Significance of High Soil Lead Concentrations for Childhood Lead Burdens

The lead exposure of children and their mothers has been studied in two towns with mean soil lead contents of 900 and 400 ppm. No significant difference in blood or fecal lead contents was demonstrated between the two populations, but a small difference in hair lead content was shown. The blood lead content of children was greater than that of their mothers and was higher in the summer than in the spring samples. Children with pica for soil in the control area had increased lead content of blood and hair. Preliminary data for children and mothers from villages with mean soil lead contents of 500 ppm and 10,000 ppm are reported which show significant differences in blood and hair lead content within the normal range. The data suggest that soil lead content of 10,000 ppm may result in increased absorption of lead in children, but to a degree which is unlikely to be of biological significance.