Lead in finger-bone analysed in vivo in active and retired lead workers

✍ Scribed by J. O. Christoffersson; A. Schütz; L. Ahlgren; B. Haeger-Aronsen; S. Mattsson; Dr. S. Skerfving

• Book ID: 102699823
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1984
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 635 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0271-3586
• DOI: 10.1002/ajim.4700060608

✦ Synopsis

In 75 active lead workers the median lead level in finger-bone (bone-Pb), as determined in vivo by an X-ray fluvreacence method, was 43 pglg (range <20-122). In 32 retired workers the median level was even higher, 59 pg/g (range <20-135), which indicates a slow turnover rate of lead in finger-bone. This was confirmed in 18 of the "active" workers, in whom bone-Pb was studied in connection with an exposure-free period. In spite of a significant decrease in blood-lead levels (B-Pb), no systematic change of bone-Pb occurred. There was an increase of bone-Pb with time of employment, but with a large interindividual variation. No association was found between bone-Pb and present B-Pb in the active lead workers. However, in the retired ones, 3-Pb rose with increasing bone-Pb. The bone-lead pool thus causes an "internal" lead exposure.