Lead Exposures in U.S. Children, 2008: Implications for Prevention

Details

• Personal Author:
  Brown MJ ; Jacobs DE ; Kastock ME ; Levin R ; Padilla A ; Rodman J ; Schock MR ; Sinks T ; Whelan, Elizabeth A.
• Description:
  Objective: We review the sources of lead in U. S. children's environments, their contributions to children's blood lead levels (BLLs), source elimination and control efforts, and existing federal authorities. Our context is the U. S. public health goal to eliminate pediatric elevated blood lead levels (EBLs) by 2010. Data Sources: National, state and local exposure assessments over the past half century have identified risk factors for EBLs among U.S. children, including age, race, income, age and location of housing, parental occupation, and season. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Recent national policies have greatly reduced lead exposure among US children but even very low exposure levels compromise children's later intellectual development and lifetime achievement. No threshold for these effects has been demonstrated. While lead paint and dust may still account for up to 70% of EBLs in U.S. children, CDC estimates that 30% or more of current EBLs do not have an immediate lead-paint source, and numerous studies indicate that lead exposures result from multiple sources. EBLs and even deaths have been associated with inadequately controlled sources including ethnic remedies and goods, consumer products, and food-related items including ceramics. Lead in public drinking water and in older urban centers remain exposure sources in many areas. Conclusions: Achieving the 2010 goal requires maintaining current efforts, especially programs addressing lead paint, while developing interventions that prevent exposure before children are poisoned. Achieving the 2010 goal requires active collaboration across all levels of government to identify and control all potential sources of lead exposure. Achieving the 2010 goal requires primary prevention. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Age Factors Air Pollutants, Occupational Diet Dust Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Food Contamination Lead Occupational Health Particulate Matter Poisoning Race Factors Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety

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• Keywords:
  Age-factors Airborne-dusts Airborne-particles Dietary-effects Dust-exposure Dust-particles Environmental-contamination Environmental-exposure Food-contaminants Lead-absorption Lead-dust Poison-control Racial-factors Risk-factors

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• ISSN:
  0091-6765
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  District of Columbia ; Georgia ; Maryland ; Massachusetts ; Ohio ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 4 ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSHEFS - Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations, and Field Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  16
• Issue:
  10
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20033979
• Citation:
  Environ Health Perspect 2008 Oct; 116(10):1285-1293
• Contact Point Address:
  Ronnie Levin, U.S. EPA SEP, One Congress St, Boston MA 02114
• Email:
  Levin.ronnie@U.S.EPA.gov
• CAS Registry Number:
  Lead (CAS RN 7439-92-1)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2009
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Environmental Health Perspectives
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d9bc722530d48148c71aabfd1b1a1a12d50896e1e878a372bad7457e549847024b7742f2f9ac9c92acedb417adeb3a6ba3a055d29f45cf30a509e1246f5a231d
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/189373/cdc_189373_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 152.39 KB ]