All issues > Volume 39(9); 1996

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1996;39(9):1231-1238. Published online September 15, 1996.

A Study on Blood Lead Levels of Children in Ulsan

Seung Gyu SG Park¹, In Gyeong IG Back¹, Chul Ju CJ Jung¹, Dong Jin DJ Lee¹, Gyeong Dong GD Jung²

¹Department of Pediatrics, DongKang General Hospital, Ulsan, Korea
²Department of Preventive Medicine, DongKang General Hospital, Ulsan, Korea

Abstract

Purpose
: Lead toxicity affects every organ system, most importantly, the central and periphral nervous systems, kidney, and blood. Not yet, there are not so many data about blood lead levels of children in Korea. The children residing in Ulsan have some risk exposured to lead because of air pollution resulted from rapid industrialization and some lead-using industries. So we estimated the blood lead levels of children in Ulsan and tried to abtain the predict values of them.
Methods
: Venous blood specimens were obtained for lead levels from two groups of 60 primary school children(30 residing in suburb, near-industry, and 30 in inner-city), aged 11-12 years. We also determined serum iron, ferritin, and hemoglobin. We compared blool lead levels between two groups according to nature of housing, age of housing, using the paint, condition of paint, parent's occupation.
Results
: 1) The mean blood lead levels of 60 chiddren was 6.20±2.29μg/dl. 2) The children residing in inner-city had the higher blood lead levels(7.02±2.29μg/dl) than near-industry, suburban children (5.38±1.99μg/dl) with statistical significance (p<0.01). 3) Four children had the blood lead level over 10μg/dl, but all of them below 15μg/dl, and no intellectual deficit. 4) Air lead in classroom of 2 schools was not detected. 5) The serum iron, ferritin and hemoglobin level were all within the normal range. 6) There were no significant difference of blood lead levels between two groups according to nature of husing, age of housing, using the paint, condition of paint, parent's occupations.
Conclusion
: The mean blood lead levels of some primary school children in Ulsan was 6.20±2.29μg/dl, within the acceptable ranges. Children residing in inner-city had slightly higher blood lead levels than near-industry, suburban children.

Keywords :Blood lead level, Children, Ulsan