre-l950 housing, percent rural, and percent black. A geospatial regression revealed that air lead, percent older housing, and poverty were all significant predictors of % BLL ≥ 10 μ g/dL. CONCLUSIONS More emphasis should be given to potential sources of ambient air lead near residential areas.
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